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That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
I picked up a few more titles that were on sale this weekend on the PSN. Two I've been eying, and two were just random discoveries scrolling through the list. I believe these were up to 70% off indie titles through the end of the month if anyone is interested.

Typoman
I posted a video of this before asking if anyone had played it. I saw that it was on sale so pulled the trigger. Cute game. The little character is adorable and the level designs are clean and mostly easy enough to get the hang of. It is a side scroller that will automatically zoom in and out depending on the context of the level. It's dark. I mean in mood. From time to time you come across floating quotation marks that, when touched, reveal a narrative line. I'm not sure if that's story related or just poetic blurbs the writer scattered about the game world, but whatever their purpose, those quotes are sad. Or have been so far. I get the vibe the writer has recovered from drug addiction.

The game has had a few unexpected scares as there are these weird demon bird word things that appear from nowhere to chase you through areas of a level. I've died a lot. A lot more than I would expect from the charming presentation. But then there's that whole dark business.

I'm only maybe twenty minutes into the game and have experienced a few places where I have to puzzle out a word to affect the environment in a way to move past some roadblock. That works, but doesn't seem to account for all the possible words you could actually use in the given situation. Apparently only the "one" word will work. So while I can totally credit the creativity of design, if this is the norm then I MIGHT be disappointed knowing that three possible words may do nothing. That probably makes no sense without having played the game.

All that said, it so far seems to be a very nice hybrid action puzzler with a unique style.



Linelight
So this one is pretty minimal, but that totally works here. You are a bar of light running along a faded line. That's about it. The design is overhead 2D and you can move up, down, left and right, all depending of course on if there is a line for you to follow. There are puzzle obstacles along the path that you must solve and they are presented to you in incremental levels of difficulty. So far I've not felt that any one puzzle was too much of a leap compared to what I'd experienced before. The staging is nice and there's something calming and therapeutic about sliding about. I imagine a speed run would be exhilarating as there doesn't seem to be a loading pause between puzzle screens. It just kind of flows with you as you move around.

I only have two issues. First is the soundtrack. It's a somewhat generic piano theme that gets frustrating over time. It's just a bit too distracting. It has a specific personality to it, which is not bad at all, but does not at all fit the minimal, futuristic design of the game, in my opinion. Second, some of these puzzles are timing-based. Hm. I don't mean time restrictions or a countdown timer. I mean that you must time your movements against other moving obstacles that can kill you, if kill is appropriate for a bar of light. That's good for a challenge, but even if you can visually solve the path through, there are at times other obstacles that require specific timing to get past/around without "de-rezzing," to reference Tron light bike style gameplay. I'm going to dismiss my second issue to my lack of real puzzle gaming experience, but I would much rather solve something and not at the same time be required to exercise timed coordination.

Very interesting game. I only stopped playing out of frustration. Otherwise, I might still be clinging to my controller now instead of writing this.



In Rays of Light
OK, for you world explorer types? This game is for you. I know very little about it other than what is shown in the trailer. That was enough though to prompt a purchase. As far as I can tell, you're in the world alone free to wander and explorer anything and everything. Based on the trailer, I assume some major world war has occurred and my character is alone. I'm not sure why I start where I do or what the character's history was before I entered the game, but I feel some of that may be explained during playthrough.

There are basic interactions with world objects. I was presented with a flashlight and soon later had to figure a way to pry open a doorway to exit the room. There are lockers that are openable, but so far there has been very minimal collectable items. Three maybe? I have noticed that some posters and photos along the walls and shelves provide the option to look closer, but that's also not often. This will be a slow game of meticulous exploration, I believe, but the atmosphere of it all all but demand that I look around just one more corner before logging out.

