@goatsarah @upmultimedia @imabuddha For this reason, I use gold CD-Rs and DVD-Rs for all my burning. It’s more expensive but hasn’t let me down.
Funny enough, I use these for burning games that I bought on GOG.com.
At one time, Psychonauts was considered a big disaster. It’s since become one of the most beloved 3D platformers of all time, and one of the defining titles of the original Xbox.
It was supposed to be a 1st party Microsoft title. But because it encountered numerous development problems – and Xbox head Ed Fries left the company – Microsoft abandoned it.
But it got a second life from 3rd party publisher Majesco. However, Psychonauts release was met with severe financial disaster and was one of the big reasons Majesco entirely abandoned AAA games.
At the time, people were simply not into 3D platformers. And they certainly had no appetite for something as off the beaten path as Psychonauts.
Psychonauts simply wouldn’t die, though. With word of mouth, more people discovered it, and it’s since become a classic. It’s easy to see why Psychonauts now has its fanbase.
For one thing, developer Double Fine Productions simply wouldn’t let Psychonauts die. They republished it on Xbox 360 and One, PlayStation 3 and 4, Mac, and Linux. And they’ve made sure that the game remains playable on high resolution and wide screen aspect ratios.
This is a case where game preservation has taken something from the dead and given it new life. Even now, you can get Psychonauts on GOG.com, buy it for a mere C$13.59, and have it DRM-free. You can even play it on the Steam Deck.
It’s still good even now. At a time when people were obsessed with shooters, Psychonauts quirkiness ensured it stood out. Sure, back in 2005, you could be a typical meathead asshole shooting non-descript enemies. Or you could wage battles of the mind in Psychonauts.
We all know what people pick back then. But what do people prefer now? Well, look at the reviews on Steam – which currently stand at 96%.
Or better yet, look at the reception that its recent sequel Psychonauts 2 received and we have our answer. People were so hungry for more Psychonauts that it became one of the standout games of 2021.
As for Psychonauts itself, this is a game that I continue to play. It never gets old. There is nothing like it.
@BeAware Most games don’t require always online functionality. And storefronts like GOG.com don’t even have DRM.
I own over 6,000 games, from different eras, and few of them require always on functionality.
I have a quest(ion) for you peeps:
Most kids here interact with their first computer when they get to high-school (13yo here), so I want to make a game library of classics and indies for my kiddos age 13 to 18. My idea is that:
1. They have DRM-free fully patched games to play that do not require internet connection to function at a basic level, so single-player or at most LAN capable games with single-player are encouraged. (Couch coop like Worms is fine, too.)
2. They can play something without the present day enshittified gambling boogaloo mechanics, so we can tackle the gambling epidemic a bit earlier from at least this angle,
The list will obviously feature the most accessible from GOG.com's list of Good Old Games, like Fallout 1+2, Neverwinter Nights, Skyrim, Dungeon Keeper, Theme Hospital, Simcity 3000, Civ 4 and Planescape: Torment, amongst others. I'd also add Sims 2 or 3.
Now, what else would you add to that list? Space is cheap nowadays, so if you suggest a game it will almost assuredly be added to the game library for these kiddos to enjoy.
Boosts appreciated!
Released in 2001, Red Faction is a first person shooter (FPS) that’s inspired by Total Recall. It is the first game in the Red Faction series.
In this game, you play a fellow moving to Mars in search of a better life. Soon, you find yourself in appalling working conditions, working yourself to the bone in a mine. Exploited and abused by the company that “employs” you, soon you find yourself in the middle of a miner’s rebellion against the Ultor Corporation.
For years, I’ve owned this game on PlayStation 2. I’ve always enjoyed it but had the nagging suspicion that it could be better. Yesterday, I finally took the plunge and bought it on Steam. Nagging suspicion confirmed: Red Faction is much, much better as a PC game.
No longer constrained by a Dual Shock controller, I’ve discovered that Red Faction is a joy to play with keyboard and mouse, or even with a touchpad on my Steam Deck. And this is a game that demands accuracy because the AI of the enemies is actually quite impressive. You can’t just stand and shoot. This game is all about accuracy while strafing.
I’m happy about the improved controls because those guards are real bastards. I hate them. They are the biggest cowards I’ve ever encountered in an FPS, continually running away from my fire, pleading with me not to shoot, and then shooting me when I take pity on them. It therefore fills me joy to shoot them, burn them, or explode them in every which manner.
That’s one other good thing Red Faction has. It’s got a wonderful assortment of fun weaponry. I got pistols, shotguns, flamethrowers, and rocket launcher. But I also got bombs with remote detonators that often uncover secrets areas on the map. And I love detonating these bombs!
The other big improvement over the PS2 version of Red Faction is in the graphical department. This should shock nobody because, out of the gate, the PC version of Red Faction had higher resolution and a better framerate even back in 2001. Nevertheless, on a modern flat panel display, experiencing this was a treat.
Sadly, the sound design is not as good as the graphics. The voiceover work was okay for the time, and I like the ambient effects all right. But it’s quite jarring when you hear music, you’re grooving to it, and then a loading screen pop ups and the music completely disappears.
My biggest gripe with this game is saving. Simply put, there is no auto-save. You must save manually, and do it often. This often takes you out of the flow of the game since, in the thick of action, you have to remind yourself, “I better save or else I’ll lose my progress should I die.” In fairness to Red Faction, autosave was rare in 2001, so I’m not too upset with this.
Red Faction runs on most modern PCs. You need a Pentium II 400Mhz CPU, 64MB of RAM, and 8MB of VRAM. While it was released natively on Windows and Mac, Linux can run it great via Proton. It’s quite playable on my Steam Deck.
In addition to PC, Red Faction was released for PS2, PS3, and PS4.
