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If you thought Kotaku's review was scathing?

Started by Baggins, July 18, 2010, 05:46:21 AM

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wilco64256

Well we're certainly hoping that a lot of the people who reviewed Episode 1 will come back for Episode 2 and the others and offer their opinions on those as well.  I talked to one reviewer last week who is definitely planning on playing and reviewing the other episodes and his primary interests were also seeing more actual "adventuring" which he will be getting (as will all of you, and Kotaku if they care).

And there's a magnificent pun begging to be phrased properly about how the name of the first episode was decreed and so it's going to stay that way, but I'm not bothering to figure it out properly.
Weldon Hathaway

Baggins

#21
Here is the list of reviews, and where I marked which side I think they landed, this is just an opinion on (most are mixed, but a few fall on side of critical, and at least one is more positive); By mixed, they generally praise the good aspects of the game, the graphics, the sound/music, and they criticize length, the narrator, some criticize the voice acting. Not everyone seems to agree on the voice acting some love it, some consider it "below par", "even for a fan creation", some think that its excellent. Not everyone seems to agree on all the details. ...and in no way does "mixed" mean "bad review", infact I would probably say they are fair and balanced, giving both positive and negatives (or at least there opinions of what is positive and negative)...

Of course most have said they will come back to review the later episodes, which is good.


* Kotaku
* G4
* Adrenaline vault
*Justadventure
*games radar
* Wired
*national examiner
* family friendly gaming
* Rock Paper Shotgun
* impulse gamer review of part 1
* honestgamers.com review
*gamersdailynews.net review
* Project COE Gaming News Galore review
* gamers with casts review
* colony of gamers review of part 1
* Asian Girl Gamer
* Classic Game Room
* Ready-Up
* Captain D's Gaming Blog
Well, ya, King's Quest is on Earth. Daventry is very old city from a long time ago. It's in ruins now and people aren't quite sure exactly where it used to be. There are some archaeologists searching through the ruins, they think they know its Daventry. But its somewhere on Earth."-Roberta Williams http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/File:Daventryisearth.ogg

Cez

Quote from: Baggins on July 23, 2010, 05:23:41 AM
Here is the list of reviews, and where I marked which side I think they landed, this is just an opinion on (most are mixed, but a few fall on side of critical, and at least one is more positive); By mixed, they generally praise the good aspects of the game, the graphics, the sound/music, and they criticize length, the narrator, some criticize the voice acting. Not everyone seems to agree on the voice acting some love it, some consider it "below par", "even for a fan creation", some think that its excellent. Not everyone seems to agree on all the details. ...and in no way does "mixed" mean "bad review"...


I may add that also, some love the narrator and the jokes she makes, and some point the story as having a strong narrative too.


Cesar Bittar
CEO
Phoenix Online
cesar.bittar@postudios.com

Baggins

#23
Yes, I didn't say they all dislike the narrator.

I actually personally like the narrator, although I'm not a such a fan of the snarky/4th wall breaking stuff.

I also like most of your actor choices. Maybe not so much for oberon/arch druid actor. They don't sound much like the originals characters.

I also like your story so far :). I've never criticized the story.
Well, ya, King's Quest is on Earth. Daventry is very old city from a long time ago. It's in ruins now and people aren't quite sure exactly where it used to be. There are some archaeologists searching through the ruins, they think they know its Daventry. But its somewhere on Earth."-Roberta Williams http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/File:Daventryisearth.ogg

koko_99_2001

Baggins, you just posted that list elsewhere. You do not need to repost the same thing in multiple threads. Your post will be seen.
<3 Happily married to FataliOmega since July 11, 2009 <3

The Unofficial The Silver Lining Official Sarcasm Cleaner Upper :cat:

Catherine DaCosta

Baggins

#25
Koko I was just merging the topic, the other one is locked, and thus no discussion :). Cez said this was the same topic.  You are more than welcome to delete the other topic if you'd like.
Well, ya, King's Quest is on Earth. Daventry is very old city from a long time ago. It's in ruins now and people aren't quite sure exactly where it used to be. There are some archaeologists searching through the ruins, they think they know its Daventry. But its somewhere on Earth."-Roberta Williams http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/File:Daventryisearth.ogg

B'rrr

your links are broken up, only half are clickable, would be way easier/neater if you mask the hyperlink anyways.
~Mary Jane supporter~
~Legend~

Baggins

#27
brr, I'll try to fix it.

(Posted on: July 23, 2010, 08:33:19 AM)


Found another review, mostly postive one :);


Mostly praise, only negative is the shortness of the episode it seems.

Quotenow have a look at the real weaker side of things, as without doubt there is such. The main disappointment comes from the fact that the actual playing time of this first episode takes about 15 minutes and has only one real puzzle to solve (a simple inventory-based one), the remaining 20-30 minutes are all cutscenes – very good looking, but also throwing a huge amount of dialogs at the player with little clear plot development. The following chapters promise to offer much more, but as far as we know the second one is still a couple months away...

