Messages

1

General / Re: 52 Games Challenge 2026!!!

« on: June 07, 2026, 01:11:49 am »

23. PRAGMATA | 2026 | PC | 5/23:



     I played the "Sketchbook" demo for this back during one of Steam's Next Fests last year, and I was pretty shocked to find that: one, a big publisher like Capcom would release a demo during an event mainly for indie developers and two, that the game was really fun! What makes this game stand out from many triple-A titles is just how innovative it feels gameplay-wise. It's a third-person shooter with weapons that you'd find in any other game of the genre: pistols, shotguns, missile launchers, yadda yadda. What really makes PRAGMATA shine is the "hacking" element on top of the shooter gameplay. You can hardly damage any of the robots you battle over the course of the game without opening them up first via. hacking.

     You get a puzzle game on top of a shooting game: chaining different nodes together in the hacking mode to do the most damage, while consequently opening up the robots for more damage with shots from your weapons. It's an engaging gameplay-loop that gets more fun and challenging as you progress through the main story. Besides unlocking new types of nodes and weapons, you engage with new, more intimidating enemies that require you to think more outside the box. The bosses in PRAGMATA are so interesting to face as you really have to learn their moveset in order to defeat them. It may require you getting defeated once or twice to finally figure out what you have to do. There's nothing wrong with that because the game is so much fun to play, who cares if I have to fight the same boss again at full HP?

     This game was made more for a controller in mind, but it plays pretty well on mouse & keyboard for me. You have to really give your mouse a lot of room in order to work with Diana's gameplay, but it's satisfying once you do. Diana is one-half of PRAGMATA's gameplay-loop: the little girl in the back who deals with hacking enemies. Hugh is the astronaut who does all of the dirty work. You get a feel of how both of them interact with one another throughout the story. There's not a huge emphasis on the story-telling like there would be in something like, say The Last of Us. Half of the context comes from logs and emails left behind by the scientists that were there before you. However, you get just enough story moments to where I did feel attached to both characters and was looking forward to seeing where they were going next.

     The various environments encompassing the moonbase facility you're stranded on are all very detailed and gorgeous to look at -- as gorgeous as you can make a fractured facility look like. There's also purpose to fully analyzing every room as you obtain both upgrade parts and collectibles. Most upgrades use some form of lunafilament -- a type of matter that's introduced to you early on and has a strong presence in PRAGMATA's story. It's used to upgrade almost anything you can think of that would be useful to you. Collectibles are pretty useful as well, since they unlock various activities in the hub area that Diana can perform, furthering the bond between her and Hugh.

     It's such a treat to be getting something new and different from a well-established powerhouse like Capcom. It has the kind of polish you would expect from a modern game with big production values, while having the kind of heart that's rare to find in operations of the same size. This is definitely in contention for the "supremeusername's Game of the Year Award for 2026".



Grade: A+

Incredible game.  Capcom is truly on a tear rn. 

2

Modern Video Games / Re: State of Play | June 2, 2026 thoughts?

« on: June 04, 2026, 03:51:20 pm »

The only 2 games that interest me in any capacity are Rayman and Lauffey.  Also the only two that graphically stimulated me. Like where the art direction looks tantalizing.


Wolverine -  Wolverine seems like the biggest why? Here.  Like nothing in this demonstrated gameplay made me feel it'd be fun.  Looks like a lot of mashing Square and Triangle. It can be fun for certain sequences but also looks like it may have extremely repetitive combat which sadly became a Crux with me and spiderman 2.  Spiderman,.miles morales. Loved both. By the time I got to 2 its like i'm drained of mashing face buttons and doing the same 5 overpowered moves and the same counter sequences thousands of times.  Which leaves plot to do the carrying and imo Wolverine hasn't displayed exactly why it's necessary or different than a resigned spiderman.  I do appreciate that there is gore.


