VIV_ID
2012
I've been playing since launch in 2012 and it's still always a treat to boot up this game. It's my go-to chillout game these days and I love just hanging out in the various zones and doing whatever strikes my fancy.
The main strength of the game is the open world design and the dynamic events that occur in the various zones (i.e. maps). Some events evolve into chains that alter the state of the zone, which is a nice touch.
The best showcase of the game’s strengths are the map scale meta-events, which require lots of players and varying levels of coordination.
Also, the world as a whole is gorgeous, with strong art direction that has aged well despite the slightly dated graphics. There's so many details to be found in every nook and cranny of the world, and it all feels alive because there's always something going on somewhere.
The game doesn't force you into specific type of content to progress your account (although you'll have to dip into most types of content if you want to go for legendary gear) and there's no need to rush anything or play every day, as you'll never miss out on anything important because you didn't play when it was new.
Most old content is kept relevant and populated because new events and long-term endgame goals keep bringing established players back to older zones. You're never completely alone and it's usually possible to bring some random players together for group content when needed.
The second expansion, Path of Fire, introduced mounts to the game, and they’re probably the best feeling mounts in any game. They feel like real creatures and each of them have drastically different abilities and use cases.
Every (paid) player gets a raptor now, but I would personally recommend playing without mounts the first time around, until you get to Path of Fire, because the maps before that expansion were not designed with mounts in mind. You’ll get a much better appreciation for the map design by going on foot. Of course, it’s not always that simple, as it’s impossible to keep up with other players when running with a group in certain cases, but do try it out when just roaming around. It’s comfy.
This is not really a game for people who like grinding to become more and more powerful, as the level cap has never been raised from 80 and the most powerful gear in the game has the same power as in 2013, but if you like exploration and freedom to do whatever, this might just be the game for you.
And it costs nothing to try, so give it a go!
The main strength of the game is the open world design and the dynamic events that occur in the various zones (i.e. maps). Some events evolve into chains that alter the state of the zone, which is a nice touch.
The best showcase of the game’s strengths are the map scale meta-events, which require lots of players and varying levels of coordination.
Also, the world as a whole is gorgeous, with strong art direction that has aged well despite the slightly dated graphics. There's so many details to be found in every nook and cranny of the world, and it all feels alive because there's always something going on somewhere.
The game doesn't force you into specific type of content to progress your account (although you'll have to dip into most types of content if you want to go for legendary gear) and there's no need to rush anything or play every day, as you'll never miss out on anything important because you didn't play when it was new.
Most old content is kept relevant and populated because new events and long-term endgame goals keep bringing established players back to older zones. You're never completely alone and it's usually possible to bring some random players together for group content when needed.
The second expansion, Path of Fire, introduced mounts to the game, and they’re probably the best feeling mounts in any game. They feel like real creatures and each of them have drastically different abilities and use cases.
Every (paid) player gets a raptor now, but I would personally recommend playing without mounts the first time around, until you get to Path of Fire, because the maps before that expansion were not designed with mounts in mind. You’ll get a much better appreciation for the map design by going on foot. Of course, it’s not always that simple, as it’s impossible to keep up with other players when running with a group in certain cases, but do try it out when just roaming around. It’s comfy.
This is not really a game for people who like grinding to become more and more powerful, as the level cap has never been raised from 80 and the most powerful gear in the game has the same power as in 2013, but if you like exploration and freedom to do whatever, this might just be the game for you.
And it costs nothing to try, so give it a go!
2018
Get a group of friends together (or even just one friend) and you'll never have a bad time playing this game. Engaging gameplay, infinite replayability, actually interesting procedural generation and the most consumer friendly battle pass I've ever seen (no price and no FOMO) results in a game any co-op shooter fan should experience.
2003
I played this game back when it was released after years of yearning for more TRON. It was all that I could ever hope for and more. It nails the aesthetic and feel of the movie while providing a visual upgrade, bringing the world of TRON into the new millennium.
A lot has changed since the 80s. We have the internet, PDAs are becoming obsolete and the old mainframe systems are being phased out. All of this is reflected in TRON 2.0, providing a believable backdrop for a sort-of-continuation of the original story.
