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| 15 DEC 2008 at 6:07am |
AndromusGuild Master
Posts : 5538
Joined: 6 NOV 2002
Status : Offline | Well, you would think I would have learned my lesson by now. Setting one's expectations too high for a game is always sure to backfire, and it happened with me and A Vampyre Story.
Which isn't to say AVS is a bad game by any means. It's actually a pretty good game. It's got some great graphics design in the backgrounds (less so in the animations however), fairly good puzzles (albeit with one really terrible exception), and it's the funniest adventure game to come along in years, except for the new Sam and Max games.
The problem is that I didn't want AVS to be just a pretty good game. I was hoping for an all time great game, and unfortunately AVS has too many lumps for that.
It feels like it was rushed, even with all the delays it went through. It is extremely buggy. I experienced a number of lockups, crashes, and a dead end in the stadium, even with a patched up version. The subtitles have typos here and there as well. And the cliffhanger ending felt like I had stopped in midgame, after a barely medium sized gaming experience. I don't mind continuing the story in the next game, but there should have been some sense of resolution. (Thinking along the lines of how Syberia handled that.)
Then there's the beaker puzzle, one of the worst I've seen. The instructions found in the game to complete it are misleading at best, both incomplete and inaccurate. A certain ingredient is needed to make the solution work, and the game gave no hint at all that it was needed.
I said the game was funny, which was true enough. But for every good bit there's a really flat and unfunny bit. Considering the long string of mediocre comic adventures we've been getting in recent years this is still far better than most taken as a whole. But not nearly as good as it could have been, considering the talent behind the game.
Well, somewhat unfairly perhaps, I see I've spent more time burying the game than praising it. In spite of all that, the game has a lot of good points and is well worth playing in spite of its problems. Go out and buy it if you're any kind of fan of old school LucasArts style adventures. But keep your expectations at a reasonable level, and you should have a less tumultuous gaming experience than I did.
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| 15 DEC 2008 at 10:34am |
LicenturionIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 18
Joined: 11 FEB 2004
Status : Online | I just started the game and so far I like it.
The thing I don't understand is that people find the new Sam & Max series funny. It's probably me but I don't think there is much funny about it esp with the horrible voice acting of the dog.
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| 15 DEC 2008 at 12:38pm |
Taurnil MithrandirJourneyman
Posts : 1093
Joined: 13 AUG 2006
Status : Online | @Andromus
To tell you the truth I got browned-off by your saying. You're right. Tones of ink were scattered around pc screens belauding this game and suddenly everything has turned up-side-down. Bugs, dead-ends. I believe you that it is funny etc but should we consider and the technical part of the issue? We accuse other games especially rpg's for their bugy world but I'm afraid that they are not alone to be blamed for.
....set the controls for the heart of the sun....
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| 15 DEC 2008 at 1:49pm |
| Deleted User | Originally Posted By eragon (15 DEC 2008 12:37pm)
@Andromus
To tell you the truth I got browned-off by your saying. You're right. Tones of ink were scattered around pc screens belauding this game and suddenly everything has turned up-side-down. Bugs, dead-ends. I believe you that it is funny etc but should we consider and the technical part of the issue? We accuse other games especially rpg's for their bugy world but I'm afraid that they are not alone to be blamed for.
Taurnil - are you saying we should or should not criticise AG's for their bugginess?
Keep in mind that RPG's are much more prone to be bug-ridden than AG's, because the RPG world is much larger and freer than an AG, so the latter theoretically needs a lot less beta-testing to pick up bugs.
So it is actually a bigger issue if AG's are full of bugs.
Besides the bugginess, many people have also complained about poor puzzle-design in the game, which is not quite the same thing as technical bugginess - it is an issue by itself, and specifically an adventure game issue.
In any case, having known Andromus for a long time now, I have come to respect his opinion. To me his review looks quite fair.
