Saturday, 18 April 2020

What Horror Games Are On The Dreamcast? The Ultimate Buying Guide To Sega Dreamcast Horror Games!

The Dreamcast was home to a fair number of noteworthy horror games, many of which remain exclusive to the platform. In no particular order, here's a list of the horror games available on the Sega Dreamcast.


Blue Stinger

 
Blue Stinger Sega Dreamcast horror game Cover Art
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2251117


Released as a pre-launch title for the Dreamcast in North America (it came out a few days before the Dreamcast was officially released on 9/9/99), Blue Stinger was the system's first horror game and it definitely didn't disappoint. There was nothing else quite like this epic adventure game at the time, or even until the release of Dead Rising on the Xbox 360 in 2006. Mixing arcade style beat-em-up and hack and slash melee action with over-the-top gunplay, a fully-realized 3D world that felt a lot bigger and more realistic than anything that had come before it, incredible monster designs, an epic big budget movie-like soundtrack, insane Christmas setting, River City Ransom-esque character upgrades and tons of optional weapons to play around with, this criminally underrated Dreamcast exclusive is one of my favorites of all time on any platform.

D2


D2 Sega Dreamcast horror game Cover Art


One part interactive movie, one part RPG, part point and click adventure, with a little bit of hunting simulation mixed in for good measure, D2 is the very unique Dreamcast exclusive sequel to the original D for the 3DO, Sega Saturn, and Sony PlayStation. The story has absolutely nothing to do with the first game other than featuring the same "digital actress" Laura, but the gameplay will definitely be familiar to anyone who's played WARP's earlier horror titles. Be prepared to watch a lot of lengthy cutscenes as you traverse through this bizarre horror adventure set in the snowy Canadian wilderness. Also another Dreamcast horror game that takes place during Christmas!

Resident Evil: Code Veronica

Resident Evil: Code Veronica Sega Dreamcast horror game Cover Art


Capcom brought out the big guns for this at-the-time Dreamcast exclusive that was actually supposed to be Resident Evil 3. Code Veronica was a huge upgrade to the series, finally offering fully 3D graphics which are some of the best on the system, while retaining the familiar gameplay and ambience the series was known for. This is definitely on of the best of the old-school style Resident Evil games - personally I'd rank it right up there with the original game.


Resident Evil 2

Resident Evil 2 Sega Dreamcast horror game cover art


After bringing us the amazing Code Veronica, Capcom gave Dreamcast gamers a version of the classic Resident Evil 2. It's more or less the same game that we saw back on the Playstation, but the graphics are definitely a lot better. Either way, you can't go wrong with playing this one on the Dreamcast as it's arguably the best version of the game that was released back in the day.


Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

Resident Evil 3 Nemesis Sega Dreamcast horror game cover art


And after Resident Evil 2, Capcom kept the hits coming with a port of the sequel Resident Evil 3. This one has you playing as Jill Valentine trying to escape Raccoon City and takes place at the same time as RE2, originally being developed as a side story rather than a fully fledged sequel. This one offers some great mechanics including a dodge move and the ability to go up and down stairs in real time, and a terrifying new foe named Nemesis who stalks you throughout the game. This more action-focused take on the classic Resident Evil formula gives the Dreamcast yet another great horror title.


Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare

Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare Sega Dreamcast horror game cover art


Not to be outdone by Capcom, Infogrames brought us a brand new entry to the original survival horror series, Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare, after a 6 year hiatus. This was a more modern re-imaging of the classic series, the first of two reboots the series would see. The game retains the static cinematic camera angles with gorgeous pre-rendered backgrounds, and adds a dynamic flashlight mechanic that still looks great to this day. If you're into the classic survival horror style adventure games, Alone in the Dark is a must play, and it gets my vote as the scariest game for the Dreamcast, with some of the best atmosphere of any horror game ever made.


Carrier

Carrier Sega Dreamcast horror game cover art
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12704635


Right before the release of Resident Evil: Code Veronica, Jaleco came out with their take on the survival horror genre with the Dreamcast exclusive Carrier. It's the unintentionally campy low budget b-movie to Resident Evil's comparatively more serious blockbuster horror game, but it's still a good solid horror adventure that brought a unique element to the genre - Having to scan NPCs to figure out whether they're actually monsters or not, a la The Thing. It's a pretty cool mechanic and one that makes Carrier worth checking out.


