ZylonBane on 26/8/2021 at 03:42
This sounds like more of a "you" problem. I don't follow gaming news sites at all, and I've heard of it.
henke on 26/8/2021 at 05:29
Same. Altho I just knew the release date because Game Pass kept displaying it prominently in their "upcoming games".
Anyway, I played the first couple missions yesterday. Storywise there's surprisingly much focus on this being a direct follow-up to the VR game "Rhombus of Ruin" (which I played a bit of but never finished). Don't worry if you haven't played it tho, as it and the first game get recapped right away. There's actually a LOT of info and backstory dropped on you right out of the gate. Too much almost! Gameplay feels slick and good, and overall I'm liking this.
Yakoob on 27/8/2021 at 10:24
Quote Posted by Anarchic Fox
Every major gaming site covers every release, barring indies. Reviews exist; so what?
Had a discussed with some of my indie dev friends a while back.
How do you define an indie game?
If the press doesn't write about you, you're indie.
ZylonBane on 27/8/2021 at 14:12
That definition isn't even truth-adjacent.
Anarchic Fox on 27/8/2021 at 20:22
Quote Posted by Yakoob
How do you define an indie game?
By its budget. Six figures or less is indie. Seven figures is AA, anything more is AAA.
Disregard stuff like Grow Home, which had a six-figure budget but came from a big studio. The above definition only applies to studios that work on one game at a time.
Edit: If you want a less flippant answer, you could go with the studio's business structure. Then, the mainstream studios are those structured like corporations.
Briareos H on 29/8/2021 at 19:31
The game was (double) fine, which I consider both damning and heartening. I was entertained and delighted enough to binge through the game, but was disappointed that it didn't introduce anything really original or crazy. The story jumps around in a way that makes it obvious that content was cut, the first game did have the same kind of ellipses but not to such an extent. As a consequence, the characters and ideas are charming and funny but too often inconsequential, rushed or underdeveloped. I was definitely left wanting for more.
As for the game material, I love most of the levels and visual design so hats off to the artists. I'll definitely go back to 100% the game later on, hopefully after some DLC comes out. The game is a nice blend of linear sections and more open environments. The new mechanics are interesting but also underdeveloped, none of the gameplay needs to be mastered or even understood with any kind of depth to complete the game, overall it's a very easy experience.
On a technical level, it shows some lovely effects and possibly the nicest portals I've seen in a game. My only negative regarding tech is a staple of modern gaming and Unreal Engine: awful antialiasing. Gotta love that regression in AA quality over the last 10 years since MSAA was killed off. I wish every game offered SSAA by default without having to mess with drivers.
EvaUnit02 on 29/8/2021 at 22:48
Quote Posted by Anarchic Fox
By its budget. Six figures or less is indie. Seven figures is AA, anything more is AAA.
Disregard stuff like Grow Home, which had a six-figure budget but came from a big studio. The above definition only applies to studios that work on one game at a time.
Edit: If you want a less flippant answer, you could go with the studio's business structure. Then, the mainstream studios are those structured like corporations.
Psychonauts 2 had just over 2 years of development while receiving a cash flow from trillion dollar company Microsoft. It isn't indie by any definition.
Aja on 30/8/2021 at 21:31
I'm a couple hours in, and I agree with Biareos H. It's got the same wit and charm as the original, but it starts midstory and feels disjointed, like a Marvel movie that expects you to know all the characters already. Otherwise it's kind of quaint how faithfully Double Fine have stuck to the original's formula; it's clearly meant to please the fans. But the platforming and collecting aspects were never Psychonauts' strongest suits, and this time around I'm finding them a bit tedious. But I'll keep playing because the writing and voice acting are stunningly good, as always (I guess it's not stunning if you expect it, so I'll say they're up to Double Fine's typical ridiculously high quality). There's a great warmth to the storytelling, and I'm interested to see how it handles mental health issues with a more modern lens.
henke on 31/8/2021 at 06:50
Yeah I'm getting the same feeling RE: the storytelling. It kinda feels like it expects you to have just played the previous game(s), it's so packed with stuff and characters. There's too many characters, quite frankly. I sometimes walk into cutscenes and Raz starts talking with someone like they're old friends and I'm like "uuuuh who are you again?". It's been 15 years since the original OK? Also I kinda feel like there's just too many cutscenes. Sometimes there's cutscenes for things that should be a gameplay bit, like there's a whole cutscene of Raz just running from a swarm of bees. C'mon, lemme play that!
On the plus side I like how system-y the gameplay systems are. Like you can use pyrokinesis and telekinesis in most places you'd expect to be able to use them, not just places where you're supposed to use them. And you can see through anyone's eyes using clairvoyance, and it's fun to see each character's interpretation of Raz.
Thirith on 31/8/2021 at 07:59
I'm not particularly far yet, but I'm enjoying the game, even if I'd say I preferred the summer camp feel of the original Psychonauts. I am *loving* the music: Peter McConnell's work's been there for so many of my earlyish gaming experiences (I had been playing for a few years when the VGA LucasArts adventures came along, but in the grander scheme of things that was still early days for me), and I love the mood they evoke: Monkey Island 2, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, Grim Fandango. The music's as much a part of the game's personality as the art design, writing and voice acting.
