Tekken Tag Tournament 2, The Silver Case, Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII, Superbeat Xonic – Just Played
This week sees us taking a look back at some older titles — from some big hitters that still live on in our hearts, such as Tekken Tag Tournament 2 and Superbeat Xonic; to some updates of older games in the latest Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and Suda 51’s finally localised The Silver Case remaster.
Tekken Tag Tournament 2 — Peter
I’ve been playing Tekken Tag Tournament 2 in anticipation of Tekken 7. I want to come out swinging and body fools left and right, so I’ve been taking a little refresher course on Tekken. After doing extensive research on the world of martial arts, I have decided that wrestling is the strongest discipline and I will be maining the boy, King!
How hype do you have to be to spend your time playing a game that’s not actually the game you’re hype for? The answer is VERY HYPE! I got the Tekken 7 feels in a big way. It’s so close now, it’s almost tangible, I can almost touch it. I can almost rub it against my body.
I have actually had my hands on Tekken 7 quite a few times at events over the last year, and I can tell you that it is for real. It’s SO GOOD. I’m going all in on Tekken 7. In fact, I think I might already be all-in. Not Iron Fist deep, not elbow deep, not even balls deep. In over my head deep. I am inside Tekken 7, Tekken 7 is inside me. We are one now. Fight me bro.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII: Fame & Strategy Pack — Oscar
Don’t be fooled by the name, the Fame & Strategy Pack is less like just an expansion to Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII, and more like an enhanced version of the game. Fame & Strategy double down on one of my favourite things about RotTK13 — the feeling that you’re playing one character. It seems as if the team have been inspired by sister series Nobunaga’s Ambition’s latest entry — Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence. In turn, that entry felt inspired by some of the thing the original RotTK13 series was doing, and so begins the ping pong development of Romance and Nobunaga.
It adds a tonne of new stuff like councils that really focus on the idea of you playing one person. Even within your own faction, you’re struggling to rise up the ranks and be heard — all while trying to use you influence to make sure the kingdom doesn’t topple, be it in councils to focus the direction the kingdom will take over the next year; or war councils before a big battle.
One of the things I’m enjoying most is the simple addition of new scenarios. These mostly focus on later events in history, so it’s nice to catch up on these real people that actually existed and see what they’re up to now. Or then. It all feels a bit weird to be so invested in something from history, but that’s kind of why I love it. It’s great to jump into these new scenarios with plenty of resources for conquering the land, killing tens of thousands in the process (of your own men T_T).
The Silver Case — Mitch Jay
This week I’ve been mostly playing visual novels with The Silver Case being the big culprit (see what I did there?) — Grasshopper & Suda 51’s first outing is just so damn good. It’s kept me guessing and at times has made me jump, but I only want more of it. There aren’t a lot of detective or thriller visual novels, especially on PS4, and so this has been a breath of fresh air.
I’m happy that it finally released in the West after almost two decades of being available on in Japan! The Silver Case has a wonderful way of telling its story where it keeps you in the dark for the majority of it without being too confusing, and there’s just enough for you to try and piece things together along with the main characters.
Superbeat Xonic — Holly
Rhythm games are probably my go-to type of game when I’m out and about. Waiting around? Rhythm game. Long journey? Rhythm game. I’ve been dipping into Superbeat Xonic on the Vita on and off for a number of months, and it’s great for when you have a little time to kill!
I’m around level 40 on Superbeat Xonic, but I’m still unlocking new songs, which is great stuff! There’s such a variety of styles that there’s always a few songs to do no matter what kind of music I’m in the mood for too.
Between trying to beat my high scores, trying to master both touchscreen and button modes, and the pretty tricky objectives of World Tour mode, there’s still a lot to this game for me to work on. I think I’ll still be honing my skills for a while longer, and I’m OK with that!
