Since The Nomad Soul has flat-out refused to install on my system (note to D Drive: Disk 3 is inserted), I fear I'll have to give that one a miss. I have selective memories of that game, with a whole host of bad points being essentially outweighed by the fact that it's still bloody wonderful, but I doubt I have enough detail in mind to properly appraise it.
If you haven't read my Pathologic review yet, I'd love for you to do so, perhaps more than anything I've ever written on this site. So few people know what it is, or why it's worth playing despite its awful mechanics, but I hope I've explained it pretty well. It's a 6 out of 10, but it's probably the most memorable and fascinating 6 out of 10 you'll ever play.
I reinstalled Planescape: Torment yesterday and Deus Ex today. Planescape is sublimely written, wonderfully atmospheric and devilishly epic, but I still have the same problem as I did all those years ago: there are times when I feel like I should be playing it, but just can't be bothered. It's a particularly heavy game. Maybe that should work in its favour, and for many it clearly will. It's still one of the most impressive RPGs around there... just potentially not one of my favourites.
Deus Ex feels as exciting as it ever did, and it's only in replaying the thing that, in some ways, I *still* feel nothing's come along to topple it. Fallout 3 goes some way, granted. Bloodlines did too - those two games are probably the closest we're going to get. Very few people make these games any more.
I was reading a user review on here of DX just now. Can't recall who it's by, but it's the 8/10 one for the PC version. One comment stuck out: "whatever you choose, it doesn't affect the story until the end," or words to that effect
Um, well. It does a bit, though, really. Doesn't it?
How many games are around where you can choose whether or not a major character lives or dies, around half-way through, and then see that same character repeatedly appear throughout the rest of the game if you manage to save him? I'd say that's pretty heavy.
And even though you take the same overall path through the mission structure, well fucking hell, it's a videogame. Is there a single game where this isn't the case? I can't think of one. I can't imagine it's really that possible, without at least quardroupling your workload.
It just made me a bit sad to see what is probably the game that does non-linear stuff better than anything else around (no, not Oblivion... that offers linear storytelling in a sandbox world; it's not the same thing. I might give you Fallout 3, but I'd wager that DX still edges it) to still get criticised for not being good enough at it. Bloody hell, some people are difficult to please.
It's wonderful. Really, really wonderful, and - despite the graphics and combat - not at all dated in its overall feel. This thing was phenomenally ahead of its time. Nearly nine years later, the industry still hasn't caught up.
Lovely. I'm hungry. I hope Missus gets home from work soon so we can have some grub.
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EmP - December 01, 2008 (09:22 AM) I believe you mean DE's. Sometimes, I still like to randomly disagree with him. Like I'm about to do now. Mine, however, is solid. |
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