A young group of teens decide to spend a night on a nearby island, however rebelliously innocent this may at first appear, all is not well beneath the surface as tensions arise from the various traumas that each character bears. Grief is very much poignant in their relations and sours a number of friendships. As they explore the island & are thrown into a supernatural event their dramas unfold, as each character is exposed to the stress of the situation. Oxenfree is not only a horror game but also fits into the genre of character drama. By isolating the characters & placing them in a situation where they face an existential crisis, is a staple of literature and film & is used to good effect here as well. The tensions between the characters are shown early on in the game, however the reasons for this are only slowly revealed. The narrative is forced to carry two stories, one for the present events and another that reveals a past tragedy that shapes the present.This slows the pace & the game suffers, making some players bored. This slowness is ameliorated somewhat by the brilliant characterization. From the superb voice acting to the dialogue trees that form as responses each character is unique in their speech The environments themselves are actually 2.5D & can be moved around using the keyboard. Alex also uses her radio to solve various puzzles by tuning into different frequencies. Finding out the correct frequency to progress, is the primary puzzle mechanic. A map is available to navigate around the island & Alex will scrawl objective notes on it to help the player recall where they are meant to go. Crossing the areas look they will take some time, because walking is quite slow. Despite it’s slow pacing it is a masterwork of character interaction and dialogue and cleverly espouses its themes of concealment, entrapment & the desire to be set free & escape A full version of this review can be found at https://virtualvisions.home.blog/2019/03/29/oxenfree-pc/
As with it's predecessor The Chains of Satinav, the first thing that will strike you about Memoria is the gorgeously rendered art. The illustrated style is beautiful and every bit as suited to the narrative, as it is to the concept of traditional fantasy. The animations are smoother and more realistic than in Chains of Satinav, and the transitions are more realistic. The orchestral soundtrack is wonderful, its not overpowering and does not detract attention from the gameplay or environmental sounds. The voice-acting is particularly pleasant and the actors they have chosen are very good, (in English, I'm not sure of other language localizations) carrying across their characters emotions in a sincere and convincing way. In other titles, Daedalic have hinted at their capacity to tell stories well, and here in Memoria, they have reached a pinnacle. Each character is distinctly realized, and stay true to their motivations. The narrative itself is both an interesting interpretation of the quest story, whilst also introducing the Dark Eye setting. Less lore is revealed in this game than its predecessor, but what is revealed is done in small sections that are quick and easy to assimilate letting the story continue without getting distracred bo too many details. In addition the intertwining narratives are skillfully executed, both Geron's and Sadja's quests mesh well together and the juxtaposition and movement between the two is executed well, without becoming dull or uninteresting. The gameplay is amazingly logical. There are a few moments where you will be surprised at the combination of items, but on the whole, the interaction between objects+world is surprisingly easy and consistent. Where the game does throw a curveball though is in the environmental puzzles, as these may become quite tricky to resolve, especially if you haven't paid attention to the clues from dialogue and scattered about the environment. This is most definitely a game that encourages observation.
Samorost 2 is gorgeously whimsical. From the character designs and animations to the landscapes that range from what appears to be grunge sewers to a Lewis Carrol like forest. The narrative, to rescue your stolen dog, is formulaic at the beginning but the 2nd half of the game, the struggle to return home, leads the story away from the classic archetypes into it's own moments of brilliance. The best thing about Samorost 2 is that it also doesn't have ridiculous puzzles, as with so many flash or adventure "point n click" games. Samorost makes sense, which was refreshingly original. It isn't long which is the biggest flaw, but it is most definitely worth a purchase!