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| 15 DEC 2008 at 2:05pm |
Taurnil MithrandirJourneyman
Posts : 1093
Joined: 13 AUG 2006
Status : Online | @TheTraveler
You misunderstood me. I agree with you. It's a bigger issue if AG's are full of bugs. You explained the reason yourself: the world is much, much shorter that of an rpg. Thus less beta-testing. So a bigger issue if AG's have bugs. I didn't say stg different.
....set the controls for the heart of the sun....
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| 15 DEC 2008 at 2:17pm |
| Deleted User | Originally Posted By eragon (15 DEC 2008 2:05pm)
@TheTraveler
You misunderstood me. I agree with you. It's a bigger issue if AG's are full of bugs. You explained the reason yourself: the world is much, much shorter that of an rpg. Thus less beta-testing. So a bigger issue if AG's have bugs. I didn't say stg different.
Oh, sorry, Taurnil. I almost thought you might be saying that because RPG's have a lot of bugs, we must excuse them with AG's also. I'll read a bit more carefully, next time, but in any case, I am glad that we agree.
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| 15 DEC 2008 at 2:19pm |
Taurnil MithrandirJourneyman
Posts : 1093
Joined: 13 AUG 2006
Status : Online | Not to worry. Maybe it was my mistake too, my english are not english from time to time!
....set the controls for the heart of the sun....
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| 15 DEC 2008 at 2:28pm |
| Deleted User | Originally Posted By eragon (15 DEC 2008 2:19pm)
Not to worry. Maybe it was my mistake too, my english are not english from time to time!
Taurnil, I hope you have a good sense of humor so that you can appreciate what I am saying, but what you said there, reminded me of a saying that we have in English. If we read or see or hear something that we don't understand, we say "Oh, that is Greek to me!" - derived from the implication that Greek is a complicated language to the average English person.
So I assure you, your English is a lot better than what my Greek is! [smiley=laughing.gif]
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| 15 DEC 2008 at 2:33pm |
Taurnil MithrandirJourneyman
Posts : 1093
Joined: 13 AUG 2006
Status : Online | We have a saying here, too: If stg is complicated or difficult to understand we say: '[ch924][ch959][ch965] [ch966][ch945][ch943][ch957][ch959][ch957][ch964][ch945][ch953] [ch954][ch953][ch957][ch941][ch950][ch953][ch954][ch945]', which means: It's chinese to me!
....set the controls for the heart of the sun....
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| 15 DEC 2008 at 6:29pm |
ukpetdSpace Cadet
Posts : 176
Joined: 27 JUL 2007
Status : Online | I understand that there is a patch for this game which removes a couple of dead ends as well as improving performance. Hopefully the beaker puzzle might get a patch to rework it.
http://www.gamershell.com/download_36828.shtml
official description
- Less "stuck" animations. If problem still occurs, restart game.
- removed two bugs (perfume and stadium) that could prevent further playing
- Support for graphics cards without AA: if the game did not start on your system, select "Safe AA" during patch installation to set AA to 0.
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| 15 DEC 2008 at 6:53pm |
Jenny100Guild Master
Posts : 3510
Joined: 12 OCT 2002
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Andromus (15 DEC 2008 6:07am)
It is extremely buggy. I experienced a number of lockups, crashes, and a dead end in the stadium, even with a patched up version. The subtitles have typos here and there as well. And the cliffhanger ending felt like I had stopped in midgame, after a barely medium sized gaming experience. I don't mind continuing the story in the next game, but there should have been some sense of resolution. (Thinking along the lines of how Syberia handled that.)
It sounds like I should wait for a "Game of the Year" version or a pack containing both the game and its "Part 2." Hopefully those will be fully patched.
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| 15 DEC 2008 at 8:09pm |
ukpetdSpace Cadet
Posts : 176
Joined: 27 JUL 2007
Status : Online | pack containing both the game and its "Part 2." - Jenny100
Include part 3 too!
