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The Halo Master Chief Collection Is Coming to PC!

Microsoft announced that the Halo Master Chief Collection is coming to PC via the Windows Store and Steam later this year. Frankly, this is very exciting news but nothing I actually thought they would do. Halo is one of the reasons to get an XBox and now that seems to have lessened a bit. All that to say, is this something you are looking to get? I played mostly the original Halo but not many of the other entries, the Master Chief Collection remastered the original games and brought new life to the multiplayer modes which is something I bet PC gamers will love!

"Later this year, these classic Halo experiences will start to arrive on PC via the Microsoft Store and, for... Read All Microsoft announced that the Halo Master Chief Collection is coming to PC via the Windows Store and Steam later this year. Frankly, this is very exciting news but nothing I actually thought they would do. Halo is one of the reasons to get an XBox and now that seems to have lessened a bit. All that to say, is this something you are looking to get? I played mostly the original Halo but not many of the other entries, the Master Chief Collection remastered the original games and brought new life to the multiplayer modes which is something I bet PC gamers will love!

"Later this year, these classic Halo experiences will start to arrive on PC via the Microsoft Store and, for the first time in the series - on Steam. This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for us to bring the Halo Universe and Master Chief’s story to a new audience and to offer PC gamers a chance to step into the franchise on the PC platform of their choice.

The Master Chief’s arrival on PC will happen in stages with each title releasing one by one over time - giving the development teams the ability to ensure each one is right, while giving players a chance to jump in right away, rather than having to wait for the entire suite of games to be completed. Our current plan is for this journey to begin with the launch of Halo: Reach – the fictional beginnings of Master Chief’s saga – with the rest of the titles following in chronological order thereafter. Halo: Reach, Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST (Campaign), and Halo 4 will each be available for individual purchase within MCC as they become available. And each game will evolve and grow over time with community input.

For the team at 343 Industries, the most important and critical element of this project is ensuring that MCC delivers a true “first class” experience on PC. We’re embarking on a journey with our community to build a real PC experience that delivers on PC gamer expectations. The team is passionately committed to ensuring that all the features, bells, and whistles expected in a modern PC title are included with MCC. These features may vary somewhat by title, and we won’t get everything in there all at once – this is a product and an experience that will grow and evolve over time. We are laying the groundwork for PC native features such as excellent mouse and keyboard controls, support for multiple resolutions and aspect ratios, field-of-view sliders, and adjustable framerates, to name but a few. And yes, there will be support for Xbox gamepads and other PC controllers."

https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/mcc-pc-halo-reach

The original Diablo is on Good Old Games!

Well, I did not see this coming, but the original Diablo is up for sale over at GoG.com, DRM free!
I missed Diablo during it's first run, is it worth looking into now?

Edit: It appears there are two versions available through GoG.

"Travelers looking for the authentic Diablo experience can play the game as it was in 1996, with period-appropriate 20 FPS SVGA graphics, and the ability to matchmaker through the classic version of Blizzard’s Battle.net online-gaming service.
For those wanting something a bit more modern, Blizzard and GOG.COM have collaborated on an updated version of the game tuned for today’s gaming PCs, which includes out-of-the-box Windows 10 compatibility,... Read All

Travis Admin wrote on 03/08/2019 at 03:43am

Ha, I just came here to post this. DRM Free and FINALLY working on modern versions of Windows!

In addition, they're releasing Warcraft 1 and 2 later.

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/11/2019 at 12:00am

"I missed Diablo during it's first run, is it worth looking into now?"

I'm going to answer this with another question. Did you play Diablo 2? If you haven't then I'd say skip Diablo and when the Diablo 2 remake comes out, get that.

Two reasons.

1. You move painfully slow in the original Diablo. It wasn't a problem at the time because Diablo was such a unique and fresh game but compared to anything more modern the movement speed is painful for many.
2. Diablo 2 improves on it in nearly every way and the remake will come out in the next couple years.

