Zero Punctuation: Everybody's Gone To The Rapture

[Doom972]

I guess The Chinese Room are the only people who thought audio logs were the greatest story telling mechanism ever.

They are the only people who think that audio logs actually count as a main gameplay mechanic rather than a story telling mechanism.

They work, for example, in System Shock 2 because the game already has great atmosphere and gameplay. Listening to these audio logs while you try not to get cornered by mutants, cyborgs and robots actually helped the player get immersed in the game.

 

[K12]

When you compare this game to something like "Her story" you realise the main issue with these walking simulators, walking around adds absolutely nothing to the game.

"Her Story" is very low on the interactivity scale but it's still pretty engaging. It doesn't make you wonder about all the over the place in the vague hope that making a a world will to walk around will automatically bring immersion. There's also been a lot of thought put into the way the player experiences the story rather than just randomly distributing it around a game map.

 

[Erik B-L]

Well said, as always. My only gripe (though it's not with you Yahtzee) is that the Escapist needs to change it's fucking video player back to the way it was.

Don't fix what ain't broke: especially when you can't polish a turd.

(Also Hatfall is better than many of the games Yahtzee reviews. Methinks he should review it.)

 

[Darth_Payn]

Well, I laughed at this because of the random name changes, because Yahtzee had to do something to liven up this boring excuse of a "game", and lost it at the Andrew Ryan bit. Well done!
Retro review suggestion: Assassin's Creed Rogue. More of what made Black Flag fun, and a twist on the Assassin/Templar dynamic.

Looks like The Talos Principle is still showing people how it's done.

I love Croteam.

Because it actually had puzzles and things to do besides walk around trying to piece together a narrative from (Everybody sing along!)
"Random documents and audio logs"

 

[Yahtzee Croshaw]

So, another typical Chinese Room "game" - an audiobook, where you hold the W-key for an hour to listen to it with a lot of pause.
I feel those guys should just do that, audiobooks, as they clearly don't have the slightest grasp of what a game is supposed to be. You know, interactive in SOME way.

Well, I don't know, I liked it, but the way I see it, it is simply a jigsaw puzzle where instead of parts of an image, you get parts of the character and world stories. It is a game, but a very simple one, with a rather flashy package. Oddly similar to "Her story".
I realize that might not be enough of a goal for a lot of players, but it really brings out the detective in me... maybe I'm boring.

Also there is a certain method to the structure and challenge to this jigsaw, as it is only possible to uncover all the pieces if some of the clues are followed in some specific orders, of course none of this is clearly communicated to the player, but I argue that that's the point.

 

[C117]

... and yet, the only thing I can say for certain after this review is that I have a new word I need to use: "Douche-balloon".

 

[MiskWisk]

Well said, as always. My only gripe (though it's not with you Yahtzee) is that the Escapist needs to change it's fucking video player back to the way it was.

Don't fix what ain't broke: especially when you can't polish a turd.

I actually find this new player to be much better than the old one. The ads don't bork the video for me anymore!

OT: I got convinced to play this by one of my friends who made particular note of how good the ending is. I now have a written note that says not to trust his opinion on games anymore.

 

[Logience]

Jesus Christ, nothing's coming out anymore. At this rate, Yahtzee won't be able to make a Top 5 video.

Wonder if he'd be able to do a retro Top 5 of 2007...

Until Dawn came out a couple of days ago, and we have Phantom Pain, AC Syndicate, Fallout 4, the annual COD misery train...

I doubt Yahtzee will review MGS5 Part 2 unless as a last resort. After that, that's only 5 games total, and COD won't be coming till November.

 

[Piecewise]

Jesus Christ, nothing's coming out anymore. At this rate, Yahtzee won't be able to make a Top 5 video.

Wonder if he'd be able to do a retro Top 5 of 2007...

Until Dawn came out a couple of days ago, and we have Phantom Pain, AC Syndicate, Fallout 4, the annual COD misery train...

There's also the Mad Max game, which kind of looks like shadow of mordor with cars.

 

[tzimize]

So, another typical Chinese Room "game" - an audiobook, where you hold the W-key for an hour to listen to it with a lot of pause.
I feel those guys should just do that, audiobooks, as they clearly don't have the slightest grasp of what a game is supposed to be. You know, interactive in SOME way.

