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[RoboFu]

What a depressing thread.

Instead praising something thats creative and fun its basically .......

 

[Darkness_Arises]

Instead praising something thats creative and fun its basically .......

Yeah that's not it. Journey was creative then, walking simulators are a dime a dozen now and honestly speaking not worth it IMO.

 

[ExtendEmbraceExtinguish]

Little to no mainstream appeal, even less publicity. Sucks, but not exactly surprising.

This x a million. Folks laughing at this title failing are not realizing msft view is only tentpole titles matter. Expect companies to go all out nextgen especially with remakes and potential for rtx/pt upgrades to kill AA/AAA midrange titles.

 

[N30RYU]

Th3ñe gane isn't a... Keeper...

 

[Lootlord]

But it does precompile shaders. It's literally the first thing the game does. I see reports that only the PC game pass version has the severe stutters.

Didn't see any precompiling in my Gamepass version, maybe that's the problem. GP always gets the shitty versions... like remember when GP versions didn't have DLSS while steam did?

 

[Fortress of Regrets]

Didn't see any precompiling in my Gamepass version, maybe that's the problem. GP always gets the shitty versions... like remember when GP versions didn't have DLSS while steam did?

That is, unfortunately for PC Game Pass subscribers, a very common issue. Game Pass gets an older build because the latest is still in "xbox certification". Steam gets the newest build with more bug fixes and features. Game Pass is updated later...

I think it sucks for both players and developers. Players get a worse version and the developers get hit by unnecessarily bad word of mouth.

 

[demigod]

MS will fire a bunch of them without any thought that greenlighting a niche game like this, no matter how creative or high quality it is, is probably more their fault than DFs. All they had to do is say "no, make something that will sell".

Their long strategy of staying hands-off with their own studios is absolutely insane. How many games like this have we had now? Pentiment, Hellblade 2, South of Midnight and now this. How many years were eaten up pursuing these no-chance bets?

How in the fuck is Phil not fired yet?

Nothing wrong with these games when you have fans like Punished Miku calling them Goty.

 

[Mister Wolf]

Microsoft gotta stop funding these arthouse projects.

 

[nial]

This is the kind of game that simply can't be successful in today's market, and that wouldn't even exist if the devs didn't have backing from a big publisher.

Deal with it, this is not the fault of Game Pass. It's simply that a game with this kind of production values is beyond the scope of most small indie studios, and can't come at a low price. But it's also a kind of game that you can't really promote, because it's not something that anyone with a brain can expect to sell big numbers. It's not GP's or MS's fault if the market has come to a point where Sex With Hitler and hentai slop have a much better chance of being bought on a whim thanks to low price, frequent sales, and being good palate cleansers between one safe-as-can-be AAA release and the next. Gamers not taking any chances with something different that costs more than $5 is what killed this kind of game, not GP or lack of promotion from MS and the like. If anything, GP allows games like Keeper to get tried by more people than they would be if they weren't on GP.

These types of games were never exactly successful in general. But also, Keeper isn't exactly anything "different" from the hipster, 'artsy' indie (or indie-esque) shit we've been enduring for the past 20 years or so. What does it do to differentiate itself from stuff like Journey (a game I think was shit, mind you) that we've already played several years ago?
This is not Seaman (an example of a fairly innovative 'artsy' game of 1999 that was successful) or Kuma Uta (an example of a fairly innovative 'artsy' game of 2003 that was an utter failure) we're talking about.

 

[MacReady13]

Folks laughing at this title failing are not realizing msft view is only tentpole titles matter

Microsoft had realised this once they decided to go all out on gamepass. These are not games you expect to sell millions of copies if you don't market them correctly or market them at all. I mea, for the average gamer looking at anything on this game, what the fuck is it? What is it about? What is the objective of a lighthouse???

 

[Det]

Microsoft doesn't care about AA or Indie, they'll just wait for the game to fail before closing the studio, simple as that.

Anyone celebrating the MS acquisitions is stupid because they don't know who the real MS/Xbox is, not the fake "nice guy Phil Spencer" character.

