From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action



Two weeks gone, time to grab more games! Let's poke the Amazon pi�ata
and see what comes a'tumbling out!


* Deus Ex: Invisible War (via GOG)
The forgotten second game of the franchise. "Invisible
War" was hated on release, but it's actually not bad. It
is, however, very visibly hamstrung by the console
hardware around which it was designed; tiny levels,
simplified mechanics, and the rest. The game struggles to
tell a good story and it manages in the end... but just
barely. Except for everyone, who would have known a game
like Deus Ex would fare poorly on 6th-gen consoles?


* Legacy of Kain: Defiance (via GOG)
An early-2000s third-person action/adventure. One part
hack-n-slasher, one part Tomb Raider-style platformer,
its combat and mechanics never quite had the polish the
series deserved. The story is as edgy as you'd expect from
that era of games too. It's okay, but you can feel its
22-years of age in every aspect of the game.


* GameDec - Definitive Edition (via GOG)
A cyberpunk-themed top-down CRPG. Its gimmick is,
supposedly, how reactive the world is to your choices,
similar to the forethought put into "Baldurs Gate 3". But
reviews indicate that, while it has an interesting story,
it lacks the degree of polish that makes for a great game.


* Mutazione (via GOG)
Self-described as "a mutant soap-opera" filled with "small
town drama", I just can't get past the visuals. I really
dislike these flat-shaded character models that too many
Indie games rely on. Maybe its a good game (it doesn't sound
all that appealing to me) but I'll never find out, just
because I'm judging the game by its appearance. Sue me.


* Session: Skate Sim (via Epic)
A not-very-good "Tony Hawk" copy-cat where you roll around
on a skate-board. The entire skate-board fad never really
appealed to me anyway, so this wasn't the sort of game I'd
ever get excited about... but even if I did like the genre,
there are better games out there.


* Let's Build A Zoo (via Epic)
Try and guess what this game is about! Too cutesy and Indie
for my taste. It rates a very definite 'meh' from me.


* Mortal Shell (via Epic)
A third-person Souls-like of mediocre quality. Fans of the
genre might get something out of this, but if you're new
to that type of game, you're probably better off sticking
with the better-known games.


* The Forgotten City (via AMAZ)
It started as a mod to Skyrim but became something much,
much more. It's a mystery game involving time-loops; figure
out what has changed with each iteration. The action elements
are pretty light; this is mostly a game about conversation
and observation. It could have used a bit more polish,
but overall a good game.


* Figment 2: Creed Valley (via AMAZ)
An isometric action game. Interesting concept (set in the
human brain) with some fun elements, it's just not to my
taste. But I can understand why a lot of people like it.


* The Wisbey Mystery (via Luna)
The de rigueur hidden object game that Amazon includes with
every give-away


* Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (via MS)
The stand-alone expansion to "Wolfenstein: The New Order".
A mostly forgettable game that doesn't really say or do
anything new; it feels like leftover levels spliced together
into a new game. That it's on Microsoft's Xbox service makes
it all the more unappealing. But the game is not terrible,
and if you adore the 'nu-Wolfensten' games, you might get
some enjoyment out of this one.


Nothing really exciting this month, but nothing terribly disappointing
either. It's good Number-stuffer games, the sort of titles you get
just to fill up your video-game library but nothing you rush out to
grab. Amazon has done worse, in the past (and probably will again, in
the future). I guess we'll find out in two weeks.


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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Thu, 03 Apr 2025 11:53:58 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

Two weeks gone, time to grab more games! Let's poke the Amazon pi�ata
and see what comes a'tumbling out!

* The Forgotten City (via AMAZ)
* Figment 2: Creed Valley (via AMAZ)

I forgot to mention, these two games are repeats, so if you have been
a reliable patron of Prime Gaming, you may already have these in your
library.

I think these are the first two games that Amazon has put up as
repeats. Well, sort of. Sometimes they give a game first on one
service (e.g., GOG or Epic or their own Amazon), then later on offer
it again on another, but this is the first time I'm aware of that the
same game is offered on the same service twice. I hope this is not a
sign of things to come.

Also, more ROT13 spoilers.

<ROT13>
Yrtnpl bs Xnva: Qrsvnapr (ivn TBT) L5QK48N088NN93PQO4
</ROT13)


Have fun.


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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On 4/3/2025 8:53 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

Two weeks gone, time to grab more games! Let's poke the Amazon piñata
and see what comes a'tumbling out!

* Mortal Shell (via Epic)
A third-person Souls-like of mediocre quality. Fans of the
genre might get something out of this, but if you're new
to that type of game, you're probably better off sticking
with the better-known games.

IIRC this was a free giveaway direct from Epic within the last month or two.

I enjoyed it when I briefly played it on Luna before deciding it had too
much jank on streaming. I've read it's chock full of jank and severe
possibly game stopping bugs and CTDs too, so not sure I'll ever bother
trying it not on streaming.
--
-Justisaur

ø-ø
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
¶¬'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Mon, 7 Apr 2025 15:18:38 -0700, Justisaur <justisaur@gmail.com>
wrote:

On 4/3/2025 8:53 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

Two weeks gone, time to grab more games! Let's poke the Amazon pi�ata
and see what comes a'tumbling out!

* Mortal Shell (via Epic)

IIRC this was a free giveaway direct from Epic within the last month or two.

Yup. It's been offered as a freebie numerous times, going back as far
as March 2022 on Epic (also October 2024 on Amazon Luna, and -as
mentioned- 13 March 2025 on Epic again).*

I'm honestly not sure how these companies stay in business, giving
away their products so frequently. I mean, I assume they make it up
through the DLC sales, except the game has gotten such mediocre
reviews I can't imagine a lot of people take them up on it.









* How do I know? If you shouted, "You have a spreadsheet!" then, for
once, you're wrong. I just searched Usenet for all the times it was
announced in this newsgroup ;-)


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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On 03/04/2025 16:53, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

* GameDec - Definitive Edition (via GOG)
A cyberpunk-themed top-down CRPG. Its gimmick is,
supposedly, how reactive the world is to your choices,
similar to the forethought put into "Baldurs Gate 3". But
reviews indicate that, while it has an interesting story,
it lacks the degree of polish that makes for a great game.

I grabbed that when I saw it (a week or so ago maybe). It's been on my
Steam wishlist for ages but I'd never pulled the trigger due to the lack
of polish and also the negative comments about the later stages of the
games become very railroady.
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Tue, 08 Apr 2025 09:43:08 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

* How do I know? If you shouted, "You have a spreadsheet!" then, for
once, you're wrong. I just searched Usenet for all the times it was
announced in this newsgroup ;-)

I really do just assume you are checking a spreadsheet when you make a
post like this. So yeah, I was definitely wrong this time.
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Wed, 09 Apr 2025 14:05:44 -0400, Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com>
wrote:

On Tue, 08 Apr 2025 09:43:08 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson ><spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

* How do I know? If you shouted, "You have a spreadsheet!" then, for
once, you're wrong. I just searched Usenet for all the times it was >>announced in this newsgroup ;-)

I really do just assume you are checking a spreadsheet when you make a
post like this. So yeah, I was definitely wrong this time.

Huh, I seem to have earned myself a reputation. I can't imagine how
that happened.

But I'm not ashamed; I'm proud. Brothers and Sisters of the
Spreadsheet, stand tall with your cells and formulas and charts. We
hold together more of the modern world than most people know (and a
hell of a lot more than we should. Spreadsheets are so overused in
places they really shouldn't be ;-)

But as my previous post showed, an overly large archive of old Usenet
posts is useful too. If only there were a way to combine the two...




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