VISCO Collection | PS4

We all love classic arcade games, right? We as gamers believe in their preservation, and hope to keep them around forever, or at least as long as humanity exists. Passing down, through that effort, historical experiences that future generations of gamers would need to fully understand how they got to where they are in regards to gaming innovation. Without that history gaming itself would lose it's origin story, and vital pieces of context between that fully flesh out the various industry and gamer related aspects that impacted the medium throughout the years. 

This in mind I have some sad news. For the first time I can recall QUByte Interactive has decided to sell an amazing arcade compilation from an obscure studio while not actually selling the gamer the collection. They immediately, upon access, have the gamer sign away their ownership of the very copy of the game they paid for. The EULA (End User License Agreement) states over and over that QUByte owns all copies, and that said copies could at some point be subject to termination. This, my friends, is one of the many dangers of supporting and going all digital. You literally do not own what you pay for. 

It is with a heavy heart that I have to give you all the details on one of the best arcade compilations released under the QUByte Interactive label. A bundle that includes two shmups, two pong style competitive games, a platformer, a drift racer, and a soccer game. All of which look great, and function flawlessly as console ports on modern hardware. 

With the collection comes the original Andro Dunos, a shoot'em up with it's swappable shot types and staple trifecta of upgrade mechanics. Complete with an artistic arcade style border, and infinite continues. Alongside this classic shmup of famed proportions comes the not so well known Japanese import of Captain Tomaday. A shmup where you play as a boxing tomato that battles weird and wacky foes as it opens up tomato cans for power-ups and score multipliers. It's very Japanese in nature, and features odd transformations and assists such as that of a baby and a frog. 

Beyond the shmups there are two character focused pong-like arcade titles in the form of Flip-Shot, and Bang Dead. Two games from the same series wherein you control a selected character, and try to keep a ball from knocking out all of your side's icons. If a player loses all icons the next shot that passes through will be a goal, and round ender. Like oldschool fighting games these fighters have their own dialogue, and storylines. If I had to compare it to any anime it would be a JoJo's Bizarre Adventure style of game, especially with the wacky character designs. 

Sports-wise the VISCO collection harbors two additional titles from the genre. One is an arcade soccer or futbol game called 'Goal! Goal! Goal!'. It is simple yet fun with an easy to pick up and play style of experience wherein the game constantly tracks which team player has the ball, and counters it by allowing the other team to control the player nearest that player. Adapting as the match unfolds with the soccer rules at play. It is fast paced, and frenetic with ultra responsive controls. Team countries are also options offered up to the player.

Besides 'Goal! Goal! Goal!' there is an arcade style drift racer called 'Neo Drift Challenge: New Technology". It is a time based drift racer wherein you get to choose your car, and race against the record times on tracks that telegraph upcoming curves, and detour points. The point of the game is to beat the records, and earn your place as top record holder. Visually it's not bad, but pixel in nature, and it does play very smoothly with highly reactionary/responsive controls.

Lastly, the OG 'Ganryu' makes it's return as the ninja style platformer akin to games like Shinobi. In it you get to play as a male or female ninja, each with their own set of abilities. As one or the other you make your way from right to left, and vertically as you dispatch constantly spawning enemies. The goal being to make it to the end, and beat the bosses lying in wait. It is a game graphically superior to the older Shinobi games, and makes it's mark as the only arcade action platformer in the bundle.

The Verdict ...

Having played each and every game in the collection I can say this is honestly the best I've seen from QUByte Interactive, yet. That's both a good and bad thing considering the game's included terms of service. This is not a game you'll own even if you pay for it. It could very well one day be ripped from your console library, and you'd have no say in the matter having agreed to the EULA which is mandatory before you can actually play the game. It is for this reason that I cannot recommend this game as a buy. 

Publishers and studios need to stop being greedy, and actually sell the games they sell. There's no reason players should pay anything for a license to play. There is no excuse for it. Any gamer who supports this kind of practice by paying for stuff they don't actually own are hurting the very hobby they are enjoying as are the studios and publishers. I have no doubt it's a part of the "You'll own nothing and be happy" campaign. I do not support it, and will never support any studio who locks away game ownership behind greedy terms of service. If they are going to go that route they might as well make everything they sell free to play.