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| 15 DEC 2008 at 8:47pm |
AndromusGuild Master
Posts : 5538
Joined: 6 NOV 2002
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Jenny100 (15 DEC 2008 6:52pm)
Originally Posted By Andromus (15 DEC 2008 6:07am)
It is extremely buggy. I experienced a number of lockups, crashes, and a dead end in the stadium, even with a patched up version. The subtitles have typos here and there as well. And the cliffhanger ending felt like I had stopped in midgame, after a barely medium sized gaming experience. I don't mind continuing the story in the next game, but there should have been some sense of resolution. (Thinking along the lines of how Syberia handled that.)
It sounds like I should wait for a "Game of the Year" version or a pack containing both the game and its "Part 2." Hopefully those will be fully patched.
Not a bad idea, if you're willing to wait however long that takes. That potential version should, with any reasonable effort from the developers, eliminate most of what the designers got wrong.
Originally Posted By ukpetd (15 DEC 2008 8:09pm)
pack containing both the game and its "Part 2." - Jenny100
Include part 3 too!
I hadn't heard there was going to be a part 3 officially, but there's something that could be taken as a hint about that in the game. You pick up a book of instructions on being a vampire at one point in the game. It's divided into three sections, but you only get to read and put into practice the first section. Mona says that she isn't advanced enough to deal the other two sections. I'm guessing the second game will deal with the next section, and a third game will deal with the last one.
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| 16 DEC 2008 at 10:24pm |
Lucien21Guild Master
Posts : 4876
Joined: 9 JUL 2003
Location: 0
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Andromus (15 DEC 2008 6:07am)
Then there's the beaker puzzle, one of the worst I've seen. The instructions found in the game to complete it are misleading at best, both incomplete and inaccurate. A certain ingredient is needed to make the solution work, and the game gave no hint at all that it was needed.
I have to disagree about that. It's not the best puzzle ever, but it did clearly give you a couple of hints.
The red can was marked "iet" and when you tried to use it Mona kept saying "It's not sweet enough"
Dear Diary, My teenage angst bullsh*t now has a bodycount.
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| 16 DEC 2008 at 11:59pm |
AndromusGuild Master
Posts : 5538
Joined: 6 NOV 2002
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Lucien21 (16 DEC 2008 10:24pm)
Originally Posted By Andromus (15 DEC 2008 6:07am)
Then there's the beaker puzzle, one of the worst I've seen. The instructions found in the game to complete it are misleading at best, both incomplete and inaccurate. A certain ingredient is needed to make the solution work, and the game gave no hint at all that it was needed.
I have to disagree about that. It's not the best puzzle ever, but it did clearly give you a couple of hints.
The red can was marked "iet" and when you tried to use it Mona kept saying "It's not sweet enough"
That's the thing, I never got the "It's not sweet enough" line. Just a line something like, "Oh no, not again, we'd better look at the board more closely." I'd concede that it's possible I missed the line somehow, except Alkis also described the same thing happening to him.
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| 18 DEC 2008 at 8:06am |
Lucien21Guild Master
Posts : 4876
Joined: 9 JUL 2003
Location: 0
Status : Offline | Vampyre Story
Lots and lots of hype and expectations on this game.
Although it doesn't quite live up to that hype it is still one of the better adventure games around.
Pros
* Sumptious 2D graphics with a really cool Parallax effect. The 3D parts are functional, but glitchy - would have preferred 2D, but I understand the commercial pressures to go 3D.
* Superb interface, reminicent of Monkey Island of course, I especially liked the idea that she "remembered" some inventory items rather than carried them around, then automatically jumps back and forward to get the item when you use it.
* Decent story filled with good charactisation and some really funny lines. (Although a lot of the lines fall into smile rather than LOL)
* Lots of interactivity on each screen gives you plenty to do.
* On the whole the puzzles are fun and challenging.
Cons
* Game is too buggy for a retail release. The patch fixed some of it, but was still suffering skipping audio during cutscenes.