If you want to play a slice of gaming history OR you played Diablo a ton and want to relive it then i'd say it's an easy pickup. For me, Diablo is a classically incredible game and the $10 price tag is very cheap but certain aspects of it might not make for the most smooth play through. I never owned the original but had the demo and I played the HELL of out that demo.

Diablo sets a great dark tone and because you move so slowly the dread of having monsters swarm your is felt when you are caught off-guard.

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/11/2019 at 12:01am

That said, I wish it had a Mac and Linux port. But you know... dreams

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/13/2019 at 03:12am

Apparently Diablo is now on Good old Games but also a good parent: https://twitter.com/GOGcom/status/1105591602351927297

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Octopath Traveler Review.

Timogorgon gives this a solid "Rad" on the Ghost Scale

This is fun, with very few issues, and is well worth your time.

Timogorgon gives this a "Rad" on the Ghost Scale

This is fun, with very few issues, and is well worth your time.

A love letter to the 16-bit era of JRPGs.

Octopath Traveler is a single player RPG developed by Square Enix and Aquire Corp. and released exclusively on the Nintendo Switch. Set in the world of Orsterra the game follows 8 protagonists through their own personal stories which eventually intertwine and form a larger overarching plot. Each character has a unique job with unique combat abilities. Each protagonist also has a “Path Ability” which can be used outside of battle to help the party complete side quests, access secret items/paths, or recruit NPCs to help the party.

The first thing you probably notice about Octopath Traveler is its “HD-2D” (as dubbed by Square... Read All A love letter to the 16-bit era of JRPGs.

Octopath Traveler is a single player RPG developed by Square Enix and Aquire Corp. and released exclusively on the Nintendo Switch. Set in the world of Orsterra the game follows 8 protagonists through their own personal stories which eventually intertwine and form a larger overarching plot. Each character has a unique job with unique combat abilities. Each protagonist also has a “Path Ability” which can be used outside of battle to help the party complete side quests, access secret items/paths, or recruit NPCs to help the party.

The first thing you probably notice about Octopath Traveler is its “HD-2D” (as dubbed by Square Enix) graphical style which combines traditional sprites with high definition effects and environments. The results are absolutely stunning. Octopath Traveler is a beautiful game. One of my only complaints is that the depth of field seems a little too shallow at times, obscuring some of the backgrounds. The 8 heroes are beautifully animated and the sprites for enemies are big and highly detailed.

Many Square Enix games are known for having amazing soundtracks and Octopath Traveler doesn’t disappoint. Composer Yasunori Nishiki doesn’t have many games under his belt, but if this game is any indication then his will be a career to pay attention too. (For an example, see: https://youtu.be/se4WxWXMBwE)

In terms of gameplay this is a very traditional JRPG with turn based battles and menu based combat. There are a few new twists to mix things up, such as each enemy having a defense (indicated by a shield with a number on it) that can be broken by attacking the enemy with weapons or elements they are weak to. Once their defense is broken the enemy is stunned for a turn and takes extra damage from all attacks during that round. Every turn your party members also gain a Boost Point which can be stored (up to 5) and used to boost the power of spells, abilities, or to attack multiple times in a row. These minor tweaks to an old formula keep the battles fresh and allow you to form strategies about when it’s best to burn through your boost points to quickly break an enemies defenses or store them up so you can drop massive amounts of damage when they’re weak.

Much like the JRPGs of yore this game is fairly difficult and there are times when you need to slow down and grind out a few levels before taking on the next boss or advancing to the next area. HP and MP are not restored between battles without items, using an ability or spell, or staying at an Inn. You will need to plan ahead and make sure you stock up on items whenever you’re about to leave a town. Characters level independently and only those in your group earn XP. So if you want to have a variety of characters available you’ll need to switch them out periodically. In time you will unlock the ability to assign each character a subjob based on one of the other protagonists, allowing you to mix-and-match their abilities.

JRPGs are also known for their plots and Octopath Traveler is no exception. Although I have yet to finish the storyline (I’m about 30 hours in) the plot so far is interesting and all the characters are likeable enough. The writing is acceptable for the most part. There is one area where all the characters speak in an exaggerated “Ye Olde English” that I found particularly annoying, but your mileage may vary. The voice acting is also hit and miss. Dialogue for the main story is fully voice acted, but side quests and minor plot areas only have an occasional gasp or “Ok!” which I could have done without.

