I can't really get into X-Com: UFO Defense for PS1 just yet because of the convoluted and confusing menu system (and I have a confusing enough college course right now), and I am currently unable to test out X-Com: Terror from the Deep because I don't own a PAL PS1, but the Shadowrun games (SNES and Genesis) and the Syndicate games (Genesis and PS1) are awesome. Genesis Shadowrun is a bit hard, though. I had to ABBACAB my way through.

So, anyone else peeved at the approach that the game industry has taken? Casual shovelware and COD-clones piss me off to no end.

Absolutely.

If you're interested in older games, I would -heartily- recommend checking out Good old Games. They are reasonably priced, don't have stupid DRM, and they configure stuff to work before hand.

For what its worth, the steam versions of the x-com series come pre-setup and configured with a dosbox shell. Sound works and everything. Also cheap/affordable, and often on sale. I think i got the complete pack for, like, 5 bucks.
My first x-com game was Apocalyse, and I'm still rather fond of it.

You can get X-Com off of Steam for a PC that will run on modern systems no problem. Having a keyboard and mouse make the game much, much easier than trying to do it with a controller, I assure you.

Alright, thanks for the tips.

I agree - console version of X-Com = fail.
UFO Defense and Terror from the Deep are the best two. Apocalypse was kind of lame.

Now if someone would just make a version of Master of Magic that would work on a modern PC...

I absolutely LOVED Master of Magic... Was sad to see it fall by the wayside...

They have:

http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/master_of_magic

They do a couple of my old faves: Master of Orion and MoO2. Both work on my dual core (2.0 meg) AMD laptop running Win7 with an ATI video chipset.

Vlad

You can get those games via most abandonware sites. You can also find a few of them re-packaged to work on modern PCs through things like DOSBOX. I got a bunch of them through Impulse (alternative to Steam).

For the PS versions of stuff... you don't need a PS to play them. There are several emulators available, many of them very good.

Have they re-coded it or anything? I've still got the original game but haven't been able to get all the particular dos parameters you used to have to set to work, even in emulation modes

GOG apparently has them packaged so that they can run on Modern systems, a friend of mine has a few of theirs.

I've been eying "Wing Commander: Privateer", but I don't have a joystick any longer (And the ones they sell today look like they've been ripped out of an CF-188), so I sadly just keep looking.

As Canray posted, they package them with some sort of DosBox shell. You simply install the game and it works. No fiddling with settings or anything. At least both MoO and MoO2 did. I used to play MoM as well and since the two I downloaded (a package deal for either 5 or 6 bucks for both games!) worked so well, I may have to download MoM too! The only issue I have had with either game is that infrequently they drop out of full screen mode into a smaller window. It's still playable, but too small for me. I simply save the game and then end it and restart. This happens I would say maybe once every few hours of playing. Not a deal breaker at all.

Vlad

Sweet - I'll have to pick those up - thanks

Alt-Enter is the DosBox shortcut to switch between windowed and full-screen.

Just finished the Genesis Shadowrun with a decker. It was quite easy save for hacking the Ares system : only 1 path to the CPU and it's 8 or 9 red nodes long. I had to physically break into the executive's office to enter the system closer to the CPU

And yes, games of who clicks the fastest suck.

I enjoy playing both old and recent games, though I'm not interested in casual games nor COD and I tend to play the games one or two years after their release (so that I can get them for 10 euros or less).

If you enjoy Syndicate, you should try the PC games. Syndicate and Syndicate Wars. They're more strategy/tactics oriented than the console versions and pretty fun and interesting.

If you can find a copy, try Shadow Company: Left for Dead.

Very cool game. Small Unit RTS (3 or 4 guys), lots of customization, very cool, if you can find a working copy.

The Genesis Shadowrun game and the SNES games were both great in their own ways. The genesis game was more true to the rules... its actually a cute approximation to old SR system. You even have a combat pool meter that you can drag left or right for more offense or more defense. Cyberware actually costs essence, and limits your magical abilities. You can hire other runners and control their karma expendature and get wares installed on them.

I liked to start as a Gator shaman, then go full Cyber. Although I cant cast spells worth a spit once fully decked out, I CAN use the Combat Sense Spell foci for uber spell defense. Only problem is when I switch to control one of my NPC runners, the AI on the game makes my super cybered shaman put away his tweaked guns and he starts slinging force 1 manabolts... uuugh!

Yeah, the money cheat is helpful. Otherwise you are going to need to do the same corp run over and over and over and over...


The SNES game was probably my favorite. It mostly discarded the actual SR rules... you have MANA points and Hit Points and cyberware does not affect your magic. But... it was actually a well balanced RPG that did not require QUITE as much Grinding as the Genesis game, and had a much more compelling story line.

Oh, and if you are playing on an emulator, you can hire some goons, give them big guns, then go to the Ghoul Pit below the Vampire Mansion. If you place your guys just right below a Coffin near the start, Ghouls will spawn continuously but rarely make it to your guys before they are shot to pieces. Then you can put the game on maximum speed and walk away for an hour... come back with 2 or 3 hundred karma.

Or occaisionally come back to a dead party, as a few ghouls glitches past and tore your group to pieces... no risk no reward, right?

I tried xcom as a kid and never understood it. I should probably return and view it with my older Strategy lusting eyes.

Oh, and I hear they are making a new Syndicate game!

Word of warning about Terror From the Deep: The basic "normal" difficulty on Xcom 2 is very close to the Supergenius level of difficulty in Xcom one, at least as far as tactical stuff goes. Not so much for how quickly they find your bases. Plus, you can accidentally not capture a Deep One early in the game, thereby totally screwing your ability to get armor for the rest of the timeline.

Another nice turn-based strategy game: Chaos Overlords. You play gang leaders fighting for control of a city. No cyberware, but pretty much everything else cyberpunkish: millspec armor, monofilament blade, chameleon suit, adepts,... There is a gestion part (milking you sectors for cash, but not too much or the police comes to wipe you out), a research part to get the big toys and the conquest part that can be pretty dirty: there is a stealth system so you can invade a sector without its owner seeing your gangs, then you can snitch on him so the cops come to do your job

And some of the gangs you can recruit are just great. Neck Kickers!

Heh, I had a whole folder of CO gang icons on my old computer before it went 'SPLODE. Metal Burn were my favorite.

As a note I picked up both of these games from Stardock Impulse a couple of months ago they work on modern machines too.

During my commute, I play this android game that has cyberware, megacorps, an AI, & a bunch of guns...

Cyber Knights

Interesting. Makes me almost wish I had a smartphone.

It's an ok game... there's no way to advance characters, only your 'ware. Not much of an RPG, but it helps pass the time on he train.

There is a new version of Syndicate (yes as the original) in the works I believe.

Also a web based SR game too...

- J.