There is something ominous about game. Like I'm being watched. Who taped up the flashlight for me to find? Who scribbled these short messages along the walls for me to read? How did anyone know I would be here? It all reads very cult-like and spiritual but I can't tell if that's for good or bad. Perhaps that's a clue to what happened to humanity? There was a noise, just outside of a window and out of visual range that appeared as I was exploring one office space. I could see a strange white glow outside as well. Then it was gone. Strange, interesting stuff. Given a few scenes from the trailer, I'm excited to see where this goes. I think this is more of an experience narrative than a game to play. The closest that I can compare it to would be The Long Dark. Pacing is similar, though I haven't found the need to eat, sleep, drink, or be concerned by anything except for getting to the next room to explore, nor have I found controls for anything other than walk, run, interact, jump, and squat. Both games are equally isolating, so if The Long Dark was your game, take a look at this one. I've not died from starvation or freezing and the graphics are 1,000 times better.



Agony
OK, follow me for a bit on this one. I saw this trailer a few months back and, though I rarely play any type of horror game, the visuals of this game world just got my attention. I've been waiting for this to drop in price again and found it this weekend at a reasonable price.

I spent about 10-20 minutes in this one and honestly, that may be all I give to it. I am still curious, but the gameplay is just too cryptic and unrefined. The feelings I've gotten so far are similar to those received from playing Dark Souls (both is atmosphere, speed, and that constant dark, wet, and reflective texture mapping), Dead Space (for the completely random environmental deaths), and maybe a touch of the old Soul Reaver mythical underworld grandeur.

This game is dark. Both literally and figuratively. It's difficult to see when wandering through closed spaces due to the complete lack of light. Don't get me wrong. This game world is Hell, and the introductory narration explains that even a little bit of light is painful, so that's to be expected. It's just somewhat generic design (by design here, I mean the layout of the game path. hallways and access) and everything in this world, so far, has the same high-gloss reflection map thing going. I understand this is to imply that everything is wet (likely with the blood of the damned), but it's difficult to judge depth when everything has the same approximate texture AND that there's so little light to help distinguish objects from others. I've died twice now and have no idea why or how. As to the figuratively description, well, you ARE in Hell so there's that. Tortured bodies are everywhere. Within the first level, one of the first steps you must take is to sacrifice a damned soul by taking its heart and placing it on a scale as offering to pass through the first level gateway. Creepy stuff!

Did I mention that blood is everywhere? There are shallow gutters full of the blood from previous sacrifices. Body parts literally rain down from above when outside. The title screen shows several clusters of burnt bodies writhing in pain while in the background, past a small mound of what I cannot even begin to imagine, stands the the lower leg of a giant demon. Scale is epic. Now, regarding actual creative design, this game is impressive. The world environments and visuals are terrifying and feel as if they were ripped out of the nightmares of the rock band Tool's Adam Jones. Watch ANY of that band's music videos for a sense of perspective into what I'm talking about.

I SO want to explore this world just to see everything, but dang if I'm not a wimp when it comes to game horror. If the controls were less clunky, I might be up for it. So far I just can't tell what I'm supposed to do or where I'm walking when I try to do it---whatever it is that I'm supposed to do. And I don't want nightmares. Yeah. Nightmares.

WARNING: Do NOT watch this trailer if you are easily even moderately offended by blood, gore, nudity, and demonic horror. I mean, this would make Pinhead of Hellraiser blush. I am not kidding there. Most of this trailer is black and white. My guess, that's either marketing or due to some standards and practices regulation. I wouldn't be surprised either way. I feel weird just sharing this link.... This game is rated Mature (17+) for context. Enter at your own risk!

__________________
"My Dionne Warwick understanding of your dream indicates that you are ambivalent on how you want life to eventually screw you." - Joel

"Ever try to forcibly pin down a house cat? It's not easy." - Captain Steel

"I just can't get pass sticking a finger up a dog's butt." - John Dumbear



The Adventure Starts Here!
Yikes, that is a bit horrific, isn't it?

I have no interest in this sort of game, and I even would have trouble "crediting" the artists with doing a good job here because, well, they did a good job here. I just don't get the appeal, at all, to own or play this game. To me, hell is a real place, so playing pretend with it in any way seems incredibly naive.

The creators certainly did capture the sense of what such a place might be like, though. I'll give them that much credit. The two-minute trailer was plenty for me. Moving on!



