Listening to you talk about games is great. It feels like a stream of consciousness, yet you're putting fourth extremely well reasoned and concise points, even more-so than most scripted channels. I agree with you about the pacing issues, especially when some underground levels seem to drag on for hours making you do the same kind of puzzles over and over, and when you get back to the surface only to be thrown immediately into more puzzles, instead of letting you wind down and take in the atmosphere. And even thought the length did feel stretched at times, I never felt that I wanted the game to end. I could have probably played another 30 hours, just because the atmosphere and feel of the game was so unique.
I had such a great time with this game. The source engine is like a warm blanket to me. Years later it still feels like a "hidden gem" that has to be introduced to people.
It's proof that art direction can make-or-break a game, regardless of the power of the game engine. This is _Portal 2 era Source Engine_ (literally the same engine branch, just with a few game-specific logic entities), and yet, it's a level of immersion that even Source2 games try to look up to (seriously, the skyboxes are _gorgeous,_ look out from the top of the steel plant and you feel like you're really there)...
The game does that whole "there's no guns and combat here... or is there?" thing real well. Also, the spookiest yet normal places I've ever seen in a game are in Infra - the Bergmann Tunnels and the Bunker. I didn't really feel scared in Ravenholm and similar places - but those two made me want to run away as fast as possible.
Glad to see a reveiw go into why specificly its so good, giving a likely known comparison piece Edit: i think its the stalburg council(aka gov) to give the contracts for consulting the infra[structure]
Really great review. I relate to a lot of you said about the game. I think I disagree with a lot too, but I can understand where you're coming from because you're really good at communicating your perspective. Also the comparison to half life when you finally come to the surface for the first time just to go right back down was spot on.
I had just beaten this game (though admittedly with some guides since some puzzles are exhausting to figure out for me), and I would say that I went from loving the earlier chapters like 1-4, moderately liking but slightly annoyed by the middle chapters of 5-7, and just exhausted by the final chapters of the game. I still overall enjoyed the game, but as you said, for me it felt like it overstayed its welcome a bit. Really immersive and fun, but it just draws out a lot longer than expected, especially the mid-to-late chapters. I experienced the same thing that you said, which is that you kinda have to take this game one or two chapters at a time. I don't recommend plowing this game through to the end in one or two sittings; it will probably cause some sort of mental fatigue. Loved loved loved the concept, mechanics, and environments; but the length is a bit much for me. Thanks for the review!
Couldn’t stop thinking about Mörkö when there was mention of it flirting with being a horror game. The biggest asset to this game for me is that it rewards you for looking below the surface and straying from the linear play path with weird shit like Mörkö and the Stalburg Underground cult
@@mooney003 I like how the game has this spooky stuff but it always kind of treats it like this little weird and innocuous thing. Morko? Probably the ghost of an unfortunate cult member who died in a cave in or collapse or such. Weird mushrooms? Government chicanery. Weird cults? Silly homeless people.
Listening to you talk about games is great. It feels like a stream of consciousness, yet you're putting fourth extremely well reasoned and concise points, even more-so than most scripted channels.
I agree with you about the pacing issues, especially when some underground levels seem to drag on for hours making you do the same kind of puzzles over and over, and when you get back to the surface only to be thrown immediately into more puzzles, instead of letting you wind down and take in the atmosphere. And even thought the length did feel stretched at times, I never felt that I wanted the game to end. I could have probably played another 30 hours, just because the atmosphere and feel of the game was so unique.
I had such a great time with this game. The source engine is like a warm blanket to me.
Years later it still feels like a "hidden gem" that has to be introduced to people.
It's proof that art direction can make-or-break a game, regardless of the power of the game engine. This is _Portal 2 era Source Engine_ (literally the same engine branch, just with a few game-specific logic entities), and yet, it's a level of immersion that even Source2 games try to look up to (seriously, the skyboxes are _gorgeous,_ look out from the top of the steel plant and you feel like you're really there)...
The game does that whole "there's no guns and combat here... or is there?" thing real well.
Also, the spookiest yet normal places I've ever seen in a game are in Infra - the Bergmann Tunnels and the Bunker. I didn't really feel scared in Ravenholm and similar places - but those two made me want to run away as fast as possible.
The good ending makes more sense for the game but you need 90% of the corruption docs to be found to get it
11:03
Yes it does. The bunker level.
Glad to see a reveiw go into why specificly its so good, giving a likely known comparison piece
Edit: i think its the stalburg council(aka gov) to give the contracts for consulting the infra[structure]
Really great review. I relate to a lot of you said about the game. I think I disagree with a lot too, but I can understand where you're coming from because you're really good at communicating your perspective. Also the comparison to half life when you finally come to the surface for the first time just to go right back down was spot on.
Glad you liked the review, I’m still hoping to check out the spin-off open sewer at some point.
Thanks for this thorough and recent review, added to wishlist, waiting for a deep sale. Yeah 30 hrs sounds bogus if its because u have to backtrack.
Yeah it was released episodically, in three parts. That's why the steam page says "complete edition"
It definitely had that fee to it, good to confirm that it was the case.
I had just beaten this game (though admittedly with some guides since some puzzles are exhausting to figure out for me), and I would say that I went from loving the earlier chapters like 1-4, moderately liking but slightly annoyed by the middle chapters of 5-7, and just exhausted by the final chapters of the game. I still overall enjoyed the game, but as you said, for me it felt like it overstayed its welcome a bit.
Really immersive and fun, but it just draws out a lot longer than expected, especially the mid-to-late chapters. I experienced the same thing that you said, which is that you kinda have to take this game one or two chapters at a time. I don't recommend plowing this game through to the end in one or two sittings; it will probably cause some sort of mental fatigue.
Loved loved loved the concept, mechanics, and environments; but the length is a bit much for me.
Thanks for the review!
Glad you liked the review. Agreed, spacing this game out over a week or two would probably have been better.
Sure! 😁
I love this game
I definitely liked it, I'm hoping to try the spin off "Open Sewer" soon
@@lookingglassed they are in the process of remastering open sewer right now. I would not attempt it until that remaster is completed.
Put it on my wishlist!
Nice, definitely worth a play
31:50
I have more than 300 hrs lol
YOU KNOW
I’m afraid I don’t
*Mörkö*
Couldn’t stop thinking about Mörkö when there was mention of it flirting with being a horror game. The biggest asset to this game for me is that it rewards you for looking below the surface and straying from the linear play path with weird shit like Mörkö and the Stalburg Underground cult
@@mooney003 I like how the game has this spooky stuff but it always kind of treats it like this little weird and innocuous thing. Morko? Probably the ghost of an unfortunate cult member who died in a cave in or collapse or such. Weird mushrooms? Government chicanery. Weird cults? Silly homeless people.