[Adventurere No.1]

when Diego Started that thread (which games you haven't played) it triggered my mind to think about all those games that i missed and to be exactly those games that look nice somehow but there is something that just keeping me off purchasing it .

Ok i read the review i saw the rating, even took a good look a the Game's photos but still not encouraged enough (yet)

it get worse,especially with those games that you find a lot of posters mentioning them here and there, or even sometimes they get some awards... and then i ask myself what the hell is keep me from buying them?! ....

so i will start this with (To The Moon), i know this game is new and appreciated by many adventure players, but i tried , ..even watched its playing video on the youtube but the graphics ,the lack of voices and the strange out look/put made me avoid it...

so it could be a gem ..., that i am missing !
i will be glad if you guys can tell me Something good about it that can make me change my mind and go for it. (or maybe not)


P.S: i am quite sure this situation is mostly common, and its always better to ask someone who had it experienced than just to follow the reviewers rating ... i enjoyed many games with low rating more than others with high one

[chrissie]

It depends on what you like in a game Adventurere. If you like a good story To the Moon is great despite the 'twee' graphics. It plays 'Memento' style - I don't know whether you ever saw that film but you go backwards in an old man's life to uncover details, in stages, about his past. It's not full of challenging puzzles - it's quite straight forward and easy but worth a few hours of your time if you like a good tale!

[diego]

Something good about "To the Moon"? Ok.

If you're not into the retro graphics and interactive movies, you might not enjoy it, or really need to "open your mind" - be patient and full of tolerance in order to enjoy it. Once you overcome its "shortcomings", you're into one of the better crafted and more emotional stories in the genre, with a "backwards" design, and brilliant music.

[Adventurere No.1]

Originally Posted by chrissie

'Memento' style - I don't know whether you ever saw that film

kidding me i saw that movie more than 3 times, ..though i still can not get a firm grip on the story , but maybe i need to see it for a couple of times more

[TimovieMan]

To the Moon was my favourite game of 2011.

There's a few things you need to keep in mind: this was more or less a one-man project. It was made with a free program called "RPG maker" that was designed to make 16-bit JRPGs (similar to what you'd see on the Super Nintendo back in the early '90s - like Final Fantasy 6 or Chrono Trigger). That's why it looks like an early '90s RPG and lacks voice-over.
It's low on gameplay, there are few puzzles, it's fairly straight-forward, and it takes about 4 to 4 and a half hours to complete.

Take some time to adjust to the old JRPG graphics and the lack of voice-over. If you can do that, you'll be sucked into one of the best and most emotional stories ever written.

The premise is simple: in the future, technology exists to enter a man's mind and give him new memories. This method is used to give a dying person "his final wish".
You play as Dr. Eva and Dr. Neil, who are asked to fulfill the dying wish of an old man (Johnny): he wants to go to the moon. But he doesn't know why.
Dr. Eva and Dr. Neil have to enter Johnny's memories and work their way back from his final years to his youth to find out WHY he wants to go to the moon, and to change his memories, so that he *remembers* that he went to the moon (even if he didn't really do it).
As the two doctors work their way back through Johnny's memories, they learn a lot about his life. This journey through his memories is very gripping, very emotional and even very romantic.

It's one of the most beautiful stories I've seen in a game, and the music in it is great as well!
It took me 4 hours and 20 minutes to finish this game, and I think that I was crying for more than half the time. It's THAT emotional!

"To the Moon" is a testament to life and love. Not playing it is missing out on a great GREAT story...

[lewuz]

You riddle me, Advie.
1st - I trust review more than man from street. Reviewer usually has competence to rate a game, s/he has enough experience, knowledge etc to be just. Teenager my jump in the air and scream "COD FTW, best game EVER" without having exp with other games. Its hard to trust such rating without knowing raters background.
Of course there is subjective liking. U say that u have enjoyed games with bad reviews? I bet we all have experienced that. At the same time u agree with some good reviews, while others dont. I have written good reviews for games which have got bad reviews from elsewhere and other way around. Liking is subjective and this brings us to...
2nd point - you are asking more hype for To the Moon, after all it already got? Man, if this gaming world shockwave didn't convince you, then it may not be your cup of tea. Im not sure asking others to hype it is right way to go. We shouldn't convince u to like it, attraction should come by itself. Don't force yourself to try it as u see more negative aspects that way. One day if u reconsider just without reason, try it then.

Eg I have no interest for Gabriel Knight series, Tex Murphy series, Black Mirror series, even old Sierra titles. Many of them are very highly respected as u know. But I just feel that certain gameplay elements, horror etc do not attract me. I dont say i never try those, i might start feel some pull at some point, but not right now.

Imo TTM is good, i think i gave it 4 out of 5.

[WitchOfDoubt]

If you want to play To the Moon as a game, you can. It just requires you to think actively, without being explicitly prompted to do so.

How to play:

1) Go through the scenes slowly and methodically.

2) As you do, try to figure out what is going on and solve the implied mysteries of a character's past and work out what happened to his relationship with his wife.

It's rather like reading a novel in that sense. Much of what you get out of it depends on the emotional investment you put into it. If you don't like any of the characters or care for the situation, it's not going to forcibly engage you with puzzles.

Just as people rarely likes the books they feel "obliged to read" for school, I don't think anyone is going to care for a game that they play because they think it's "too important not to play" or "highly recommended but not my cup of tea."