Rayman - god I love the visuals on this thing.  We're overdue for a transformative game. What I like about it is it kinda gives a very animated almost Pixar vibe to a very linear 2D game to make it feel like a larger scape. Sorta like Mario Wonder. It looks immersive and pretty. Overall it is a fun game that I love looks like its being given a fresh coat of paint and cool new powers.  I'm down tbh.



Ace Combat 8 - Looks nice. I didnt like 7.  So who knows if this is smoother mechanically. As a aviation buff. Plane games always disappoint me in just how inaccessible they make planes to gamers in some of these.



Lauffey - I always found her a character so integral but little utilized. The franchise is aware that Kratos is played to death and this is the change of pace the franchise seriously needs. Its gonna be a masterpiece.  Also I've noticed its gonna backlash for being "woke" which truly makes me happy I didnt father a human with similar opinions.  Like seriously?  This is also the game that I found most visually stunning. The shading and depth perception were incredible.  This studio never misses with graphics.


Oh I forgot Until Dawn 2.... based. Really hyped for it.  I agree that the setting change is a nice touch. This is overdue and I hope the Quarry gets the same treatment eventually.

3

General / Re: June 2026 - Recently added to collection/recently purchased

« on: June 01, 2026, 07:24:45 pm »

Copped 5 more PS3 games towards set


Lego Batman 2
Indian Jones 2
Star Wars Force Unleashed
Injustice 2 God Among Us
Sonic All Star Racing Transofrmed


Also since the music thread is a dead body. I also got Mad Villainy By MF Doom and Licensed to I'll by the beastie boys on vinyl format.

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General / Re: May 2026 - Recently added to collection/recently purchased

« on: May 31, 2026, 02:16:13 pm »

How is it?  I always assumed Tokyo or Japan in general would be such an excellent setting for the game series. I gotta wait for it to come to PS5 like a good boy

More of the same, basically. NPCs and your own character are downright ugly, which led to a lot of memes so far. The dialogues in the cutscenes are cringe as always. The Music is atrocious - if you set a game in japan, bring in some japanese music, considering their diverse musical scene but no, we get the same rap mumble garbage (like Lil Nas X) and synth slop as usual. Only one station (Gacha City Radio) has japanese music and it's the worst of their pop music. No visual kai, metal or anything...I pretty much instantly turned off all sounds except the car engine.
The AI in races is all over the place. Wheelspins are nerfed aand that was promoted as a good thing somehow. The progression is still not there, you instantly get supercars. I think Gran Turismo always did that better with buying a cheap, used car and work your way up from the bottom.
And it still has a lot of the same old graphical flaws like the pixelated red smoke on checkpoints

On the positive: the game is optimized and runs on old hardware. My PC can ran it maxed out without any problems (AMD GPU, despite that, Raytracing works perfectly)
The world is definitely a huge, massive improvement over Mexico. Way more interesting and diverse with its biomes and cities.
The car list is big, some interesting new cars, but also a lot of annoying omissions (i miss the A-Team Van)

Overall i'm glad i got it relatively cheap from a key store, it's definitely not worth the full price.

Damn... this will probably make me prolong or outright not pre-order. Sounds like a wait for a sale kinda game. Esp at 70.   To host a Japanese racing game and not tap into the elements of the culture that make the Japan street racing scene iconic is blasphemous. 

I was skeptical when Luke Riely for IGN gave it a 10 again.  I just instantly knew objectivity left the room which seems to be typical of IGN because I have trouble imagining what exactly can be done new with the formula to transport the franchise enough to have hack to back 10s or if they have any intent to at all change the recipe. I feared it being just more of the same and you seem to have cemented that.


Does it at least focus heavily into Japanese car culture plot wise? Like tuners, drifting, JDMs?  Does it allow for more customization like underglow, cherry bombs, roof scoops, tuner spoilers, more body kits and such on JDM cars?  I cant imagine a Street racing game.set in Japan without the glory of the street scenes there that defined a good chunk of the 90s car culture.   Does it even have drift events or just drift zones?


But I assume based on what you said its still the extremely limited sets of body mods that look factory, street suspension with community liveries over top.  5 spoilers to choose from but 2000 Fortnite emotes lol.   