Illbleed

Illbleed Sega Dreamcast horror game cover art


From the makers of Blue Stinger (fittingly renaming their company Crazy Games for this release), Illbleed is another horror game that really had no peers at the time of its release. While it's nowhere near as good as Blue Stinger as an actual playable game, the insane, over-the-top atmosphere and B-movie inspired charm makes this one an experience like no other that every horror fan should check out. You'll puke with pleasure! You'll vomit with excitement! You'll shit with fear!


Dino Crisis

Dino Crisis Sega Dreamcast horror game cover art


Coming to the Dreamcast courtesy of Capcom yet again, this Jurassic Park meets Resident Evil style mashup was an instant classic horror title. You've got vicious dinosaurs, big guns, a mysterious lab, and a hot redhead in skin-tight military gear - What's not to love? To top it all off, the Dreamcast port is definitely the best way to play this game.


Zombie Revenge

Zombie Revenge Sega Dreamcast horror game cover art


After giving us a port of the arcade classic The House of the Dead 2, Sega came back with a brand new spin-off from the series called Zombie Revenge. The game takes place in the same universe but is now an arcade beat-em-up with a heavy emphasis on gunplay. If you're familiar with the Die Hard Arcade/Dynamite Cop/Dynamite Deka series you'll feel right at home here with tons of crazy, over-the-top weapons you can pick up that are a blast to use.


Evil Dead: Hail to the King

Evil Dead: Hail to the King Sega Dreamcast horror game cover art


Evil Dead: Hail to the King is a very Resident Evil-inspired horror game based on the Evil Dead films. Instead of just being a rehash of the story from the movies, Hail to the King offers a brand new story featuring voice acting by the one and only Bruce Campbell. While the gameplay has some quirks to it that can be somewhat irritating, it's completely playable and a pretty amusing time once you've adapted to its style of play, and the original story is a hoot. Definitely a must-have for Evil Dead fans and/or fans of survival horror games looking for a solid horror adventure to play through on the Dreamcast.


The House of the Dead 2

The House of the Dead 2 Sega Dreamcast horror game cover art


Sega brought the sequel to the hit arcade original home to the Dreamcast on launch day, and it provides a subliminal on rails lightgun shooter experience. Dismembering zombies up close and personal has never been as satisfying as it is here in this arcade classic.


The Typing of the Dead

The Typing of the Dead Sega Dreamcast horror game cover art


It's The House of the Dead 2 again, only with typing instead of shooting. Improve your words per minute in this quirky cult classic, surely the greatest typing tutor game ever created!


The Ring: Terror's Realm

The Ring: Terror's Realm Sega Dreamcast horror game cover art
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2114575

Based on the popular-novel-turned-into-popular-movie series Ringu, the Dreamcast got an exclusive survival horror title that was released in the west as The Ring: Terror's Realm. Unfortunately, it's not very good. Production values are extremely low, with poor graphics and a mind-numbingly repetitive soundtrack, this definitely feels and plays like a budget title. It's not completely unplayable or anything though and die-hard horror fans might find some redeeming qualities hiding somewhere in here.

Shadow Man


Shadow Man Sega Dreamcast horror game cover art


Acclaim brought a port of its multi-platform hit Shadow Man to the Dreamcast, which combines classic gothic horror elements with 3D Zelda-inspired gameplay and progression. The atmosphere in this one is really great, with excellent writing, voice acting, music and sound, and it plays extremely well to boot. This horror adventure is as close as you're going to get to a Zelda/Metroid style game on the Dreamcast. Highly recommended.


Sword of the Berserk: Gut's Rage

Sword of the Berserk: Gut's Rage Sega Dreamcast horror game cover art


While this might not be a pure horror game, the story and atmosphere have enough horror themes that I'm putting it on the list anyway. Sword of the Berserk: Gut's Rage is based on the manga and anime series of the same name and features a brand new original story that is very well written and interesting. Which is good because the excellent real time cinemas are the majority of the game. Between the extremely well done story segments you get an excellent and surprisingly deep hack and slash action game somewhat reminiscent of Devil May Cry, which forces you to take into account your surroundings as you slice your way through hoards of mutated zombies. This Dreamcast exclusive is a unique and fantastic beat-em-up adventure and a must have for the system.


