Yeah, I feel like I gave the impression this is just a full gameplay video or something. It’s not, it’s a critical analysis.
He does essentially review each game, but he also talks about stuff like the different paradigms of art in games: narrative, gameplay, choice, environmental design and storytelling, as well as their intersections (or their lack). For this series especially, he highlights those elements in contrast between the Interplay/Obsidian games and the Bethesda games.
I’m not actually interested in playing the games, but I love this kind of critique.
I’m coming back here a day later to say that in the couple hours I’ve played this game, I don’t think I’m having fun.
Maybe if you want a really light survival sim, this would be good. But as a building game, it’s not that enjoyable. You are not going to quickly or easily build up interesting structures like in Minecraft (or even Dragon Quest Builders). I spent so much time trying to make my own little shack, but the roof piece they provide wouldn’t fit on my walls at all until it was structured more like their pre-made recipe of how a shack should be.
And I couldn’t even really tell why my roof wasn’t attaching because I was on the ground. There’s no quick way to build up some makeshift stairs like you might in those other games to get a better view. You just have to stand on the ground and try to maneuver the piece somewhat blindly.
There was a moment that I needed an axe because I needed wood because I needed to build more walls. But my workbench was out in the open and it started to rain. You can’t craft anything in the rain; it has to be sheltered (and I was trying to build up shelter for the darn workbenches to begin with!). So your option at that point is to punch trees/shrubs for wood. Not the end of the world. But it’s just frustrating you can’t craft a tool in that situation. So if you want to explore out and make a new camp, you definitely have to cover any new workbench. And in something like Minecraft, that’s trivial. That’s like 20 seconds. But here it’s a process.
Items are usually at the center of each "puzzle" but it's mostly trial and error. Blocks covering the item can't be broken and become marked if you try - it's pretty simplistic on that front.
There are different types of blocks surrounding the item that require different approach (some need multiple prods, others have to be tackled from a specific side) but, at least in its current form, it's not a complicated system. I hope they'll add some challenge later on but that depends on what kind of experience they're aiming for.
I'd say give it a shot if you're curious - they have a demo on their Steam page.
I found this so interesting that I then went and watched the full version, absolutely fascinating view into how you make a video game in the brave new 3d world of the 90s!
youtu.be
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