This game is awesome.

[StrickenBiged]

Just a quick post to say that I played a couple of rounds of Armello MP yesterday, and it's awesome. We (the PS+ subscriber community) really screwed up by not voting for it to be our freebie in September 2015. 

 

The game is a very faithful reproduction of a physical board game. In fact, the developers designed the physical version of this game to get its mechanics sorted out before they started programming the digital version. I won't go into those mechanics here. There are plenty of favourable reviews around which will explain them. But as with any board game, you need to play it for them to really make sense. 

 

And when 4 friends are playing together, it feels just like a board game. All the laughs as one guy consistently has crappy luck, and the tension as one player pulls ahead of the pack only for the rest of you to round on him until the balance of power shifts again. I was reminded of all the fun nights I've had playing games like Settlers of Catan, Risk, Munchkin and Smallworld with my friends IRL. 

 

So, all I can say is, if you are in the least bit interested in boardgames and have at least one friend that you can play with online, you should download and play this game before the 30% discount disappears. 

 

The first immediately noticeable downside to the game is that there doesn't appear to be any offline co-op. However, the game's mechanics wouldn't allow for this anyway, as it would prevent the character who's turn it isn't from being able to play their cards during someone else's turn, which can be necessary in certain situations. The omission is understandable given the way the game works in actual play. Edit: also, players would be able to see one another's cards... not a good idea to show your hand. 2nd Edit: also also, there is a stealth mechanic in the game, which would be completely lost if players were able to see each other's movements on the screen. Thanks to LiNSiCKeL for reminding me.

 

Also, the text can be a little small and hard to read, even on my 46 inch TV. 3rd Edit: I'm an idiot - you can press right on the D-pad again to bring the card into the middle of the screen at a rarger size, making it very readable. So this negative doesn't count.

 

Go buy it. Other than those 2 minor downsides, it's great. 

Edited September 14, 2015 by StrickenBiged

[Happy]

I TOLD YOU ALL

[Crespelio-X12]

why ps plus people why

[damon8r351]

I too, "told you all".

 

Although back then, what I told you all was that when given the choice to vote, people would still find something to complain about.

[StrickenBiged]

Don't worry guys, we know better for next time. 

 

I don't think it helped that Grow Home was already out on PC, so players could watch let's plays, reviews, etc, of that game and know what they were voting for. Armello and Zombie Vikings were unknown entities.

 

But yeah, Armello is great fun. Seriously, if you've got a spare £12, convince some friends to buy it too and you'll have a blast playing it. 

 

I haven't tried the SP yet. Hopefully the AI isn't ridiculously hard, always making the correct strategic decisions 100% of the time, etc. 

[antithesis]

Yeah, Armello got my vote on PS+. 

 

Unfortunately, there's no beating the lowest common denominator...

[LiNSiCKeL]

Yea, I also voted this. I haven't hit MP yet, but imagine how active it might have been if it was the free game.

[Hanzoadam]

I voted for it on PS+ game but was disapointed when it lost, Have to many games atm but plan to pick it up later, maybe in a sale

[DaivRules]

Just a quick post to say that I played a couple of rounds of Armello MP yesterday, and it's awesome. We (the PS+ subscriber community) really screwed up by not voting for it to be our freebie in September 2015. 

 

What if someone has no intention of playing MP, ever? Would you still say Armello is a better pick than Grow Home?

[StrickenBiged]

What if someone has no intention of playing MP, ever? Would you still say Armello is a better pick than Grow Home?

 

A toughy. I haven't spent much time in the SP, other than the prologue/tutorial. I would estimate that it may be less fun because (1) board games are always better played with real life opponents and (2) the AI might, potentially, be too clever, e.g. never making a strategic cock-up.

 

I'll report back once I've played SP a bit more.

 

Don't get me wrong, Grow Home is good, simply, joyful gameplay. But I've had a lot more fun in just 2 hours of this game than I have in many hours of Grow Home. 

