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DrBloodmoney's Super Scientific Ranking of Games!


DrBloodmoney

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Okay, so I saw a post you made about 10 recommended games for the ps vita and saw Super Time Force Ultra, so I'd like you to go back in time and rectify the mistake of not having analyzed this game sooner.

 

Also, I looked up how It Takes Two's bosses and I'm disappointed that the Book of Love thing didn't end up being the final boss.

 

Also also, I noticed that you said that Lumines Remastered beat out Shadow of Mordor in your analysis, but the Main list shows Lumines as one slot below Shadow of Mordor.

Edited by grayhammmer
I noticed a small error that I felt needed to be addressed.
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6 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Bastion & Pyre

 

 

So... Supergiant, Klei, FromSoftware... obviously a pattern for you as far as enjoying their games. Any others devs that I'm missing that you'd posit as being on a long-term hot streak?

 

Very enjoyable reviews this bunch mate.

 

 

6 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said:

It Takes Two

 

Cody and May are going to divorce at the start of the game. They have made that decision. They tell Rose so.

They then go through their whole adventure, being forced to address the (laughably minor) problems in their relationship by the satanic Dr. Hakim, and finish that nightmarish situation in victory - by kissing.During this time, Rose has decided she is the problem in their relationship, and runs away from home, leaving a letter telling her (currently catatonic) parents that without her, they will be friends again.
The game ends, with Cody and May, (back in corporeal form,) running to the bus stop, stopping Rose, telling her they are going to stay together, and everyone lives happily ever after.

 

Where do I fucking start with this?!

 

To begin with, to any adults playing the game this is obviously laughable and frivolous, but for the intended audience - children -  many of whom will either have divorced parents themselves, or will experience divorce at some point - this is downright dangerous.

 

Firstly, on a surface level. It leaves the impression that running away from home is all a child need do to provide the catalyst for their parents to reconcile their differences, and become a smaulchy, TV-cereal-commercial family again.

 

Secondly, on a much more insidious level - it suggests divorce is something that parents choose to do on a whim. That adult relationship problems are something that can be solved by mere circumstance or minor changes - and that they would not have explained to Rose early on that it was not her fault.

 

If Cody and May's problems were simply that Cody didn't comment on May's singing often enough, or May didn't appreciate Cody's gardening (both actual narrative points in this game,) then the game is suggesting to children that their parents may divorce (or have divorced) over tiny, minor annoyances, and not genuine irreconcilable problems. 

 

 

Oh dear. Oh dear oh dear.

 

The writing in A Way Out was my biggest gripe with that game. Josef Fares pushed it out into the forefront before that game released. I remember thinking that he seemed disengenuous and that English didn't seem to be his first language. My wife and I didn't really rate A Way Out, and I think Fares falls a little more into the David Cage or Sean Murray bracket than a Miyazaki/Schafer level of shining promise.

 

I had specifically added It Takes Two to my own wishlist to play it with my wife but she would be equally frustrated by that ending as you (and I). Thanks for helping me bump this one much, much lower down the list of priorities.

 

 

 

Looking forward to the awards ceremony. I've rented a tux. I keep checking my mailbox everyday for the invite... can't be far off now as the ceremony is fast approaching and I still don't know the date and place... better go check the mailbox again... the mailman already drove past but maybe he came back when I stepped away from the front window for a minute... better check again. Brb.

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On 11/12/2021 at 9:34 AM, DrBloodmoney said:

 

 

L50078c.png

Quantum Conundrum

 

 

I was waiting for this review and I missed out on it :facepalm: Good job getting it done, I discovered this game recently and added it to my wishlist, might tackle it in the future so it was nice to have your thoughts beforehand. Now I'm patiently waiting for that Tetris write up ?

 

I also wonder why you changed your avi to Bojack ? Does it have some sort of significance or is it because you got into the show recently ? 

Edited by PlutoRico
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8 minutes ago, Neef-GT5 said:

Quite a heavy but interesting reading as usual 1f44d.png

@DrBloodmoney - possible to add Journey to your priority list? It’s one of my all-time favourites, quite eager to have your verdict on it 1f609.png

 

Flagged it with your name! ?

 

As I said before - will likely be in the new year before I get a new batch with old games on, but will keep all of these in mind, and crack them all out for a wee familiarisation play over the holidays! ?

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15 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Marilyn Manson, Aphex Twin, Taylor Swift, Wu-Tang and Carpenter Brut

 

I forgot to mention that your playlist sounds dope.

 

2 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Well, certainly Housemarque would be in that camp, along with Arkane - those two really haven't put a foot wrong in my eyes.

 

Oh yes, I should have guessed these two: you mentioned Housemarque a bit lately (think it was the Returnal review that gave that away) and then of course I knew you rate Arkane - I've got three Arkane discs ready to go based on your recommendations!

 

2 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Really, FROM, Supergiant, Housemarque, Arkane and Doublefine... and probably IO at this point, are the ones that I would say have a long legacy, but have earned enough points in my mind, that even if they did put out a real stinker, I would still say "I'm gonna play their next one anyways" sight-unseen.

 

Noice. I thought of IO but I only know of Hitman being any good. The only other games I can think of that they made is K&L's Dog Days... I think. And if I recall that was particularly... niche.

 

I've never heard of Long Hat House. Please consider enlightening me with a review of one of their best when you get around to it in 2022.

 

2 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said:

"Fuck you demon book, you're not funny!"

 

She sounds like a hoot ?

