Injustice: Gods THE WINTER SOLDIER, 21 Among Us, 11 YEAR 07, NO. 28 WWW.GAMINGINSURRECTION.COM Fourth Quarter 2014 Happy birthday Dreamcast! Sega’s last console marks 15 years 9 24 contents 13 Tech geeks ChuChu Rocket marvel highlight the usual suspects 15 retro game corner 19 DDR Spotlight 22 Otaku corner The lure and scent of money is powerful, and the doors it In the spotlight this quarter are older classics Dub-I-Dub GI Editor-at-Large Brandon Beatty examines the resur- can open are just as powerful. In the world of video games, and End of the Century and the first 10-footer in series his- rgence of fan favorite Robotech with a review of the remas- it’s the language that everyone speaks. Learn to speak it tory, Max 300. tered Macross Saga Vol. 2. from some of the most popular franchises. LYNDSEY HICKS is co-founder and editor-in-chief of GI. She enjoys watching various anime with her GAMING INSURRECTION Editor-in-Chief Facebook significant other, editing any and everything, Lyndsey Hicks Facebook.com/ GamingInsurrection picking apart the wild world of Pandora within Editor-at-Large Brandon Beatty YouTube Borderlands and planning random anime con visits. User: GamingInsurrection Website Lyndsey resides in Columbia, S.C. www.gaminginsurrection.com Twitter @GamingInsurrect LYNDSEY HICKS CONTACT: editor-in-chief [email protected] GI REVIEW POLICY Scale is from 1 to 5 as follows: 1 — Broken. Absolutely do not play this game. A broken mess staff BRANDON BEATTY is editor-at-large from start to finish. Game is unplayable and irredeemable in all for GI. Brandon writes reviews when the areas. 2 — Substandard. The game isn’t for everyone. Some mechanics mood strikes him, produces the work; others need work. Overall design is questionable in some quarterly Otaku Corner column for The areas. 3 — Average and meets expectations. Mechanics work and Strip and enjoys buying games and an- it’s a decent package overall. It’s playable, and you’ll come back to ime with his significant other. Brandon the game. 4 — Above average. Exceeds expectations. Overall, a great game resides in Columbia, S.C. worth keeping in a gamer’s library. Presentation and mechanics all work as expected and add to or enhance the gaming experience. 5 — Masterpiece. Everyone should play this title at least once to CONTACT: BRANDON BEATTY experience what it has to offer. [email protected] editor-at-large 2 contents 03 editorial Lyndsey Hicks A happy 15th birthday CRY OF WAR to you, Dreamcast know some of you out there It isn’t just the cheap way that enough mass panic over at Sega was beyond something special. play Crazy Taxi with the original who read this publication Sega went about lowering the but let’s not pretend that Sony is The Dreamcast is a must-buy, with controller and Crazy Drifting along regularly are saying to your- boom on unsuspecting Dreamcast solely to thank for the coup de more than 20 games that have to with the Offspring and Bad Reli- I selves, “Why?” Why what? owners. And it isn’t the fact that grâce. Sega has never been the be in your library even if it means Why are we returning to the Sega reveled in its own mess and kind of company that played by the tracking down a console and those gion. And nothing in the ensuing Dreamcast after two previous is- managed to destroy its own busi- rules that it created. And the lesson games right now. The quality of 15 years has changed that or ever sues devoted to the late scion of ness with poor decisions. It’s the that Sega should have learned by the software alone is a reason to will. Sega? Why are we continuously fact that the company was never playing hardball with longtime own, and then there’s that feeling A happy 15th birthday to you, harping about the system that died its own advocate. Sega never be- rival Nintendo didn’t apply to Sega. of booting up the system just to Dreamcast. an ignominious death? Why are lieved in itself and that’s why deci- It was above the rules, and so was play old favorites. Sure, you can go we still talking about a 15-year-old sions such as discontinuing one of the Dreamcast. into the PlayStation Store or Xbox console that barely lived a year the greatest systems ever produced This is why we keep circling back Live Arcade and buy a version of Lyndsey Hicks is editor-in-chief and a half before its creator pulled were made. to remember the swirly system. that favorite, but this is where it of Gaming Insurrection. She can be the plug? Sony could pat itself on the back It’s not because the Dreamcast was diverges. There is nothing better reached by email at