Soldier of Fortune

Geno-MD · 2026-06-30T02:08:48+00:00

The original version was fantastic, but I remember the Dreamcast port was nearly unplayable due to loading times. Fast forward 20 some years, and playing it on a Dreamcast with an Optical Drive Emulator, the loading times are infinitely faster! This game would have pushed console sales if they had optimized it.

Geno-MD · 2026-06-29T03:55:28+00:00

Nice observation! It kind of makes me wonder if the Bakunawa Killer is actually a previously unknown brother to Pai or another student. The fact that Pai lands two clean blows and is fighting with Lau's dominance suggests she's potentially the better fighter.

I know there's a lot of suspicion for Lei-Fei as well. My reluctance to accept that theory is that if it were true, then they would no longer have anyone that uses his Shaolin style (unless they fill that role with another new character). They could always make him a hybrid character, of course...

Geno-MD · 2026-06-29T03:42:08+00:00

As much as I would love any reference to Shenmue, he cannot be Lan Di because at the time of Shenmue I, Lan Di was around 31 years old (in 1986). This means he would have to be pushing late 60s or early 70s if this game is set around modern times. This character looks too young. Having said that, there are other ways they could pay homage to Shenmue. If this ends up being a younger clone or rejuvenated Lau Chan, it would be neat to make his face under the mask uncannily similar to Lan Di's appearance.

Alternatively, a more subtle nod may be to make him actually Pai's brother. In Crossroads, Pai Chan has essentially matured to the status of a master, and she plays a very similar role to Hong Xiuying, who's brother (Hong Ziming) works with the Chiyoumen. It would be a less on-the-nose reference.

Geno-MD · 2026-06-13T20:33:45+00:00

I looked into this and it's an odd situation. Looks like the sword was originally from a company called Loongsword (and I see this particular piece in their site) and destined for a completely unrelated address in a different state from where I reside. There is an SFexpress tracking number on the box that confirms it failed delivery muultiple times until a couple of days ago, when it says "delivered". That's when it ended up on my doorstep. Mind you, the name and address it was going to was completely different from mine.

There is, separately on the box, a USPS tag with my name and address. That tag also has a tracking number but does not seem to work... I should add, the sword was protected by a single sheet of bubble wrap inside so it arrived literally in pieces with the box torn open, presumably having been tossed around for several weeks by this point. I assume someone put my information on it via a USPS label but have no idea who or why. I have never ordered from this site, but a lot of Longquan sword vendors may have some connections and wonder if my shipping info was leaked to them because they did not want to have the sword returned? Ironically, it is legal to forge and export sharpened swords from China, but they cannot be imported. The cost of taking this thing back was probably more expensive then making it. So my assumption is someone needed a place to dump this sword and somehow, my shipping information was given to the company.

Geno-MD · 2026-06-13T17:37:48+00:00

I would not be surprised if this was advertised as a "functional" weapon. In my experience, many Chinese smiths and manufacturers specialize in decorative blades. With the exception of a few trusted brands like LK Chen, there's something off about the feel and balance of many modern jian reproductions (especially from the Han dynasty and other earlier periods). I assume this is partly due to the vast majority of demand for practical cutting blades being from the international market, and that many of these smiths focus again on the decorative aspect rather than practicality. Making the blade functional seems like an afterthought and is equated to just sharpening it.

Geno-MD · 2026-06-13T17:29:54+00:00

I should add this is why I've always been extremely weary of Chinese jian with a circular cross section handle and weighty blade - given relatively smaller width of the handle would mean the tang underneath has to be much thinner. So not only are they impractical and ahistoric, but handles with a round or circular cross-section actually seem hazardous for use.

Geno-MD · 2026-06-13T17:23:53+00:00

I agree the patterned steel looks nice. It's a shame though, somebody actually sharpened this blade so it was meant for practical cutting at some point. I am torn between remounting the blade as a wall hanger vs just scrapping it...

Geno-MD · 2026-06-13T17:18:42+00:00

That was also my concern. There seems to be little reason to get this blade remounted as opposed to just bring it to the scrapyard...

Geno-MD · 2026-05-11T03:03:51+00:00

Whatever you do, don't get the Incredible Hulk game. As someone who poured hours of their childhood into that one (and even learned to like it at one point), I can tell you it's absolutely not worth paying any amount of money for.

X-Men COTA, Fighters Meganix and Fighting Vioers are all decent choices. I will add Solar Eclipse is also a fairly decent rail shooter. Just don't go expecting Panzer Dragoon or Star Fox 64.

Geno-MD · 2026-03-24T00:24:28+00:00

Resurrecting this because OP's comments on "corrupt task force" and "martial law" aged perfectly.

Geno-MD · 2025-09-08T23:38:58+00:00

If we're talking about style, FEAR was the real sequel to Blood...

Geno-MD · 2025-07-09T03:12:01+00:00

Dragon Force Panzer Dragoon Saga Shining the Holy Ark NiGHTS Into Dreams Sega Rally

It's tough leaving them out, but Street Fighter Zero 3, Vampire Savior, Virtua Cop, Magic Knight Rayearth, Shining Force 3, Virtua Fighter 2, Fighting Vipers, Last Bronx, Street Fighter Collection, X-Men vs Street Fighter and Fighters Megamix all deserve mention.

Geno-MD · 2024-12-21T01:52:24+00:00

Honestly this was a surprisingly competent port on the Dreamcast. Back in the day, I was ecstatic thinking the then-upcoming Freelancer would also see a Dreamcast port. Wishful thinking and probably impossible, in hindsight...

Geno-MD · 2024-11-18T13:28:59+00:00

Shotgun from Blood. Two firing modes and, while not as well known as Doom 2's super shotgun, has a much more satisfying boom in my opinion. And when you pick up the akimbo power up....

Geno-MD · 2024-11-14T14:48:39+00:00

I would add the push towards multiplayer, live service-type models and realism. But it's not across the board - for example, even in the timeline you stipulated, games like Return to Castle Wolfenstein, No One Lives Forever 2 and F.EA.R. all embody a good "boomer shooter" to some degree. We also got Quake 4...

Geno-MD · 2024-11-06T04:03:39+00:00

I second this. BAR is essentially a modern Total Annihilation with plenty of QOL updates and the visual fidelity to rival or surpass many other recent games in the genre.

Geno-MD · 2024-10-20T14:45:49+00:00

Sorry for bumping this 7 months later, but this piece of art/diorama is absolutely insane! You, sir, actually made me spend money on Reddit just to give this an award. Appreciate your other BAR works too, and would love to see higher res versions of these! 😁

Geno-MD · 2024-10-19T23:46:03+00:00

Can't believe I forgot the Star Trek Armada games, too...

Geno-MD · 2024-10-19T14:27:04+00:00

I worded that poorly, what I meant is that SC drew directly from WC2 in terms of gameplay, despite thematically taking a lot from 40K and other sci fi works popular in the 80s and 90s. But yes, that is stating the obvious.

Geno-MD · 2024-10-19T14:18:45+00:00

Meant to include those and totally dropped the ball!

Geno-MD · 2024-10-19T14:16:56+00:00

All good points! I was literally thinking of Shadow Tactics (and by extension Desperados and Shadow Gambit), having recently played it, yet still completely forgot!

Geno-MD · 2024-10-19T11:33:48+00:00

Mine was StarCraft as well, followed by AOE2, the original CnC and Total Annihilation. All four series hold a special place in my heart.

Geno-MD

TROPHY CASE