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9 minutes ago, GonzoWARgasm said:

Noice. I thought of IO but I only know of Hitman being any good. The only other games I can think of that they made is K&L's Dog Days... I think. And if I recall that was particularly... niche.

 

Yeah, the IO love is pretty much a 1-to-1 with love of Hitman, butI will say, while both K&L games are pretty fundamentally flawed... they are interesting.

There are cool ideas in both - the squad mechanic stuff in the first one - and in the second one, it's unfortunate that the multiplayer was so dead when I played it because some of the concepts around the actual MP mechanics are genuinely innovative and smart - they are just both let down by base mechanics.

 

They also put out a kid-friendly action platformer called Mini-Ninjas which didn't exactly set the world on fire, but was pretty decent, all told - I guess the real test will be their next project - they're taking on the James Bond licence, and with Hitman DNA, I reckon there's potential there for the best 007 game since GoldenEye...

 

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I've never heard of Long Hat House. Please consider enlightening me with a review of one of their best when you get around to it in 2022.

 

Noted - I shall add their only game to the Priority list with your name ? - one you may have already heard me extoll the virtues of in other peoples checklists actually - a shockingly cool and incredibly fun Metroidvania called Dandara!

 

Quote

She sounds like a hoot 1f602.png

 

I'll say this - she don't take no shit from magical books! ?

Edited by DrBloodmoney
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I swear, I need to unfollow your thread my good Doctor. Every time I read your reviews there's a high chance I activate my "supermarket cart" mode and buy some of the stuff that you played ?

For instance these are now in my library, already purchased, to be played at a later date:

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Bastion

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Gods Will Fall

I did buy Gods Will Fall when you recommended me first on my list, but now I am positive I have to play it. Got me from the themes themselves.

 

Lost in Random is another interesting game, might decide on that later as well. I loved "American McGee's Alice" , the original game, it's one of the best executed ideas. Aesthetics are awesome as well, quite the fun part. Too bad that the map is so ... Random xD

 

Can't wait what the Science will have to say to the next batch in 2022 :D

 

P.S. I finally understand what you meant with "It Takes Two" review. Wtf writers...

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20 minutes ago, Copanele said:

I swear, I need to unfollow your thread my good Doctor. Every time I read your reviews there's a high chance I activate my "supermarket cart" mode and buy some of the stuff that you played 1f602.png

For instance these are now in my library, already purchased, to be played at a later date:

I did buy Gods Will Fall when you recommended me first on my list, but now I am positive I have to play it. Got me from the themes themselves.

 

Nice!

 

Bastion is an easy recommendation for anyone really, and Gods Will Fall I think, while it does have some issues, there's enough of the good juice in there that you'd get a kick of of it too - and TBH, it's not a particularly hard game, so for the few days it takes to plat, its got more than enough to sustain!

 

Quote

 

Lost in Random is another interesting game, might decide on that later as well. I loved "American McGee's Alice" , the original game, it's one of the best executed ideas. Aesthetics are awesome as well, quite the fun part. Too bad that the map is so ... Random xD

 

Yeah - the map is an odd one, though it did end up being a bit less of an issue than it first appears - when I made that status update, I was in the fourth town, and that was the second one that was complicated enough and confusing enough that the map issues were really getting to me, but as it turns out, really, it's only an issue in Threedom and Fourberg. The other areas are a bit more linear, and a bit more forward-directed, so while I do think it's a pain in the arse in those two areas, it isn't an issue for all of the game.

 

Very odd game, but one I came to quite like - and that visual style and the imagination of it is what really drove it through for me, so I reckon if you (like me) were down with Alice (which, lets face it, was a really imaginative and visual game, but not a particularly good one from a mechanical point of view, even back in the day!)  you'll be able to more than look past the slightly older feeling movement of Lost in Random - it's issues are far less than Alice's were in its day!

 

Quote

Can't wait what the Science will have to say to the next batch in 2022 :D

 

P.S. I finally understand what you meant with "It Takes Two" review. Wtf writers...

 

Ugh. 

Someone get Josef Fares a proper writing team please.

There's a great game in there somewhere, if they stopped running everything via google-translate, or through the viewpoint of people who have never talked to a child, a parent, (or a human) before!

Edited by DrBloodmoney
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5 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said:

 

Really, FROM, Supergiant, Housemarque, Arkane and Doublefine... and probably IO at this point, are the ones that I would say have a long legacy, but have earned enough points in my mind, that even if they did put out a real stinker, I would still say "I'm gonna play their next one anyways" sight-unseen

 

This is definitely helpful for my Christmas list. lol. I don't know that I've ever seen someone with a negative review of a supergiant game, and FROM is one of the big devs that people are always excited for (something, something, Elden Ring.). I know Arkane did Dishonored, and Deathloop.. did they do Prey as well?  I know you're high on that game, enough to make me consider picking up the game... ?.  All I know about Doublefine is that they did Psychonauts.  Anything else you'd particularly recommend from them?  Housemarque is similar in that all I know from them is Resogun.  I'd have a similar question about recommendations from them.    I'd like to see something from IO that isn't a shooter.  Hitman and Kane and Lynch always review well, but I'd like to see them branch out. 

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1 hour ago, Together_Comic said:

 

This is definitely helpful for my Christmas list. lol. I don't know that I've ever seen someone with a negative review of a supergiant game, and FROM is one of the big devs that people are always excited for (something, something, Elden Ring.). I know Arkane did Dishonored, and Deathloop.. did they do Prey as well?  I know you're high on that game, enough to make me consider picking up the game... 1f602.png

 

Yeah, Arkane did Prey, bless them!