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
Yikes, that is a bit horrific, isn't it?

I have no interest in this sort of game, and I even would have trouble "crediting" the artists with doing a good job here because, well, they did a good job here. I just don't get the appeal, at all, to own or play this game. To me, hell is a real place, so playing pretend with it in any way seems incredibly naive.

The creators certainly did capture the sense of what such a place might be like, though. I'll give them that much credit. The two-minute trailer was plenty for me. Moving on!
but the PUZZLE games!!!!

Yeah, I still feel like I should segregate that last game from the post just so that it doesn't overwhelm the earlier three.

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The Adventure Starts Here!
but the PUZZLE games!!!!

Yeah, I still feel like I should segregate that last game from the post just so that it doesn't overwhelm the earlier three.

=\
No, you're fine with the way you formatted that whole post. You were very clear in your warning and description. I was simply curious and then oddly fascinated that there is a market for creating such horrific images...in a game. I've seen and played horror-style games (mostly point-and-click varieties) with some disturbing images, but that trailer was nonstop disturbing images and concepts.

My fascination is also wondering how the creators don't end up messing with their own psyches while creating such a game.



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
No, you're fine with the way you formatted that whole post. You were very clear in your warning and description. I was simply curious and then oddly fascinated that there is a market for creating such horrific images...in a game. I've seen and played horror-style games (mostly point-and-click varieties) with some disturbing images, but that trailer was nonstop disturbing images and concepts.

My fascination is also wondering how the creators don't end up messing with their own psyches while creating such a game.
I admit that this game type is NOT representative of my collection. I've purchased games like Dead Space and Dark Souls but never made it very far into either. I'm not sure what I expected from this game apart from a similar curiosity of why it exists and the artwork of it. I have enjoyed the Hellraiser movie franchise in general, but that series stands apart from my normal movie preferences too and is not at all the normal fair. This was not the trailer that I watched months back. There was a scene that I remember of the character walking around a seemingly endless land of souls. It reminded me of a scene within the movie What Dreams May Come when Williams' character is walking on the faces of the damned. Without the humor of course. I think that's was the hook for me. Not that I expected some narrative of love beyond death type of thing (lol, if so). It was just the visual artwork of it all that had me asking how would it be possible to fill a world with such a theme. I think they did an excellent job of that, where "excellent" is praise of the level of concept and depth they apparently went to, but cringeworthy having typed that at the same time!!

Idunno. Anyway. I'm giving this way too much attention. The trailer speaks for itself and is probably deeper into the game that I am willing to travel. It's still fascinating though that it exists.



Victim of The Night
Hello. I am new to this subforum. Can I just like post my opinion on a video-game or such?



Hello. I am new to this subforum. Can I just like post my opinion on a video-game or such?
Yeah, this is kinda a catch-all, since there's usually not enough on any particular game to merit its own thread.



I'm currently playing Amnesia: Rebirth (I'm in the middle of the desert town stage) and I'm finding the game rather disconcerting. The opening message which tells you the game isn't meant to be "won" seems to be encouraging for you to immerse yourself in the environment only for the sanity bar to discourage you from doing that (hell, even the opening stretch where you wander through the desert felt this way since you couldn't stay in the sun for too long). The matches generally don't last long and are hard to come by and the lantern runs low on oil fairly quickly. I've tried exploring some of the indoor rooms to get a sense of the detail in them, but I'm constantly feeling rushed to get into an area with light, specifically when I was powering up the elevator and finding the wheels for the cannon. If I replay it, I'll try the mode where you don't have to worry about the monsters or the sanity to see what that version is like.
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Might have to start playing Xbox again after a few months...Psychonauts 2 is out!



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
This game has surprised me in how calming it is. I found a speed run on YouTube. Don't worry about spoilers as there's no way you're going to remember these solutions, but it shows how simple and streamlined this title is. I've made it now to World 3. It's not difficult but some of the timing can be tricky. Starting late in World 1 you start to use use opposing lights as companions to flip switches you would be unable to reach yourself. Clever little game.


