I know that a lot of gamers don't remember the Sega CD games. Especially gamers under the age of 17 or so, you may not even remember the Sega Genesis and Sega CD. But a few years ago, I found a Sega CDX that I cherish to this day. It can play both Genesis cartriges and Sega CDs, but is the size of a bulky walkman. I remeber looking in the Sears catalog when I was young and seeing the CDX for $260 or something like that.

Anyway, I am one of those people that loves vintage games. One of my favorites is Wirehead. It's what we would catogorize today as a button pushing game. The fact is, at the time of it's release, this was a phenominal game. It included live actors, an engaging plot, and even adult humor (for example, to escape the bad guys, you jump onto a passenger plane. Also on board is a seductive woman, who encourages you to hide with her in the airplane bathroom. With a smoldering look, she asks "Have you ever done it in the bathroom before?" Upon entering with her, she puts a knife to your throat and says, "now you never will." Game over.)

Vintage games should not be discounted because of pre-Playstion or XBox graphics, and I'm talking about games other than the Final Fantasy series, the only vintage games I ever hear anything about. Did you know that there were congressional hearings about the Sega CD game Night Trap? You have to protect a bunch of girls in lingerie from vampires...It's a blast.

Anyway, this is my rant about underappreciated games, and my rave about Wirehead.

Barachel

I love the Final Fantasy series. I love the RPG style games. But I was pretty disappointed by Legends of Dragoon. The combat is pretty straight-forward, but the storyline, which is the main reason that I play most of my RPGs, kind of let me down. The game builds fairly well, but by the middle to end of the game, the characters keep going on and on about friendship, love, looking beyond race. I have no problem with any of those topics, don't get me wrong, but stop beating me over the head with them!!! Again and again and again!

The story started so well, a violent and tortured hero, whose best friend is killed, so he goes on a quest to avenge him and save the world. As I got closer to the end of the game, I just expected all of the characters to have a big group hug.

I have never finished Dragoon. That may feed my cynisism a little. I have no sense of closure. But it has been over a year since I played it last, and I can't really say that I have any desire to sit through it all again in order to see the finale.

Barachel

As you can see, I am currently playing Persona 2, Eternal Punishment. It is a game that I have started four times, I think, but have never finished. Now I am commited to doing so.

Eternal Punishment, as you may know, is the second half of the Persona 2 story. The first half is called Innocent Sin, and I have been obsessed with finding it since I discovered the relationship. Innocent Sin was only released in Japan, and was never translated or released in America. After looking long and hard for information about it, I have accepted the crushing fact that it never will be released here. It has been too long since its release, and there are too many elements of the plot that would never be accepted by American audiences.

How do I know? I found the SCRIPT to Innocent Sin, a result of much long and difficult translation by a team of English speaking gamers. It can be found here: http://www.yoridori.org/oracle/

At last I can be happy. I may never play Innocent Sin (I will probably never get my PS2 chipped), but at least I have been able to read it like a great piece of literature. The philosophy and moral questions of the game facinated me and has already helped me appreciate Eternal Punishment even more.

Barachel

I honestly believe that the Metal Gear Solid series, especially Sons of Liberty, is one of the most underapreciated and least understood forms of art and literature. Perhaps I am exaggerating, but not by much. It just angers me to see people write that they played through MGS 2, finished it, and hated it because it didn't make any sense. "It was an abomination!" someone wrote.

Even those that don't understand it can appreciate the graphical beauty of the game, but the depth of the game and storyline is what kept me coming back again and again until I finally (I think!) understood it. First, I had to play it more than once! Then I read a lot about the philosophy, symbolism, and intentions of the creators. I came to realize what an absolute genius Hideo Kojima is. I became instantly jealous when I read the articles by the journalists who had interviewed him ( it is my dream to be a journalist), and am dying to play Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater.

The best web site that I have found for Sons of Liberty is www.gamersbg.com/mgs. The articles really helped me get a deeper appreciation for Sons of Liberty, and helped me want to play it again after not touching it for five months. Now that I get it, I love it!!!!

Barachel