And to think I've only put maybe two hours into this thing. Maybe just a smidgen more...
Hell... I've put more time into playing the free browser games on Double Fine's website. They're all the hilarity without the frustration.
I can only look at this ad, this full hearted endorsement from a movie star I honestly like for a game made by a creative team that I truly adore, with eyes full of pity.
Im playing the game now and think of it as a 75 on my own personal chart. The reason why it falls kinda short of anything higher is mainly due to some control issues and combat being a bit uninspired so to speak.
Though the humor is there and the world is nice looking!
I think it could have been a great game if it just had more time to "cook" so to speak. But then again thats what we always lament on about with all titles that fell short of greatness right?
Do agree also that its kinda odd that the vid is only released now too. Perhaps they wanted to try and rekindle folks interest in the game?
So whats the verdict on BL? It looks like it got so-so reviews and so-so sales.
i was really excited about the game, but after playing the demo and reading first hand impressions, I figured I could get it for cheap in a few months.
I guess things are looking grim for Double Fine and a Psychonauts sequel. :(
I got it on sale during the weekend. It is a great game and I am enjoying it.
I could see why people who don't like RTS and were expecting more of an action/adventure game would be disappointed.
It isn't a full on RTS and you should not be micromanaging units alot. If you have some experience with and RTS game then you should do fine with this game.
It's a good game. Funny, well-told story (with great voice acting), looks fantastic, has an excellent soundtrack, and has (in my opinion) satisfying, brutal combat. I think it feels pretty polished.
The negatives are that it's quite short, and the RTS-like portions have cumbersome controls and try to do too much.
I don't think it's too big a deal that the RTS controls are strange for single-player since the single-player RTS missions are not that demanding, but when you're playing against another human in multiplayer, it's just frustrating.
It's also weird that it's short because the world is huge and extremely well designed, but there's so little to do in it. I wish the game had double the number of side missions.
@Taggart6: I don't always drink beer, but when I do...: I bought it at release, and I enjoyed it. I'm not a huge metal fan (I actually don't listen to metal) and I have only a passing interest in Jack Black - and I'm not huge into RTS games either - and despite all of that, I liked it. It was a good game.
Was it the greatest game I've ever played, or even the best of the season? No, not really, but it's worth playing. For what it's worth, the demo isn't representative of the rest of the game. In fact, in terms of demo's that demonstrate the game, it may be one of the worst in history and certainly one of the worst I've ever played. That is, I've played demo's that sucked more (a lot more) but I've never played a demo that had so little to do with what you actually did in 95 percent of the game as this time around.
If you like Double Fine, or humor in games, or if metal appeals to you, then you'll probably enjoy the game. Probably. And even if you don't like that stuff, there's still plenty there to enjoy.
@dahaka: I was big fan of Psychonauts and I loved Grim Fandango. I was actually going to buy this game at launch, but the demo just really disappointed me.
Given all the games I now have, I figure I'll either wait to pick this up on the cheap later or just rent it since its short. Either way, I need to play this game.
@Taggart6: I don't always drink beer, but when I do...: Aye at least play it. And don't get too turned off by the RTS elements - they are present, and you WILL have to use them, but they are fun and "lite" - strategic genius isn't required, nor is the less than fun "build x units as fast as possible every time to win" style of play. You can do that, but you can also take your time and have fun, even on Brutal difficulty, and still win.
Stephen Totilo promoted this comment
Meeeh: PC gamers don't have to buy DLC, they buy expansions was starred
Meeeh: PC gamers don't have to buy DLC, they buy expansions was unstarred
I think the whole topic on the New Super Mario Bros. Wii having the help mode is silly. Actually the actual helper mode is silly, not the topic, the topic is good.
It seems people have this feeling about games, that they need to all be beaten. That if you buy it, or rent it, you have to get from square one to square last. But that isn't the case in really anything else. Reading a book you hate? You stop. Can't stand that movie you rented or bought a ticket for you pop the DVD out or leave.
But books and movies are usually less than half what a new game will run you. You can find used books for a buck, rent a movie for less than five.