* Mona's voice can be grating. If she says "Froderick!" one more time Grrr.
* There can be problems with at least one puzzle if the prompts/clues are not voiced (i.e Beaker puzzle, some people complained that the "It's not sweet enough" clue didn't happen when they played)
* It suffers from the Syberia curse in that the game just stops rather than having proper ending. This makes the game feel unfinished while they make the sequel/continuation.
Overall I thought it was a brilliant game. I had lots of fun playing it (A real hark back to the Lucasarts days of old).
Some small niggles on the technical side and a script that is mildly amusing rather than hilarious may hamper it from true greatness, but for a first release this shows great promise.
Roll on the further adventure of Mona De Lafitte.
8/10
Dear Diary, My teenage angst bullsh*t now has a bodycount.
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| 18 DEC 2008 at 8:04pm |
SpiritogreIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 81
Joined: 30 SEP 2008
Location: DE
Status : Offline | Many years ago when the game was announced and I was still writing reviews for The Inventory, The Inventory had a quicklink to the developers bbs. Already there I, as the negativist I often seem, said that with such graphics the game doesn't really interest me.
Today I would say, as a budget title for 10 bucks I would spend my money on it despite the graphics because it looks really fun.
However I won't.
The reason is that this isn't the full Vampyre Story it's just an Episode and since I somehow doubt that the title / the series will get finished I simply won't buy it at all because I don't like cliffhangers especially when there is only a slim chance that there is a finally. So unless all of the Vampyre Story games are released and the story really is over I'm not gonna buy it.
I'm a bit burned since I loved Shenmue (and the final part 3 never made it neither on Dreamcast nor XBox) or TV series like Dark Angel who ended on a heavy cliffhanger and nobody ever will know how the story is going to end. I hate that!
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| 18 DEC 2008 at 8:54pm |
Lucien21Guild Master
Posts : 4876
Joined: 9 JUL 2003
Location: 0
Status : Offline | Ah the self fulfiling prophecy.
I won't buy it because it might not get finished = nobody buys it = Game doesn't get finished
Although the game has a cliffhanger ending it is way more than a mere episode. There is a lot of game there to enjoy and worthy of more tha 10 bucks.
Dear Diary, My teenage angst bullsh*t now has a bodycount.
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| 20 DEC 2008 at 2:52pm |
SpiritogreIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 81
Joined: 30 SEP 2008
Location: DE
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Lucien21 (18 DEC 2008 8:53pm)
Ah the self fulfiling prophecy.
I won't buy it because it might not get finished = nobody buys it = Game doesn't get finished
bull*hit
A good game that had been finished will sell itself. Would you buy a movie DVD where only 70 percent of the movie is on it because the makers said: "sorry we didn't have the time to finish the movie ...publisher pressure and of course the money, ya know. But if many people buy our movie we promise we'll finish it one day..."
How much worth is such a promise? Nothing!!!
Although the game has a cliffhanger ending it is way more than a mere episode. There is a lot of game there to enjoy and worthy of more tha 10 bucks.
Yeah well you know I'm that graphics wh*re and won't pay much for games with outdated technology simply because there are millions of old games who cost less or a for free who have the same technology and are as good. So it seems to me like a waste to spend much money on such a game. I could buy a better game with current technology or a few old games who are similar to the new game...
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| 20 DEC 2008 at 4:58pm |
IviniaGuild Master
Posts : 4459
Joined: 7 JUN 2003
Location: US
Status : Offline | I have a bit of confusion on this. I could have sworn I saw this thing listed as $39.99, yet when I went to Best Buy the other day it had a price tag of $19.99. I can't imagine this game being price dropped so fast. Is the $39.99 wrong or did Best Buy mess up?