Nightmare Creatures II


Nightmare Creatures II Sega Dreamcast horror game cover art



Nightmare Creatures II is a hack and slash horror adventure that came over to the Dreamcast straight from the Playstation, and it definitely shows. But despite it's visual shortcomings, the game still manages to provide a nice creepy gothic atmosphere. There's not a lot of depth to the gameplay here, but it's decent enough experience that's worth checking out.

Half Life



While the Dreamcast port of Half Life was unfortunately canceled before it could finish development, a fairly complete and fully playable beta was leaked years ago. It's not well optimized for the system, but it can be played to completion, and this all time first person shooter classic is a great horror title and makes an excellent addition to the Dreamcast's horror library. If you have never played the original Half Life, you owe it to yourself to finally experience this amazing title.

The expansion packs Blue Shift and Opposing Force are available to download and play on the Dreamcast as well.


They Hunger

They Hunger Sega Dreamcast horror game cover art


They Hunger was a free Half Life mod by the magazine PC Gamer that was brought to the Dreamcast by fans thanks to the previously mentioned unfinished Half Life port to Dreamcast that actually supports mods! If you're looking for a pure horror FPS, this is one of the best in its genre - truly an incredible experience featuring amazingly creepy atmosphere. A great addition to any Dreamcast horror fan's library!

The other horror-themed Half Life mods ported by fans won't get their own writeups here but here's the list of all that are currently available:
  • Paranoia 
  • U.S.S. Darkstar 
  • Gunman Chronicles 
  • Grunt 

Seven Mansions: Ghastly Smile

Seven Mansions: Ghastly Smile Sega Dreamcast horror game cover art


Seven Mansions: Ghastly Smile is a horror game with a unique-at-the-time 2 player mechanic. While the game was never officially released outside of Japan, it has since been fan translated into English so it's now playable for Western audiences. As far as the game itself goes, it's not very good - I'd rate it on the same tier as The Ring - but if you're looking for another horror game on the Dreamcast to play, this is one.

 DOOM

Doom Sega Dreamcast Cover Art


Thanks to the hard work of the Dreamcast homebrew scene, Doom, Doom II, and a ton of mods are all available to play on the system. Not much more to say about this one, you should know what Doom is all about by now - shooting through hordes of demons as you try to escape a military base  on Mars where everything's gone completely FUBAR.

Tuesday, 11 June 2019

Panzer Dragoo Remake Trailer For The Nintendo Switch


The modern remake of the Sega Saturn classic Panzer Dragoon has finally been revealed, and it's coming out for the Nintendo Switch, with the trailer debuting as part of Nintendo's E3 2019 Direct. As you can see the graphics are receiving a complete overhaul and the art style is more reminiscient of Panzer Dragoon Orta for the original XBox, the last game to be released in the series to date. It's great to see the original game get a chance to be played by a wider audience on Nintendo's handheld. The sequel, Panzer Dragoon II Zwei, has also been confirmed to be in the works. Here's hoping that if the remakes sell well, we might eventually end up seeing a remake for the lost classic Panzer Dragoon Saga!

Panzer Dragoon for the Switch is scheduled to be released in winter 2019.

Wednesday, 29 May 2019

Dreamcast Games That Are Still Online In 2020 - What Dreamcast Games Are Still Online?

Wondering what Dreamcast games can still be played online?

Well thanks to the hard work of dedicated Dreamcast fans, the answer to that question is almost all of them! There are currently over 20 games that support online multi-player, and more are surely on their way to having their online play restored.

Want to join in on the fun? Here's the full list of every Dreamcast game that is currently playable online today:

Alien Front Online

Alien Front Online Dreamcast cover art

Alien Front Online is an arcade tank combat game featuring support for online voice chat by Sega. Pure arcade fun, if you have a Dreamcast and haven't played this game's online mutliplayer yet, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot!



Quake III Arena

Quake III Arena Dreamcast cover art

One of the most popular online shooters of all time, the Dreamcast version of id Software's Quake III Arena is still offering first-person multiplayer mayhem over the internet after all these years.



