Batch 20 and Monthly Theme Report for May
Conquered a lot of games in this batch. I now only have two gift games I haven’t played yet. This was a great theme idea! Somehow this batch ended up being heavily titled toward puzzle games. So the next things I play are probably going to break from that unless they are short! :)
This game is a spin on the classic puzzle where you have a set of movable blocks in a grid that only leaves a few open spaces to slide them around in the attempt to unscramble a picture or pattern sequence. However in B2 you only have to arrange same-color blocks so that they all connect. And while that may sound pretty easy -- and is at Level 1-- it gets a lot more tricky when new kinds of blocks are introduced: blocks permanently fixed to a position, multiple blocks that are not connected but move in tandem, blocks that form chains moving like a caterpillar, rolling blocks whose color is what is currently face up, blocks that are only movable after the same color touches them, "hypnosis" blocks that make color blocks immobile if they touch them, and sticky blocks that can only be moved by blocks attached to them and have to be peeled off using other surfaces. Combine a bunch of these and you can have a real head-spinner in front of you. Not to mention some puzzles are so tightly packed or have blocks with such odd shapes that getting enough space to move larger ones is very challenging. There's also a bonus win scenario called "illumination" where the color blocks are arranged properly but also cover three glyphs on the puzzle. This usually involves quite a bit more experimentation to position the blocks correctly.
I did most of these on my own, but there were many where I had to go to a guide because I didn't want to spend hours trying to figure them out. The game can be a little frustrating in that regard, but there's also a means of skipping a puzzle if it's too hard so you can come back to it later.
If you like puzzle games I highly recommend this, although it will take a LONG time to finish if you are a completionist. The main game has 10 levels and 160 puzzles, but there is also a "Basics" section that adds 144 more, albeit less challenging puzzles. I didn't bother finishing them because after 27 hours I had my fill! However at a retail price of $7.99 USD you more than get your money's worth even when not on sale.
Initially tried this some years ago and put it down after an hour or so, but I always felt a nagging need to return to it. Now I know why. I was drawn to the story but wasn't in the right head-space at the time to give it the attention it deserved. I'm glad I finally returned to it. It's like an episode from a science-fiction TV series. The game even references Star Trek in banter. The Consortium is a multi-national peace-keeping force. You are a type of Special Ops officer aboard one of its command ships (the Zenlil) in the year 2042. You are also harboring a secret -- you are actually a person on present-day Earth playing a VR video game that has replaced the mind of this officer unbeknownst to the crew. The plot then leaves you to navigate events as best you can as the ship is thrown into the middle of a raging political conflict between multiple factions and the omnipresent Consortium A.I. known as "The King".
There's a lot of exploration, talking, investigation, and some FPS play during combat sequences, complete with inventory and a few different kinds of weapons to swap between. It also has wide-ranging choices in the branching narrative. Your decisions really do matter here. And that makes it pretty intriguing because if you are enjoying the story you'll want to go back to see how alternative choices play out. It's definitely worth a play-through if you enjoy story-rich games, and it's not a massive time sink since a single run will probably be about 4-5 hours if you don't stop to backtrack. The voice acting is a little uneven with some actors doing a much better job than others, but overall the characters hit their marks well and are both engaging and interesting.
Fair warning, though. The game ends on an unavoidable cliffhanger that's a setup for the next title Consortium: The Tower, which is currently in Early Access! :)
Played this one as a free title I got through my PSN Plus membership (but is also available on Steam). This game is another gorgeous walking simulator from the same team that made Dear Esther. However this title has a lot more story going for it as you wander through the idyllic village of Yaughton in Shropshire, England, where the town's residents have all vanished. The story plays out as you encounter points where re-enactments of events are triggered to show the experiences of five different people involved in the story. At the center of it all is Steven and Kate, a scientist couple who work at the radio telescope observatory nearby and may in fact be responsible for setting into motion the reason behind the disappearances.
In addition to the obviously beautiful sightseeing tour, the story is fairly good in large part due to the quality of writing, the excellent soundtrack, and the voice talent that brings the characters to life. Only voices are used here. People are represented as figures giving the vaguest impressions of their physical selves. The tale is appropriately bittersweet as it focuses more on the personal relationships between the characters and the effect the unfolding events has on them as their family, friends and neighbors grow more skeptical of official explanations and succumb to the "vanishing". While clearly not everyone's type of game, for those who enjoy the discovery a story piece-by-piece in a non-linear fashion it's a nice experience to get lost in. It's playable in 3-4 evenings, exploring around one area per session.
As a side note, many people take issue with the slow speed of the player's movement. Holding down R2 on your controller (or Shift on your KB) will ramp up movement from a walk to a jog. This feature was not published in the game control description and will help cut time somewhat. Despite this, EGttR will still be a sticking point with anyone who isn't patient with the pace it sets.
