Let's Play Streets of Rage

Streets of Rage is one of the best beat 'em ups ever created. Hell, it's one of the best games ever created and it's a perfect choice for a Let's Play.

I have spent many night playing through Streets of Rage on the Wii VC. I'll never get tired of the killer music and neon-filled city streets.

You can watch the video below, or check it out on youtube.

Sonic the Hedgehog

I was 7 years old when Sonic the Hedgehog launched in North America. Vividly, I remember playing the game for the first time in KB Toys on a display TV.

I was blown away.

Never had I played a game with such amazing graphics. In my mind, the Super Nintendo games didn't even come close to match the cool, futuristic look of Sonic. The music as well, like Mega Man, hinted at the great electronic music that would proliferate over the next 20 years.

Specifically, I noticed how the several different background layers created a 3D effect that I'd never before seen (Super Mario World, by comparison, features 1 parallax background; Sonic has up to 4 depending on the level.

But Sonic didn't even have levels, it had zones and acts. It didn't have enemies, it had little bunnies inside robots. It had rings, which were like coins, but they were also Sonic's HP. Sega did everything they could to distance their mascot from Nintendo's--and it worked. I also remember, at 7 years old, having serious discussions with my friends over who was cooler: Sonic or Mario. While we all grew up playing Mario, the consensus was, of course, that Sonic ruled.

It had to be the speed. Mario created good hop-n-bop game play, but nothing as extreme as Sonic had yet existed. Mario requires that the player actively hold B to run; Sonic doesn't need to. Sonic doesn't even need more than 1 button, and the player cannot hide behind any sort of projectile-powerup.

But, the graphics and environment probably had something to do with it. The world of Sonic teems with movement. Environmental effects, spinning thorn bridges, falling terrain, bumpers, springs, swings, loops, and lava. The flowers spin; the backgrounds flash. The sun reflects off the water in Green Hill Zone--the place shimmers with fun. Sonic felt like the future.

I was equally impressed with Sonic 2, 3 and Knuckles, but, unfortunately, watched the series degenerate just like everyone else after that--with only the occasional title being playable (Sonic Rush, anyone? Sonic Rush was amazing). But despite the awesome co-op and great music, I still feel like Sonic 1 remains the best game in the series because it focuses on platforming more than the other titles. Real dedication was put into every level, and each level has multiple paths. While Sonic 2 continued this trend, the levels never felt quite as big as they did in the original. Eventually, it was all about the loops and going ridiculously fast. Somehow, Sonic 2, 3, Knuckles, and Rush pull this off okay, but at some point the loops simply failed to impress me even slightly.

Additionally, all the cool Sonic zones (watery ruins, pinball bumpers, green hills, big cities) were set in the first game--everything else is, to an extent, a rehash. Not that I don't love Hill Top, Chemical Plant, and Oil Ocean, but those ideas came out of (were inspired by?) Sonic the Hedgehog.

Sonic 2, admittedly, fixed many problems with its predessor: better bonus stage, co-op gameplay (several modes), spin-dashing, and a cool new sidekick. But while these improvements were welcome at the time, in retrospect they can't hold up to the absolute brilliance of the original.

I didn't own Sonic when it was new; but I did finally get a Sega Genesis 1997, when my neighbors grew bored with their old system in favor of their N64 and PSX. Excitement made my hands shake as I hooked up my new Sega Genesis: I could finally play Sonic anytime I wanted! And I basically never stopped.

Phantasy Star II -- Part Two

I'd been assigned to gather some information on the Bio Lab. My commander suspected something was wrong with Mother Brain. A highwayman named Darum, however, was robbing everyone who crossed the bridge and killing most as well. He'd already tried to killed Nei a few months back. After gathering info in the small, dynamited town of Arima, I found a key and some dynamite in Shure dungeon.

I used this key in the next dungeon, Nido tower, and found Darum's daughter, Tiem. She asked to be taken to her father, after we showed her a letter we had found. The letter was ransoming Tiem, and she is horrifying to discover that her father became a murderer because of her. Tiem hides her face with a veil, and tries to tell Darum that killing is wrong, but, instead, he kills her. In a fit of grief, he blows himself up, ending the first story arc in a brutal murder-suicide.

But Rolf and co. press on to another town, Onita, and, finally, the BioLabs themselves. The experience and money is fantastic, and I'm able to buy several ceramic knives, good armor, and have decent gear for the dungeon. Unfortunately, Amy dies about halfway in, and I decide to press on. I almost make it to the recorder, but then Rudo dies as well and I have no choice but to warp back to town and try again -- this time I succeed and head back to Paseo!

My commander's suspicions are confirmed: Mother Brain fucked up, but currently HQ's best theory is that someone tampered with the programming, which sounds pretty reasonable. They've got some graphs to back this shit up too. My boss gives me a key, and I'm free to explore a lot of the world.

I traveled to two new towns, but not much happened. That means 2 new party members. However, I'm enjoying my current party, and think I'll stick with it. In part three I'll detail the next 2-3 dungeons and describe the two new towns, the garbage heap, and the developing story of Phantasy Star II.

READ ON TO PART 3

Click here to go back and read Part One.