Steam - Flash Reviews - Page 2

MagGnome · 04-10-2012, 04:22 PM

I know, but next time try harder.

EternalGamer · 04-10-2012, 05:53 PM

Game: Tropico 3

Playtime: 45 minutes

Flash Review:

I know this game isn't an idea candidate for a quick review, but I don't know that I ever would have gotten around to actually playing it otherwise. So after 45 minutes of play and running the basic tutorial, I still never really had a clear idea of what I should be doing next or what order I should be building/developing. I miss the advisors or progress bar charts in Civ. They may be here somewhere, but I had a hard time finding clear direction except when the game would randomly suggest something.

The game looks nice, but I have to say, again, I prefer the simplicity of something like Civ with the cute cartoon subtle gestures (like when the Great Generals in Civ cower when you shoot at them). The sense of humor (or what I suspect is supposed to be humor) also didn't really gel with me. I mean, I get it, the joke is supposed to be that can be an asshole dictator, ha ha? It doesn't offend me or anything, I just don't find it all that funny.

Perhaps if I would have kept playing another hour or so I would have started to get the hang of things but I really didn't feel that compelled to keep playing. Oh well, I bought it when it was extremely cheap, so no real regrets.

Flash Rating: 2/5

Will Play Again?: Probably not anytime soon. If I want to build an empire, Civ V is the best and seems to a lot more class and style.

TheKeck · 04-10-2012, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ink Asylum

I never intend not to play them at the point of purchase.

I guess I'm just better at it.

MagGnome · 04-10-2012, 06:49 PM

EternalGamer, reading that review of Tropico 3 was painful. I love Tropico 3, and it is nothing like Civilization. It's closer to SimCity, but on a different scale. Oh well, it's unfortunate that you didn't like it.

Now I want to go play Tropico 3.

Arphahat · 04-10-2012, 08:13 PM

I tried to do something like this for awhile, and my suggestion is that some games just cannot be tried properly in short sessions. Tropico 3 is a good example of something that would need more time to fully appreciate. I think I realized this when I was trying to play the X3 games for the first time.

EternalGamer · 04-10-2012, 08:53 PM

That's all fine and good. I certainly am not declaring it a definitive review. But this exercise got me to actually try it, which is more than I probably would have ever gotten around to doing any other way.

I may very well give it another shot, but it is a tough sell for me because I really love Civ for this kind of thing. I know some will say it is a "completely different" type of game because it is turned based and has war elements, but those are actually both reasons why I like it so much.

Arphahat · 04-10-2012, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EternalGamer

That's all fine and good. I certainly am not declaring it a definitive review. But this exercise got me to actually try it, which is more than I probably would have ever gotten around to doing any other way.

I may very well give it another shot, but it is a tough sell for me because I really love Civ for this kind of thing. I know some will say it is a "completely different" type of game because it is turned based and has war elements, but those are actually both reasons why I like it so much.

Oh, don't get me wrong, you are welcome to judge the game as you see fit. My warning was more along the lines of realizing that not all games can fit into a quick play session.

Hawkzombie · 04-10-2012, 09:09 PM

And Yet It Moves

Enough to get the Holiday Achievement.

I HATED IT.

The end

EternalGamer · 04-10-2012, 09:20 PM

You guys are some lazy mother fuckers.

Hawkzombie · 04-10-2012, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EternalGamer

You guys are some lazy mother fuckers.

Ok, I fucking lost.

But seriously, this is kind of a good idea...except most of us have a DAUNTING Steam library. And this isn't counting OTHER games staring at me with forlorn eyes, wondering why they were purchased and then shelved immediately.

I have games still in plastic wrap.

MagGnome · 04-10-2012, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arphahat

I tried to do something like this for awhile, and my suggestion is that some games just cannot be tried properly in short sessions. Tropico 3 is a good example of something that would need more time to fully appreciate. I think I realized this when I was trying to play the X3 games for the first time.

Yeah, I miss that thing that you and I were doing. That was fun, although this is somewhat similar.

Quote:

Originally Posted by EternalGamer

You guys are some lazy mother fuckers.

I'll post some reviews soon. I did spend an hour tonight playing through Infinite Ocean, but it's not on Steam. I really enjoyed it, although it's definitely not going to be everyone's cup of tea.

MagGnome · 04-10-2012, 10:25 PM

Big whoop, Hawk. I do too. From the Gamecube.

And the PSOne and Dreamcast.

