Treasure Trove - Lone Survivor

Welcome back, Treasure Seekers. This week, I tackle a game that helped change my taste in horror games, pushing me closer towards the suspenseful and stressful: Lone Survivor. This 2D, pixel art horror-survival game is all about messing with your mind, and I absolutely love it. Listen below:  

Thanks to Konrad "FeniX" Gadzina and Cleyton R. Xavier for the music in this episode and Kenney for the minimal artwork for the logos. Head over to their links to check out more of their great work.

Treasure Trove - Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories

Welcome back, Treasure Seekers. This week I dive into one of my favorite franchises: Kingdom Hearts. Specifically, the first handheld iteration, Chain of Memories. Not only was this one of the more unique adaptations of the franchise, it is also easily one of the most overlooked Game Boy Advanced gems. 

Thanks to Konrad "FeniX" Gadzina and Cleyton R. Xavier for the music in this episode and Kenney for the minimal artwork for the logos. Head over to their links to check out more of their great work.

Treasure Trove: Golden Sun

Welcome back, Treasure Seekers. This week I want to introduce you to Golden Sun, the JRPG that lies somewhere between the easiness of Pokemon and the complexity and singular character focus of Final Fantasy. Seeing as the game has recently released onto the Wii U eShop, I think it's time to listen to why Golden Sun is such a sleeper JRPG that fans of the franchise should definitely pick up. 

Thanks to Konrad "FeniX" Gadzina and Cleyton R. Xavier for the music in this episode and Kenney for the minimal artwork for the logos. Head over to their links to check out more of their great work.

Treasure Trove: The Legend of Zelda - Minish Cap

Welcome back, Treasure Seekers. This week I talk about my top pick for the best game in the Legend of Zelda franchise: Minish Cap. Often overlooked, Minish Cap takes link to places he's never been before, such as the table top of a cobblers shop or the bottom of a tree stump. Exciting! If you are still reading this and interested in why this bite-sized iteration of the franchise is so great, listen up and enjoy.

Thanks to Konrad "FeniX" Gadzina and Cleyton R. Xavier for the music in this episode and Kenney for the minimal artwork for the logos. Head over to their links to check out more of their great work.

Slicing Swan Song for Vita - The Take Your Time Severed Review

Quick Note: The touch controls will turn many away from this fantastic game, but don't be fooled: Severed isn't a shallow recreation of Fruit Ninja or similar, simplistic titles. Beneath the surface Severed has a deep battle system that requires timing and skill from the player, which is joined by the wonderfully sparse, yet emotional, story the game delivers to make an instant classic for Sony's handheld.

Touch screen gaming has built up a bad reputation for itself. Much like the dreaded motion control scheme, the mechanics of using one's finger to deal damage to the opponent or move the character on screen has been tainted by the hundreds of games that use them all wrong. Though there is nothing inherently wrong with touch controls, most 'hardcore' gamers won't come anywhere near a game that uses touch screen mechanics as a staple to gameplay. If Severed has taught me anything, it's to not be so judgemental about a game using mechanics I do not prefer. Severed uses touch controls so well I can't imagine playing the game any other way.

Treasure Trove: The Legend of Dragoon

Welcome back, Treasure Seekers. This week I bring you a Japanese turn-based RPG that many of you may missed: The Legend of Dragoon. Relegated to the PSOne for years and having released towards the tail end of the console's life cycle, this JRPG has quite a cult following, but never garnered enough hype and attention to justify a sequel. So listen up as I tell you why you should care about this Final Fantasy clone. 

Thanks to Konrad "FeniX" Gadzina and Cleyton R. Xavier for the music in this episode and Kenney for the minimal artwork for the logos. Head over to their links to check out more of their great work.

Treasure Trove - God of War: Ghost of Sparta

Welcome back, Treasure Seekers. It has been a while and I apologize for the delay. For those who are new here, every other week you can find a new underrated or lesser known game to learn about here on Treasure Trove. This week we are diving into a famous PlayStation franchise: God of War. Ghost of Sparta is probably the most overlooked game in the franchise due to it being the second game on the PSP, which released as the PSP was making it's way into a shallow grave, but that doesn't mean it should be ignored. Have a quick listen as to why it is such a pivotal game of the franchise.

 

Thanks to Konrad "FeniX" Gadzina and Cleyton R. Xavier for the music in this episode and Kenney for the minimal artwork for the logos. Head over to their links to check out more of their great work.

From Stealth to Puzzler, Hitman Strikes the Mark - The Hitman Go: Definitive Edition Take Your Time Review

  
Quick Note: The puzzles are simple, yet entertaining, making them perfect for puzzle game players and newbies alike. The transition from 3rd person action/stealth to puzzle gameplay is seamless, and fits the franchise perfectly. Whether you regularly play puzzle games or are brand new to them, you're going to have a great time with Hitman Go: Definitive Edition.

The transition from console platforms to mobile is often not pretty. There are countless games that are meant to be played on a TV with a controller, and even though some of them work well enough, such as the numerous Final Fantasy games, the games just feel off. When Square Enix announced the move for the Hitman franchise to hit mobile platforms, it was a hard pill for many gamers to swallow. However, the game has been successful on mobile platforms, and now Square Enix has triumphantly brought the puzzler to consoles.

