| 22 APR 2006 at 7:19pm |
| Deleted User | My thoughts after playing reamfall until 3am last night. ***sigh***
Keyboard movements are a bit confusing at first and moving is very jerky when changing directions. So far the game is so extra easy there is no need for a walkthrough. Maybe I have a longtime gamer’s intuition, but it seems so obvious where to go and what to do that it’s more of a movie than a game. Opening the EYE lock on Reza’s door was a puzzle straight out of preschool level at best.
And of course, the characters cuss and use four letter words since doing so adds coolness and realness and believability ***groan***.
I am not a fan of blocky 360 degree screens or of cartoonish type scenery, but since that’s what we have to live with here, I’m going to try to get past that.
The story line is interesting.
As April, I’ve already had to fight and kill people, but not before getting killed a few times first until getting the hang of the ‘k’ and ‘l’ keys (fighting techniques).
It’s been years since I enjoyed playing the Tomb Raider games. So why does it seem that Lara Croft was much easier to control and that the screens and camera angles didn’t jerk around as much. Manuevering the streets with Zoe has been like playing caroms, bumping off walls and fixtures. Which is why 360 isn’t so great at times.
Having just finished Keepsake, I find Keepsake’s 3D interface far superior and graphically better than Dreamfall. Again it all comes down to blocky drawings, with most everything laid out using right angles and rectangles. I usually avoid these kinds of interfaces.
At least one can rightclick and skip the never-ending dialogues. At one point it felt like I was watching “The Guiding Light” soap opera when Zoe chats with her hip girlfriend. Don’t worry, you won’t miss anything. It’s all recorded on the mobile phone and you can access it anytime.
I much rather would be playing Barrow Hill, but it’s not for sale here, yet.
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| 22 APR 2006 at 7:54pm |
eGoateeSpace Cadet
Posts : 157
Joined: 4 NOV 2002
Status : Online | Originally Posted By Jenny100 (22 APR 2006 6:35pm)
Originally Posted By eGoatee (22 APR 2006 6:07pm)
Does anyone know if there is all-around mouselook while moving foward in the game? Or is it just horizontal panning while moving?
I'm not sure what you mean by "while moving," but you can pan up and down and you're not restricted to nodes.
Thanks, it sounds like panning in Sentinel. By while moving I meant while walking and at the same time being able to turn left or right. Provided it's fairly free foward movement like in realMyst (or Sentinel). I assume the panning up and down is not straight up and down, that it's full mouselook.
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| 22 APR 2006 at 8:38pm |
Jenny100Guild Master
Posts : 3510
Joined: 12 OCT 2002
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By eGoatee (22 APR 2006 7:54pm)
Thanks, it sounds like panning in Sentinel. By while moving I meant while walking and at the same time being able to turn left or right. Provided it's fairly free foward movement like in realMyst (or Sentinel). I assume the panning up and down is not straight up and down, that it's full mouselook.
Yes you can look in all directions, or in oblique circles if you want. I'm using a gamepad, and it's easy to pan around using the right joystick while I move around by pushing on the left joystick.
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| 22 APR 2006 at 8:55pm |
kuddlesPrivate Detective
Posts : 702
Joined: 22 OCT 2004
Status : Online | Originally Posted By wowforz (22 APR 2006 7:19pm)
At least one can rightclick and skip the never-ending dialogues. At one point it felt like I was watching “The Guiding Light” soap opera when Zoe chats with her hip girlfriend. Don’t worry, you won’t miss anything. It’s all recorded on the mobile phone and you can access it anytime.
Sounds like the original TLJ. :
[size=10][b]Games:[/b] Europa Universalis III&&[b]Music:[/b] [i]Awoo[/i] - Hidden Cameras&&[b]Series:[/b] Dexter (S1)&&[b]Movies:[/b] The Prestige (8/10) Little Miss Sunshine (5/10)&&[/size]
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| 22 APR 2006 at 9:42pm |
jujigatameSchattenjger
Posts : 1976
Joined: 14 FEB 2003
Status : Online | And of course, the characters cuss and use four letter words since doing so adds coolness and realness and believability ***groan***.