Clark · 04-11-2012, 07:43 AM

Game: Psychonauts
Playtime: 30 minutes

Micro Review: I loved it. Had always heard the hype here at COG, but had never even seen a gameplay video. This game has great style, controls, gameplay, and humor. My 6 and 3 year old kids loved it even more. The next day they kept laughing about the kids "blowing up" when going through mental training. I dig this thread. Already made me play a great, great game.

Rating: 5/5

Will Play Again?: Very next opportunity I have.

Ink Asylum · 04-11-2012, 07:50 AM

Game: Gemini Rue
Playtime: 30 minutes

Micro Review: I was impressed out of the gate by how it managed to evoke that VGA adventure game feel. If you'd told me this had come out in 1995 I would have believed it. The story is interesting, if a bit confusing at the start. So far, so good, I'll definitely play this one a bit more to see where it's headed. My biggest complaint is the voice-acting. It's not bad, just not great. They sound like amateurs doing voices, instead of professionals embodying characters. I'm tempted to turn voice off and imagine it in my head.

Rating: 4/5

Will Play Again? Yes.

Hawkzombie · 04-11-2012, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagGnome

Big whoop, Hawk. I do too. From the Gamecube.

And the PSOne and Dreamcast.

Mag, you are a demi-god of procrastination.

EDIT: I love how Firefox sees demi-god as misspelled and suggested 'Deli-God'...with your love of pickles, I see this as humorous.

Acidpoptart · 04-11-2012, 11:50 AM

This thread is awesome. Great idea.

MagGnome · 04-11-2012, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkzombie

Mag, you are a demi-god of procrastination.

EDIT: I love how Firefox sees demi-god as misspelled and suggested 'Deli-God'...with your love of pickles, I see this as humorous.

I have been an expert procrastinator for many years now. I actually clean when I have a big project to finish.

I do love a good pickle.

BLeeP · 04-11-2012, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagGnome

I do love a good pickle.

ohmy.gif

Sorry, couldn't resist XD.

Spigot · 04-11-2012, 05:05 PM

Game: Legend Of Grimrock
Playtime: 30 minutes

Mini-review: Character creation was pretty fast and easy. After being dropped into the bowels of a very nice looking dungeon, I proceeded to wander about, picking up loose rocks and rags to kit out my crew.

After a little bit of progression through the maze, I stumbled across a giant snail. It took a few tries to realize that right-clicking on a character's hand would attack with whatever was in that hand. Down goes the snail. We forged onwards and eventually took down several more snails and opened more doors, but at this point my party was starting to lose health and there seemed to be no way to heal.

Alas, after opening a door into an area full of ambulatory fungi, my warriors fell and soon after my mage and rogue died.

Game Over

I've since learned that you can heal by sleeping, but the game doesn't make this apparent, well, anywhere.

Rating: 4/5 - It looks great and brings back memories of Etrian Odyssey and (further back) Eye Of The Beholder. It would have been nice to have a little more direction in some of the fundamental game mechanics at the beginning though.

Play Again? Hell yes!

Vandabo · 04-11-2012, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clark

Game: Psychonauts
Playtime: 30 minutes

Micro Review: I loved it. Had always heard the hype here at COG, but had never even seen a gameplay video. This game has great style, controls, gameplay, and humor. My 6 and 3 year old kids loved it even more. The next day they kept laughing about the kids "blowing up" when going through mental training. I dig this thread. Already made me play a great, great game.

Rating: 5/5

Will Play Again?: Very next opportunity I have.

Awesome. Glad to see more people playing that game. I should go back and play it again...

Games with highly stylized graphics definitely age better than ones that are trying to be realistic. They nailed the look of that game so well, and the voice acting was so awesome, that it has become timeless.

04-10-2012, 09:09 PM	#28
Hawkzombie The Lord of Shadow Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edmonton, AB Posts: 17,345 Blog Entries: 3	And Yet It Moves Enough to get the Holiday Achievement. I HATED IT. The end __________________ I have a blog. Go read it! PSN/Steam ID - JaynesHat/Hawkzombie There is the crazy HZ and the well refined logic and reasoning HZ. Both are pretty entertaining -Purple Santa I love that Hawk exists to make every decision I make, no matter how self-destructive, look wise by comparison. -Ox I just realized that for the longest time I've been getting you and Karak mixed up. -fitbabits