A great first-person puzzle game from the creators of Myst and Riven. The game play is quite similar but with a full 3D environment, no "hot spot" hunting, and a new story in a different setting. You are almost immediately transported to an odd world that looks like a part of the Arizona desert has been transplanted into a bubble on an alien world. And it turns out you are the most recent in a long line of abductees from Earth spanning nearly 200 years. But what is the intention of your captors? And where is everyone else? It looks like people have been living there for a long time with something resembling normal lives -- albeit rustic -- based on the things left behind. It's your job to solve the various mechanical puzzles that will open new areas, rooms, and ... other places ... containing clues about what it going on. Overall a fun game with challenging puzzles, but nothing that you can't figure out with experimentation and keeping track of anything interesting you come across. Fortunately there is an in-game camera that helps in this regard since you don't have an inventory. Want to remember something you saw? A code, some notes, a map? Take a picture of it. The only problem I had with this game was that trying to do it with my Vive left me feeling queasy in a very short amount of time, so I gave up on that. Which is too bad.
This game was a gift from a co-worker that I helped with a major project. Thanks, Donna! :)
A simple but fun game. Basically a parkour-style "race to the next location" maze where each new goal is revealed when you hit the button marking the latest goal. The maze never changes, so you can get more familiar with where to go and improve your time, which is necessary for unlocking some of the achievements. Also each ground section will turn color once when you first touch it, marking places you've already been. This is for tracking on other achievements. Despite the fact that the game is short and is the same thing on each run, it still quite enjoyable going through several times to get a better score. It doesn't pretend to be anything else and the simplicity is refreshing.
This game was a surprise gift from a SG user I don't remember who liked the fact that I gave away a lot of good games.
Much like it's predecessor, this game is visually gorgeous and intriguing. Continuing the story from where it left off, you are tasked with solving not just puzzle boxes but whole rooms that the puzzle boxes sit in. As the player it appears you have no choice as these rooms are linked and there is no way to go backward. Prodded on by the notes of a mysterious traveler who might be just ahead of you somewhere, you'll ponder all kinds of devices, switches, hidden compartments and secret messages that help you solve each space bit-by-bit. The game is fun and short, especially with the hint system turned on. There's no penalty for that, but if you want more of a challenge turn the hints off in the Options menu. And once you've made it to the end, ponder what other deviousness must certainly await when The Room Three is released!
Many thanks to Downward Concept who gifted this to me! :D
I'm all for giving a new spin on old ideas a try. But in the course of around two hours of play I missed the charm that so many others found in Undertale. More's the pity, too, since it was a gift from over a year ago from a fellow SG user. I was trying for the Pacifist play-through and didn't quite finish the Snowdin level, often having to refer to a guide about how to beat certain enemies without attacking them. It's cute, I'll give it that. But the repetition and monotony of the random encounters using the "avoid getting hit" mini-game burned through my good will and patience. Perhaps I should have given it more of a chance, but finally gave up because I really wasn't enjoying it like I thought I would. :(
I’ve been flip-flopping on whether to keep Obduction on my wishlist or not, but you’ve convinced me! On it stays.
There’s always something sad about not liking a Big Popular game like most other people seem to, but I wouldn’t push yourself and I think it’s good you dropped Undertale when you did. I think you gave it a fair shake.
Whenever Consortium comes up, I’m always reminded of the fact that Bishop 6 was originally a character for Cavedog Entertainment’s (devs of Total Annihilation) cancelled “Amen: The Awakening” game (music). But as much as I was looking forward to playing Amen way back then, I’ve still never gotten around to playing Consortium. I’m glad to hear it’s enjoyable though, despite the relatively low-budget appearance! :) (Amen was likely a completely different type of game, though – the flash web site that was up before the game’s release set it at Christmas Eve in the future, just before an outbreak of some sort of virus (i.e. zombies?) – awesomely, the flash site updated as if it was in-universe, with parts of the site getting destroyed as the outbreak became worse – (a producer talking about that here).)
I’m also a little underwhelmed thus far with Undertale, but I don’t think I’m very far in. I’m hoping it’ll get better, but it’s nice to read a dissenting opinion about it, so that I’m not constantly wondering “am I just completely missing something?!” :)
Thank you also for your impressions on Obduction and Refunct – been keeping a watchful eye on those two for some time now!
P.S. The Room 3 is already out on mobile, and continues the series’s excellence! And The Room 4 (Old Sins) also released very recently – I haven’t played that one yet…
I also enjoyed consortium. As you say, it’s not a long game, and my last few runs were only a few hours each, as I knew the conversations. But I think it’s better that it’s shorter, so you can play through multiple times quite easily. I loved how your personality and actions directly impacted how people responded to you. It’s also a rare game that has a combat mechanic but has it completely optional, which is something I always love in games, as it just feels more realistic. Not every situation needs to be solved with mass genocide. It’s probably not a game everyone will enjoy and it’s indie qualities won’t please everyone, but as far as branching narratives go, it’s one of the best and I really look forward to playing the sequel, which will allegedly be a longer game.
I enjoyed Undertale, but wholeheartedly agree that the mini-game combat was awful. I slogged through it and was glad that I did, since the story was rewarding, but I can understand why it drove you away.
Nice progress!
Annnd Blockwick 2 and Obduction are now on my wishlist, thank you for posting about them :)