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STEAM | September II 2014 - Ride the Lightning

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AHA-Lambda

Member
For anyone interested in A Bird Story, it's bee delayed by a couple of days to the 7th November, according to the game's Facebook page.
 

lashman

Steam-GAF's Official Ambassador to Gaming-GAF
here's a 30 minute preview of the PS4 version of Shadow of AssCreed from VideoGamer ... man, this game looks sooooo good, even on a PS4 :) Tuesday can't come soon enough :D
 

Tizoc

Member
I've been on media blackout for Mordor so I don't know how it plays.
For that matter will it have collectibles?
 

Shadownet

Banned
Short Impression: The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (in progress)
ethan_carter_logo_thumb.jpg

So far I think I'm still on Chapter 1. But for the sake of spoilers. I will not talk about the plot or what happened so far, but I'll give you the premise. I'll just focus on the gameplay and everything else.

So as some of you might know already. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is about a detective, Paul Prospero with supernatural powers who received a letter from Ethan Carter who claims to be in danger. He came to Red Creek Valley to find out what happened to Ethan.

In the game you control the detective in first person mode. The very first thing I noticed is that the game is absolutely gorgeous even on medium settings. On high, it look on par with Skyrim in my opinion. The game run quite well on my GTX 760, though there are some occasional stuttering, which still appear even when I drop down to medium. Though it is not truly noticeable.

The game does not hold your hand at all whatsoever. You are free to explore the Valley, which is a lot bigger than I originally thought. There are puzzles and items here and there that give you some backstory. The first big puzzle you encounter involved a train. (You'll know what I'm talking about if you play it) This is when your paranormal powers come into play. You can investigate the scenes and put clues together. Once all the clues come together. Paul special ability come into play, where you can put the entire sequence back in chronological order and experience what truly happened at the site. It's quite a fun and challenging experience. The next puzzle I encountered was with a house that warped, and you have to put the rooms in their correct place to solve it. (Which I am stuck on at the moment). As I said I'm only in Chapter 1, I think. So I'm sure there are many other gameplay mechanic I have not seen yet.

The voice acting so far is very well done. Paul sounds like your grizzly veteran detective who have seen it all. He sounds unnaturally calm with all the weird stuff going on around him. Which really add to the mysteriousness of his personality and his past. The soundtrack is just perfect, really. Though there are very, very few jump scares. The soundtrack provide a sense of uneasiness that really keep me on my toes. I constantly look behind my back, thinking there was something behind me. But other times, the soundtrack get incredibly mellow, and when you look at the beautiful world that The Astronauts studio have created. I was amazed at how well the music and the scenery mixed with one another.

If you are have play Murdered Soul Suspect before and somewhat enjoyed it at least. I think you would really enjoy The Vanishing of Ethan Carter. As I said, the game doesn't hold your hand at all. You are left to be your own detective and figure out the gameplay mechanic for yourself. It's quite enjoyable.

The best thing about the game so far it's the environment. Incredibly mysterious and calm at the same time. I'm terrified while playing this because I literally have no idea what to expect next yet I'm intrigued because I really want to find out what's going on.

Right now on Steam reviews. There are 72 positive reviews and only 1 negative. You can see why I'm really enjoying this. I highly recommend this based on what I've experienced so far.
 

Dr Dogg

Member
oh god the overreactions in the Mordor VRAM thread...

Well I guess anyone following the this years big budget multiplats should have expected as much due to going happy with the VRAM due to the newer consoles having lots to play with. 1, 2 and 3 is a nice spread for the options within the game but 6 is quite crazy as there's not that many cards that have that now or more importantly will do in the future. It's not like this is going to be a Crysis where it's used for benchmark runs for years to come. Be interesting to see if it does actually need 6gb of VRAM before the engine chokes and locks up or if it's like CoD Ghosts or Wolfenstien and lock you out if you don't have a 6gb card installed.

Still options are nice and I'm eyeing up a Titan Black if one pops up for £500 (used) and can flog my two for that anyway.

Just saw the 6gb vram for Mordor, holy hell! How many cards out now even have that?

For gaming GPUs? 3 all named Titan somethingorother.

edit 2: and why am I seeing another drDogg posting out there

How do you think I felt went I walked into a thread with someome with, bar the space, has exactly the same user name? It's not like I can demand the chap a pretender as they were here first. Even more so they're quite famous in the Fighting Game Comunity both here and on places like Shoruken. Let's say I've recovered a few PMs by mistake over the years. Did contemplate a name change but I'm way to lazy for that and after trying to sever Doogie Houser from my avatar I got enough grief in here let alone fucking around with my name.
 