I don't know what's so groan-inducing about this. As Terry and nytimesguy said, it adds realism. Many people talk like that. I love how people aren't bothered by games that involve killing hundreds of people in gruesome fashion, but some curse words (or mild sexual content, in other cases) bother them.
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| 22 APR 2006 at 10:18pm |
Jenny100Guild Master
Posts : 3510
Joined: 12 OCT 2002
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By jujigatame (22 APR 2006 9:41pm)
I love how people aren't bothered by games that involve killing hundreds of people in gruesome fashion, but some curse words (or mild sexual content, in other cases) bother them.
But that's all fake gore and entrails.
Those curse words are REAL.
(try 'em and see)
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| 22 APR 2006 at 10:40pm |
ConMolSorcerer Apprentice
Posts : 396
Joined: 10 OCT 2002
Status : Online | I am playing on the XBOX and loving it. I savor every minute. I can't believe people would right click the dialogues....this is a game all about story and character development. Zoe even rolls her eyes - she's really believable.
As far as swearing - I've done it myself when playing a game and getting into a story only to be stopped by a sliding tile puzzle or a few too many random battles (Final Fantasy - I just want to finish a game within a decade!)
I feel like I really am the character and am experiencing these events.
One other thing - it is ridiculous that JA has to buy a review copy.
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| 23 APR 2006 at 3:10am |
krkdnosePrivate Detective
Posts : 707
Joined: 9 JUN 2004
Status : Online | One other thing - it is ridiculous that JA has to buy a review copy.
I think it adds more credibility to the review.
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| 23 APR 2006 at 3:38am |
SusanGuild Master
Posts : 5485
Joined: 13 OCT 2002
Location: 0
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By wowforz (22 APR 2006 7:19pm)
As April, I’ve already had to fight and kill people, but not before getting killed a few times first until getting the hang of the ‘k’ and ‘l’ keys (fighting techniques).
I seem to recall one thing mentined in the TLJ manual was that April could not die. Although a couple spots still had me panicked that she might.
I miss my Bubba: 1986 - 2006.
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| 23 APR 2006 at 7:57am |
MorgausePrivate Detective
Posts : 687
Joined: 2 SEP 2004
Status : Online | April won't die in TLJ. She will dodge monsters in a very peculiar way (the closest equivalent I can think is "dancing when drunk", but she won't die. I wonder if it is possible to get stuck (not killed, but plainly stuck) in the last "battle" encounter, though.
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| 23 APR 2006 at 9:32am |
| Deleted User | Originally Posted By krkdnose (23 APR 2006 3:10am)
One other thing - it is ridiculous that JA has to buy a review copy.
I think it adds more credibility to the review.
Why would you think that? Because it would effect your judgement if you were given a game "for free" on the simple contract of writing a review of it? This crap has to stop here. I've reviewed several games in the past for Randy that were given to me by publishers and I've never EVER been effected by that. I don't ever play through a bad paid-for game just because I bought it - I'm actually more likely to force myself through to the end of a review copy. Do I let that change my opinion of a game, because it was free? No, I'm more likely to be more critical of it than fight with myself for my decision to buy it. But that's me. Although I know for a fact that many other reviewers here are exactly the same as me. I returned a review copy to Randy unreviewed because I couldn't give it a decent review due to work commitments and wasn't giving it enough of a chance to write a valid piece on it.
Why are so many people who complain about the validity of the reviews on these forums anyway? Please, debate individual reviews but don't sling all the reviewers in one basket. We're all non-pro and have different criteria. You might not like the scoring basis, or even trust it - or even trust the reviews... you know this, but there's not much Randy can do about individual reviewers tastes and feeling about games. I also know he understands we have different views on HOW to review. I personally find scoring a poor substitute for writing a decent opinion piece - we're all adventure gamers, we all READ. So read the text and don't look at the score.
I'll also say another thing - Randy gives reviewers a chance and feedback when you need it. Hell, he wanted to work alongside me late last year on a piece I sadly couldn't commit to (different one). If you can write a good review, are eloquent and think you could do a decent job of doing so, get in touch with him. Write a review of a game not on the list if you don't see it. Offer it up. If it's good enough, he may even publish it. This is how I got into writing the few reviews I've done on this site, and it was well worth doing so. Even if you don't agree on the games reviewed - they were chosen to open up debate individually. And they did.
