Here's the MOST important thing to know. This isn't a detective game, so much interactive detective fiction. I know the detective itch well. This will not scratch it. GOOD STUFF: + Art & atmosphere - Nothing else looks like this + Characters - getting past the archetypical surfaces of the two main characters, they have more charm and depth than either let on at first. (James is more interesting when you realize that he's literally trying to act like a typical noir protagonist in a lot of ways) + World-building - of course immortality would be commoditized, but NWtD recognizes that it would be a lot more complex than "only the rich would benefit." That being said, it still felt like I had an incomplete picture at the end, I'd have liked to have seen more of the system in action. NOT-SO-GOOD STUFF: - On-rails investigation - I emphasize that this is detective *fiction* because it's more concerned with keeping pace than giving you a challenge. The game basically tells you at every step how to progress the investigation. Coming off of a game like Scene Investigators, it was disappointing and almost kind of insulting. Yes, it does have these "murder board" segments that free you up a bit, but those are short and brute-forceable. Once I realized I was basically just hitting really slow QTEs to "solve" crimes I started losing interest... which admittedly might be why... - You'll get the bad ending - probably - and then you'll have to replay the whole thing to get the one that doesn't leave a bad taste in your mouth. What's worse is it felt like punishment for not reading the writers' minds, and had nothing to do with the more obvious choices throughout the game. - Surprisingly hard-to-follow near the end for how little it lets you think for yourself. I'm going to ASSUME I missed some details and locked myself out of the "good" ending that might have explained more. Overall, decent purchase on sale. Maybe look up a guide to get the good ending first.
Like a good Western hero, it's one of the last of its kind, the likes of which will not be seen again. By which I mean it's a short, fun and creative game by Ubisoft. Seriously though, I remember the shooting being enjoyable, especially the quickdraw duels against bosses, but what really set it apart and what I remember years later was the way the story was presented. A retired cowboy is sharing tales of his adventures, and you're playing the story as he tells it. "Story" is the keyword there, it's not exactly what happened, or what he remembers, or even what he's *trying* to tell. In an early level, a bunch of elements get switched around while you're playing, because he was misunderstood by the people listening and he has to clarify. The game has a lot of cool tricks rooted in that concept, and there is a running question of what part of his stories are true, what's embellishment, and whether or not the difference matters. If that piques your interest and you're at least capable of enjoying shooters, it's a great way to spend a weekend.
This game had a *lot* of impact when it came out during the post-CoD4 military shooter craze. Now? Uh, maybe somebody needs to figure out how to make a battle royale or crafting game that makes you feel bad for playing it? So, when you hear somebody (like me) tell you the game is a masterpiece, it's important to remember the environment the game came out in. Just like when you're playing a dated but beloved cRPG. I love it, but I worry it's on its way to joining Shenmue as something I mostly only recommend for "historical value". Skimming some of the less glowing reviews. Are the mechanics kind of iffy? Yes, but one could argue that serves the story though, informing the disconnect between player, avatar and action. The game is literally *about* desensitization to violence, it kind of makes sense that you eventually turn your brain off a little. (though, yeah, I don't think anyone on the dev team said "let's not make the shooting *too* good") Does it lift some plot points from "Apocalypse Now" and "Heart of Darkness"? Definitely, in fact they pretty much advertised it as such, but I always find stories I've already heard still feel fresh experiencing them in a game. I highly recommend everyone play this at least once, and if you've avoided it until it came to GOG for some reason, I invite you to give it a shot. Especially if you like when a game messes with your head. Remember that it comes from a time when pretty much every major western game had you play as a "real American", go to another country and shoot stuff until its free. This game is too smart for that, and thinks you should be too. You can finish it in an afternoon, and then you can go to bed early and think about what you've done.
