This is one of the strangest games that I have ever played. It's actually kind of difficult to even consider this a game. It's mostly just a glorified, yet charming, tutorial for the Steam Deck. The experience is very short. It maybe lasts an hour or an hour and a half. When it comes to the story, I think it has a lot of interesting ideas that play with the already pre-established lore of the Portal/Half Life franchises. It creates a lot of speculation on whether or not this will play any effect into the final consummation of a rare Valve trilogy. I think it was probably the most Valve answer to having a tutorial for a new and foreign device that was being attempted for the first time. I think I rate it so highly mostly out of respect for it. It never was looking to be considered a real game. It was merely an amazing hook for a device that people were skeptical of. It did everything it was supposed to and did a fairly good job with it. In the end, 3.5 / 5 seems fitting for this title.
Taking place in the portal universe and telling a brief, fun story while utilizing a lot of the unique features of the Steam Deck is cool. But comparing it to other launch games that serve as tech demos, it's a bit disappointing that this one has absolutely zero replay value or any actual game attached.
Stuff like Astros Playroom not only serve to show off how cool the PS5 could be if it got games, but it lasts as a legitimate game to think back on and maybe return to once and a while. Then you start thinking of other launch games that are technically tech demos like Luigi's mansion, or the iconic Wii Sports. Mario 64 counts right? Or gee, Half-Life Alyx.
I never thought about any of this while playing, it's truly fine for what it is and was never aiming to be the next Wii Sports or whatever. It's well made and packed with fun little details. But the first game you're meant to play on a brand new console is usually such a huge momentous occasion. It's just that this is a slightly interactive short film. And what's worse I'm not really sure this does a great job showing the extent of how versatile the Steam Deck really is. Woulda been kinda sick for this to be a minigame collection simulating tons of different genres you might not immediately think about running on the Steam Deck. There's certainly more scenarios you'll be using the touch screen outside of scribbling your name down, but that's all this tech demo has to show you on that topic. Nothing's given much focus, but they'll spend half of the 30 minute run time on showing off very standard gun controls. Nice that they highlighted gyro controls at least, that should be a standard option across the industry and anyone saying otherwise is stuck in the early 2010's. Feels a tad creatively bankrupt to be making a console as flexible as the Steam Deck and half your tech demo is -hold left trigger to aim and pull right trigger to shoot-
Perhaps it's a bit silly to really go in an criticize something like this. It's a free lil' bonus thing that I can't say I'm really upset with or anything. But it's really one of the most nothing launch title tech demos out there. Which is tragic 'cuz the Steam Deck itself is by far the best modern console by a longshot. Can't say I really needed this game to show me I could press one of the 4 face buttons to have something happen in-game lol.
Stuff like Astros Playroom not only serve to show off how cool the PS5 could be if it got games, but it lasts as a legitimate game to think back on and maybe return to once and a while. Then you start thinking of other launch games that are technically tech demos like Luigi's mansion, or the iconic Wii Sports. Mario 64 counts right? Or gee, Half-Life Alyx.
I never thought about any of this while playing, it's truly fine for what it is and was never aiming to be the next Wii Sports or whatever. It's well made and packed with fun little details. But the first game you're meant to play on a brand new console is usually such a huge momentous occasion. It's just that this is a slightly interactive short film. And what's worse I'm not really sure this does a great job showing the extent of how versatile the Steam Deck really is. Woulda been kinda sick for this to be a minigame collection simulating tons of different genres you might not immediately think about running on the Steam Deck. There's certainly more scenarios you'll be using the touch screen outside of scribbling your name down, but that's all this tech demo has to show you on that topic. Nothing's given much focus, but they'll spend half of the 30 minute run time on showing off very standard gun controls. Nice that they highlighted gyro controls at least, that should be a standard option across the industry and anyone saying otherwise is stuck in the early 2010's. Feels a tad creatively bankrupt to be making a console as flexible as the Steam Deck and half your tech demo is -hold left trigger to aim and pull right trigger to shoot-
Perhaps it's a bit silly to really go in an criticize something like this. It's a free lil' bonus thing that I can't say I'm really upset with or anything. But it's really one of the most nothing launch title tech demos out there. Which is tragic 'cuz the Steam Deck itself is by far the best modern console by a longshot. Can't say I really needed this game to show me I could press one of the 4 face buttons to have something happen in-game lol.
القيم بلاي : تقريبا ما في قيم بلاي نادرا اتحكم بشي وما يكون ممتع اللعبة تركز على الكوميجيا بقصتها
القصة : كانت غريبة وجميلة نوعا ما استمتعت شوي فيها
الجرافكس : جدا عظيم والانميشن كان شي عملاق
الموسيقى : ما علق شي براسلي ما اتذكر اي شي منها غير الموسيقى اخر شي وكانت اضافة جدا جميلة
تقييمي : التجربة كانت مميزة بس ما حسيتها ممتعة جدا بنفس الوقت ما كانت مملة
القصة : كانت غريبة وجميلة نوعا ما استمتعت شوي فيها
الجرافكس : جدا عظيم والانميشن كان شي عملاق
الموسيقى : ما علق شي براسلي ما اتذكر اي شي منها غير الموسيقى اخر شي وكانت اضافة جدا جميلة
تقييمي : التجربة كانت مميزة بس ما حسيتها ممتعة جدا بنفس الوقت ما كانت مملة
Very commendable of valve to give what is basically a tech demo for the steam deck this much personality, but outside of a few good gags, the writing just reminds me of portal in less of a neat callback way and more of a "hey remember that game we made that was really good and funny?" Despite that, I'd be dumb to advise against it especially if you have a steam deck since it's free and about 30 minutes.