Or

They were paid for it... Maybe both.

 

[Markio128]

I'd love to have been at the pitch meeting for this one.

So you control a lighthouse……

 

[Iced Arcade]

Definitely forgot about this. Going to buy it now. Looks refreshing

 

[ByWatterson]

It looks like yet another "push forward and solve light puzzles while I belabor my politics or mental health status" game.

 

[Mister Wolf]

Microsoft doesn't care about AA or Indie, they'll just wait for the game to fail before closing the studio, simple as that.

Anyone celebrating the MS acquisitions is stupid because they don't know who the real MS/Xbox is, not the fake "nice guy Phil Spencer" character.

Or

They were paid for it... Maybe both.

Its these developers fault for making this stuff. They get access to Microsoft's money and think they can now fund some passion project that no one but them really gives a shit about. Double Fine, Compulsion Games, Rare, etc. Then you have the developers that worked on Perfect Dark for Microsoft that want to stretch things out not accomplishing shit, yet milking money. Platinum Game under Kamiya fell into that category as well.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Its these developers fault for making this stuff. They get access to Microsoft's money and think they can now fund some passion project that no one but them really gives a shit about. Double Fine, Compulsion Games, Rare, etc. They you have the developers that worked on Perfect Dark for Microsoft that want to stretch things out not accomplishing shit, yet milking money. Platinum Game under Kamiya fell into that category as well.

It's sound like a management problem

 

[Topher]

while I belabor my politics or mental health status" game.

Politics? What politics?

 

[Topher]

Its these developers fault for making this stuff. They get access to Microsoft's money and think they can now fund some passion project that no one but them really gives a shit about. Double Fine, Compulsion Games, Rare, etc. Then you have the developers that worked on Perfect Dark for Microsoft that want to stretch things out not accomplishing shit, yet milking money. Platinum Game under Kamiya fell into that category as well.

The devs shouldn't get any blame for making a game that upper management signed off on. This is a fun little game that no one in their right mind should expect to make a bunch of money. This is the quintessential Game Pass game. And at least they delivered exactly what they said they would, unlike the Initiative.

If this isn't what MS wanted from Double Fine then MS should not have bought the studio.

 

[ByWatterson]

Politics? What politics?

Oh I have no idea about this game.

But this is the exact kind of game that does that. Flower, Inside, etc. They're all the same game. And I'm cool with politics in arthouse games, I'm just waaaaay over this particular format.

Unless I'm missing something in the trailers.

 

[Topher]

Oh I have no idea about this game.

But this is the exact kind of game that does that. Flower, Inside, etc. They're all the same game. And I'm cool with politics in arthouse games, I'm just waaaaay over this particular format.

Unless I'm missing something in the trailers.

Ah.....ok. I don't usually play these type of games myself. I really just wanted to play this one to get an idea about it since I threw up an OT for it. Ended up spending the entire day playing and finishing. The game is just pure imagination and zero politics. Definitely not for everyone. Not for most, honestly. But I enjoyed it.

 

[Buggy Loop]

Oh I have no idea about this game.

But this is the exact kind of game that does that. Flower, Inside, etc. They're all the same game. And I'm cool with politics in arthouse games, I'm just waaaaay over this particular format.

Unless I'm missing something in the trailers.

There's no fucking politics. Its a walking lighthouse, hello? Does any of this can relate to real-world politics?

 

[JackZwame75]

What a depressing thread.

Just finished the game. I love it, specialy the last 2 hours. So much creativity

It´s cool to hate the game (or this kind of games), but that´s ok.

In the end, we all gonna die. So, with hate or love, if depression and hate is what most people like, so be it. I gave them my thumbs up and keep going, smiling and remebering to myself this kind of cool videogames experiencies

 

[poppabk]

There's no fucking politics. Its a walking lighthouse, hello? Does any of this can relate to real-world politics?

Come on - a lighthouse is designed to prevent ships crashing in to rocks. It's blatantly a metaphor for helping people cross the border while safely avoiding border patrol just like that other game MS is funding.
/s

 

[Sooner]

Intentionally overpricing the game would be a clever way to get people to try out GamePass.

