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STEAM Announcements & Updates 2014 II - The Definitive Edition

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M

More_Badass

Member
If anyone was on the fence or wanted impressions of Overgrowth, posted this as my Steam review. It's my favorite indie game right now, can't stop playing it. 13 hours and none of that was idling

For the longest time, Broforce was my most played PC indie, but I think it's safe to say Overgrowth has supplanted that as my go-to game.

Now Overgrowth isn't complete by a long shot. It's still lacking a real campaign or story and the available content consists of a few challenges, several maps ranging from parkour-friendly courses to open areas with enemies to an arena. There's a robust level editor and a growing library of user content.

But that's not what makes Overgrowth so fun, so addicting, and challenging. In my opinion, gameplay itself is paramount to making or breaking a game, and Overgrowth delivers in spades. The combat is up there with Arkham Asylum as my favorite fighting system in a game, simple to control yet complex in its execution and endlessly satisfying to watch. From agile evasion to smooth judo counters to tense knife fights or rolling under a swinging blade and digging a spear into an enemy's chest, the combat is just glorious fun

The movement alone offers some of the best 3D platforming I've played since Prince of Persia in 2003. You're fast and insanely maneuverable, able to jump huge distances, wall run with ease, bounce between walls and roll under obstacles. Speed running through the community parkour maps is so entertaining.

But Overgrowth isn't just great in its execution, but as a whole package inside and out. The anthropomorphic animal warriors and the semi-realistic atmosphere bring to mind classics like Redwall and Watership Down, and the brutality only cements those associations. A fight isn't just a simple exchange of blows; blades and hard hits leave bloody wounds across the body, blood that drips and stains in physics-accurate patterns. Fatal impacts against hard surfaces are accompanied by crunching bone. A stealthy neck slice sends arterial spray everywhere. A tough fight leaves you bloody and battered. Dodge at the wrong time and a kick will impact your head with a tangible sense of weight and momentum. It's these aspects that make the game such an enjoyable experience

But there's more to come, from the proper integration of species like dogs, rats, and cats, and a full story. The backstory of the world has already been fleshed out in Lugaru and this fascinating digital comic (http://www.wolfire.com/comic#1) and if the game's story is as engrossing as the stories in those pages, Overgrowth could truly be the Redwall of gaming.
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S

Seagoon

Member
Are there any recommended mods / patches for F.E.A.R. I should be using?

The game runs on my Windows 8.1 system, but the subtitle text is tiny, I need to run the game in XP SP3 compatibility mode and it sounds like I need to disable some HID devices before playing otherwise the framerate tanks after a few minutes.
 
C

Caerith

Member
Dr Dogg said:
If you had to walk past this monstrosity like I do every morning you might change your mind.

Though I will say this, atmospheric games like XCOM or Dead Space can not be bettered than playing with headphones. Though maybe not too good for the old nerves late at night.
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That's To Catch A Thief Cary Grant, hardly his best role.

The Red Wizard said:
Me too. I was browsing my Steam library in Big Picture Mode with my 360 pad and came across Civ V. I was saddened when I realised that I could be playing it in bed if I had a Steam controller. One day...
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You could always use a wireless mouse in bed?
 
J

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.
Seagoon said:
Are there any recommended mods / patches for F.E.A.R. I should be using?

The game runs on my Windows 8.1 system, but the subtitle text is tiny, I need to run the game in XP SP3 compatibility mode and it sounds like I need to disable some HID devices before playing otherwise the framerate tanks after a few minutes.
Click to expand...

You can download a fix to enable larger subtitles. The FPS bug only crops up with particular Logitech keyboards/mice so I wouldn't worry unless you encounter it (I had no such issues during my playthrough).

Edit: Another thing to note is that the game's engine doesn't support soft shadows running in tandem with AA, but you can get around this by disabling the latter in-game and forcing it through the Nvidia/AMD drivers.
 
G

Grief.exe

Member
S

Seagoon

Member
JaseC said:
You can download a fix to enable larger subtitles. The FPS bug only crops up with particular Logitech keyboards/mice so I wouldn't worry unless you encounter it (I had no such issues during my playthrough).

Edit: Another thing to note is that the game's engine doesn't support soft shadows running in tandem with AA, but you can get around this by disabling the latter in-game and forcing it through the Nvidia/AMD drivers.
Click to expand...

I only have a Logitech Webcam, but I couldn't put the slowdown to anything else. I hope this game is worth the hassle as it has been on my backlog for quite a while.
 
C

Caerith

Member
TC McQueen said:
I've used a wireless mouse on a couch. It's terrible.
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I think wireless is terrible, period, but Civ V isn't reflex-intensive so it would at least be an alternative to, I dunno, running a USB extension cable to a USB hub that your wired keyboard and mouse are plugged into (which is what I do, and it's terrific).
 
