Recent Gaming Purchases

I just beat Reqiuem, just Wow! Delivered through and through! Me and my firend have been playing it on a weekly basis and it's been a thrill from start to finish! The jump in quality is very clear to see in just some of the scale of the set pieces. The biggest improvement was the voice acting, I wasn't sure on Amicia during many moments of the 1st game but the delivery of every line within this game as so ON point! Emotionally drained after experiencing it but it has easily been on of the definitive experiences for the generation for me!
Definitely. It earned my GOTY spot easily. Asobo said they have no plans for a third game but that it's not off the table. My eldest (she's about Amicia's age and my youngest is about Hugo's age.) is playing through Innocence and loving it. I'm sure you can imagine how she connects with Amicia. She loves the music too and I printed violin sheet music for her to start playing it. By that evening, she was doing well on it. I'm planning on getting her the two soundtracks in vinyl next year when they release. Also hoping that the novel that bridges the two games will get translated to English and I'll get a copy of that for her too.

Oh, I did manage to buy a copy of the first game on PS5. I don't believe I'll open it as I have the PS4 copy to play, so it may become my copy that goes into a shadowbox to represent the PS5 generation in my wall of fame. Time will tell.

1671630280099.jpeg

As for other purchases, I got a 1TB Seagate Firecuda SSD to expand my PS5's internal memory and I picked up the free upgrade to Witcher 3. I created a PS5 box art for it as the disc is still needed after the upgrade.

seagate-firecuda-530-1tb-box.jpg


20221216-152742.jpg


20221216-152749.jpg
 
Last edited:
Definitely. It earned my GOTY spot easily. Asobo said they have no plans for a third game but that it's not off the table. My eldest (she's about Amicia's age and my youngest is about Hugo's age.) is playing through Innocence and loving it. I'm sure you can imagine how she connects with Amicia. She loves the music too and I printed violin sheet music for her to start playing it. By that evening, she was doing well on it. I'm planning on getting her the two soundtracks in vinyl next year when they release. Also hoping that the novel that bridges the two games will get translated to English and I'll get a copy of that for her too.

Oh, I did manage to buy a copy of the first game on PS5. I don't believe I'll open it as I have the PS4 copy to play, so it may become my copy that goes into a shadowbox to represent the PS5 generation in my wall of fame. Time will tell.

View attachment 17422

As for other purchases, I got a 1TB Seagate Firecuda SSD to expand my PS5's internal memory and I picked up the free upgrade to Witcher 3. I created a PS5 box art for it as the disc is still needed after the upgrade.

seagate-firecuda-530-1tb-box.jpg


20221216-152742.jpg


20221216-152749.jpg
Wicked! I have been tempted to get the new Artbook they've done! Got a little money left over Chirstmas so we'll see!

Got my Xmas Gifts yesterday:
22xmassonic.JPG
Not only did I get the Sonic Frontiers game but I also got an early 90's Sonic Plush which I had as a kid again! Very suprised by this one!

1670954108803.JPEG
I also got Crisis Core with the Steelbook which is what I will be devoiting this day too :p
 
I got a handheld PacMan from my wife, the first VG-related gift I've gotten in probably 10 years (I did get Phantasy Stars I-IV in 2014, but that was a b-day gift).

Due to working everyday (outside of Christmas itself), haven't tried it yet, but will tonight probably :)
 
I pre-ordered Like a Dragon Ishin and purchased LA Noire during the PSN Sale.

LA Noire was an unexpected purchase. I wanted to play it again but was not able to locate my Ps3 Version of the game. So I had to purchase the Ps4 version to play it on the ps5.

Not a bad purchase though. I really enjoyed the game during my first playthrough and my second playthrough is fun as well. I can now also play the DLC I have not played back then.

@Vivi-gamer The steelbook of Crisis Core really looks great. I am also on the fence the purchase the game. I have the PSP version already so I am not sure if the remaster is worth the full price. The chances are high though that I might get Crisis Core when it is on sale.
 
Lost Framemeister last Friday after many years of faithful service so I had to do a bigger gaming related purchase. Got myself the retro tink 5x.
 
it really looks interesting that's for sure. I missed the game completely back then I have to admit. But last weekend I was bored and was browsing through my old collection of gaming mags. I come across a review of the game and after reading the review I though it really looks cool. After checking the price of the Japanese version which was moderate at 25 USD (free shipping) I decided to purchase it.
 
