The Gamer’s Quarter #5 is now available for download here. Well actually it was done a few days ago, but I have been relaxing a little. Please read it if you get a chance.

Now I can play all the games I have been amassing for the last 3 weeks or so. I updated my firmware from my PSP last week to 2.60 so that I can play Mega Man Powered Up. Yes, this means that I no longer emulate anything on my PSP. But, it is a fantastic game and still a challenge. With the new SD-Cutey look to everything I was honestly a bit worried that the gameplay would be tweaked and easier as well. This is not the case. The custom stuff is reall great too. I downloaded a Japanese created level called “full automatic” or something very similar (in romanji on the top rated section). It is an excellent example of level design. They made it so that you travel the entire level without pressing a single button using some really neat tricks. You only have to fire one shot at the end. I have not played as Roll yet because I am still on the boss rush (third level of Dr. Wiley) but I look forward to playing her and Proto-man. Honestly if this was the last ever “Mega Man” game released I would be really content with it. It could be expanded on for years to come.

I also got Exit… which is a good game that has suffered from possibly the most backhanded advertising. It is not fast at all. In fact, it is a puzzle game that moves a little slow. The controls are a bit difficult to work with at first, but it uses the PSP’s layout well. Some control aspects that seem stupid and overly complicated (which is too strong a word really, they are not complicated, they just involve an extra button press that you would think necessary), end up really working once you get into the game proper. As a warning: the tutorial stages are really, really slow and long. If you get the game expect them to be bad: the game gets much better. Although I don’t know if it was worth the $40. There are all kinds of neat details sprinkled in the game, like one of the people you rescue is suffering from a messy divorce from the guy you rescued in the previous building.

Because of a certain Mr. Toups I now own 2 copies of Dino Crisis. I started to play it last night, and while I loved the first 15 min or so, I think that I just suck at old survival horror games. I die, a lot. Too much in fact, and these Raptors seem completly randomly placed. You have too few bullets and too many dinos. Well, I may give it another chance tonight, who knows.

I also got Ibara, or rather finally got, as it was sitting on my desk at work when I returned from St. Louis. I have played total only about 2 hours (one hour a week ago monday when I got it, a half hour tues, and a half hour last night). I can only get to the second level boss on one credit with my best score being 1.3mil. I will give it more time before I give detailed impressions, but so far I like it. There is difinatly a Raizing vibe to it, and I really love Raizing shooters. In fact I only ordered because I found out that it was developed by old Raizing guys.

And so it is a slow work day today. I am playing Shirien The Wanderer (which recently hit 100% fan translation level) and enjoying it even thought I don’t exactly know what I am doing. I have also have two more articles at GameSetWatch: Lords of Thunder and Metal Slug. Enjoy!