C

ClassyPenguin

Banned
Caerith said:
You could always use a wireless mouse in bed?
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worksupineergopod.jpg
 
J

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.
Seagoon said:
I only have a Logitech Webcam, but I couldn't put the slowdown to anything else. I hope this game is worth the hassle as it has been on my backlog for quite a while.
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The lack of unique locales can be bothersome but as a shooter it's still an excellent experience. I played through the game again last year myself.
 
J

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.
Grief.exe said:
That's a good point.

EA bought the IP?
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The IP didn't sell as bids failed to meet the reserve price. I'd say RI just handballed the responsibility of maintaining the game on Steam as evidently there was very little interest there.
 
R

Rhaknar

The Steam equivalent of the drunk friend who keeps offering to pay your tab all night.
Well my iphone just stopped charging, so that happened. Great...
 
L

Lunaniem

Member
JaseC said:
The IP didn't sell as bids failed to meet the reserve price. I'd say RI just handballed the responsibility of maintaining the game on Steam as evidently there was very little interest there.
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At least there is a good chance now of the game actually going on sale.
 
B

Bluth54

Member
Speaking of the 38 Studios auction they still haven't announced who bought Rise of Nations, which is really annoying since I want to see it on Steam.
 
J

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.
Bluth54 said:
Speaking of the 38 Studios auction they still haven't announced who bought Rise of Nations, which is really annoying since I want to see it on Steam.
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As per the game's manual Microsoft owns "portions" of the game so it's not quite a clear-cut situation even though the IP was owned by BHG. Wikipedia says the game uses a proprietary engine but I wouldn't be surprised if the AoE engine were used as a base.

Lunaniem said:
http://www.blinkbundle.com/

Blink Bundle is up.
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I was just about to post this myself. I'm buying it for Lily as well as the bonus titles so there'll be some spares soon.
 
F

FloatOn

Member
More_Badass said:
If anyone was on the fence or wanted impressions of Overgrowth, posted this as my Steam review. It's my favorite indie game right now, can't stop playing it. 13 hours and none of that was idling
Click to expand...

This was a great read. You and Toma do great work getting the word out on some indie games.

I intend to get Overgrowth at some point. Between it and Blade Symphony, I think I can finally say that I'll have the kind of gameplay that Bushido Blade used to satisfy.
 
T

toddhunter

Member
Here you go:

ModBot said:
Instructions for participants:
I am giving away 2 Steam keys. To enter this giveaway, send a PM to ModBot with any subject line. In the body, copy and paste the entire line below that corresponds to the key you want (if you include more than one game, you will be blocked from entering).

Rules for this Giveaway:
- If you are a lurker you are not eligible for this giveaway. You need five or more posts in either the current Steam thread or the previous one to be eligible
- This giveaway has a manual blocklist. The giver has identified members who abuse giveaways and restricted them from participating.
- Do not trade keys you win off-site to enrich yourself. Don't try to claim games you have no interest in collecting or playing. Don't claim games to give them to friends off-site.
- If the key is already taken you will not receive a reply. Replies may take a minute or two:


Velvet Assassin -- MB-F9998F691220824D - Taken by Tesseract
Gnomoria -- MB-B06D1F3592B48005 - Taken by Diedac
Click to expand...
 
J

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.
As promised:

ModBot said:
I am giving away 7 Steam keys. To enter this giveaway, send a PM to ModBot with any subject line. In the body, copy and paste the entire line below that corresponds to the key you want (if you include more than one game, you will be blocked from entering).

Rules for this Giveaway:
- If you are a lurker you are not eligible for this giveaway. You need five or more posts in either the current Steam thread or the previous one to be eligible
- Do not trade keys you win off-site to enrich yourself. Don't try to claim games you have no interest in collecting or playing. Don't claim games to give them to friends off-site.
- If the key is already taken you will not receive a reply. Replies may take a minute or two:


Sideway: New York -- MB-F1EF86FF150DC371 - Taken by The Dear Leader
Eldritch -- MB-CC9CABAA593BF917 - Taken by Turfster
Blockland -- MB-C0D2BCB32808A243 - Taken by Camel Master
Mutant Mudds Deluxe -- MB-2C1E4F07FE24B89D - Taken by Kuroyume
Gnomoria -- MB-79A1FC535337A908 - Taken by RawrDuy
Hero of the Kingdom -- MB-EE177FF42B4368C3 - Taken by Stumpokapow
Influx -- MB-36ECB0FBC70EFDD5 - Taken by topyy
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I wasn't aware that I didn't already own Archon Classic and Light of Altair, so that was a nice surprise. +3 games for $5 ain't too shabby.

toddhunter said:
Actually I think Ubisoft has them covered with the 5x more expensive R.U.S.E.

But I think Activision can come back.
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Haha, wow, I had no idea RUSE was so expensive here. If Acti brought back Soldier of Fortune: Payback I'd buy it at the outrageously Aussie Taxed price. :(
 
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