Game:

Space Channel 5 (1999)

Category:

Show

Duration: 2:10:30

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Originally recorded: November 5, 2023
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Well, this stream definitely humbled me. Would you believe that I rearrange the order of the games I intended to play because I thought Space Channel 5 was going to be the shorter of the two? That thought has definitely backfired on me big-time.

Real talk: rhythm games are one of those genres that I enjoy... but I clearly lack the skills for high level play. I tend to prefer the ones that have a visual metronome to help you keep track of the rhythm. My experience with Rhythm Heaven on the DS taught me that, though I have to wonder if the reliance on touch controls was my *actual* Achilles' heel in that game. Regardless, in Space Channel 5, the visuals are little more than a distraction. It's your typical "call and response" gameplay where matching your inputs to the music is way more than anything happening on-screen. That being said, each response you input is on a "pass/fail" metric. Recite the rhythm perfectly and you pass. Screw up to any degree and it's a fail. While hearing that made me tense up, it's actually not as bad as it sounds.

I recall hearing a common refrain among the criticisms of modern examinations of the Dreamcast library: that the library is far too focused on recreating the experiences of the arcade for its own good, in an era when more robust experiences were steadily becoming the norm. SC5 reminded me of that statement... because this absolutely would've been a perfect arcade game for the era. Honestly, since the NAOMI itself was literally just the Dreamcast hardware, I wouldn't be surprised if someone dug up a Japan-exclusive cabinet that the internet somehow overlooked someday.

Basically, I ended up tapping out early on this session because I just didn't have the mental stamina to keep plugging away at the final stage. Honestly, that's probably the type of challenge that wears me down the most when it comes to this hobby. I managed to do well throughout most of the stage, even acing the first boss fight. But the second form -- apparently the hardest segment in the entire game -- keeps tripping me up. But I can't really practice it, because I have to go through the entire stage just to get back there... and by the time I make it that far, I've pretty much forgotten most of the experience from last time.

So, I called it quits before completing the game this time due to the sheer mental exhaustion of metaphorically ramming my head into a brick wall... but don't worry, I'll be back at it next time -- at the risk of destroying my remaining schedule. That being said, I've got a back-up plan just in case I can't overcome this final challenge. So even if I don't beat the game, I'll still be able to showcase the ending.

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