Let's recap: Shin Samurai Spirits (Samurai Shodown II) (ARC/NG).

[Josh]

Build a PC for $200 bucks, and play Neo games.

[mollipen]

Use Virtual PC?

Not for gaming.

I can play Neo, just not online. But I'm starting to really consider seeing how cheap I can build a "jukebox" PC for, and if I do, it'll be hooked up to a TV, it'll have USB to PSX adapter, so hell, at that point, might as well make it a Neo as well.

[Aurora]

Emulators work surprisingly well in Virtual PC.

[Advocate]

You know whats funny? The fact that some people in here ... some I don't know. Keep comparing the graphics of The Last Blade series to the graphics of Samurai Showdown 2. I know both are weapon based, I also know both are made by SNK. BUT ... the thing is Samurai Showdown was made in 1996 ... a Seven year old game. Last Blade 2 was made when ... 2000? Thats what a three year old game? I could be wrong sorry. BUT the fact remains ... you are comparing a game(SS2) three times as old as the game(LB2), THATS SO MUCH BETTER! I believe the actual purpose of this post was to say ... how much fighting games have changed and how MANY of the gamers who are OLD .... Would like to go back to the days of yore.

Now, compared to all the new fighting games out there ... SS2(IMHO) has to be in the Top 5. Last Blade is awesome, BUT ... that game if memory serves me does not have the ability to weapon break ... or if you lost your weapon still fight. SS2 you can. Last Blade ... has ... and sure as hell better have ... GOOD KICK ASS MUSIC! Its what three years old? DAMN WELL BETTER! Advances in sound technology makes sure of that! I understand alot of the guys in here saysin LB2 is great. I even agree, but LB series better thank and honor the game that brought this all too be ... SS series. And if you want to get down to bare facts ... Thank Karate Master.

But until Shidoshi changes his avatar and ... Mike3 reappears on these boards ... make mine ... SNK.

[Taito]

Advocate has the right idea. Sizing up Samurai Shodown II to Last Blade 2 is an unbalanced comparison, like comparing Super SF2 Turbo with CvS2. Of course the gameplay in CvS2 is more evolved, but SSF2 still looks and plays great.

PaCrappa is entitled to his opinion about SS2's artwork (which I flatly disagree with), but if today were 1994 I would have dismissed him as off the rocker, or in serious denial. In the way of artwork or detail, no handdrawn 2D fighter looked quite as good as SS2 (except for KoF '94 perhaps. I wasn't all too impressed with that series until '95).

[Changeling]

You may have missed my point conrooks. You see, if I use the word "classic" in regards to a videogame, that means I value it. The only reason I get up and work in the morning is so that I can have the things I value. It's mostly the basics, food, clothing, shelter, etc. But I also value the games that I like. I am on no anti-emulation high horse as I use the stuff (MAME and ZSNESW) almost daily. But I don't use them in place of tracking down a game that I value, I use them as window shopping and make note of anything good so that it can be tracked down at a later date. This sort of thinking doesn't play for me: "If I could just go out and buy the Neo and SS2 at my local EB, then sure, I'd do it". Surely a game that's worthy of "classic" status is worth more effort than that? And remember we're talking LOVE not money.

Icepick's reference to emulation was somewhat informative, along the lines of "we can all have fun with miracle of modern technology". Yours was "Fuck paying for the real shit, free and almost perfect is better than the cheap real deal any day". Very different.

And since Ice Ice Pizzle asked for it, I bring you my original post!

"The art being "ass" is certainly neither here nor there. I hate avocados, ya know?

I don't much like the art in SS personally. I hope I don't have to explain why. I just don't like the characters that well. The backgrounds are fine but outside of Jubei, most of the characters don't float my boat. Galford gets extra points for having a dog but it's one of those hairy things like wolfy german shepherd so IMO, they couldn't even get that right as it clearly should have been a pitbull. The presentation is passable but nothing to write home about.

I don't like the jumping in SS. It's too floaty and also just doesn't do it for me. I could take time to get used to it if I so desired but the rest of what this series has to offer (painfully little IMHO) hasn't inspired me to develop any chops.

The music is passable but not special. Not much else to say.

When I play the Last Blade games I get much more enjoyment and so does the group of people I normally play fighting games with. They like it better too and they don't waste one billionth of the time I do at internet message boards so you know it's not some silly elitist thing. Is Last Blade obscure or more hardcore? Who gives a fuck? Even though I do hang out here and there online, I don't do much with gaming elitism because I have to play these things before I can actually say what I like or don't like. Besides, half the shit that super elitist bedwetters get so cranky about (Samurai Shodown for instance) isn't worth dickall to me. But I digress.

