Incline Strangeland - new adventure game from Wormwood Studios

[MRY]

That Techraptor article is probably accurate, and I think we are quite lucky that MRY has the luxury of making games he wants to play, and sparing us all from "emotional connections".

The TR reviewer wanted more explanation (aka gratification) and emotional connection (i.e. relationships). Those are some of the worst trends in gaming over the past 20 years, and reading someone's gripes about their lack of inclusion in Strangeland conjurers up images of a fat kid complaining about how he can't have candy.

Well, I was certainly hoping to make an emotional connection, so if it doesn't do that for people, I've failed. I also thought the themes were not that had to figure out, but you know, it's hard to gauge.

But ultimately, some of what people want is just something I can't produce, or haven't been able to.

 

[Jenkem]

I don't expect adventure games to be that long but it seems like people are finishing the game when it just came out 2 hours ago? unless they had early copies or the game released before normal steam store update time?

oh the page updated and I see people are saying it's 4-4.5 hours, which is what I expected based on Primordia.. sounds good. plus replaying it for missed achievements, other methods of solving puzzles, etc.

I also generally take my time w/ adventure games, usually playing them while having coffee in 1 hour long segments rather than rushing through, but that's just me..

also I was assuming the game had only been out for 2 hours...

 

[agris]

That Techraptor article is probably accurate, and I think we are quite lucky that MRY has the luxury of making games he wants to play, and sparing us all from "emotional connections".

The TR reviewer wanted more explanation (aka gratification) and emotional connection (i.e. relationships). Those are some of the worst trends in gaming over the past 20 years, and reading someone's gripes about their lack of inclusion in Strangeland conjurers up images of a fat kid complaining about how he can't have candy.

Well, I was certainly hoping to make an emotional connection, so if it doesn't do that for people, I've failed. I also thought the themes were not that had to figure out, but you know, it's hard to gauge.

But ultimately, some of what people want is just something I can't produce, or haven't been able to.

I am making a big assumption - that emotional connection, for the TR writer, does not equal emotional resonance. In 2021, I take "emotional connection" to be a stand-in for relationships or romances in a game.

 

[MRY]

Also, I will now veer into the crassest of crassness, but if you've played the game and like it, leaving a review really does help bring in business.

Jenkem IMO, it is somewhat shorter than Primordia. But I actually think it is shorter in ways that are appropriate. For instance, you can exit rooms by double-clicking an exit (a la MI3), which reduces the walking time. The arrangement of rooms and puzzles is also intended to reduce backtracking to a degree. Puzzles are a bit smoother (like the actual execution of the solution takes less time once you've figured it out). Dialogues are shorter, and there are nowhere near as many long, dialogue-heavy cutscenes. For some players, these things will be a negative, but to me, they move the focus more to the player and his interactions, rather than just the story.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

I don't expect adventure games to be that long but it seems like people are finishing the game when it just came out 2 hours ago? unless they had early copies or the game released before normal steam store update time?

oh the page updated and I see people are saying it's 4-4.5 hours, which is what I expected based on Primordia.. sounds good. plus replaying it for missed achievements, other methods of solving puzzles, etc.

I also generally take my time w/ adventure games, usually playing them while having coffee in 1 hour long segments rather than rushing through, but that's just me..

also I was assuming the game had only been out for 2 hours...

The game has been out for over 6 hours now.

 

[Jenkem]

Also, I will now veer into the crassest of crassness, but if you've played the game and like it, leaving a review really does help bring in business.

Jenkem IMO, it is somewhat shorter than Primordia. But I actually think it is shorter in ways that are appropriate. For instance, you can exit rooms by double-clicking an exit (a la MI3), which reduces the walking time. The arrangement of rooms and puzzles is also intended to reduce backtracking to a degree. Puzzles are a bit smoother (like the actual execution of the solution takes less time once you've figured it out). Dialogues are shorter, and there are nowhere near as many long, dialogue-heavy cutscenes. For some players, these things will be a negative, but to me, they move the focus more to the player and his interactions, rather than just the story.

yeah I like double clicking to instantly move, it makes it way less tedious when you are stuck and need to check several areas for something you missed... sounds good

 

[MRY]

agris Fair point.