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| 20 DEC 2008 at 6:00pm |
Lucien21Guild Master
Posts : 4876
Joined: 9 JUL 2003
Location: 0
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Spiritogre (20 DEC 2008 2:52pm)
bull*hit
A good game that had been finished will sell itself. Would you buy a movie DVD where only 70 percent of the movie is on it because the makers said: "sorry we didn't have the time to finish the movie ...publisher pressure and of course the money, ya know. But if many people buy our movie we promise we'll finish it one day..."
How much worth is such a promise? Nothing!!!
B*shit yourself.
How many people bought Fellowship of the Ring on DVD or watch any TV show.
They enjoy watching them and hope that they will continue it, but it would only be continued if people watched the first one or else it wouldn't be financially viable.
ANY episodic game that was never finished is invariable due to the fact that sales of the preceeding episodes were not sufficient to support further development.
Yeah well you know I'm that graphics wh*re and won't pay much for games with outdated technology simply because there are millions of old games who cost less or a for free who have the same technology and are as good. So it seems to me like a waste to spend much money on such a game. I could buy a better game with current technology or a few old games who are similar to the new game...
Man you are in the wrong website. There is no adventure game company with the funds to pander to the shallow graphic whore end of the market. Prefering to prioritse gameplay and fun.
Dear Diary, My teenage angst bullsh*t now has a bodycount.
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| 20 DEC 2008 at 7:36pm |
Jenny100Guild Master
Posts : 3510
Joined: 12 OCT 2002
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Ivinia (20 DEC 2008 4:58pm)
I have a bit of confusion on this. I could have sworn I saw this thing listed as $39.99, yet when I went to Best Buy the other day it had a price tag of $19.99. I can't imagine this game being price dropped so fast. Is the $39.99 wrong or did Best Buy mess up?
I think the regular price for the Dreamcatcher version is $29.99, but Best Buy does have sales sometimes.
And it's showing up as $19.99 at ***Best Buy's online shop***.
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| 20 DEC 2008 at 11:07pm |
IviniaGuild Master
Posts : 4459
Joined: 7 JUN 2003
Location: US
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Lucien21 (20 DEC 2008 6:00pm)
How many people bought Fellowship of the Ring on DVD or watch any TV show.
That was my first thought when I read those comments too. Lord of the Rings instantly came to mind, but I thought about it and technically, we knew they were doing all three and that they were going to made - heck they were already hard at work on them.
With games though, a lot depends on the sales. poor sales will instantly kill any hope of seeing it continued unfortunately.
What really gets me is whether or not a story was wrapped up. Nothing wrong with having an ongoing saga as long as the main one in a game is closed - like in the Delaware St. John Games. Lately I've been finding myself getting frustrated with peoples desire to see every little loose end tied up in a single package. Some things are meant to continue.
I don't know about this game, I'm assuming it at least has a beginning and an end? It doesn't just drop the player off mid way does it?
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| 20 DEC 2008 at 11:46pm |
Lucien21Guild Master
Posts : 4876
Joined: 9 JUL 2003
Location: 0
Status : Offline | If the first film had bombed i'm sure they would have stopped filming the others. It's not the first attempt to film LoTR the Ralph Bakshi movie was supposed to lead to a trilogy.
However,
As far as I know there is going to be a sequel to Vampyre Story and that they are already hard at work making it.
Now that the engine has been sorted it should be a cheaper and shorter development. (In fact I read somewhere it is about 40% done already and due out at the end of 2009)
In fact on his blog he is already mentioning AVS3.
http://billisboard.blogspot.com/2008/12/mona-in-paris.html
Dear Diary, My teenage angst bullsh*t now has a bodycount.
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| 20 DEC 2008 at 11:53pm |
Lucien21Guild Master
Posts : 4876
Joined: 9 JUL 2003
Location: 0
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Ivinia (20 DEC 2008 11:07pm)
I don't know about this game, I'm assuming it at least has a beginning and an end? It doesn't just drop the player off mid way does it?
I does leave it with a To Be continued cliffhanger ending.
It isn't any worse than the non-ending in Syberia.
Dear Diary, My teenage angst bullsh*t now has a bodycount.
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