Preview on Promo / Demo Disc Part I: Dreamcast -56k Warining

[dj898]

These were posted on this forum few years back but when it moved to new server these never made across. I thought I lost them for good till I found the back up copies on my old PC. Hope you guys find these amusing read...

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As some of you know I've finally picked up most of my demo/promo disc
from my old place... I've been sorting through and seeing there are quite number of demo disc for Dreamcast I thought I will put up some interesting titbit after playing one by one...

Shenmue II Demo

first one would be Shenmue II Demo disc.
I don't remember when I get this disc but it would've been before Shenmue II's launch in Japan. Thing is I didn't even have DC back then so why? :-D

anyway on with the demo.
It's rolling demo with recorded video instead of actual game play. Interesting thing is it shows the very beginning of the game/FMV where the ship is sailing into HK harbour in night time instead of day time. Most of FMV are pretty much the same but there are few difference here and there... another interesting bit about the beginning of the game is where you go and see these two brothers drinking during day time... well in the demo it's much more like early night and Ryu is sitting at the table when one of the guy smashed the bottle... the rest of demo shows things I haven't gone that far in retail Shenmue II so I can't comment what are the difference...

http://img150.exs.cx/img150/1320/dsc000502rq.jpg
*beginning of FMV at night time???
http://img150.exs.cx/img150/1873/dsc000516vd.jpg
*sorry about the bad picture ^ ^;

demo itself is around 5+ min long and after done repeats itself over and over again... we know Berkley Project shows Shenmue in different ways before it became Shenmue... this demo disc also shows the what might's been with Shenmue II...

I will be updating with other demo if I find one interesting...

cheers


[EDIT] alright some of you are having problem loading the page...
here's the close up photo of disc.

http://img139.exs.cx/img139/2074/dsc000325rq.jpg

[dj898]

Maboroshi Tsukiyo Demo

now the 2nd review is Maboroshi Tsukiyo Demo disc.
This is adventure/novel released by sims and has rather interesting story compared to other adventure/novels...

the story revolves around the main character who happen to live in with a ghost. that's right a ghost - rather pretty little one at that. :-D she's a ghost of main character's grandfather and died some 70 years ago but has been searching for him not realising she's already dead and mistook our hero(?) as her long lost lover... anyway I haven't played too long - about 40 mins or so and it's rather amusing story so far... also this demo disc seems to be pretty complete except Save/Load is disabled and there's usual warning that this is the work in progress and the retail game might be different slightly...

it's heavy with Japanese as most other adventures and mainly consist of static pictures...
if you are into this sort of genre this would be interesting title to pick up... however seeing there's no walkthrough available it would be challenging unless you are good with Japanese...

now here's the close up picture of the disc itself...
http://img150.exs.cx/img150/7602/dsc000368kq.jpg

cheers

p.s. if I can spare time I will do Shokora: Maid Cafe Curio Demo next... ^_^

[dj898]

Dreamcast Promotion Disk

well didn't get to play Shokora but instead played a disc titled Dreamcast Promotion Disk by Sega???

This is the first demo disc not compatible with VGA. and it is yet another disc I long forgotten about till recently. :-D
It contains Aero Dancing promo and trial demo, Buggy Heat demo and Blue Stinger promo video. The main topic here is Blue Stinger as you all know Aero Dancing and Buggy Heat...

It's interesting that the monsters in Blue Stinger was designed by the same guy who did for ET? Shame really as this being one of worst DC title... the promo shows four different versions of promo video and funny thing is each one looks virtually identical to the earlier one... :p The final video is the full length intro FMV which is rather nice eye candy... however even in those promo video you can see the flaws of Blue Stinger... ironic the guys behind the game boost the players will be blown away - well we did blown away... at how awful the game is... heh

again here's the close up shot of disc.
http://img139.exs.cx/img139/5430/dsc000372ta.jpg

cheers
p.s. hmm... I can't seem to find my copy of Shokora Demo - only the sealed one for a buyer... :-(
When I do find mine will do its review...

[dj898]

Seaman Promo DVD

this isn't strictly Dreamcast promo but PS2 promo DVD they did before PS2 release. However this is too funny to pass up. :-D

basically this is parody of news segment where they talk about the Seaman and its origin... they weaved with some fake & not so fake information plus some location shootings to conjure this Seaman as a kind of myth... :-D

probably these screen shots will tell better than I would...

http://img97.exs.cx/img97/9180/dsc000462oe.jpg
http://img97.exs.cx/img97/7775/dsc000412on.jpg
http://img97.exs.cx/img97/5041/dsc000451wi.jpg
http://img97.exs.cx/img97/5319/dsc000420sm.jpg
http://img97.exs.cx/img97/969/dsc000472mk.jpg
http://img97.exs.cx/img97/3351/dsc000444ix.jpg

here's the close up photo of disc.
http://img97.exs.cx/img97/7499/dsc000483rj.jpg

cheers
p.s. still no sign of Shokora demo... @_@
Hope I didn't accidentally send out to someone... T^T

[dj898]

Shokora: maid cafe curio Demo

well this is going to be bump review as not only I finally located my copy of demo Shokora but I also reviewed Dream Preview vol. 5...
This is an adventure by Alchemist in line of other long line of adventures/novels on DC.
It's heavy on text obviously but does have nice character designs... bit a typical if I may... ^ ^;
You are put in charge of Cafe Curio while your dad is on three month honeymoon leaving you in charge of the cafe as well as sort out your new sister and etc. To make thing complicated you met a girl who ran away from home and allow her to work at the cafe...
so the story goes...

this is definitely something for dire hard adventure fans and unless you are good with Japanese it will be no fun as there're tons of text to read thru...
here're the pictures of each main character...
http://img150.exs.cx/img150/6048/dsc000539cu.jpg
http://img150.exs.cx/img150/588/dsc000541tx.jpg
http://img150.exs.cx/img150/900/dsc000551nl.jpg
http://img150.exs.cx/img150/9757/dsc000561tj.jpg
http://img150.exs.cx/img150/9172/dsc000576ql.jpg
http://img150.exs.cx/img150/5192/dsc000580ui.jpg
http://img150.exs.cx/img150/2443/dsc000597ah.jpg
http://img150.exs.cx/img150/9499/dsc000603tt.jpg

and a fan service (http://img150.exs.cx/img150/3079/dsc000612zm.jpg) ^ ^;
*kanako taking shower at your place after... ?!

and obligatory close up shot of the disc.
http://img150.exs.cx/img150/2146/dsc000628wu.jpg

[dj898]

Dream Preview vol. 5

this is yet another collection of rolling demo and CM... also another disc not VGA compatible... _ _;
This disc contains the preview/rolling demo of coming soon titles and was released in May 1999.
One interesting feature of the disc is collection of CM for various titles and as you know those Japanese CM are as wacky as they can get... :p

here's the close up of the disc.
http://img150.exs.cx/img150/5067/dsc000632ld.jpg

cheers

p.s. this will be the last review I will do for a while... if I find another interesting demo will add but for now this will do till 2005! :-D

[mills]

awesome!

[Borman]

Damn, nice shenmue 2 demo. Id love to have that and record the video of it :| Any clue how much one goes for (not necessarily yours, but in general :P)

[dj898]

no idea mate
Got mine back in 2000-2001 and haven't followed the import scene for a year two...