It breaks my heart not to immediately recommend this. I was worried this was going to be Pillars with a Pathfinder coat of paint, and am delighted by how faithful an adaptation it is! It's not 1:1, and there are some notable class omissions (Gunslinger and Summoner I get, Cavaliers lose a lot without mounts, but Witch and Oracle should have been doable), but you're still given an impressive amount of options that rivals the complexity and depth of the tabletop experience... if you only have the Core Rulebook, Advanced Player's Guide and Ultimate Magic, but that's honestly the most you can ask in reason. Writing and characters are certainly on par for the genre too. I had a rough experience with an early boss, and it sounds like most people do. It reduces a lot of damage, and you might not have stumbled upon those two magic-users that can actually use offensive spells yet. I was ready to dust myself off and carry on, but then I read more reviews, and it seems like the issue doesn't get better. Your heroes will do virtually no damage to an enemy, and even your tanks will be dead before you can figure out why. What's worse is random encounters don't seem to adjust well to your party's level either. If there *is* a simple fix here, I think it's adding an option to remove damage reduction from enemies, but it sounds like it could use a bigger fix than that. I hope to see a *major* balance patch in the future. Until then, I'm certainly gonna keep playing, but this is gonna be save-scum central and I don't super-enjoy that. (On a positive note, I actually love the camping mechanics. A lot of people say they're a pain, but it's not that hard to buy a few days of rations from Oleg, and then put the characters in the roles where they have the biggest numbers. Good to see a cRPG not just say "sure, naptime, whatever". Only thing that might help is an estimate on how many days of travel to get to a destination.)
This is a damn good action game, and a surprisingly well-written crime drama. The only major flaw is being saddled with the most pointless and barren open world since No More Heroes. If you're not expecting anything of the open world, you should have a great time with GTA's more linear, but classier cousin. In fact, after spending a better part of the decade climbing "Ubisoft towers" in every major game, the trimmed back open world is almost welcome. But I have to question paying more than 20 for it in this day and age. I recommend waiting for a deep sale , or, if you have a last-gen console, cruising to your local game store bargain bin. 2K also included this in some of those hilariously disparate 3-packs with games like Borderlands 2 and freaking Spec Ops: The Line. (My apologies if this oversteps GOG's guideline on discussing pricing in reviews. I've kept my score for the game "independent" for that reason.)
This is one of my favorite RPGs and action games for a lot of reasons: - Action: This game puts "Action" in Action RPG harder than just about anything. It's not as unforgiving, but it's damn-well designed and no slouch for challenge. At least not until you put the work in for the really great gear. I think it's a great middle-ground for people who want something more demanding than Skyrim, but less stressful than Dark Souls. - Bosses: You fight classic enemies, but like Monster Hunter, they respond differently to different attacks. For example, you can lop off a Chimera's tail. - Exploration: You can't rest just anywhere, and the game has a pretty smart healing system where magic isn't enough and you will have to eat or rest to fully recover. You might have to make a strategic retreat, and you'll have to properly prepare when you head out anywhere. - Crafting: Each piece of equipment can be upgraded three levels, and you get materials through exploring and fighting. It's all easily stored but still accessible when you go to craft, so you can safely collect and forget until you need it. Better consumables can be crafted more or less on the fly too. - Classes: You can change classes very easily, and each of the 9 classes have abilities that can carry over when you switch back. - Pawns: Not only do you create your character, but you also make a partner called a "pawn". When you fill out your party, you'll actually be recruiting other player's pawns. They don't level up, so you have to keep switching out. And if yours is recruited, they gain knowledge about quests and monsters, and may even come back with a gift. - Customization: Your character and pawn are ridiculously customizable, even allowing for child heroes. The story doesn't care about your sex or even apparent age, (although your weight and height have in-game effects) and literally any NPC can become your love interest. Often with hilarious and/or creepy results.
One major thing sets this game apart and makes it a masterpiece: player agency. Lots of story-driven RPGs, even great ones like The Witcher, have the player's big choice be taking a side in a larger conflict. New Vegas is freaking brilliant because it knows you're smarter than that. Or more ambitious. You *can* choose from between the major factions vying for power, or you can *BE* one of those factions. And that freedom trickles down to every single side quest. In a genre that can so frequently make you think "Well, I can't do X, but I guess option Y is close enough. Better than Z." New Vegas tries as hard as humanly possible to always have your option X be available, provided your character is up to the task. Top that design philosophy off with a great Western atmosphere, superb writing and... okay, at least a functioning combat system, and you've got a must-play. And the game is infamously buggy, but far from unplayable. I actually turned the biggest glitch I encountered into an interesting story about a temporary NPC ally refusing to leave my side, gaining self-awareness after a horrifying glitch and quick-load, surviving my attempts to shoot them, realizing I was their uncaring god, having an existential crisis, and then being put out of their misery with an assisted suicide via Deathclaw.
