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Before Your Eyes (PC) by dkirschner (Apr 14th, 2024 at 13:51:13) |
I've been looking forward to playing this, especially after playing One Hand Clapping, which had a singing mechanic. That game activates your mic and you use your voice, raising and lowering pitch, to interact with the game. Before Your Eyes was similar in that the game activates your webcam and uses your eye blinks as input. Before Your Eyes works WAY better than One Hand Clapping, and it's the better game all around. I figure that detecting blinks (yes/no) is easier than detecting notes along the range of human vocal pitch, so kudos to One Hand Clapping for trying.
Blinking in Before Your Eyes doesn't do anything unless you do it over a prompt (mouse over the prompt, then blink to interact) or unless you do it when the metronome icon is visible, which progresses the story to the next scene. The rules are simple, and it became a game in and of itself for me to blink strategically. I imagined that at the end of A Clockwork Orange, Alex's eyes are forced open so that he could successfully complete this game. At times, I felt like holding my eyes open with my fingers. This is because your eyes will get tired/dry/itchy while playing and you will screw up and blink when you don't mean to, skipping dialogue or ending a scene early. That's frustrating enough. Make sure you do the blink calibration, but I think that no matter how well you do it, it will still occasionally register some non-blinks as blinks. This really didn't happen much for me; through calibration, I think I turned the sensitivity way down, and I wonder what effect wearing glasses had. But like I said, it works surprisingly well.
So, the game itself is narrative-heavy. It's an obvious play on the idea that a life can pass in the "blink of an eye." You're picked up by a ferryman of souls who asks you to tell the story of your life. Back in time you go to remember it: your childhood, your parents, your career, etc., blinking your way through each scene. I won't spoil the story, but there is a twist that I absolutely did not see coming (though I should have paid more attention to the mysterious dark scenes) that changes the narrative and the tone of the game. This is one you can spend time reflecting on.
Aesthetically, it's got a simple visual presentation, sort of painterly, with some really nice piano music. The voice acting is good, with the exception of the girl-next-door (who sounds the same at 10 as she does at 40). For some reason, they also used the same voice actor for your dad and her dad, which made the one scene with her dad calling her very confusing ("Why is my dad at her house?!"). But I liked the dad and mom's performances. I was wondering through the whole game if your character was mute and/or on the spectrum because he doesn't talk--only through a typewriter later in the game--and otherwise expresses himself through his prodigious musical and artistic talents. But I think he's just a silent main character, not actually mute.
Anyway, the game won a BAFTA for a reason. It didn't blow my mind, but it's a neat experience that's worth having. It's short too, doesn't waste your time. I'm considering incorporating it into a class.
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Stray (PC) by dkirschner (Apr 13th, 2024 at 12:00:39) |
Patrick and I have been playing this together this semester, and finished it a couple weeks ago. We were talking after beating it about despite how simple and straightforward of a game this is, it manages to be something new. Playing as a cat (and being able to do cat things like curl up and sleep, scratch things, knock objects off tables, etc., so cuuuute) was novel, and the setting and story were interesting. But really, playing as a cat. I smiled a whole lot throughout the game. The lil companion robot was cute too.
On the other hand, I was often tired and bored while playing, and literally fell asleep during several sessions. Patrick would be making dinner or something in the kitchen, and I'd snap awake, cat walking into a wall, and I'd pretend I had not fallen asleep, and that I was just watching the cat walk into the wall and thinking. Like how my dad always used to claim he was "resting his eyes" when he'd fall asleep on the couch.
I would not call the game exciting. It was a lot of wandering around the city and talking to robot NPCs, fetching things for them. The city is a really good-looking dystopia, and the robots are quirky, but I wish they had more dialogue. You don't get a sense that many of them have personalities besides whatever one-note thing they do. I mean, the lack of dialogue makes sense, and it's not really "dialogue" since the cat can't talk. The fact that you are a cat adds a whole layer of silly to the game. Like, why has this lil robot befriended a cat? Why are all these robots putting all their faith in a cat to save them? Cats don't understand what we're saying to them, and cats do whatever they want! Playing as a cat in a game where you're doing fetch quests (fetching is dog stuff!) and doing things to help people is very un-cat-like.
But, you know what? The ability to play as a cat and do cat things trumps how little sense it makes, and I would play as a cat in this dystopia again. Idea for next time: more cats. And what do you think? Were there cats at the end?! Optimistically, I think so.