[Sir_Bee]

Just a quick post to say that I played a couple of rounds of Armello MP yesterday, and it's awesome. We (the PS+ subscriber community) really screwed up by not voting for it to be our freebie in September 2015. 

 

The game is a very faithful reproduction of a physical board game. In fact, the developers designed the physical version of this game to get its mechanics sorted out before they started programming the digital version. I won't go into those mechanics here. There are plenty of favourable reviews around which will explain them. But as with any board game, you need to play it for them to really make sense. 

 

And when 4 friends are playing together, it feels just like a board game. All the laughs as one guy consistently has crappy luck, and the tension as one player pulls ahead of the pack only for the rest of you to round on him until the balance of power shifts again. I was reminded of all the fun nights I've had playing games like Settlers of Catan, Risk, Munchkin and Smallworld with my friends IRL. 

 

So, all I can say is, if you are in the least bit interested in boardgames and have at least one friend that you can play with online, you should download and play this game before the 30% discount disappears. 

 

The first immediately noticeable downside to the game is that there doesn't appear to be any offline co-op. However, the game's mechanics wouldn't allow for this anyway, as it would prevent the character who's turn it isn't from being able to play their cards during someone else's turn, which can be necessary in certain situations. The omission is understandable given the way the game works in actual play. Edit: also, players would be able to see one another's cards... not a good idea to show your hand.

 

Also, the text can be a little small and hard to read, even on my 46 inch TV. 

 

Go buy it. Other than those 2 minor downsides, it's great. 

 

Both of those are not that difficult to fix.

 

To play a card when it is not your turn, you could just have a trigger button that the other player would press, and then they would have the chance to pick a card from their hand.  

 

As for not showing the cards in your hand, the PS2 Yu Gi Oh game, Duelist of the Roses, had a pretty neat way of fixing that.  Your hand is always facing the wrong way, and when you press one of the 4 buttons (triangle, square, x, circle) it would show a card, but only one of those cards is the correct card, and the other three are random.  So the other people you are with don't actually know which card you have.  It may sound cumbersome, but it actually worked surprisingly well.

 

I understand that you think no local co-op is a minor downside, but to me it is a game breaker.  The only people I would reliably play with either live with me, or don't have a ps4.  I would need the local co-op to be able to play.  Also, something about playing a board game by yourself (with other players, but they are in other places) just seems odd.  My friends and I used to walk home from school to play risk, and the company was more fun then the actual game.  Without all being in the same place, it loses some of that magic.  I was also looking forward to this game

[StrickenBiged]

Both of those are not that difficult to fix.

 

To play a card when it is not your turn, you could just have a trigger button that the other player would press, and then they would have the chance to pick a card from their hand.  

 

As for not showing the cards in your hand, the PS2 Yu Gi Oh game, Duelist of the Roses, had a pretty neat way of fixing that.  Your hand is always facing the wrong way, and when you press one of the 4 buttons (triangle, square, x, circle) it would show a card, but only one of those cards is the correct card, and the other three are random.  So the other people you are with don't actually know which card you have.  It may sound cumbersome, but it actually worked surprisingly well.

 

I understand that you think no local co-op is a minor downside, but to me it is a game breaker.  The only people I would reliably play with either live with me, or don't have a ps4.  I would need the local co-op to be able to play.  Also, something about playing a board game by yourself (with other players, but they are in other places) just seems odd.  My friends and I used to walk home from school to play risk, and the company was more fun then the actual game.  Without all being in the same place, it loses some of that magic.  I was also looking forward to this game

 

I dont understand how the YiGiOh system works... If the other players can't tell from the screen which of the cards on screen is yours, how can you?

 

I'm the opposite to you - all my friends have dispersed across the country and the world since university, so I value online MP much more highly. I'd still urge you to give the game a try, you must have some online PSN friends you could play with? If not, add me. If we're on at the same time, my buddies and I will gladly give you a game. 

