Gabriel Jones
@pepsimanvsjoe.bsky.social
Former game critic who can't find his niche. Interests include retro / obscure / arcade games, music (Mostly VGM & Prince), and whatever catches my eye (even if it's just for a moment). 1981 he/him
Pinned
February #promosky
The name is Gabriel and I write about games.
Stick around if you like hearing about.
- Retrogaming
- Indies
- Hidden Gems
- PS2, NES, SNES, Genesis, Steam, PS1, Handhelds
- Games made in the last 10 years (rarely)
Reviews regularly appear on this blog pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com
The name is Gabriel and I write about games.
Stick around if you like hearing about.
- Retrogaming
- Indies
- Hidden Gems
- PS2, NES, SNES, Genesis, Steam, PS1, Handhelds
- Games made in the last 10 years (rarely)
Reviews regularly appear on this blog pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com
Reposted by Gabriel Jones
February #promosky
The name is Gabriel and I write about games.
Stick around if you like hearing about.
- Retrogaming
- Indies
- Hidden Gems
- PS2, NES, SNES, Genesis, Steam, PS1, Handhelds
- Games made in the last 10 years (rarely)
Reviews regularly appear on this blog pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com
The name is Gabriel and I write about games.
Stick around if you like hearing about.
- Retrogaming
- Indies
- Hidden Gems
- PS2, NES, SNES, Genesis, Steam, PS1, Handhelds
- Games made in the last 10 years (rarely)
Reviews regularly appear on this blog pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com
February 2, 2026 at 1:23 PM
February #promosky
The name is Gabriel and I write about games.
Stick around if you like hearing about.
- Retrogaming
- Indies
- Hidden Gems
- PS2, NES, SNES, Genesis, Steam, PS1, Handhelds
- Games made in the last 10 years (rarely)
Reviews regularly appear on this blog pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com
The name is Gabriel and I write about games.
Stick around if you like hearing about.
- Retrogaming
- Indies
- Hidden Gems
- PS2, NES, SNES, Genesis, Steam, PS1, Handhelds
- Games made in the last 10 years (rarely)
Reviews regularly appear on this blog pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
Adrianna is a sorceress who wears scale armor, swings a +2 mithral scimitar, and the only spell she knows is magic missile.
Anyway
Drow invaded the mines.
Not sure why dwarves are so worried. Drow equipment melts in the sun. Surely dwarves can handle a few naked elves.
Adrianna is a sorceress who wears scale armor, swings a +2 mithral scimitar, and the only spell she knows is magic missile.
Anyway
Drow invaded the mines.
Not sure why dwarves are so worried. Drow equipment melts in the sun. Surely dwarves can handle a few naked elves.
February 4, 2026 at 5:52 PM
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
Adrianna is a sorceress who wears scale armor, swings a +2 mithral scimitar, and the only spell she knows is magic missile.
Anyway
Drow invaded the mines.
Not sure why dwarves are so worried. Drow equipment melts in the sun. Surely dwarves can handle a few naked elves.
Adrianna is a sorceress who wears scale armor, swings a +2 mithral scimitar, and the only spell she knows is magic missile.
Anyway
Drow invaded the mines.
Not sure why dwarves are so worried. Drow equipment melts in the sun. Surely dwarves can handle a few naked elves.
Reposted by Gabriel Jones
Random thing I wanna do this year:
Be on someone's podcast talking about retro and/or indie games.
Just putting that out there.
Be on someone's podcast talking about retro and/or indie games.
Just putting that out there.
February 4, 2026 at 5:35 AM
Random thing I wanna do this year:
Be on someone's podcast talking about retro and/or indie games.
Just putting that out there.
Be on someone's podcast talking about retro and/or indie games.
Just putting that out there.
I ran out of heal potions before a boss in Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance. Getting to a shop is simple with the potion of recall, but getting back to where I was means a lot of walking through empty hallways and jumping puzzles.
At least the dorky boss has a bite that's easy to whiff.
#retrogaming
At least the dorky boss has a bite that's easy to whiff.
#retrogaming
February 4, 2026 at 2:52 AM
I ran out of heal potions before a boss in Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance. Getting to a shop is simple with the potion of recall, but getting back to where I was means a lot of walking through empty hallways and jumping puzzles.
At least the dorky boss has a bite that's easy to whiff.
#retrogaming
At least the dorky boss has a bite that's easy to whiff.
#retrogaming
Reposted by Gabriel Jones
For proof that I indeed did beat Super Pitfall PC-88, here's something apparently no one else online has ever done (as I couldn't find anything like it, at least):
A complete map layout of Super Pitfall PC-88 made by me! It's not as big as the NES layout, but it's a hell of a lot more interesting.
