Posted 20 Apr 2015 Transistor is a masterpiece and i love it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 20 Apr 2015 I love transistor a lot, but I feel like bastion had the better gameplay. Both were great, and transistor certainly didn't fall flat, I just feel like the game is more about its themes and style than its gameplay. The ideas were creative, but I guess they just weren't my thing. But pausing time to kill things is always cool Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 21 Apr 2015 I actually felt like the time pausing mechanic was fairly unique, enough so that I wouldn't group it with other similar mechanics. Typically a time stop/bullet time mechanic is used to get a free kill, or even a lot of free kills, has a time limit on your decision, and frankly, doesn't have a lot of strategy involved, because it's supposed to be a shortcut, and sometimes it's to test your reflexes and target acquisition. Transistor's implementation felt like a true twist on turn-based RPG combat in an action RPG implementation, which they probably realized themselves, having named the function Turn(). It's a complex mix of simple components. You have resources, attacks, timing, and most importantly, spacing. And it is still solidly turn-based. I really like what they did with it, especially in that you can undo actions, but I feel like it's so specific to the game that other games might not have much room to try and implement something similar because people would always compare it to Transistor. But I wouldn't mind a game that has that mechanic in the setting where you're fighting against someone else with a Turn() ability, though I can see why they didn't have more of those. Those fights were a little frustrating. I've yet to play Bastion though now I'm certainly interested in doing so. My confidence in this team's ability is quite high now. T1g likes this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 4 May 2015 Just completed The Swapper. I don't know if it's because I already think about this stuff often but I couldn't get properly mindblown by the implications of the plot's premise, which is disappointing to me. I still give it props for having a really interesting and unique premise. It's a good example of a game that might give you an existential quandary if you're not used to these ideas. The ship's name is even Theseus, which is a heavy nod towards the thought experiment that the game's premise is somewhat strongly connected to. (I say somewhat because it's less of a question of reconstruction and and more of consciousness, but I guess the theme of "originality" ties it in better) I actually would have preferred they delved into that a little better, because after realizing the implications of what you're doing it kind of wears off and you see the clones more as tools than philosophical conflicts really quickly. It's like a really oppressive and lonely-feeling Portal. I've heard it compared to things like Primer, Moon, Metroid, and 2001, and yeah I can definitely see that. I would also say it probably has inspiration from Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee, because that game also has a similar look and feel and involves possessing enemies. The art style is also really cool. Each model was physically sculpted out of clay and then ported into the game. This is really good for the environments and props, especially with the amazingly skillful use of lighting, but kind of makes the character models suffer. They look kind of goofy, which makes it hard to take the cut scenes seriously. If I were to have any major complaint I would say that the cut scenes lack feeling and drama. This is probably because there aren't really very many unique animations, and they render the cut scenes in engine, so everyone else (that looks exactly like you) moves in the same goofy way as when you're just running around, turn on a dime in the same goofy way you do, and don't really have unique emotional identifiers in how they react to things. There should have been a difference in between how the game feels when you're puzzling and when shit is going down. The animations are designed for mechanics, not for an engaging story. I would have preferred prerendered cut scenes, but I realize that would be hard when everything's clay. It's just that if the cut scenes were say, in first person, then it would involve the viewer more, because this game's themes are ultimately about conflicts you should be feeling first-hand. I think it would really have improved the experience to change the presentation of the cut scenes. It would make them hit harder. It already uses the notion of a helmeted nameless character to give yourself something to project onto, but drops the ball in following through on it. The cut scenes are a very small portion of the game though. I'm just frustrated because they could have gone from good to devastatingly good. Like destroy-your-sense-of-self good. If the cut scenes were all as amazing, dynamic, and emotional as this one frame in the trailer, this game might be a masterpiece and achieve classic status immediately. The game is somewhat minimal on plot which is fine because what they do with it works. Most of the game is composed of puzzles. The puzzles' difficulty curve is perfect. Just right. By the end you'll be stuck as hell on something that looks simple, but not because they expect you do do something that might as well be an exploit. The game world is actually quite large and sprawling. Something annoying is that depending on your location in the ship, the map rotates. This has gotten me lost and disoriented multiple times, so I do think it's a design flaw. You can get lost so easily, and sometimes it's quite hard to know where you're supposed to go next. I would definitely recommend this game to someone who was looking for a unique, well-designed experience. It's about four hours long, so it's also short and sweet. I'm just disappointed that it had potential it didn't fulfill. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 5 May 2015 Ahhh fr*ck like I just imagined this game's narrative was in first person and the conflict becomes a confusion over whether there are even different characters. Whether you're not just trapped in someone else's body but you can't even take off your space suit to check. Sent chills down my spine. That would be intense. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 9 May 2015 I, as well as Eka, have been taking part in the Splatoon Global Testfire, which is basically a demo launch they are doing, which I assume they are doing to make some tweaks to their netcode to make it better. Best way to test a large online multiplayer system is to give it a trial by fire. But yeah I have played a few rounds and it rocks. The demo doesn't let you play with friends sadly but whatever. I will more than likely buy it when it comes out. I don't plan on preloading it though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 10 May 2015 Why am I just now noticing the tripod threading on the Wii U gamepad? pheonix561 likes this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 14 May 2015 I love this game Cassandra likes this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 15 May 2015 I almost bought that game yesterday. It was in my hand at gamestop. Probs gonna get it soon tbh. Been eyeing it for a hot second. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 15 May 2015 It is the most anime thing you will ever play Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 15 May 2015 It reminds me of Gurren Lagann. Which I adore. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 15 May 2015 I picked up Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow again after the Super Best Friends (Liam and Matt this time, like in the ol' Best Friends Vania videos) started a full LP. This is honestly one of my favourite Castlevania games. I love all the RPG elements that Metroid lacks, and I love the level design as well. Everything feels good. It's fun, tough, and its... a GOOD OL' TIME. Agent Zako likes this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 15 May 2015 (edited) So a while ago, I bought a PS Vita, loved it, became bored with hit, sold it for $55, and now I just bought a used Borderlands PS Vita Slim bundle for $135. I really do think that the PS Vita is perfect in terms of hardware. I wish Nintendo could make something this cool. I hope I don't get ripped off by the used PS Vita. I've never dealt with used electronics via an online marketplace. Hopefully it's not too terrible, although it probably is Edited 15 May 2015 by L.L. Bean's Menswear (see edit history) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 15 May 2015 Well, the main reason the Vita failed is because its too expensive to develop for, combined with the actual price of the handheld itself means that making a game for it that isn't a port of something will almost certainly be sold at a loss Pizzza likes this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
