Living fossil.
I get that on Blue Prince. Even with the RNG control you’re afforded late game you’re still heavily affected by the luck of the draw. I still think it’s one of the best games I’ve ever played.
If you’re looking to see the rest of the game through someone else’s eyes to get a glimpse of the remaining puzzles I thoroughly recommend Luckless Lovelocks playthrough on YouTube. It’s still ongoing but I’ve really enjoyed his note taking and puzzle solving.
Still on an extended break from Blue Prince, hoping my sister and her fiancé catch up to me eventually so we can take a crack at the final(?) puzzle together but they’ve been busy lately and not had much time to play. If you enjoy puzzles and haven’t played it yet you are truly missing out. I still think it will be in GOTY contention even with all the other heavy hitters this year.
In the meantime I’ve been utterly enjoying Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I’m probably over the halfway point now in the story, though I’ve been dragging my feet doing side content and optional bosses to extend my playtime. For once when it comes to a JRPG I wish it was actually longer. I could easily lose myself in this world, story and among these characters for 100+ hours.
Really recommend the game, though with the effusive praise it’s been collecting that’s hardly a surprise. Brilliant music, engaging combat, interesting story and well written dialogue that is superbly acted whether you go for the English or French. And all that for a €50 game?!
That’s fair I’ll edit.
Yeah the payphone is also up there, and honestly, opening the secret compartment in the ledger too. Which when you think about it, all those best moments are so missable. Completely psychotic by the devs.
I’m thinking we’re sticking with games older than this year, as the dust hasn’t settled yet so to speak? Because honestly otherwise some recent entries would qualify for me. I’m thinking of you, Blue Prince and Clair Obscur.
I have a lower opinion of BG3 than most (it’s fine), but I absolutely agree that the Raphael boss fight and music was an absolute gaming highlight, and worth the price of admission alone.
Alan Wake 2 in its entirety would qualify for me, but if one moment has to be singled out then the We Sing chapter was something else. Honorable mention for
Saga’s corrupted mind place
near the end, that was incredibly memorable.
Finally, and the real standout for me was the Final Dream in Disco Elysium. The most emotional, most impactful and heartbreaking and memorable moment I’ve had in gaming. And the most impressive seeing as Kurvitz (who wrote the scene) managed to distill the pathos and denouement of the entire game into three words to close the dream:
See you tomorrow.
We had Balatro last year. Blue Prince released a month ago and is a bona fide GOTY contender from a tiny studio and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is possibly the best AA game of all time but sure, the games industry is dead. I’m convinced, back it up boys.
There are some high performance VA panels that are good for gaming. Samsung Odyssey Neo G7/G8 for example.
Are there really no mini-LED monitors in your country? I’m a really big advocate of them. As close to OLED HDR performance as you can get without burn-in and with better peak brightness. I’m currently using a Cooler Master GP27Q that I got for cheap as an opened box, which has been a really solid monitor for the cheap cheap price I got it for (couple hundred euros).
I think a 27 inch 1440p monitor with 2000+ dimming zones will be the sweet spot between performance and affordability, though none like that are on the market yet.
Mumble is where it’s at.
I think even in back 2012 an argument could be made quite easily, but it’s a shame Roger Ebert didn’t live long enough to see some of the games released over the past decade that quite convincingly demonstrate how video games can indeed be art.
I agreed with him very often but that was one instance of him having an inexplicably bad take.
It is the best written video game ever and it’s not particularly close either. It’s one of the best written pieces of media I’ve ever had the pleasure of consuming.
I haven’t had time to play as much the past couple of days, but when I do I am similarly entralled by Blue Prince. It’s going to be very hard for another game to pip it for game of the year for me I think.
It’s so full of mysteries, so full of intricacies, so full of interactions and puzzles within puzzles. The narrative and lore is great too. I really do love every single element of it. Even the basic gameplay of the roguelite portion is so well done that you are always just fiending for one more run, the dopamine rewards of drafting a satisfying house really just tickles your brain just right.
Seriously, if you haven’t already then go play it.
It was even 2 RNG heavy ones but I was forced to take Weight Room twice (thanks Hall of Mirrors!) so I couldn’t make it downstairs. Worst feeling I’ve had in a game in a long time actually. I honestly think sanctum keys could be permanent without the game being too easy.
I’ve only gotten 3 classrooms I think, taking notes on the subjects though! I also think the first classroom helps with the sigil puzzle. Have you lit all the braziers?
Btw I just had to call it a day with 2 sanctum keys in my inventory. Had to take Weight Room twice.
One of the safe solutions really pissed me off. Which ones do you have? I have six, no clue where the last one is supposed to be.
Are you looking to fully drain the reservoir? That’s the only thing you need boiler power connected for I think, provided you have the Tomb open.
The sanctum thing is so frustrating too, still haven’t solved my first sigil though I know what to look for now I guess. Still haven’t made it back to room 46 a second time either, RNG has been hitting badly. Maybe that will help.
Good lord there is so much still to do haha! Every time I think I’ve seen most of the puzzles a new secret bottom opens up to an entirely new layer. I’m loving putting together the narrative but my god some of the puzzles didn’t work for me (I had to look up a couple of hints - would never have organically gotten them). How have you been progressing with the safes?
Just rolled credits. Really strange actually haha. There are so many unsolved mysteries! I feel like I’m close to piecing together the narrative but I’m still missing crucial pieces.
Wait didn’t you roll credits? That’s very interesting that you did that without opening any safe…
Anyway thank you so much for your responses, they’ve been perfect hints without being too spoily, which is a hard thing to pull off! I might bug you again at some point, we’ll see what I accomplish today.
Actually, maybe we need a Blue Prince community…
Drained the fountain, now I need the basement key again. Still don’t know how to get the chests at the bottom of the reservoir as I don’t know how to drain the final bit. Maybe pump room needs to be next to boiler room to get the last tank in play? I’m starting to see I’m going to need to get through insane amounts of RNG to finish. I already basically concluded I probably need the boiler room adjacent to the lab to get the lever machine working.
I also am tearing my hair out about the
drawing room safe code. The other safes had the clue in the same room but for the life of me I can’t figure out the paintings with the steps.
The Fountain right? I assume it’s on the east side lawn, but I haven’t found any way to open a door to the outside on the east side. I’ve been through the Garage on the west side.
I have found the pump room and drained as much of the reservoir as I could, but there is still a touch of water at the bottom preventing me from going down there and both tanks are full, as are all rooms. No idea how to empty the last bit. I thought it was opening the tap in the kitchen to drain the water, but that doesn’t seem to affect the water level…
All the detail, the world building and the little pieces of narrative, the puzzles within puzzles and the constant feeling of the game just opening up under you and always throwing things at you making you go “wait, how big is this game?” was just so cool.
I might be high on recency bias in my praise but I was thoroughly enamoured with it.