While the story in this game is no longer considered canon, it's a much better sequel than the new movie. This will always be the true sequel in my eyes.
The gameplay is based on first person shooter conventions, but you have a lot of different tools at your disposal. In addition to the iconic disk, which can be used both at range and as a melee weapon, you have a host of typical projectile based weapons, variations of these and subroutines that grant you special abilities (perks).
The controls are sharp and responsive and help you feel grounded in the computerized world you inhabit. It controls just as well as any recent game I've played, if not better.
All in all, this game is a fantastic realization of the TRON universe in interactive form. It has tons of charm and nerdy references and details, plus a great story that absolutely stands up to the original.
If you're a fan of TRON, you have probably already played this game. If you haven't, you need to play this game.
If you aren't familiar with TRON, I highly recommend playing this game (and watching the original movie). In doing so you'll be treating yourself to quite the unique experience.
A lot has changed since the 80s. We have the internet, PDAs are becoming obsolete and the old mainframe systems are being phased out. All of this is reflected in TRON 2.0, providing a believable backdrop for a sort-of-continuation of the original story.
While the story in this game is no longer considered canon, it's a much better sequel than the new movie. This will always be the true sequel in my eyes.
The gameplay is based on first person shooter conventions, but you have a lot of different tools at your disposal. In addition to the iconic disk, which can be used both at range and as a melee weapon, you have a host of typical projectile based weapons, variations of these and subroutines that grant you special abilities (perks).
The controls are sharp and responsive and help you feel grounded in the computerized world you inhabit. It controls just as well as any recent game I've played, if not better.
All in all, this game is a fantastic realization of the TRON universe in interactive form. It has tons of charm and nerdy references and details, plus a great story that absolutely stands up to the original.
If you're a fan of TRON, you have probably already played this game. If you haven't, you need to play this game.
If you aren't familiar with TRON, I highly recommend playing this game (and watching the original movie). In doing so you'll be treating yourself to quite the unique experience.
2010
This game is a must for anyone remotely interested in both music and simple arcade games. If you pick the right tracks, you could very well end up with your very own New Year's Eve fireworks display, set to the beat of your favorite music, while playing a hugely satisfying and challenging game.
2009
Simple, but great fun. Fans of wave-based challenges and FPS should look no further than Killing Floor. Continued developer support through seasonal events doesn't hurt, either.
2008
Got lots of music? Like to bounce to your music? Like to listen to music while driving?
You should probably check out Audiosurf, then, as it combines all those three in a killer mix, making for a truly enjoyable experience.
You should probably check out Audiosurf, then, as it combines all those three in a killer mix, making for a truly enjoyable experience.
Premise and gameplay
Euro Truck Simulator 2 casts you as an up-and-coming truck driver in Europe. You start out doing freelance jobs for other companies who provide you with a truck for each job, eventually amassing enough money to buy your own garage and truck, which is when the game truly begins. Of course, you can always take out a bank loan, but if you want to stay debt-free, you have to work for that money. You can always take a quick job if you feel like it, but to gain access to the most powerful trucks you need to buy and upgrade them yourself, both visually and performance-wise.
After each job you will gain money, experience and truck upgrades. Experience can be used to level up your driver in various ways. For instance, you can put points into certifications for dangerous cargo or long distance driving to unlock more job types or eco-driving to reduce fuel consumption and the resulting costs.
Once you've got your truck company off the ground you can start expanding by buying more trucks, hiring drivers and more garages across Europe. The game doesn't offer much in the way of micro-managing you employees, but you can upgrade their trucks in the same way you upgrade your own and decide what attribute they should focus on levelling up.
Do note that there's no win-state in this game. It just keeps going while you expand your freight empire and if you want a clear goal you need to set it yourself.
When you're ready to hit the road you either pick from a list of available quick jobs or go the the freight market to find cargo to haul with your own truck. Quick jobs are great if you just want a quick fix, as you don't have to drive all the way to pick up your cargo. If you want the pure experience you buy a truck, pick a job and drive to pick up the trailer before embarking on your journey. Along the way you will need to follow the rules of the road and watch out for traffic. Any and all traffic offences will result in a fine, which can severely bite into your profits if you're not careful. While you can get away with speeding, there are speed cameras along most roads that you need to be on the lookout for. You also need to keep an eye on your gas tank and your sleepiness levels and pull into a gas station or rest stop when needed. When you arrive at your destination you can choose to park your truck yourself, which can be a true challenge in certain locations, or relinquish a handful of experience points by using auto-park.
