Sini passed away

[PCEngineHell]

JB-HAROLD-MURDER-CLUB

  Murder Club is a murder mystery for the Turbo Grafx CD- one of
  the titles I owned back in the day and definitely got my money's
  worth from. You are J.B. Harold- a suave Sherlock on the trail of
  Bill Robbin's killer. There are red herrings galore, a bevy of sexy
  dames, and enough shady characters to fill out a high stakes poker
  den.

  First thing you'll notice is the sizzling jazz intro that alone makes
  this a worthwhile purchase. It's one of those tracks you'd like to
  crank out of your stereo on a crisp fall night with all of the windows
  open while kicking your feet up with whiskey and a smoke. One
  thing this game definitely establishes is a mood.  The gameplay
  consists of interviewing those in the know (a still photo of the
  interviewee holds the screen while text scrolls and CD voice audio
  plays (there is an option to turn off the voices- don't use it)),
  discovering and processing evidence, researching related cases,
  gaining search warrants to search suspicious areas, locating suspects,
  arresting same, and interrogating the suspects in the interrogation
  room. Included are features such as an overhead map which shows
  you places that you are currently familiar with (can't search out a place
  if you don't hear about it first from someone else), a rest area where
  you can check out your progress percentage, and options such as
  saving your game or switching the voices from English to Japanese.

  This game enraptured me as a kid- It helped to set the tone for my
  current fascination with murder mysteries- even my absorption of the
  true crime shows on trutv on demand. The story in this game is a
  good one- with many layers and hidden angles that will have you
  considering scenarios even after the game is turned off. It is also
  incredibly mature for a TurboGrafx game- I can't think of another
  American PCE release in which you'll actually hear the word "rape".
  There are many memorable spots in this game- from the amusing
  dialogue- which for the most part is perfectly voice acted (highlights
  include the hilarious parking attendant and the chick hitting on you
  at the movie theatre) to the solid resolve and expertly crafted finale.

  Should you pick this title up? If it sounds good then get it. I personally
  love it- and I know of many others who have as fond a memory of this
  as I do. It's different- it's smart- it's entertaining- and it requires more
  thought than most other titles of the period. If you're wildly impatient
  and just craving instant button-mashing satisfaction then look elsewhere.

SCORE  8.5/10      review by Sinistron

[PCEngineHell]

SKWEEK

  A decent little Q-Bert-esque action puzzler for PCE- Skweek is an amusing
  looking smiling orange fuzzball- the goal is simple- turn all of the blocks pink
  by walking over them. The music is whimsical, colors are bright though a bit
  fruity- and there's an undulating wave of colors in the background that some
  may find nauseating- thankfully if you wish you can get rid of it in the options
  menu. The playability is fairly good- a decent speed and smooth controls.


  A decent little Q-Bert-esque action puzzler for PCE- Skweek is an amusing
  looking smiling orange fuzzball- the goal is simple- turn all of the blocks pink
  by walking over them. The music is whimsical, colors are bright though a bit
  fruity- and there's an undulating wave of colors in the background that some
  may find nauseating- thankfully if you wish you can get rid of it in the options
  menu. The playability is fairly good- a decent speed and smooth controls.

  While playability is good- replay is questionable- there's little variety in the
  look of each stage- but the game provides short passwords for each level so
  you can just throw this sucker on for a little r&r, bust up a few stages, mark
  down your password and move on to something else before it gets old.

  Enemies are suns, clouds, octopuses, ghosts, squat blobs with wizard hats
  and so on- pretty much the kind of enemies you'd expect to see in a game
  like this. Some enemies will shoot at you but it doesn't become much of a
  problem until the later stages- when you confuse others' shots for your own
  (sometimes the shots bounce around for a bit). Enemies regenerate from
  snapping plant jaws that appear in a set time pattern from clear blocks- you
  have to have patience when running over these- unless you're in a daring
  mood- then it's fun to throw caution to the wind- but you'll likely wind up
  getting pissed every so often when you're almost through a stage and then
  suddenly one of these plant bastards snap up your last life.