Phantasy Star Online

Phantasy Star Online Dreamcast cover art

Phantasy Star Online was the very first online console RPG, and the fan community for this timeless Sonic Team classic is still going strong to this day.





NFL 2K1 & NFL 2K2

NFL 2K1 Dreamcast cover art

Some of the most popular and fondly remembered sports games of all time, Visual Concepts' NFL 2K1 and NFL 2K2 have been recently brought back online by fans.






NBA 2K1 & NBA 2K2

NBA 2K1 Dreamcast cover art

Sega's iconic NBA 2K series has also seen its online multiplayer restored by the community, so you can dunk on your friends as Redman over the internet once again.




NCAA College Football 2K2

NCAA College Football 2K2 Dreamcast cover art

The only college sports title on the console, Sega's NCAA 2k2 is playable online once again so you can relive your old college rivalries once again on your Dreamcast.



World Series Baseball 2K2 

World Series Baseball 2K2 Dreamcast cover art

If you're a fan of America's favorite pastime (and who isn't), Sega's World Series Baseball 2k2 is a great way to get a game in with your friends without ever having to leave the couch.




Chu Chu Rocket

Chu Chu Rocket Dreamcast cover art

The first Dreamcast game to feature online multiplayer outside of Japan, Sonic Team's charming classic puzzler is still online for those of you who want to party like it's 1999.



Ooga Booga

Ooga Booga Dreamcast cover art
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7521378

Visual Concepts' hectic tropical themed beat-em-up party game Ooga Booga is a bit of a forgotten gem, but if you have a Dreamcast there's no excuse not to jump online for some boar polo.



Toy Racer

Toy Racer Dreamcast cover art
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11438605
Toy Commander's online counterpart, Toy Racer brings everybody's favorite toy combat game online with some awesome multiplayer racing.

Planet Ring

Planet Ring Dreamcast cover art

Sega's European-exclusive Planet Ring is an innovative online party game geared towards casual players. This was actually the very first console game (outside of Japan at least) to feature real-time voice chat.


Starlancer

Starlancer Dreamcast cover art

Starlancer brings space combat to the Dreamcast featuring free-roaming 3D dogfighting online with a variety of fun game modes.



4X4 Evolution

4X4 Evolution Dreamcast cover art

Race some big old 4x4 trucks and SUVs with your friends online through a variety of off-road courses with varying terrain.




Worms World Party

Worms World Party Dreamcast cover art

Worms World Party offers the classic Worms gameplay and humor you know and love and takes it up to 11 with epic online multiplayer battles.



Monaco Grand Prix 2 Online

Monaco Grand Prix 2 cover art

If you're looking for some online simulation racing on your Dreamcast, Monaco Grand Prix 2 Online is where it's at.

Maximum Pool

Maximum Pool Dreamcast cover art

Fancy a game of online billiards? Maximum Pool offers Dreamcast pool sharks a great online multiplayer experience.




The Next Tetris

The Next Tetris Dreamcast cover art

It's Tetris. Online. For the Dreamcast. What else do you need to know?




POD SpeedZone

POD Speedzone Dreamcast cover art

Fans of futuristic racing games craving some online multiplayer action on the Dreamcast need look no further than POD Speedzone.



PBA Tour Bowling 2001 

PGA Tour Bowling 2001 Dreamcast

PBA Tour Bowling 2001 is a cancelled Dreamcast game that has been released online and its online multiplayer has been restored by members of the community, so if you're looking for some online bowling on Sega's little white box, here it is!

Doom

Doom Dreamcast cover art

Doom has been ported by fans to pretty much every single electronic device ever released, and it's on the Dreamcast as well with full online multiplayer support!

Internet Game Pack

Internet Game Pack Sega Dreamcast title screen


This unreleased internet parlor game by Visual Concepts was discovered on a Dreamcast dev kit and leaked to the public in 2019. It didn't take long for the community to restore its online functions and you can now play classic games like poker, go, chess, reversi, dominoes, and spades online with your friends through your Dreamcast!

Sunday, 26 May 2019

10 Games That Should Have Been Released For Sega 32X

Sega's ill-fated add-on, the 32X, was discontinued and forgotten almost as soon as it hit the market. While the console's library of about 40 games is fairly underwhelming, there was potential for something much greater and it's sad that Sega didn't provide the system better support as it could have been a great buy for someone interested in the new-at-the-time 3D gaming that couldn't afford the pricier next generation consoles. Here are 10 games that totally should have been on the 32X back in the day.