CheesecakeRecipe

Stormy Grey
Short Impression: The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (in progress)

The stuttering is pretty much there to stay I think, same thing that plagued stuff like Bioshock: Infinite. Unreal Engine jank.

Fantastic game, really enchanting. Something truly special which will appeal to those looking for a bit of a mystery and those who enjoy the laid back type of experiences that something like Gone Home can do. Since my editor kinda dicked me out on being able to publish a review for it, I think I'll dump it here after I finish writing it all out.
 

Miguel81

Member
Thanks for the impressions Shadow. I'm a sucker for murder mystery games. I hope that the game performs decently on my PC when I purchase it.
 

Shadownet

Banned
The stuttering is pretty much there to stay I think, same thing that plagued stuff like Bioshock: Infinite. Unreal Engine jank.
Since my editor kinda dicked me out on being able to publish a review for it, I think I'll dump it here after I finish writing it all out.

That's quite unfortunate. I was hoping it might get fix in a future update. But thankfully it's not really noticeable once you emerged yourself into the game.

Also feel free to dump your review:

And yes Snake. I was able to run it on max setting without any difficulty except the slight stuttering that seem to persist no matter what settings you're on.
 
I beat my first mission in Tropico 3 and wow did I feel accomplished. The learning curve is a bit high right? Or am I just a nub at strategy games?
 
Did a little bit of research, there's very little amount of details on F1 2014, I expect it to be a slightly updated version of F1 2013 because it's last gen only.
 

Vuze

Member
Thanks for the impressions Shadow. Just got the game, will download it now. 6GB seems legit for what it offers.
The stutter is unfortunate, but I'm experiencing it in Remember Me as well so as others said it's probably Engine related.
 

Knurek

Member
The stuttering is pretty much there to stay I think, same thing that plagued stuff like Bioshock: Infinite. Unreal Engine jank.

Tried running from an non-system SSD?
Helped immensely with my BioInf playthrough.


Quick impressions of The Journey Down: Chapter 1 - game looks amazing, has rocking jazz-reggae soundtrack, some easy but logical puzzles and pretty much a Saturday Morning Cartoon story.
Takes about 2 hours to complete, so definitely not worth the asking prices, but if you got it from a bundle or something, give it a go if you're into adventure games.
Oh, and I had to run the game from an SSD, else I had terrible stuttering when the game loaded a new area. Pretty weird for a game using pre-rendered backgrounds/sprites.
 

Shadownet

Banned
Some gif of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
It's one of the most beautiful games I've ever played.

I think I read that they used some sort of technique to present the game as if you're looking at a photo. So the environment look really realistic. Though unfortunately the character models. From what I've seen so far. Does not look on par.
 

Dr Dogg

Member
That Shadow of Mordor thread is hilarious. It's like Watch Dogs all over again :D
This post is so spot on about the reaction of most people in there haha http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=131719154&postcount=392

The Evil Within thread was even more funny as someone said due to the 'recomended' specs for PC they were getting the PS4 version as they couldn't live without 1920x1080 @ 60fps despite the PS4 version being confirmed to be running @ 30fps.
 

Tizoc

Member
The Evil Within thread was even more funny as someone said due to the 'recomended' specs for PC they were getting the PS4 version as they couldn't live without 1920x1080 @ 60fps despite the PS4 version being confirmed to be running @ 30fps.

Please tell me you told him that it is 30 FPS.
 

Dr Dogg

Member
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/265/3/c/grg_by_xbladem6x-d805tys.gif[MG][/QUOTE]

[quote="Tizoc, post: 131720675"]Please tell me you told him that it is 30 FPS.[/QUOTE]

Durante was straight on it.

[url]http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=131625440&postcount=121[/url]

My mistake though as it appears it was just 60fps they were after. Still gave me a chuckle.
 

Dr Dogg

Member
It's downright atrocious. People still don't really understand how PCs work and that you don't have to be able to max a game to have a good time. Ridiculous.

On one hand some people might flip out when a certain game won't be playable at their beloved 1920x1080 @ 60fps. Which for me is really setting you ambitions low. No game should ever have its resolution of framerate locked and should be able to run free as long as you have the power behind it. But then there are sometimes posts where people talk about current technology is facing deminishing returns. pfft far from it. I won't be happy until 7640x4320 240hz OLED panels are kicking around and with VR making bigger and bigger strides there's masses of room for improvement over even the latest tech. If demanding games help push that forward sooner then all the better.
 

