ACKKKKKKKKKK

I got it...I got it today

I will let you know about it later...

Ohhhhhhhhhhh I'm so Happy :ghost2:

MaG Love the Ghosts

So how many of you think the graphics are awesome? personally I think they are very lackluster by regular game standards, but not necessarily adventure game standards. The art direction isn't very good.

The screen space and travel time is very badly designed i.e. running through massive open spaces with nothing in them with screens that stretch/pan that increase travel time and tedium especially for backtracking. This game has really made me outright feel the presence of "unnecessary screens" far more than any other. It's one thing to establish world size and scope but oiiiiii. The camera angles are also awful dating back to pre-2000's adventure games, there is a 180 degree rule that is broken frequently (google it) which makes navigating very disorienting as it often looks like you've been travelling in opposite facing directions because of the angles.

The premise is very intriguing but the whole design of the game makes me feel like I'm playing an early 2.5D adventure all over again where I memorise the screens and hotspots from bad angles/placement rather than move naturally.

I have to have some sympathy because of the lower budget of art and adventure games in general, but the very simple design issues that could have been solved regardless of budget irk me. Over the years I've seen the various adventure game sites treat games with promise with kid gloves and fawning to encourage them but gloss over many issues like this. It is this overall lack of polish that keep the genre inaccessible to new players, in the doldrums, and only for the fuddy duddies like us that grew up with them and love them enough to put up with their flaws

So yes I think this game is a bit overrated so far

Rant on the bobby pin issue since I already did in the hints forum accidentally.

Mine just arrived, and I can't wait to load it up.

Fathamburger, I can't comment on the graphics as I haven't seen them yet, but my commentary wouldn't be worth much, as I play very old pixellated DOS games and enjoy them thoroughly. But I'm sure others will chime in.

I love pixelly DOS games though. I still think many of them look better than adventures today especially Culpa i.e. the hand painted work in Sierra games like Kings Quest. I'm also currently loving the Blackwell series.

Just because something is 3D doesn't mean it's automagically better

Metamorphium has written a very helpful review of Culpa Innata here in the Boomer Reviews forum. Check it out.

Fathamburger -- I've been thinking about what you said above. How exactly are you defining "art direction"? And why do you think that newbies to the adventure genre would even notice "polish" or a lack of it?

As long as there is a good story line .It is nice to get good art and every body as differant appianions on what is good art any way.as long as there is a good story to keep me interested I will perserveer .Mine is still in the post and we keep getting post strikes so hope fully I may get it for christmas lol

I just started the game and after waiting for this game for so long; it was worth the wait and for once this is an adventure game that I will replay. I love that it is nonlinear which adds to the challenge. The graphics aren't the strongest point but that hasn't bothered me. I agree with the review that the lip synching so far has been excellent. It will be interesting to see what more of us have to say after playing it for a while. I think I will end up playing it more than 20 hours since it takes me awhile to get unstuck once stuck.

I'm done with work, fixing to load the game up again!

I love it. First game in a while I'm sure I'll play to the end.

I do agree that the running around in huge screens is annoying. They've done very well with double clicking on certain things to inspect and not have to walk over to the item to save some time. It would have been nice to be able to do that instead of running around towards the arrows and confusing myself not being sure where I'm going. That's my only criticism so far, though. The graphics aren't as sharp as I've seen, but the close-ups of the faces are wonderful. I'm actually looking into their eyes and listening to what they're saying. For me that says alot because I'm itchy with my right-click to skip dialogue most of the time.
The game does remind me of TLJ in a good way. That's the only other game in a while I remember finishing and I feel the same way about this one. It's not perfect, but it's perfectly enjoyable to me!

Hi BOOmers :ghost1:

I am 1/2 hour into the game...Just taking my time learning the interface & stuff...Took me awhile to find the elevators..

Great game in my book...Graphics are A-OK
Music is not boring..Well so far so good

I got mine yesterday too!! Been waiting a long time for this one!! Have to finish Evil Under the Sun first though before I start this one!!!

Hope it is good as I think it will be, Thanks everybody for your inputs!!!


Nan

Well basically art direction means something that is aesthetically pleasing regardless of method or form. For example World of Warcraft despite lower tech graphics is more aesthetically pleasing in cartoony abstract way than more realistic and higher tech games like Everquest 2.

When I say lack of polish, a lot of that goes into what I described above but since I gather most of you shy away from the mainstream type games, they have far more polish in design etc (and budget ). Since I generally play everything, I'm going with pure love for the adventure genre right now. Sam and Max and Dreamfall are probably the best ways to describe polish curently, but the main thing is that the majority of adventure games are archaic in design and production value and that's what many people see when they try one who are used to mainstream games. It's a dying genre not necessarily because of all those things though, it is a dying genre because it is appealing mainly to an aging playerbase that remembers them in their heyday, and a genre that is not growing or appealing to new players.

Adventure games are basically amateur hour nowadays, but as I mentioned Blackwell above.. Dave Gilbert could technically be considered an amateur but his games are far tighter and more polished than most of the Myst clone [blip] that makes it to the shelf

Hi Fathamburger

Whilst I respect that you are entitled to your opinion I have to say I totally disagree with you on a lot of counts.
Mainly :
Who plays adventure games, who might be encouraged to play adventure games, how polished adventure games actually are.... that old chestnut "the adventure genre is dead or dying" .... and .... your new "wannabe" chestnut "adventure games are basically amateur hour nowadays".

I too enjoyed the "Glory Days of Adventure" but I am also enjoying very many of the games on offer today

And I will welcome more of them

Cheers.

Mad

I guess it's good to be me, because I can play the games while being ignorant of what is good or bad graphics. I would not even think of criticising the graphics in Culpa, in fact the only thing I can remember from playing was how unbelievably clear their faces and expressions were. The rest was more than adequate to keep this gamer happy and content.

Posted by fathamburger:



Ouch. I can't even begin to formulate a response to that except to say that this comes across as a clone statement from any number of gaming sites that cater to those that think the world only revolves around shooters.

I'm sorry you can't relax and enjoy the game for what it is and instead just see what it is not. You are missing out on some simple pleasures.

Ana

I also agree with Mad, & Ana...

The graphics are beautiful...You can see the expressions in the eyes very well..

As far as I am concerned we came along way since the adventure games of years gone by..

I am totally happy with this game ,and a lot of the others..

Great work to the developers of this game

Good or bad graphics are opinions, not facts. I like a lot of so-called "bad" or "poor" graphics because I like that style. Case in point, the old style of pixelated graphics are fine with me!