Deep Dives and Retro Vibes: Introducing Generation Gap Gaming
“I like playing the retro games, really big into like NES, Sega Genesis, Sega CD, that’s my jam right now”.
Tyler shared that his son, Blake, is following in his footsteps by studying computer engineering in college and has even created his own successful VR games. Although Tyler’s interest remains firmly planted in the nostalgic roots of gaming, he acknowledges how much gaming has evolved. The conversation touched upon the difficulty of games from that era, noting that if you don’t beat a game like D within the two-hour real-time timer, you simply have to start over. Tyler also mentioned that some of his recent video content occasionally includes horror games, especially around October, though his main focus remains retro titles. He did mention that he produced a video about the Nightmare on Elm Street NES game, which, unlike some other horror titles, was strongly based on the Dream Warriors movie.
Before Resident Evil: The True Terror of D
“It’s kind of one of the early survival horror genres type of games. Going back and playing it now realizing how much it scared me back then, it’s kind of hilarious because if you look at the graphics now it’s very primitive”.
The focus of this episode was the 1995-1996 title D, a predecessor to the famous Resident Evil franchise. Developed by Warp Inc. and published by Acclaim, D is an early survival horror game that plays more like a point-and-click adventure or interactive movie. The graphics, described as “very primitive” early 3D with polygon figures, were still impressive for the 3DO and PlayStation era.
The game centers on Laura Harris, who travels to a hospital in Los Angeles after her prominent doctor father goes on a berserk killing spree. Laura is then teleported into an ancient, locked castle, where she must solve puzzles to escape and figure out what is going on. The host noted that the game remains genuinely creepy, especially if played alone in the dark with headphones, citing the solid voice acting and genuinely scary vibes it offered at the time. The game mechanics involve solving exploration-based puzzles similar to Myst, including finding items like scarab beetles that trigger story flashbacks. One tricky puzzle encountered during the play-through involved a safe that required a complicated two-part combination based on movement increments.
The Vampire Bloodline and Appalachian Lore
“It has a cult following now. I think it was bigger in Japan than it was here, but it still holds up pretty well today”.
As the game progressed, Tyler revealed the dark secret behind the title. The letter “D” stands for Dracula, as Laura Harris and her father are descendants of the infamous vampire. Laura’s father went on his murderous rampage intending to become a full vampire. Through flashbacks triggered by the scarab beetles, Laura learns the shocking truth: she herself killed her mother growing up during a vampire rage and had suppressed the memory. At the game’s climax, the player is faced with a choice: shoot the father to stop the bloodline or not, leading to multiple endings. Finding all four scarabs in the game is necessary to unlock the true ending. Interestingly, the character of Laura Harris was an early attempt to create a “virtual actress,” and she appeared in the sequel, D’s Nuts, and another unrelated third game.
The conversation also included a fun tangent into local West Virginia legends, specifically the tale of Mamie Thurman, a local fixture in Logan County campfire stories. Tyler explained how his family still uses the legend, including the famous optical illusion on 22 Mountain where a car appears to roll uphill when put into neutral.
Ready to watch the guys navigate creepy castles, solve bizarre puzzles, and discuss everything from Golden Eye to My Thurman? Hit play on the original video below to see them tackle the difficult challenge of D and uncover its deep, dark secrets!
