Xeno Crisis (Dreamcast)

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VideoGameCritic
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Xeno Crisis (Dreamcast)

Postby VideoGameCritic » November 9th, 2021, 6:10 pm

This is one people have been recommending for years it seems, but whenever I checked ebay/amazon it was always crazy expensive, so I thought I missed the boat.

Anyway the other day my friend Sudz (C64 Critic) brought over his copy and we had a ball with it. It's a lot like Smash TV (SNES) with excellent 2P coop and great old-school graphics.

Anyway I did a little searching and found I could order a copy from the source at a reasonable price:
https://shop.bitmapbureau.com/

Review will be forthcoming!

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MSR1701
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Re: Xeno Crisis (Dreamcast)

Postby MSR1701 » November 10th, 2021, 7:20 am

I have this on an Evercade cart, but haven't tried it yet. Adding to my to-do list, as it always looked to be fun (needs to put down Chip's Challenge first...)

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ActRaiser
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Re: Xeno Crisis (Dreamcast)

Postby ActRaiser » November 10th, 2021, 8:13 am

MSR1701 wrote:I have this on an Evercade cart, but haven't tried it yet. Adding to my to-do list, as it always looked to be fun (needs to put down Chip's Challenge first...)


It's a twin stick shooter. I'm curious how they mapped the controls on the Evercade. You'll have to let us know how it plays.

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MSR1701
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Re: Xeno Crisis (Dreamcast)

Postby MSR1701 » November 10th, 2021, 8:38 am

Just tried it out, and assuming that this is based on the Genesis version (Evercade's carts tend to HEAVILY favor NES and Genesis/MD versions if they are available), it is VERY well done; both 6 button and 3 button options are available (and I REALLY need to remap the Grenade button and Roll Buttons to the opposite shoulders; I hit the L button so often without meaning to and chucked so many grenades...).

The Dual Stick controls function as you would expect, using the face buttons to angle your shots (B = Right, A = Down, etc., and diagonals using the two buttons for the desired direction). You cab remap the buttons if desired, and the 2-player option will be quite interesting once the VS is released.

Oh, and the game is VERY FUN and very well done, from game play to graphics to soundtrack and effects. Will be spending more time with this certainly!

If anyone is looking to track down the Evercade version, I would recommend the Funstock UK site (Amazon US, if this is ever listed, is usually raised in price to shocking levels):
https://funstock.co.uk/collections/ever ... -cartridge

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Matchstick
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Re: Xeno Crisis (Dreamcast)

Postby Matchstick » November 10th, 2021, 1:03 pm

VideoGameCritic wrote:Anyway I did a little searching and found I could order a copy from the source at a reasonable price

Nice move, Critic! I appreciate you checking directly with the developer versus attempting to track down a secondhand copy elsewhere. In the whole time this game has been available, I don’t think it’s ever been out of stock on The Bitmap Bureau website - the Dreamcast version, at least.

Myself, I went with the $15 option that allows you to download the disc image of the game and burn your own copy at home. I get that everything gets pirated and file-shared these days (I’ve even seen bootleg Genesis copies of this game on AliExpress) but I really have a soft spot for smaller developers, especially those that offer the game on their own websites in ample supply. They tend to be the ones that get my money.

It reminds me of buying a band’s album at the merch kiosk moments after seeing their show. Just a way of “helping the little guy.” And I can guarantee that buying from them directly gave them a larger share of profits than buying from another storefront would have. A total win-win.

On a side note, as tempted as I was to include Xenocrisis in the package I sent you with Castlevania Resurrection, I couldn’t bring myself to give up my own copy. I knew you’d like it (as many of us here did, as well) but I also knew you’d probably discover it on your own, sooner or later. Nice to know everything worked out!

(and on the coattails of the Cruis’n Blast discussion the other day, here’s another title that proves the Eugene Jarvis influence is alive and well :D )

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Crummylion
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Re: Xeno Crisis (Dreamcast)

Postby Crummylion » November 13th, 2021, 1:02 am

Noticed the game itself is on Xbox Gamepass so I may give it a try. But I wanna know if the Dreamcast version uses its bells and whistles that made the system unique. I feel I'm the only one that cares about it, but what exactly does the VMU do exactly in-game?

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Re: Xeno Crisis (Dreamcast)

Postby VideoGameCritic » November 13th, 2021, 11:44 am

The VMU doesn't do anything visually, but it will save your settings and high score.

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Matchstick
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Re: Xeno Crisis (Dreamcast)

Postby Matchstick » November 13th, 2021, 1:28 pm

Crummylion wrote:Noticed the game itself is on Xbox Gamepass so I may give it a try

Definitely give it a go, Crummylion! I first tried it on Gamepass, myself, and was blown away. Bought it just a few days later.

I will say that the twin-stick setup of the current consoles’ controllers lends itself perfectly to this game. Playing it on the Xbox was a sublime joy, and I’d imagine the Switch or PlayStation versions would be similar. However, using the four face buttons on the Dreamcast takes a bit of an adjustment. I don’t believe it controls as well using buttons instead of joysticks.

That being said, any way you play it, it does not have true analogue control. You can only run and shoot in 8 directions. In that sense, you lose nothing, from a gameplay perspective, by trying the Dreamcast version.

Plus, if you happen to have one lying around, you can use the DC Virtual-On twin-stick controller to play Xenocrisis, as well! Not that I’ve ever tried it, myself, but I know for a fact it is supported.

(If only there were a Saturn version, so that I could use the Virtual-On controller that I actually do own... :P)

EDIT: I'll need to look for my copy up in the attic this afternoon, but once I find it, I will post some much-needed cheat codes for the game. Using cheats means you will not see the true ending or fight the true final boss, but for the first few times playing the game, boy, does unlimited ammo certainly come in handy...
Last edited by Matchstick on November 13th, 2021, 3:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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MSR1701
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Re: Xeno Crisis (Dreamcast)

Postby MSR1701 » November 13th, 2021, 1:37 pm

Matchstick wrote:
Crummylion wrote:Noticed the game itself is on Xbox Gamepass so I may give it a try

Definitely give it a go, Crummylion! I first tried it on Gamepass, myself, and was blown away. Bought it just a few days later.

I will say that the twin-stick setup of the current consoles’ controllers lends itself perfectly to this game. Playing it on the Xbox was a sublime joy, and I’d imagine the Switch or PlayStation versions would be similar. However, using the four face buttons on the Dreamcast takes a bit of an adjustment. I don’t believe it controls as well using buttons instead of joysticks.

That being said, any way you play it, it does not have true analogue control. You can only run and shoot in 8 directions. In that sense, you lose nothing, from a gameplay perspective, by trying the Dreamcast version.

Plus, if you happen to have one lying around, you can use the DC Virtual-On twin-stick controller to play Xenocrisis, as well! Not that I’ve ever tried it, myself, but I know for a fact it is supported.

(If only there were a Saturn version, so that I could used the Virtual-On controller that I actually *do* own... :P )


Considering it was designed as a Genesis game, a Saturn version shouldn't be impossible.

Fun even with face button control, though I have yet to try the 3 button setup on Evercade cart

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BlasteroidAli
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Re: Xeno Crisis (Dreamcast)

Postby BlasteroidAli » November 20th, 2021, 9:23 am

On xbox it gets really hard after a couple of levels. I have games pass for PC so I will give it a go and report back.


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