 

In terms of the future, it's looking bleak on Playstation since Microsoft has gobbled them up as part of the Zenimax thing, though there is a new studio - Wolfeye - which was started by one of the main Arkane guys (Raphael Colantonio) along with another Arkane dude, who's first game I'm pretty excited for - Weird West - coming soon... so hopefully they can fill some of the Arkane shaped hole in the Playstation lineup!

 

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 All I know about Doublefine is that they did Psychonauts.  Anything else you'd particularly recommend from them? 

 

Well, DoubleFine have the old Tim Schaffer games - Day of the Tentacle / Full Throttle / Grim Fandango - which are all great, and they made the modern take on the adventure game in Broken Age, which is awesome too if you dig the genre. (The whole process of making Broken Age was a also documented in what is probably the best documentary series about making videogames ever - "Double Fine Adventure" (all available on YouTube!))

 

Aside from those, on Playstation they have Stacking (a cool, weird puzzle game,) Headlander, RAD, (those two are reviewed on this thread) and Brutal Legend (a heavy metal-themed RTS on PS3), all of which are cool, plus a few I haven't played, but hear good things about - Costume Quest 1/2 and The Cave (I haven't played The Cave, but my sister did and swears by it!)

 

There also did some Xbox exclusive ones - Iron Brigade (which you might have heard of as "Trenched" - there was a copyright issue, and they had to patch the game to change it's name!), Massive Chalice, which looks cool, and a Sesame Street Kinect game for young kids (which I have actually played with a young family member, and is I think the only actually functional Kinect game I've ever seen!)

 

 

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Housemarque is similar in that all I know from them is Resogun.  I'd have a similar question about recommendations from them.   

 

Housemarque are easy, as basically everything is dope - all the ones I've played - Dead Nation, Nex Machina, Matterfall and Returnal are varying degrees of awesome (I've reviewed all but Matterfall on this thread,), plus I hear nothing but praise for the ones I haven't - Super Stardust, Alienation, Outland... even Furmins!

 

 

Quote

I'd like to see something from IO that isn't a shooter.  Hitman and Kane and Lynch always review well, but I'd like to see them branch out. 

 

Well, yeah, that's true I guess, the only game IO have made without any shooting is Mini Ninjas...

 

..though I'd argue that if you are shooting in Hitman, you're doing it wrong! ?

Diana is only going to give you a raised eyebrow for that, not a "Well Done 47"!:whip:

 

 

Edited by DrBloodmoney
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Dammit Doc, just drive up to Supergiant headquarters with a dump truck full of my possessions, why don'tcha...

 

For whatever reason, neither Bastion nor Pyre ("mix of Speedball, Dead Ball Zone and NBA Jam by way of Fallout" is simply something I'ma need to see for myself) sounded up my alley, and I never really bothered to try to put a finger on why, and now I know - it's because I am a dumb, dumb man. You've given Transistor some company on my backlog?

 

Black & White Bushido sounds intriguing as hell, and I'm in the very least gonna peep out a video or something. A few friends and I were all on that Squaresoft dick back in high school, and we LOVED Bushido Blade. "Yeah Mortal Kombat's cool, but... can you take away your opponent's limbs??"

 

Also I love a good black and white aesthetic. And with red blood?? Sounds sweet?

 

Lumines Remastered I may just get sight unseen. You've made me start looking at puzzle games with interest after The Witness, you awful, awful man. You know the other day, when I was wandering around looking for particular puzzles, I thought about doing The Challenge again? For fun? I don't know what you did to me, but I don't appreciate it and I'll thank you to stop being so good at this.

 

All that to say I'm probably just gonna buy Lumines and not ask questions?

 

I wasn't at particular risk of buying It Takes Two, as my wife would rather hang upside down and pick her nose than play video games, but I always thought it looked cute, and I'm a bit disheartened. That is indeed a shitty message, and I can relate to how y'all would be massively turned off by a sickly sweet narrative turn like that. Especially if the character you see the most obnoxiously considers himself having this-a kind of darling accent and equally delightful malapropisms (I love Bojack too). That just seems out of place this day in age - the whole "hah, they talk different!" gag is largely out of vogue, so any seemingly flippant use nowadays is almost more confusing than offensive. Like "Oh, he's trying to be funny... yeah, somebody should have a talk with him."

 

Even all that aside, it's always a shame to see great ideas go to waste, and making an overlong game with too much repetition is a solid way to wear out the welcome of even the best mechanics - too much of any good thing is a bad thing, for instance look at when Stan Lee visited Springfield?

 

On 12/7/2021 at 11:58 PM, DrBloodmoney said:

It's a socially distanced affair - you don your Tux, roll out your own red carpet from the bathroom to the living room, then settle in with some store bought champagne (or a 40) and just imagine a crowd around you! 1f602.png

 

I haven't had a 40 in years, but given the prestige of the occasion, you can bet I will come equipped - paper bag and all!

 

I can't afford a tux at the moment, but I will definitely be wearing a bow tie. Probably only the bow tie though, depending on how many 40s I have...

 

On 12/8/2021 at 3:14 AM, GonzoWARgasm said:

I forgot to mention that your playlist sounds dope.

 

Agreed. And I had a laugh thanks to Ms. Bloodmoney as well, but the thing that got me was the snow cave vag comment?

 

On 12/8/2021 at 4:51 AM, Copanele said:

I swear, I need to unfollow your thread my good Doctor. Every time I read your reviews there's a high chance I activate my "supermarket cart" mode and buy some of the stuff that you played 1f602.png

 

Real talk! Boy-cott! Boy-cott!