One immersion breaker is that there is no real in-game economy to speak of. Everything stays pretty much static no matter what happens in the game and there are no realistic cargo chains (i.e. raw materials to factory, products to store). This will hopefully likely in the near future as the developer has created tools for creating such chains and has implemented a few in the Scandinavia DLC.
Presentation
Since I'm so late in writing this review, I'm lucky enough to write it after the 1.17 patch was released. This patch brought plenty of changes to the graphical presentation, most importantly the lighting. The game is definitely no Project CARS, but it has absolutely been serviceable and is now even more so with the improved rendering engine. Some scenes are made absolutely gorgeous by it. World textures could definitely use some upgrades to make the game a look bit more realistic and some models look a bit basic, but overall the visuals of the game are just fine. Not mind-blowing, but they do the job well.
The trucks themselves are modelled in stunning detail, and the Mercedes-Benz New Actros that was released in patch 1.18 takes this to a whole new level. It's clear that a lot of love and hard labour has gone into the trucks and they are definitely the highlight of the game's presentation. The only downside to the models is that the switches and knobs inside the cabin aren't adjustable. I may have been spoiled by other pure simulators, but it would be a nice touch if you could actually use the physical buttons instead of mapped keys on a keyboard or controller.
The physics simulation leave a little more to be desired. The truck cabins don't sway as much as they ought, which is especially noticeable during roundabouts or when decelerating. Trailers don't feel heavy, but just slow you down, and there's very little feedback from the road surface.
The sound design as a whole is serviceable. The truck sounds are of course very good, but the rest of the sound scape doesn't feel as fleshed out. Not that it matters all that much when you spend most of your time inside the cabin (which is the proper way to play), but it would be nice to have a some more prominent ambient sounds to instil a sense of place when you pull over and turn off the engine. If the truck sounds or road noise aren't to your liking, there are loads of mods available that remedy this.
The world design is generally pretty good. Areas like Great Britain and Switzerland feature some of the best roads and vistas the game has to offer, but some areas feel very bland, especially Germany, which unfortunately is the country you travel through the most because of its location. These areas have generic roads with generic intersections and generic city layouts. It all starts to feel very same-y when you pass the same copy-pasted intersection for the fifth time on a single haul. Some off/on-ramps are also very confusing, where one lane suddenly turns off the road without any heads-up. The signs don't always indicate correctly and these intersections are unrealistically common in the game.
The DLC that has been released is a lot better in this regard, but if you want to up the fidelity of the base game, there are a lot of map mods to try. ProMods is one of the bigger mods that add new areas to the game, but they are also currently in the process of redesigning a lot of the base game to get it up to scratch with the new areas.
The game also supports TrackIR and Oculus, but I haven't had any chance to try these features out.
Controls
The game supports keyboard & mouse, gamepads and steering wheels.
The controls for kb&m and gamepads are fairly straight-forward and work just fine. The wheels are way more interesting and you get a lot of settings to perfect your experience. Earlier, the trucks had some wonky wheel rotation properties, but a recent patch gave all trucks 900º rotation. I haven't found any settings I feel are missing, either. There are multiple sliders for different axes and FFB settings, all buttons are rebindable and there is a useful wizard for quick setup.
The force feedback feels a bit "grindy", though. I use a Logitech G27 and it feels like the engines struggle with providing resistance, almost like they're slipping on sand. This does not happen in other games, where the feedback is tight and grippy. I have no idea what causes this, and it doesn't seem like any of the settings fix it. It works and can give you a juicy jolt if you crash, but it's not what I've come to expect from force feedback.
Summary
Despite some technical flaws this is one of my favorite games. It's a solid package and great for a relaxing evening of driving.
If you can stomach long drives, gradual progression and being responsible for your own funin an open world on the open road, this game comes highly recommended.