One major thing sets this game apart and makes it a masterpiece: player agency. Lots of story-driven RPGs, even great ones like The Witcher, have the player's big choice be taking a side in a larger conflict. New Vegas is freaking brilliant because it knows you're smarter than that. Or more ambitious. You *can* choose from between the major factions vying for power, or you can *BE* one of those factions. And that freedom trickles down to every single side quest. In a genre that can so frequently make you think "Well, I can't do X, but I guess option Y is close enough. Better than Z." New Vegas tries as hard as humanly possible to always have your option X be available, provided your character is up to the task. Top that design philosophy off with a great Western atmosphere, superb writing and... okay, at least a functioning combat system, and you've got a must-play. And the game is infamously buggy, but far from unplayable. I actually turned the biggest glitch I encountered into an interesting story about a temporary NPC ally refusing to leave my side, gaining self-awareness after a horrifying glitch and quick-load, surviving my attempts to shoot them, realizing I was their uncaring god, having an existential crisis, and then being put out of their misery with an assisted suicide via Deathclaw.
[Played on PS4] If anybody asks me what reaching adulthood (i.e. my 20's) in the 2010s was like, I'll immediately point to this game. Society looks like it's falling apart, there's nothing in my hometown and my friends are all smartasses and so am I and I love them. This game is very story-focused and revolves around a college drop-out named Mae who returns to her suburban home to a few friends, surprisingly chill parents and jack else. Then some spooky stuff happens. Eventually. If you're playing for spooks, it's gonna be a bit of a grind. Good spooks though. This has some of the creepiest moments in a not-really-horror game I can recall. Not scary or shocking, just downright creepy. Your enjoyment will absolutely hinge on how well you identify with these characters. All I can say is while I don't parallel too strongly with any of the major ones, I definitely have friends like this, and we definitely talk like this. There's awkward pauses, bad jokes and smarminess; and it takes a while for us to open up and get serious. The laughs and occasional tears with them are what kept me engaged, anyway. There are little stories to find around town too which I at least found compelling. Any time I realized I had kicked off a "side quest" I tried to see it through, and it paid off. I was also impressed by how well the dialogue seemed to be shaped by previous choices, even though the actual story is pretty linear. If it's an illusion, it's a good one. It does have some pretty decent minigames to break up the mechanical monotony (including a game-within-a-game called DemonTower, which is actually really compelling), but at the end of the day it is a story-driven adventure about broke, 20-something suburbanites. I like one of those and am the other one, so it may just be up my alley. If that all sounds interesting, check it out. I, for one, think this game absolutely nailed everything it tried to do. Oh. One last super important thing: Gregg rulz ok
AS OF EPISODE 1 I didn't have (or possibly just didn't notice/care about) the bugs other people are ripping this game for, aside from one place the game freezes (DO NOT OPEN THE CODEX UNTIL ALFRED SAYS SO) and the next-episode preview crashing. I don't have an absolute beast of a machine or anything, but it's up there. If you absolutely need a smooth 60 frames, then, yeah, hold out for a patch or two. And, I wouldn't blame you for holding out another episode, just to get your money's worth right away. You have to suck pretty bad to get less than 4 stars on GOG, and the current average of 3 is nonsense. With that out of the way... This is (at least a great setup for) the most unique Batman game out there. Mostly, on account of its emphasis on the man, not just the bat. It really explores the duality of the character, more than any mainstream adaptation I can think of, and makes the Bat himself much more than a symbol or suit for Bruce. While Batman does what we're used to, although in a touch darker and bloodier fashion than the Arkham games, (no, he's not as straight-up murderous as BvS's) Bruce Wayne has to carefully navigate the corrupt politics of Gotham, as his good buddy Harvey Dent is running for Mayor. (I have only good feelings about this.) TellTale tauted their "revamped" engine being used in this game, and while it is prettier, those looking for "real combat" will encounter the same QTEs from the likes of Wolf Among Us and Tales from the Borderlands. They are much more intense in this game, and are presented more elegantly, with prompts appearing in the world, rather than a set place on your screen, much like Heavy Rain. I'm mostly cool with that, having to hold shift for some presses is a bit ridiculous. Chapter 1's ending had me pretty hooked, and seems to be going down a much more personal path for the character then just stopping a villain's plot. Very excited for the next chapter, but some bug fixes should probably come first.