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Hadean Tactics (PC) by jp (Apr 7th, 2024 at 13:32:36) |
This game is supposed to be a deck-building tactical game and it sort of isn't, but very lightly is - at least in my experience so far.
So, like CD2: Trap Master this game REALLY wears it's Slay the Spire inspirations on its sleeve. Again, there's a path you that branches and you need to pick which nodes to visit - and there's fights, boss fights, resting spots, stores, artifact/rewards, and shops. Oh, there's also "story encounters" where you make a choice that often results in a benefit and a drawback. VERY Slay the Spire - though I noticed the way the events are distributed is different and that it's much more important to plan your way through it since the paths intersect a lot less and you can, for example in my last run, set yourself up with 4 rest/upgrade a card spots in a row!
In addition to a deck of cards you have the character you chose and two "minions" (they're all monsters) that exist on a 2D grid that's quite typical of tactical games. The enemies will spawn, you have energy to cast your cards - generally you cast your cards, unpause and wait for the timer to pause the game when it hits the threshold (7 seconds) for your hand to flush, a new hand is drawn, and you get more mana to cast spells. What isn't really tactical about it is that all the fighting on the tactical grid (which includes everyone having abilities they cast once their mana is full) happens automatically. You can't (afaik) give orders to anyone. At best, if you have the right spells, you can move creatures around (your own or enemy), but they then move back to whatever it is they want to do (e.g. attack the nearest enemy).
One of my runs used a character that had access to "trap" cards which are pretty neat since you lay them on the grid and then have to trigger them (with a different card) and ALL the trap laid will trigger. Some do damage, others heal your allies, and so on. So, the game isn't tactical at all in the turn-by-turn combat and movement decision-making sense. Yes, you choose whom to roll into a fight with, which spells to cast on whom, and when to cast things. But, since you don't directly control your combat units it all feels pretty indirect.
Where the game goes pretty wild (and above/beyond what Slay the Spire does) is that once you've cleared a run - you gain access to making your own hero - choose skills/talents from a list AND choose which spells will be available (again from a list, which only has the ones you've unlocked). So, in this sense the game has a lot, lot more options/replayability and that sort of thing. But, I'm not sure it's that much more interesting?
Oh, there is a meta-progression. When I beat my first run a giant death/reaper creature appeared and said "ok, now you can start to make progress towards winning - you have to collect wings". And I've collected a few since, you get them from killing the stage end bosses (which is nice in that you don't have to get all the way to the end). I need to get 7 - so I wonder if I'll just have to play over and over until I randomly get the right bosses or will the game feed me different ones until I get them all? I've also unlocked a new (third) character...but I kind of don't want to use it because I want to get all the wings with the character I've made some progress with.
I've played about 4 hours and I've really enjoyed the "decay" and "trap" mechanics... we'll see how it goes!
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Deathloop (PS4) by jp (Apr 4th, 2024 at 11:14:36) |
Argh. The longer you go without playing, the worse this game's experience becomes. This is almost entirely due to me forgetting both how to play, but also all the localized information and knowledge you pick up - like who is where, when, and so on.
I love the idea of a "clockwork" game where you deftly navigate your way through things that happen and certain times and places - there's a sense of beauty and elegance to the choreography you develop and create (sort of like when you watch those time loop movies and see a character weave through people and places because they know what's going to happen when and they've just learned it). BUT, that beauty also creates an entry barrier - at least a psychological one for me, because the game's on-ramp is past and now you're in the thick of it. But you've forgotten everything...
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Devil May Cry 5 (PS4) by jp (Apr 4th, 2024 at 11:09:05) |
So I took a break - and then came back to the game and had forgotten how to play. It took a bit to remember (I purposefully avoided looking stuff up because I wanted to see how easy it was for me to remember). So, some of the fights with V took longer than they should have - because I had forgotten that V has to "finish off" the enemies...lol.
While I often focus (for my own personal interests) on game play and game design aspects of a game - I realized as I was playing this game that..wow, the visual design of the large enemies really is phenomenal. They're both beautiful, awesome, creepy, gross, and disgusting. It's quite the accomplishment and I really appreciated it. And, this is in the context of me playing a game that is ~7 years old and running on last gen hardware. Perhaps I haven't played enough PS5 games yet so I'm still too impressionable? Have things moved that far in terms of photorealism?
I have decided to move on even though I realize, from the back of the box, that I'll miss out on the 3rd playable character. It's no fault or problem with DMC5...it's just that I've got too many games to play and I think I've understood enough about this game to move on to another.
