Game News and Upcoming Games

Let me sell you on this because it's just a wonderful experience 🏆 And I say experience because it's a game but it really feels like its more than that. It's like River City Ransom is the root but it goes in more directions. It's a slice of life high school anime starring a delinquent gang member mixed with River City Ransom style fighting. The fighting is SOO satisfying even when it starts out because of how smooth it feels and you have the option to eventually learn more styles. I think there were 3 styles you could learn: Judo, Boxing, and I can't remember the other one but it may have been Karate. But the fighting is just part of it.

You basically have the choice to play Ringo the way you want. You have the option to fight pretty much 24/7 but you can also try to help him out in school. You actually can attend classes, take on extra study projects, study in your spare time, buy books from stores, and take on jobs to earn income. You can work out, buy food in convenience stores and restaurants, and even just sit on a bench and read. You can also buy things for your apartment like a heavy bag, a TV, and a video game system to play SHMUPS. ✈

There is a storyline with Ringo and his friends (hence the name) and certain events trigger its progression. You can also talk to your friends at school as well as some acquaintances.

One of my favorite parts of the game is being able to recruit your friends as a group to go fight with you in the designated fighting areas just outside town. You get more XP if you win battles yourselves but you really need some support early on and against stronger gangs. Plus it's cool just triggering a 4 on 4 gang fight.

The game does not really tell you how to play it. This means that most people (like me) really had very little idea what was going on until like Day 10 or so. But the cool thing is that there's a lot of replay value here. Since you'll likely want to play again to try out some different approaches.

The story is pretty poignant and the characters are likeable. I rooted for them and tried to help Ringo out the best that I could while still also getting my fill of fights. The thing is - since the game functions on a 24 hour time scale, you have to make choices as to what you will do each day. I found myself budgeting my time each day as if I was really on Ringo's timeframe. I'd wake him up at 7am, eat, study for an hour, run to school, attend classes, then grab my friends to fight for a few hours. Then I'd return home and have him study before bed so that he was ready for Saturday testing. If you get a good report card, you earn more money and more academic opportunities open up as well. But you still want to fight or get a job to earn money to eat.

Eventually, you get access to coaches/trainers to learn more skills and those are fun exchanges as well.

The game physically plays like River City Ransom but feels like an anime and a high school life simulator.

During my playthrough, I looked forward to it each day. I was sad when I felt it was over. I already got the ending but the game allows you to continue playing. Eventually, after a few days, I stopped just because there is no more real character interaction. And I wasn't ready for a new playthrough just yet. I wasn't ready to stop playing but thought it was better to leave a vibrant world then continue in one I already finished.

Even though the game offers basically no instruction, the Steam forums for the game (and various articles) do help to fill in some details. And if you do play it and have questions, I can help 😎

I really think that you will like this a lot 👍




This is a really thorough coverage of the game - I remember reading it last year!

Yeah, I think the health requirements of modern gaming demand that you have multiple PS5's. You don't want to be handling your kitchen PS5 controllers with the same hands you used on the bathroom ones 🚽


"Man, I can't believe they play us to test these games on the john"


#TightenUpDem📺

Steam releasing a hand held "Switch". Damn, this could be very interesting if it works out well. There's a lot of my Steam library I would never play on it, but there are also a lot I would.

Yeah, I wouldn’t be playing anything like FPS games on it, but turn based strategy games, rpgs, and isometric games like the Shadowrun series would also be perfect. Now I can play all those Final Fantasy games laying in bed. Also games like Fading Afternoon are made for something like this. I’m pretty much sold on this thing, especially since I don’t know when PS5’s will be available in my area.

Looking at the specs for the Steam Deck, I think it's too heavy. It weighs about twice as much as a Switch, which is my standard for the weight of a decently comfortable handheld. Holding that thing gonna be like the ol' Turbo Express, which, as much as I loved it, was a dang brick.

Guess all the pre-orders have sold out. Steam telling me no more available until Q2 2022.

Managed to get a reservation in for the high end version coming Q3 of 2022, so at least I won’t break the bank getting a PS5 and new desktop PC all within months of each other.