There are no micro-transactions nor DLC for this game.
Volition developed Red Faction, and this was their first major hit. Afterwards, they made the Saint’s Row series, Homefront, and Agents of Mayhem. Sadly, the studio became a victim of Embracer Group and was forced to close its doors last year.
Red Faction on Steam has an 86% positive rating based on 2,059 reviews. Meanwhile, GOG.com gives this a 3.5/5 rating for verified owners. Most people agree that this is a classic FPS that’s fun to play even now. A few detractors feel that this is a buggy game that doesn’t play nice on higher resolution monitors.
On my Steam Deck, I don’t mind the 1024x768 resolution since I’m using a 780p 8” screen anyway. But if you want a better experience for modern displays, it’s probably better for you to install the Dash Faction mod, which will allow higher resolutions and fixes a few glitches.
The regular price on both Steam and GOG.com is C$13.99, although the GOG.com version is DRM-free. However, as part of Steam spring sale, Red Faction is currently -80% off, and is being sold for C$2.79.
When Red Faction first game out, it was a big hit. And while it often gets lost in the shuffle when we talk about great FPS games, I think it deserves to be played. Red Faction has a whole lot of attitude and action.
I definitely recommend Red Faction. When I first installed this game on my Steam Deck, I expected to fiddle with it for five minutes before trying something else. But soon Red Faction brought me deep into its world. Red Faction is pure fun, and I enjoy it immensely.
Released in 2022, Hands of Necromancy is a dark fantasy first person shooter (FPS) with Metroidvania elements. It is highly influenced by the 90s boomer shooter series Heretic (a.k.a., Hexen), and some might even call it a spiritual successor. This is the first game in the Hands of Necromancy series.
In this game you play a grumpy sorceror of dark magic. A whole lot of monsters decided to overrun the human realm, killing everything in their path. Typically, they don’t bother humans because magic is a deterrent. While you were gone, they wreaked havoc. But now that you’re back, it’s time to show those assholes that they made a very bad mistake.
Okay, so the story isn’t that important, and that which does exist is only told through the intro or hinted at. Do we really need a story, though? We’re here to kill snakes and ghouls and devils – and that’s what we’ll do!
In terms of gameplay, the mission is simple. You’re vanquishing everything that stands in your way, while figuring out how to get to the next area. But doing so isn’t necessarily straightforward.
This is what makes Hands of Necromancy different from Heretic. You see, in the boomer shooters of yore, you were looking for key cards – and there still is a little of that here. However, this is where the “Metroidvania” aspect comes into play: you’re also hunting down new abilities which will enable you to explore a new area. For example, the golem hands allow you to punch through walls, revealing entirely new rooms.
What about weapons? With the exception of the magic sword – which I only use when I have no ammo – everything is awesome. Even the default firestaff kicks ass. But soon, you get access to spells, and these are a ton of fun. After awhile, you start being able to shoot devastating attacks out of your hands.
Does this kick ass? Hell, yes!
Hands of Necromancy uses the GZDoom engine. Yes, the very same one made by Adrian Carmack for Doom. This was also the same engine used for the original Heretic.
And it works! Even on a 1080P or 4K display with a widescreen aspect ratio, it is as good now as it was in 1993. Lighting and particle effects have been added, but Hands of Necromancy stays true to GZDoom.
Back in the day, boomer shooters were well known for their sound design. Hands of Necromancy follows this tradition. The magic spells are “whooshy”. The medieval folksy soundtrack is a blast. And the occasional quips from your necromancer are wonderful.
If there’s one quibble, it’s simply this: I wish there was a mini-map on screen at all times. While the original Heretic didn’t have a mini-map, I feel that this being a Metroidvania, you kind of need one. This isn’t a game-breaking annoyance, just a small complaint.
Most modern PCs can play this game. You need a 2.4Ghz dual core CPU, 2GB of RAM, and 400MB of space. Integrated graphics will do fine. This game has native compatibility with Windows, Mac, and Linux. However, while I was able to get this game launched on Steam Deck, I wasn’t able to get the controls working. Other people had success, though.
Hands of Necromancy is a PC exclusive. It hasn’t been released on mobile or console platforms.
There’s no micro-transactions, nor is there DLC. However, you can download and play a demo.
Frechou Games (a.k.a., Emmanuel Frechou) developed Hands of Necromancy. This is his first commercial game. Recently announced, Hands of Necromancy II is coming to Steam this year.
On Steam, Hands of Necromancy has a 90% positive rating based on 143 reviews, while GOG.com gives it a verified owners rating of 4.6/5. Most people agree this gets as close to a Heretic/Hexen game as possible while also praising the Metroidvania aspects. A few detractors complain about the lack of story and that this game is too hard.
Having now played this game for hours, I personally don’t think that’s that tough – it’s certainly not more tough than the original Heretic. And if you’re feeling that the difficulty is too much, there’s no shame in playing this on easy mode. But beyond that, I think if you’re coming to a boomer shooter and expecting it to be a walk in the park, well, prepare to get good!
Many people have wanted a new Heretic/Hexen for a long time, and one hasn’t been made since 1998. Microsoft has lately hinted that one might be coming, but I’ll believe it when I see it. In the meantime, Hands of Necromancy is truly a Heretic/Hexen successor, and the Metroidvania aspects truly enhance the gameplay.
You can buy Hands of Necromancy on Steam, GOG.com and itch.io. Steam and GOG.com sell it for C$6.49, while itch.io sells it for U$4.99.
I highly recommend Hands of Necromancy. Any old school FPS fan will be smiling ear-to-ear playing this one. And even if you’re a casual gamer, I think you’ll be loving the fast and frenetic action. Plus, this is an inexpensive title and it’s high quality too!
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