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Deus Ex (PC) by djs224 |
| A unique blend of shooter and roleplaying game set in a dystopian future. Players' choices can have more effect on the outcome than they first realize. Takes some getting used to the controls, but it's a classic that no PC gamer should go without playing. |
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most recent entry: Wednesday 27 February, 2013
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Deus Ex is a first-person shooter/roleplaying game hybrid, released in 2000 by developer Ion Storm and publisher Eidos Interactive. Set in the year 2052 and featuring a plot involving cybernetic augmentations, the Illuminati and secret societies, and a dystopian world, the game has been critically acclaimed as one of the best PC games of all time.
I have previously played through Deus Ex in its entirety; this gamelog is for a fresh start with the game, mixed with some insights based on my previous knowledge.
-Player-
Deus Ex is primarily a single-player game (with a multiplayer mode consisting of deathmatch variants patched in later). The player takes on the role of JC Denton, an operative for the United Nations Anti-Terrorist Coalition (UNATCO). Character customization is limited to one of five skins for JC, as well as a "real name" which comes up in text a couple times during the game. At the start of the game, the player can choose one or more skills to allot their starting 5000 skill points to (typically, no more than three). These vary from computers and electronics to various weapon proficiencies to swimming and environmental training. Gaining additional ranks in a skill will allow the player to better perform tasks relating to it. For example, training in pistols will allow faster, more accurate aiming; training in electronics will allow the use of fewer multi-tools to hack security panels or doors.
-Setting-
Deus Ex takes place in the year 2052 in a variety of locations, starting in New York City before transitioning to such varied locales as Paris, Hong Kong, secret institutions, and even Area 51. As the nano-augmented JC Denton, the player is tasked with putting down a terrorist threat, as a group called the NSF is stealing Ambrosia, a vaccine for an unstoppable plague known as the Gray Death. The vaccine, very expensive, is reserved for the elites of society, with the masses never being able to afford the vaccine. The plot quickly escalates into a story of intrigue, double-crossing, and conspiracy, which I won't go into here.
-Gameplay-
Deus Ex is primarily played as a first-person shooter, though with mechanics most players of the genre are unfamiliar with. For starters, using a gun requires the player to steady themselves if they wish to aim accurately, holding still until their reticule pinpoints their target; the speed of this action is increased if the player trains that weapon's skill. Thus, those who attempt run-and-gun tactics early on will find themselves dying very frequently. There are also several melee weapons in the game, with a strike to the back being lethal in practically every case. A particularly game-breaking weapon, the Dragon Sword, is available fairly early on, and provides a fast way to kill most any humanoid enemy in the game.
Stealth also plays a heavy role. Crouching while walking silences footsteps, allowing the player to sneak past guards (or up to them, if they wish to take them out). Levels are usually designed with a "sneaking" path or two in mind, to allow a stealth-focused player to get into areas they might not otherwise be able to. A player will have to be stealthy if they wish to undergo a pacifist run, in which they refrain from killing any enemies during the course of the game; this is a player-designed challenge, and there are no rewards for doing this during the game itself, save for some different dialogue in places after not killing anyone.
Since the game is heavily cyberpunk-inspired, it is no wonder that hacking is an important game concept. While most (if not all, I'm not sure) passwords and codes can be found somewhere in the game for those diligent enough to look for them, a player can use multi-tools to hack electronics, lockpicks to open locked doors, or their computer skill to break through a computer's login. This allows for many secrets to be uncovered over the course of the game.
As the player completes missions, they gain more skill points, which can be put towards the same skills presented to them in the beginning of the game. It is impossible to earn enough points to fully max out all skills, so careful planning is key. Through the course of the game, the player can find augmentation canisters; these can be installed through a medical bot to gain access to nine additional augmentations. Each canister gives the player a choice of two augmentations (a permanent choice), and each augmentation can be upgraded three additional times through upgrade canisters to increase its effect.
Roleplaying is a fundamental part of the game. A player can choose to be a walking death machine, if they so wish, by selecting skills and augmentations to support this. Alternatively, a more stealth-inclined player can choose a different set of skills and augs to suit their playstyle. Some even play without any skills or augmentations, as the game is designed to allow this (even if it's rather challenging!). A player can choose to kill some or many enemies, or take them down through non-lethal means; NPCS will sometimes compliment JC if they refrain from killing, or admonish him if he doesn't. Dialogue with NPCs will sometimes offer a choice in what JC says; NPCs will react differently depending on what is said.