  You start off with a limited number of guys- with the ability to earn extra. If
  you die while still retaining lives then you pick up where you left off with the
  blocks you changed pink remaining so- but there are enemies and certain
  blocks that will change pink blocks back to blue- and there are stages where
  new blocks materialize. There are ice blocks- which can be tricky at first as
  you can't turn on them- only slide through in one direction- sometimes this
  can drop you off of the playing field if you're not careful- run off the playing field
  and you die. There are also arrow slide blocks, blocks that kill surrounding
  enemies, blocks that crumble and disappear when you walk over them, blocks
  that cause chain reactions and portals that will take you to other areas in the
  stage.

  There's a couple of powerups, like rapid fire shot (Skweek starts off with the
  ability to shoot one projectile at a time), spread shot, freeze shot, etc. Other
  bonuses include points (mostly in the shape of food), extended time, free
  Skweeks, non slip shoes (for ice and arrow blocks), super speed, giftboxes
  with surprise effects (like the skulls in Bomberman), a doorway that will let
  you clear the stage early and teddy bears (collect all colors of the bears for
  an additional bonus). The side of the screen will show you when a bonus
  becomes available- with an arrow pointing up or down letting you know in
  which direction it is.

  Difficulty is varied from stage to stage- for the most part this is an easy game-
  although there are a few stages that you may find frustrating until you figure out
  the best way to proceed. There are 99 stages total.


  Chances are if you think you'll like it then you probably will- if oldschool Pac-Man
  /Q-bertish action mazes are your thing. It's nothing phenomenal- but for a twenty
  minute diversion you can do much worse.

SCORE: 6/10   review by Sinistron

[PCEngineHell]

Tale Spin

  The two Disney games for the Turbo- both developed by Radiance- are widely
  regarded as huge failures. I've always regarded Tale Spin (the other one is
  Darkwing Duck) as the better of the two titles- however it's certainly no treasure
  box. You control Baloo (and Lil' Britches in one level) as they search out the
  pieces of some lost treasure of some lost city. You know the song, you know
  the dance. The game counts five stages (the first four you can choose in any
  order)- but there's more than that going on, and this in my eyes is one of the
  things that elevates Tale Spin above Darkwing Duck. Aside from the five main
  stages (island, snow, underwater, hangar, cloud city), there is (as I mentioned
  above) a mini-stage where you control Lil' Britches, a horizontal shooter stage,
  and several overhead flying stages where Baloo pilots while Lil' Britches sky
  surfs to collect bonus points. While none of these stages are the stuff of dreams-
  they add a nice little mix and a feeling that at the very least the developers tried
  to make something memorable.

  The boards are colorful, the music is tolerable, and the graphics range from lush
  to mediocre- with dual scrolling in some spots. Where this game fails is in the
  gameplay.Aside from a few spots, it gets pretty tiresome running Baloo around
  tossing coconuts and snowballs; the underwater level may very well be one of the
  most hideous platform levels to ever exist (the legendary Nat Hall from pcenginefx
  . com chose to play this level first- forever tainting his overall experience with this
  game) and the last level in the sky city is beyond tedious- as you have to inch
  forward then stop and throw, inch forward then stop and throw, etc.- making what
  is technically a short level a drawn out experience. Boss fights (where you do battle
  with the likes of Shere Kahn and other familiar faces) are for the most part devoid of
  strategy. Power-ups, discounting free guys and bonus points- are pretty much
  nonexistent.

  With all that said however- there's worse platformers on the pce/turbografx- and the
  other Disney game is one of them, though that's for another review. Tale Spin gets
  some points for variety, for a colorful cast of familiar faces, and... okay- for not much
  else. If you're A) a Tale Spin fan, B) someone who feels the need to play all of the TG
  platformers (this was an American release only), or a huge platformer fan in general
  who can handle and get a kick out of mediocre titles- than you might want to pick this
  one up. Don't expect a mindblowing (or even overly engaging) experience- and don't play
  the underwater level first- and you'll be alright.

