SEGADriven is a SEGA fan-site that focusses on SEGA's console history, retro games and new software hitting the shelves soon. We want to share a love of great, quirky, clever and down-right fun games and SEGA have managed to provide this for over 2 decades. See below for the lastest news, features and updates to the site.
Like all great games, it doesn't take long until someone makes a zombie mod for it. Half-Life was no exception. The mod in question is titled 'They Hunger' and was released exclusively through PC Gamer in 3 episodes.
All 3 episodes have been collected and ported to the Dreamcast thanks to the lovely people at Dreammatrix and hosted at DCISOZONE.com to download for free. Click here to be taken directly to the page.
Here's a little insight into what you can expect:
Obviously, this is being played on a PC but you'll be delighted to here that the Dreamcast version plays incredibly well despite some occasional loading and some slowdown during sections with a high density of enemies.
So what are you waiting for? Get yourself a copy of Discjuggler and a disc to burn the game on! Long live the undead console!*
I've added some additional information on Spencer Nilsen in the Musicians section.
Spencer's website conveniently forgets he composed the soundtrack for Ecco: The Tides of Time. I haven't heard it myself but if Spencer can't remember he created it doesn't fill me with much hope that it is any good! It's also available on the CD 'Ecco: Songs of Time' which I provided a track list for.
The Sonic CD soundtrack is also available on CD as Sonic the Hedgehog Boom along with some arranged versions of tracks from Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball. Details on this have been added as well.
Just in case you've never noticed it, Roareye Black opened a 'Musicians' section on the site with the goal to provide detailed information for all musicians that have worked with SEGA.
However, he didn't announce it and it's been sitting there for a while with 2 sections open; 1 for Crush 40 and another for Hideki Naganuma.
I've just added another 2 musicians to the section. There is now detailed information regarding Spencer Nilsen (famous for the North American Sonic CD soundtrack) and The Offspring (famous for Crazy Taxi 1 and 2).
If you don't know, there is a large community of people who hack and alter the original Mega Drive Sonic games. There have been a wide variety of hacks over the years that do simple things like change the colour palette, add new graphics and levels or change the gameplay.
Sonic 2 XL is a hack that changes all the rings into onion rings. Upon eating multiples of 5 onion rings, Sonic will put on weight and become more difficult to maneouver. The concept is ridiculously simple but absolutely hilarious in action.
It also adds an incredible amount of depth to the game and makes it a lot more difficult to play. You will constantly find yourself stuck near more onion rings, running back and forth to burn the weight off before you can continue. Eating too much will cause Sonic to become morbidly obese and immobile, eventually resulting in his death.
I still can't believe Yakuza 3 actually got a Western release and Yakuza 4 is already pencilled in as well. The much loved but criminally ignored series about Japanese, gang-related violence is a SEGA fan's wet-dream. You should check out our review to find out exactly why you need to own this. You can go straight to it from this link.
Fan Scene: Dreadknux and T-Bird's Entries to the Sonic 4 Contest
Haven't you heard? There's an awesome Sonic contest happening where fans can win the chance to visit Sonic Team's Japan HQ courtesy of SEGA! All you have to do is show in video form, what Sonic means to you and how he's affected your life this far.
2 fantastic examples of how to do this correctly have been done by 2 very good friends of mine; Dreadknux and T-Bird of The Sonic Stadium. They are both very touching, entertaining and humble showcases of how Sonic has made their lives more fulfilling.
Dreadknux's entry sees him take a wistful look back into the past with his favourite plushie:
T-Bird steps things up a notch by detailing his love for the character all whilst painting a rather lovely picture of the blue blur (with Jun Senoue's signature guitar) in public!
The contest is now closed but on the 14th of July, the top 10 entries will be revealed and you can vote for your favourite! Go to http://www.sonicthehedgehog4.co.uk/contest/ for the full details.
Now this is cool! We often see interviews with Yuji Naka with respected gaming press, but a Nights fansite? Mr Naka just went from 'awesome' to 'legend' in our book.
Here's some choice cuts from the interview:
Nidcom: Is there meaning behind the lower case 'i' in the name NiGHTS? Some fans speculate that it may stand for 'imagination' or 'Id' from Freudian research. Yuji Naka: The "i" in the logo, was imagined from the gem on NiGHTS' chest. At first, the logo design was created to distinguish the word NiGHTS from Nights. NiGHTS was then used throughout the game.
Nidcom: Is it true that in the 1990's a PC version of NiGHTS into Dreams was planned? There was a rumour that it existed at one point and one of the new levels was called 'Sparkle Attic'? Can you tell us more about this, perhaps? Yuji Naka: I thought production was completed. Wasn't the PC version put on the market? I actually participated in the release of the PC version of NiGHTS in Akihabara. So I thought it was on the market. But this is for sure, there is no new level. See: http://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20030321/sega.htm
Nidcom: There had been talk of a NiGHTS sequel for many years after the Saturn game. The sequel, Journey of Dreams was made however you were no longer part of Sonic Team by that point. If it were somehow possible would you ever consider making another NiGHTS game, if you were asked to? Yuji Naka: I have been asked hundreds of times to make the sequel of NiGHTS, but have no desire to create one. As I feel the same way that my beloved Mr. Steven Spielberg would never make a sequel to ET because it was his first work and such a fantastic film. I feel the same way about NiGHTS. Oh, the first person to play NiGHTS, other than the SEGA team, was Mr. Spielberg. During the development of the NiGHTS game, he visited SEGA and we asked him to play with an experimental version of the new controller. Since then we called it the Spielberg controller.
Video Spotlight: Black Leopard - New Yakuza Chapter Trailer
Here's the new trailer of Black Leopard: New Yakuza Chapter straight from the SEGA of Japan YouTube Channel. You can expect to see a whole load of cutscene artwork, fight gameplay and other bits and bobs.
Are you a UK resident? Can you get to London on the 7th of August? Well you should be seriously considering getting your backside to the Pavillion in Sheperd's Bush for the Summer of Sonic 2010 because Crush 40 will be there!
Johnny Gioeli and Jun Senoue will be attending the event as guests to participate in a Q&A session and play their first concert since the Tokyo Game Show in 2008. It will also be their first ever Western concert ever!
If that isn't good enough then you'll also be happy to know they will be available for a signing session as well, so bring your merchandise and say 'Hi!'
An enormous thank you must be directed at Adam 'T-Bird' Tuff and Kevin 'ArchangelUK' Eva for grabbing the Crush 40 boys for the event. They've put an awful lot of effort into securing them as a special guest and it will certainly make this year's SoS one of the best.
I will be in attendance again this year as a member of staff. For full details on everything Summer of Sonic, you can visit the official website.
A new review has been uploaded to the 7th generation of third party releases section. After Burner Climax has been given the once over and I've come to the conclusion that it's awesome and needs to be in every SEGA fan's collection. For a more detailed account, go and read the review now!