I admit I didn't play this game in its time, which I don't doubt is where the amazing amount of hype originated. I'm sure its another case of "you had to be there", but that's not to say it wasn't an enjoyable game, and a very worthy addition to gog. Yes, I *really* enjoyed it, but I can say with the certainty of a veteran gamer that it is still grossly overrated. In no way does it live up to the "OMG THEY JUST DON'T MAKE GAMES LIKE THIS, ITS SO UNIQUE" fanboy screaming that made me curious enough to buy it. It looks great for the time, the controls are decent, the story was... predictable, at least to me (but to the game's credit, the concept wasn't as overdone back in '99) and the character development is deeper than many full-fledged RPGs. However, at the end of the day, it is JUST a decent shooter with RPG elements. I do recommend it, but just realize going in that it's not the holy-grail-of-gaming-that-will-never-be-topped that many would have you believe. Enjoy it with realistic expectations.
I'm not going to pretend that this isn't a great game, or that I didn't enjoy it, but I can say with certainty that it PALES in comparison to The Witcher 1. The story is well composed, and the graphics are expectedly prettier, but nearly every other aspect is a step back from the predecessor. Where TW1 ASTOUNDED me with its depth and immersion, TW2 is simply another case of a great series being dumbed down for brain dead console gamers. I don't necessarily fault CD Projeckt Red for this; I understand developers want to make money, but at the same time, I cannot help but feel disappointed as a pc gamer. The combat, which previously required strict timing, has now been reduced to mashing. You can, *most* of the time, get by clicking Mouse1 as quickly as you can, even at higher difficulty settings. Battle stances based on the type of opponents you were fighting are also gone. The inventory is an absolute mess, but it almost doesn't matter, as you barely NEED anything. I played through on Dark, and never wanted for ANYTHING. With all the hand-holding this game does, everything will be provided if you just loot crates. If not, merchant's items respawn... Infinitely. Finally, as I'm running short of characters, Quicktime Events! No! BAD devs. I have so much more to complain about, but I'll leave the rest to others. It's a great CONSOLE game, but fails to live up to the first.
I've owned this game for at least a couple of years now, so I was surprised when I saw GoG add it. ...Actually what am I saying? GoG SPECIALIZES in picking up older titles. I just realized how foolish that sounded. Moving on, I must contest that the current top review is a little too harsh on Capsized, as I personally was Cap-tivated. It all depends on what you're expecting going in. Granted this game might not reinvent the genre, but what it does, it does well. The sprites and artwork are outstanding; I enjoyed traversing the lush environments, battling various space-tribesman. The simple story unfolds visually, without any text or voices. This is something I can always appreciate in a game, and was a lot more common in earlier days, before developers thought everything needed a 40-minute voice-acted intro and cutscenes every other 5 minutes. I would liken the game play to "Abuse" (if anyone remember that wonderful DOS game), but with less gravity. It's quite a challenge, at least if played on Hard which was the only setting I tried. It employs an oldschool concept of "lives" (I confess I miss them in modern hand-holding platformers) but here, they're specific to the level you're working on. I think its a great system that keeps things challenging, but not frustrating. Overall a really cool game that I'm glad to have in my library.
3 stars from me. It's not that this is a bad game by any means; its actually quite delightful. The writing is quirky and amusing, and I admit to laughing more than once. Rather, it's the game play I take issue with. Perhaps its intended for a much more casual audience, but its simply far too easy. This is due in part to two 'problems': It's designed to allow you to level up your characters on your own time, thereby allowing you to plow effortlessly through subsequent levels even at higher difficulties. "But a lot of strategy sims do this", you might say, to which I reply that it spoils them just as much. However there is an additional design 'flaw' here that complements this to make it even harder for me to maintain interest: The maps. Upon entering a map for the first time, it feels like its all laid out for me. I can spot at a glance, EXACTLY where the developer intended me to place a given class. Also, nothing changes. If your strategy worked once, it will work a thousand times. This means that it quickly becomes a grind-fest, placing your characters in the same spots, and clicking the speed x4 button to move things along. Play it for the story. I don't personally feel as though there was very much "game" involved; even the rpg-elements of skill distribution are pretty linear and limited.
A very charming platformer with simple yet unique mechanics. The controls are tight and intuitive, and I love the artwork and music. At the 4.99 I paid, I consider this a bargain. A side rant: With every indie release being accompanied by so many complaints, I sometimes think I'm the only one who appreciates the new as much as the old. The indie titles that GoG hand picks are usually VERY good games that often emulate a retro "feel" (i.e. Grimrock, The Real Texas, etc). They take nothing away from the classics that continue to be added weekly, so do quit bitching.
I have nothing much to say that hasn't already been said, but I'll give this my 5 stars as well. I wouldn't call it a perfect game by any means, but definitely more enjoyment than one should get for 8.99. This game is very surreal and immersive. I didn't see what all the hype was about at first, but it didn't take long to suck me in and maintain my interest. It made me care about the characters, despite them being rectangles with zero articulation. The weirdest part about The Real Texas is how light hearted and kid-friendly it will seem for a few hours before a character randomly drops an F-bomb, or exposes themselves. It makes me wonder if it has a target audience at all, but nonetheless it is an experience I'm grateful to have taken. I doubt I'll ever forget my stay in Strange Texas.