Yeah, why buy it for $30 when you can just rent it for $30?

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Easily one of the best experiences of the year. Shades of the glory days of That Game Company. Just wonderful.

.....

The Game Pass Effect

 

[Buggy Loop]

Yeah, why buy it for $30 when you can just rent it for $30?

Because you keep the game?

Gamepass at $30 makes a lot less sense if the game you want to try matches the price?

 

[Merkades]

I am already playing my charity indie game for this month (Erenshor, a single player fake MMO in the EverQuest vein) and I quite like it, well over 100 hours with basically one character, not maxxed out nor finished everything and it is only version 0.2.

 

[ThatOneGrunt]

I love Double Fine. I didn't even know this game existed.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

What a depressing thread.

Just finished the game. I love it, specialy the last 2 hours. So much creativity

It´s cool to hate the game (or this kind of games), but that´s ok.

In the end, we all gonna die. So, with hate or love, if depression and hate is what most people like, so be it. I gave them my thumbs up and keep going, smiling and remebering to myself this kind of cool videogames experiencies

Uh? But this thread is about the CCU number, not the game itself.

 

[Sooner]

Intentionally overpricing the game would be a clever way to get people to try out GamePass.

Yeah, why buy it for $30 when you can just rent it for $30?

Because you keep the game?

Gamepass at $30 makes a lot less sense if the game you want to try matches the price?

Thatsthejoke.jpg

 

[bighugeguns]

Yeah, why buy it for $30 when you can just rent it for $30?

Thatsthejoke.jpg

Cowadoodie

 

[nemiroff]

Microsoft gotta stop funding these arthouse projects.

It's quirky, looks great, well-made, it would be more than welcomed if it was an indie title.

 

[Mister Wolf]

It's quirky, looks great, well-made, it would be more than welcomed if it was an indie title.

It wouldn't even sell well as an indie.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Who knew a game that involves a walking lighthouse shining lights, had zero marketing, and costs $30 US/$40 CDN would sell lousy with hardly anyone playing on Steam.

And to boot, if you were interested and checked out the game details you can find people who already beat the game in 3.5 hours on YT. The game is so short, people beat the game and posted it to YT on day one.

 

[Fbh]

It feels like most people are over these mechanically simple games where you mostly walk through pretty environments and occasionally solve simple puzzles. Sword of the sea earlier this year did better than this, but it didn't do particularly well either despite good reviews (88 metascore).

I loved Journey as a one time thing. But I've tried several of these similar games over the years (Abzu, Rime, Europa, etc) and mostly found them boring.

 

[gpn]

It looks like yet another "push forward and solve light puzzles...

This part is true.

...while I belabor my politics or mental health status" game.

This part isn't true.

I played Keeper some tonight, and to be be frank it is a pretty game, but fairly dull so far. I'll keep going with it since it's supposed to be fairly short, but I hope things pick up in it.

 

[Lord Panda]

I hope Barad-dûr is modded into the game one day.

 

[Buggy Loop]

It wouldn't even sell well as an indie.

So like 95% of indies

It's a tough world for indies, in case you didn't notice.

 

[Danny22]

emergency

 

[Mister Wolf]

It feels like most people are over these mechanically simple games where you mostly walk through pretty environments and occasionally solve simple puzzles. Sword of the sea earlier this year did better than this, but it didn't do particularly well either despite good reviews (88 metascore).

I loved Journey as a one time thing. But I've tried several of these similar games over the years (Abzu, Rime, Europa, etc) and mostly found them boring.

I thought Jusant was great.

 

[Neilg]

It's sound like a management problem

It's absolutely a management issue.

When you're putting up the cash, it's important to be involved to a degree - in an ideal world that means finding opportunities to help, pulling experienced people from other teams to help trouble spots, and worst case, cracking the whip. MS don't appear to be hands on at all. You can't give someone with the ideas a black cheque book and leave them to it, if you want a guaranteed return you need to gently guide them.

