The Typing of the Dead

Tonight I started playing The Typing of the Dead for Sega Dreamcast. I actually got the game two years ago and played it some at the time, but I didn’t beat it. It got put away and I hadn’t played it for a while…until tonight.

If you don’t know what the game is, it’s based on House of the Dead 2. But you don’t use guns or even a regular controller; you use the Dreamcast keyboard. To shoot at enemies, you type the words, phrases, or sentences that pop up on-screen. Type fast enough and you’ll kill the zombies and advance. Too slow and you’ll be dead meat. It is an odd combination for sure.

Well, I had a problem when I first tried playing tonight. The Dreamcast didn’t seem to recognize my keyboard! Even though I hadn’t used it in two years, I kept it in its original box safe and sound. I started to disassemble the keyboard to see if anything was obviously wrong, and before I was done, I started up the Dreamcast again. This time, it recognized the keyboard and started up normally. So I put the screws back in the keyboard. But then it didn’t recognize it again! Ugh! So I just turned the system off and on a couple times and then it worked again.

The Typing of the Dead - Sega Dreamcast screenshotI played the arcade mode, which has six levels. I actually got to the boss of the fifth level, which is pretty good for not playing it in so long. I guess I’m a fairly good typist, but I’m going to have to improve some more if I’m going to beat the game.

The game does have other modes besides the arcade mode though, so I’ll be giving them all a try in the coming days.

Finished Sonic Adventure

Tonight I finished Sonic Adventure for Sega Dreamcast.

Sonic Adventure - endingI certainly didn’t get 100% of all the emblems, but I’m not trying to, either. I usually only try for 100% of everything on games that I really love. Sonic Adventure is good, but not great. It has some awkward camera problems, where the camera can even get stuck beneath the floor that you’re standing on! And some of the characters seem completely useless…I’m looking at you, Big the Cat.

I’ll be writing my review for the game soon, but I’m probably not going to upload it immediately. Since the Dreamcast section of JVGS will be new, I’d like to launch it with more than just one review. Ideally, I’d have three, but I may just launch it after I get two reviews. The next game I’m going to work on will probably be The Typing of the Dead…even if it is a bit late for Halloween.

That’s all for now.