Anteater

Member
It's downright atrocious. People still don't really understand how PCs work and that you don't have to be able to max a game to have a good time. Ridiculous.

I don't really blame people for wanting to play a game "maxed out" when they pick up their new cards or whatever.

What's ridiculous is people are complaining when the developers are offering an option and they are questioning "why put in the effort when only small amount of people uses it?" as if it's a bad thing.

This is probably why some devs don't care and will just leave a resolution cap, don't bother releasing the higher resolution textures they have on their hands, people will be happy with straight console ports with no graphical options just cuz "it runs better than consoles".
 
I don't really blame people for wanting to play a game "maxed out" when they pick up their new cards or whatever.

What's ridiculous is people are complaining when the developers are offering an option and they are questioning "why put in the effort when only small amount of people uses it?" as if it's a bad thing.

This is probably why some devs don't care and will just leave a resolution cap, don't bother releasing the higher resolution textures they have on their hands, people will be happy with straight console ports with no graphical options just cuz "it runs better than consoles".

I totally get that. But I just bought a new card and I'm not too bothered if I can't max it as long as I know that the Ultra textures are designed as a future-proof scenario so that I can play the game again in a few years and it's like a mini-remaster.

But yeah, it's the people who say they're going with the inferior PS4 version because they can only run the PC version on medium-high. That's weird.
 

Saty

Member
Discovery Queue is stupid. It's predicated on you saying 'NO' to games rather than 'YES'. The only real choice you have is to skip to the next game. Why isn't there an 'Interested' option that would mean more games of this ilk are going to pop on your pages?

I don't want to 'follow' every game and have its announcements on the activity feed for every game that i think i might like. And that's why i'm not going to choose 'Not interested' for the vast majority of games.
 
I really want to get Shadow of Mordor thanks to those review scores but Smash Bros is out next week so I doubt that I'll be able to give them both the time they deserve.

Game devs, why u no spread out releases?!
 
Discovery Queue is stupid. It's predicated on you saying 'NO' to games rather than 'YES'. The only real choice you have is to skip to the next game. Why isn't there an 'Interested' option that would mean more games of this ilk are going to pop on your pages?

I'm more interested to know why select "no" doesn't take you to the next item in the queue.

"Here is this game I'm not interested in, but please make me click "next game" and keep showing it to me until I do"
 

kiyomi

Member
So I have no idea what Shadow of Mordor is except it's a LOTR game and it's open world.

Ignorance is bliss and I can't wait to pick it up
cheaper.
 

Arthea

Member
Discovery Queue is stupid. It's predicated on you saying 'NO' to games rather than 'YES'. The only real choice you have is to skip to the next game. Why isn't there an 'Interested' option that would mean more games of this ilk are going to pop on your pages?

I don't want to 'follow' every game and have its announcements on the activity feed for every game that i think i might like. And that's why i'm not going to choose 'Not interested' for the vast majority of games.

Discovery queue is pointless, yes, I already stopped even laughing at it, it's just useless, more recommendations at the bottom of store page are somewhat better, idling screws it too, though.

Full media blackout for you till you're done with TitS.

I am on full blackout anyway, so no worries

So I have no idea what Shadow of Mordor is except it's a LOTR game and it's open world.

Ignorance is bliss and I can't wait to pick it up
cheaper.

I was so sure it'll be bad, as to decide not to preoder it and get at winter sale at the earliest. I hope I won't regret this choice (><)
 

CheesecakeRecipe

Stormy Grey
For those still on the fence about Ethan Carter and if you should pick it up for a Friday treat, my review:

Paul Prospero, a detective with a unique skillset, is called towards a piece of fan mail as though the sirens themselves would emerge the moment he sliced the licked adhesive apart. A boy named Ethan Carter writes to him, detailing some dark happenings in the hidden countryside town he resides in. Paul realizes that Ethan wouldn't have chosen him if these dark things wouldn't require his particular abilities. His last case shall be this one, Paul decides, and sets out to the breezy hillsides of Red Creek Valley. Within minutes of arriving, he comes across a series of potentially deadly traps in the woods just on the outskirts of town. This case will be anything but ordinary for most people, but Paul Prospero is used to it.