This is pretty universal. I work in real estate - a small cog on billion dollar developments. When the money people start showing up to meetings they really start to make things happen, and my clients are clearly terrified of them which is v funny. I also have some clients who don't have the accountability of investors, they're so much more disorganized and nothing gets done.

 

[Wilhelm_85]

I've tried many Double Fine games over the years, and while I really did go into them wanting to like them, not a single one has held my interest for more than an hour or so. They just don't make entertaining products in my opinion.

 

[Mister Wolf]

It's absolutely a management issue.

When you're putting up the cash, it's important to be involved to a degree - in an ideal world that means finding opportunities to help, pulling experienced people from other teams to help trouble spots, and worst case, cracking the whip. MS don't appear to be hands on at all. You can't give someone with the ideas a black cheque book and leave them to it, if you want a guaranteed return you need to gently guide them.

This is pretty universal. I work in real estate - a small cog on billion dollar developments. When the money people start showing up to meetings they really start to make things happen, and my clients are clearly terrified of them which is v funny. I also have some clients who don't have the accountability of investors, they're so much more disorganized and nothing gets done.

Same for the industrial/commercial construction industry. Microsoft letting these "auteurs" run wild and they're producing bomb after bomb. Hellblade 2, South Of Midnight, Everwild, Perfect Dark, Scalebound, Contraband, and this game. Where the hell is Fable and State Of Decay 3? These developers get under Microsoft and all of the sudden become "slugs". We have a saying about that kind of behavior in my trade. "Hide & Seek for a $1000 a week."

 

[mckmas8808]

I do not see the appeal of Double Fine's games, and that's certainly not changing with this one. Glad to see I'm not alone.

I've always held that DF's the Apple of videogames. It's artsy-fartsy nonsense of actually dubious quality that owes the entirety of its recognition to guys who like to think enjoying it elevates them to distinguished status.

I guess that's a profoundly negative viewpoint, but hey - it's grounded in reality. The numbers don't lie. I think this one might have been their last.

I think you just don't understand what makes most of their games good.

 

[evanft]

None of this is shocking.

I played the game for about 30 minutes. It's a generic indie walking simulator that is clearly made for gaming journalists and other people who don't like video games. There's no real gameplay or creativity in anything it does. This is the perfect example of the larger "indie slop" problem that has infected gaming over the last decade, where mediocre indie games get praise despite them bringing absolutely nothing interesting to the table.

I have no idea why Double Fine hasn't been closed yet. Everything they do is just so shit.

 

[Denton]

Played for an hour. Visually nice in that kitchy "seen this dozens of times already" way that also runs much worse than it should, but other than that, it has been completely devoid of any interesting storytelling or gameplay, effectively putting me to sleep.

MS should either sell DoubleFine, or tell them "no, you will not make these boring walking sims anymore, make something engaging instead".

 

[Aressa]

Not a single one of those games was good.

Fight me.

No, seriously, I was intensely disappointed by Brutal Legend. I bought that game day-one.

Broken Age was solid.

 

[Walliwallipaloo]

Broken Age was solid.

I feel I must disagree. A cursory look at the Steam page tells me that it's a lot of style (and certainly not my style) with seemingly very little substance - and I'm seeing a lot of reviews sharing a similar sentiment. I am inclined to agree with them considering my own experiences with Double Fine's games.

They're just so... bad as a company, and feel like a totally pointless acquisition looking at the volume of their output.

 

[Toots]

I've never played a Double Fine game. I guess I'm missing out.

Everyone who listened to at least one rock album in their life needs to play Brütal Legend.
This might be the funniest and coolest piece of any media Jack Black was ever part of (and he was part of mister show).

 

[STARSBarry]

There's no fucking politics. Its a walking lighthouse, hello? Does any of this can relate to real-world politics?

Like birds dont exist and are all spy drones for the CIA, this is clearly about how the government controls you, when you attempt to shine a light on how the earth is secretly flat.

Please note the above is dripping with sarcasm, I really wish they had put this on PS5, I had planned to buy it, oh well...