In a weird way, this reminds me a lot of the animation tweens I used to do in old Macromedia Flash. Maybe that's the heart string this game is tugging on.




That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
nope. =\
But I did play though and complete In Rays of the Light last night. I put roughly three nights to it, with the first effort being mostly clumsy bumbling about. The game didn't save that night, so by night two I had to start over. All in all, the game play could probably be completed within 1-2 hours knowing what to do and when to do it. That said, I might have put closer to 4 hours in after still needing to google a few hints.





This game is difficult to describe. It's really not a game at all as it's...hm. It's more like a social commentary wrapped in a psychological mystery event (?). While you are the only player within the name (no NPCs or other AI to interact with), there is a constant air of paranoia lingering over you. That progressively builds throughout, right up to the last moments of the game. I have to admit this game experience really got to me. Though not quite horror, there are definitely terrifying moments that heavily suggest there is something very sinister or supernatural about this game world. Speaking of the game world, it is rather small. You start on the second floor of a two-floor structure free to immediately explore; and you are immediately greeted with cryptic messages scrawled loosely on walls. These messages are vague and, as such, allow you to project your own interpretations of what is going on as you see it. That can be either ominous or hopeful. Beyond this starting building are only two other structures that you eventually find access to. That's about it. The rest of the environment extends visually, but is blocked by plant life, walls, or military barricades.





I am trying to tread lightly in my descriptions here, but for as small as this game is, I do not believe I am providing spoilers. Instead, I hope to encourage curiosity. The game is short and that is a good thing. It was emotionally draining and I am not sure that I could have handled much more. That is not intended as a negative, rather, a testament to just how much has been packed into this short platform. So you explore the structures hoping to make some sense out of where you are and why, all the while you happen upon a handful of found options to aid your exploration. You can interact with several objects such as lockers, doors (some locked, some inaccessible), notes, and photographs. All in some way or another provide clues to ...something. There are a few puzzles to solve which, in my opinion, can be quite stubborn. So be sure to pay attention to everything you find as it can be too difficult to backtrack enough to rediscover whatever you might have taken for granted, earlier. But everything is available if you enjoy mysteries and are keen to such details. The exhaustion comes in the paranoia that starts almost immediately. Who wrote these messages? You begin to see shadows in the peripheral. You start to hear things in the distance. Was it just a passing shadow in the light? Perhaps it was a random bird tapping at a window in the office space one over. Again, this is not horror; but I must admit, I had to chase a night's game play with an episode of some comedy serial on Netflix to extinguish the jittery emotional peaks this title incited.






I'm not sure I will play it again. not for any complaints, mind you. It's just that having completed it through, I believe the experience itself is the point. I've had that now and will digest it in time. I have to recommend this game to anyone that is curious for a short mystery, a few puzzles, and a relatively small investment of time. Just know that this one make shake you, so please do not go in blind here. I would also recommend this to anyone who questions if a gaming medium can exist as an experience in art, or as some form of cultural commentary. In Rays of the Light at least makes a good effort to answer that and, in my opinion, stands as solid example. Just maybe don't play it with the lights off?





Yeah, I still feel like I should segregate that last game from the post just so that it doesn't overwhelm the earlier three.

=\
I think it looks great. Maybe I'm desensitized. The violence looks too over the top to bother me, but I really like the overall look. Gross out exploitation is kinda goofy to me; far less bothersome than myriad bloodless realistic stories. It reminds me of something that would've come out in the early 2000s.



The Adventure Starts Here!
What I typically don't like about horror games is the Boo! factor. I hate jump scares. And I'm not a FPS fan, either. So, this sort of eerie atmosphere probably wouldn't overly bother me... because you said up front that you are alone in the game. I mean, even the original Myst game, where you are also pretty much alone, had a very creepy, eerie vibe about it in spots (in the early 1990s when it first came out, especially). But since nobody sneaks up on you or tries to murder you, etc., it's manageable.