Alone in the Dark

Alone in the Dark PC box art
By Scanned image from Alone in the Dark (1992 video game) box art, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17540935


Alone in the Dark would have been an excellent launch game for the 32X. Being a groundbreaking and popular title on the PC with 3D graphics that still looked good at the time, it's hard to believe Sega didn't end up making this happen. They needed mature games that did new and interesting things to appeal to the older market that they were targeting, and being the original survival horror game, there was nothing like Alone in the Dark on previous consoles.

Ultima Underworld

Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss PC box art
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31970019


Here's another groundbreaking PC game that would have been a great get for the 32X. Imagine, in 1994, how amazing a first-person 3D open world RPG would have been on a console. And this game came out before Doom! It was absolutely incredible back then and would have been a major selling point for Sega.

Doom 2

Doom II PC box art
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15290749

Considering Sega already had the engine for this game ported to the 32X when they brought the original Doom over, it's mind-boggling that we never saw the sequel on the system. There's really no excuse for Sega to have not released Doom 2 for the 32X.

Daytona USA

Daytona USA PC cover art


Daytona USA was one of video gaming's biggest hits back in the day, and releasing a version of it on the 32X would have been a great way for Sega to get the game in the living rooms of people who couldn't afford an expensive Sega Saturn. It could have been a fairly easy port as well, as Sega could have simply used the 3D engine from the port of Virtua Racing to make a fairly reasonable version of the game for the 32X.

Resident Evil

Resident Evil box art
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38343768


Had the 32x been more successful at retail, a port of Resident Evil would have been an excellent addition to the system's library and likely would have helped sell more consoles. Being a game that only has a couple of 3D models moving around a 2D background, this game would have been right in the 32X's wheelhouse and a decent port definitely could have been made. Sure, we would lose the awesome FMV and maybe some of the amazing voice acting, but other than that it would have been great to have Resident Evil running on a souped-up Sega Genesis.

Tomb Raider



Another early 32-bit hit that would have been great to see on the 32X, Tomb Raider was one of the most iconic games of the era and would have been a system-seller for Sega's budget-priced add-on. Sure, it would have likely been the worst version of the game, but it could have been done, and Sega missed out on not getting this game on their system.

Bug!

Bug! Sega Saturn cover art
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52159775


The 32X definitely could have used some more platforming games, and, being a fairly simple (but charming) game, Bug! would have been an easy one to bring over from the Saturn. Bug was an appealing character and would have fit right in with the Genesis' audience, and it's a shame he never got more exposure from appearing on other systems besides the Saturn back in the day. Maybe this series would still be going today if that had been the case.

Clockwork Knight

Clockwork Knight Sega Saturn cover art
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39862361


Here's another early Saturn game that would have been great to have on the 32X and should have been fairly easy to port. It features the same kind of 2D platforming action that was commonplace on the Sega Genesis, but with cool 3D graphics and effects that the 32X could have handled well. And, like Bug!, Clockwork Knight as a game and series would have benefited from being available to a larger audience than what it had as a Sega Saturn exclusive.

Rise of the Triad

Rise of the Triad Dark War PC box art
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36167568


First-person shooters were a big deal back in the mid-90's, and Rise of the Triad was even more over-the-top than games like Doom and Duke Nukem. Running on a modified version of the Wolfenstein 3D engine, the 32X surely could have run the game perfectly fine, and it would have been a great title to showcase what the 32X could do and help the system appeal to a more adult audience.

Alien Trilogy

Alien Trilogy Playstation cover art
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7556109


Alien was a huge franchise back in the mid '90's, and Alien Trilogy was a popular early 32-bit game on the PlayStation and Saturn. Considering the 32X shares the same CPU set-up as the Saturn, a port of that version of the game should have been relatively feasible, and it would have likely found a receptive audience had it been released.

So, there's 10 games that probably should have been on the 32X. This is by no means a definitive list, as there are plenty more games that we didn't mention that would have been perfect fits for the system. Are there any games not listed here that you would have wanted to see available back in the day? Drop a comment about it below!