Blade of Darkness is a better translation of the title.
Also one of Forest's only non-eroge.
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I love the look of PC98 games aka the Anime PC game machine
- Thread starter Trojita
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Blade of Darkness is a better translation of the title.
Also one of Forest's only non-eroge.
Dragoon En Regalia
Member
It's easily their most well-regarded game, too, and it got a PlayStation conversion possibly because of its sales footprint.
Meanwhile I just got Munt working and am grooving to Marching Way from Granada X68k...too good.
Meanwhile I just got Munt working and am grooving to Marching Way from Granada X68k...too good.
I wouldn't call it an eroge machine, but rather the ultimate cyber punk gaming system.
I wish we could get some modern games in this style :7
why exactly did they stop using this kind of art style?
also the Sharp X68000 looks fucking ace
I would've NEVER guessed that this thing came out in 1987 just by looking at it. looks more like gaming pc from the early 2000s
is it any good?
every time I go to rekall, I'm stuck there for hours... somehow it's really hard to just stop looking at pictures there
I wish we could get some modern games in this style :7
why exactly did they stop using this kind of art style?
also the Sharp X68000 looks fucking ace
I would've NEVER guessed that this thing came out in 1987 just by looking at it. looks more like gaming pc from the early 2000s
is it any good?
every time I go to rekall, I'm stuck there for hours... somehow it's really hard to just stop looking at pictures there
NumberThree
Member
One of these days I'm going to figure out a way to play Possessioner.
I wouldn't call it an eroge machine, but rather the ultimate cyber punk gaming system.
I wish we could get some modern games in this style :7
why exactly did they stop using this kind of art style?
also the Sharp X68000 looks fucking ace
I would've NEVER guessed that this thing came out in 1987 just by looking at it. looks more like gaming pc from the early 2000s
Absolutely amazing machine.
Wonderful thread! Brings me back. Anime was just the coolest shit ever back then. I remember going into Babbages and seeing Knights of Xentar and Metal and Lace on the shelf. Boy did those two games stand out..my eleven year old self was certainly intrigued.
Thank you for this post! I knew of these artists' work but did not know their names; now, I can hunt down some art books. Noriyoshi Ohrai, who recently passed away, was another great (but I'm sure you knew that already).
Thank you for this post! I knew of these artists' work but did not know their names; now, I can hunt down some art books. Noriyoshi Ohrai, who recently passed away, was another great (but I'm sure you knew that already).
Absolutely amazing machine.
I hate you ;(
Oooh. I had no idea Popful Mail started as a PC98 title. I remember drooling over the screens from the Gamefan coverage of the Sega CD version. I never did get to play it. Hmmm...I might pull my GFs out of the closet and see if I can scan it.
Not only that, the combat in the original version of Popful Mail is Ys-style in a side scrolling setting. You kinda ram into enemies with your regular weapon to damage them. That combat style is also in the PCE CD version. Sword slashes came to SFC and Sega CD. Of course, even the original version had the projectile weapons.
Popful mail was originally a pc-88 game. The sega cd version is vastly different than all the others and was handled by sega and falcom together.
Dragoon En Regalia
Member
For Tizoc, some PC-88 GIFs:
Final Crisis, Techno Grard, PC-88, 1991
Silver Ghost (inspiration for Shining Force), Kure Software Koubou, PC-88, 1987
Testament (successor to Lyrane), Glodia, PC-88, 1987
Final Crisis, Techno Grard, PC-88, 1991
Silver Ghost (inspiration for Shining Force), Kure Software Koubou, PC-88, 1987
Testament (successor to Lyrane), Glodia, PC-88, 1987
An early-2000s Sharp X68k would be using an LCD monitor instead!
Whoa is it out? I would play this.
Absolutely amazing machine.
damn... how much did you pay?
I'm not sure how this works... this whole home computer thing is still a little bit confusing to me. in terms of compatibility it's more like a console, right? as in it doesn't play pc-98 games, just platform exclusive ones, correct?
For Tizoc, some PC-88 GIFs:
Final Crisis, Techno Grard, PC-88, 1991
Silver Ghost (inspiration for Shining Force), Kure Software Koubou, PC-88, 1987
Testament (successor to Lyrane), Glodia, PC-88, 1987
An early-2000s Sharp X68k would be using an LCD monitor instead!
Final Crisis. Nice music. I don't think most people know about Techno Grard, which was owned by the parent company of certain infamous eroge dev.
Nope. It's a computer too. Many PC-98 games were ported to it.
SpaceDrake
Member
Pasokon I would consume that thread like a man downing an entire beer in one go. Just sayin'.
I need to move on to some other stuff but look up Legend of Heroes III art. That game was legend on the PC-98 and arguably helped Falcom stay around after the disaster that was Ys V.
Absolutely amazing machine.
That is sexy as fuck.
It even looks modern.
Is the keyboard mechanical?
Nocturno999
Member
Great thread. So many obscure works that deserve to comeback.
Subscribed.
Subscribed.
Just take it with you.
Member
I remember seeing that Possessioner gif posted in another thread here. I'm still blown away.
Jun Suemi is amazing. I really like the monster designs he did for the Super Famicom ports/remakes of Wizardry I to III.
Jun Suemi is amazing. I really like the monster designs he did for the Super Famicom ports/remakes of Wizardry I to III.
As I was trying to get PC 98 material to post here I found something I never thought I'd ever see.
Do you know the source?
Emperor Bohe
Member
NOT EVEN MY CLASSIC JAPANESE PC GAMES ARE SAFE FROM MIIS.
Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
Took some searching lol, but I finally found it. It's called Ballade for Maria ( マリアに捧げるバラード
tearsofash
Member
Wow. This is right up my alley. I was tempted to buy a pc98 back before RisingStuff closed up.
