#single-player

I know some people are gonna look at this and say "WTF man, Crimson Skies came out in 2003... it's not getting any new content!"

True. But there's always a possibility- however small- that the game could be re-released on modern consoles, or (God willing) get a full-blown remake. In which case, the devs could always add new planes.

The original PC game had 17 playable aircraft, most of which did not make it into the Xbox game. Only 2 planes, the Devastator and the Brigand, would ship with the game. 4 others would be added as DLC for online multiplayer only.

I picked out 7 aircraft from the original PC game that I would like to see added if Crimson Skies gets a remake, and outlined what class I think they should be, and what weapons they could have.

It'll probably never happen, but hey... I can dream. And remember, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge was one of the top 5 game on the OG Xbox Live, right alongside Halo 2 and Star Wars: Battlefront II. So I'd say it has a better chance of getting a remake than most.

Whittly & Douglas M210

Raven

Class: Interceptor

Primary Weapon: Six Machine Guns

Secondary Weapon: RF-Guided "Beeperless" Seeker Rockets

Secondary Ammunition: 20 Rockets

A fast and agile fighter with six machine guns and highly accurate radio-guided Seeker Rockets that track targets aggressively. Seeker Rockets function like the Halo 2 Rocket Launcher; hold down the trigger to lock on to enemies, and release to fire.

The name of the Seeker Rocket is a reference to the "Beeper-Seeker" rocket from Crimson Skies lore. Whereas the Beeper-Seeker uses a two-stage system, firing a high-velocity "Beeper" rocket that emits a radio signal, followed up with a high-explosive "Seeker" rocket that homes in on that signal, these new rockets are able to track their targets without the need for a beeper unit; hence, "Beeperless".

Grumman E-1C

Avenger

Class: Dogfighter

Primary Weapon: Eight Machine Guns

Secondary Weapon: "Detonator III" Incendiary Rockets

Secondary Ammunition: 15 Rockets

Armed with more machine guns than any other plane in the game, along with a secondary rocket that sets enemy planes on fire for damage over time. So you get the best of the Devastator and the Bandito all in one plane.

Curtiss-Wright P2

Warhawk

Class: Zep-Killer

Primary Weapon: Four "Scorpion" Cannons

Secondary Weapon: Dual Triggers

Based on Paladin Blake's customized Warhawk from the tie-in novel, this modified Warhawk is outfitted with four standard cannons that fire in pairs, just like the Dauphin and the Bulldog. However, when the Left Trigger is held, all four cannons will fire simultaneously at an increased rate of fire for massive damage.

Hughes Aviation

Bloodhawk

Class: Interceptor

Primary Weapon: Four Machine Guns

Secondary Weapon: XL-1 "Lancer" Laser Cannon

Secondary Ammunition: 100 Battery Charge

The standout feature of the Bloodhawk is it's secondary laser, which is extremely accurate and has unlimited ammo, but has to recharge it's battery after firing for long periods of time. Ammo starts and 100 and counts down to 0 as you fire. The longer you fire, the longer it takes to fully recharge.

McDonnell S2B

Kestrel

Class: Zep-Killer

Primary Weapon: Five Cannons

Secondary Weapon: Aerial Torpedoes

Secondary Ammunition: 15 Torpedoes

Turret: Twin Cannons

As pure a Zep-Killer as can be, the Kestrel boasts five rapid-fire cannons, as well as two more cannons in a rear turret a la the Brigand. It's secondary weapon is a rocket-propelled Aerial Torpedo that deals tremendous damage to zeppelins, but has no magnetic lock-on, making it all but useless against enemy planes.

However... if you do somehow manage to score a hit on an enemy plane with the Aerial Torpedo (whether by skill, or dumb luck) it's a 1-hit kill no matter how high your opponents armor rating.

Bell Mk. II

Valiant

Class: Zep-Killer

Primary Weapons: Six Cannons

Secondary Weapon: Grenade Launcher

Secondary Ammunition: 30 Grenades

An exceptional Zep-Killer with six cannons right out of the box, and a secondary grenade launcher. Grenades deal massive damage to zeppelins and ground targets, but are less useful against enemy planes than other Zep-Killer weapons.