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
What I typically don't like about horror games is the Boo! factor. I hate jump scares. And I'm not a FPS fan, either. So, this sort of eerie atmosphere probably wouldn't overly bother me... because you said up front that you are alone in the game. I mean, even the original Myst game, where you are also pretty much alone, had a very creepy, eerie vibe about it in spots (in the early 1990s when it first came out, especially). But since nobody sneaks up on you or tries to murder you, etc., it's manageable.
There are some genuinely scary scenes. I'm not exaggerating when I mentioned having to wash this out with a comedy before bed! Nothing horror or gross or anything, but anxiety-inducing environmental stuff. Lights, sounds, etc. This game really took me off guard on that front.

Even if that is a turnoff, I would still recommend it for the total experience. It almost feels like a college thesis narrative in game form. So weird.



The Adventure Starts Here!
There are some genuinely scary scenes. I'm not exaggerating when I mentioned having to wash this out with a comedy before bed! Nothing horror or gross or anything, but anxiety-inducing environmental stuff. Lights, sounds, etc. This game really took me off guard on that front.

Even if that is a turnoff, I would still recommend it for the total experience. It almost feels like a college thesis narrative in game form. So weird.
Strangely, not a turnoff as long as there aren't cheap jump=scares or things chasing me. I can totally appreciate a game that can still creep you out without those legitimately frightful things like monsters and villains.

I have a bunch of scary/eerie games in my repertoire--and they're of this same variety. Will add it to my Steam wishlist.



The Adventure Starts Here!
Oh phooey! Looks like it's console-only. Not a console gamer.

EDIT: One review from March says it's available for PC. Will search it out...

EDIT EDIT: Found it on Steam, but with a slightly different name from 2020: The Light Remake. It apparently is a remake of a 2012 game called The Light (duh). The name In Rays of the Light seems to be for the consoles, but the PC version is just The Light Remake. And it's only five bucks, so I bought it. Will take a look this weekend!



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
Oh phooey! Looks like it's console-only. Not a console gamer.

EDIT: One review from March says it's available for PC. Will search it out...

EDIT EDIT: Found it on Steam, but with a slightly different name from 2020: The Light Remake. It apparently is a remake of a 2012 game called The Light (duh). The name In Rays of the Light seems to be for the consoles, but the PC version is just The Light Remake. And it's only five bucks, so I bought it. Will take a look this weekend!

Yes, my apologies for not including the remake trivia. I think it was only a few bucks this month on sale through the PlayStation Store too. Glad it was on Steam and I'd be curious of your opinions if you ever decide to take it on from the backlog.





The Adventure Starts Here!
Okay, @ynwtf ... I peeked into The Light Remake for a few minutes, and I kept getting this sense that I'd been there before. But I didn't own this game previously, or the original from which it was apparently remade. I looked through my entire list of computer games just now (252 games!) and realized it reminded me quite clearly of a game called Homesick, which I've only played for about a half hour so far (three summers ago).

Here's a link to a page for it on the Steam website. Don't those screenshots look/feel like The Light?

https://store.steampowered.com/app/244910/Homesick/

Anyway, I have to go get some work done here before I make dinner. Otherwise, I'd still be in-game meandering around looking for something to pry open that one door.



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
Okay, @ynwtf ... I peeked into The Light Remake for a few minutes, and I kept getting this sense that I'd been there before. But I didn't own this game previously, or the original from which it was apparently remade. I looked through my entire list of computer games just now (252 games!) and realized it reminded me quite clearly of a game called Homesick, which I've only played for about a half hour so far (three summers ago).

Here's a link to a page for it on the Steam website. Don't those screenshots look/feel like The Light?

https://store.steampowered.com/app/244910/Homesick/

Anyway, I have to go get some work done here before I make dinner. Otherwise, I'd still be in-game meandering around looking for something to pry open that one door.

Very interesting. After reading a review of Homesick, I can say it's not the same. But I'm shocked at some of the similarities. It looks like there may be slightly more to do in Homesick but both appear to be short playthroughs. Neat that you remembered all that!