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Is Paradise worth the trouble? #179617
07/23/07 02:52 PM
07/23/07 02:52 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 353
CraigR Offline OP
Settled Boomer
CraigR  Offline OP
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 353
I found Paradise in a discount bin at Big Lots for $6.00 so I figured it was worth a try. I didn't have the machine to run Paradise when it was first released, so I didn't pay much attention to it then. But I recently upgraded my PC, and I loved AmerZone, Syberia, and Syberia II.

So I was REALLY pumped and excited about Paradise.

So far it has been a serious letdown.

Paradise needs like 2-3 times the machine that Syberia needed, yet looks worse than Syberia (Paradise looks dull, fuzzy and washed out while Syberia looks crisp and clear), and Paradise runs much worse than Syberia (Mouse cursor stutters around sometimes, menus slow to load/unload, etc).

But I could tolerate this if the story or puzzles were top rate.

So far they aren't.

I spent four straight evenings trying to get to the Prince on the first level. Solving the puzzles was more a brute-force "do everything, try everything, talk to everybody approach" than a deductive solving of the puzzles. I can live with this if the game mechanics make it quick and easy to move around and try things.

Sadly this was not the case either. Lots and lots of intermediate screens with nothing important on them. I'm sure the game designers were hoping to "Wow" the gamer with the lovely setting. Instead they were washed-out dull looking scenes often shown at odd camera angles. And all these extra scenes did was slow me down as I went back-and-forth trying different things to move the game along.

And on some of the puzzles on the first level I had to resort to a walkthrough (which I hate doing because it spoils the fun of adventure games for me). Once I saw the solutions I often said to myself, "I'd have to do a Vulcan mind-meld with the game designers so I could read their minds to figure that one out!!"

But I've endured games with poor gameplay and Vulcan mind-meld puzzles if the story grabs me.

Well the story so far seems very piecemeal and not at all captivating like AmerZone and Syberia I/II.

So after griping about how bad the first level of Paradise has been, I have a couple simple questions...

Does it get any better? Is it worth the effort?

If so, then I'll bear with the bad until I hit the good.

If not, I'll uninstall Paradise and just be thankful I didn't pay full retail for it.

Thanks,
Craig


Craig
Re: Is Paradise worth the trouble? [Re: CraigR] #179625
07/23/07 03:05 PM
07/23/07 03:05 PM
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 26,918
Stony Brook, New York, USA
Becky Offline
The Medieval Lady
Becky  Offline
The Medieval Lady
Sonic Boomer

Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 26,918
Stony Brook, New York, USA
Craig -- have you downloaded the patch? You'll find it here. Once you've applied the patch, I recommend that you de-activate the animated cursor -- that should make it easier to find the hotspots and (IMHO) greatly improves the gameplay.

Paradise did not look fuzzy and washed out on my computer, but I remember a few other gamers did complain of this. If there are any graphics options in the main menu (it's been awhile since I played, so I don't remember if there are any) it would be worth tweaking things until the game looks better.

I thought the game was worth it because it shows you different versions of "paradise" in a completely non-judgmental way. It's a game, but it's also a commentary on society. Its themes are considerably more ambitious than in other games. If you like playing games with a more ambitious sub-text, you will probably enjoy it and it's worth continuing.

Re: Is Paradise worth the trouble? [Re: CraigR] #179628
07/23/07 03:10 PM
07/23/07 03:10 PM
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,750
Oregon
Rice burner Offline
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Rice burner  Offline
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Posts: 3,750
Oregon
Gosh Craig, how to answer that.......uummm. I liked the game. The graphics do look washed out compared to Syberia but the setting is completely different and I think they were trying to achieve a look of a warm African climate with dust all around. Anyway, that's my take on it. The game is very demanding of your PC and many have been frustrated with the slow, uneven response of the cursor. For me the story was intriguing enough to warrant the continuation of the game. Its impossible to say if you would enjoy it. Most of the problem in this game has been the mechanics.
Kay


Its one of those doors that needs a thingy thing.
Re: Is Paradise worth the trouble? [Re: Rice burner] #179760
07/23/07 10:27 PM
07/23/07 10:27 PM
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 675
Chehalis, Washington
tinagoss Offline
Settled Boomer
tinagoss  Offline
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 675
Chehalis, Washington
Craig,
I'm totally with you. I have a machine that could handle it, got the patch, and was yet, still disappointed. It was incredibly frustrating at parts and took to long for the payoff. For $6.00, you might as well play through unless it's so uninteresting that you'd rather do something else. I paid full retail and regret it.