So, give it a break. This website is free. People work on it for free. Same as any other fansite (which it is) out there - AG'ers, Gameboomers etc. are all the same and none of them are perfect.
Meanwhile, I can't wait for Dreamfall.
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| 23 APR 2006 at 11:21pm |
shed22Space Cadet
Posts : 106
Joined: 18 SEP 2005
Status : Offline | > I'd like to adamantly agree with Squarejawhero on this long-running 'Review Issue.' This idea has been running on this site for far too long. If someone supplies a writer/gamer with a free copy of the game that individual is NOT compromized. The idea that a person will automatically be prejudiced in favor of a free game is as silly as assuming that the person will automatically be prejudiced against a purchased game. Neither statement makes any sense. I've written enough game reviews (Not for anyone here. I don't know anyone here.) to know that in the midst of writing a review, editing the text, clarifying the facts and compiling the pictures, a writer doesn't care where he got the game. He just wants to report on it.
I can fully understand disagreeing with a reviewer's opinion. (For instance, anyone who ever wrote anything against MYST IV is wrong! It's a perfect game!) It simply seems that lately on this site that if any reviewer writes something another reader doesn't agree with then the reviewer must be emotionally disturbed, lying, a cheater, or an idiot. Games are games. Reviewers , very effectively on this site, tell what's good and bad about them so we can purchase them, or not purchase them, based on knowledge. Why beat people up over the process? [smiley=huh.gif]
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| 24 APR 2006 at 1:22am |
mszvPrivate Detective
Posts : 751
Joined: 12 OCT 2002
Status : Online | I'm looking forward to Dreamfall, but I can't play it until my class is over, or "more over" if that makes sense.
I like the reviews here. I don't care about whether the score is high or low, as long as I see the reasons why the score was high or low. For good reviews, that's what you want to see, and then you can make your own opinions. Of course I like it if the grade is the same as I would give (!) but that's not the point.
I said this someone else, so it might be repetitive, but here goes. I think that the idea that gameplay is "dumbed down" - it's not quite right. In my opinion, Ragnar didn't really want to make an classic very puzzley adventure game, but more of an interactive story. Sure - it will go in the adventure game category, because it has to do somewhere, but it doesn't seem to me (and I haven't played it yet) that it's exactly an adventure game. So, for an adventure game, the puzzles might be "dumbed down", but for something that is more like an "interactive story" the gameplay elements might be "just right"!
Amazing how I can have an opinion on a game I haven't played - so take my opinion with the proverbial "grain of salt".
Regards, mszv
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| 24 APR 2006 at 2:04am |
KingRyanSorcerer Apprentice
Posts : 281
Joined: 25 JAN 2004
Status : Online | Originally Posted By shed22 (23 APR 2006 11:20pm)
> I'd like to adamantly agree with Squarejawhero on this long-running 'Review Issue.' This idea has been running on this site for far too long. If someone supplies a writer/gamer with a free copy of the game that individual is NOT compromized. The idea that a person will automatically be prejudiced in favor of a free game is as silly as assuming that the person will automatically be prejudiced against a purchased game. Neither statement makes any sense. I've written enough game reviews (Not for anyone here. I don't know anyone here.) to know that in the midst of writing a review, editing the text, clarifying the facts and compiling the pictures, a writer doesn't care where he got the game. He just wants to report on it.
I can fully understand disagreeing with a reviewer's opinion. For instance, anyone who ever wrote anything against MYST IV is wrong! It's a perfect game!) It simply seems that lately on this site that if any reviewer writes something another reader doesn't agree with then the reviewer must be emotionally disturbed, lying, a cheater, or an idiot. Games are games. Reviewers , very effectively on this site, tell what's good and bad about them so we can purchase them, or not purchase them, based on knowledge. Why beat people up over the process? [smiley=huh.gif]
I agree. I have come under the heat a few times, and it never feels good, nor do I come away having learned anything or changed any of my views. In fact, after one review which received scathing remarks from other members, I wrote a piece in off-topic about what it's like to review and have other people be overly critical. Ironically, very few people could see my POV.
