The Collection Chamber - My new retro gaming blog

[Biffman101]

Hello,

I've been visiting EmuParadise for some time now and and have discovered so many great games I wouldn't have played otherwise. Even lurking on these fine forums has lead to some entertaining reads. I've collected so many games over the years (over 2,000 at last count, not including downloads) that I'd thought I'd take the plunge and start by first review blog.

http://collectionchamber.blogspot.co.uk

Like all the best people I'm a bit of a geek so have made my gaming PC look pretty with custom covers and installers which I have shared on the site along with the review.

It focuses on old games that have gone under the radar (along with the odd movie review). It's my first go at anything like this and I'm aiming for a review a day.

I'd love some feedback or even suggestions of what to review next!

Biff

[Biffman101]

So it's been a week of gaming and watching and reviewing and creating.

These are the reviews I've written so far. All games include downloads to their custom GOG-inspired installers which I began to share with my less tech savvy friends and have now thought the rest of the world may like them too.

So far I've posted;

Abuse (1996 DOS) - a 2D action shooter
Bureau 13 (1995 DOS) - an unintentionally hilarious adventure game
Disney's Animated Storybook: Hercules (1997 Windows) - one for the kids
Echo Night (1999 PlayStation) - a first person horror adventure game. The custom installer has re-mapped controls for playing on a keyboard as well as an XBox 360 controller
Fable (1996 DOS) - a fantasy adventure that's great despite it's flaws
Ghost in the Shell (1998 PlayStation) - again a custom installer with re-mapped controls that FPS fans will enjoy
Horror Zombies from the Crypt (1990 DOS and Amiga) - a horror themed 2D platformer. Both are included but the Amiga version is superior

All games come with their respective manuals where available and have been tested to work on Windows 7 64 bit

The movies reviewed so far are The Congress (2013) and The Innocents (1960) - just in case you fancy watching instead of playing

Let me know what you think and suggest any others you may like to see

Biff

http://collectionchamber.blogspot.co.uk/

[Biffman101]

This week, I've mainly been focusing on the work of Sir Terry Pratchett in tribute of his fantastic work. Not only did he create some of my favourite novels of all time, but he was also the basis for some of my favourite games.

If you're interested in having a play, their downloads are included with easy to use installers which should work on modern PCs. Take a look!

The games reviewed this week are;

Jack in the Dark (1993 DOS) a small teaser game acting as a prequel to Alone in the Dark 2
Kid Klown Kollection (1992-2002 various consoles) All six games from the Kid Klown franchise ranging from the NES to the PSX that not many people have heard of
Discworld (1995 ScummVM) One of the most difficult adventure games of all time, based on Pratchetts books.
Discworld 2 (1996 ScummVM) The sequel takes the game to a cell animation style but still keeps its crazy difficulty and humour.
Discworld Noir (1999 PlayStation) While the PC version is graphically superior, its a bugger to get working on modern PCs. The PSX version play the same and is much easier to get running.

I've also reviewed the TV adaptations of Terry Pratchett's The Hogfather and The Colour of Magic (seriously, why has there not been a proper Discworld movie?)

Let me know your thoughts!

Biff

http://collectionchamber.blogspot.co.uk/

[Biffman101]

Hi guys,

Just an update on what's new on my site this week.

To complete my retrospective on Terry Pratchett, I've reviewed the last of Sky's TV adaptations - Going Postal as well as small reviews on the animated shows.
I've also included the 1986 game The Colour of Magic (1986 ZX Spectrum) - A text adventure base on Pratchett's first book that also came out on the Commodore 64 but there's no difference.

The rest are;

The Legend of Zelda: The Broadcast Satellite Games (1995-2000 SNES) - Japan only exclusive versions of Zelda games that was distributed via an internet-like add on. Translated to English
Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail (1996 Windows '95) - an adventure game based on the classic Monty Python movie
Nocturne (1999 Windows) - A survival horror game that focuses more on action than puzzle solving.
Oh No! (2000 PlayStation) - A crazy Japanese action game that has to be played to be believed. Includes a translation document to navigate the menus and the awesome soundtrack.