Why? Because someone has to. for a job well done in producing something special; it’s because it than booting up a Dreamcast to [email protected] Lyndsey Hicks The top 5 soundtracks BEAT.TRIP.GAME for Sega’s final console f you care anything about video game sion, Stage of History, Beyond the Horizon unlike a certain other crossover featuring music, there are a few albums out there smooth jazz. Enjoy the breakbeats, horns and that are worth tracking down to have in 2. Project Justice: The fighting game series use of updated synth wave while you fight to I your audio collection. Within that collec- about Japanese school students protecting the death. tion should be several Sega titles, specifi- their institutions of higher learning is a great Standout tracks: Groove Select, Theme of cally from the Dreamcast era. A graphical example of graduating good sound to great Ultimate Rugal, Win Ver. Final, Ending ver. 1 powerhouse, the Dreamcast wasn’t a slouch sound. Rival Schools had a great soundtrack and 2, Demo ver. 1 in the musical department, either, and from and Project Justice continues that trend. Kong (Yun & Yang theme), Jazzy NYC (Ken & that era came more than a few classics. It’s an interesting mix of ethnic tunes and 4. Street Fighter III: Third Strike: A savvy Alex theme), Spunky (Makoto theme), Beats in We’re highlighting the top five soundtracks modern rock ’n’ roll, which results in head- mix of techno beats and rock guitars makes My Head (Elena theme) from Sega’s final system in honor of the rollicking sound that enhances every battle up the soundtrack for Third Strike. Much Dreamcast’s 15th anniversary. overall. like the others in the series, Third Strike is 5. Jet Set Radio/Jet Set Radio Future: The Standout tracks: Seijyun Girls High School an interesting departure from the comfort- Jet Set Radio and Future soundtracks have 1. SoulCalibur: The sword and sorcery game Courtyard, Story ~ Tension, Ziggy Amusement able setting of Street Fighter II and its vari- been praised as some of the best ever and from Namco was a launch title that was the Park, Justice School Mountain ous versions. If you were used to the sound with good reason. The eclecticism of both best vehicle to showcase the possibilities of from SFII, you were in for a surprise when it soundtracks means there is never a dull mo- porting Naomi properties perfectly to the 3. Capcom vs. SNK 2: Capcom soundtracks came to the hard beats of Third Strike and its ment in the time spent running around tag- home console arena. And it’s a good thing usually were top-notch affairs for the Dream- predecessors in the Street Fighter III world. ging things. Most of the songs are strange but that SoulCalibur is perfect, audio-wise. The cast, and crossover fighting title Capcom vs. There’s even some jazz, a tribute to James call to mind a lot of different styles. While soundtrack is one of the best uses of a world SNK 2 was no exception to the rule. Featuring Bond and a fair amount of rap thrown in for a song about birthday cake or letting mom representation and multiple nationalities older tunes from each company’s background good measure. Whatever your listening plea- sleep might seem out of place in any other found in the industry today. The innova- in brawlers, CvS2 was much like its predeces- sure, this is not the same old Ken and Ryu, game, it’s perfectly at home in the Jet Set Ra- tive use of varied instruments is practically sor in invoking nostalgia in even the most though their themes do fit their backgrounds. dio series. It’s this weirdness that draws you awe-inspiring. Namco is well known for its battle-hardened player. However, what really And that’s probably one of the best things in because you really want to see where the excellent sound department, and SoulCalibur shines is the background music that’s specifi- about this soundtrack: Everyone’s theme fits soundtrack is going next. is the reason why it’s the leader right now. cally created for the game at hand. All of the their location. This is another spectacular job Standout tracks: Grace and Glory (BB Rights Standout tracks: Bloom and Harvest, Worth tunes created for the sequel are fantastic and from Capcom’s sound department. Mix), Sweet Soul Brother (BB Rights Mix), Let Dying For, Chasing Downstream, Sweet Illu- have a really great presence in the game, Standout tracks: Crowded Street in Hong Mom Sleep, Birthday Cake editorial 3 The Sega Dreamcast 9-9-1999: turns 15 years old By GI staff curious thing has happened over the 15 years since the Dreamcast last graced the shelves of gaming outfits.