Avadon is a homage to isometric rpg's that predate Baldur's Gate and the grand era of Black Isle. However it does improve and update on those mechanics in that it gives the player many more options on how to interact with them. The graphics are simple and often fail to convey atmosphere. This is due primarily to the matt colour choice and simplified palette. Many props are reused in multiple areas and so fail to give areas a distinct feeling, despite variations in layout. The character sprites however are well animated and move in a natural manner. The gameplay itself is strongly turnbased (even though you have the option to play without pause). However the strategic elements of combat mean that you will of necessity be leaving it as turn-based. Battles are varied enough and the game scales well. The game requires long term planning and not just battle strategy as bosses are often encountered near the end after normal mobs when resources are more scarce. Questing tends to be fairly linear and most sidequests can be completed alongside the main quest with little deviation from the main pathline. Only a few sidequests require additional exploration. The quests themselves are not very diverse yet are varied enough to not be repetitive. The characters are forgettable, and their individual stories not particularly interesting, which is a pity as it lead to less player engagement as roleplaying is simplified. Something particularly irksome in an RPG. However the main quest is compelling and interesting. It uses choices that are often morally grey and explores how choices affect various groups in positive or negative ways. I'd recommend this game only to people who enjoy the genre itself it is not a game that lends itself to new players of the genre. It is mainly for those who require a nostalgia kick, or who are interested in seeing what narratives in games can be capable of
otanicula is a wonderous game. Not only is it an elegiac fable against the forces of entropy (or just plain ol' good vs evil/life vs death) but it's quirky and cute and utterly gorgeous to experience. The art work is beautifully rendered with a soft glow to it that makes the game feel almost dreamlike. The seeds you control as well as the myriad strange creatures you encounter all have distinct and unique personalities that burst through their designs. The audio is truly delightful, with sharp changes in sound as you enter new areas, and not to mention the amusing noises you will hear upon interacting in various ways. The gameplay itself is fluid and smooth, the game works very well as a point n click adventure and the animations integrate seamlessly with the movement of the mouse. The puzzles themselves are not particularly difficult but do show some measure of increasing difficulty and near the end require you to recall a fair amount of information from the interconnected areas in order to succesfully solve them. They do also allow for multiple puzzles to be worked upon at once, which gives the player some freedom to solve them in the order they choose, rather than be stuck on one and stop playing in frustration. Highly, highly recommend this game. Well worth the money despite it's shortness. Whether you purchase to play with a child or just to appease the own child within.
is a visual narrative that has relatively few options to choose dialogue or choose consequences. There is also no roll over to next games in the series, so this is essentialy an interactive reading experience. For this it is still worth it though. The dialogue is well written, and conveys the story in a meaningful way whilst retaining the character's personalities. There are occassions of info dumps, however these are cleverly framed within the context of the story itself as either flashbacks or via a special ability that one character possesses. The focus of the story itself is not so much on the primary characters though but rather on a set of subsidiary characters, and explores the background of Rune and her brother as well as the society in which the two protagonists actually find themselves. The pacing is clearly going to be quite slow for the series, especially since the game is prone to some expositions, which is a pity as the game does have an encyclopedia for additional information that it tends to underutilise. the artwork is quite lovely, however some of the scenes, particularly the animated scenes, seem to have the characters depicted slightly differently which can be a little annoying. The characters each havea range of emotional stances that will flash across the scene and for the most part these are quite believable and well done. Even the "emotionless" stances still manage to have slight quirks to them, to convey difference in character. The ability to move quickly through the text is achieved through rotating the mouse wheel, and a skip dialogue button is available as well, if you want to jump to a scene quickly. Despite some of the flaws in the mechanics and visual exposition, the story is an excellent one with some really interesting world building and moves towards exploring some important issues. Although little development has occured with the main characters, there is enough to keep you interested for the 2nd title.
Pillars gets its worldbuilding right, the plethora of options allows the player to truly characterise their own avatar and allows for extensive role playing. The supporting cast of in game npc's are not as compelling. They don't lack for variety, and the characters are by no means simplistic or stereotypical and yet they fail to engage, their stories simply being ticked off as quests for additional experience. The story of Pillars is unique and offers some intriguing insights into the ethos and reality of the world. A region is torn asunder by the failure of it's population to beget children. Without a hope for future generations the citizens become restless placing their hopes with petty tyrants and other charlatans who offer them consolation through temporary solutions. Enter the hero, you, to shape the climate of the world to your vision. The gameplay harkens back strongly to the Infinity Engine games that Pillars was inspired by. The restricted movement, specific skill sets of character classes and party structure all add to the depth and complexity offering a variety of tactical elements to try in battle. The games difficulty can be adjusted allowing for varied challenge levels depending on the player, those who prefer tactical gameplay or those who prefer to resolve warfare quickly in order to proceed with the story. The game introduces some interesting classes, such as the chanter, who at first seems similar to a bard but in fact has some underlying mechanics that add a layer of subtlety to battles. There are of course your standard damage dealers, tanks and crowd control classes as well, and classes can be customized somewhat to play to particular skill sets. The game can offer hour's of fine tuning and tinkering with skills, abilities, spells etc. This customizability caters to a variety of playstyles which benefits the gamer. This is a welcome return to the CRPG genre and the ode to the Infinity Engine games of yesteryear.