Thanks for having a look. I'm curious to hear what you think, so feel free to comment.

Biff

http://collectionchamber.blogspot.co.uk/

[Biffman101]

Hello, Biff here with some updates from my review blog. I kinda got a bit behind due to Easter (and the time sink that is Yoot Tower) but I'll catch up.

Pocky & Rocky Collection (1992-2002 PC Engine, SNES, GBA & PlayStation 2) - Five games in the Japanese folklore inspired arcade games.
Quik the Thunder Rabbit (1994 DOS & Amiga) - A fun sidescrolling platformer that really wants to be Sonic.
Rollcage 1&2 (1999-2014 Windows) - The updated versions that were released for free some months back. They're great futuristic racing games in the same vein (and publisher) as WipEout.
Shannara (1995 DOS) - An immersive adventure game with RPG elements from Legend Entertainment and based on the Tokien riffing novels by Terry Brooks
Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri (1996 DOS) - Looking Glass Studio's first person Mech shooter. It has some great combat and design, despite its long production.
U.F.O.s (aka Gnap) (1998 Windows) - A cartoon adventure game that features some great animations and hilarious silent comedy thats a bit on the dark side.
Veil of Darkness (1993 DOS) - A vampire themed adventure game that has a lot of the tropes usually associated with an RPG. It features a great story, average puzzles and lame combat but is still worth your time.
X-Files: Resist or Serve (2004 PlayStation 2) - I originally wanted to include the 1998 FMV PC adventure game here but I couldn't get it run well on Windows 7 (going against the philosophy of the site). I therefore included the emulated version of the survival horror game. It is the better game of the two but does require a high-spec PC to run smoothly.
Yoot Tower (1998 Windows) - The unofficial sequel to SimTower and one where entire days can disappear in its playtime. Definitely a sign of a good management game and the only reason why I tend to stay away from them - I do like many other games (as well as my life on occasion).

I also review the insanity that is Quentin Dupieux's Wrong. It's a movie that you'll barely understand, and if you attempt to do so, you'll understand it less. If you've seen Dupieux's Rubber (a murderous sentient killer tyre), you'll know what you're getting yourself into.

I hope you like them. I'm almost at the end of the alphabet so anything goes after my next post (a deliberate choice to force me to choose a variety of subjects).

Biff

http://collectionchamber.blogspot.co.uk/

[brightstar]

Hey, i like your comments the last user of that thread I also review the insanity that is Quentin Dupieux's Wrong. It's a movie that you'll barely understand, and if you attempt to do so, you'll understand it less. If you've seen Dupieux's Rubber a murderous sentient killer tyre, you'll know what you're getting yourself into.thanks to help me dear

[Biffman101]

Hello, Biff here back with the this week's updates. We've got some great adventures and some bizarre additions to my site. Check them out.

Zoocube (2002, Gamecube) This matching puzzle game suits the ethos of my site quite well as it was overlooked as another Tetris or Puyo Puyo type game. In truth it's cutesy premise hides a surprisingly deep and involving puzzle game.

D/Generation (1991, DOS) Another puzzle game, but this time adds some action elements. It reminds me a little bit of Chip's Challenge but with better graphics and a story that fits in with its mechanics.

Eye of Horus (1989, Amiga, DOS) I had this on the Atari ST as a kid, but the Amiga version plays the same and looks better. It's a Metroid-esque schmup with simple platform elements. It's pretty good.

The Gene Machine (1996, DOS) A lovely point-&-click adventure game that parodies the sci-fi novels of the late 1800s. I'm surprised this one isn't talked about so much as it is excellent.

Blazing Dragons (1996, PlayStation) A point-&-click adventure that's exclusive to the PlayStation. It looks similar to the first Discworld game and even has Terry Jones of Python fame on board. It's base off of Jones' kid cartoon show so it's aimed at younger gamers but it still has his great sense of humour.

A Rockstar Ate My Hamster (1988, Amiga) A humourous strategy game that was only released in the UK. Build up your rock stars as their manager in this parody of the entire business.