[damon8r351]

I find it ironic that people complaining about Armello not being free were also ones that indicated they were voting for another game other than Armello in the poll I linked to.

Edited September 9, 2015 by damon8r351

[LiNSiCKeL]

I dont understand how the YiGiOh system works... If the other players can't tell from the screen which of the cards on screen is yours, how can you?

 

I'm the opposite to you - all my friends have dispersed across the country and the world since university, so I value online MP much more highly. I'd still urge you to give the game a try, you must have some online PSN friends you could play with? If not, add me. If we're on at the same time, my buddies and I will gladly give you a game. 

I think the larger problem than seeing the person's cards sitting next to you is actually the stealth mechanic. It can be a large part of the game or a major key in your route to victory that you use the stealth to get around and what not utilizing a low body stat such as that little rat guy with the stealth perk. In addition that item that makes you stealth in forests all the time. I feel this would be much more game breaking in a couch co-op setting than seeing my cards. It would completely eliminate an entire play style from the game as I would know where the couch co-op players are located. 

 

I do wish I could have my buddy over to play some games of this though. 

[StrickenBiged]

I find it ironic that people complaining about Armello not being free were also ones that indicated they were voting for another game other than Armello in the poll I linked to.

 

I switched to Armello at the last minute on the vote, when it became the clear 2nd place. But yeah, I was originally voting for ZV. 

 

Anyway, not the point. We, as a collective, screwed up by not asking for this great game to be our freebie. It deserves more attention IMO.

I think the larger problem than seeing the person's cards sitting next to you is actually the stealth mechanic. It can be a large part of the game or a major key in your route to victory that you use the stealth to get around and what not utilizing a low body stat such as that little rat guy with the stealth perk. In addition that item that makes you stealth in forests all the time. I feel this would be much more game breaking in a couch co-op setting than seeing my cards. It would completely eliminate an entire play style from the game as I would know where the couch co-op players are located. 

 

I do wish I could have my buddy over to play some games of this though. 

 

Great point, I completely forgot about the stealth. Couch Co-op would completely change that mechanic and break an important part of the game. 

[LiNSiCKeL]

I voted for it on PS+ game but was disapointed when it lost, Have to many games atm but plan to pick it up later, maybe in a sale

FYI it is on sale currently as it was second placed. 

[Sir_Bee]

I dont understand how the YiGiOh system works... If the other players can't tell from the screen which of the cards on screen is yours, how can you?

 

I'm the opposite to you - all my friends have dispersed across the country and the world since university, so I value online MP much more highly. I'd still urge you to give the game a try, you must have some online PSN friends you could play with? If not, add me. If we're on at the same time, my buddies and I will gladly give you a game. 

 

One button (lets use X as an example) is designated to show the correct card, but if you press square, circle, or triangle, you will display another card.  So if you look at the same card with multiple buttons, you will know which is the real card (the one that displayed when you pressed X), but anyone looking at the screen only knows it could be one of 3 or 4 cards (depending on how many options you showed).  It actually worked well for us, as I played that game with local co-op quite often.

 

I may take you up on your offer though, I will think about it.

 

I have always wanted a system that would connect to 2 tv's simultaneously.  That would eliminate all problems with couch co-op on this game, and eliminate the need for split screen in many others.  It always used to be a problem with graphics processors, but if the PS4 is capable of playing in 3D, then it already displays 2 full screens.  Why cant we split that and display 2 images on 2 screens simultaneously.  

[StrickenBiged]

What if someone has no intention of playing MP, ever? Would you still say Armello is a better pick than Grow Home?

 

I played some SP last night. It was fun, but not as much fun as with friends because the other Heroes aren't talking smack with you. If you're really into board games for reasons other than purely being social and having fun, e.g. an interest in game mechanics, an interest in design, I think I could recommend it to hardcore SP gamers. You'll still have fun, but the experience was a lot more cerebral and contemplative (no timers meant that I could deliberate over every move, weight up risks and rewards, etc) and a lot less about talking smack with my friends. 