If you are a fan of the genre then I would highly recommend giving Octopath Traveler a try. For one thing there is a demo available, so why not give it a go? If you’re new to RPGs and especially to JRPGs then there are more accessible titles you may want to try first. Overall I rate this game a Rad on the Ghost Scale.

Cheerful Ghost Radio Episode 51: Will Link’s Awakening Be The Apex of Legendary Remakes?

We took some recent gaming news, put it in a pot, and let it simmer for a while. Come hear our early thoughts about Apex Legends and our favorite news from the most recent Nintendo Direct, Tetris 99, Super Mario Maker 2, and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening remake!

Nintendo Created The Robot Operating Buddy To Sell The Nintendo In The United States

Even if entirely impractical, I have a special place in my heart for R.O.B. the Robot Operating Buddy. I knew people that had one yet it was so slow and clunky to use we didn't even try to play Gyromite with it. The Gaming Historian makes the case that Nintendo created R.O.B. to get into stores after the video game crash but that they might have been successful without it. It's hard to say ultimately what would have happened if they didn't create R.O.B. but there's not denying how big Robots were at the time and including one with the Nintendo was a huge attractor for young kids.

Humble Indie Bundle 20 Now Available!

Humble is back with their 20th numbered bundle! For a measly buck, you get The First Tree, Tangledeep, and Among the Sleep.

Beat the average for Getting Over It, Tooth and Tail, and... wait what? Dream Daddy Dadrector's Cut. I'm not shocked by the premise of this game, but the name is something. Is this the first foray into romance games for Humble Bundles?

For $10 you can get all of the above games, as well as Overgrowth.

I'm so out of the loop on indie releases, none of these was even on my radar. From what I've read, however, Tangledeep is well worth the price of entry, more so if you're only spending a buck.

I've honestly been out of the bundle game for a while now,... Read All

The Gaming Historian Looks At The Aladdin Deck Enhancer

Retro game esoterica is something I relish and moreso if it's focused on the Nintendo Entertainment System. The Gaming Historian has a new video out covering The Aladdin Deck Enhancer by Codemasters the creators of the Game Genie.

"Learn about the history of a unique NES accessory, the Aladdin Deck Enhancer! In the early 90's, the 16-bit war between Sega and Nintendo was heating up. But one company was thinking about the past: Camerica. In January of 1993, they announced the Aladdin Deck Enhancer, a device for your 8-bit NES that played proprietary compact cartridges. Why? Watch the video to find out!"

Chex Quest Is Getting Fan HD Remake

Chex Quest is a fun PC game oddity from the 90's which was created as part of a pack in promotion for the cereal. Like many of my friends that ate Chex I had a copy but sadly didn't keep it as it's achieved a cult status and is even run at Games Done Quick. Looks like fans of the original are giving Chex Quest an HD remake and started with the games intro cinematic. The intro cinematic is still as campy as the original but this time... IT'S IN HD!

If you haven't seen it, I also seriously recommend Peaches AGDQ Chex Quest speedrun below. It's a good primer on the game and it's a pretty quick watch at 10 minutes.

AGDQ 2019 Chex Quest speedrun by peaches in 10:22:
... Read All

STAR WARS: ALWAYS

The Force will be with you, always

I don't have much to say about this, other than it's a fantastic fan-made trailer for all the Star Wars movies!

Cheerful Ghost Radio Episode 50: Super Mario Bros.

Swing your arms from side to side, in this episode we're doing the Mario and reviewing Super Mario Bros. on the NES!

This is the first of a three-part series on the NES Mario trilogy. Next up is Super Mario Bros. 2, so come play it and talk with us about it, and we'll include your thoughts in the next NES Classic review episode!

Join the event here: https://cheerfulghost.com/Travis/events/169/cheerful-ghost-games-club-super-mario-bros-2