I also review The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao, a 1964 kid's fantasy movie that needs to be talked about more and was the first ever movie to win an Oscar for make-up. It definitely makes more sense than last week's movie. Check it out if you're tired of adventuring and strategising.

Biff

http://collectionchamber.blogspot.co.uk/

[Biffman101]

Hello! I've got some more updates from my blog that you guys might like.

This week I focused on music games of differing styles that began with last Monday's A Rockstar Ate My Hamster. There's some gooduns here with only two posts being about the casual rhythm games that were popular a few years back - shows how music can play a big part in a variety of genres!

The Residents: Freak Show & Bad Day on the Midway (1994, 1995 Windows 3.1) A couple of adventure games based on the avant-garde experimental band that began in the 70s. It's suitable weird and creepy and won several interactive media awards when they were released.

The Violinist of Hameln (1995 SNES) An excellent Japanese platform game based on a long running manga. It was never released in the west, but a high quality English translation was created and is included here.

Michael Jackson's Moonwalker (1989-1990 DOS, Amiga, Arcade, Mega Drive (Genesis), Master System) A collection of the various games that were released based of the movie of the same name. The DOS and Amiga games are pretty poor but SEGA's arcade and home versions - which were very different - are fun.

Osu! (2015, Windows) A free rhythm game inspired by existing franchises including Elite Beat Agents and Guitar Hero. Its levels are user created with a huge amount to choose from on the official website.

Flash Games Vol. 1: Musc (2004-2012, Windows/Flash) I collected five free flash games and combined them in a single installer for off-line play. The games include
Quest for the Rest - an adventure game created by Amanita Design to promote an album by Polyphonic Spree
Rhythm Doctor - a rhythm action game that was inspired by Nintendo's Rhythm Paradise
The Sound Walk - a dark game where you tap in rhythm to get by monsters and save your soul
Symphony - a puzzle game where you divert particles to their destination to create sweet music
Take a Walk - another good looking rhythm game. Here you can add your own mp3s to generate levels.

Callahan's Crosstime Saloon (1997 DOS) Music week has ended so I reviewed Legend Entertainment's great adventure game based on Spider Robinson's humourous sci-fi novels. It's one of their best which is saying a lot.

In keeping with the music theme, I also reviewed the movie Time Square (1980) from the director of Pump Up the Volume and Empire Records. It's more serious than those two later films, but it still has some sweet humour and relateable teenage angst. It also has Tim Curry which is always a plus.

I hope you enjoy them,

Biff

http://collectionchamber.blogspot.co.uk/

[Biffman101]

Hello, it's me again with this week's updates!

I somehow managed do get seven posts up in seven days while seeing Avengers multiple times, visiting theme parks and the boring work thing I sometimes have to do each week. They are:

Wizball and Wizkid (1987-1992 Amiga, DOS)
A surprisingly deep shooter that I loved as a kid as well as its toilet obsessed sequel. (Also a hidden surprise)

Fury 3 (1995 Windows 3.1)
An action flight sim that's a lot of fun. It works OK native to Windows, but I've chosen to include the Windows 3.1 version using DOSBox as the F!Zone addon works better with it.

Blade Runner (1997 Windows)
Best game ever based on a movie, and a strong contender for my favourite game (there are many).

Sid Meier's SimGolf (2001 Windows)
Not a sports game, but a Theme Park style management strategy game that's a lot of fun.

Big Red Adventure (1995 Amiga CD, DOS)
This is a pain to get running and I'm not particularly satisfied with the downloads. The DOS version crashes on the optional intro movie but the main game plays fine and the Amiga CD version doesn't run automatically. This (and Avengers!) is the main reason why some reviews were late this week as I struggled to find solutions in vain. I couldn't find a way to play this as a kid and the reviews were pretty good at the time but I found it overall disappointing.

Big Red Racing (1996 DOS)
A pseudo sequel to BRA but a racing game. It gets mixed reactions from people, but I liked it a lot.

I also review another horror movie - The Lady in White from 1988. It's a spooky ghost story that reminds me of the Spielberg style that ET, The Goonies and other 80s classics had.

I hope you like them, I'm off to see Avengers again!