One button (lets use X as an example) is designated to show the correct card, but if you press square, circle, or triangle, you will display another card.  So if you look at the same card with multiple buttons, you will know which is the real card (the one that displayed when you pressed X), but anyone looking at the screen only knows it could be one of 3 or 4 cards (depending on how many options you showed).  It actually worked well for us, as I played that game with local co-op quite often.

 

I may take you up on your offer though, I will think about it.

 

I have always wanted a system that would connect to 2 tv's simultaneously.  That would eliminate all problems with couch co-op on this game, and eliminate the need for split screen in many others.  It always used to be a problem with graphics processors, but if the PS4 is capable of playing in 3D, then it already displays 2 full screens.  Why cant we split that and display 2 images on 2 screens simultaneously.  

 

Hmm. Interesting mechanic, and very clever. I'm just trying to figure out whether something like this would be possible in Armello, where you can have multiple cards at any one time. 

 

A system that could hook up to 2 TV's would be cool. Remember, we're going to get something like that soon with Morpheus. You could have one player exploring a dungeon with the Morpheus, while the 2nd player uses the TV to lay traps or direct enemies towards the morpheus player, for example. Not what you were suggesting, I know, but close!

[Guest]

Just a quick post to say that I played a couple of rounds of Armello MP yesterday, and it's awesome. We (the PS+ subscriber community) really screwed up by not voting for it to be our freebie in September 2015. 

 

 

How do you know PS+ subscribers didn't vote for it most? because Sony said Grow Home won? :\ 

 

Sony probably saw Armello and Zombie Vike got more votes and thought they would sell better than a game like Grow Home so gave us that instead.

 

Grow Home is terrible with flaky controls and mechanics, and not to mention no plat?, not even a full game it is it seems.... Its terrible...

Edited September 10, 2015 by ERGOPROXY-DECAY

[StrickenBiged]

How do you know PS+ subscribers didn't vote for it most? because Sony said Grow Home won? :\ 

 

Sony probably saw Armello and Zombie Vike got more votes and thought they would sell better than a game like Grow Home so gave us that instead.

 

Grow Home is terrible with flaky controls and mechanics, and not to mention no plat?, not even a full game it is it seems.... Its terrible...

 

Are you suggesting that Sony fudged the numbers to make sure that the more popular games had to be paid for? Damn that's cynical if so. Any evidence to say this is the case?

 

Grow Home if fine for what it is. The controls take some getting used to, especially in relation to B.U.D.'s momentum carrying him a few steps beyond what you wanted to do all the time, but it's very playable. I've been able to pull off some cool moves in-game once I got my head around it, and they don't detract from my enjoyment of the game at all. But yeah, short it is. 

[Guest]

Are you suggesting that Sony fudged the numbers to make sure that the more popular games had to be paid for? Damn that's cynical if so. Any evidence to say this is the case?

 

Grow Home if fine for what it is. The controls take some getting used to, especially in relation to B.U.D.'s momentum carrying him a few steps beyond what you wanted to do all the time, but it's very playable. I've been able to pull off some cool moves in-game once I got my head around it, and they don't detract from my enjoyment of the game at all. But yeah, short it is. 

 

Just speculations atm. Well have to see next month.. if the worse game of the 3 wins again.  

 

But there wouldn't be a way for us to know anyways. Its all up to Sony to say.

 

And its kinda dumb that they are selling G.H. for 7.99$ while Armello and ZombieV both are 13.99 with psplus and 19.99 without.

 

Im curious if Armello or ZombieV will get put back into the voting with other games sometime in the future.

[StrickenBiged]

Just speculations atm. Well have to see next month.. if the worse game of the 3 wins again.

 

But there wouldn't be a way for us to know anyways. Its all up to Sony to say.

 

And its kinda dumb that they are selling G.H. for 7.99$ while Armello and ZombieV both are 13.99 with psplus and 19.99 without.

