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[Bree]

This is something I've been meaning to share for a long time. Lifeline is my personal favorite 'couldabeen, shouldabeen' game. It had a novel idea, and with a little bit more polish, it could have been really good. For those who have never heard of it, Lifeline was a PS2 game released back in 2004 that had a rather unique set-up.

The game was set during the grand opening of the world's first space hotel. As tends to happen with space and hotels in general, aliens invade and start ripping everyone to shreds. You, a nameless Everyman, are smart enough to lock yourself up in the security room of the hotel. At the beginning of the game, you look into one of the hotel's many cameras to find a waitress mysteriously locked up in a holding cell. After unlocking the door, you befriend the girl. Rio, as she introduces herself, needs to get to the other parts of the hotel that are under lockdown, and you need to get her there so she can save your girlfriend, who you were separated from amidst the chaos.

So, how do you two work together? Simple: Your voice. Being the Operator (as Rio refers to you as), you can tell Rio which items to check out and interact with. IN this sense, it plays a bit like a hands-free adventure game, with Rio picking up various doohickeys to combine with whatchamacallits to use on thingamabobs. Another major part of the gameplay is combat. In this, you command Rio to shoot various sections of whatever beastie you happen to run into. For instance, if you wanted Rio to shoot a monster's right eye, you would say, "SHOOT RIGHT EYE", in a very clear and distinct voice, because if you don't, then she'll just run around to the other side or shoot herself or some nonsense. The biggest problem with Lifeline is very unfortunate; just when you feel like you're developing an attachment to Rio, she goes off and does something idiotic that you never told her to do.

If you can get it for a cheap price, Lifeline is a very interesting experiment to behold. When it works, it works fantastically. When it doesn't, well...

My experience can be summed up in the following anecdote:

I had invited my friend over to hang out, and he decided he wanted to try out Lifeline. We both had a lot of fun trying out the combat , but we came to a puzzle and got stuck. Rio was having trouble finding some item or another, and my friend didn't know what to do either. In a moment of frustration, he said, "Why don't you just go kill yourself?"

Rio turned to look directly at the screen and replied, "Don't worry. There's more than enough things on this ship that can kill me." My friend and I stared at each other bewildered. My friend picked up the controller and mumbled, "Sorry about that."

Rio looked again at the monitor, exasperated.
"What?"
"I said I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For being an asshole!"
"I am standing!"

So, there's my two cents on a rather obscure game. Anyone have any similar stories they'd like to share?

[Annabelle Kennedy]

its so funny i thought i was the only one who played this game i tried to get my friends to and they were like what the heck i don't get it.

i LOVE this game despite its shortcomings..

did you ever manage to beat it?

(also.. you didn't lock yourself in the security room, if i remember correctly, the antagonist has locked you up in there, i think. For a lot of the game you're trying to navigate her to you.. and she's the one that lets you out)

[Bree]

Sadly, no, I haven't beaten it yet- I'm somewhere after Rio chucked the molotov cocktail at that one beastie. It's so hard to pick it up because I don't entirely remember what I was supposed to do next. It's sort of the same problem I have with Chulip (another amazing and amazingly weird game I'll have to write about soon).

[Annabelle Kennedy]

you should beat it the ending and plot is exciting and satisfying, especially after writing ample paragraphs about it!you can always just start a new game..

[deadeye]

I've never heard of this game before, it sounds pretty interesting.  From what you said of the combat though (and from what I've seen of YouTube videos), it kinda seems like it'd be silly to the point of frustrating.

A non-combat game might be a better way to utilize this play mechanic.  Or perhaps a combatant that can actually defend herself on her own, so instead of "shoot eye", "dodge left" you give more general commands on how to get out of the situation.  Like you're busy hacking some machine and opening doors that the person can use while they're fending off aliens, and you're just directing them towards cover as needed, or telling them when the coast is clear or warning them of attacks from a different direction, and letting them know when the elevator has arrived or when they can hit the lever on the crane to drop an anvil on the alien's head or whatever.

I mean, I'm sure that there are situations that are exactly like that in the game, but is just seems silly to me that, on top of those, you would have to say "shoot your gun at the alien."  Duh.  She should know that on her own.

[Cheater‽]

"Support Character: The Game"



I'm in.

[Annabelle Kennedy]

the combat *really* wasn't that bad.. the fact that she had a hard time understanding you some times really made it that more exhilirating.. i remember actually being like.. on the edge of my seat during the boss battles..

[Bree]

I agree, the combat was a bit silly, but it was still a ton of fun.

"SHOOT HIM IN THE HEAD! SHOOT HIM NOW! JESUS CHRIST ON A BUTTERED BAGEL, SHOOT HIM NOW!"

Hey, wasn't there supposed to be a PS3 game called Eyedentify that was supposed to be voice-activated?

was the trailer- it actually looked kinda interesting.

[Cheater‽]

Hey you, Rio!

[Gainsworthy]

I've heard about this game! But never got around to tracking it down. The idea is rather amazing - is it as complex as it sounds? I mean, recognition wise. Because that's pretty cool.

[Annabelle Kennedy]

The recognition is very hit/miss when it works your like blown away when it doesnt you simply aren't.  its really fun overall though!