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2 minutes ago, YaManSmevz said:

Dammit Doc, just drive up to Supergiant headquarters with a dump truck full of my possessions, why don'tcha...

 

For whatever reason, neither Bastion nor Pyre ("mix of Speedball, Dead Ball Zone and NBA Jam by way of Fallout" is simply something I'ma need to see for myself) sounded up my alley, and I never really bothered to try to put a finger on why, and now I know - it's because I am a dumb, dumb man. You've given Transistor some company on my backlog1f604.png

 

Haha, year, you really gotta see Pyre, it's something special. Definetely do yourself a favour though, and play through a couple times first without any kind of save-scumming, because the story is so cool the way it plays out any way you end up falling. (I did it wrong. I did reset to get the 'best' ending the first time through, and idd my 'regular' playthroughs after, and kinda wish I hadn't!

 

Oh - and...

...I probably don't need to pile it on...

...but seriously.

Listen to this...

 

and just try not to buy it.

I dare you. ?

 

 

2 minutes ago, YaManSmevz said:

Black & White Bushido sounds intriguing as hell, and I'm in the very least gonna peep out a video or something. A few friends and I were all on that Squaresoft dick back in high school, and we LOVED Bushido Blade. "Yeah Mortal Kombat's cool, but... can you take away your opponent's limbs??"

 

Also I love a good black and white aesthetic. And with red blood?? Sounds sweet?

 

Yeah, kinda a tough recommend for a single player, but totally cool in party play, so if you have the numbers, It's genuinely one of the most fun games of that type I've played!

 

 

2 minutes ago, YaManSmevz said:

Lumines Remastered I may just get sight unseen. You've made me start looking at puzzle games with interest after The Witness, you awful, awful man. You know the other day, when I was wandering around looking for particular puzzles, I thought about doing The Challenge again? For fun? I don't know what you did to me, but I don't appreciate it and I'll thank you to stop being so good at this.

 

All that to say I'm probably just gonna buy Lumines and not ask questions1f604.png

 

Oh man - I salute you! God speed on beating that CPU in all 10 rounds...

 

...no seriously, that's not empathetic, it's actual advice.

That's the speed you need to play at... God Speed! ?

 

2 minutes ago, YaManSmevz said:

I wasn't at particular risk of buying It Takes Two, as my wife would rather hang upside down and pick her nose than play video games, but I always thought it looked cute, and I'm a bit disheartened. That is indeed a shitty message, and I can relate to how y'all would be massively turned off by a sickly sweet narrative turn like that. Especially if the character you see the most obnoxiously considers himself having this-a kind of darling accent and equally delightful malapropisms (I love Bojack too). That just seems out of place this day in age - the whole "hah, they talk different!" gag is largely out of vogue, so any seemingly flippant use nowadays is almost more confusing than offensive. Like "Oh, he's trying to be funny... yeah, somebody should have a talk with him."

 

Even all that aside, it's always a shame to see great ideas go to waste, and making an overlong game with too much repetition is a solid way to wear out the welcome of even the best mechanics - too much of any good thing is a bad thing, for instance look at when Stan Lee visited Springfield1f604.png

 

Oh man, that's something I barely talked about - yeah, it feels like half the 'jokes' the book makes aren't actually jokes - they're just statements made in a heavy accent, with the cadence of jokes!

 

2 minutes ago, YaManSmevz said:

 

I haven't had a 40 in years, but given the prestige of the occasion, you can bet I will come equipped - paper bag and all!

 

I can't afford a tux at the moment, but I will definitely be wearing a bow tie. Probably only the bow tie though, depending on how many 40s I have...

 

Ah, see, this is the advantage to being Scottish - after you've bought that kilt, you never need to think about what to wear to fancy event again! ?

 

 

 

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16 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Oh - and...

...I probably don't need to pile it on...

...but seriously.

Listen to this...

 

and just try not to buy it.

I dare you. 1f602.png

 

You poached ivory dealer, you???

 

That's dope, dude. I thought it sounded great already and then they drop the break beats! Ah, simple pleasures?

 

Question - since I still haven't started Transistor, and now I've got three out of Supergiant's four games in the backlog, is there any order you would recommend going in? I just might go for it and have a Supergiant flavored couple of months sooner than later?

 

23 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Ah, see, this is the advantage to being Scottish - after you've bought that kilt, you never need to think about what to wear to fancy event again! 1f601.png

 

Hmm! Maybe I'll buy a charro suit and we can make that baby international??

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7 minutes ago, YaManSmevz said:

 

You poached ivory dealer, you???

 

That's dope, dude. I thought it sounded great already and then they drop the break beats! Ah, simple pleasures1f643.png

 

Question - since I still haven't started Transistor, and now I've got three out of Supergiant's four games in the backlog, is there any order you would recommend going in? I just might go for it and have a Supergiant flavored couple of months sooner than later1f601.png

 

Not really - TBH I’d just go in order.

They’re all standalone, but going in order would let you progress with supergiant mechanically, and having Bastion as a baseline is probably the easiest way to feel comfortable before they go adding complexity with Transistor and Hades
Pyre is totally it’s own beast though, so I guess that could fit anywhere - maybe as a ‘combat break’ between Bastion and Transistor, though it works between Transistor and Hades.


 

Quote

 

Hmm! Maybe I'll buy a charro suit and we can make that baby international1f1f2-1f1fd.png


?

Edited by DrBloodmoney
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9 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Not really - TBH I’d just go in order.