Few games and stuff
79EC3FE9-6C55-44B4-8740-025F3FB45719.jpeg63A876D4-5383-4F48-9E86-871E28C19CAF.jpegEA523199-E061-4F33-A0B5-1895E61B7C2F.jpeg

A023570C-0927-4A9D-8889-806C3C989AF4.jpeg

Also some games for the steam deck I got extra since end of December will make a list…
 
Last year, I decided to finally get myself an HDMI adapter for my PS2 Slim so that I could play my PS1 and PS2 games again after buying a TV that no longer had anything but HDMI inputs (my bad, I know). Even when I could still use component though, the picture looked horrible with text being unreadable. I ended up getting the Hyperkin HDMI adapter for the PS2 and it made it so I could at least see the games and play them... but the picture quality wasn't improved at all. The text was still grainy and the picture was even a bit stretched now (forgivable but annoying). At least I could play them.

Fast forward to today, I'm still wanting to play my PS1 and 2 games but I want a crisp clear picture. I did a ton of research and was hoping there was a version of the PS1Digital for PS2... but there isn't. Next best thing... the mClassic... without the need to physically mod the hardware.

1674833253494.jpeg

The Hyperkin adapter never stated it upscaled so I can't really be mad at them, but it does pass through the 480i signal just fine. The mClassic is supposed to take that 480i signal and upscale it to 1080p. Here's hoping that works.

I should get it in the mail today but won't have the ability to fully test it until maybe next Wed. I'll keep you guys updated.
 
@Telekill I read that you already looked into it thoroughsly so excuse me if I'm saying something very dated. Wasn't required GSM in conjuction with the cable/adapter for upscaling the video signal? I recall using OpenPS2Loader GSM scaling feature with components and CRT TV but just to 480p/720i at that date.
I sticked to CRT TV btw not for hi-fi retro... I simply had not money for a lcd one.
 
Here are the rest but bet there are some I missed though. Tbh I had about 4 games on steam few years back 2013-2021 when the steam deck was announced I collected from sales even free games from other places like Amazon gaming and epic etc. I don’t think I can stop now!

654AB8F3-8DC9-4C48-A07E-670A1F08E9A7.jpeg34972BC5-52D5-4F95-B1FD-F9272D1975B3.jpeg4EECB187-8101-45FD-BC97-CBE579E0CF6C.jpegE7A074B8-8206-4E4F-9F99-AE4EC6B8E061.jpeg744C6B3C-469B-443A-A91C-768B60CBD95C.jpegBEA04E6E-211C-4571-ACFF-4ECEDE20C6DD.jpeg51521C21-6572-4547-BFC1-6BE964371AB0.jpeg78DFF801-1FD2-4559-9066-E1C6AA82F8FF.jpegD99B584D-70CC-45C7-812F-57DA580A752A.jpeg92529C97-39A8-4A83-93DE-E6409AC4667A.jpegB26DB484-595C-47C2-BFA1-A1F4A47CB0E6.jpeg274725B8-A706-4933-80C4-7A40EE88C210.jpeg40D32E11-92E8-4327-95FE-D816906B377A.jpeg8A7F09D2-3EB7-4F7B-9575-DB06594F8174.jpegBC4E77F8-99CC-4E0D-93C0-BCF91A30EF26.jpeg
 
Last edited:
As an update to my above post... here's the differences:
I used Dino Crisis (PS1) running on my PS2 Slim to really see how the jaggies are affected by the mClassic. The images are rather large, maybe too large, but it gives a good idea. Keep in mind, these are not screen captures either, but simply pics I took with my phone... so not perfect, but it is what it is.

First... everything that was needed for this test to even function:

1. Hyperkin PS2 HDMI cable: $30
m07381_pkg_6_580x.jpg


2. HDMI passthrough with two female ends: $5
GUEST_3b3c9314-2f0a-4800-9f29-9914c77a0d56


3. mClassic: $100
51wVmyubrzL._AC_SY350_.jpg


I wasn't aware of the need for the two female ended HDMI passthrough until I tried hooking it up. Had to do a quick run to the store to snag one. It really depends on what you're plugging into if you need that or not. Not pictured was a basic HDMI cable going from the mClassic to the TV. As an added pain, both the Hyperkin and mClassic require external USB power sources. The nice part here, is that you can use the two ports on the front of the PS2 if you want. Most modern TVs have two USB ports in the back as well so there are options. Needless to say, the mess of cords surrounding the PS2 was a bit stupid.

On the side of the mClassic device is a switch that toggles from Off, On (green light), and Classic mode (blue light). I tested all three on Dino Crisis.

Starting with just the Hyperkin (having taken the picture before attaching the mClassic at all, my newer TV did a better job than my last one at making the text readable. That said, the game still looks janky as hell as seen in the first photo below. Take a look at Regina's shoulders and amaze yourself at how your imagination filled in the gaps. It's not pretty but it is playable. You'll also see that it's in the regular 4:3 aspect ratio just fine.