 

Im curious if Armello or ZombieV will get put back into the voting with other games sometime in the future.

 

Voting is not going to be monthly, just "regularly throughout the year".

 

The price is set by the developers, not Sony. 

 

ZV and Armello will not feature in the voting again. AFAI understand it from Sony's announcements on voting, only games that are yet to be released on PSN will feature.

[Prem-aka-Prince]

...I have always wanted a system that would connect to 2 tv's simultaneously.  That would eliminate all problems with couch co-op on this game, and eliminate the need for split screen in many others.  It always used to be a problem with graphics processors, but if the PS4 is capable of playing in 3D, then it already displays 2 full screens.  Why cant we split that and display 2 images on 2 screens simultaneously.  

For all intents and purposes, PS4 isn't much of a 3D system at this time. The total list of games that even support 3D is apparently 9, and of those more than half are ports, and none are remarkable. Armello isn't graphically intense by any means, but nor is it such a slacker that it would be well suited to an easy doubling of output- and note that 3D is generating more or less the same image twice, whereas this would be more like wholly running the game twice.

 

As for the TC, I had been enjoying the game substantially to begin with, predominantly by myself... I found the slower, more deliberate pace liberating and provided an opportunity to put my mind to the test at every move, like managing chess pieces and planning ahead (of course planning ahead sometimes meant that your next move was simply a quick locational move and nothing more).

 

I wouldn't worry about the bots being 'too good'. While they are capable and do pose a physical threat (especially if they get some luck with equipment), for the most part they are managable and don't employ any advanced tactics. Sometimes they can interfere frustratingly with your pursuit of a trophy, but then again, unaware human players would accidentally do that too. The advantage there with bots is the ability to quit and reload last auto save.

...it's the random elements that'll really bug ya if you're trying to work a detailed strategy. Can you imagine? "Checkmate! Oh oops the kingsguard-dog ate my queen, sux."

[Sir_Bee]

For all intents and purposes, PS4 isn't much of a 3D system at this time. The total list of games that even support 3D is apparently 9, and of those more than half are ports, and none are remarkable. Armello isn't graphically intense by any means, but nor is it such a slacker that it would be well suited to an easy doubling of output- and note that 3D is generating more or less the same image twice, whereas this would be more like wholly running the game twice.

 

As for the TC, I had been enjoying the game substantially to begin with, predominantly by myself... I found the slower, more deliberate pace liberating and provided an opportunity to put my mind to the test at every move, like managing chess pieces and planning ahead (of course planning ahead sometimes meant that your next move was simply a quick locational move and nothing more).

 

I wouldn't worry about the bots being 'too good'. While they are capable and do pose a physical threat (especially if they get some luck with equipment), for the most part they are managable and don't employ any advanced tactics. Sometimes they can interfere frustratingly with your pursuit of a trophy, but then again, unaware human players would accidentally do that too. The advantage there with bots is the ability to quit and reload last auto save.

...it's the random elements that'll really bug ya if you're trying to work a detailed strategy. Can you imagine? "Checkmate! Oh oops the kingsguard-dog ate my queen, sux."

 

Hmm, I may still get it then.  Do we know how long the sale is on?

 

Also, if I can survive the random unfairness of mario parties, I think I can handle anything lol.

 

As for your 2 tv's comment, It would be no more graphically intense to hook up to 2 televisions, as what takes the most power is the higher resolution.  A 3D image effectively doubles the resolution, and thus the strain on the system.  So it does not matter if only 9 games are compatible with 3D, the PS4 is still capable of using 3D.  It would however require the CPU power to multitask, but any decent PC CPU should be able to multitask games, even high end games, as long as the graphics processor was doing its job.  So I see no reason why the PS4 shouldn't be able to handle 2 televisions.  

[dmland12]

Do we know how long the sale is on?

Through September 15th according to this: http://blog.us.playstation.com/2015/08/24/ps-plus-free-games-for-september-2015/