Starboard attempts to achieve a great deal, doesn't quite hit the high targets it set for itself yet still manages to be an enjoyable experience. Starboard does not offer a great deal to the solo explorer, the game does lend itself to multiplayer and there is enough background to give credence to some role playing. And this element, the self creation element, not only of the actual materials and equipment, but of community and questing is I think fairly important because in it's base form the game is actually quite bland. The basic quests included with the game are fairly boring with little variety, most involve finding specific information or items (or crafting items) then delivering them to a specific target. The other variation used is to proceed to location x and kill y then return. The developers have given little thought to their construction of variety in this regard. The gameplay is the best aspect of the game. The collection of materials and crafting is methodical (if a little boring) but fast and your collection tool (the matter manipulator) can be upgraded throughout the game to make it more effective which gives a sense of progression. The game is fairly standard in what you would expect, gather, fight/defend yourself, craft repeat. The controls are customizable and respond fluidly and menus are easy to navigate and search. The combat is a little dull, but is aided by quick switching of weapons on your Hotbar so the 'indescribable horrors', many of which are quite cute, don't tear you to shreds. The boss fights seem interesting at first but soon proceed to monotony as once you realize the attack patterns the procedure to attack and avoid becomes repetitive. Mods are available to enhance gameplay, or create yourself which is a welcom addition considering the blandness of the vanilla game. If you are a Terraria fan, Starbound will be a treat to play.
Morphopolis is a vibrant piece of art, teeming with colour and shapes. However whilst the visual appeal is high, it lacks somewhat in the gameplay department. Morphoplis has a kaleidoscopic and vibrant colour palette that is quite overwhelming. It portrays a robust and vibrant world teeming with life. Small animations quiver on the screen, the peristaltic movements lending themselves thematically to the process of metamorphosis that the game portrays. The artistic direction is definitely the height of this game and the detail in every scene is astounding. However the game does fall lat when it comes to the gameplay. It feels more as if the game has been developed for a touch screen. Whilst in most cases this is not a problem, there are a few interactions which require dragging motions and the game has a tendency to process the mouse interaction as a click rather than a drag. The game is also relatively slow, animations can drag out for a few seconds... which whilst seeming of short duration it can be frustrating if you've already determined the next action or object to be found and are waiting for the beetle to crawl across the screen. This mechanic, whilst making sense narratively, is frustrating when compared to normal Point 'n Click or Hidden Object games. In addition the game includes a mini-puzzle on each level, further adding variety to the gameplay to make sure it doesn't become monotonous... even despite the short duration of the game. It's artistic and meditative, and sometimes frustrating slow but if artistic games are your cup of tea. Morphopolis is well worth a try, however be prepared to be frustrated at some of the more anoying interaction sequences.
Deponia Doomsday is a swansong to the intrepid clumsiness of one Rufus…intrepid inventor and cataclysmic disasterer and a last chance to return to the loveable stench of a Garbage Heap that is named Deponia. Doomsday has all the familiar point n click mechanics, ability to look at or interact with objects or characters, combining objects into nefarious contraptions that only the ruthless mind of Rufus could devise and exploration (with additional highlighting at the touch of a button) of some of the strangest places that exist throughout the chronoverse. And here of course is where Daedalic has always excelled, walking a careful balance between puzzles so outré they are unsolveable, and so logical that they become a walk through the park err … trash heap. There are a few additional minigames that vary the pace a little bit, from navigating an old style 2d dungeon in search of the elite ring of women claiming, to rotating options on a genocidally bent computer, they can be frustrating and amusing but always interesting to work out. It seems Doomsday has toned back a little on some of the punchier humour that was the trademark in earlier titles, and whilst I wasn’t particularly fond of that humour myself, I did find that the game lacked an atmosphere and edge that it had previously held quite well due to the presence of its a-political stance. It is a pity to see that it has been lost. As mentioned the chance to revisit familiar friends and learn about a few new people along the way keeps the world fresh. The old characters are often revisited so quickly though that you don’t really feel entirely engaged to them and the new characters vary from very memorable to rather forgettable. Deponia Doomsday is well worth a try. It is an excellently constructed game with wonderful design and attention to detail. Although it may be slightly disappointing to those who had played through the previous games.