SCORE 5.5/10  review by Sinistron

[PCEngineHell]

TATSU NO KO

  On first play this hucard platformer by Tonkin House may seem pretty damn poor- it's
  got choppy old NES/kid niki-esque graphics, the music is forgettable and the gameplay
  rhythm feels a touch off -- but it has a certain charm to it if you stick with it- and it is an
  unusual game. You control some peasant-looking dude with a stick that gets upgraded
  each level by some hairy guy in the village who later turns out to be the final boss-
  surprise of surprises- sorry to ruin it for you, but if you're like me and can't read Japanese
  then there's really no story to ruin. You get a life bar and a magic bar (both can be
  extended by way of power-ups)- the magic is used (pause the game then switch the stick
  to the magic book in the bottom box) to shoot projectiles out of your stick. Aside from life
  and magic replenishes there is also a double genie power-up- in which two genies come
  on screen and start killing any enemies that get in their way.

  All in all there are five worlds- and if you're like me you may wind up having to play the first
  level over by accident (you'll see what I mean). The fifth and last world is partially "hidden"
  but I've already given you the major clue in the first paragraph. One thing that may turn
  people off of this game is a level early on that requires a lot of tight jumps on moving logs
  and sinking poles- since the poles sink you may think that you have to jump off of them
  before they go below the water surface- don't worry: if you're placed on a pole when it sinks
  you won't fall in. Keep in mind that this level is perhaps the game's toughest- get past it
  and you should be okay.

  Enemies are turtles, dragons, flying witches and goons- your typical crazy Japanese shit.
  I've read in a review on a certain site (a great site for the most part) that the game is
  frustrating because the enemies are so quick and seem to come at random- they certainly
  DO NOT come at random- and I can't think of one normal enemy that wasn't easy to
  dispose of. Some levels- like the two with tight jumps- may take a few tries to learn but
  there's really nothing here that should frustrate anyone into turning off the game for good.


  What makes this game so unusual to me is that when you beat the boss of each world- you
  turn into a much bigger guy done up in a different graphic style- to fight a much bigger boss.
  The bigger character can jump and punch- unfortunately there's not much strategy needed in
  these fights- but it's still a welcome and unexpected change nonetheless.

  The game comes with unlimited continues (which you'll need as it's basically a one life
  game), and there's the villages where you can power up your life and magic to the max that
  your bars allow. There's also secret doors hidden within each world where you can power-up
  – all in all the game isn't much of a challenge for seasoned players, but it can be fun if you're
  patient enough with it at first. A decent enough diversion.



  Score- 6.5 out of 10         review by Sinistron

[PCEngineHell]

TITAN

  On paper- an Arkanoid type maze game doesn't look so bad... On screen though
  it's a total disaster. The goal of course is to break all of the bricks- 
  the bricks are spread out through an overhead maze- and you control a pitiful
  little square that you use to knock the ball around. Trying to hit the ball
  the right way with this little square can prove to be as fun as lighting your
  cock on fire.

  There's really not much more here- clear the bricks within the allotted time,
  avoid the skulls, "power-ups" include extra time and multiple balls, and you
  can also hold the ball still if you're able to cover it with the square while
  holding down a button. Fun. Not really. Add to the bland gameplay some appropriately
  uninspired graphics that just consist of balls and squares, chip music that may
  be worse than the everlasting pulsating loop from Xevious (very similar in fact),
  and you'll be wondering just why you're playing this title. To call this game
  tedious would be one of videogamedom's greatest understatements. Shortly after you
  turn it on you'll turn it off- and perhaps you'll test it out again in a few months
  to see if it's really as bad as you remembered. You'll find out that it's even worse
  than you remembered- and from then on it'll likely go unplayed for the remainder of
  your life.

  This is the kind of game you might find yourself playing in hell- without end, without
  break, your nerves screaming for sweet release.

SCORE- Goose Egg. TOTAL FAIL.   review by Sinistron

[PunkCryborg]

I'm just going through "The Race is on Bitches!" thread and having a laugh. Sin was a force. I'm just laughing constantly. Lol.