Damn... that's a bummer.  I always thought Japan would transport them or inspire them to go wild with lore.  At least you got it cheap and are having fun. 

5

Marketplace / Re: Looking For / Help Me Find Thread

« on: May 30, 2026, 02:25:19 pm »

This thread seems to be a corpse but if anyone sees this. Ever. I'm looking for PS3 games.  I prefer to buy lots and I typically dont need JRPGS, Or Turn Based RPGs.  I have roughly 270 PS3 games so most of the ultra iconic stuff has already been had such as call of duty, grand theft auto, sports and most of the franchise icons like uncharted and ratchet.


However

I need

 Stuntman San Francisco
3D Dot Heroes
Godzilla JP Release
F.E.A.R 1 and 2
Deadspace 1 and 2
Clive Barkers Jherico
Condemned Blood.Shot


And any commons I'm willing to typically pay between 3-5 dollars per game even for shitty sports games so long as I do not have them.   


I'm also not allergic to

Commodore 64 units
A vectrex recapped
Tiger handhelds that are hip

And old PCs.


Video game me up!

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General / Re: May 2026 - Recently added to collection/recently purchased

« on: May 28, 2026, 10:50:19 pm »

I bought the GOTY Forza Horizon 6 (steam)

How is it?  I always assumed Tokyo or Japan in general would be such an excellent setting for the game series. I gotta wait for it to come to PS5 like a good boy




I bought more rare PS3 games


1. 50 Cent Blood On The Sand JP copy for trophy support

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General / Re: 4 New Games Added to the "World Video Game Hall of Fame"

« on: May 28, 2026, 02:35:30 pm »

Also since it seems we want to say Tamogotchi is a video game to be silly.

BOP-IT! Smash is a video game

By same metric

These two items really aren't comparable. The latter is an electronic toy that's programmed to behave in a predetermined and limited capacity whereas the former is a simulation game with variables featuring a LCD screen and isn't unlike any other LCD game—games that I suppose I'll clarify are types of items that VGC tracks. Tamagotchi's marketability by large may instill the perception that they're traditional toys based on their appearance, but they function no differently than more universally accepted contemporaries like Nintendogs and Seaman released on dedicated gaming hardware.

With this being said, I don't think that the terms toy and video game are mutually exclusive. Tamagotchi is one example as to this mindset, but more modern counterparts would be items like amiibo and Skylanders figures.

I mean I hear what you're getting at with the definitions but it's so hard to stick to it, and i'm sure your rules for a video game more defined and grounded than what has been defined by others.  Who is right? Who is wrong?  We dont really know.  Thats why I think we should go solely off intent of development.

From what has been defined to me by the people who include Tamogatchi in these gaming discussions is that the vague inclusion is because a video game requires

An LCD or Digital Display/Light Up Visual Ques (typically considered to require a computer sending code to a digital interface)
Pre Determined Rules/Limits
Player Input


Here are video games and the context as to why.

Texas Instruments Speak and Spell Is A Video Game....




"You are absolutely spot on. Because it relies on a processor to drive an interactive digital interface, a Speak & Spell is technically an electronic handheld game. In fact, the device was one of the first mass-produced consumer computers to feature a gameplay loop, state tracking, and user input.

Also a gaming historian sharing input on the matter https://youtu.be/RpeegJ0J5mE?si=2TV1C7oeqTO6vSrc



Which makes any Drone with a handheld operating screen a video game and also makes electronic battleship a video game.  Here is the response to that from google Gemini (not gospel but something)

Electronic Battleship Is A Video Game

"You are absolutely right. By definition, an electronic Battleship game featuring an LCD screen, programmed rules (loops), an end state, and specific player goals meets all the technical criteria of a video game."


I mean come now Ethyl.  Where do we draw the damn line? Lol. 

