newtmonkey wrote on 2026-11-01, 17:02:

I've (briefly) played the SNES version, but I'd like to hear your thoughts on the console ports, and how they compare with the PC version.

The PC and SNES versions are very close in looks and everything. Unlike The Lost Vikings, where the extra screen width of the PC helps with FoV, in Blackthorne you could not reasonable do that, because it is not a scroller. So instead the PC has a dedicated inventory bar. The music in the PC is a bit more ambient, with less "oomph", if I remember correctly.

The only other port I've played is the Sega 32x. That one has slightly better backgrounds, but weird looking sprites. Its biggest selling point is an extra area (snowy mountains) with 4 new levels. Not sure it introduces any new game mechanics, though. Still, worth playing once just for that, maybe.

32x Blackthorne's artistically mutual with the Mac version which also had weird CG'd sprites

Played Moto racer 2. The ska music is really off putting

Tonight I just started playing Dishonored. I knew the game was good but I was not expecting it to be *that* good. The gameplay and the lore are both awesome. I'm completely hooked.

mtest001 wrote on 2026-11-01, 22:40:

Tonight I just started playing Dishonored. I knew the game was good but I was not expecting it to be *that* good. The gameplay and the lore are both awesome. I'm completely hooked.

You're in for a treat! 😄 I highly recommend playing through the Knife of Dunwall and Brigmore Witches DLCs after completing the base game. They are superbly made, and tie directly into the plot of the sequel.

BTW, over the years, I've come to enjoy the Dishonored games even more than the Thief series. I still have a lot of love and nostalgia for the latter, but nowadays, Dishonored just feels more fun to me.

1. Pipe mania (Atari 1040 STF)
2. Simon the Sorcerer Origins
3. Ween the Prophecy (Atari 1040 STF)
4. Leisure Suit Larry 2 (Atari 1040 STF)
5. Lure of the Temptress (Atari 1040 STF)

Ultima Underworld
I've reached Level 7. I believe that the lowest level is 8, so I think I'm pretty close to completing the game; based on my character level and the quest items I've collected, it definitely seems so.

This has been a really exceptional game so far. I was afraid that the game would be front loaded with all the interesting content stuffed into the first few levels, but it's been very consistent. Great level design with lots of stuff to find and interesting things to do, including what seems like quite a lot of optional content. The automap is simply amazing, and I love how you can write notes on it in the game. Definitely one of those "I'll just explore that one corridor before I go to bed..." kinds of games.

Biohazard
Wow! What a game. I finally got out of the mansion and explored the gardens, where I found a key that unlocks two of the remaining locked doors in the mansion. When you get back, you find that the mansion is swarming with fast and deadly monsters and, in a nice touch, the soundtrack takes on a dissonant quality.

One cool thing I experienced: at one point a comrade lowers you down into a pit with a rope, but he ends up dropping the rope and tells you to wait for him to come back for you. The first time, I just figured you were supposed to go ahead without him, explored this underground area, but ended up getting killed (though I do think that you can get through this area if you're better prepared that I was). The next time, I sat there and waited for a minute, and he actually came back with a new rope and lifted me out of there! Awesome stuff.

Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold
I had the registered version of this game in the day, but never got very far into it; shortly after getting it, I upgraded to a 486-50 and it was very difficult to go back to this after playing Doom!

Anyway, it's actually a pretty cool game. I love the colorful graphics, and the in-game automap makes it less of a hassle to play than Wolf 3D. I also like how you can go back to previous levels to find stuff you missed. Wolf 3D is actually still a lot of fun today, but this feels like an interesting stepping stone between that game and Doom (which was released shortly after). Well worth playing imo.

* Mordor: The Depths of Dejenol
* Jones in the Fast Lane
* QFG1
* My own DOS games i'm making, haha.

Persona 5 Royal

Finished! For the most part, I liked the new palace, though it did drag on a bit too long. Also, there was a mandatory color-based puzzle in one of the later areas, which I wasn't a fan of. The final boss battle was pretty cool though, with many opportunities to use the improved combat mechanics to their full potential. Narratively, I felt that the Royal ending was less impactful than the OG Persona 5 version, as the latter had a better buildup and a more satisfying payoff.

