If you were perusing other 1980s IPs looking for something to fit into the Friday the 13th mould, Predator makes a lot of sense. The all-timer 1987 Predator sees a group of macho characters who already feel like they’ve been lifted out of a video game battling against a single powerful adversary - the ideal recipe for asymmetric multiplayer.
And so Predator: Hunting Grounds was born.
Originally released on the Sega Mega Drive back in 1994, as part of the 30-year celebrations, Wayo Records have released this deluxe 2-disc vinyl set, with audio captured as purely as possible for absolute authenticity.
Known as Beyond Oasis in North American markets, the game was Ancient’s take on the Zelda formula, and tells the story of Prince Ali, who has found a golden armlet and must travel the land of Oasis, visiting four spirits in order to gain the eventual powers and abilities to defeat a rising evil who has located the corresponding silver armlet.
The music for The Story of Thor was composed by the mighty Yuzo Koshiro, someone that Wayo Records have previously worked with in their release of ActRaiser, and I’m sure is a luminary that our readers here will be very much aware of from his incredible resume of solid gold on the 16-bit machines. Heck, we named our son after one of his characters!
Wayo Records releases are always of exceptionally high quality, and this soundtrack doesn’t shy away in terms of its presentation. The cover features Prince Ali brandishing his weapon, with the gold armlet in view and various in-game characters rising up behind him. The rear continues the Arabian / Anime art style and shows two further characters, with the track listing laid out on the right-hand side.
The main colouring of the background here is white, and it gives a crisp, clean feel that allows the illustrations to pop. The collector’s edition comes with an incredible shikishi signed by Yuzo Koshiro himself, this shikishi features the same characters as featured on the LP cover, but in a style that leads more towards anime. It has to be said, Yuzo Koshiro is such an important figure in the realm of video games that this is a very cool inclusion for the fans out there.
The records themselves are ensconced in two anti-static sleeves (always appreciated), and the inner-circles of each contain the detail of Prince Ali utilising various in-game items and weapons on each image -honestly, there are tiny details everywhere to enjoy. The vinyl are transparent yellow, and this is a double-disc edition, with 34 tracks spread across each record.
SUMMARY
Wayo Records really know their stuff, and this is again a celebration of a key Mega Drive title with an incredible amount of care and detail that evokes memories of the game itself. Pure, pristine production – the record was mastered by Benjamin Joubert – means that this is very much one for your turntable, and you can flick through that luxurious booklet as the music washes over you, and takes you back to the land of Oasis. Another cracking release from Wayo records.
Right, I’m off into the garden to see if I can dig up a golden armlet.
Wayo Records – Purchase Link
TRACKLIST
SIDE A1 Introduction2 Awakening3 To Begin4 Peaceful5 Battle6 The Story of Thor7 Holiness8 AquaSIDE B1 Burning Cave2 Fortress3 Vessel4 Indication5 Stone Place6 Boundless Cliff7 Raging Wind8 AbyssSIDE C1 Mysterious Green2 Chaos3 Evil Territory4 Water Cave5 The Huge Creature6 Voice From Darkside7 Last Battle8 Triumph9 Item Get!10 Magic JewelSIDE D1 Encounter2 Requiem3 Concentration4 Fire Ball5 Deep Hole6 Confession7 Ending8 Master Mind
Unfortunately, Liberte has quite a few technical issues that bear down on a game that ends up feeling feels unrewarding and unfortunately – a missed opportunity.
Image Credit: www.BitmapBooks.com
We have covered many of Bitmap Books’ fine releases here at Games Freezer, with the most recent being Dave Cook’s rather wonderful Run ‘n’ Gun tome. This, their latest, is a very different beast, tackling a genre that has existed since the early ‘80s and was very much been twisting and morphing for decades before settling into (mostly) more sedate, incremental releases in recent years.
The book covers the football (or ‘soccer’ depending on your geographic location) genre from its nascency in the early ‘80s - when the games were effectively variations on the Pong theme - right up through the modern generations where the majority of the releases are ultra realistic and pretty – but perhaps lack the character and individuality that previously made the football genre a more interesting beast, with some incredible goals, some near misses...and some that deserved a red card, and a kicking in the car park.
Are you wanting to get into making some money on esports, but worried whether or not it’ll be worth your time? What about making money online in general through gaming? Well, a lot of people actually look into online gambling (as it comes in various forms) as a way to have fun, do what they love (gaming), and hopefully make some extra money, too. But at the same time, it’s scary because you just don’t know what you’re doing at first, right? Plus, what about the money?