Also by your example of Nintendogs,  Bop It Smash recieved a touch screen version ported to IOS and behaves not much different than a physical manifestation of any rythym game.  Also the people who argue Nintendogs are like a tomagatchi leave out the fact that so are The Robot Dogs from Target that display emotion on a digital screen interface panel like a tamogatchi does that you feed plastic bones to make happy. It has a screen. A displayed visual prompt. You can stretch to say I-Dog is a game. Digital interface. Requires music to dance. Clear goal. Requirements. Peripherals. You care for a pet that doesnt actually exist but gives the illusion it does.  Rules. Guidelines. Limits and function.  Not a video game.  Nintendogs is a video game released on video game hardware with video game marketing by video game companies.   To say a toy has similar counterparts to a video game like Nintendogs seems to be the stretch but it falls apart under stress. It's like saying because Mario Kart is a game, a remote control Mario kart toy is a video game if the remote has a screen on it.  It's a very crude stretch to say screen = game.  In that sense all board games if you add a display to the board become video games. Which is why I feel the intent of development is what should matter.  Games should be well defined as games.   This is what happens when people get way too cute or vague with definitions.  Why cant we just call violet violet?   A video game is obvious. None of these things were marketed or intended to be a video game.




By this logic.  If we build an AI Robot with a screen that displays its emotions and play patty cake with it to make it happy it becomes a 6 foot tall humanoid video game. 


Then we can say "a video game needs to be virtual entirely. Not physical) contained within.   ok so still speak and spell? Lol.  Speak andnspell is also far more iconic and revolutionary than most games.


But the truth is.  If we dont draw the line with Tamogatchi.  Then the hobby loses all meaning.  Even if you can stretch it to say Tamogatchi is a "video game" why?  It's clearly marketed, consumed and remembered as a toy.  Do we not have enough actual games?  If someone has to go "is that a video game?" Does it belong in a hall of fame for video games?   Especially over well defined icons of this industry?  We are playing in the neighbors pool while ours develops algae. 


Seriously. If tamogatchi is a video game. We lost the plot as a hobby. 


And like I said.  Even if it is.  Does it really need to be in a hall of fame?  Like culturally?  Literally nobody thinks of it as anything but a toy without being convinced to.  Like what are we doing here? Over Metroid lol. 


But this boils down to Hall of Fames being worthless divisionist gate keeper culture coded failures broken from the ground up. Rooted in holding merit over an artists head like a chew toy to curate worth and not opinion.  Almost all have come.under fire for bribery. Bias. Cultural failures and even prejudice and institutional fraud.   Something rooted in exclusionary opinion pretending to be some sort of authority is dead news as far as I'm concerned. Weather Tamogatchi is a video game or not. 

8

Modern Video Games / Re: Valve Raises Price of Steam Deck OLED by $300

« on: May 27, 2026, 08:01:37 pm »

AI infused Capitalism is a flaming ball the world has decided to urinate on.  AI is death.  Greed has won.  Gaming is about to crash again. Thats clear and inevitable.  And the sad part  while the earth is essentially on fire you'll come to find most of these companies raising prices dont do it to maintain operations or profits or wages they do it to maintain MASSIVE PROFITS and insane 220 million dollar CEO bonuses and insane cap spikes so they can invest in AI, reintergrate logistics company wide. Most have stated they intend to integrate AI with human workforce. They have.stellar ROIs, immense GDP, great market caps, and decent sales figures and protective growth. Most have capital sunk in non gaming entities and invest in hedges as a shell against economy downturns.  Then they pretend they raise prices based on whatever nonsense is happening on the news to play the little old lady in the soup kitchen line but the raised price is almost never proportionate to the raised costs and overheads. Most are gonna seek tariff refunds on top of it. Yet blamed raised prices on tariffs for the past half decade. Do you think if tariffs absolve prices will drop?  Have you ever heard a landlord say "my taxes went down this year so im lowering your rent?" Its all fucking greed. Not necessity. Refusing to ride the economical mess they are creating they pass the bill onto the poor and middle class. That's capitalism and always was.  They just refuse to slim margins because God forbid they only make insane amounts of wealth instead of ungodly amounts of wealth.  Parasite oligarchs from the ground up.   You're witnessing a bubble about to pop.  Either poke it with a tack or stick your tongue out.  Theirs no other options. Its popping.