A complete map layout of Super Pitfall PC-88 made by me! It's not as big as the NES layout, but it's a hell of a lot more interesting.
February 3, 2026 at 11:51 PM
For proof that I indeed did beat Super Pitfall PC-88, here's something apparently no one else online has ever done (as I couldn't find anything like it, at least):
A complete map layout of Super Pitfall PC-88 made by me! It's not as big as the NES layout, but it's a hell of a lot more interesting.
A complete map layout of Super Pitfall PC-88 made by me! It's not as big as the NES layout, but it's a hell of a lot more interesting.
Reposted by Gabriel Jones
𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘯!
💚🎀🎪
💚🎀🎪
February 2, 2026 at 7:03 PM
𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘯!
💚🎀🎪
💚🎀🎪
Valis 4
The big moment when Lena gets the magical bikini armor and Yuko has this "better her than me" expression.
The big moment when Lena gets the magical bikini armor and Yuko has this "better her than me" expression.
February 3, 2026 at 7:11 PM
Valis 4
The big moment when Lena gets the magical bikini armor and Yuko has this "better her than me" expression.
The big moment when Lena gets the magical bikini armor and Yuko has this "better her than me" expression.
Reposted by Gabriel Jones
𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘯𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦!
🚨🟦🟩
🚨🟦🟩
February 3, 2026 at 7:03 PM
𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘯𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦!
🚨🟦🟩
🚨🟦🟩
Today's review is Super Valis IV for the Super Nintendo.
pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com/2026/02/2026...
It's different, and I like it.
Shame that this was one of the final entries in the Valis saga. It really felt like things were starting to come together.
#retrogaming #snes
pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com/2026/02/2026...
It's different, and I like it.
Shame that this was one of the final entries in the Valis saga. It really felt like things were starting to come together.
#retrogaming #snes
2026 Special - Super Valis IV
pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com
February 3, 2026 at 4:24 PM
Today's review is Super Valis IV for the Super Nintendo.
pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com/2026/02/2026...
It's different, and I like it.
Shame that this was one of the final entries in the Valis saga. It really felt like things were starting to come together.
#retrogaming #snes
pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com/2026/02/2026...
It's different, and I like it.
Shame that this was one of the final entries in the Valis saga. It really felt like things were starting to come together.
#retrogaming #snes
Revisiting yet another game I didn't finish back in the day.
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance.
It's darker than I remember.
Kinda liking that it's an Action RPG from long before epic legendary loot with 100 modifiers became the norm.
Oh, and the water effects are lovely.
#retrogaming #playstation
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance.
It's darker than I remember.
Kinda liking that it's an Action RPG from long before epic legendary loot with 100 modifiers became the norm.
Oh, and the water effects are lovely.
#retrogaming #playstation
February 3, 2026 at 4:49 AM
Revisiting yet another game I didn't finish back in the day.
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance.
It's darker than I remember.
Kinda liking that it's an Action RPG from long before epic legendary loot with 100 modifiers became the norm.
Oh, and the water effects are lovely.
#retrogaming #playstation
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance.
It's darker than I remember.
Kinda liking that it's an Action RPG from long before epic legendary loot with 100 modifiers became the norm.
Oh, and the water effects are lovely.
#retrogaming #playstation
I (finally) started watching The Shield and had to pause for a moment when this guy showed up misquoting King of The Hill.
February 3, 2026 at 12:38 AM
I (finally) started watching The Shield and had to pause for a moment when this guy showed up misquoting King of The Hill.
Super Valis IV
I like the different style they went for. Lena only has one life, but she's got plenty of health and no instant-death pits to worry about.
Mostly, it's just decent action that balances speed and item-management. A bit plain maybe but still solid all-around.
#retrogaming #snes
I like the different style they went for. Lena only has one life, but she's got plenty of health and no instant-death pits to worry about.
Mostly, it's just decent action that balances speed and item-management. A bit plain maybe but still solid all-around.
#retrogaming #snes
February 2, 2026 at 7:47 PM
Super Valis IV
I like the different style they went for. Lena only has one life, but she's got plenty of health and no instant-death pits to worry about.
Mostly, it's just decent action that balances speed and item-management. A bit plain maybe but still solid all-around.
#retrogaming #snes
I like the different style they went for. Lena only has one life, but she's got plenty of health and no instant-death pits to worry about.
Mostly, it's just decent action that balances speed and item-management. A bit plain maybe but still solid all-around.