The game is heavily mission-oriented, with a primary task and sometimes an optional secondary or two. Completion of the primary task is required for plot progression. The player will usually have multiple ways to handle any given situation, whether through direct combat, stealth, hacking, or other means. Levels are designed to support a wide variety of options, allowing for a lot of replayability. Options are even included for boss battles; if a player wishes, they can avoid killing any of the bosses in the game, including the final one. They can also handle some bosses earlier than they are "intended" to.
-Game Log-
For this section, I started a new game, opting to put my skill points in electronics, computers, and lockpicking. The first mission, Liberty Island, is frequently cited by players as a difficult area, mostly due to the lack of experience with the game's controls. It took me a few minutes to get reacquainted, then I began to play.
The mission required the infiltration of the damaged Statue of Liberty and the takedown of the NSF commander at the top; an optional objective involved freeing another UNATCO operative from a prison at the bottom. I opted for a stealthy approach, sticking to the shadows and avoiding guards entirely. A back entrance into the statue helped me scale the statue quickly, though I decided to try climbing back down to free the operative. The path was difficult to really pursue, and thanks to being bottlenecked in a stairwell, I died, highlighting a noteworthy flaw or feature (depending on your point of view): no auto-saving. If a player forgets to regularly manually save, they can lose hours of progress due to an ill-timed death.
Restarting the game, I decided to try a different approach through the front. I found out from an informant on one side of the island that the commander should be kept alive so he could continue to spy on the NSF. In a cargo bay, I found supplies and the password to the security system; using a panel near the entrance, I was able to turn off the cameras, force the turrets to attack enemies, and unlock the doors.
The prison had two ways to enter, by hacking an electronics panel near a laser grid or by crawling through some air ducts to bypass it entirely. I chose the former option and eventually managed to free the operative. I then proceeded up the statue and found the commander, refraining from killing him and learning that the Ambrosia the NSF had stolen was being shipped to the masses.
I was then ordered to proceed back to UNATCO headquarters on the island, where I got my first augmentation installed, opting for the strength augmentation rather than the hand-to-hand combat one. The next mission was to track down the stolen Ambrosia and get it back for UNATCO; it was here that I ended my session.
The gameplay was fairly easy to pick up on again after having not played it for a year and a half. I know a newcomer would have a bit of trouble getting used to it, but most people I know who play it say that the game picks up after Liberty Island, as a means of encouragement to players considering giving up so early. I think there are two reasons for that. One, Liberty Island is a bit of a slow mission with not a whole lot of options for how to complete it (yet still considerably more than most shooters). And two, by the time you finish the mission, you're fairly familiar with the controls and can better handle the game's challenges. In addition, later levels provide the player with more weapons, augmentations, and skill points; by the time you've got a large array of skills and items at your disposal, you're free to choose exactly how you want to pursue a mission.
For things that might be turnoffs to today's gamers, the graphics would definitely be one. Everything definitely screams "late 90s" graphically, both through textures and models. However, I would hope that someone who was interested in the game would look past that; it was released in 2000, after all, so the graphics aren't going to be stellar. The voice acting is also a bit laughable at times (from memory, most of the Chinese VAs are comically bad, and the children are ear-gratingly terrible), but to me, that adds to the charm. The story is one that can throw you for a loop at times if you're not entirely paying attention (it does NOT just spell out the plot for you), but for those who like to delve into cyberpunk stories full of intrigue, it's definitely worth it to keep up with it. And while the controls and gameplay are a bit confusing at first (especially to someone raised on the latest hand-holding games), the learning curve isn't terribly steep, and rewards a persistent player with a memorable experience.
-Overall-
Deus Ex is classic for a reason: it's a game that was deeper mechanically than a lot of games of its time, and certainly deeper than most recent games. Its blend of shooter, stealth, and roleplaying game hasn't been matched by any game I've ever played, and is one I would wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who craves something different. I would also recommend its prequel, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, as it is a fairly solid follow-up; the game incorporates many of the systems of Deus Ex, but with more modernized gameplay that would be more enjoyable to today's audiences. I would also recommend playing Deus Ex first, as it gives the player insight into many of the references to it given in Human Revolution, and because it's a bit hard to go back to the first game after playing something more modern that feels like it. Not impossible, just hard.
In short: a classic PC game that exemplifies great game design. A must-play title.
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