You could be right about Xbox but for the sake of your happiness I will like to say Most analysts have 2 estimates or models they assume will happen.  Both around your budget or hopes.


1. Xbox launches Helix at 900 to 1000.  Runs on intensely slim margins because they want to ensure as many homes as possible subscribe to their actual money maker (gamepass) which I find the most likely. 


2.  They release at 1,200 to 1 500 dollars.  Sell hardly any units, appeal to the affluent and operate on higher profit margins on lower sales scales.


2,000 dollars is company suicide.  It'd most likely mean the bubble popped and the hobby crashed entirely. Maybe. Not fully off the table.  But id say you should be fine if you intend to spend.$1,500.  But the bubble could pop you are right ahout that.



I also wouldn't rule out 2 models. A crazy expensive spec beast and a consumer model like they have been doing. 


The steam deck going up 300 dollars is silly.  Good luck with that Valve. 

9

General / Re: 4 New Games Added to the "World Video Game Hall of Fame"

« on: May 27, 2026, 02:53:05 pm »

Aight, here is my response to each new entry.

- Angry Birds = Yeah, I guess this one makes sense.

- Dragon Quest = Sigh.... Yeah, I guess this makes sense.

- Fifa International Soccer = Uh? Alrighty then....

- Silent Hill = How was this not there already?!!

Wait, no Spyro or Crash games are included in the 53? WHY?!!

Because it's subjective click bait being portrayed as a "professionals' objectivity. And deemed as having more worth than anyone else's which is the sole selling point of all hall of fames.  Gatekeeping and exclusivity.  A circus for all intents and purposes.  The credibility of the hall of fame lies solely on perception of their choices by others and clearly they failed.  I trust my mother who has never played video games to formulate a better hall of fame off blind memory. 


Anyone here attend a gaming convention and see Barbie?  She's synonymous with our hobby now? A Tamagotchi (a egg shaped tiger handheld quality virtual pet toy from 30 years ago)?


Anyone here attend a gaming convention and see Samus Aran, Big Daddy, Vault Boy or Spyro? 


That is all that needs to be said.  The list is not only bad it's a tad offensive and not at all indicative of the vast consensus of the legacy of our culture.   The exclusion of Metroid makes the entire team of people involved from the ground up instantly not credible.  It is not arguably but objectively fact that it is the first mainstream and franchise popular human female protagonist in video games. Certainly the first serious one.  The franchise also pioneered non linear backwards progression and paved the way for maybe 20 percent of all games.  It's effects are seen in countless indie projects till this day.   




But...


Barbie.


Let it sink in.


Barbie. 






Also since it seems we want to say Tamogotchi is a video game to be silly.


BOP-IT! Smash is a video game




By same metric

10

Off Topic / Re: Music thread

« on: May 26, 2026, 08:22:37 pm »

Why is the music thread a corpse?  Someone come grave dig with me.  Post a random cool song.


"My sticky paws were into making straws out of big fat slurpee treats.  An incredible 8 foot heap"


Len Steal my Sunshine is a fun introspective 90s Pop/Punk alt nu metal kinda thing that speaks of summery bliss on the surface but reeks of meloncholy regret underneath.  I wrote a whole thesis on it. 


Merry Memorial Day

https://youtu.be/E1fzJ_AYajA?si=jVi5x5PXaJrSkPbw

11

Modern Video Games / Re: Summer Gamefest hopes and predictions thread

« on: May 26, 2026, 05:06:08 pm »

HOPES


A portal from the sky to open and we all return to 1999 again.



Expectations


Derivative games

GTA 6 Price Announcement being 20 dollars too much

Nintendo beating a 40 year Old IP to death instead of innovating.


A Gimmicky Open World Game that takes 2 lifetimes to finish


And tik tokers giggling while saying slang I dont understand



But in all seriousness....