Euro Truck Simulator 2 casts you as an up-and-coming truck driver in Europe. You start out doing freelance jobs for other companies who provide you with a truck for each job, eventually amassing enough money to buy your own garage and truck, which is when the game truly begins. Of course, you can always take out a bank loan, but if you want to stay debt-free, you have to work for that money. You can always take a quick job if you feel like it, but to gain access to the most powerful trucks you need to buy and upgrade them yourself, both visually and performance-wise.
After each job you will gain money, experience and truck upgrades. Experience can be used to level up your driver in various ways. For instance, you can put points into certifications for dangerous cargo or long distance driving to unlock more job types or eco-driving to reduce fuel consumption and the resulting costs.
Once you've got your truck company off the ground you can start expanding by buying more trucks, hiring drivers and more garages across Europe. The game doesn't offer much in the way of micro-managing you employees, but you can upgrade their trucks in the same way you upgrade your own and decide what attribute they should focus on levelling up.
Do note that there's no win-state in this game. It just keeps going while you expand your freight empire and if you want a clear goal you need to set it yourself.
When you're ready to hit the road you either pick from a list of available quick jobs or go the the freight market to find cargo to haul with your own truck. Quick jobs are great if you just want a quick fix, as you don't have to drive all the way to pick up your cargo. If you want the pure experience you buy a truck, pick a job and drive to pick up the trailer before embarking on your journey. Along the way you will need to follow the rules of the road and watch out for traffic. Any and all traffic offences will result in a fine, which can severely bite into your profits if you're not careful. While you can get away with speeding, there are speed cameras along most roads that you need to be on the lookout for. You also need to keep an eye on your gas tank and your sleepiness levels and pull into a gas station or rest stop when needed. When you arrive at your destination you can choose to park your truck yourself, which can be a true challenge in certain locations, or relinquish a handful of experience points by using auto-park.
One immersion breaker is that there is no real in-game economy to speak of. Everything stays pretty much static no matter what happens in the game and there are no realistic cargo chains (i.e. raw materials to factory, products to store). This will hopefully likely in the near future as the developer has created tools for creating such chains and has implemented a few in the Scandinavia DLC.
Presentation
Since I'm so late in writing this review, I'm lucky enough to write it after the 1.17 patch was released. This patch brought plenty of changes to the graphical presentation, most importantly the lighting. The game is definitely no Project CARS, but it has absolutely been serviceable and is now even more so with the improved rendering engine. Some scenes are made absolutely gorgeous by it. World textures could definitely use some upgrades to make the game a look bit more realistic and some models look a bit basic, but overall the visuals of the game are just fine. Not mind-blowing, but they do the job well.
The trucks themselves are modelled in stunning detail, and the Mercedes-Benz New Actros that was released in patch 1.18 takes this to a whole new level. It's clear that a lot of love and hard labour has gone into the trucks and they are definitely the highlight of the game's presentation. The only downside to the models is that the switches and knobs inside the cabin aren't adjustable. I may have been spoiled by other pure simulators, but it would be a nice touch if you could actually use the physical buttons instead of mapped keys on a keyboard or controller.
The physics simulation leave a little more to be desired. The truck cabins don't sway as much as they ought, which is especially noticeable during roundabouts or when decelerating. Trailers don't feel heavy, but just slow you down, and there's very little feedback from the road surface.
The sound design as a whole is serviceable. The truck sounds are of course very good, but the rest of the sound scape doesn't feel as fleshed out. Not that it matters all that much when you spend most of your time inside the cabin (which is the proper way to play), but it would be nice to have a some more prominent ambient sounds to instil a sense of place when you pull over and turn off the engine. If the truck sounds or road noise aren't to your liking, there are loads of mods available that remedy this.
The world design is generally pretty good. Areas like Great Britain and Switzerland feature some of the best roads and vistas the game has to offer, but some areas feel very bland, especially Germany, which unfortunately is the country you travel through the most because of its location. These areas have generic roads with generic intersections and generic city layouts. It all starts to feel very same-y when you pass the same copy-pasted intersection for the fifth time on a single haul. Some off/on-ramps are also very confusing, where one lane suddenly turns off the road without any heads-up. The signs don't always indicate correctly and these intersections are unrealistically common in the game.
The DLC that has been released is a lot better in this regard, but if you want to up the fidelity of the base game, there are a lot of map mods to try. ProMods is one of the bigger mods that add new areas to the game, but they are also currently in the process of redesigning a lot of the base game to get it up to scratch with the new areas.
