Just a quick update to let you guys know that you can skip buying the new chapter of The Journey Down that was released today because I’ve now played through the first chapter and it’s as disappointing as any point and click :P
I may very well have to accept that I don’t like this genre but the slightly unusual graphics peeked my interest. If you like point and click this may be something for you though, it certainly has decent art, although probably low resolution because it felt like there were compression artifacts while playing in full-screen mode.
Edit: I forgot to mention that it’s refreshingly free of achievements so that’s another positive thing
Yeah I was underwhelmed with the first one as well but like malabagaa says it seems unfair to judge the entire series like that. It felt to me very much like a set-up episode when I played it, so despite how disappointingly little happened I’m hopeful that the other episodes might be more enjoyable, with more of the “Journey Down” story as that seemed quite interesting.
So you don’t think the first chapter is representative of the next two?
Absolutely, I mean they could be awful but I find it unlikely they’re just going to be centred around fixing an aircraft like the first episode was.
I’m guessing the plot could move on a bit more rapidly but the basic gameplay will stay the same. I’ve seen people saying that the music is better in the last chapter which is good since I for some reason expected a bit more. Probably because they keep describing the game as having an Afro-Caribbean twist, which makes me expect some laid back reggae tunes
Borrowing a bit from a steam review:
Slightly weaker than the previous titles. Feels kinda rushed, but rather finisned. Backgrounds are less detailed, some sprites as well, the team exhaustion definitely shows itself and is very understandable.
It was a few months ago now but from what I recall it just seemed like normal point and click gameplay, so if that’s not something you enjoy then it may be best to avoid expecting something different! I must admit it’s not exactly a genre that I ever feel excited to play either lol… but I have played a few really good ones recently like Fran Bow and Tormentum that each had something memorable that made me enjoy them, and I think if the Journey Down has an interesting story in the later games that you get teased with in the first episode then I’ll probably end up playing the rest at some point. Thanks for the information though, it’s always useful to find negative reviews to get a balanced view!
…from what I recall it just seemed like normal point and click gameplay, so if that’s not something you enjoy then it may be best to avoid expecting something different!
First you’re telling me it’s unfair to judge an episodal game by its first chapter and now you’re telling me all point and clicks are the same and I shouldn’t expect anything different? But yes, I’m beginning to realize that I don’t particularly fancy this genre and this is basically what I wrote in the second paragraph :P
…it’s always useful to find negative reviews to get a balanced view!
You’re giving my update way too much credit by calling it a review. In hindsight, it’s obvious that I choose a bad way of phrasing my initial sentence but at the time I felt it should be obvious enough that it was written jokingly with the smiley at the end. Live and learn :)
Oh dear sorry, re-reading I feel like I could have phrased that better! I only meant that point and clicks are all going to be similar in terms of basic gameplay and the ones I end up enjoying usually have something especially memorable about them like the art style, puzzles, or story, I’m hoping The Journey Down will explore that story more in the final two episodes as it was almost nonexistent in the first one. So that was what I meant by saying not to judge the first episode as a representation of the series as you don’t know how things develop. I was also referring to the review of the third game you quoted.
This was never intended to come across like I’m being critical, everyone likes different genres, I was just surprised to read your first sentence and wanted to reply to that, and if that was meant to be written jokingly then I can totally relate as a lot of my humour misses the mark and I often end up with something I’d regret saying lol.
If you are interested in playing more point and clicks in the future and want to continue giving them a chance then I can recommend: Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller, Fran Bow, Kathy Rain, Lumino City, Machinarium, Samorost, STASIS, The Inner World, The Secret of Monkey Island and Tormentum. They each had something I enjoyed about them and there’s plenty of diversity with comedy, horror, mystery and adventure there.
I’m hoping The Journey Down will explore that story more in the final two episodes as it was almost nonexistent in the first one. So that was what I meant by saying not to judge the first episode as a representation of the series as you don’t know how things develop. I was also referring to the review of the third game you quoted.
Yeah ok, that makes sense but the story didn’t really grip me either, to be honest, and even if it did I’m not sure I’d be willing to sit through all backtracking and illogical “puzzles” to experience the rest of it. The Steam review I quoted was actually a positive one :)
and if that was meant to be written jokingly then I can totally relate as a lot of my humour misses the mark and I often end up with something I’d regret saying lol.