Well, that’s fair enough! It’s totally normal to want a little thrill without risking your hard-earned cash. Online casinos can look super tempting but also a bit scary when you’re just starting out. But believe it or not, you can keep it all low risk while dipping your toes. Because who knows, maybe you’ll hate it, maybe you’ll love it, but regardless, you don’t deserve to gamble away a bunch of cash for that risk!
Presented in a 1st-person POV style, Purpose 1951 is a very slender game in a lot of ways, you follow a mostly linear path – with the only branches areas leading to what are effectively ‘trophy points’ - as the narrator monologues as you trek.
Moving away from the primarily race-driven previous Hot Wheels games, Hot Wheels Monster Trucks: Stunt Mayhem instead leans towards – as the title suggests – stunts in various arenas.
Camp Bloodbrook is a thrilling pinball game that brings a slasher classic vibe from the 80s to life. It's part of the Pinball FX and Pinball M series, developed by Zen Studios.
In this game, you use your pinball skills to escape the clutches of Jacob Wells, also known as "The Wellbound" The game features various camp activities like nightly scavenger hunts, deadly hide and seek, and canoe adventures. It's available on multiple platforms, including PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
This was a game that really stood out for me when I first played it, as it is a wonderfully presented – yet delightfully simple (yet HARD) – game that has some really saucy features whilst coming from a very 8-bit home computer-centric design philosophy in terms of the gameplay and mechanics.
It really nails a specific sweet spot in time that resonates with my nostalgia perfectly and feels quite unique in that sense in the Mega Drive library. Plus, it’s effectively a horror game, and the Mega Drive certainly needs more of those in its library!
Feeling similar to the Core Blush in how it fits in the hand, the first thing that struck me about the Midas was how it looked; the shiny detailing in the handprints, webs, skulls and flowers popping out from the matte plastic, and the ridged back of the controller providing grip for lengthier, more intense playing sessions.
The triggers are designed to be less spongy, shallower on the press than the official controller, so there’s a sense of snappiness in their use, giving more of an arcade vibe and a sense of quicker reaction time. This aspect is also adjustable, using the trigger locks on the rear to fine tune your experience.
Mark your calendars for December 10th, 2024! TAITO Milestones 3 will be available both physically and digitally, reviving ten beloved TAITO games from the late '80s and early '90s. This collection, created in collaboration with HAMSTER Corporation, promises to bring players back to the golden era of arcade gaming.
Pre-orders for the digital edition start today, while pre-orders for the physical edition are already available. Take advantage of a 10% discount on early digital pre-orders until the official release date. Go check your Nintendo eShop for more details and secure your copy now!
Whether you're teaming up in the iconic “Bubble Bobble”, embarking on a heroic journey in the legendary Rastan series: “Rastan Saga”, “Rastan Saga II” and “Warrior Blade”, or experiencing the freshly added “Dead Connection”, TAITO Milestones 3 offers something for every retro gaming enthusiast. Notably, Dead Connection will be making its home console debut, adding a unique twist to this collection.
Prepare to relive the magic of arcade classics with TAITO Milestones 3 - a must-have for both nostalgic fans and new players alike.
Rich takes on the 101 Most Important Soccer Video Games one by one. Episode 4 sees Rich try and play International Football on the Commodore 64.
Just in time for Halloween, the frightening felines at Mega Cat Studios are thrilled to announce the launch of Graveyard Dude, a thrilling top-view box-pusher puzzle game for the NES.
Join Henry the Knight, the unsuspecting cemetery guardian, who awakens to a graveyard in disarray on the fateful night the dead have risen.
Flowstone Saga is a retro-inspired RPG developed by Impact Gameworks, known for their previous title, Tangledeep. The game combines classic JRPG elements with modern Tetris Based fight mechanics mechanics, offering a rich narrative and strategic turn-based combat.
The retro gaming scribe Matt Tuttle at Clever Cat Games, in partnership with Mega Cat Studios and Video Game Sage, is hard at work penning a novel new adventure for the NES with Echoes of the Unread.
Coming to Kickstarter in Q1 2025, Echoes of the Unread turns the page to a fantastical chapter of 8-bit adventure. Step into the shoes of Rhapsody, a young girl who, after falling asleep while studying for exams, awakens to find she’s been trapped in the library by the magician Odele, who is angry and alone because her book never gets checked out from the library. The bitter magician schemes to obtain a magic quill from the library that can change her book and set her free. However, Odele’s freedom comes with a price, as doing so will trap Rhapsody within the Unread Book for all eternity!
