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
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
No matter how many times I play this, I always get the urge to bully Manticores, Bomber Armors, and The Creatures.
Now Soma is loaded with spaghetti and spinach, ready to take on the world.
#retrogaming #konami
No matter how many times I play this, I always get the urge to bully Manticores, Bomber Armors, and The Creatures.
Now Soma is loaded with spaghetti and spinach, ready to take on the world.
#retrogaming #konami
November 14, 2025 at 6:36 AM
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
No matter how many times I play this, I always get the urge to bully Manticores, Bomber Armors, and The Creatures.
Now Soma is loaded with spaghetti and spinach, ready to take on the world.
#retrogaming #konami
No matter how many times I play this, I always get the urge to bully Manticores, Bomber Armors, and The Creatures.
Now Soma is loaded with spaghetti and spinach, ready to take on the world.
#retrogaming #konami
Still focused on getting through a few Playstation 2 games as well. Bit tough though when they average between 5 & 15 hours to get through.
November 13, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Still focused on getting through a few Playstation 2 games as well. Bit tough though when they average between 5 & 15 hours to get through.
A somewhat random selection of games.
No idea which I'll try and play through next.
No idea which I'll try and play through next.
November 13, 2025 at 5:44 PM
A somewhat random selection of games.
No idea which I'll try and play through next.
No idea which I'll try and play through next.
The artwork provided by the Roll-chan World 2 romhack is pretty great.
www.romhacking.net/hacks/3394/
www.romhacking.net/hacks/3394/
November 13, 2025 at 3:56 PM
The artwork provided by the Roll-chan World 2 romhack is pretty great.
www.romhacking.net/hacks/3394/
www.romhacking.net/hacks/3394/
Well, Mega Man II for the Game Boy is done.
It ends with Dr. Wily getting killed, and that's good enough.
#retrogaming #capcom
It ends with Dr. Wily getting killed, and that's good enough.
#retrogaming #capcom
November 13, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Well, Mega Man II for the Game Boy is done.
It ends with Dr. Wily getting killed, and that's good enough.
#retrogaming #capcom
It ends with Dr. Wily getting killed, and that's good enough.
#retrogaming #capcom
Roll arrives at Dr. Wily's Castle.
Dr. Wily is right there.
Just shoot him!
Shoot him with bullets, shoot him with metal blades, shoot him with leaves! I don't care! Just shoot him! Don't walk up and try to arrest- dammit!
Dammit
I'm going to bed. I can't with these robots.
#retrogaming
Dr. Wily is right there.
Just shoot him!
Shoot him with bullets, shoot him with metal blades, shoot him with leaves! I don't care! Just shoot him! Don't walk up and try to arrest- dammit!
Dammit
I'm going to bed. I can't with these robots.
#retrogaming
November 13, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Roll arrives at Dr. Wily's Castle.
Dr. Wily is right there.
Just shoot him!
Shoot him with bullets, shoot him with metal blades, shoot him with leaves! I don't care! Just shoot him! Don't walk up and try to arrest- dammit!
Dammit
I'm going to bed. I can't with these robots.
#retrogaming
Dr. Wily is right there.
Just shoot him!
Shoot him with bullets, shoot him with metal blades, shoot him with leaves! I don't care! Just shoot him! Don't walk up and try to arrest- dammit!
Dammit
I'm going to bed. I can't with these robots.
#retrogaming
I sincerely recommend anyone interested in Actraiser 2 should play the JP version first.
Just to give you an idea of how deep the difference in difficulty goes, check this side-by-side comparison.
JP version (left): health pickup before boss
US version (right): extra enemy before boss
Just to give you an idea of how deep the difference in difficulty goes, check this side-by-side comparison.
JP version (left): health pickup before boss
US version (right): extra enemy before boss
November 13, 2025 at 6:20 AM
I sincerely recommend anyone interested in Actraiser 2 should play the JP version first.
Just to give you an idea of how deep the difference in difficulty goes, check this side-by-side comparison.
JP version (left): health pickup before boss
US version (right): extra enemy before boss
Just to give you an idea of how deep the difference in difficulty goes, check this side-by-side comparison.
JP version (left): health pickup before boss
US version (right): extra enemy before boss
See! This is exactly what I'm talking about!
If Mega Man - or Roll in this case - ever went to Hell, this is what it would look like.
Spikes and disappearing blocks...
#retrogaming #capcom
If Mega Man - or Roll in this case - ever went to Hell, this is what it would look like.
Spikes and disappearing blocks...
#retrogaming #capcom
November 12, 2025 at 4:00 PM
See! This is exactly what I'm talking about!
If Mega Man - or Roll in this case - ever went to Hell, this is what it would look like.
Spikes and disappearing blocks...
#retrogaming #capcom
If Mega Man - or Roll in this case - ever went to Hell, this is what it would look like.
