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[HyperDuck]

In comparison to other fads, I think it's rather harmless and still catching when well done well, like in Limbo.

[Paul Eres]

Not saying they can't be great, they're just the latest "fad", along with rhythm games and piano music.

i don't think it's fair to criticize a game for that fad when it was both started before that fad and mostly responsible for that fad

that's like criticizing cave story for being a cave story clone

[konjak]

Well, okay, but I didn't know that and by this point it's been done so many times so it doesn't exactly validate the unreleased "original" to me.

If Cave Story was in development and a clone released during its development, I would've still played the clone and have a sense of having played that kind of game before, etc.

[Paul Eres]

true but i'm surprised you'd criticize games for being unoriginal or following fads of all things, considering your games are highly polished takes on classic gameplay and use pixel art and all

it's like, sometimes someone does something not because it's fashion but because they like it, and a lot of the time you can't separate the two: things are fashions because a lot of people like them, and pixel art and platformers are fashions now too after all, even though you were doing them before they dominated indie games to the degree they do now

[konjak]

You're really reading into my quite harmless expression of my opinion. I'm clearly not a big fan of these games, but I never said they can't be great on the whole either. We're all hypocrites in some sense. 

Let's not derail further.

EDIT: I didn't mean you are a hypocrite right now.

[Paul Eres]

yeah, i'm not saying i'm not a hypocrite, i'm sure i've criticized games for following fads before too (though offhand i can't remember any, but it wouldn't surprise me if i did it dozens of times)

so what i meant is more like: limbo has been in production for a *very* long time, since like 2004 or something was when the first trailer of it was released, so i doubt it's following a fad, and following fads isn't always bad in any case

[konjak]

Yes, fads don't have to be bad, I just want to see more games in the genres I like, because that's how greedy I am.

[Paul Eres]

what don't you like about limbo, as an aside? besides the art style i mean. it looks pretty fun to me, almost like a 2d ico

[konjak]

I didn't like Ico. Ta-dah! 
I'm not an atmosphere kind of player.

[Paul Eres]

ah, makes sense -- i also recall that you didn't like glum buster, whereas that's probably my favorite indie game released in the last two years

[brog]

In comparison to other fads, I think it's rather harmless and still catching when well done well, like in Limbo.

What I have to wonder is, how the heck does anyone know whether Limbo is great or not?
Sure, it looks awesome from the video, but nobody here's actually played it, right?
Maybe someone has; i.e. the developer, if he/she frequents this forum; but there seems to be a lot of judgement going on based on not very much evidence.

[Paul Eres]

well, that presumes that the only value you get out of games is gameplay. sometimes the visuals can be most of the value, and a video would give a very good impression of that value. to me it doesn't matter what the gameplay is like as long as it's not completely broken, if it looks as good as it does in that video it'd be fun to just move around in and interact with

similarly, nobody plays ico or out of this world for the gameplay; ico's was average and out of this world's was pretty bad

[mklee]

similarly, nobody plays ico or out of this world for the gameplay; ico's was average and out of this world's was pretty bad

I'm going to have to disagree with both of these assessments. Ico in particular has some pretty remarkable nuances to its game design that contribute to its excellence beyond the atmosphere. You replace the gameplay in Ico with a generic adventure/platformer and you'd lose most of the meaning.

[HyperDuck]

In comparison to other fads, I think it's rather harmless and still catching when well done well, like in Limbo.

What I have to wonder is, how the heck does anyone know whether Limbo is great or not?
Sure, it looks awesome from the video, but nobody here's actually played it, right?
Maybe someone has; i.e. the developer, if he/she frequents this forum; but there seems to be a lot of judgement going on based on not very much evidence.

I never mentioned the gameplay value of the game, nobody has played the game officially here that I know of, and I certainly haven't. My opinion was based just on the visuals. I like them


Also, "when well done well" what the hell was I typing!? Buying a phrase book tomorrow.

[ultim8p00]

Holy shit guys. Can we just enjoy games for what they are? All that matters at the end of the day is how fun the game is. If it's fun, then play it. If not, don't.