#retrogaming #snes
Armored Core 2
#5 Ranked "The Animal" was kicking my ass until I found a spot where I could fire energy blades over the walls. He should've easily climbed over, but he's stubborn.
My mother would be ashamed if she knew the kind of shit I pulled to win arena battles.
#retrogaming
#5 Ranked "The Animal" was kicking my ass until I found a spot where I could fire energy blades over the walls. He should've easily climbed over, but he's stubborn.
My mother would be ashamed if she knew the kind of shit I pulled to win arena battles.
#retrogaming
February 2, 2026 at 6:33 PM
Armored Core 2
#5 Ranked "The Animal" was kicking my ass until I found a spot where I could fire energy blades over the walls. He should've easily climbed over, but he's stubborn.
My mother would be ashamed if she knew the kind of shit I pulled to win arena battles.
#retrogaming
#5 Ranked "The Animal" was kicking my ass until I found a spot where I could fire energy blades over the walls. He should've easily climbed over, but he's stubborn.
My mother would be ashamed if she knew the kind of shit I pulled to win arena battles.
#retrogaming
Reposted by Gabriel Jones
February 2, 2026 at 5:30 AM
Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked
It's a Grasshopper Manufacture joint, that's for certain. Simple & Stylish.
Run through narrow corridors.
Slash hundreds of foes.
Play minigames to earn cash for swords and soundtracks (move-lists).
Music is of course 100
Everything else? idk
#retrogaming #playstation
It's a Grasshopper Manufacture joint, that's for certain. Simple & Stylish.
Run through narrow corridors.
Slash hundreds of foes.
Play minigames to earn cash for swords and soundtracks (move-lists).
Music is of course 100
Everything else? idk
#retrogaming #playstation
February 2, 2026 at 3:20 PM
Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked
It's a Grasshopper Manufacture joint, that's for certain. Simple & Stylish.
Run through narrow corridors.
Slash hundreds of foes.
Play minigames to earn cash for swords and soundtracks (move-lists).
Music is of course 100
Everything else? idk
#retrogaming #playstation
It's a Grasshopper Manufacture joint, that's for certain. Simple & Stylish.
Run through narrow corridors.
Slash hundreds of foes.
Play minigames to earn cash for swords and soundtracks (move-lists).
Music is of course 100
Everything else? idk
#retrogaming #playstation
February #promosky
The name is Gabriel and I write about games.
Stick around if you like hearing about.
- Retrogaming
- Indies
- Hidden Gems
- PS2, NES, SNES, Genesis, Steam, PS1, Handhelds
- Games made in the last 10 years (rarely)
Reviews regularly appear on this blog pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com
The name is Gabriel and I write about games.
Stick around if you like hearing about.
- Retrogaming
- Indies
- Hidden Gems
- PS2, NES, SNES, Genesis, Steam, PS1, Handhelds
- Games made in the last 10 years (rarely)
Reviews regularly appear on this blog pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com
February 2, 2026 at 1:23 PM
February #promosky
The name is Gabriel and I write about games.
Stick around if you like hearing about.
- Retrogaming
- Indies
- Hidden Gems
- PS2, NES, SNES, Genesis, Steam, PS1, Handhelds
- Games made in the last 10 years (rarely)
Reviews regularly appear on this blog pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com
The name is Gabriel and I write about games.
Stick around if you like hearing about.
- Retrogaming
- Indies
- Hidden Gems
- PS2, NES, SNES, Genesis, Steam, PS1, Handhelds
- Games made in the last 10 years (rarely)
Reviews regularly appear on this blog pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com
Today's review is Onimusha: Blade Warriors for the Playstation 2.
I should've skipped this.
pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com/2026/02/play...
#retrogaming #capcom
I should've skipped this.
pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com/2026/02/play...
#retrogaming #capcom
Playstation 2 Look - Onimusha: Blade Warriors
pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com
February 2, 2026 at 4:56 AM
Today's review is Onimusha: Blade Warriors for the Playstation 2.
I should've skipped this.
pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com/2026/02/play...
#retrogaming #capcom
I should've skipped this.
pepsimanvsjoe.blogspot.com/2026/02/play...
#retrogaming #capcom
This is no mere Chicken Club sandwich.
This is Thor's Chicken Hammer.
This is Thor's Chicken Hammer.
February 2, 2026 at 1:00 AM
This is no mere Chicken Club sandwich.
This is Thor's Chicken Hammer.
This is Thor's Chicken Hammer.