Can one really evaluate The Silver Lining experience by this short Prologue, I asked myself? And I definitely hope that what follows will surpass it by far and become a full-fledged adventure game – even if it should be only medium-sized with all-chapters-combined. However,What is Decreed Must Be has enough meat to it to be judged as a production worth playing with, if only for bringing the magical world of KQ to life again with an all new look. Also, for pushing the boundries of how impressive can an indie, freeware adventure game look like.
Well, ya, King's Quest is on Earth. Daventry is very old city from a long time ago. It's in ruins now and people aren't quite sure exactly where it used to be. There are some archaeologists searching through the ruins, they think they know its Daventry. But its somewhere on Earth."-Roberta Williams http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/File:Daventryisearth.ogg

kindofdoon

Still, their reviews should at least make it clear that Episode 1 only functions as a prologue.

Daniel Dichter, Production/PR
daniel.dichter@postudios.com

Baggins

#29
Many of those reviews do say that it is kind of a prologue, and they still critique it for that, because they felt they were lead to believe it was something more than a prologue :p... Also I don't think most reviewers actually read the forums...

I mean seriously look at the main website, or the   episode 1 descripion page or the descriptions page or the blog and download, do you see anything that gives an indication that "its just a prologue", especially when people go in with preconceived misconsceptions based the hyping of the episode (from various media outlets), plus assumptions based on other episodic style games from Tell-Tale games and other companies?

The website is a bit misleading, there is nothing that points to the explanation in the forums. For the average person that comes onto the site, looking for the episode, downloads, it and plays it they'll have only noticed the rather rosy marketing of the site, and nothing that indicates that its "just a prologue", and that they should be witholding expectations until episode 2. There is a disconnect, I think this is the reason why TSL has been getting overly negative reviews (even the ones they list one single "glowing" quote from out of context from reviews that are generally negative), and many of these reviews don't pick up on the fact that its an introduction.

I'm not trying to knock the game, or the developers (because I do understand how they are trying to explain its limited size), I'm trying to point out the problem with their marketing on the main websites... They really need to fix the site, point out that its an prologue, or they might continue to get these fairly scathing and mixed reviews...

What I'm trying to say is I don't think its necessarily the fault of the episode itself, but more along the lines of a marketing issue gone bad (shooting themselves in the foot basically)... There is a disconnect going on between the reviewers, the marketing and the designer's intent.

I also recommend reading the comments sections on many of the reviews, sometimes the reviewer posts additional comments, further clarifying their position.
Well, ya, King's Quest is on Earth. Daventry is very old city from a long time ago. It's in ruins now and people aren't quite sure exactly where it used to be. There are some archaeologists searching through the ruins, they think they know its Daventry. But its somewhere on Earth."-Roberta Williams http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/File:Daventryisearth.ogg

B'rrr

yus, the prologue 'argument' only really came forwards after the release. before episode 1 was released we already knew it was way shorter (1 hour it was said while the other episodes were 2-3?) then the other episodes though. So you can not blame the critics for not taking into account that it is a prologue.
~Mary Jane supporter~
~Legend~

Baggins

#31
Where was the news article that said it was ongly going to be one hour? Cause I don't remember it... if I didn't see it, there is always a chance the critics didn't see it as well... :P...

I mean its very easy to say the critics should have known this, cause it was said in some obscure newsletter, but if it is  information easily missed, it obviously won't be figured into their previews, reviews, etc...

I'm still thinking there is a disconnect going on here... something went wrong in the marketing... It something that POS could have made more clear.
Well, ya, King's Quest is on Earth. Daventry is very old city from a long time ago. It's in ruins now and people aren't quite sure exactly where it used to be. There are some archaeologists searching through the ruins, they think they know its Daventry. But its somewhere on Earth."-Roberta Williams http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/File:Daventryisearth.ogg

B'rrr

No article, nope.

It was mentioned in a few interviews but I get your point yes, they probably would not read that  ;)
~Mary Jane supporter~
~Legend~

Baggins

Hmm, yes, wonders if any of the interviewers have since reviewed the game? Would be interesting to see there take, and if they took their interview into account.
Well, ya, King's Quest is on Earth. Daventry is very old city from a long time ago. It's in ruins now and people aren't quite sure exactly where it used to be. There are some archaeologists searching through the ruins, they think they know its Daventry. But its somewhere on Earth."-Roberta Williams http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/File:Daventryisearth.ogg

B'rrr

Well, Kotaku made an article about it

Don't know it was made by the same person though.
~Mary Jane supporter~
~Legend~

KatieHal

That article was by Stephen Totilo, based on the interview Rich & I did with him at PAX East. The review of the game was written by someone else.

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!