Biff

http://collectionchamber.blogspot.co.uk/

[Biffman101]

Hello, I've got more reviews and downloads for this week.

Personal obligations has meant that I didn't quite manage to get a review up each day this week, but I tried my best. I'm running out of suitable games that I've already created the artwork for (that fall within the site's guidelines) and as much as I enjoy doing them, that's what really takes the time. There are some great games added though...

Return of the Phantom (1993 DOS)
A great adventure game based on the classic gothic horror story. It sports nice graphics and sound but is a little on the easy side.

Endorfun (1995 Win 3.1)
A Puzzle game where you roll a coloured cube over matching tiles. It claims to have subliminal messages so if you feel like you "can do anything" while playing, I'm afraid it's just the game controlling your mind.

The Addams Family Collection (1989-2002 Various)
A collection of many different games over many formats, including the well known Addams Family platform game on DOS and the consoles and the GameBoy Colour point & click adventure based on the newer live action series. The console only action RPG based on the movie sequel is my favourite out of the bunch.

More Disney Animated Storybooks (1994-1997 Win 3.1)
To compensate for my overly busy bank holiday weekend, I've collected three more storybooks: The Lion King, Pocahostas and 101 Dalmatians. The Hercules game that I reviewed in my first week has become my highest viewed page and as there's not much more to say about them, I've added three in one post.

Star Warped (1997 Win 3.1)
My choice for Star Wars Day was a day late. Most of the games I have based on the franchise can now be found on GOG, which makes the choice very limited. I wasn't particularly fond of the lowbrow humour in this parody game, but I know some people really like it.

Speaking of GOG, I also did a top 10 of my favourite games I had in my youth that can now be purchased on their store. Some of these may not hold up as well now, but I have a nostalgic fondness for all of them.

The movie review for the week was for another obscure horror film - Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural also known as Lady Dracula. I imported this from the US a few years ago and thought it was an excellent and haunting gothic fairy tale. Well worth checking out.

That's it for this week, I hope you enjoy

Biff

http://collectionchamber.blogspot.co.uk/

[Jinx2131]

Hey man, I like your site. Any way to get the Blade Runner download from it? Can't seem to download it off the link.

[Biffman101]

Hi Jinx,
The Blade Runner link should take you a 4Shared page where I've uploaded my games. I've checked and it is working for me. You get a limited amount of downloads for a free user and you may find you'll need to sign up for a free account. You have a 3Gb daily limit and 30Gb a month.
Blade Runner has six files in total, so make sure you download them all.
Let me know if you run into more issues.
Biff

[Jinx2131]

Oh, okay... thank you. Was really hoping that I wouldn't have to sign up for anything. Thanks for all your work.
I downloaded it - installed and when I start it the resolution or screen is all messed up. Looks like 4 or 5 screens interlaced together? I tried the different launch application as well as changing the compatibility modes, but nothing seems to work? Any ideas?



Request here as well -Johnny Mnemonic. A Win95 FMV game. Could never get it working in Dosbox or anything else. If you could do that - you are my hero.

[Biffman101]

Hello again, I must say that I'm a bit stumped. There are three exe files, one of which is the original and the others have been tailored for XP and Windows 7. They weren't created by me, they have worked brilliantly on my system.
What operating system are you running and did you get any error messages when installing the game? The folder size should be roughly 1.47Gb once installed so it might be a problem with the installer. It is by far the largest sized game on the site so it may need a re-upload - I'll investigate.
As for Johnny Mneumonic, I have the disk around somewhere, but I've not tried it out yet. I may see what I can do.
Biff

[Biffman101]

OK, I've done some troubleshooting and think the problem may have been with the installer. I tried to re-install it and got an unexpected error message. I have uploaded an updated version to the site which can be accessed via the game's page. The game and the installer has been tested on my Windows 7 machine.

http://collectionchamber.blogspot.co...de-runner.html

I hope this works for you.

As for Johnny Mneumonic, I've ripped my disks and have it working on DOSBox. The Windows 95 version is incompatible on modern systems as it's 32 bit. Luckily the game was also for Windows 3.1, which DOSBox emulate really well.

I'll see if I can have this up by the end of the week

Biff