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Virginia Review Thread - David Lynch: "My cow is not pretty, but it is pretty to me."
- Thread starter Dusk Golem
- Start date
Digital Limit
Member
Huh, I just finished Virginia and leave wholly unsatisfied. I have no idea why this game is reviewing well. Everything I loved about games like Firewatch or Gone Home or even films by Lynch are completely absent here. This was a walking simulator that rarely engaged me and was highly frustrating from a game design perspective, and even moreso narratively.
I hope that my words at least bring a little caution to anyone considering slam-dunking this into their steam library like I did. Bleh.
All of that said, did anyone here enjoy it or get anything out of it? Is there a spoiler thread? I at least want the value of hearing people dissect its parts.
I hope that my words at least bring a little caution to anyone considering slam-dunking this into their steam library like I did. Bleh.
All of that said, did anyone here enjoy it or get anything out of it? Is there a spoiler thread? I at least want the value of hearing people dissect its parts.
AHA-Lambda
Member
I enjoyed the experience, but can I just mention that after checking out some of the reviews after the fact, that the Eurogamer review really comes off as incredibly pretentious?
JustAnotherOtaku
Member
Any word on whether the soundtrack is available for purchase anywhere?
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
Not yet, but I'll be buying it. Soundtrack in the game was phenomenal.
There is one track available on the composer's Soundcloud, though I imagine they may sell the soundtrack since I can't imagine getting an orchestra for the game was cheap: https://soundcloud.com/variablestateltd/virginia-ost-19-conflict-of-interest
JustAnotherOtaku
Member
Thanks for that. Yeah, definitely the best soundtrack of the year for me, the standout being the music played
by the band in the bar
RedSparrows
Member
That whole scene was aces.
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
The talk of music here inspired me to do two game recording rips of two songs I recalled off the top, so just did them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMDUwMB6Oa4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuJtntrUmUU
Hope a soundtrack is announced, will be there Day 1.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMDUwMB6Oa4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuJtntrUmUU
Hope a soundtrack is announced, will be there Day 1.
Just finished it and I'm gonna say it right now, there's very little to read, pickup or explore. Apart from a handful of collectibles the game's simply an exercise in find-the-next-hotspot.
I don't think the story is very interesting but the way it's shown is great, however there's very little game in there.
JustAnotherOtaku
Member
Thanks, first one is incredible.
More_Badass
Member
I mean, that's the easiest thing to understand. They enjoyed it and were impressed, you didn't/weren't
Got through it this morning, great game! Easily worth the 10$.
From what I understood, while good and strangely well done, the story falls a bit on the cliché side. There is definitely something weird about it but it doesn't leave me puzzled as much as, let's say, Inside. But it's really good, I will play through it a 2nd time for sure. I know I have missed details and some stuff aren't totally "explained" but I doubt they need to be.
I love the Lynch inspirations though and the visuals are quite pleasing overall. Performance on PS4 is poor, though quite stable in its poorness so you get used to its 20-25fps. It's also quite slow moving so it's definitely playable. But hey, I found Firewatch to be playable at launch.
Anyways, if you're on the fence, get it. Aaaand a new contender for soundtrack of the year, easily.
From what I understood, while good and strangely well done, the story falls a bit on the cliché side. There is definitely something weird about it but it doesn't leave me puzzled as much as, let's say, Inside. But it's really good, I will play through it a 2nd time for sure. I know I have missed details and some stuff aren't totally "explained" but I doubt they need to be.
I love the Lynch inspirations though and the visuals are quite pleasing overall. Performance on PS4 is poor, though quite stable in its poorness so you get used to its 20-25fps. It's also quite slow moving so it's definitely playable. But hey, I found Firewatch to be playable at launch.
Anyways, if you're on the fence, get it. Aaaand a new contender for soundtrack of the year, easily.
Remembrance
Member
I just had a thought that this game could very well actually get a movie adaptation. It sounds like the kind of source material that screenwriters are always scouting for.
And I think I would much rather watch this as a movie than play it as a game.
And I think I would much rather watch this as a movie than play it as a game.
Discotheque
Banned
love this review from AVClub
hits the nail on the head on how a lot of film/tv/games that drop "Lynchian" to describe their stuff feels so surface level.
Sold me on this game too, for being more than just a name drop or two.
hits the nail on the head on how a lot of film/tv/games that drop "Lynchian" to describe their stuff feels so surface level.
Sold me on this game too, for being more than just a name drop or two.
mattiewheels
And then the LORD David Bowie saith to his Son, Jonny Depp: 'Go, and spread my image amongst the cosmos. For every living thing is in anguish and only the LIGHT shall give them reprieve.'
I do get why they didn't have random interactive things to mess around with. They were really focused on pacing here, and I appreciate it. It gives you a great momentum that is kind of necessary to this kind of story.
I feel like the jump cut is one of those key elements that's going to make the story told in the first person game way more successful in the future. Everybody's slowly cracking the code as to how to do this genre right, and the guy who made Thirty Flights really was into something big I think.
For real. We need more games like this.
Using a jump cut when you're trying to read something is terrible, that's probably one way not to do it in the future.Give me a prompt to put down said item then do it.
Humdinger
Member
Finished it last night. I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, it was an interesting experimental piece. It took an approach to gaming that I had never seen before. The atmosphere and music are good. The game held my interest and didn't overstay its welcome.