But that's another story for another time ......
[size=14][b]Currently Playing:[/b]&&Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis[/size]
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| 24 APR 2006 at 4:14am |
krkdnosePrivate Detective
Posts : 707
Joined: 9 JUN 2004
Status : Online | Originally Posted By Squarejawhero (23 APR 2006 9:32am)
This crap has to stop here.
You need to relax, dude. I have never once said anything bad about any reviews on any websites. So you can keep all of your indignation to yourself. Or direct it at someone who possibly deserves it.
The fact is, I would have a lot more faith in someone's opinion on a game if they had to weigh it against the fact that they had just forked over $50 for it. That's why I tend to listen to my friends instead of game reviewers who I don't know from Adam.
That's my opinion, and I'm pretty sure I'm entitled to it, whether or not you do what you do for free.
So the only crap that has to stop, as far as I'm concerned, is the crap coming from you. Feel free to spew it, as you're entitled to your opinion as well. I just won't be listening.
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| 24 APR 2006 at 9:24am |
| Deleted User | Well, obviously you are. Regardless, your implication was still there, loaded with ambiguity, right after someone had been banned and people were still harping on about the issue - maybe next time you should direct your misplaced comments to other, less heated threads? What else does a single response like yours say? And if I am spouting "crap" people still agreed with me - and, perhaps suprisingly coming from me you may think, you're very well entitled to your opinion. Next time, though, elaborate and maybe you won't have to put up with someone jumping on your back. Unfortunately, you're not listening - if instead of just merely reacting to me "picking you out" (and with good due reason) and read the entire reposte, you'd see I'm writing about far more than your good self.
Forgive me for speaking generally too - "you" isn't necessarily directed at Krkdnose.
I'd like to reiterate. We do this for free. It's up to you to decide whether to trust each individual reviewer without slandering us. I have to question the point in doing so... and also the decision to take part in a forum on a reviews site with no interest in the site's reviews or opinon, but that's me. We certainly don't do this for prestige or recognition, as that's far less to happen than any kind of appreciation for our opinions. One Dreamfall site in particular laid into me really badly for an offhand comment. Do I care about that? No. But the slanderous personal nature of it did considering, as the above post put it, I'm a stranger they don't know from Adam.
Randy puts up with a lot of shit. I stand by what I said 100%. A bit more respect for our efforts - even if you ARE critical of them, you can be critical with respect - isn't too much to ask.
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| 24 APR 2006 at 10:13am |
CarolineJA+ Overseer
Posts : 16552
Joined: 28 JAN 2007
Location: AU
Status : Offline | I wish I'd had the internet and the reviews to stop me when I bought a few rotten games.
But now that I can read other opinions I do and what I find most valuable is the details. When a reviewer says a game is a Myst clone then I know what sort of territory I'm in (ie, very interested).
When they say hard but logical puzzles, then I'm more interested than when they say easy inventory. I don't bother too much with the final score. I simply want to hear another gamer's reasonable assessment.
If I'd paid $50 for a game I was reviewing then I would be more easily disappointed in the game than if I'd been given it for free (assuming that it disappointed me anyway). But I wouldn't LIKE a game any more or less because of that and I don't suppose it makes a difference to the other reviewers either.
So, purely from reading other people's comments I know right now that I won't be buying Dreamfall - it's simply not my type of game. That and the fact I simply couldn't get into TLJ .....
[font=Serif]although I did promise Anne I'd try again if she tried Timelapse (which simply wasn't her type of game)......
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| 24 APR 2006 at 11:37am |
IviniaGuild Master
Posts : 4459
Joined: 7 JUN 2003
Location: US
Status : Offline | I think once you get the feel for the reviewers and know their tastes, its easier to determine whether or not you'll like a game. I enjoy Ryans and Robert Washburne's reviews and think we share similar tastes. I think I've only seriously disagreed with Ryan's review once, but his Law & Order and Nancy Drew reviews seem right on the mark (at least with my tastes.)