Spikes and disappearing blocks...
#retrogaming #capcom
Credit to Minakuchi Engineering. They didn't make concessions in their handheld Mega Man game.
It's designed for pro-gamers though. The late stages are long and packed with deathtraps. There's a disappearing block section in Wily Stage 2 that switches up the timing just to kill people
#retrogaming
It's designed for pro-gamers though. The late stages are long and packed with deathtraps. There's a disappearing block section in Wily Stage 2 that switches up the timing just to kill people
#retrogaming
November 12, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Credit to Minakuchi Engineering. They didn't make concessions in their handheld Mega Man game.
It's designed for pro-gamers though. The late stages are long and packed with deathtraps. There's a disappearing block section in Wily Stage 2 that switches up the timing just to kill people
#retrogaming
It's designed for pro-gamers though. The late stages are long and packed with deathtraps. There's a disappearing block section in Wily Stage 2 that switches up the timing just to kill people
#retrogaming
Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge
I never played the Game Boy Mega Man games, so this is all new to me.
Mixing together obstacles from the first two games is really clever.
Controls take some adjustment, but nothing serious.
Grueling though. The lack of mid-stage checkpoints really hurts.
#retrogaming
I never played the Game Boy Mega Man games, so this is all new to me.
Mixing together obstacles from the first two games is really clever.
Controls take some adjustment, but nothing serious.
Grueling though. The lack of mid-stage checkpoints really hurts.
#retrogaming
November 12, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge
I never played the Game Boy Mega Man games, so this is all new to me.
Mixing together obstacles from the first two games is really clever.
Controls take some adjustment, but nothing serious.
Grueling though. The lack of mid-stage checkpoints really hurts.
#retrogaming
I never played the Game Boy Mega Man games, so this is all new to me.
Mixing together obstacles from the first two games is really clever.
Controls take some adjustment, but nothing serious.
Grueling though. The lack of mid-stage checkpoints really hurts.
#retrogaming
I meet with Badelaire. He's trying to bring down the Don, who's backed by mobster moth-men (mothsters?)
The stage features mine-cart rides and is unsurprisingly awful.
Maken Shao likes putting machinegun-toting enemies at the end of narrow hallways.
*great level-design*
#retrogaming #atlus
The stage features mine-cart rides and is unsurprisingly awful.
Maken Shao likes putting machinegun-toting enemies at the end of narrow hallways.
*great level-design*
#retrogaming #atlus
November 12, 2025 at 8:21 AM
I meet with Badelaire. He's trying to bring down the Don, who's backed by mobster moth-men (mothsters?)
The stage features mine-cart rides and is unsurprisingly awful.
Maken Shao likes putting machinegun-toting enemies at the end of narrow hallways.
*great level-design*
#retrogaming #atlus
The stage features mine-cart rides and is unsurprisingly awful.
Maken Shao likes putting machinegun-toting enemies at the end of narrow hallways.
*great level-design*
#retrogaming #atlus
Marguerite's design is very... very very silly.
Cheeks hanging out the back wtf
Cheeks hanging out the back wtf
November 12, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Marguerite's design is very... very very silly.
Cheeks hanging out the back wtf
Cheeks hanging out the back wtf
Maken Shao
I ran into Fukenshi Rumrod at a disco. He wants me to go fight Marguerite, a Nazi he fell in love with.
Her base in Vienna has 9 crates guarded by 9 dogs. I don't get it.
The boss arena is... yeah.
#retrogaming #atlus
I ran into Fukenshi Rumrod at a disco. He wants me to go fight Marguerite, a Nazi he fell in love with.
Her base in Vienna has 9 crates guarded by 9 dogs. I don't get it.
The boss arena is... yeah.
#retrogaming #atlus
November 12, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Maken Shao
I ran into Fukenshi Rumrod at a disco. He wants me to go fight Marguerite, a Nazi he fell in love with.
Her base in Vienna has 9 crates guarded by 9 dogs. I don't get it.
The boss arena is... yeah.
#retrogaming #atlus
I ran into Fukenshi Rumrod at a disco. He wants me to go fight Marguerite, a Nazi he fell in love with.
Her base in Vienna has 9 crates guarded by 9 dogs. I don't get it.
The boss arena is... yeah.
#retrogaming #atlus
Some things that apparently won't change is the camera's tendency to actually show what you're shooting at.
I didn't get a picture, but there are odd enemies that are immune to melee weapons and will destroy them if they land enough hits.
I nearly lost a rare weapon I just picked up! #retrogaming
I didn't get a picture, but there are odd enemies that are immune to melee weapons and will destroy them if they land enough hits.
I nearly lost a rare weapon I just picked up! #retrogaming
November 12, 2025 at 4:57 AM
Some things that apparently won't change is the camera's tendency to actually show what you're shooting at.