Mobile or Handheld, Sony Needs a Portable Presence

 

I really like this photo, so I had to use it again.

In a 2015 interview at EGX at the time President of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida spoke about a successor to the PlayStation Vita not being viable in the current mobile-lead environment. Shortly after the interview hit the internet, the masses followed suite, stating that this is the proof that Sony is bowing out of the handheld race, despite Yoshida-san stating in following interviews that this comment does not confirm there will be no successor to PS Vita.

Regardless of whether he meant for his comments to be seen this way or not, the gaming public is now under the impression that Sony is dropping out of handheld gaming. While some are brokenhearted, many believe this is the only thing the company can do with it's flailing handheld sales. From an immediate financial standpoint, this thought process does have some merit. But Sony  having no mobile or handheld presence will only hurt the industry giant in the long game.

Treasure Trove - Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward

Welcome back, Treasure Seekers. Every other week you can find a new underrated or lesser known game to learn about here on Treasure Trove. This week, it's time to dig deep and pull out a beautiful gem known as Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward. The second title in this underrated series follows nine captives trying to escape their death by solving tons of creative and weird puzzle rooms. It's one of the best science fiction stories found in games for sure. Enjoy!
 

Thanks to Konrad "FeniX" Gadzina and Cleyton R. Xavier for the music in this episode and Kenney for the minimal artwork for the logos. Head over to their links to check out more of their great work.

Treasure Trove - Pokemon Yellow

Welcome back, Treasure Seekers. Every other week you can find a new underrated or lesser known game to learn about here on Treasure Trove. This week is kind of a cheat, because Pokemon Yellow is SUPER well known. But, never the less, it begs to be talked about, seeing as it's being re-released on 3DS this week! Of all the Pokemon games out there, this title is probably the most looked over, unless you were playing it during it's initial release. So, let's talk about why Pokemon Yellow is the best of the original GameBoy monster collecting games. 
 

Thanks to Konrad "FeniX" Gadzina and Cleyton R. Xavier for the music in this episode and Kenney for the minimal artwork for the logos. Head over to their links to check out more of their great work.

Pint Size Metroidvania - The Xeodrifter Take Your Time Review

Quick Note: Take the Metroid formula and condense it down to about 3 1/2 hours of gameplay for the perfect bite sized play through. The retro styled graphics and sound design bring back memories of yesteryear, as does the difficulty curve, so if you're not a fan of backtracking or higher difficulty, stay away. 


Metroid and Super Metroid helped create a unique blend of exploration and tension that was then refined with Castlevania: Symphony of the Night later on the PS One. This style of discovery that requires back tracking with new powers to open up more pathways in old areas has been adapted over and over again, often times to great success. Xeodrifter is the next game in line to take this patented formula and use it perfectly in a small, digestible experience of roughly three to four hours that left me feeling complete, and honestly, wanting to just play more.

Treasure Trove - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Welcome back, Treasure Seekers. Every other week you can find a new underrated or lesser known game to learn about here on Treasure Trove. The last two episodes involved very well known franchises, so now it's time to really dig for buried treasure. This week I bring you Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, a visual novel/adventure game in which students are kidnapped by a black and white killer teddy bear. "What the hell?" you may ask. Just trust me and listen to why this game is one of PS Vita's best. 

Thanks to Konrad "FeniX" Gadzina and Cleyton R. Xavier for the music in this episode and Kenney for the minimal artwork for the logos. Head over to their links to check out more of their great work.

Treasure Trove - Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker

Welcome back, Treasure Seekers. Every other week you can find a new underrated or lesser known game to learn about here on Treasure Trove. This week's episode is all about Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker, not only the best iteration of the franchise on handheld platforms, but also the foundation that sets the stage for The Phantom Pain, in both gameplay and story. So please enjoy, and feel free to leave some comments about the podcast itself or an idea of a under appreciated treasure you'd like me to talk about.

Thanks to Konrad "FeniX" Gadzina and Cleyton R. Xavier for the music in this episode and Kenney for the minimal artwork for the logos. Head over to their links to check out more of their great work.

Gamers Source #13 - Post E3 Lull

Image courtesy of Kotaku.com

Welcome to the Gamer's Source, your weekly destination for gaming information! Nintendo gives hints at Regular New 3DS coming to the West and discusses why there will be no NX news for some time. So, without further ado, your news...

Gamers Source #13 - Post E3 Lull

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• Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Take Your Time Review
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• Ether One Take Your Time Review 

Treasure Trove - Final Fantasy IX

Hello and welcome to Treasure Trove. Every other week you can find a new underrated, lesser known game to learn about. This week's episode is all about Final Fantasy IX, the last game in the franchise to release on the original PlayStation. So please enjoy, and feel free to leave some comments about the podcast itself or an idea of a under appreciated treasure you'd like me to talk about.

Thanks to Konrad "FeniX" Gadzina and Cleyton R. Xavier for the music in this episode and Kenney for the minimal artwork for the logos. Head over to their links to check out more of their great work.