I guess one can hope for


Half Life 3

Klonoa 3

Bioshock 3 (not infinite)

Sonic Adventure 3

The Darkness 3


All the "3" games


Some sort of new Need for speed game.

A new ratchet and clank.

12

General / Re: 52 Games Challenge 2026!!!

« on: May 26, 2026, 04:46:24 pm »

29. Mixtape [PS5] - Finished May 26th, 2026





Mixtape

CONTROVERSY BEGINS HERE

So before playing this game I was lured in by of course the display of it on digital stores abroad. It tickles my rom com/90s alt pickle that I grew up in. So I bought it long before hearing about it's many controversies. And didn't both to learn of those until recently. And i'd say....

The world needs shock therapy.


On the one hand critics will argue that "ign" giving this game a 10 is simply poor journalism and subjective heavily biased critic work. They always undercut artistic standards and praise odd anomalies and it can feel like a slight against the culture of gaming. Which do I agree with?  1... hundred... fucking percent.   This game is not a 10.  IGNs scores have lost all meaning at this point.

However those same critics will say things like "its only 3 hours long, it doesnt have complex mechanics, it isn't some shitty 50 hour Dessert game that I love that requires you to bring democracy to Cuba to beat it's levels. It isn't some void of emotion pit of guts and guns. So it shouldn't be ranked as a game. Its not even a game" And is that equally as insane as the 10? No it's more so. Its worse. At least the 10 is IGNs very isolated subjective opinion. This? This is gatekeeping garbage and its tired.   Because it argues that a "walking simulator" or a game that almost entirely depends on interactive story telling and plot in bite sized immediate form factors shouldn't be allowed to be perfect score. Under what metric?  Puzzle games, linear on rails shooters and even collectathons with no challenge at all don't get held to this same standard.  Do we reward monotonous hardship more than simple enjoyment?  Do we prefer a 50 hour climb vs a 2 minute stroll?   Thats subjective but I certainly do not.   A game is a game if it requires user input to influence an action on screen.  The rest is history.  These are story telling masterpiece.  Same way short form content is still art in any other medium.  A sweet poem.  A little painting.  Brevity is sexy folks.  The game is 20 dollars. 

Then they claim its political posturing because God forbid 90s teens be rebellious, have varying sexualaties and anti establishment concepts and do things like party and say buzz words to trigger adults. Gee so shocking.  They should have represented 90s teens as do gooders who never touched a smashing pumpkins CD in their life. Yeahhh totally. 


This world is borderline cultist and it drives me up a damn wall that video game journalism and the people who consume it has been hijacked in such a way.


REVIEW BEGINS HERE




But anyway.  Annapurna has struck nostalgic oil again. The development team seems to chip at the rock of yearning often. Knowing what human elements evoke fond memories of either existential crisises of the past or the pain and burden of now.  I as a more wave than rock energy love this about them.  The game feels instantly relatable and it clearly is trying to be the "last blockbuster" of gaming.  Id say what it succeeds most in is the underlying dynamics rather than the overall motife.


[The music]

The game prides itself on the title, a mixtape window into 90s expression. But here is the funnest bit of it.  As the games story commences the main protagonist Stacey Rockford takes the emotional mood set by the current story and uses it to break the 4th wall and display to the player her Playlist that defined these moments for her.  Including licensed tracks from radiohead, roxy music, sonic youth and smashing pumpkins.  It is a absolute genius way to take a borderline untamable soundtrack and make it feel not only fresh, consistent, locked down, relevant but also bond forming. It helps you introspectively feel what the protagonist is feeling through music.  It's simple yet so unique. I've never seen this done.  It should have been done more.   For example. Stacey will pan to the camera and say "this is Love by smashing pumpkins a track off their 4th studio album. It covers feelings that cabt be explained or blah blah blah" I'm paraphrasing. Its semi educational for a music nerd and 90s buff like me who loves this stuff.  And it actually introduced me to a new band.  Roxy Music whom I find I enjoy.   These moods blend seamlessly with the plot.  That is absolute intense genius on profound levels. I love the idea. 