Marquette PR-1

Defender

Class: Interceptor

Primary Weapons: Six Machine Guns

Secondary Weapon: "Flyswatter" Flak Rockets

Secondary Ammunition: 20 Rockets

#dq8 #retro #playstation2 #toriyama

What would happen if a paranormal game actually worked? That is the question that The Elevator Game with Catgirls, a horror visual novel by NoBreadStudio, presents us with. This tale focuses on Kirin, who accepts a dare from her classmate, Sapporo, to play Elevator to Another World, and what ensues as her girlfriend, Asahi, begins the search for her when she seemingly disappears without a trace. Much to Asahi's dismay, her only hope of finding Kirin is to perform the ritual herself. Steeling her resolve, she returns to the building where her girlfriend disappeared and enters the elevator. The following events can only be described as a nightmare, but Asahi is steadfast in her mission to rescue the woman she loves.

In The Elevator Game with Catgirls, the player assists Asahi in her investigation, directing her actions through dialogue choices and point-and-click elements. As she scours the Otherworld for clues, the player will have to solve the occasional puzzle which reveals pertinent information needed to progress the game, or collect red and silver notes to shed light on what else may be occurring. On top of that, Asahi quickly learns that the alternate universe is unforgiving to those who wander its grounds. Danger lurks around every corner, and Asahi is bound to meet her doom in various bad endings. If the player uses their wits and thoroughly examines their surroundings, they can also uncover secret endings, Easter eggs, and other elusive details. Unearthing all of these carefully hidden mysteries can make completing the game feel much more rewarding.

Although the premise of this visual novel is already eerie, the unsettling atmosphere really emphasises that sentiment. From the very beginning, the game does a stellar job establishing a feeling of dread, evoking immersion as Asahi herself is gripped with an unshakeable fear. Stranded in an unfamiliar world, her unease is evident through her thoughts and actions, which only serves to heighten the tension the player feels when navigating the Otherworld. The elevator rides in particular expand upon this dread, with the apprehension building as you arrive at each new floor, unaware of what may be behind the next door. Since the scenery subtly shifts after each new discovery, it keeps the player vigilant for any impending frights. Taking these factors into account, the horror never really feels stale or predictable, and though some plot points may be easily foreseeable, every bit of polish that goes into this visual novel feels fresh and maintains interest until the end.

The well-rounded characters are just another aspect that complements the content of the game. Each character serves a unique purpose, and due to the Otherworld's sinister nature, it casts doubt on whether they seek to help or harm Asahi. Such questionable motivations add intrigue to the experience and, as the game progresses, the true nature of the people she knows becomes less muddled.

Providing voice acting for these characters also significantly enhances the experience. The chosen voice actors are suitable for their roles, and lend their own unique charm to their characters. The delivery of the lines never sounds stilted or misdirected, rather genuine and realistic for the given situation. Having high quality spoken dialogue makes scenes more impactful, especially during the game's emotional moments.

Another beautifully executed element is the art. The rough, sketch-like art style blends in nicely with the dismal backgrounds, forming a distinct flair. Even the 3D-modelled assets feel lovingly crafted, combining with the 2D character art to create an allure that is seldom found in mainstream visual novels. The one flaw we ever found within this game was that the falling snowflakes seemed to have minor visual stuttering whilst moving the mouse, but that hardly impedes the enjoyment.

Lastly, the music plays an instrumental role in highlighting the atmosphere—from scary encounters to poignant scenes, the composition from OddTillTheEnd is masterful, to say the least. The theme song of the game, Masks and Illusions, plays at just the right time as well, sweeping the player up in overwhelming emotion and punching them right in the feels. And that's just what NoBreadStudio does best with their games—taking your breath away.

The port and rerelease of the 2013 game on the Wii U for the Nintendo Switch, this is my thoughts and review of Super Mario 3D World.

Story for Super Mario 3D World Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad are watching a firework show on a Mushroom Kingdom evening and, while on a walk, find a transparent glass pipe. Mario and Luigi fix the transparent pipe, and a green Sprixie Princess emerges. She tells the heroes how Bowser kidnapped and trapped the other Sprixie princess in jars. Bowser arrives soon after to kidnap and trap the Green…

Call of the Sea Review: 

Call of the Sea might just have turned me into a puzzle-adventure player! Lovecraftian games tend to be a mixed bag--excelling in some areas while  being terrible disappointment in others--not so with this one!