I didn't get a picture, but there are odd enemies that are immune to melee weapons and will destroy them if they land enough hits.
I nearly lost a rare weapon I just picked up! #retrogaming
I didn't get a picture, but there are odd enemies that are immune to melee weapons and will destroy them if they land enough hits.
I nearly lost a rare weapon I just picked up! #retrogaming
Something I didn't touch on in my Crimson Tear review is that enemies have both an "aware" and "unaware" state.
See the guy on the right? He's unaware of the danger he's in and will die the instant I hit him.
The stealth mechanics aren't deep, but they're cool, nonetheless.
#retrogaming
See the guy on the right? He's unaware of the danger he's in and will die the instant I hit him.
The stealth mechanics aren't deep, but they're cool, nonetheless.
#retrogaming
November 12, 2025 at 3:24 AM
Something I didn't touch on in my Crimson Tear review is that enemies have both an "aware" and "unaware" state.
See the guy on the right? He's unaware of the danger he's in and will die the instant I hit him.
The stealth mechanics aren't deep, but they're cool, nonetheless.
#retrogaming
See the guy on the right? He's unaware of the danger he's in and will die the instant I hit him.
The stealth mechanics aren't deep, but they're cool, nonetheless.
#retrogaming
The first boss dies so dramatically you'd think it was that one guy from the movie Platoon.
November 12, 2025 at 1:49 AM
The first boss dies so dramatically you'd think it was that one guy from the movie Platoon.
Crimson Tears is a rogue-lite beatemup / slasher. Crush rooms full of bio-monsters, upgrade your stuff, and watch out for traps.
Be careful handling your weapons. #4 shows the item screen. Weapons in danger of breaking are highlighted by their color.
#retrogaming #playstation
Be careful handling your weapons. #4 shows the item screen. Weapons in danger of breaking are highlighted by their color.
#retrogaming #playstation
November 12, 2025 at 1:46 AM
Crimson Tears is a rogue-lite beatemup / slasher. Crush rooms full of bio-monsters, upgrade your stuff, and watch out for traps.
Be careful handling your weapons. #4 shows the item screen. Weapons in danger of breaking are highlighted by their color.
#retrogaming #playstation
Be careful handling your weapons. #4 shows the item screen. Weapons in danger of breaking are highlighted by their color.
#retrogaming #playstation
Still working on that Castlevania: Lament of Innocence playthrough too.
Even if it is just hallways, rooms full of monsters, and doing three things to open a door, it's still pretty fun.
The Medusa boss-fight was great as well. #retrogaming #konami
Even if it is just hallways, rooms full of monsters, and doing three things to open a door, it's still pretty fun.
The Medusa boss-fight was great as well. #retrogaming #konami
November 11, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Still working on that Castlevania: Lament of Innocence playthrough too.
Even if it is just hallways, rooms full of monsters, and doing three things to open a door, it's still pretty fun.
The Medusa boss-fight was great as well. #retrogaming #konami
Even if it is just hallways, rooms full of monsters, and doing three things to open a door, it's still pretty fun.
The Medusa boss-fight was great as well. #retrogaming #konami
One stage you're going to see a lot of in Maken Shao is Moscow. It's one of the easiest to farm, and farming is necessary to unlock every character's full potential.
I've started calling the guy with the shield 'Russian Spider-man'.
#retrogaming
I've started calling the guy with the shield 'Russian Spider-man'.
#retrogaming
November 11, 2025 at 4:26 PM
One stage you're going to see a lot of in Maken Shao is Moscow. It's one of the easiest to farm, and farming is necessary to unlock every character's full potential.
I've started calling the guy with the shield 'Russian Spider-man'.
#retrogaming
I've started calling the guy with the shield 'Russian Spider-man'.
#retrogaming
The translation is worse than in Maken X though. The conversations with Kei have already started turning into gibberish, which is particularly annoying when how you answer her questions can affect the ending.
Also, Mr. Meteor just sounds like a Watchmen character.
#retrogaming
Also, Mr. Meteor just sounds like a Watchmen character.
#retrogaming
November 11, 2025 at 2:41 PM
The translation is worse than in Maken X though. The conversations with Kei have already started turning into gibberish, which is particularly annoying when how you answer her questions can affect the ending.
Also, Mr. Meteor just sounds like a Watchmen character.
#retrogaming
Also, Mr. Meteor just sounds like a Watchmen character.
#retrogaming
Maken Shao has a lovely selection of surreal enemies.
The Iron Maidens that rush you as a dozen spikes jut out of them are especially weird and fun.
#retrogaming
The Iron Maidens that rush you as a dozen spikes jut out of them are especially weird and fun.
#retrogaming
November 11, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Maken Shao has a lovely selection of surreal enemies.