The game is essentially mini games that have no challenge outside of that.  For example you gotta move joysticks to have teens make out.  Pour slushies for a skater kid named Slater,  and raid your sisters drawer for booze by pressing X.  Id say the flaws of the game dont come from its simplicity. It comes more so from it's all over the place story telling and often times repetitive nature of the bedroom sequences.  Dialogue evolves but some of the items it calls on you to interact with dont add much depth to the story. 

The story ends abruptly, sadly and with not much reward or major plot twisting bang. Just bloop.  And I feel the ending... without spoiling it. Left me longing for more.


Then there is the fact


YOU CANT SKIP CUTSCENES WHEN TROPHY HUNTING


Oh my lord how?  This has been a standard feature since like 1992.  Speedrunners be agast. 


But overall its a delightful little treat, not a flawless game by the means of what I said alone but a sweet coming of age film on par with the movie stand by me by Stephen King with fun abd cute sequences of rebellion.  A 7.5 by all intents and purposes if not for the music element and how that is done. How blissfully the main protagonist tells her life through another art.  For that... its a 9 to me.


Rating - 90/100.

13

General / Re: 52 Games Challenge 2026!!!

« on: May 26, 2026, 04:42:13 pm »

28. Need for Speed: Underground [PS2] - finished May 22nd, 2026



Does too much

Need for Speed: Underground is a campy, fun and nostalgic trip that could have been even better if not for being a bloated, incessantly repetitive experience plagued by rubber banding. Which at this point even with its age. I consider rubber banding bad game design and always will. It voids the entire point of building a car/developing skills within the game if all the corner cutting, memorizing of shortcuts and pure passion for the game and it's culture doesn't translate directly into a larger gap between you and your opponents.  Rubber band aka the act of opponents pulling closer or becoming more skilled the further you pull away to keep things "fair" is so bad in this game that fans suggest literally staying in 2nd place until the final lap on the final few races to make it easier to win. That's just sad and it cant be overlooked.


Another glaring issue with NFS Underground is that because the first few cars you get can be upgraded to be the best cars in the game track spec wise and because the amount of money you earn is so massive compared to the amount you spend. The incentive to sit through a 111 race 20 hour game to get the cool cars at the end is essentially non existent for me.  There isn't that white whale Lamborghini Diablo to chase, there is only JDM tuners. None of which can be modded to out-corner the stock Neon you begin the game with after upgrading it.  It takes away the soul of why I enjoy racing games. The chase, the ooooo I want the 2 million dollar car but i'm a Crack distributor in San Jose so let me race people until I'm the leader of an illegal street race syndicate to buy a dodge viper.  Festivals?  Anything.  This is


Sprint

Circuit

Lap knockout

Which are essentially the same thing just formatted differently.  Lap knockouts are circuit races on closed tracks except someone gets eliminated after each Lap. And sprint is just a point A to Point B race.

Drift

Drag


Repeat.


111 times.


The game spends so much time looking at clouds that it overlooks the stars, it could have trimmed itself into something special because outside of all these flaws that become like eczema on a buffalo's balls. It does have the incandescent glow of 2000s Mod Culture. From Radio Shack adverts, magazine covers and Japanese models.  It brings you into the too fast too furious, DUB city kinda culture that was the early 2000s auto scene.


Also if it has a plot it hasn't been made transparent to me lol.  Hell if I know what i'm racing for.  "Dude you made it on German OFFENSWAGGIN magazine.  Rad. You're officially the man" idk.


The graphics are palletable for the day. Id say they've aged worse than Porsche Unleashed. But it gets the job done. There is a lot to love here but sadly for only hours at a time.  It's a cute friend from your past you used to hook up with until you found a better partner. Now you look back and go idk what we seen.  Most wanted, Carbon and Heat are those better partners. 

73/100

14

General / Re: 52 Games Challenge 2026!!!