It's time to man up and get some clears in.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

I too read through the whole thread recently and was very impressed in his passion for beating pce games. Id almost say he was a big part in my interest in playing through them and was hoping hed come back and participate in the clears thread.
RIP dude!
Truly a PCEFX legend

[PCEngineHell]

If someone gets a chance, please post his reviews he did on the other site on here as well. Thanks in advance.

[Tatsujin]

great reads but makes me so  but that's just the way it is supposed to be, to make one so

[Arjak]

Oh, God...this is horrible. I don't even really know what to say, because really, what can I say that will help in any way?

I didn't know Sini very well, but I definitely saw him around here and I know he was a major member of the forum. My deepest condolences to his family and friends. I hope he is now in a better place, where friends and happiness are plentiful and American copies of Magical Chase are free and abundant.

RIP Sini. You will be missed.

[termis]

Sad news indeed.  Condolences to his family, and everyone close to him. 

He is definitely a piece of PCEFX history.

[Ninja Spirit]

Bout to play a run of Override in his honor

[Ceti Alpha]

Bout to play a run of Override in his honor

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[MotherGunner]

I think it would be a great idea to have a memorial sticky for our community members who have passed on.  Thoughts?

[turboswimbz]

I think it would be a great idea to have a memorial sticky for our community members who have passed on.  Thoughts?

LIke it, sad that so many have passed to warrent it though.

[NightWolve]

Hey Mike, sorry about your friend... That "Sini Relief Fund" thread you made only seems like yesterday to me and now this... He was before my time for the most part and the few times I saw him post were mostly "roasts" like of Soop and SignOfZeta, etc.

It's kinda weird, I've never been around a forum long enough to witness members dying out... I hung around TheNextLevel for about 3 years, AHOY ALOY (the Ys love shack as esteban refers to it) for 2 years (then I boycotted it), much less elsewhere and I can't recall any RIP threads of members in that time. Yet, I've been visiting here for almost 2 years now and already there have been 3-4 cases I believe... It never occured to me that I would ever encounter mortality reminders in a gaming forum I guess...

[Joe Redifer]

Damn, how did I miss this thread? This really sucks. We've exchanged a few barbs here and there but overall he was pretty damn knowledgeable. Micheal's posts here are pretty touching. The drunk drivers almost always seem to survive themselves and the punishments they get never justify what they did. My niece's friend was killed by a drunk driver. That guy also killed his girlfriend a few years earlier while driving drunk. 2 years in jail. Yay. I guarantee that he'll be driving again once he's out. Drunk drivers can just fuck off and die. Who do they think they are? God damn fuckers.

[blueraven]

Firebomber last year, and Sinistron this year.  Let's discontinue this trend.

Was Firebomber also a DUI victim?  Snowkitty was lost this year as well.  I'm in full agreement- trend of tragedies must stop.

Wait... what!?!?!? Fuck. Snowy is gone too?

[jperryss]

Wait... what!?!?!? Fuck. Snowy is gone too?

Unfortunately yes, he passed away this summer.
http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=44082

[spenoza]

You know, it's funny. In American culture we do this thing where if someone was drunk and screw up, we kinda let them off the hook because they were drunk. I've seen this happen in court, despite DUI laws that are supposed to increase penalties. Those who can't drink responsibly and slip up, even if it's something minor, need to face steep penalties so that it doesn't get to the level of someone losing their life. I hope the responsible party in this instance faces a tough judge, and that Sini's family can find a way to move on in peace.

[PCEngineHell]

You know, it's funny. In American culture we do this thing where if someone was drunk and screw up, we kinda let them off the hook because they were drunk. I've seen this happen in court, despite DUI laws that are supposed to increase penalties. Those who can't drink responsibly and slip up, even if it's something minor, need to face steep penalties so that it doesn't get to the level of someone losing their life. I hope the responsible party in this instance faces a tough judge, and that Sini's family can find a way to move on in peace.

Exactly, murder is murder, even if it wasn't fully intentional. The guy made a choice to get behind the wheel. Actually scratch that. Better to state the guy actually knew he had a drinking problem as is, chose to drink anyway, then get behind the wheel, and due to that someone died and another injured, along with major property damage. I hope the guy gets 15 to 20 years, if not more. Basically I would like to see them throw the book at him, maybe two or three times even.