Reposted by Gabriel Jones
This is Jerry Lawson. He invented the video game cartridge for the Fairchild Channel F system. Because of his invention, many consoles had cartridges and CD formats and would become the norm.
The Atari 2600, NES, Genesis, and many consoles wouldn't exist without him.
Happy Black History Month.
The Atari 2600, NES, Genesis, and many consoles wouldn't exist without him.
Happy Black History Month.
February 1, 2025 at 11:04 PM
This is Jerry Lawson. He invented the video game cartridge for the Fairchild Channel F system. Because of his invention, many consoles had cartridges and CD formats and would become the norm.
The Atari 2600, NES, Genesis, and many consoles wouldn't exist without him.
Happy Black History Month.
The Atari 2600, NES, Genesis, and many consoles wouldn't exist without him.
Happy Black History Month.
I've spent about 6-7 hours on Onimusha: Blade Warriors, and I'm already running out of gas.
It's not just a grind, but also a very repetitive one, and unlocking some characters requires time invested into the weak grunts.
The boring stages and zero story aren't helping.
#retrogaming #capcom
It's not just a grind, but also a very repetitive one, and unlocking some characters requires time invested into the weak grunts.
The boring stages and zero story aren't helping.
#retrogaming #capcom
February 1, 2026 at 8:28 PM
I've spent about 6-7 hours on Onimusha: Blade Warriors, and I'm already running out of gas.
It's not just a grind, but also a very repetitive one, and unlocking some characters requires time invested into the weak grunts.
The boring stages and zero story aren't helping.
#retrogaming #capcom
It's not just a grind, but also a very repetitive one, and unlocking some characters requires time invested into the weak grunts.
The boring stages and zero story aren't helping.
#retrogaming #capcom
Onimusha: Blade Warriors
If you're familiar with Capcom's samurai series, then you're already halfway to understanding how this Platform Fighter works. Utilize the issen technique in your quest to become the strongest.
...Expect loads of grinding.
#retrogaming #ps2
If you're familiar with Capcom's samurai series, then you're already halfway to understanding how this Platform Fighter works. Utilize the issen technique in your quest to become the strongest.
...Expect loads of grinding.
#retrogaming #ps2
February 1, 2026 at 7:49 AM
Onimusha: Blade Warriors
If you're familiar with Capcom's samurai series, then you're already halfway to understanding how this Platform Fighter works. Utilize the issen technique in your quest to become the strongest.
...Expect loads of grinding.
#retrogaming #ps2
If you're familiar with Capcom's samurai series, then you're already halfway to understanding how this Platform Fighter works. Utilize the issen technique in your quest to become the strongest.
...Expect loads of grinding.
#retrogaming #ps2
Reposted by Gabriel Jones
Radiata Stories
While Jack - wearing his stupid sexy armor - is out trying to make a dollar, Ganz is helping kitties and - oof! Poor guy just can't catch a break.
Also, Adina talks a lot of shit for someone who spends hours a day holding a mirror.
#retrogaming #ps2
While Jack - wearing his stupid sexy armor - is out trying to make a dollar, Ganz is helping kitties and - oof! Poor guy just can't catch a break.
Also, Adina talks a lot of shit for someone who spends hours a day holding a mirror.
#retrogaming #ps2
January 19, 2026 at 11:16 PM
Radiata Stories
While Jack - wearing his stupid sexy armor - is out trying to make a dollar, Ganz is helping kitties and - oof! Poor guy just can't catch a break.
Also, Adina talks a lot of shit for someone who spends hours a day holding a mirror.
#retrogaming #ps2
While Jack - wearing his stupid sexy armor - is out trying to make a dollar, Ganz is helping kitties and - oof! Poor guy just can't catch a break.
Also, Adina talks a lot of shit for someone who spends hours a day holding a mirror.
#retrogaming #ps2
Honestly, I still haven't forgiven Zhong Hui for what he did to Deng Ai.
February 1, 2026 at 1:08 AM
Honestly, I still haven't forgiven Zhong Hui for what he did to Deng Ai.
Got my game face on and ready to deliver some goddamned pizza.
January 31, 2026 at 9:02 PM
Got my game face on and ready to deliver some goddamned pizza.
I slept a couple too many hours, but I did have a nice dream about someone who made me feel wanted... and I didn't even have to write a couple hundred video game reviews for them.
Oh well.
Oh well.
January 31, 2026 at 8:08 PM
I slept a couple too many hours, but I did have a nice dream about someone who made me feel wanted... and I didn't even have to write a couple hundred video game reviews for them.
Oh well.
Oh well.