They’re all standalone, but going in order would let you progress with supergiant mechanically, and having Bastion as a baseline is probably the easiest way to feel comfortable before they go adding complexity with Transistor and Hades
Pyre is totally it’s own beast though, so I guess that could fit anywhere - maybe as a ‘combat break’ between Bastion and Transistor, though it works between Transistor and Hades.

 

I feel it's a rare treat to get into a developer fresh, with all their games waiting for you, so im excited. Bastion first it is then!

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Might have taken me a while but I've finally done my science homeowk - Fantastic as always!

 

DrBloodmoney - Making homework fun, since 2021

 

 

I'm so late to the party on this one.......

 

....... That the moment someone answered the door things had gotten so hectic already, they proceeded to throw up on my shoes! (I originally did type shoe by accident, had to change it in case you thought I was some freak, that shows up at parties just wearing one shoe!) :lol:

 

Wooooooooo - my wallet is safe! Well, for the most part (because I own a lot of these already,) but my backlog is not. Thankfully due to the Backlog Challenge me and Smevz joined, I do already have Bastion and Pyre already installed on my console, ready to fire up soon, it's been on that list for a few months though, so I really ought to tackle Bastion soon.

 

 

On 07/12/2021 at 6:39 PM, DrBloodmoney said:

 

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Bastion

 

and

 

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I'm very much looking forward to these now (not that I wasn't already,) but yeah.......  Even more so now.....

 

 

...... For as good as the review is, and believe me it is this........

 

On 07/12/2021 at 6:39 PM, DrBloodmoney said:

While I think Bastion does do enough with story and with emotion (owing a big debt to Darren Korb and vocalist Ashley Barrett on that front,)

 

That made me go "Oooooooooh, Ashley Barrett is involved in this one too" GIMMMMME NOW.

 

Her voice practically broke my heart with some of the music in Transistor, and ever since playing it, that is probably the video game soundtrack Ilisten to most frequently outside of the original NieR

 

I've always been interested in Pyre purely for how unique it all sounds, and I absolutely love games like that, where they kind of break the mould of what you'd expect and do something all of its own. I'll also have to remember to just try and do a blind playthrough first, without even really thinking about the trophies.

 

I loved the Comparison to Punch Drunk Love as well, more people need to watch that film.

 

If only to hear the line " I'm lookin' at your face and I just wanna smash it. I just wanna f***in' smash it with a sledgehammer and squeeze it. You're so pretty."

 

First time I watched that - I remember thinking, wow I did not realise Adam Sandler was capable of that!

 

On 07/12/2021 at 6:39 PM, DrBloodmoney said:

 

Lb99f47.png

Persian Nights: Sands of Wonder

 

 

This might be one of those Artifex Mundi titles, that I end up kind of just leaving until I've run out of the other ones to play - it doesn't really sound all that enthralling to be fair.

 

You aren't alone in not being a fan of those "boss fights." They just seem so out of place in a game like the Artifex Mundi titles, I genuinely can't think of a time when they've actually been implemented in a really positive way.

 

On 07/12/2021 at 6:39 PM, DrBloodmoney said:

 

L141bd5.png

Gods Will Fall

 

 

I quite like the sound of this - jankiness and all.

 

I'm literally playing a game at the moment - where the little four legged martian poo lookalike Moles seem to have extendable arms, that can hit you half way across a room even if you perfectly dodged out the way.

 

So some of the hitbox problems in Gods Will Fall would practically feel like a holiday to the Caribbean in comparison!

 

I guess this one does go on the backlog/wishlist, because you definitely made it sound like overall it's a fairly enjoyable experience.

 

On 07/12/2021 at 6:39 PM, DrBloodmoney said:

 

L9768c5.png

It Takes Two

 

This doesn't though - this can honestly get in the sea, not just in the sea, it can get pushed off a gangplank wearing some concrete shoes.

 

I was getting frustrated just reading you describe it - so Christ knows what it must have been like to actually have the misfortune of actually playing it.

 

There was one bit during that, that I knew you were going to say before you'd even said it, because from everything you'd described up to that point, I was starting feel the same way, judging by what you'd written, which was this......

 

On 07/12/2021 at 6:39 PM, DrBloodmoney said:

It feels like an approximation of a Little Big Planet-style game, made by someone who not only doesn't believe in magic, but never even did as a child. It's 'charm' feels borne out of committee and focus-testing, rather than imagination. 
A sort of "Brett Ratner's Little Big Planet", if you will.

 

I hate this! Like seriously, when any game, or film or anything does that, I find it infuriating - and it shows so little individual thought, that it almost makes my blood boil to think about it. As you've probably gathered, by this point, I'm a fairly relaxed and chilled out person most of the time, but I think I had I come to that realisation whilst playing the game I feel like I might have just stopped, because even reading about that made me frustrated. 

 

It is so soulless, and just eurgh. Shame basically. I know you can't conjure creativity out of thin air, but still, if you're making a game you expect some level of it, outside of base familiarity. 

 

I'm glad you gave away the ending too, because that is a dangerous message to send out to kids - whilst I didn't particularly blame myself for my parents divorce, that doesn't mean that I didn't at least consider if it had something to do with me. You can't help not to wonder things like that as a child.

 

Yeah, if you couldn't tell I'm swerving this one, however, the review was fantastic - and I can't stress that part enough, I think you've actually done people a real service here in probably steering people away from it.

 

On 07/12/2021 at 6:39 PM, DrBloodmoney said:

 

L2784c8.png

Lost in Random

 

 

I'm totally onboard for this though - I saw a trailer for this a couple of months ago and much I got some real American McGee's Alice vibes from it....... In my book that can only be a good thing.