[Mathius]

I was just thinking about Sini the other day...wondering how he was holding up. Then I see this thread. We are losing too many members to shitty awful reasons. I loved everyone of them and I just can't seem to understand why this keeps happening. Rest in peace dude.

[blueraven]

You know, it's funny. In American culture we do this thing where if someone was drunk and screw up, we kinda let them off the hook because they were drunk. I've seen this happen in court, despite DUI laws that are supposed to increase penalties. Those who can't drink responsibly and slip up, even if it's something minor, need to face steep penalties so that it doesn't get to the level of someone losing their life. I hope the responsible party in this instance faces a tough judge, and that Sini's family can find a way to move on in peace.

Exactly, murder is murder, even if it wasn't fully intentional. The guy made a choice to get behind the wheel. Actually scratch that. Better to state the guy actually knew he had a drinking problem as is, chose to drink anyway, then get behind the wheel, and due to that someone died and another injured, along with major property damage. I hope the guy gets 15 to 20 years, if not more. Basically I would like to see them throw the book at him, maybe two or three times even.

I feel the same way. I've lost entirely too many of my friends in the Midwest to drunk drivers. In high school, two of my friends went through the windshield of a car after being hit head on at 70 miles per hour. The drunk driver that hit them died on impact, but the physical and psychological trauma that they experienced is haunting them almost 14 years later. After watching them both recover in the ICU, that was just fucking enough.

Since then, I have lost three friends to drunk driving. One was a very close childhood friend.

I have no sympathy for the asshole that killed Jim. I hope they throw the book at him. I hope he rots for this and the motherfucker never sees the light of day.

I also hope Sini's family is able to find peace somehow in the midst of this tragedy. How, I have no idea.

[PCEngineHell]

I was talking with Sini's wife this evening. She is coping as best as she can, doing what she can. Rough times ahead no doubt.

[OldRover]

Good to know that you keep in contact with her.

[munchiaz]

This is so awful.  may he R.I.P.  Fucking drunk drivers man. Makes no sense, call a fucking cab!!!. Makes me so upset that something as stupid as driving drunk can take away a innocent life. Hopefully this guy spends the rest of his days in prison

[Keranu]

Wow, that's horrible news. It's been awhile since I've even talked to Sinistron on here, and to be honest I never liked him much but he was a fellow PCEFX vet and hearing about his passing makes your heart fall into your stomach.

Thanks to Mike for keeping us updated and rest in peace, James.

[Nazi NecroPhile]

Why I hate lawyers: click.

[RoyVegas]

Why I hate lawyers: click.

Typical justice system bullshit.  The criminals have all the rights while the victims have no rights at all.

[BlueBMW]

If its any consolation, I served on a jury this last week.  We found the defendant guilty despite all the defense lawyers bullshit.

[turboswimbz]

Why I hate lawyers: click.

Funny think is his client is even charged with DUI, he was charged with impaired driving, reckless driving, and mansluaghter. None of which matter if his client was "drunk or not"

 But I'm sure He'll get out of serious jail time becuase he didn't know any better, hes been brought up with a culture of no consequences.

[Tatsujin]

"We drew blood but do not have the results of that," Assistant District Attorney Patricia Diaz told the judge.

Lombardi said Celauro blew below 0.08 — the legal limit — into the handheld alcohol sensor at the scene, but he declined to blow into the more comprehensive Breathalyzer at the precinct

WTF is that shit?

1. how can he decline that by him self and 2. why did he even decline, if he was convinced to not be drunk?

and why did they drew blood but have no results?

[Gogan]

My condolensces to Sinistons friends and family. Never knew him, or liked his forum presence much, but did donate to prof's relief fund for him as he seemed like a decent dude. Another fellow pcfxer gone, so sad

[guyjin]

Wow. That sucks.

[PCEngineHell]

I'm not going to go into details on this, but just say that the matter concerning the drunk worked itself out. Hoping James wife and family will find some closure now. Thread locked. RIP James, miss ya.