"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." Lao Tzu
Re: Is Paradise worth the trouble? [Re: tinagoss] #179764
07/23/07 10:32 PM
07/23/07 10:32 PM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 15,022
Northeast NJ
Darleen03 Offline
Graduate Boomer
Darleen03  Offline
Graduate Boomer

Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 15,022
Northeast NJ
Hi

In the beginning I also thought..This game Rots..BUT ..I did take the time to play...I had to tweak it alot with my XP..

Got it to run barely...But did finish it..I did enjoy it


Luv Dar


GameBoomers
"Games Are More Enticing Because Of Our "MaG"nificent Efficient Radiant Site"
Re: Is Paradise worth the trouble? [Re: Darleen03] #179772
07/23/07 10:42 PM
07/23/07 10:42 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 40,644
southeast USA
Jenny100 Offline
GB Reviewer Glitches Moderator
Jenny100  Offline
GB Reviewer Glitches Moderator
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 40,644
southeast USA
If you were asking whether to buy it for $20 or more, I'd say no.
But you've already paid for it and installed it and agonized your way through part of it.
So... ummm...

Originally Posted By: CraigR
Paradise looks dull, fuzzy and washed out while Syberia looks crisp and clear...

Well it didn't look fuzzy or washed out to me, but it did look dull. A lot of the colors were muted.
Is it worth finishing? Well I thought the end was the best part. I was very glad to see the end of it.

Re: Is Paradise worth the trouble? [Re: Jenny100] #179802
07/24/07 01:20 AM
07/24/07 01:20 AM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 34,316
United Kingdom
Mad Offline
Sonic Boomer
Mad  Offline
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 34,316
United Kingdom
Hi smile

"Well I thought the end was the best part. I was very glad to see the end of it."

rotfl rotfl

Cheers.

Mad wave


Time : The Most Precious Commodity
Re: Is Paradise worth the trouble? [Re: Mad] #179807
07/24/07 01:41 AM
07/24/07 01:41 AM
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,453
Texas
nickie Offline
Grand wizard of high mucky muck
nickie  Offline
Grand wizard of high mucky muck
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,453
Texas
Craig, I would think that if you don't like it at this point, you aren't going to like it further into it either. Personally, I (and the other Vulcans grin) thought it was a really good game - as Becky says, much deeper story than most, and I didn't have to patch it - no problem in that regard. But if it isn't what you enjoy - why keep at it, when you can spend your time on something that you do enjoy?


"How could drops of water know themselves to be a river? Yet the river flows on."
- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Re: Is Paradise worth the trouble? [Re: nickie] #179809
07/24/07 01:55 AM
07/24/07 01:55 AM
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 76
T
thunderspike Offline
Shy Boomer
thunderspike  Offline
Shy Boomer
T

Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 76
Paradise received a lot of bad press when it was released. But I actually enjoyed this game very much. But then again I'm an admirer of the Sokal artwork. Syberia I and II are very good games from the masters hand.

Re: Is Paradise worth the trouble? [Re: CraigR] #179869
07/24/07 08:44 AM
07/24/07 08:44 AM
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,048
SE Michigan
T
The Haze Offline
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The Haze  Offline
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T

Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,048
SE Michigan
Let me agree with Thunderspike. When the game first came out it arrived with lots of post-Syberia hype and was pretty disappointing to a lot of people. There were some operating issues and the ending irritated many gamers. I agreed with them. Within the last year year I bought and played it again. I forgot how beautiful it was. I forgot that there was a real, adult plot, and it was generally a thought provoking, grown-up, rather amazing game. It somehow went from my "Yuck" list to my "Keep and play again list." For whatever it's worth, I now consider it a unique amd pleasant game.


If all the people were heroes, there would be no one to watch the parades.
Re: Is Paradise worth the trouble? [Re: The Haze] #179939
07/24/07 11:26 AM
07/24/07 11:26 AM
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 23,997
UK
Rushes Offline
True Blue Boomer
Rushes  Offline
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 23,997
UK
Paradise is firmly wedged on my "Yuck" list. lol I have to agree with all of your comments, Craig. I do hope that you persevere, though, because who knows, you might find that the game improves for you and you get more out of it than I did.


"Bleat, Watson -- unmitigated bleat!" ~ Sherlock Holmes
Re: Is Paradise worth the trouble? [Re: The Haze] #179947
07/24/07 11:37 AM
07/24/07 11:37 AM
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,853
Rockford, Illinois
S
sierramindy Offline
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sierramindy  Offline
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S

Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,853
Rockford, Illinois
I say, does this mean one has to play it twice to appreciate it? Like it takes time to grow on one? Or not!
There was a post that sounded very negative to me, yet it ended that the game was enjoyed, but maybe not my idea of enjoyment?
I have the game which I bought months ago but haven't played it yet due to disappointments over several other games that I was keen on playing. Anyway, this thread is making me curious enough so I think I will play it as soon as I have the time.


To love is to be happy with!
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