 

On 08/12/2021 at 0:51 PM, Copanele said:

Lost in Random is another interesting game, might decide on that later as well. I loved "American McGee's Alice" , the original game, it's one of the best executed ideas. Aesthetics are awesome as well, quite the fun part.

 

That was pretty much my reaction too yeah - I can always go for more American McGee-esque shenanigans!

 

It definitely has an interesting charm and aesthetic too, one I think I'd definitely enjoy especially as I'm a big fan of the two Henry Selick films you mentioned in Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach (everyone always forgets Tim Burton didn't direct them :lol:)......... Sorry Doc, don't mean to be a pedantic fanny on that one ?.

 

Funnily enough from what you described of the gameplay it actually sounds a lot like one of my favourite Kingdom Hearts games. Chain of Memories... Which also has a card and deck system that sounds very VERY similar to what you described in Lost in Random.

 

I'm going to have give this one a look at some point too. So erm wishlist too? For when I have a PS5 like. 

 

Killer reviews as ever man! Sorry it took a little while drop by.

 

Edited by rjkclarke
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10 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

That made me go "Oooooooooh, Ashley Barrett is involved in this one too" GIMMMMME NOW.

 

Her voice practically broke my heart with some of the music in Transistor, and ever since playing it, that is probably the video game soundtrack Ilisten to most frequently outside of the original NieR

 

Oh, she's the vocalist on a track in Bastion called "Build That Wall", which (despite the rather unfortunate political parallels that title conjures now ?) is really something!

 

Quote

I've always been interested in Pyre purely for how unique it all sounds, and I absolutely love games like that, where they kind of break the mould of what you'd expect and do something all of its own. I'll also have to remember to just try and do a blind playthrough first, without even really thinking about the trophies.

 

I loved the Comparison to Punch Drunk Love as well, more people need to watch that film.

 

If only to hear the line " I'm lookin' at your face and I just wanna smash it. I just wanna f***in' smash it with a sledgehammer and squeeze it. You're so pretty."

 

First time I watched that - I remember thinking, wow I did not realise Adam Sandler was capable of that!

 

Man, I love that movie - it's a tough one, but it might be my favourite PTA flick (aside from maybe There Will be Blood).

 

Quote

 

This might be one of those Artifex Mundi titles, that I end up kind of just leaving until I've run out of the other ones to play - it doesn't really sound all that enthralling to be fair.

 

You aren't alone in not being a fan of those "boss fights." They just seem so out of place in a game like the Artifex Mundi titles, I genuinely can't think of a time when they've actually been implemented in a really positive way.

 

Yeah, bit of a dud that one all told - though I think I do have the second Persian Nights one in my purchased list from some sale at some point, so if I get around to that, might see if its a series problem, or just that specific entry...

 

Quote

I quite like the sound of this - jankiness and all.

 

I'm literally playing a game at the moment - where the little four legged martian poo lookalike Moles seem to have extendable arms, that can hit you half way across a room even if you perfectly dodged out the way.

 

So some of the hitbox problems in Gods Will Fall would practically feel like a holiday to the Caribbean in comparison!

 

I guess this one does go on the backlog/wishlist, because you definitely made it sound like overall it's a fairly enjoyable experience.

 

Sure, it's pretty good! Certainly one where you can feel the smaller budget, but there's certainly ambition and ideas in there worth seeing, and the overall experience goes down very smooth, jank notwithstanding!

 

 

Quote

 

This doesn't though - this can honestly get in the sea, not just in the sea, it can get pushed off a gangplank wearing some concrete shoes.

 

I was getting frustrated just reading you describe it - so Christ knows what it must have been like to actually have the misfortune of actually playing it.

 

There was one bit during that, that I knew you were going to say before you'd even said it, because from everything you'd described up to that point, I was starting feel the same way, judging by what you'd written, which was this......

 

 

I hate this! Like seriously, when any game, or film or anything does that, I find it infuriating - and it shows so little individual thought, that it almost makes my blood boil to think about it. As you've probably gathered, by this point, I'm a fairly relaxed and chilled out person most of the time, but I think I had I come to that realisation whilst playing the game I feel like I might have just stopped, because even reading about that made me frustrated. 

 

It is so soulless, and just eurgh. Shame basically. I know you can't conjure creativity out of thin air, but still, if you're making a game you expect some level of it, outside of base familiarity. 

 

I'm glad you gave away the ending too, because that is a dangerous message to send out to kids - whilst I didn't particularly blame myself for my parents divorce, that doesn't mean that I didn't at least consider if it had something to do with me. You can't help not to wonder things like that as a child.

 

Yeah, if you couldn't tell I'm swerving this one, however, the review was fantastic - and I can't stress that part enough, I think you've actually done people a real service here in probably steering people away from it.

 

Well, seems like I'm fighting a losing battle there, given that I awake this morning to discover that it (inexplicably) took the "Game of the Year" award at The Game Awards - thus proving that there is no justice in the gaming industry!

I knew something was rotten in the state of Denmark when Hitman 3 wasn't even nominated, but to see It Takes Two win over things like Deathloop and Returnal just makes me feel old ?

I always suspected I was out of touch with the general consensus, but if anything proves it, it's this! :blink:

 

Quote

I'm totally onboard for this though - I saw a trailer for this a couple of months ago and much I got some real American McGee's Alice vibes from it....... In my book that can only be a good thing.