So is that the thing? Money? The more we pay the more we think we have a right to complete something? Some games you can beat, some you can't, deal with it.
@Friedhamster: Untrue. Barring physical or cognitive disability, you can beat any game that is designed to be beaten if you're willing to learn the necessary skills (by, of course, playing the game).
This "can't" shit, these absolutes, is what is painting casual gamers as impotent arm-flailers and causing developers to put in these crutches (or rather, electric wheelchairs) rather than teaching beginning gamers how to go about learning a game.
No one has the right to beat a game, they have the capacity to. Everyone does.
Too true. I liked the Dead Rising school of hard knocks approach, you learn by dying horribly and it isn't until you push past that incredible annoyed barrier that you begin to discover everything in the game.
I miss game difficulty and the ability to feel a sense of pride over beating something that bratty little kid down the street couldn't. Before gamefaqs. Hell, I just want something hard enough these days that there are no hints anywhere on the internet on how to beat it, just personal strategies people have used.
I disagree with the all games can be beat comment. There were some pretty impossible NES, SNES and GB games back in the day.
Castlevania X for the Super. After Super Castlevania.
AVGN fondly recalls fighting dracula at the end in one of his vids.
The only way I could do it was save states on zsnes.
Also, in that same vid, he mentions a game breaking bug in the 64 Castlevania where if you pick up this detonator before you pick up this nitro, then you can't pick up the nitro at all. And you can't drop the detonator or do anything with it. And you can't progress.
@Koztah: No they don't. There are some people, like my mother or father, that could never beat a game like Ninja Gaiden Black. Ok. Maybe they could after hundreds and hundreds, probably thousands, of hours devoted to learning how to play.
I'm not saying that's bad. Some stuff is just harder than other things.
@Komrade Kayce: Hah. I have you there. I actually beat Dracula X on a weekend rental. :P
And the Castlevania 64 issue is a bug. It's a manufacturing defect. If I snap a game disc in two, it also becomes unfinishable. Lots of adventure games in the 90s, if you missed an item earlier in the game you couldn't finish it or go back. You started over and that was that - but the game was still finishable.
@Friedhamster: Exactly, they could beat the game if they are willing put in what was required of them to do so.
Some games are harder than others, of course. But those games can be beaten by anyone who again, barring physical or cognitive disabilities, will put in what is required of them.
@Koztah:
Ok, sure, as you say barring a disability or a game bug, all games can be beaten. I think most games are meant to be beaten. They tell a story and you're supposed to have fun figuring out how the story ends.
What I'm saying is that it's ok for a game to go unbeaten. There are games I own that I've never beat and maybe never will.
Super Guide (or whatever they are calling it in the New Wii Mario Bros. game) just tells me that people feel as though they have to beat a game. That simply buying a product earns them the right to get all the way though it.
And that isn't true. People have this sense of entitlement these days, as if they are owed something. "I paid for this, what do you mean I'm not good enough?" But the same can happen with a book, "I don't understand these big words," but does a handy man pop up and say, "Oh, hello there, it looks like you want to know the definition for pleonexia."
Maybe if you're using a Kindle or a Nook that does happen, I don't know. But this day and age of holding hands, tolerance, and people thinking they have a right to things is getting absurd.
So you can't beat that level in the new Wii game? TOO BAD! Nah, that's mean.
I... I'd like to apologize to mister Schafer. Though I absolutely adore the humor and the style of Brutal Legend, it's a terrible chore to play. And I dread the idea of playing through another haphazard excessively chaotic battlefield of musical magic spells, nitro boosted super cars, and all too frequent command miscommunication.
Guys if you could do me a favor and just tell Mr. Schafer that he indeed is awesome and my copy of Brutal Legends will be arriving at the end of the month. Did enjoy the demo quite a bit.
Now lets see him and his crew pump out more games!
@D-K, stubbed his toe..*swears*: If I remember it and have this post open at the time I will. I've convinced myself to get Skype credit as soon as I get home this evening and get involved, it's too good of an opportunity to turn down really. Plus I have one or two questions of my own besides just phoning in to say thanks for all the awesome games.