I realize its not for everyone, and I havent liked most of the walk-stories I've played but I really loved Gone Home.

I liked the story, I liked the presentation, I liked the varying themes...it was just a great evening worth of entertainment.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

Because it actually had puzzles and things to do besides walk around trying to piece together a narrative from (Everybody sing along!)
"Random documents and audio logs"

Well, even then, you didn't have to listen to or look at any of that. It was there much more to enhance the experience then to actually drive the plot forward.

But yeah, the game had amazing music, amazing engine, amazing aesthetic, amazing voice-overs, amazing functionality, amazing writing... I can truly say it goes right up there with such gems as Portal and Myst.

 

[rgrekejin]

Anyone who isn't a creationist should've known it was bad by its title alone.

I dunno, I think the idea of everybody randomly disappearing in some unexplained event has a lot of potential as story concepts go. Sure, it's not a sure-fire thing, and it depends a lot on the execution, but sometimes they can be pretty decent.

...although not "The Leftovers". "The Leftovers" is terrible.

As a side note, I'm somewhat saddened to discover that the name of the studio putting out all these crappy walking simulators is "The Chinese Room", as that thought experiment is awesome.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Jesus Christ, nothing's coming out anymore. At this rate, Yahtzee won't be able to make a Top 5 video.

Wonder if he'd be able to do a retro Top 5 of 2007...

I think so far he's only really liked Bloodborne, which is good for #1.

 

[rgrekejin]

Jesus Christ, nothing's coming out anymore. At this rate, Yahtzee won't be able to make a Top 5 video.

Wonder if he'd be able to do a retro Top 5 of 2007...

I think so far he's only really liked Bloodborne, which is good for #1.

He also thought well of Witcher 3, and had generally positive reviews of Talos Principle and Elite: Dangerous, if memory serves. Those have been the only ones which were even vaguely positive that I can recall.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

I liked the game for the audio/visual experience that it was. It brought many thoughts and emotions. Maybe i'm just oversensitive, as others have mentioned that before. I know some people can't look past certain things that do not fall into known, catagorised boxes. Or require direct storytelling instead of thought provoking vagueness. That is par of the course for humans alike and it is fine. It isn't as religious as the name implies, so people dismissing it based on the title alone brings a heavy chuckle. Like a heavy sigh but with a chuckle. Very difficult to replicate without the precise quantities of emotion, that.
They really screwed up with the run button implimentation though. Tsk, that'll learn them!

Captcha: Nut case. Hah! That is actually funny, captcha. Well done for learning humour!

 

[PunkRex]

Jesus Christ, nothing's coming out anymore. At this rate, Yahtzee won't be able to make a Top 5 video.

Wonder if he'd be able to do a retro Top 5 of 2007...

I've been thinking this a lot lately, I don't have a XBone or PS4 (although there's about 3 games on either I'd probably buy), but so few games seem to be being released. I understand costs are higher than they've ever been but this is kinda weird, oh well, plenty of indie titles and older games to catch up on.

 

[Cid Silverwing]

So, another typical Chinese Room "game" - an audiobook, where you hold the W-key for an hour to listen to it with a lot of pause.
I feel those guys should just do that, audiobooks, as they clearly don't have the slightest grasp of what a game is supposed to be. You know, interactive in SOME way.

This.

The moment Yahtzee said The Chinese Room was behind this game, I was literally angered. They fucked up Amnesia, shat out that pretentious Dear Esther garbage and now this. Another bunch of fuckwit developers to add to my blacklist of gaming.

 

[Logience]

I've been thinking this a lot lately, I don't have a XBone or PS4 (although there's about 3 games on either I'd probably buy), but so few games seem to be being released. I understand costs are higher than they've ever been but this is kinda weird, oh well, plenty of indie titles and older games to catch up on.

Indies are the new mainstream.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Jesus Christ, nothing's coming out anymore. At this rate, Yahtzee won't be able to make a Top 5 video.

Wonder if he'd be able to do a retro Top 5 of 2007...

I think so far he's only really liked Bloodborne, which is good for #1.

He also thought well of Witcher 3, and had generally positive reviews of Talos Principle and Elite: Dangerous, if memory serves. Those have been the only ones which were even vaguely positive that I can recall.

He loved Elite, but that game is from 2014, so I don't know if it qualifies. Same with Talos.