The game also supports TrackIR and Oculus, but I haven't had any chance to try these features out.
Controls
The game supports keyboard & mouse, gamepads and steering wheels.
The controls for kb&m and gamepads are fairly straight-forward and work just fine. The wheels are way more interesting and you get a lot of settings to perfect your experience. Earlier, the trucks had some wonky wheel rotation properties, but a recent patch gave all trucks 900º rotation. I haven't found any settings I feel are missing, either. There are multiple sliders for different axes and FFB settings, all buttons are rebindable and there is a useful wizard for quick setup.
The force feedback feels a bit "grindy", though. I use a Logitech G27 and it feels like the engines struggle with providing resistance, almost like they're slipping on sand. This does not happen in other games, where the feedback is tight and grippy. I have no idea what causes this, and it doesn't seem like any of the settings fix it. It works and can give you a juicy jolt if you crash, but it's not what I've come to expect from force feedback.
Summary
Despite some technical flaws this is one of my favorite games. It's a solid package and great for a relaxing evening of driving.
If you can stomach long drives, gradual progression and being responsible for your own fun
The definition of "short and sweet", Brothers paints a magical land steeped in Nordic fairy tale traditions, all while providing an emotional connection to the characters rarely experienced in games.
It's a visual and aural feast with a charming art style and a fantastic score that accentuates the sense of adventure and isolation you experience throughout your journey.
It took me 3 hours to complete, but the experience has stuck with me ever since. It's very well priced for what you get.
It's a visual and aural feast with a charming art style and a fantastic score that accentuates the sense of adventure and isolation you experience throughout your journey.
It took me 3 hours to complete, but the experience has stuck with me ever since. It's very well priced for what you get.
2013
An extremely deep simulation that, for better or worse, still has no competition. On one hand, this is the best and most accurate bus simulator available on the market. Almost every aspect of the buses are modeled to the last detail and are functional.
On the other hand, this game, our only choice on the market, is an unstable and poorly optimized offering. Do tweak the memory settings and and use the 4 GB patch to alleviate some of the crashes. I rarely experience them after doing so.
You should also be prepared to read the manual a lot and/or watching videos on YouTube to figure everything out, as the in-game tutorial does little to teach you the ropes.
The base game doesn't have a lot in terms of content, but the official DLC bring a lot of variation and there are lots and lots of community created maps and vehicles available online for free.
The price is fine considering the depth of the simulation, but I would have expected a more polished product by now. If you get all the DLC it'll get quite costly, especially considering the game almost never appears on sales.
Get this only if you're sure you like deep vehicle simulations, but prepare for some frustration due to instability.
On the other hand, this game, our only choice on the market, is an unstable and poorly optimized offering. Do tweak the memory settings and and use the 4 GB patch to alleviate some of the crashes. I rarely experience them after doing so.
You should also be prepared to read the manual a lot and/or watching videos on YouTube to figure everything out, as the in-game tutorial does little to teach you the ropes.
The base game doesn't have a lot in terms of content, but the official DLC bring a lot of variation and there are lots and lots of community created maps and vehicles available online for free.
The price is fine considering the depth of the simulation, but I would have expected a more polished product by now. If you get all the DLC it'll get quite costly, especially considering the game almost never appears on sales.
Get this only if you're sure you like deep vehicle simulations, but prepare for some frustration due to instability.
Premise and gameplay
What a way to spend an evening! In typical walking sim fashion, this one can be completed in one sitting. I took my time and spent about 5 hours from beginning to end, which is actually quite lengthy for a walking sim. A lot of this is thanks to the extremely slow movement speed, but I think it fits both the mood and the story. After all, this is not a high octane action game by any stretch of the imagination, but rather a narrative experience for a relaxing evening.
Without spoiling any of the story, you're playing an unknown person or entity, leisurely walking around a quaint, but deserted, English village and watching the ghostly figures of the residents relive their last day alive. The reason for everybody's disappearance is a mystery, and it's up to you, the player, to piece together the clues based on what you hear and see around you. You may well reach the end and find yourself utterly confused, but that's to be expected of a TCR game. The story needs to be considered and analyzed before you can make sense of it from start to finish, which I'm still in the process of doing.
