Melpool Land

I really wish there was more to this one because on the surface, it’s quite the charmer. I get the impression there isn’t a single bad looking PC-98 game out there and this game is no exception to that assumption. Melpool Land seems like such a gorgeous, evocative world with fascinating characters from wildly different backgrounds, but a sampler of a game like this isn’t enough to make any of that sing. It’s a cute bonus alongside other things, but it still feels like it could offer so much more. As it is, it's a game worth playing for its gorgeous visuals and not much else. At least it'll only take you about 6 minutes!

Wirehead

Wirehead should aspire to be the most game-y game movie out there, but it never quite wants to fully commit to the bit. There's chuckle worthy moments here and there thanks to the acting, but most of the game really does end up playing itself straight and the story wraps up in a disappointingly quick and clean way. It's a game that I would say is still worth experiencing (ideally with save states or that cheat code in tow) since it's a vestige of the past that serves as the capstone to a fascinating part of Sega's history, but if you're looking for something to howl with laughter at at or for a strange buried treasure that nobody talks about but is actually really good, it's not going to satisfy either of those desires.

Stellar Assault

Stellar Assault is a game that makes a great case for the 32X - it's gorgeous, technically impressive, robust in its features, and plays very solidly. The action is smooth and exciting while also being easy to get into and there was tons of care put into its visuals, both in the personality of the ships and how the beauty and vastness of space is depicted. The 32X isn't a console that gets much love at all, but Stellar Assault is the kind of game that'll make you re-evaluate its place in history and learn to think of it as more than just a "failure"...