And while I did appreciate many of Royal's quality of life improvements (e.g. fewer restrictions on the protagonist's free time) a lot of the changes end up making the game easier, even if you don't use the overpowered DLC personas and items. I also think the original game had better pacing, and a more cohesive story overall. So while I do see the appeal of the Royal version, the original Persona 5 release still remains my favorite. I'm very much in the minority there, but that's just how I see things.

Final Fantasy Resonance

I've been playing this over the past couple of days, and it's been great! A few months back, I tried the demo on Steam, and it impressed me enough to get this game on day one, which is very rare for me nowadays. Basically, I wanted to support the developers because I hope to see more of these type of games in the future.

As mentioned before, Resonance is very similar to the classic turn-based Final Fantasy games from the SNES era. In particular, it reminds me of FF6 due to the magic vs. technology aspect. The new "vision" mechanic is nice, and allows for some interesting builds. Those guest characters are mostly the returning heroes from past FF games. You can get them pretty quickly too. For example, I'm only six hours in, and I've already got the Warrior of Light, Terra and Cloud. To clarify, they aren't party members, but you can assign them to your characters. This allows them to use certain abilities of the heroes in question.

Anyway, the gameplay is superb, with all the classic FF spells and abilities that we're used to. The main characters are likable and the story is decent enough, with some emotionally impactful scenes even during side quests. All in all, I'm having a lot of fun so far. Kudos to the devs for knocking it out of the park with this one!

Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss

Finished! GOG reports that it took me 26 hours, but that also includes a couple aborted attempts over the years.

I've given this game several tries over the years, going back to when it was first released. I remember trying to track down a copy at my local software stores but having no luck, and ultimately resorting to ordering it direct from Origin! I would always get stuck or lose interest around Floor 4 or 5 for some reason.

This time around, I had trouble putting the game down. It's really excellent from the very beginning up until Floor 7, where the quality starts to suffer. I suspect the game was rushed, because Floor 7 is extremely linear and annoying (and ends with what should have been the final battle), while Floor 8 is basically an big open map with just two things to find in it. The last section is really bizarre, but I kind of like what they were going for.

However, the game is absolutely incredible from Floor 1 to Floor 6. Exploring each floor is a pleasure thanks to the awesome automap, and each floor is packed with stuff to fund and quests to solve. It's also a very fair game that provides you with all the clues you need to solve it, as long as you explore thoroughly and take good notes.

It's also a joy to play, with redundant keyboard and mouse controls. It seems complicated at first, but it basically uses the modern WASD cluster, just moved down to SZXC, with A+D to strafe. In fact, after years and years of playing FPS games with WASD, I actually found UU more comfortable than ever to play. I ended up using the keyboard to move and the mouse to interact with stuff, and it felt completely natural.

Anyway, what more can be said? It's an awesome game, and now I'm looking forward to playing the sequel.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2026-11-06, 14:13:

Final Fantasy Resonance

Great! I've got this on my wishlist, but will wait until denuvo is removed (personal pet peeve). Most Japanese publishers have a track record of removing it after sales drop off, so I don't mind waiting.

newtmonkey wrote on 2026-11-06, 15:15:

Great! I've got this on my wishlist, but will wait until denuvo is removed (personal pet peeve). Most Japanese publishers have a track record of removing it after sales drop off, so I don't mind waiting.

Indeed, Square Enix has been pretty good in that regard. Contrary to Sega/Atlus who have kept Denuvo on their Persona games for 5+ years.

And yeah, Resonance really feels like a blast from the past. Recently, I needed to grind some levels to take down an optional boss, just like in the good old days. Felt great to beat him after a long and drawn out battle.

Biohazard

Finished! I loved (almost) every minute of it. What a game! It takes a little while to get used to the controls, but it plays great once you do. What's really impressive about this game is how replayable it is. You can select from two different characters, each with different strengths and weaknesses... but it goes even beyond that since each character has his or her own unique path through the game. On top of that, there are good and bad endings, and the requirements for the good ending actually make sense.

The PC port is actually easier than the PSX version in that selecting Jill allows you to save as often as you want at any typewriter, instead of having to use consumable (and limited) ink ribbons. I'm fine with that. Jill is the easier character to play as, and it's nice not having to worry about managing limited save resources, in addition to health and ammo.

I definitely want to play through the game as Chris (normal mode), but now for now. Next, I have to play through the sequel as Claire (I played through the game as Leon on the PSX back in the day), and then want to play through Biohazard 3, which I've never even played.

newtmonkey wrote on 2026-11-06, 15:15:

Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss […]
Show full quote

Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss

The attachment Ultima Underworld_2.png is no longer available

Finished! GOG reports that it took me 26 hours, but that also includes a couple aborted attempts over the years.