Jenkem Exactly.

MicoSelva No, Vic was inspired by Colin.

 

[MRY]

Also, on the review point, it's particularly true with Steam. I have no idea if reviews matter much on GOG.

 

[Alpan]

I'm going to be diving in, in an hour or so. Can't wait!

 

[Verylittlefishes]

Purchased, of course. I already have a sketch of review on my mind, but I will complete the completed game first.

 

[MRY]

Finish the game before reviewing? What sort of reactionary are you?

 

[TwoEdge]

The mood and art here look so good, enough to give me actual chills. As a fan of adventure/horror games (and of Primordia), this was an easy pick. Can't wait for next weekend!

 

[MRY]

Thanks so much!

 

[KazikluBey]

Well I tried to buy the game, but Steam is having conniptions. At first I thought they scammed me out of my money, but they didn't actually pull or reserve any money on my account, and now they throw errors at me when I click the Add to Cart button. Maybe tomorrow.

 

[Zombra]

In the electric storms beyond the edge of sanity, who could expect a computer born of a static vision to achieve the chaotic enlightenment necessary to succeed at the greatest Steam store transaction ever conceived by the ineffable mind of a man?

 

[MRY]

Well I tried to buy the game, but Steam is having conniptions. At first I thought they scammed me out of my money, but they didn't actually pull or reserve any money on my account, and now they throw errors at me when I click the Add to Cart button. Maybe tomorrow.

Bizarre.

Let me know if you continue having issues, and definitely let me know if you get ripped off.

 

[Tom Selleck]

i buyed it because the lady from techraptor who gave anime cinderella visual novels a 8.5 gave it a 'too confusing i can't read' / 10

(Actually I was going to buy it anyway, but I was more excited to buy it because some sensitive cat aunt found it hard to deal with.)

 

[Jrpgfan]

I don't expect adventure games to be that long but it seems like people are finishing the game when it just came out 2 hours ago? unless they had early copies or the game released before normal steam store update time?

oh the page updated and I see people are saying it's 4-4.5 hours, which is what I expected based on Primordia.. sounds good. plus replaying it for missed achievements, other methods of solving puzzles, etc.

I also generally take my time w/ adventure games, usually playing them while having coffee in 1 hour long segments rather than rushing through, but that's just me..

also I was assuming the game had only been out for 2 hours...

The game has been out for over 6 hours now.

It is considerably shorter than Primordia, though. It felt like Primordia without Metropol.

My sense of time is a little messed up though, and I had a harder time figuring out some of the puzzles in that game, so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[MRY]

So, it appears that until we get our 10th non-key review, we cannot appear on new and trending on Steam. We have nine. Are you a bad enough dude to save the president?

 

[<3sRichardSimmons]

And bought. I wish I could dive into it tonight, but I'd ideally like to be able play through it in a single sitting and I have to be up early in the morning, so alas, I am not a bad enough dude. I'll be sure to leave a review once I've found time to play it though, hopefully this weekend or next (silly family stealing all of my time!).

 

[Jrpgfan]

So, it appears that until we get our 10th non-key review, we cannot appear on new and trending on Steam. We have nine. Are you a bad enough dude to save the president?

I've already done my part.

Now let's see if codexers really play videogames or only pretend they do.

 

[MRY]

o7

 

[MRY]

And bought. I wish I could dive into it tonight, but I'd ideally like to be able playthrough it in a single sitting and I have to be up early in the morning, so alas, I am not a bad enough dude. I'll be sure to leave a review once I've found time to play it though, hopefully this weekend or next (silly family stealing all of my time!).

Thanks!

 

[MRY]

We're in! Thanks chaps.

 

[baud]

bought it and played a little yesterday. I added a short review this morning even if I'm not done, because I don't think my recommendation will change