[Adventurere No.1]

it is not strange lewuz when understand other people points of view, and a review is still as you said one man experience ..

ok ... so let me ask you this, how you choose your game?, and you said you have no interest for Gabriel Knight series, Tex Murphy series, Black Mirror series ... did you try one of each and avoided the rest or you dont like games with real/serious theme and you would rather go for the cartoony themed ones

..anyway you dont think that this might change, some games never get old you know..

if you can answer me i would be happy to know how can you judge an adventure you hadnt play, but i will tell you as an example for me ,TMoS i tried more than 5 years ago to play and i couldnt stand to play more than 5 mins of it and now after i ve been here in these forums for more than 3 months now, and i read some comments and praises for it, i played it and forced myself to forget about that stupid camera viewing and the slow moving of Peter Wright and you know what, Now its the best Game i have played in ages and i wonder how could anyone neglect that gem .

[Oscar]

Umm....err... it's a game?

But really, I didn't like the game at all. I love those Japanese RPGs the game's visuals are designed around, but the story isn't usually the best part of those games, so a game based ENTIRELY around the story just doesn't do it for me. No matter how good the story is claimed to be.

[lewuz]

Yes, one review is one opinion. But there are sites where different reviewers opinions are calculated (gamerankings, metacritic and places like that).

At this moment I have 305 games in my "to do" list, different genres combined. Nowdays I really think twice before I add a game to this list, it really have to attract me. Reviews have little impact on me regarding new games (it different with games what got released before my gaming start, as I dont have the information I get when observe dev process), as i've made the decision before the game is out. I look visual style from screenshots and videos, story premise etc etc, but more importantly the developer and guys behind the game. For an example, if music composer for a game is Inon Zur, Jesper Kyd, Micheal Gicchanno(probably misspelled right now, sry), i can expect a music which embraces me into atmosphere. There are many aspects. I've been in gaming long enough to trust my insight (its more reasoned to be predjudice, and im more than often right).

I choose a game to play... woah... its complicated... Usually I play what i want/have to review and what computer i have at current point (desktop or less powerful laptop). Then mood and 10 other things (even length, as i sometimes i have to plan my gaming time resource).

Regarding adventures I do prefer comedy and cartoon. I think it has something to do with game pace - point n click is slower than are driving and shooting games. If the game is slow, I want it to keep my spirit up. I do enjoy serious tones (i liked Overclocked and The Moment of Silence (im completely with u regarding camera and moving speed btw), Syberias, To The Moon...) but those games had other attractive features when I dived into them (respectevely: my House of Tales research; impressive visuals and atmosphere; indie star in time I looked into indie field) and i have to have a mood for those.
I do play horror shooters sometimes and I admit there are some good horror movies I like. But those are exceptions, usually horror dont attract me. Same goes with supernatural mysteries. Just not my cup of tea. I dont feel entertained (what games are for me) when Im scared.

Wait - I never judged series I mentioned. I dont say they are good or bad. The thing that they do not attract me is not a judgement. I might enjoy those enormously if I'd try them. But I have over 80 adventures on my list which have sent signals to me that I might enjoy those more. I dont play a game because my neighbour may say its good - I'm independent, I can think myself and make my own choices so yeah - my neighbour can call me stupid if i dont play a game he likes (lets say its Gabriel Knight 5), i dont care. I dont feel social pressure to play something just because some like it. I dont ignore them, I accept and value their opinion, i take it into account if its well argumented. But everyone are different and like differnent things. I play something if/when I want. That brings me to clarification i want to make, i might have been misunderstood. I meant that one day i MIGHT look into those series i mentioned. They all have some points what attract me (Cranberry as dev, film noir style etc) but right now something keeps me back. I guess that the same unidentified force what have kept u away from TTM.

I agree that some games dont get old. I can enjoy old games a lot, eg Beneath the Steel Sky. Age of the game is not a factor for me as far as I know I dont have to spend 2 hours to get it working. As a matter of fact, I prefer to play new games after few months, when worst bugs are hopefully patched.

I hope I made some sense. I have so many things to say regarding such topic (and i have other things going on right now) its hard to make simple and logically structured post right now.

[Adventurere No.1]

Originally Posted by chrissie

If you like a good story To the Moon is great It plays 'Memento' style - It's not full of challenging puzzles - it's quite straight forward and easy but worth a few hours of your time if you like a good tale!

Originally Posted by diego

Something good about "
If you're not into the retro graphics and interactive movies, you might not enjoy it, or really need to "open your mind" - be patient and full of tolerance in order to enjoy it.

Originally Posted by TimovieMan

To the Moon was my favourite game of 2011.
There's a few things you need to keep in mind: this was more or less a one-man project.
you'll be sucked into one of the best and most emotional stories ever written.

very emotional and even very romantic.
It's one of the most beautiful stories I've seen in a game, and the music in I think that I was crying for more than half the time. It's THAT emotional!
"To the Moon" is a testament to life and love. Not playing it is missing out on a great GREAT story...

Originally Posted by WitchOfDoubt

It's rather like reading a novel in that sense. Much of what you get out of it depends on the emotional investment you put into it. If you don't like any of the characters or care for the situation, it's not going to forcibly engage you with puzzles.
"

i guess there are nothing better than that can be said, the story ,the music and the emotional theme ... thanks ALL for taking the time.