On the other, the game is intentionally obfuscatory; it sets out to confuse you, and it does that job a little too well. I like symbolism and ambiguity when it's done well (think Twin Peaks), but the developers here were in love with it, and they overused it. There is a spoiler thread here that lists 25 things (items, symbols, characters, events) that are unclear. That's an awful lot of confusion for a two-hour game. Too much.
It was intriguing at first. It created that sense of mystery and anticipation. I assumed it would resolve itself somehow, but instead they just kept piling on one ambiguity after another. After a while, as a player/viewer, I just threw up my hands and said, "I have no idea what the f*ck is going on here." The ambiguity and confusion are amplified by the constant use of jarring jump-cuts to other situations.
The game made me curious and befuddled, but I didn't have an emotional response. I didn't get connected to the characters. In the end, it all felt like a rather abstract intellectual puzzle: "Can you figure out WTF is going on? Bet you can't!" The lack of dialog added to the sense of emotional estrangement.
I want to give the developers credit for trying and for being weird. I value that. It is definitely a creative, interesting game. But I don't think it entirely succeeds. For $10, it is worth the "trip," if you're open-minded and have some spare change.
I'd give it around a 7.5.
On the other, the game is intentionally obfuscatory; it sets out to confuse you, and it does that job a little too well. I like symbolism and ambiguity when it's done well (think Twin Peaks), but the developers here were in love with it, and they overused it. There is a spoiler thread here that lists 25 things (items, symbols, characters, events) that are unclear. That's an awful lot of confusion for a two-hour game. Too much.
It was intriguing at first. It created that sense of mystery and anticipation. I assumed it would resolve itself somehow, but instead they just kept piling on one ambiguity after another. After a while, as a player/viewer, I just threw up my hands and said, "I have no idea what the f*ck is going on here." The ambiguity and confusion are amplified by the constant use of jarring jump-cuts to other situations.
The game made me curious and befuddled, but I didn't have an emotional response. I didn't get connected to the characters. In the end, it all felt like a rather abstract intellectual puzzle: "Can you figure out WTF is going on? Bet you can't!" The lack of dialog added to the sense of emotional estrangement.
I want to give the developers credit for trying and for being weird. I value that. It is definitely a creative, interesting game. But I don't think it entirely succeeds. For $10, it is worth the "trip," if you're open-minded and have some spare change.
I'd give it around a 7.5.
Messofanego
Banned
Just played the Demo on PC. I felt like it was really really laggy. So much so that simply looking around in the game world gave me motion sickness. I was wondering if it was my PC (its over 6 years old now) so I turned on fraps. Locked at 30. Not a huge deal for a game like this but for some reason 30 in this game seems really choppy to me. There's something else going on. I'm not an expert on these things but doesn't motion blur help 30fps games mask the choppiness? Yeah you can unlock the framerate but when the game highly suggests I don't I tend to side with them.
Maybe the same issue is taking place in the PS4 version? Maybe that is locked at 30 but it 'feels' worse.
I want to like this game, the style and music has me sold thus far but my head actually hurts from the 15min I spent with the demo.
Maybe the same issue is taking place in the PS4 version? Maybe that is locked at 30 but it 'feels' worse.
I want to like this game, the style and music has me sold thus far but my head actually hurts from the 15min I spent with the demo.
Fried Food
Banned
What's with the Lynch quote? Was he asked about the game?
DJ Lushious
Member
I earned the Platinum before the debate. Is there another thread to discuss the story? I couldn't find one.
First off I really liked the game. Having said that though, I take issue with what the AVClub said in terms of the "Lynchian" inspirations. It's fine in some places, in others its downright mimicking them. Which is fine with me, but loses some points for originality.
Perfect example right here:
Virginia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQyWbewKnLw
Twin Peaks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md2tm8vFdOc
The song is different but has many similarities with the lyrics version of the Twin Peaks theme:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rZbsnB-xkM#t=3m20s
Not slagging it off. I enjoyed that scene immensely. But I think you should give credit where credit is due. If AVClub isn't familiar with Lynch's work, they should be more careful when making statements like that.
Spoiler thread is just about busy as the roadhouse in Virginia. Hopefully some of you can come and give your opinions.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1283726
Popping back here a week later (I ended up playing it) and noticed this, hah. Not sure if a response on my part will even be seen, but to explain...
It started as a choice thing (I wanted to play Until Dawn with a couple friends and then we did the same for Oxenfree), yeah, but it's morphed into being stuff without it as well, with an increasing number of people from this group of friends involved (I think we had 6 or 7 people total for Anatomy)! We'be played a few shorter horror things in this manner since then but not exclusively that, and I knew a few of those friends would be into this so it seemed like a decent fit. Still think I might suggest it since I still feel like I'm right about that inclination after playing it.
...should say we're still in college and most of us live on-campus, so it's relatively easy to do for the time being! I do hope we can get together and do stuff like this after a few of us (me included) graduate this spring, particularly as we only started this in my junior year, but I'm just going to try to enjoy it while it lasts. I wasn't around for the summer and am abroad up till next week, so i've built up a decently sized list of stuff I'd like us to check out if we have the time amongst everything else we're up to.
ChackanKun
Member
I swear, that was pure Twin Peaks.