The Iron Maidens that rush you as a dozen spikes jut out of them are especially weird and fun.
#retrogaming
The Iron Maidens that rush you as a dozen spikes jut out of them are especially weird and fun.
#retrogaming
Continuing Maken Shao.
Hong Kong has a really cheap 3 on 1 boss fight that took several attempts. At least Lee Fei Shan kicks butt with her fans.
Also fought Hakke Shaja, who answers to some guy named Mr. Meteor?
Easy fight. Just let him run into a wall and slash his back.
#retrogaming #atlus
Hong Kong has a really cheap 3 on 1 boss fight that took several attempts. At least Lee Fei Shan kicks butt with her fans.
Also fought Hakke Shaja, who answers to some guy named Mr. Meteor?
Easy fight. Just let him run into a wall and slash his back.
#retrogaming #atlus
November 11, 2025 at 5:12 AM
Continuing Maken Shao.
Hong Kong has a really cheap 3 on 1 boss fight that took several attempts. At least Lee Fei Shan kicks butt with her fans.
Also fought Hakke Shaja, who answers to some guy named Mr. Meteor?
Easy fight. Just let him run into a wall and slash his back.
#retrogaming #atlus
Hong Kong has a really cheap 3 on 1 boss fight that took several attempts. At least Lee Fei Shan kicks butt with her fans.
Also fought Hakke Shaja, who answers to some guy named Mr. Meteor?
Easy fight. Just let him run into a wall and slash his back.
#retrogaming #atlus
Samurai Western
1. Playing as Claudia because her blue dress provides a better contrast against the desert.
2. Violence
3. Focus on the guys getting hacked in half and not on the crack.
4. A special item hidden on a chandelier. I have to use FPS mode to cross a tiny chain and reach it.
#retrogaming
1. Playing as Claudia because her blue dress provides a better contrast against the desert.
2. Violence
3. Focus on the guys getting hacked in half and not on the crack.
4. A special item hidden on a chandelier. I have to use FPS mode to cross a tiny chain and reach it.
#retrogaming
November 10, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Samurai Western
1. Playing as Claudia because her blue dress provides a better contrast against the desert.
2. Violence
3. Focus on the guys getting hacked in half and not on the crack.
4. A special item hidden on a chandelier. I have to use FPS mode to cross a tiny chain and reach it.
#retrogaming
1. Playing as Claudia because her blue dress provides a better contrast against the desert.
2. Violence
3. Focus on the guys getting hacked in half and not on the crack.
4. A special item hidden on a chandelier. I have to use FPS mode to cross a tiny chain and reach it.
#retrogaming
It's Tomba! on the Playstation!
...Okay, I admit that I tried this game years ago but bounced off of it super hard.
I'll give it another shot because I'm pretty sure there's a boomerang in it.
Until then, I'll try to adjust to its quirky adventure-action gameplay.
#retrogaming #sony
...Okay, I admit that I tried this game years ago but bounced off of it super hard.
I'll give it another shot because I'm pretty sure there's a boomerang in it.
Until then, I'll try to adjust to its quirky adventure-action gameplay.
#retrogaming #sony
November 10, 2025 at 7:00 PM
It's Tomba! on the Playstation!
...Okay, I admit that I tried this game years ago but bounced off of it super hard.
I'll give it another shot because I'm pretty sure there's a boomerang in it.
Until then, I'll try to adjust to its quirky adventure-action gameplay.
#retrogaming #sony
...Okay, I admit that I tried this game years ago but bounced off of it super hard.
I'll give it another shot because I'm pretty sure there's a boomerang in it.
Until then, I'll try to adjust to its quirky adventure-action gameplay.
#retrogaming #sony
#16 - Castlevania 3
Pros: It solves almost every diabolical problem that gets thrown at you. Triply so if you have the triple shot.
Cons: This game loves randomly dropping subpar weapons on you at the worst times. Cross dependency is an impossible habit to break.
Rank: A
#retrogaming #konami
Pros: It solves almost every diabolical problem that gets thrown at you. Triply so if you have the triple shot.
Cons: This game loves randomly dropping subpar weapons on you at the worst times. Cross dependency is an impossible habit to break.
Rank: A
#retrogaming #konami
November 10, 2025 at 4:50 PM
#16 - Castlevania 3
Pros: It solves almost every diabolical problem that gets thrown at you. Triply so if you have the triple shot.
Cons: This game loves randomly dropping subpar weapons on you at the worst times. Cross dependency is an impossible habit to break.
Rank: A
#retrogaming #konami
Pros: It solves almost every diabolical problem that gets thrown at you. Triply so if you have the triple shot.
Cons: This game loves randomly dropping subpar weapons on you at the worst times. Cross dependency is an impossible habit to break.
Rank: A
#retrogaming #konami