Now Aya likes his games to be extremely difficult. With that in mind if he says something is too easy, then I'll probably like it.
Ray Ivey and I have completely different tastes in a lot of games, but his reviews are entertaining and fun to read. Same with Randy. BTW, Randy's Bloodraine review is the BEST REVIEW EVER. (http://www.justadventure.com/reviews/BloodRayne/BloodRayne.shtm)
Ditto here Caroline. Zero interest in Dreamfall as well.
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| 24 APR 2006 at 2:13pm |
MaraPrivate Detective
Posts : 542
Joined: 6 JUL 2007
Status : Offline | As a newcomer to this forum, I may be out-of-line, but I fail to see why crapstorm was banned. He implied that a review would be too positive if the game was proved free to the reviewer, but that's his opinion. And then to have the staff member to who he referred to do the banning didn't seem proper to me, either. I'm a moderator on another gaming site and I can understand that a lot of members don't appreciate the amount of free time we devote to our jobs on these forums, but its not worth getting that angry that you ban a member for his thoughts about you. I have noticed, however, in my short time on this forum that the subject of reviews seems to be a sensitive one, so I'll stop here.
Mara
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| 24 APR 2006 at 2:29pm |
AyaGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 7277
Joined: 16 OCT 2002
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Ivinia (24 APR 2006 11:37am)
Now Aya likes his games to be extremely difficult. With that in mind if he says something is too easy, then I'll probably like it.
i don't like games to be extremely difficult... i just like fair and challenging, erm, challenges! when i say something is too easy, it usually means its "puzzles" are of the kind "hey i got a key and i unlocked a door with it"... but i don't like extremities like the spider chair either
@mara: crapstorm was not the one that talked about positive reviews of free games... that was krkdnose... what crapstorm said has been voiced by other members of this forum as well... the difference was that crapstorm's post was plain vicious and meant only as an attack towards randy and ja, not as an opinion... that is the reason he was banned... let me assure you that the ja forums are one of the mildest and most tolerating forums you can find (not counting of course underground or "homey", private forums)... you should check out other gaming forums like futuremark (aka mad onion) where the admins and the mods rule with an iron fist (personally i like some of their rules and wish they could be implemented here... especially the "no politics/religion whatsoever" rule)
You have gotten the attention of the mysterious lady. She turns to face you. Her face is devoid of any flesh. You are frozen with horror as she begins ripping your body into a bloody mess.
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| 24 APR 2006 at 5:31pm |
IviniaGuild Master
Posts : 4459
Joined: 7 JUN 2003
Location: US
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Aya (24 APR 2006 2:29pm)
(personally i like some of their rules and wish they could be implemented here... especially the "no politics/religion whatsoever" rule)
You're not alone with that one!
BTW, Aya, my comment on your reviews was not meant as a bad thing! Just saying I know your tastes in comparison to mine.
Mara - Randy is hardly a staff member. He's the owner, proprieter, and the one who foots the bill for a 1 million+ hits per month website. He's also extremely tolerant, just look at the boards. While it might seem like Crapstorm made one comment and received a harsh penalty for it, you'll have to look at many of his previous posts. His name was Crapstorm for a reason and he prided himself in causing one. Sad too, because he had some great things to contribute, but then would throw it all away just to start strife. Having an opinion is one thing, having a history of being beligerent is another. I thought Crapstorm's intial comment was out of line and pretty vicious and Randy did give him a chance to correct himself. Crapstorm chose to respond in an even more condescending manner. He might have gotten away with it in the past with others, but this time it caught up with him. We're all guests here. You just don't go over to someone's house and sh*t on the carpet.
I've been coming here years before I ever registered in the forums. I was drawn in by Randy's State of Adventure Gaming articles. They were truly a great read. I'm glad to see he's starting to put those out again. I loved his battles with the main stream gaming press. Real eye-openers. So much so that I stopped reading them (the main stream gaming press). He was there at the gaming conventions fighting for AGs, confronting the companies that stopped making them, and promoting the genre. The point I'm trying to make here is that he has worked tirelessly for the genre and provides this place (free of charge) that many of us call home - and he deserves some respect.