The second photo is the mClassic turned on in Retro Mode. Everything smoothed out to a point, but oddly, the picture was squished vertically. Honestly, I completely forgot to test the 4:3 and 16:9 switch on the Hyperkin in this mode, so I'll have to retest that to see if the 16:9 option will help it from getting squished. It's playable but she looks like a female version of Slender Man.

The final photo at the very bottom is the regular processing of the mClassic with the green light. This is the mode you'd use on the Switch or PS3 or Xbox 360. You can see that it keeps the 4:3 aspect ratio just fine and smooths everything out. The problem here, is that there are occasionally blinks that occur where the screen goes black for a second before returning. Couple that with odd thin interference lines occasionally coming through the picture. Without those two issues, this would be the obvious winner.

Now, as a side test, I compared the Nintendo Switch with and without playing Zelda: Breath of the Wild. With the mClassic plugged in, the colors were far more vibrant and the picture was a tad more smooth. If you're wanting the mClassic just for Switch... I'd wager the $100 asking price would be a bit steep for what you get.

Sorry for the large photos, but they do help with comparison. I recommend centering on Regina for a good comparison as her surroundings are a dull hallway. Let me know what you think.

Just Hyperkin HDMI adapter. No mClassic assist.
20230127-204820.jpg


With mClassic Retro Mode (Blue Light)
20230127-204834.jpg


With mClassic regular uprez mode (Green light)
20230127-205002.jpg
 
@Telekill
Fine, you're pressing start and skipping the intro of my heart. I thought... we were Game Gear bros, above all. But now I understand. Don't worry about me... I'll be fine. Bye.
(Enters again in the room)
Sorry... I just left my phone, now I'm really going. Bye... Bye.. Scarecrow, Bye Tin Man.. Coward lion..
 
@Telekill
Fine, you're pressing start and skipping the intro of my heart. I thought... we were Game Gear bros, above all. But now I understand. Don't worry about me... I'll be fine. Bye.
(Enters again in the room)
Sorry... I just left my phone, now I'm really going. Bye... Bye.. Scarecrow, Bye Tin Man.. Coward lion..
To be fair, aside from the $200 screen mod, I've done everything I wanted too with my Game Gear including getting the Everdrive X7 for it. It sits in the one of a kind protective case I made for it ready to be played at a moments notice. Even bought a USB to GG power adapter so that if my old AC adapter ever fails, I'm still set.
 
As a final update to the mClassic post,
I'm happy to say that switching the Hyperkin from 4x3 to 16x9 fixed the mClassic's Retro Mode (Blue Light). It's now the best option making the games essentially as good as they did when I played it on an old SDTV.

Apparently the mClassic forces the picture (when in retro mode) into the 4x3 ratio to look right.
 
This dumpster fire. Save your money. I paid $4 for it and it's still too much :LOL:

2001 era game in 2023, very disappointing.
wanted-dead-enz9v.png
 
Last year, I decided to finally get myself an HDMI adapter for my PS2 Slim so that I could play my PS1 and PS2 games again after buying a TV that no longer had anything but HDMI inputs (my bad, I know). Even when I could still use component though, the picture looked horrible with text being unreadable. I ended up getting the Hyperkin HDMI adapter for the PS2 and it made it so I could at least see the games and play them... but the picture quality wasn't improved at all. The text was still grainy and the picture was even a bit stretched now (forgivable but annoying). At least I could play them.

Fast forward to today, I'm still wanting to play my PS1 and 2 games but I want a crisp clear picture. I did a ton of research and was hoping there was a version of the PS1Digital for PS2... but there isn't. Next best thing... the mClassic... without the need to physically mod the hardware.

View attachment 17606

The Hyperkin adapter never stated it upscaled so I can't really be mad at them, but it does pass through the 480i signal just fine. The mClassic is supposed to take that 480i signal and upscale it to 1080p. Here's hoping that works.

I should get it in the mail today but won't have the ability to fully test it until maybe next Wed. I'll keep you guys updated.

I've been thinking of picking one of these up and using it to upscale my Switch to 4K. I'm also curious to see how well it works on the Analogue consoles, but I typically play those on a crt. I read your other two posts and I'll probably pick up one of these soon, thanks for the detailed info there.

As an FYI, there are a few devices out there to upscale 240p/480i consoles to work on HDTVs, if you need to do this at some point in the future with another console. Retrotink and OSSC are the most common ones, and some of the models have apparently really great (optional) CRT filters on them.
I know that there's supposed to be a "4k" Retrotink coming out at some point in the future, as well as an OSSC Pro. Apparently the Retrotink 5x with a CRT filter on an OLED TV is supposed to look surprisingly accurate to a high quality CRT. I'd like to also pickup a nice OLED monitor to pair with the Retrotink 4K when that comes out. Display lag would really be the only concern at that point, but maybe that's been improving over the years. I'd just have to see how all of it shakes out when the products are released.
 
Back
Top