« on: May 26, 2026, 04:40:19 pm »

27. Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed [PS1] - finished May 15th, 2026





DATE depth, DIVORCE Repetition,
MARRY Brevity. 


This is how it's absolutely done when it comes to an Arcade racer! So much so I dare call it the recipe. Those days of sitting in a big top arcade next to big bass spin wheel knocking quarters into a Cruisin Exotica rig, the sense of speed, racing the time, racing the mirage of competition fading into the sunsets of pre adolescent angst.  Need for speed Porsche Unleashed simply gets it.  And captures it instantly. An arcade racer doesnt need 2000 cars, 20 50 cent soundtracks, nitrous or even special upgrades to cars. All it needs is adrenaline and confidence.  And this game milks more from minimum than later entries do from the whole farm.


The game is beaten by competition of it's "factory driver" mode which tbh is actually a fun idea. And believable. You play as an Unamed racer for Porsche motor company. A pick yourself up by the boot straps type of gainfully employed race car test driver. And you are tasked with the job of delivering rich snobs their Porsches in a timely fashion and with minimum damage. Jerry Sienfield on a 3am acid trip orders a 911 Carrera S. It's your job to zoom through cones, master dirt power sliding and just whip some of the most iconic 90s sports cars to ever exist into rapid rebellion to appease them.  Other missions mostly exist plot wise to "test the cars performance" and the main goal is to become so good at trusted you get promoted to "ace driver" in which you get the attention of some sassy and sexy James Bond spy of a woman who I guess is their elite Porsche racer.  Who degrades you as being inferior to her throughout. Her time sets are the master times to beat. "You have set a new track record" is a fun thing to hear. And trust me. She sets the bar high. The times sre demanding but not overly so.



The graphics are chefs kiss. Truly some polygonal dreams capes and I believe incredibly swell for the time of release. Light shading creates confident illusions. It's got a certain car and driver magazine, Laguna Seca sunset, top down, rubber peeled kinda badass vibe. The game reeks of tanned denim and sex.  Immersively fun to play because the concept of speed is made evident by the game's fade in fade out approach to background textures. It doesn't try too hard to be goofy or cool. It just is in a cool matrix on its own.


Porsche Unleashed has a fun and engaging plot that just feels more real life.  It has a certain charm in not trying so hard. It is a compact, quick, enjoyable and never dull rapid dash that takes itself with maturity and grace rather than silliness and neon glow. And for that? Id say it doesnt differ much from the Porsche brand itself  


[Side note] - when I was a kid my brother won me this game in a Pokémon card tournament from some kid.  So it holds a special place in my heart. I had no clue how actually interesting it would be. Makes me interested in the other OG PS1 NFS titles


93/100.

15

General / Re: 52 Games Challenge 2026!!!

« on: May 19, 2026, 05:24:49 pm »

ABANDONED


NEED FOR SPEED UNDERGROUND 2


Abandoned Need for Speed: Underground 2 [PS2]


Need for speed underground 2 is a case of 1 step forward 2 steps back. It gives an invigorating open world to race in which is a fresh and amazing change of scenery from how Linear Underground 1 was.  But the gain of extra world is almost entirely wasted on driving to and from races which bloats 5 hours or more into this games run time. It is tedious.  Nothing is actually done with the open world. It is a bare void. The gameplay is beyond repetitive and the car selection is fairly lacking variety.  Even the soundtrack is overhyped.  I think it must have played Riders on the storm remix ft snoopdog 27x since I started playing it 2 hours ago. I cant stomach it.  The game is ugly as well. It is community consensus that this game just hasnt aged well and I concur sadly. I loved this game as a kid but looking back it was extremely bland and tbh was a big step down from even it's namesake predecessor. It's tough on the eyes. The levels are mostly winding and ugly. And the cars take way too long to make cool if ever.  A miata? A civic?  Ok I love the starting bare bones vibe. Can we at least get nitrous and body kits early?  Idk. It doesn't jingle the dingle for me.