@D-K, stubbed his toe..*swears*: I could have, if something wasn't (predictably) wrong on my end of Skype and I either didn't make it on, or did make it on, didn't know that I did, stayed silent and was passed over. My call was screened anyway and at least I know for again. Again being next week when hopefully there'll be a good few interesting topics that I could break ground on.
Seems like it's putting the cart before the horse to start promoting DLC for a game that needs a myriad of technical issues addressed for online play. Matchmaking and the network code is horribly broken. A little latency makes the game unbearable. No excuse for not including client-side prediction to smooth things out. Why are guitar solos so affected by lag? If this were my game, I'd be ashamed to release it so half-functional. #brutallegend
@Grandleon: I assume you're on PS3? The 360 version usually runs smooth as silk for me. Rarely ever have lag issues, disconnects, never crashes. Impressive really.
But I agree about the guitar solos. In the rare game I do have massive lag, pulling off guitar solos, is a bitch. Lag should never affect a guitar solo, as it hugely affects gameplay haveing to retry a solo 5 times in a row. #brutallegend
03:41 PM
03:39 PM
And to think I've only put maybe two hours into this thing. Maybe just a smidgen more...
Hell... I've put more time into playing the free browser games on Double Fine's website. They're all the hilarity without the frustration.
I can only look at this ad, this full hearted endorsement from a movie star I honestly like for a game made by a creative team that I truly adore, with eyes full of pity.
03:33 PM
Though the humor is there and the world is nice looking!
I think it could have been a great game if it just had more time to "cook" so to speak. But then again thats what we always lament on about with all titles that fell short of greatness right?
Do agree also that its kinda odd that the vid is only released now too. Perhaps they wanted to try and rekindle folks interest in the game?
03:30 PM
i was really excited about the game, but after playing the demo and reading first hand impressions, I figured I could get it for cheap in a few months.
I guess things are looking grim for Double Fine and a Psychonauts sequel. :(
03:44 PM
I got it on sale during the weekend. It is a great game and I am enjoying it.
I could see why people who don't like RTS and were expecting more of an action/adventure game would be disappointed.
It isn't a full on RTS and you should not be micromanaging units alot. If you have some experience with and RTS game then you should do fine with this game.
03:46 PM
It got "so-so" reviews? Dude...83% on Metascore. That is "so-so"?
Damn...that just makes me sad.
03:50 PM
It's a good game. Funny, well-told story (with great voice acting), looks fantastic, has an excellent soundtrack, and has (in my opinion) satisfying, brutal combat. I think it feels pretty polished.
The negatives are that it's quite short, and the RTS-like portions have cumbersome controls and try to do too much.
I don't think it's too big a deal that the RTS controls are strange for single-player since the single-player RTS missions are not that demanding, but when you're playing against another human in multiplayer, it's just frustrating.
It's also weird that it's short because the world is huge and extremely well designed, but there's so little to do in it. I wish the game had double the number of side missions.
03:58 PM
:)
03:59 PM
04:02 PM
Was it the greatest game I've ever played, or even the best of the season? No, not really, but it's worth playing. For what it's worth, the demo isn't representative of the rest of the game. In fact, in terms of demo's that demonstrate the game, it may be one of the worst in history and certainly one of the worst I've ever played. That is, I've played demo's that sucked more (a lot more) but I've never played a demo that had so little to do with what you actually did in 95 percent of the game as this time around.
If you like Double Fine, or humor in games, or if metal appeals to you, then you'll probably enjoy the game. Probably. And even if you don't like that stuff, there's still plenty there to enjoy.
04:05 PM
Given all the games I now have, I figure I'll either wait to pick this up on the cheap later or just rent it since its short. Either way, I need to play this game.
04:19 PM
11/18/09
11/18/09
...
I kid, I kid. Thanks, Tim!
Although I didn't even get to say goodbye. :(
11/18/09
It seems people have this feeling about games, that they need to all be beaten. That if you buy it, or rent it, you have to get from square one to square last. But that isn't the case in really anything else. Reading a book you hate? You stop. Can't stand that movie you rented or bought a ticket for you pop the DVD out or leave.
But books and movies are usually less than half what a new game will run you. You can find used books for a buck, rent a movie for less than five.
