Vasteel

VenomMacbeth · 03/28/2015, 01:24 PM

Would you recommend it to someone who has zero interest in strategy games?

I have Herzog Zwei & I can scarcely figure that game out, and you can forget about Star Control. Something about these games just doesn't click with my derpy action brain, but I'm TRYING.

Enter Vasteel. Nifty action sequences, awesome voiced cutscenes...sounds like a recipe for success, even with the strategy gameplay.

I guess what I'm asking is, am I even gonna be able to play this game if I get it? If I can't get anywhere in Herzog Zwei, what chance have I with an even deeper game?

esteban · 03/28/2015, 01:39 PM

Quote from: VenomMacbeth on 03/28/2015, 01:24 PMWould you recommend it to someone who has zero interest in strategy games?

I have Herzog Zwei & I can scarcely figure that game out, and you can forget about Star Control. Something about these games just doesn't click with my derpy action brain, but I'm TRYING.

Enter Vasteel. Nifty action sequences, awesome voiced cutscenes...sounds like a recipe for success, even with the strategy gameplay.

I guess what I'm asking is, am I even gonna be able to play this game if I get it? If I can't get anywhere in Herzog Zwei, what chance have I with an even deeper game?

Hmmmmmm...

Vasteel is pretty straightforward. The problem, I think, is that the action sequences lose some of their appeal (tedious, same thing over and over) and might not keep you interested for the entire game.

HOWEVER, I still think you should give it a chance...

SignOfZeta · 03/28/2015, 01:51 PM

The action is, in some ways, the worst part of that game.

Try Military Madness. If you can't handle that you'll never like any turn based strategy game.

esteban · 03/28/2015, 02:00 PM

Quote from: SignOfZeta on 03/28/2015, 01:51 PMThe action is, in some ways, the worst part of that game.

Try Military Madness. If you can't handle that you'll never like any turn based strategy game.

Exactly. There is an option to have the computer AI fight the action sequences...

I agree, Military Madness is the litmus test.

VenomMacbeth · 03/28/2015, 03:17 PM

Thanks for the reploys, goys! I have a loose Nectarsis Huey laying around somewhere that I never gave an honest shot, but to be honest I would really rather have the turbo version...but as with most turbografx games ('specially the popular ones), isn't it a little pricey?

...said he in a thread about Vasteel, a $90+ game

CrackTiger · 03/28/2015, 03:37 PM

I'm not a real war sim fan, even though there are many I enjoy. Vasteel is one of them because, like Military Madness/Nectaris, it is very accessoble for people like us and strikes a good balance of fun and complexity. I always play the battles and it kills me to let the AI waste fights that I would have won myself.

For years now people have been saying that the Turbo version is $80 - $300, while it has consistently sold here and on eBay for $30 - $40 for game/case/manual. The so-called map is a glorfied poster and does not affect gameplay.

The cinemas are some of the blandest of the generation and there isn't really any story, so the Turbo version isn't doing you any favors. The only thing the Turbo version has going for it for English speaking players is the voiced descriptions of the units, which I didn't pay any attention to and from what I remember was more cinematic than useful info about how to effectively use each unit.

Herzog Zweii is real-time and involves much more management. Games like Vasteel and Neo Nectaris are pretty much a different genre and closer to Shining Force.

esteban · 03/28/2015, 04:21 PM

Well, to clarify further:

If you are good at the action scenes, which I think most folks who are good reflex-based games can easily attain, you have an unfair advantage. You can take a crappy unit (David) and routinely destroy big targets (Goliath).

This throws off the challenge of a "typical" strategy game, in that your units are "better" at fighting than the enemy units. Again, the reason is because the player has skill.

I guess not everyone will be good at the action scenes, which is when the difficulty swings the other way...

Luckily, an "auto-battle" option can help folks who (a) suck at action scenes or (b) are bored with action scenes.

GENERAL DISCLAIMER FOR ANYONE READING THIS: I actually really like Vasteel, it is a good game, especially when it came out. Years later, it still holds its own, but, of course, the breadth of strategy games available now is so vast and varied. Vasteel is up against a lot of competition now that wasn't readily available (or simply didn't exist) back in the day. SO, BASICALLY, YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY TRY VASTEEL IF IT SEEMS EVEN SLIGHTLY INTERESTING TO YOU.

https://archives.tg-16.com/turbo_force_0002.htm#working_designs_read_the_fine_print

A long, long time ago I said that Vasteel was an modern update on Archon...a game I loved playing on Apple ][

PLUS: Red Book Space Jazz ++AND++ PSG chip tune soundtracks provide great music to listen to whilst playing.

VenomMacbeth · 03/28/2015, 06:49 PM

Ughhhh it has so much I like...Space jazz, animarted cutscenes (however primitive they may be. I just love WD's voice overs), action sequences of some kind (however mundane), and of course, MECHS!

It'll be one I get around to eventually, when I get the other cheaper games out of the way. But I WILL get around to it.

esteban · 03/28/2015, 10:10 PM

Quote from: VenomMacbeth on 03/28/2015, 06:49 PMUghhhh it has so much I like...Space jazz, animarted cutscenes (however primitive they may be. I just love WD's voice overs), action sequences of some kind (however mundane), and of course, MECHS!

It'll be one I get around to eventually, when I get the other cheaper games out of the way. But I WILL get around to it.

There is a surprising amount of character dialogue on this, too. It is ADPCM, so the quality is not the greatest, but this is not a "short" story. You are going to hear a drama...

mitsuman · 03/29/2015, 05:19 PM

I've been debating on whether to get the English or japanese version of vasteel. I had the English version years ago when I owned a TG16-CD SYSTEM, and loved the game. I guess I can do without understanding the dialogue, but couldn't remember if I needed to see English in any other parts.

johnnykonami · 03/30/2015, 11:25 PM

I recently got the Japanese version of this game, lamenting my US version that was stolen from me in the 90's. For me, I love the Jazz fusion style music in the game, the huge list of robot units (loved paging through the manual when I was younger) and the overall vibe of the game. I agree with everyone saying the actual battle sequences are pretty lame, though, and I'll add that the strategy isn't all that deep. Still, I love it. Anything with hexagon maps and robots sells me instantly. Years ago I also bought Lady Phantom, and only recently I've been thinking about starting that up.