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter takes some elements out of Murdered: Soul Suspect’s playbook and gives the player the ability to piece together crime scenes through supernatural ability. Whenever an important element is visible, you can interact with it to see Paul’s thoughts on how it may all fit in with the current scene. Sometimes he’ll even be able to locate a missing object by peeking through a ‘magic mirror’-like thought process. By arranging the scene to be exactly as it was at the moment of death, Paul can see the entire final minutes of the dead through a series of flashbacks. All of this is taught to the player by letting them discover each of the functions on their own. With no tutorial some players may find themselves a bit lost at first, but once you've gotten the first case down you've pretty much gotten the hang of all the skills you’ll need to progress.

iCEhfdcd5UqYk.jpg


Through scraps of Ethan’s writing laying around, we learn that he’s a pretty creative kid. If you’d ever asked him, he’d probably tell you his inspirations were Poe, Chandler, Lovecraft, and Verne. With this talent comes the evidence of a disturbed mind and a town with a secret underground some people are all too eager to get to. Some of his writing fits in with the events in town that you learn about through the paranormal mystery puzzles and newspaper clippings sitting around. There was an ever-present sensation in the pit of my stomach that something was up and it probably didn't want me here.

There was a lot of time to ponder the events of each case and how they related to the big picture, thanks to the sheer size of Red Creek Valley’s map. While not a fully open world, you can get to most places through a handful of paths and practicing a little mental triangulation as you work your way around. Nooks and crannies leading to quiet spots in the shade of the forest or some tossed away rotted wood planks that once upheld something or other are all over the place. I had the option to run everywhere, but I found myself utterly entranced by the almost photorealistic, if slightly dreamy, visual work done by The Astronauts. Every few steps was another gorgeous vista overlooking a lake. Every rock looked sharp enough to scrape my skin on. It’s hard to believe that this was all done in Unreal Engine 3. If you've ever looked at a single screenshot of the game, the visual fidelity remains that consistent for every backdrop.

iLfux3pMztzai.jpg


Several times I sat down under a tree for a few moments, watching as the knee-high grass whipped around in the wind. I closed my eyes and took in the soundstage. So perfectly crafted, small sonic details most games don’t have the time, money, or the will to reproduce so crisply. Had I not been watching the vivid countryside dancing before me just seconds before, I would have sworn I was listening to a Chris Watson sound collage. Positional audio is one thing that developers rarely get right, but it is one of the most essential elements in establishing a truly enveloping sense of place. When a crow cawed above my head, the sound moved realistically as I turned to face the source. Bug screeches, bending branches, rattling metal constructs, all represented with care. Headphones are an absolute must.

It isn't all purely idyllic, only a handful of shortcomings stain the pages of Ethan’s story. The first issue comes from the voice acting, which is about as stale as moldy bread. Paul himself performs the gravely-voiced detective role just fine and Ethan sounds much like a kid his age would, but any of the other supporting characters sound very off. The character models are another problem, their design and models not matching up to the picturesque backgrounds. They are stiffly animated, weirdly textured, and lack a lot of depth which would help them blend in more with the backgrounds. I won’t say it’s something like the toons sitting in a bar with Bob Hoskins in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but it is very noticeable. Some may find the game length too short, but I personally did not find this to be a big deal.

ihVW8sgaJzUaB.jpg


At a short 3 to 5 hours, Ethan’s adventure is over relatively shortly. But the game is always presenting you with something beautiful to look at, something suspicious to chew on, or some puzzle to solve. It even changes up the mechanics here and there to help keep things feeling fresh, avoiding too much repetition in the more game-y mechanics. This is a game which can be enjoyed by those who want a little meat on the bones they find leaning against a tree in the forest, reminding me a lot more of Ether One (a game you must check out if you enjoy Ethan Carter, by the way) than Dear Esther. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is meant to be taken slowly, absorbed like a good book dripping with detail. The ending may not exactly be the most surprising and some may find themselves a little disappointed. But the journey towards it is full of heart and imagination. Much in the way that Ethan Carter himself is.

Very recommended. You probably know my taste and that I love what many call "walking simulators" but this is something a little bit more. It's a very special short story that isn't the most original idea around, but it certainly makes for a really good trip.
 

Saty

Member
Discovery queue is pointless, yes, I already stopped even laughing at it, it's just useless, more recommendations at the bottom of store page are somewhat better, idling screws it too, though.
All you're left is visiting the game pages of the games you do feel strongly about not wanting and choosing 'Not interested'.
 

Zafir

Member
It's downright atrocious. People still don't really understand how PCs work and that you don't have to be able to max a game to have a good time. Ridiculous.
Well the issue is two fold.

Firstly the last console generation lasted too long and company's got complacent with their pc ports. That meant people could max most games. People aren't used to it.

Then you've got the issue of the new cards not even offering enough vram for it. That leads to more annoyance especially when considering the previous point.

Either way we really need comparison shots. I can't imagine the ultra textures being worth that amount of vram personally.
 
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