By the end of the game, you know a bit about everyone in the village. You follow a handful of people more closely than others and get a close look at their relationships with the people around them, which made me feel like they were real people. As a result, I felt more intimately connected to them and cared about their stories.
In case you're scarred by The Vanishing of Ethan Carter and are apprehensive about possible scares in this game, I can assure you there are none. No horror.
There is actually quite a lot of content here, but you have to find a lot of it on your own. You're guided through the village and its surroundings by a floating orb of light, but you won't see all of the story by simply following it along. You have to go off the beaten path and explore on your own. Check out houses, sheds, cars and you'll occasionally find another plot point. These are just as important as those on the guided tour, so don't be afraid to stray. The way you experience the story isn't designed to be linear anyway.
Actually, the orb somehow got stuck in the hedge outside the pub in the last chapter of the game, so I had to explore without a guide. I thought that was just as well, because I would have to check everything to find all the plot pieces anyway. Still, it's handy in case you've missed something major, as it will lead you to it.
Presentation
This is definitely among the most beautiful games I've ever played. All aspects of the presentation are spot-on and I've never before seen the English countryside so accurately represented in interactive digital form. It's one of my favorite settings and EGTTR absolutely nailed it. The attention to detail in the environments is just staggering. From the gardens and exterior of the houses, to the road markings and signs, to the clutter of garages and lived-in interiors, it all feels extremely realistic. Everything is placed with a purpose and there's quite a bit of story to be gleaned from observing the environment with a keen eye.
Effect-wise the game also delivers. Made in CryEngine, it boasts a lot of eye candy that it uses to full effect. The atmospheric and lighting effects really sells the countryside vibe and the detailed and (quite) high resolution textures look great. Yaughton feels like a real place.
The voice acting is superb. The actors cover a range of british dialects and the interactions between characters in conversations are very believable. I'd say this is probably the strongest point of the game, fitting enough for a voice focused narratively driven game, as I was completely sold on these characters thanks to the great emotional range and general acting talent of the voice actors.
Sound design is great. The wind in the trees, the chirping birds, the player character's footsteps, the rumbling light orb. It's just great.
The soundtrack deserves special mention. It is absolutely fantastic. It's melancholy, beautiful and haunting. It mostly takes a back seat and sets the mood, but swells up during important moments. The pieces draws on a variety of styles, but the choral arrangements are probably the most powerful for me.
By the end, these elements all come together to create an uneasy mood that had me on edge for the entire last chapter of the game. The mood was very well crafted. Mission accomplished.
Controls
The controls are as simple as they come. Playing with a controller, you use the analog sticks to move and look around, A or X/Cross to interact, LT or L2 to activate manual story segments and RT or R2 to "make haste." You can't run or jump, but RT/R2 makes you gradually walk slightly faster, which is nice for the longer stretches of road.
You can invert the Y-axis, but be aware that this also inverts Y for mouse control as well.
Value for money
This is a recurring topic when discussing walking simulators. Due that lack of "game" in these titles, the price point is under a lot more scrutiny than other games. I got it at -50 % for $10, which I found to be a fair asking price for the amount of care that had gone into the creation of the world, its sound design and the story, but anything more than that is too much for the amount of content it offers.
Get it on sale.
Summary
All in all, this is an excellent walking simulator. If you like walking simulators and are looking for a relaxing and intriguing experience, look no further.
It might not be everone's cup of tea, but that's totally fine. Just be aware of what you're buying and don't complain afterwards if you feel understimulated. This is a purebred walking sim, after all.
What a way to spend an evening! In typical walking sim fashion, this one can be completed in one sitting. I took my time and spent about 5 hours from beginning to end, which is actually quite lengthy for a walking sim. A lot of this is thanks to the extremely slow movement speed, but I think it fits both the mood and the story. After all, this is not a high octane action game by any stretch of the imagination, but rather a narrative experience for a relaxing evening.