What I do like about the Last Blade series is the chracters. They have more style and panache than SS's poorly colored cartoons. Zantetsu is just cold and IMO no character in SS is half as cool. And that's leaving out the rest which I think are just designed better. Lee is also a fave. The voices are much better in Last Blade than SS.

I really like the whole deflecto mechanic. It's extremely well animated and all the characters look so surprised when you've successfully deflected their move and unleashed a badass combo of your own. It really adds another dimension to gameplay. Not to mention the aforementioned (by Mzo) dodges and pushes that are unique to LB. The gameplay here is quite dynamic and that dynamic just doesn't exist within the SS series. All these defensive tricks make for very unpredictable matches when both players are skilled.

I also like LB's combos. Apples and oranges I suppose, but I prefer a game like this and don't favor the more strategic play of the SS series.

The music is not overly impressive but I find it a little cooler than SS' tunes.

I like the presentation between fights alot. It's just ever so slick and always pleases my eye.

I suppose I could keep on going but of course it's just me explaining my personal opinion and I've already done that for a few paragraphs. Is it okay now? Have I yet been validated by you in liking what games I like or do you need more explanations?

Now Mr conrooks, what is "broken" about Last Blade? Have you ever played the real arcade versions? What makes Samurai Shodown so much better? It would really be special and make my day if you took time out and wrote a short essay for the benefit of Mzo, Icepick and myself that explained your motivation for liking Samurai Shodown so much, because we all suspect that you're merely leeching some leetness factor so that you can go around to message boards and posture like you're cooler than the people who like Last Blade.

Thanks in advance,
Pa"

And there ya have it. EGM called last night and offered $100K a year if I'd relocate and dedicate my life to wearing rose tinted glasses while describing crap American games for the benefit of giant corporations. I told 'em to fuck off because I'm holding out for the big money at Gamepro.

Pa

The "deflecto" mechanic is cheap and turtleish. It doesn't really add anything. It simply is there to feel more like Street Fighter 3. When you strike with your weapon, it doesn't have the "oomph" that SS2 has. In all, the game feels like it just takes ideas from different fighters and just throw it all together. It feels unbalanced. Dodges and pushes only add to that. A weak mish mash of a game. SS has its own style. Weapon breaking supers gave you a real reason to try to pull the supers off. Being able to still fight without your weapon and if you had skill, be able to beat someone without a weapon made things much more interesting and perhaps serious bragging rights. SS is more stategic. Every movement is vital, similar to the Virtua Fighter series. For its time, SS2 was perfect and still holds up wonderfully to this day. How many people will still be singing Last Blade's praises 8 years from now? Not many. Hell, hardly anyone plays it now. The characters are generic and are far from memorable. To me, its simply ANOTHER SNK fighter. A poor imitation of Samurai.
Also, The persentation in between fights adds NOTHING to the games style. It just doesn't have much.The presentation in SS2 crushes LB2 . The ambiance of the music is perfect while LB2's music does NOTHING towards persentation. It feels generic.
I do own Last Blade 2 for the DC. I don't regret buying it one bit. Its a diversion once in a while. But the same day I bought Last Blade, I also bought Mark of the Wolves, and as you could probably guess, I barely touched LB2. So unless the DC isn't capable of producing the "arcade" experience, then its safe to say that i've played it and I own it.

Also, I don't think my post quite said " fuck buying the game whenever I can emulate" Such a short-cut to rational thought. I told you that I bought 2 versions of the game. Fuck off. You should list for me the differences between Mameing SS2 and the Neo version. I guarantee you that they are NOT noticable. I played SS2 to DEATH in the arcade and I'm sure that They are identical to me. At least in my eyes and that is all that matters to me. I'm not a pirate. I'm not hurting SNK or the team that made the game. I could get a kit to make a mame arcade stand-up and I would have the same experience. So , in all honesty, who fucking cares. i have fun with the game with friends. I'm not a pirate hurting the gaming industry. My crimes to you are having a different opinion from yours and OMFG not owning a Neo-Geo which is more expensive than 15 bucks. So seriously, get your head out of your ass and breath in some fresh oxygen. Its good for thought process so I hear. The whole "leeching for leetness factor" is simply laughable. I don't live on these boards. I check to see if anything new is going on because its a good source for game info. I don't attack people with post after post. Fuck, I've probably only posted 100 or so messages since the game-go days. I simply like games. I don't try to sound like I know more than anyone else. I have an opinion like you do. Thats it. So seriously, I know you'll come back with all sorts of shit that I honestly could care two shits about so I'll just leave you with this. I like Samurai Shodown 2 better than Last Blade 2 . I like it for my own set of reasons. You don't have to agree about it. You can call me on it. But attacking me is childish and boring. How old are you ? Seriously..

[Advocate]

Thank you Taito. Thats exactly what I was saying. And Conrooks. I'm glad you ended this childish argument. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but it can cross a line. I just wish JBNagis responded to this thread!