Took some searching lol, but I finally found it. It's called Ballade for Maria ( マリアに捧げるバラード
That game is dark. I've seen on a certain blog, a chopped up naked body.
It's part of Fairytale's Hardcover label, which is for their dark games. Also it has an FM Towns port.
I wouldn't call it an eroge machine, but rather the ultimate cyber punk gaming system.
I wish we could get some modern games in this style :7
why exactly did they stop using this kind of art style?
also the Sharp X68000 looks fucking ace
I would've NEVER guessed that this thing came out in 1987 just by looking at it. looks more like gaming pc from the early 2000s
The GameSack guys did a great video on the x68000, definitely recommend a watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQPt69UCyIA&index=13&list=PLjOsBJoP38Yitx2sBTDjxtDymYjKvRPME
Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
Yeah there is a good number of really dark titles on the PC98. I don't have any interest in the game besides seeing Trump Tower in PC 98 graphics lol.
X68k's box back cover is awesome
That and Neo Geo Last Resort have amazing box shots.
AES Japan / U.S.
Don't hate me, none of these are mine
Haha upskirt in the first pic, I see why you're a fan OP ;o) Came into this thread kinda expecting these sorts of graphics but I had no idea there was a whole platform of this stuff! Wow I thought I would just be seeing Mega CD games like Time Gal and TurboGFX/PC Engine games, I think this is the first I've heard of the PC98. I will really need to look into this a bit more as I'm also a fan of anime games (as long as there is some proper gameplay....especially of the shmup variety).
Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
I swear I didn't even see that.
Edit: Disregard!
There is also one in pic 9 before that damn teacup! ;o)
Ivan Amiibo
Banned
Rusty is a cool Castlevania-like game (and one of the more playable PC98 games for non-japanese speakers.) The art is not nearly as detailed as a lot posted here, but it has its pretty moments
In a surprising turn of events, despite being a PC98 game starring dominatrix women in tight leather with whips, it's not eroge!
In a surprising turn of events, despite being a PC98 game starring dominatrix women in tight leather with whips, it's not eroge!
Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
That's a well placed restaurant napkin sir!
Ivan Amiibo
Banned
petran79
Banned
I wonder, did computer game developers in Europe and America have any idea of the above games? Or was there a prejudice towards those games due to the anime aesthetic, stemming from TV animation mostly?
Amiga scene was certainly more open to those kind of games. Eg there was the dreadful Akira game and also Apidya was a tribute to Japanese shmups. It is just that European games took inspiration mostly from Western comics and metal covers
I know Western computer games were also ported to Japan, eg Lucasarts games
Amiga scene was certainly more open to those kind of games. Eg there was the dreadful Akira game and also Apidya was a tribute to Japanese shmups. It is just that European games took inspiration mostly from Western comics and metal covers
I know Western computer games were also ported to Japan, eg Lucasarts games
Is there a developer walkthrough somewhere on how an artist would even go about creating this type of pixel-art? Like a video or written article on the software and the techniques used back then to produce such high quality low res art?
I would love to just watch someone create the images in the OP, all steps involved.
I would love to just watch someone create the images in the OP, all steps involved.
You can't fool me i've seen Agent Aika, I know a panty when I see one!
Sylverstone14
Member
Man, I could really groove to some vaporwave right now.
All about the A E S T H E T I C
All about the A E S T H E T I C
ThePeoplesBureau
Member
So glad this thread exists, it's just page after page of glorious imagery.
I'm in no doubt that this art style will be truly revisited some day, it's too good to remain hidden in the dithered shadows of videogaming history.
I'm in no doubt that this art style will be truly revisited some day, it's too good to remain hidden in the dithered shadows of videogaming history.
It's not going to be much different than what SNKP did for KoF XIII: http://kofaniv.snkplaymore.co.jp/english/info/15th_anniv/2d_dot/creation/index.php
Replace "We used 3D models for the base colors" with "We blocked out the base colors in image program". Then slowly add in the hand-crafted, time-draining detail work.
I'm sure there were some nice, very pixel-focused tools that were used (such as gradient fills, dithering pattern brushes, and maybe even a library of pre-made, scalable shapes), but pixel sprites just take a lot of fine detail from the artist. It's what I'll always love about it; especially when you get to proper use of sub pixel animations (such as changing the color of a single pixel to suggest an eye blinking, or more complex movement that isn't directly "drawn".)
And of course, you can be sure they scanned in Hand-drawn art at times, too. Digital, low-resolution traces of the art styles of the time.
You also might be able to find some modern-day artist explaining their techniques (or retro-fitted explanations of older ones) at a site like Pixeljoint. Full of modern day works that are just as detailed, if not even more so at times.
sixteen-bit
Member
yeah. subbed.
I think it's just a regular keyboard, not mechanical per-se... but the coolest thing about it is in certain games, the Caps Lock/Scroll Lock/Kana buttons light up and flicker in time to the music.
This thread is absolutely incredible, can't believe it's my first time seeing it! I'm lucky in that I have a friend with a 68k and a Marty, so I'm able to experience a small few of these... though haven't played any PC-88/98 titles yet. Really want to try out the LOH Gagarv trilogy on something other than the botched PSP ports.
And funny seeing Buster and Square Resort on here. Was playing those a few weeks ago. Square Resort my friend and I didn't really like too much but the music was great! Buster was ehhh... a bit too slow for my tastes but it looks nice! Reminds me a bit of the arcade Willow. Damn, the 68k is such an amazing platform, it's a shame it's so much work to source everything from Japan and get set up.
Pure nostalgia. These character designs looks so freaking bad.