Without spoiling any of the story, you're playing an unknown person or entity, leisurely walking around a quaint, but deserted, English village and watching the ghostly figures of the residents relive their last day alive. The reason for everybody's disappearance is a mystery, and it's up to you, the player, to piece together the clues based on what you hear and see around you. You may well reach the end and find yourself utterly confused, but that's to be expected of a TCR game. The story needs to be considered and analyzed before you can make sense of it from start to finish, which I'm still in the process of doing.
By the end of the game, you know a bit about everyone in the village. You follow a handful of people more closely than others and get a close look at their relationships with the people around them, which made me feel like they were real people. As a result, I felt more intimately connected to them and cared about their stories.
In case you're scarred by The Vanishing of Ethan Carter and are apprehensive about possible scares in this game, I can assure you there are none. No horror.
There is actually quite a lot of content here, but you have to find a lot of it on your own. You're guided through the village and its surroundings by a floating orb of light, but you won't see all of the story by simply following it along. You have to go off the beaten path and explore on your own. Check out houses, sheds, cars and you'll occasionally find another plot point. These are just as important as those on the guided tour, so don't be afraid to stray. The way you experience the story isn't designed to be linear anyway.
Actually, the orb somehow got stuck in the hedge outside the pub in the last chapter of the game, so I had to explore without a guide. I thought that was just as well, because I would have to check everything to find all the plot pieces anyway. Still, it's handy in case you've missed something major, as it will lead you to it.
Presentation
This is definitely among the most beautiful games I've ever played. All aspects of the presentation are spot-on and I've never before seen the English countryside so accurately represented in interactive digital form. It's one of my favorite settings and EGTTR absolutely nailed it. The attention to detail in the environments is just staggering. From the gardens and exterior of the houses, to the road markings and signs, to the clutter of garages and lived-in interiors, it all feels extremely realistic. Everything is placed with a purpose and there's quite a bit of story to be gleaned from observing the environment with a keen eye.
Effect-wise the game also delivers. Made in CryEngine, it boasts a lot of eye candy that it uses to full effect. The atmospheric and lighting effects really sells the countryside vibe and the detailed and (quite) high resolution textures look great. Yaughton feels like a real place.
The voice acting is superb. The actors cover a range of british dialects and the interactions between characters in conversations are very believable. I'd say this is probably the strongest point of the game, fitting enough for a voice focused narratively driven game, as I was completely sold on these characters thanks to the great emotional range and general acting talent of the voice actors.
Sound design is great. The wind in the trees, the chirping birds, the player character's footsteps, the rumbling light orb. It's just great.
The soundtrack deserves special mention. It is absolutely fantastic. It's melancholy, beautiful and haunting. It mostly takes a back seat and sets the mood, but swells up during important moments. The pieces draws on a variety of styles, but the choral arrangements are probably the most powerful for me.
By the end, these elements all come together to create an uneasy mood that had me on edge for the entire last chapter of the game. The mood was very well crafted. Mission accomplished.
Controls
The controls are as simple as they come. Playing with a controller, you use the analog sticks to move and look around, A or X/Cross to interact, LT or L2 to activate manual story segments and RT or R2 to "make haste." You can't run or jump, but RT/R2 makes you gradually walk slightly faster, which is nice for the longer stretches of road.
You can invert the Y-axis, but be aware that this also inverts Y for mouse control as well.
Value for money
This is a recurring topic when discussing walking simulators. Due that lack of "game" in these titles, the price point is under a lot more scrutiny than other games. I got it at -50 % for $10, which I found to be a fair asking price for the amount of care that had gone into the creation of the world, its sound design and the story, but anything more than that is too much for the amount of content it offers.
Get it on sale.
Summary
All in all, this is an excellent walking simulator. If you like walking simulators and are looking for a relaxing and intriguing experience, look no further.
It might not be everone's cup of tea, but that's totally fine. Just be aware of what you're buying and don't complain afterwards if you feel understimulated. This is a purebred walking sim, after all.
2016
First off, this game is absolutely awesome!
While I can't go into any detail on the story without spoiling something, it takes you on quite the wild ride. It's also expertly paced and not a single minute went by where I felt like I was slogging through filler content.
The gameplay is solid and innovative and revolves around the core mechanic of time slowing down when you don't move. In practice, the game plays like a puzzle shooter, where you start unarmed and have to figure out ways to avoid being slaughtered, gain weapons and kill all the red dudes. It's quite simple and there are often numerous ways to improvise and solve the "puzzles". You'll seldom have only one viable option.