So is that the thing? Money? The more we pay the more we think we have a right to complete something? Some games you can beat, some you can't, deal with it.
11/18/09
This "can't" shit, these absolutes, is what is painting casual gamers as impotent arm-flailers and causing developers to put in these crutches (or rather, electric wheelchairs) rather than teaching beginning gamers how to go about learning a game.
No one has the right to beat a game, they have the capacity to. Everyone does.
11/18/09
Too true. I liked the Dead Rising school of hard knocks approach, you learn by dying horribly and it isn't until you push past that incredible annoyed barrier that you begin to discover everything in the game.
I miss game difficulty and the ability to feel a sense of pride over beating something that bratty little kid down the street couldn't. Before gamefaqs. Hell, I just want something hard enough these days that there are no hints anywhere on the internet on how to beat it, just personal strategies people have used.
I disagree with the all games can be beat comment. There were some pretty impossible NES, SNES and GB games back in the day.
11/18/09
I used to think Actraiser 2 was unbeatable up until 1999, when I met someone who spent an entire summer trying to beat the fucker and succeeded.
11/18/09
Castlevania X for the Super. After Super Castlevania.
AVGN fondly recalls fighting dracula at the end in one of his vids.
The only way I could do it was save states on zsnes.
Also, in that same vid, he mentions a game breaking bug in the 64 Castlevania where if you pick up this detonator before you pick up this nitro, then you can't pick up the nitro at all. And you can't drop the detonator or do anything with it. And you can't progress.
11/18/09
I'm not saying that's bad. Some stuff is just harder than other things.
#speakup
11/18/09
And the Castlevania 64 issue is a bug. It's a manufacturing defect. If I snap a game disc in two, it also becomes unfinishable. Lots of adventure games in the 90s, if you missed an item earlier in the game you couldn't finish it or go back. You started over and that was that - but the game was still finishable.
11/18/09
Some games are harder than others, of course. But those games can be beaten by anyone who again, barring physical or cognitive disabilities, will put in what is required of them.
11/18/09
...wha wha what?
Really?
The end boss where you had to fight dracula jumping over these little pits and if he hits you once you fall into one and die instantly?
I FUCKING HATE YOU FOR OPENING UP AN OLD CHILDHOOD WOUND YOU ASS.
You have NO goddamn idea how infuriating it was to play through this tough as nails game, get to the end, and hit that impassible brick wall.
11/18/09
Ok, sure, as you say barring a disability or a game bug, all games can be beaten. I think most games are meant to be beaten. They tell a story and you're supposed to have fun figuring out how the story ends.
What I'm saying is that it's ok for a game to go unbeaten. There are games I own that I've never beat and maybe never will.
Super Guide (or whatever they are calling it in the New Wii Mario Bros. game) just tells me that people feel as though they have to beat a game. That simply buying a product earns them the right to get all the way though it.
And that isn't true. People have this sense of entitlement these days, as if they are owed something. "I paid for this, what do you mean I'm not good enough?" But the same can happen with a book, "I don't understand these big words," but does a handy man pop up and say, "Oh, hello there, it looks like you want to know the definition for pleonexia."
Maybe if you're using a Kindle or a Nook that does happen, I don't know. But this day and age of holding hands, tolerance, and people thinking they have a right to things is getting absurd.
So you can't beat that level in the new Wii game? TOO BAD! Nah, that's mean.
So instead... "Aww, here, we'll help you."
#speakup
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
Now lets see him and his crew pump out more games!
11/18/09
Tell him D-K said "thanks for psychonauts" ... he'll know what it means.
11/18/09
11/18/09
Guys like Tim Schäfer always have a project and i'm betting it's mysterious
11/18/09
#speakup
10/27/09
or have i misheard? #brutallegend
10/27/09
10/27/09
But I agree about the guitar solos. In the rare game I do have massive lag, pulling off guitar solos, is a bitch. Lag should never affect a guitar solo, as it hugely affects gameplay haveing to retry a solo 5 times in a row. #brutallegend
10/27/09
10/27/09
And Microsoft was having none of it. #brutallegend