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| 24 APR 2006 at 5:54pm |
AyaGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 7277
Joined: 16 OCT 2002
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Ivinia (24 APR 2006 5:31pm)
BTW, Aya, my comment on your reviews was not meant as a bad thing! Just saying I know your tastes in comparison to mine.
i know... i just wanted to make sure that ppl wouldn't think that when i say "easy" i mean "not impossible"!
You have gotten the attention of the mysterious lady. She turns to face you. Her face is devoid of any flesh. You are frozen with horror as she begins ripping your body into a bloody mess.
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| 24 APR 2006 at 6:16pm |
JenniferMillerSorcerer Apprentice
Posts : 232
Joined: 16 OCT 2002
Status : Online | Originally Posted By Squarejawhero (24 APR 2006 9:24am)
I'd like to reiterate. We do this for free. It's up to you to decide whether to trust each individual reviewer without slandering us. I have to question the point in doing so... and also the decision to take part in a forum on a reviews site with no interest in the site's reviews or opinon, but that's me. We certainly don't do this for prestige or recognition, as that's far less to happen than any kind of appreciation for our opinions. One Dreamfall site in particular laid into me really badly for an offhand comment. Do I care about that? No. But the slanderous personal nature of it did considering, as the above post put it, I'm a stranger they don't know from Adam.
Randy puts up with a lot of shit. I stand by what I said 100%. A bit more respect for our efforts - even if you ARE critical of them, you can be critical with respect - isn't too much to ask.
Squarejaw is on the money here . . . we do this for free. We all have very busy day jobs, and JustAdventure is a place where we can "get out of our heads" and do little reviewing, walkthrough writing, the occasional opinion piece, jaunt to E3 etc.
The Forums also have a great place where readers can post their own reviews of games. Don't agree with my "cheerleader yay" Scratches review? Go post another one to the forums. Or better yet, start writing for JA!
Ray Ivey is the shiz, btw. Great person and an honest reviewer.
As for free games clouding our judgement . . . hahahahahaha. I cannot tell you how many crappy games I've played that have come to me for free.
I am Sirrus. AND I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED!!!&&&&Visit me on MySpace!&&[url]http://www.myspace.com/BonoGirl79[/url]
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| 24 APR 2006 at 6:35pm |
MaraPrivate Detective
Posts : 542
Joined: 6 JUL 2007
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Ivinia (24 APR 2006 5:31pm)
Originally Posted By Aya (24 APR 2006 2:29pm)
(personally i like some of their rules and wish they could be implemented here... especially the "no politics/religion whatsoever" rule)
You're not alone with that one!
BTW, Aya, my comment on your reviews was not meant as a bad thing! Just saying I know your tastes in comparison to mine.
Mara - Randy is hardly a staff member. He's the owner, proprieter, and the one who foots the bill for a 1 million+ hits per month website. He's also extremely tolerant, just look at the boards. While it might seem like Crapstorm made one comment and received a harsh penalty for it, you'll have to look at many of his previous posts. His name was Crapstorm for a reason and he prided himself in causing one. Sad too, because he had some great things to contribute, but then would throw it all away just to start strife. Having an opinion is one thing, having a history of being beligerent is another. I thought Crapstorm's intial comment was out of line and pretty vicious and Randy did give him a chance to correct himself. Crapstorm chose to respond in an even more condescending manner. He might have gotten away with it in the past with others, but this time it caught up with him. We're all guests here. You just don't go over to someone's house and sh*t on the carpet.
I've been coming here years before I ever registered in the forums. I was drawn in by Randy's State of Adventure Gaming articles. They were truly a great read. I'm glad to see he's starting to put those out again. I loved his battles with the main stream gaming press. Real eye-openers. So much so that I stopped reading them (the main stream gaming press). He was there at the gaming conventions fighting for AGs, confronting the companies that stopped making them, and promoting the genre. The point I'm trying to make here is that he has worked tirelessly for the genre and provides this place (free of charge) that many of us call home - and he deserves some respect.
Thanks for the clarification. I've only been here for a short while and it looked to me like the ban was just for the one comment. One should never judge without more facts. Sorry if I transgressed.
Mara
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