Unfortunately, it's very light on content and the story is over in about two hours. Sure, you can play the game forever in endless mode or do challenges, but as far as unique content goes, I don't feel it's enough to warrant the full price tag.
While I can't go into any detail on the story without spoiling something, it takes you on quite the wild ride. It's also expertly paced and not a single minute went by where I felt like I was slogging through filler content.
The gameplay is solid and innovative and revolves around the core mechanic of time slowing down when you don't move. In practice, the game plays like a puzzle shooter, where you start unarmed and have to figure out ways to avoid being slaughtered, gain weapons and kill all the red dudes. It's quite simple and there are often numerous ways to improvise and solve the "puzzles". You'll seldom have only one viable option.
Unfortunately, it's very light on content and the story is over in about two hours. Sure, you can play the game forever in endless mode or do challenges, but as far as unique content goes, I don't feel it's enough to warrant the full price tag.
2014
If disappointment had a face, this game would be it.
After a fantastic announcement at E3 2012 the hype machine started rolling at a level seldom seen even at E3. Unfortunately, things just went downhill from that moment. The subsequent showings of the gaming revealed graphical downgrades and simplistic mechanics and that is how the final product ultimately ended up. Unfortunately.
The game possesses almost none of the qualities we have come to expect from AAA releases. The graphics don't push a stamp, let alone the entire envelope, the cars handle like tug boats, the shooting lack punch, the hacking mechanic is basically a glorified mini-game at best or a single-button power-up at worst and the story is not engaging at all.
Once the novelty of the hacking wears off, which it quickly does, you're left with an underwelming open-world game that does nothing new and nothing particulaly well. It's all been done before and it's all been done better. While the game isn't bad per se, you're better off saving your time and money for a game that's actually good.
After a fantastic announcement at E3 2012 the hype machine started rolling at a level seldom seen even at E3. Unfortunately, things just went downhill from that moment. The subsequent showings of the gaming revealed graphical downgrades and simplistic mechanics and that is how the final product ultimately ended up. Unfortunately.
The game possesses almost none of the qualities we have come to expect from AAA releases. The graphics don't push a stamp, let alone the entire envelope, the cars handle like tug boats, the shooting lack punch, the hacking mechanic is basically a glorified mini-game at best or a single-button power-up at worst and the story is not engaging at all.
Once the novelty of the hacking wears off, which it quickly does, you're left with an underwelming open-world game that does nothing new and nothing particulaly well. It's all been done before and it's all been done better. While the game isn't bad per se, you're better off saving your time and money for a game that's actually good.
2020
This is the perfect Halloween game for scaredy cats like me. It's charming, funny and full of Halloween spirit.
The gameplay and overall style is reminiscent of older 3D platformers, though it's on the simpler side for both combat and platforming. The game is also completely linear, with the exception of some collectibles off the beaten path, but that wasn't an issue for me.
Most of the challenge I encountered throughtout my playtime was in the boss fights. They're thematically and mechanically distinct, but usually boil down to dying a few times while figuring out their attack patterns.
In short: This is a simple and charming game and is great for spending a chill Hallows' Eve under a blanket. It took me about 5 hours to complete with some collectible hunting on the side. Perfectly reasonable for a game of this caliber.
I'm also very impressed considering this was basically a one-man developer. Well done!
The gameplay and overall style is reminiscent of older 3D platformers, though it's on the simpler side for both combat and platforming. The game is also completely linear, with the exception of some collectibles off the beaten path, but that wasn't an issue for me.
Most of the challenge I encountered throughtout my playtime was in the boss fights. They're thematically and mechanically distinct, but usually boil down to dying a few times while figuring out their attack patterns.
In short: This is a simple and charming game and is great for spending a chill Hallows' Eve under a blanket. It took me about 5 hours to complete with some collectible hunting on the side. Perfectly reasonable for a game of this caliber.
I'm also very impressed considering this was basically a one-man developer. Well done!
One of the coziest and most feelgood games I've ever played. The childlike whimsy and charm drew me in immediately and the desire to complete all the tasks and animal discoveries kept me coming back for a while even after completing the short 'n sweet story.