 

 

That was pretty much my reaction too yeah - I can always go for more American McGee-esque shenanigans!

 

It definitely has an interesting charm and aesthetic too, one I think I'd definitely enjoy especially as I'm a big fan of the two Henry Selick films you mentioned in Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach (everyone always forgets Tim Burton didn't direct them :lol:)......... Sorry Doc, don't mean to be a pedantic fanny on that one 1f609.png.

 

I'm one of them... to my shame, I actually didn't know that!

I guess Burton is the filmic equivalent of the likes of American McGee or Kojima, or Suda - his influence is so strong, and the cult of personality around him so pointed (and bankable) that his involvement in any level overshadows the less well known names that are doing the grinding work of actually getting the thing out the door!

 

Glad to be corrected on it though - I should know that stuff!

Now I feel like one of those FOOLS who think George Lucas directed Empire! ?

 

 

Quote

Funnily enough from what you described of the gameplay it actually sounds a lot like one of my favourite Kingdom Hearts games. Chain of Memories... Which also has a card and deck system that sounds very VERY similar to what you described in Lost in Random.

 

I'm going to have give this one a look at some point too. So erm wishlist too? For when I have a PS5 like. 

 

Funny you should mention Kingdom Hearts - I had no idea that was a thing in a KH game, but recently, I have been slowly coming around to the idea of finally checking out the main KH trilogy... and have been quietly hoping someone would talk me out of it, as I don't want to become one of those weirdos ??...

 

but seriously - what do you reckon - can KH be experienced by just doing the main trilogy, or do I need a map, a compass and a bag of trail mix to start navigating the wilds of all the side stuff too?

 

Quote

Killer reviews as ever man! Sorry it took a little while drop by.

 

Thanks!

Edited by DrBloodmoney
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Was it your birthday yesterday or the day before? I woke up at silly O'Clock in the morning, and couldn't get back to sleep (at least I finished Mars: War Logs,) so I  thought I'd have a little stroll through the status updates and saw your post, sorry I missed that if it was your birthday...

 

..... Happy belated birthday if it was!

 

59 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Oh, she's the vocalist on a track in Bastion called "Build That Wall", which (despite the rather unfortunate political parallels that title conjures now 1f602.png) is really something!

 

Nothing political about it dude! Just a song about bricklaying is all........ Don't know what political parallels you might be thinking of :hmm:....

 

Oh you must be thinking of that ludicrous Orange fella?

 

hqdefault.jpg

 

1 hour ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Man, I love that movie - it's a tough one, but it might be my favourite PTA flick (aside from maybe There Will be Blood).

 

If someone had a gun to my head - and made me choose one favourite PTA film, but I also had a time limit to choose one, I think it'd have to be Punch Drunk Love...... Or Magnolia, I absolutely love that one..... There Will be Blood is a good shout too, it'd be easier to pick one if he didn't seem to just have an abundance of amazing films right?

 

1 hour ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Yeah, bit of a dud that one all told - though I think I do have the second Persian Nights one in my purchased list from some sale at some point, so if I get around to that, might see if its a series problem, or just that specific entry...

 

I think I'll wait for the science on that one :lol:...... Leave that one to the experts, I have about at least six other AM titles.I could think of playing, before I decided on that one,so hopefully by then the science has worked its magic, then we'll know for sure.

 

1 hour ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Well, seems like I'm fighting a losing battle there, given that I awake this morning to discover that it (inexplicably) took the "Game of the Year" award at The Game Awards - thus proving that there is no justice in the gaming industry!

I knew something was rotten in the state of Denmark when Hitman 3 wasn't even nominated, but to see It Takes Two win over things like Deathloop and Returnal just makes me feel old 1f602.png

I always suspected I was out of touch with the general consensus, but if anything proves it, it's this! :blink:

 

 

I had a little chuckle reading the bit of text of mine you quoted, reading that got me so irate - I forgot how to use English properly for a moment.?

 

Also...... I should have mentioned this yesterday, but one bit in the It takes Two review had me in hysterics for the strangest of reasons.....

 

On 07/12/2021 at 6:39 PM, DrBloodmoney said:

you would have to go deep into the unexplored, tribal jungles of Papua New Guinea

 

For some reason this brought a really old memory from one of the early Ricky Gervais Podcasts flooding back, where Karl Pilkington says something like...

 

" The fellas who spin their knobs around and wave them at helicopters to scare them away and that, the Papa people I think they're called"

 

reading that in conjunction with everything else just made me absolutely crease up.

 

Back to It Takes Two though...

 

That is pretty frustrating, although it's probably better not to think too hard on it. It isn't a reflection on you, or your critical skills. Although you know that I'm sure.

 

After all, think of all of the films and or actors that should have won acting awards over the years that were robbed by something else, that really didn't deserve it. Look at 1996 for example in the Academy awards for Best Actor - Geoffrey Rush won it, but I don't necessarily think he deserved it for that role, not when Billy Bob Thornton was up for Sling Blade or Woody Harrelson was up for The People vs Larry Flynt.

 

Annoying, but it is what it is....... Hitman 3 not even getting a nomination is pretty obscene though.

 

1 hour ago, DrBloodmoney said:

I'm one of them... to my shame, I actually didn't know that!

I guess Burton is the filmic equivalent of the likes of American McGee or Kojima, or Suda - his influence is so strong, and the cult of personality around him so pointed (and bankable) that his involvement in any level overshadows the less well known names that are doing the grinding work of actually getting the thing out the door!

 

Glad to be corrected on it though - I should know that stuff!