Well, I’m not sure how to qualify the humour but it’s more of a ridiculous statement, that I didn’t think anyone would take seriously, than a haha joke. If that makes any sense.
I’ve had Machinarium and Samorost in my sights for a while now and I will probably play at least Machinarium on my tablet as the genre seems particularly well suited for a touch interface.
Mhm, if you think any point & click is disappointing you should probably look out for other genres instead ;) Perhaps a bit bold to say, that we all should skip the franchise.
I don’t know that I do but I’m, sadly enough, beginning to suspect that this is indeed the case. I’m still not going to entirely lose hope. Looking out for other genres is the reason behind my limited experience with point and click and they almost always look gorgeous to me so I felt like I should diversify my gameplay a bit when I saw the announcement of the third chapter being released.
Also, as I wrote in my response to Joe, I didn’t expect to ruffle any feathers with my initial sentence and, at the time, I felt it would be obvious enough that it was written jokingly. For anyone who got to the second paragraph, there’s even a declaration of suspected bias and something that could be interpreted as a recommendation for fans of point and click.
Sorry to see that you didn’t enjoy the first chapter. I finished Chapter 3 and enjoyed it very much. I thought it was a very nice conclusion to the series, and the music and graphics were great as usual. Definitely recommended for those who liked the first two chapters.
Slight spoiler to the ending: I love how the power box is the first “puzzle” in Chapter 1, and (almost) the last in Chapter 3.
No worries, the hunt for the perfect point and click continues :)
I’m also not a fan of point and clicks (which is funny since I did win the Daedalic bundle) but I really recommend you try Fran Bow. It has an interesting gameplay mechanic and it doesn’t really feel like your general point and click game. It’s not perfect (especially towards the middle-end) but I actually think you’ll like it and its take on the point and click genre.
Don’t be ashamed of not liking a genre though. I don’t like HOGs or most point and click and visual novel games. I still try them from time to time too though because there are so many options out there that can be the exception.
i have to say i dont usually play point and click games tho i did like sierra games (like king quest etc) one of the late ones i played was “Heroine’s Quest: The Herald of Ragnarok” (its also free on steam) really liked it, if you can check it out ^_^
I don’t get it.. did you play only the first chapter? then why you’re saying to skip the third? D:
Asking ‘cause I liked the first two chapters and I’m looking forward to play the third.. don’t like the idea that it’s not good :(
If you liked the first two chapters I have no doubt you’ll like the third as well. I’m just saying I didn’t particularly fancy the first chapter and I’m not expecting the following chapters to be much different :)
For some reason, I keep thinking I like point and click despite all the evidence to the contrary.
I agree that it could be not the greatest story out there but I really like its style, voices and musics :) and I want to know how it ends! =P
First chapter is more like an intro, while the second feels more like a full game. On the other hand, the first was lighter while playing the second I suffered frame-drops and such (could be my laptop’s fault though).
Perhaps you still need to find one that suits your tastes :)
though I have to admit that I got bored from time to time playing Point and Clicks, even if I like them =P sadly, this is a genre where just a small mechanic bad implemented could be enough to let down the whole experience :\
Yeah, this is what I keep hoping for and I’m sure I’ll find one or another to suit my taste eventually. Actually, I may already have found one because I quite like The Night of the Rabbit so far. I just got distracted and forgot about it for a while but I will definitely continue playing at some point.
Edit: I’ve been staring at that picture a couple of times now but I just can’t figure out what it’s supposed to illustrate. Could you enlight a fellow, slightly dim-witted, gamer? I might be too distracted with the curious effect on the Ironman prop in the background.
Time to go back to it and find if it’s really good ;)
oh, it’s a phew/whew (or whatever you write it) gif and it shows relief, as in «oh, thankfully there are still chances that the 3rd chapter is good» =P
..isn’t that gesture used as such in your country? at first I had thought it was an italian-only gesture (we have a lot of those) but after seeing international actors doing it I thought it was a worldwide thing ^^;
Ah makes sense when you tell me. To me, it looked more like uhm… some variant of facepalm or expression of frustration, maybe because of the odd expression on his face. :P