04-11-2012, 07:50 AM	#34
Ink Asylum I'll handle this. Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: NYC Posts: 21,922	Game: Gemini Rue Playtime: 30 minutes Micro Review: I was impressed out of the gate by how it managed to evoke that VGA adventure game feel. If you'd told me this had come out in 1995 I would have believed it. The story is interesting, if a bit confusing at the start. So far, so good, I'll definitely play this one a bit more to see where it's headed. My biggest complaint is the voice-acting. It's not bad, just not great. They sound like amateurs doing voices, instead of professionals embodying characters. I'm tempted to turn voice off and imagine it in my head. Rating: 4/5 Will Play Again? Yes. __________________ blog ~ twitter ~ flickr ~ daily sketch

04-11-2012, 11:50 AM	#36
Acidpoptart Yum. Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 686	This thread is awesome. Great idea. __________________ Steam: Acidpoptart Path of Exile: Khulz (Templar, Default Ladder) Guild Wars 2: Acidpoptart.6982

04-11-2012, 05:05 PM	#39
Spigot Turn Me Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Acton, Ontario Posts: 18,660 Blog Entries: 112	Game: Legend Of Grimrock Playtime: 30 minutes Mini-review: Character creation was pretty fast and easy. After being dropped into the bowels of a very nice looking dungeon, I proceeded to wander about, picking up loose rocks and rags to kit out my crew. After a little bit of progression through the maze, I stumbled across a giant snail. It took a few tries to realize that right-clicking on a character's hand would attack with whatever was in that hand. Down goes the snail. We forged onwards and eventually took down several more snails and opened more doors, but at this point my party was starting to lose health and there seemed to be no way to heal. Alas, after opening a door into an area full of ambulatory fungi, my warriors fell and soon after my mage and rogue died. Game Over I've since learned that you can heal by sleeping, but the game doesn't make this apparent, well, anywhere. Rating: 4/5 - It looks great and brings back memories of Etrian Odyssey and (further back) Eye Of The Beholder. It would have been nice to have a little more direction in some of the fundamental game mechanics at the beginning though. Play Again? Hell yes! __________________ Like obscure games? Check out Turning The Spigot for hidden gems!

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04-10-2012, 05:53 PM	#22
EternalGamer Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 4,807	Game: Tropico 3 Playtime: 45 minutes Flash Review: I know this game isn't an idea candidate for a quick review, but I don't know that I ever would have gotten around to actually playing it otherwise. So after 45 minutes of play and running the basic tutorial, I still never really had a clear idea of what I should be doing next or what order I should be building/developing. I miss the advisors or progress bar charts in Civ. They may be here somewhere, but I had a hard time finding clear direction except when the game would randomly suggest something. The game looks nice, but I have to say, again, I prefer the simplicity of something like Civ with the cute cartoon subtle gestures (like when the Great Generals in Civ cower when you shoot at them). The sense of humor (or what I suspect is supposed to be humor) also didn't really gel with me. I mean, I get it, the joke is supposed to be that can be an asshole dictator, ha ha? It doesn't offend me or anything, I just don't find it all that funny. Perhaps if I would have kept playing another hour or so I would have started to get the hang of things but I really didn't feel that compelled to keep playing. Oh well, I bought it when it was extremely cheap, so no real regrets. Flash Rating: 2/5 Will Play Again?: Probably not anytime soon. If I want to build an empire, Civ V is the best and seems to a lot more class and style.

04-10-2012, 08:53 PM	#26
EternalGamer Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 4,807	That's all fine and good. I certainly am not declaring it a definitive review. But this exercise got me to actually try it, which is more than I probably would have ever gotten around to doing any other way. I may very well give it another shot, but it is a tough sell for me because I really love Civ for this kind of thing. I know some will say it is a "completely different" type of game because it is turned based and has war elements, but those are actually both reasons why I like it so much.

04-10-2012, 09:20 PM	#29
EternalGamer Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 4,807	You guys are some lazy mother fuckers.

04-11-2012, 07:43 AM	#33
Clark I would. Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 1,041	Game: Psychonauts Playtime: 30 minutes Micro Review: I loved it. Had always heard the hype here at COG, but had never even seen a gameplay video. This game has great style, controls, gameplay, and humor. My 6 and 3 year old kids loved it even more. The next day they kept laughing about the kids "blowing up" when going through mental training. I dig this thread. Already made me play a great, great game. Rating: 5/5 Will Play Again?: Very next opportunity I have.