Now I feel like one of those FOOLS who think George Lucas directed Empire1f602.png

 

 

It was pretty pedantic of me to be fair - they are Tim Burton films in essence after all. He did write and produce them - and as is the law in the Film and Television world, the Producer is actually the true King or Queen, they have all the real power - they can just tell the Director to do one if they wished.

 

Those are pretty damn accurate gaming analogies though - I really don't want to use the word auteur, because I can't stand it - it gets thrown around so flippantly nowadays. Although out of that bunch Kojima I think is the only one that would actually term himself that way. ?

 

I would have thought a lot of people think that about Return of the Jedi more than anything surely? I can't even think of another film Richard Marquand made without googling it, but I know he made that one ?.....

 

That or they just assume George Lucas did all of the original trilogy, I do know someone who thought that all of the Star Wars prequels were made by an intern at Lucasfilm, which the guy was deadly serious about, that one was a head scratcher for sure. He was a big Star Wars guy too, but he was absolutely convinced that was the case.

 

1 hour ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Funny you should mention Kingdom Heart - I had no idea that was a thing in a KH game, but recently, I have been slowly coming around to the idea of finally checking out the main KH trilogy... and have been quietly hoping someone would talk me out of it, as I don't want to become one of those weirdos 1f643.png1f61c.png...

 

but seriously - what do you reckon - can KH be experienced by just doing the main trilogy, or do I need a map, a compass and a bag of trail mix to start navigating the wilds of all the side stuff too?

 

I certainly don't think I'm the person to try and talk you into playing them, that's for sure - although we both know of at least one person that would probably give it a damn good go.

 

That's a tough one you know. The Kingdom Hearts fanbase seem about as rabid as the Metal Gear Solid ones at times - so it's tough to really try and steer you one way or the other.

 

What I can fairly comfortably say I think - is that many of the things that I'm not too fond of in the series, and there's quite a lot actually.  I think you'd probably share some of those criticisms yourself. There is a huge tonal shift in those games fairly early into the series. Some people love it, I'm personally less keen - I'm very much in the minority of people that like Kingdom Hearts best when it's simplest, when it's just an enjoyable Action-RPG, and a crossover between Final Fantasy and Disney properties, all whilst still being able to stand on its own. So the first Kingdom Hearts basically. That's still there in all three entries in the trilogy, but by the end some of those aspects of it - to me at least, felt like the writers and designers felt burdened by, more than something to expand upon.

 

It depends on what exactly you're looking for - if it's a coherent story, you still wouldn't find that across the trilogy I don't think..... I remember at the end of KHIII I thought "really,this is your ending?You kept us on the hook for thirteen years, and this is what you thought was the best approach."  They really want you to have played every single mobile title, flash game - Kinder Egg, whatever you can think of that has KH attached to it to understand the story. At times it makes the plot of Lost look like one of those children's books that just contain singular pictures, and a word like sheep or cow.

 

Just playing the trilogy you'd miss out on one of the best entries (in my opinion at least,) in Birth by Sleep - which is both a decent entry in the series, expands the canon in a positive way, and it's an incredibly fun game to boot. If I hadn't already played a lot of them I'd have absolutely no real idea where to start.

 

If you seriously want someone to talk you out of it though - I'm sure I probably could. 

 

do I need a map, a compass and a bag of trail mix to start navigating the wilds of all the side stuff too?

 

Haha! You would almost certainly need a Sherpa too - and one of those water divining sticks for good measure - and if you can manage to fit it all in a rubber chicken with a pulley in the middle wouldn't go amiss, y'know for emergencies like.

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I didn't realize Hitman 3 was so good, to be at #1 in your list! I've never played any of the Hitman games before. Maybe I'll have to give Hitman 2 a try soon. I've had it for a while.

 

Loved #16-17 on your list, Bioshock in particular. I just finished it about a week ago. 

Edited by RoadRunner_005
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3 hours ago, RoadRunner_005 said:

I didn't realize Hitman 3 was so good, to be at #1 in your list! I've never played any of the Hitman games before. Maybe I'll have to give Hitman 2 a try soon. I've had it for a while.

 

oh, it’s magic!

 

H3 benefits a lot, in the sense that it gets all the work of Hitman and Hitman 2 - they are all playable within Hitman 3, so it ends up being one of the biggest games ever, of course ?… but the games are just sublime. Absolutely worth playing - if you crack into H2 (from PS+ I assume?) try to make sure you get the Hitman 1 DLC installed too - the overall story is quite good, and those levels in H1 are absolutely excellent too!

 

3 hours ago, RoadRunner_005 said:

 

Loved #16-17 on your list, Bioshock in particular. I just finished it about a week ago. 


Ah yeah - well, me too (obviously!)

Bioshock was a hell of a game - great gameplay, amazing setting… and ‘would you kindly’ reveal is just ??

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:hidden::hidden:AWARDS SEASON UPDATE:hidden::hidden:

 

Due to my lack of consideration for my own availability over the holiday period, (yes, contrary to general opinion, I do, on occasion, leave the house!)  I'm calling an audible, and making a slight change to the inaugural Super Scientific Awards.

 

Rather than running to the Gregorian calendar, I am going to consider 2021 to run from December 21st of 2020, to December 20th of 2021.

 

That allows me to post the awards before I am potentially away from my computer, let's me relax when playing over the holidays without having to have my Science Labcoat on during holiday play-time, and - most importantly, of course...

...lets us all have our Tuxedo's / ball gowns / Kilts and Sherrifmuir jackets dry-cleaned prior to the New Year festivities! ?

 

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