Re: "Virtual On" Coming to XBLA!!
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 7:07 pm
But WHEN in spring!! I dont care about the features i will buy anyway, GIVE ME A DATE!
shas'la wrote:But WHEN in spring!! I dont care about the features i will buy anyway, GIVE ME A DATE!
Defying all odds (and expectations), Sega are answering our prayers and bringing Virtual On to the 360, in the form of Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram. Know what that means? It means accompanying merchandise.
Virtual On fans will no doubt be used to the steady stream of figures and models associated with the series, but these two latest - in the form of plastic model kids - are just in time for peoples renewed interest in all things Virtual On.
The sharp, spindly guy is a Specineff, while the fatter, orange mech is a Raiden II. The Specineff will be out in the West in August for $60, while the Raiden II will be on shelves in October for $75.
Sega held its latest gaming event in Tokyo over the weekend. You can see a full report on the Yappa Asobinasai in the next Gaming Life in Japan column on Insider shortly, but here we're going to be delivering impressions of the main playable attraction at the event: Virtual On Oratorio Tangram.
The Xbox Live Arcade port of the arcade classic showed up in playable form at the event. Sega had just two kiosks set up, leading to waits of over 30 minutes. Players were able to try the game in either system link versus mode or via three rounds of arcade solo play.
We went the solo route and found what appears to be a faithful recreation of the arcade title. The game runs smoothly, with zero waiting before matches. It's been a while since we've played the arcade version, but Sega seems to have captured the look and sound perfectly on the 360. In fact, the game looks super crisp, so perhaps the 360's added horse power is being put to use.
The biggest area of concern for any Virtual On home conversion tends to be the controls. In the event demo version, were able to confirm at least three controller options. The "standard" control scheme has you use the left analogue to move around, the right analogue to turn, and the face buttons for jumping, dashing, and firing.
Purists will presumably be more interested in the two Twin Stick control options. These attempt to replicate the arcade version's dual lever control system without a pricey peripheral. Option A uses the two analogue pads to replicate the left and right sticks. Option B goes completely digital, using the d-pad for the left stick and the face buttons for the right stick. Both options use the triggers for firing and the LB and RB buttons for dashing.
We were able to sample the option A controls and easily got the hang of things. Virtual On pros are going to have to decide for themselves if there's any drop in playability, but things look good from our perspective.
It's worth noting that a posting at the game's official site regarding the possible release of an actual Twin Stick peripheral says that Sega is looking into the matter and does not yet have anything to announce. That doesn't sound like a complete denial, so perhaps we can count on some sort of limited solution (at least give us an official adapter, Sega, so our Saturn and Dreamcast Twin Sticks will be revived!).
Based off our short play test, the Xbox Live Arcade version of Virtual On Oratorio Tangram is going to be worth the 1,200 Microsoft Point asking price. The game offers up lots of modes, as you can see in our past previews, and appears to have a level of polish that most full releases strive for. We'll have a full review closer to the final release, but definitely keep an eye on this one.
It's worth noting that a posting at the game's official site regarding the possible release of an actual Twin Stick peripheral says that Sega is looking into the matter and does not yet have anything to announce. That doesn't sound like a complete denial, so perhaps we can count on some sort of limited solution (at least give us an official adapter, Sega, so our Saturn and Dreamcast Twin Sticks will be revived!).
Hexx wrote:I remember spending an entire afternoon playing this in Segaworld (in London, not Suzz's house) for Freeplay with I was about 13.
Amazing scenes.
NickSCFC wrote:Not really, apart from rehashing a few old games they're nowhere NEAR being what they were in the 90s.
Heck, even EA have more respect from me these days.
NickSCFC wrote:Apart from The Club, Condemned and MadWorld, they're all last gen games with shiny graphics.
Where's the innovation SEGA were famous for?