I've given this game several tries over the years, going back to when it was first released. I remember trying to track down a copy at my local software stores but having no luck, and ultimately resorting to ordering it direct from Origin! I would always get stuck or lose interest around Floor 4 or 5 for some reason.

This time around, I had trouble putting the game down. It's really excellent from the very beginning up until Floor 7, where the quality starts to suffer. I suspect the game was rushed, because Floor 7 is extremely linear and annoying (and ends with what should have been the final battle), while Floor 8 is basically an big open map with just two things to find in it. The last section is really bizarre, but I kind of like what they were going for.

However, the game is absolutely incredible from Floor 1 to Floor 6. Exploring each floor is a pleasure thanks to the awesome automap, and each floor is packed with stuff to fund and quests to solve. It's also a very fair game that provides you with all the clues you need to solve it, as long as you explore thoroughly and take good notes.

It's also a joy to play, with redundant keyboard and mouse controls. It seems complicated at first, but it basically uses the modern WASD cluster, just moved down to SZXC, with A+D to strafe. In fact, after years and years of playing FPS games with WASD, I actually found UU more comfortable than ever to play. I ended up using the keyboard to move and the mouse to interact with stuff, and it felt completely natural.

Anyway, what more can be said? It's an awesome game, and now I'm looking forward to playing the sequel.

Congrats! One of my favorites, and UU2 is also one. I hope you enjoy it even more!

I'm still inching my way through Sniper Elite 5. My gaming time is very much reduced lately. I've been playing SE5 since March 29th, and according to my spreadsheet, I've put in 46 hours in a seemingly 20 hour game. I literally stealth through each level, save frequently, and reload saves often when I take a wrong turn. I occasionally get to a point where I get to a high spot, hide, and snipe multiple enemies during loud periods (planes flying by will create a sound mask that muffle your gun shots). I'm on one of the final levels (Rubble & Ruin - Mission 8 out of 9). I've been considering my next game, and I think it's going to be Arx Fatalis! I've installed it and the Arx Libertatis mod in preparation.

Played a lot of Worms: Armageddon lately, deathmatch. I must say I'm cheating just a little bit. The last level, the player has only two worms, against 15 CPU5 worms. So when I loose, I replace the save game files, otherwise I also loose a rank. Someday, I will succeed....

Final Fantasy Resonance

Having played it some more over the weekend, I can say this game has gotten even better. The devs put some decent effort into the graphics, considering this is one of those "2D HD" titles. Imagine something between FF6 and FF7, featuring sprite-based characters with beautifully hand drawn portraits who have a range of facial expressions for different emotions. Some of the locations look great too, especially the areas with lots of water. There are also a few FMV sequences for summoning Espers and performing the ultimate attacks of your "vision" characters.

The combat system is surprisingly deep, although it starts off relatively simple. Basically, you're encouraged to target the enemy's weakness in order to stagger them. This can give your characters additional turns to act, but also a bunch of other bonuses, depending on their individual skills. Those "visions" are similar to "jobs" from the past FF games, but with some extra details. You can change between them freely outside of combat, which is helpful if you run into enemies that are weak to one particular element. Companions also get XP even when they aren't in your current party. This is good, since you will need to swap them out from time to time, depending on the enemies and bosses that you're facing.

The game really opens up after you get the airship. At that point, a bunch of new side quests, semi-hidden locations and optional bosses become available. And you can participate in Colosseum fights to get some special rewards too. There are also super-bosses like in the old FF games, who are completely optional but extremely difficult to fight. I'm playing on the Normal difficulty, and the enemies and bosses on the critical path have been reasonably challenging. But those optional bosses were pretty tough right from the start, and often required grinding some extra levels. Anyway, this game is chock full of content in the best possible way, and I'm having a blast with it so far!

2 old but still maintained internet games I've been playing for the last decade or so

https://www.eveonline.com/ Eve Online starts yet another new expansion tomorrow

https://www.elitedangerous.com/ Elite Dangerous isn't bad just lots of buttons to use

Sometimes I play Final Fantasy VIII it was cool to find saved games can be loaded onto the steam version too 🤣

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdy8q1cGm9M&l … M&start_radio=1 911 bonus