Underground Scenes of the Week - 7 May 2007
 

http://home.comcast.net/~snarkibartf...thingamiss.png

Ah yes! The magnetic coin. Usually to be found under grates, in drains and other unaccessible places, and only retrievable by that trusty adventure game contraption, the magnet-on-a-stick. Presumably, all these games take place in some strange country where coins are actually ferromagnetic. Maybe Canada.

I shouldn't be making fun of this particular game (which should be familiar to anyone who follows this forum), because (a) it turns out that the coin is Chinese, and who knows whether they have magnetic coins in China, and (b) MRI machines produce insanely strong magnetic fields, so even the slightest bit of magnetism make metal objects shoot across the room. Not only are these doctors performing clandestine human experiments, their safety precautions leave a lot to be desired. Figures!

http://www.darscom.net/spooks.png

Here's a well-received game from last year, loved for its primarily black and white style (which, as you all know, I approve of), its sense of polish, and the fact that it was made by a girl (because everyone knows that girls make the best Underground games).

Considering Cirque de Zale, I would tend to agree. Admittedly, that is one of the very few Underground games I've ever played through, so I'm not speaking from a lot of experience.

Well, in that case, it's worth mentioning that games made by genderless cyborgs are even better than games made by girls. :D

Though I feel bad for criticizing an underground game that is very accomplished in many respects, I have to admit that I'm a bit mystified over all the praise that gets heaped on Spooks. Didn't anyone else find it... pretty bland? The game makes a big deal of Mortia as an "adorably cynical" rebel, but she isn't exactly Greg House (or Alexander Zale), is she?

The puzzles and the graphics are good, but I wish the story had more bite and less cutesy. KQ7 comparisons may be unfair... but come to mind nevertheless.

Underground Scene of the Day - Friday 11 May 2007
 

http://home.comcast.net/~snarkibartf...ototypical.png

Nice, eh? The game isn't out yet, but there's a demo to try in the mean time.

Hmm. The reason I liked it was because it was cutesy, not because I found it edgy. Still, I do agree that there may have been too much praise, perhaps actually having to do with the gender of the game's creator. *shrugs*

I only give good reviews to games in an attempt to get into the authors pants. It didn't work with Spooks, but The Shivah review certainly got me a night in the sack with Dave. ;)

TMI. TMI...

Well, at least it got you into the programmer's pants... :shifty:

Cute game, with good puzzles and graphics. That may describe most of my favourite games. Not that I mind bite in a story, but it's not something I must have.

The robot game might become interesting.

It's not that I have anything against cute games as such (that Prototypical robot is adorable, for instance). But Spooks goes for a slightly edgier tone, I think. And in my opinion it ends up being a little bit off. The heroine is so transparently nice that it never becomes necessary to take her sharp tongue seriously. Great abrasive characters (Dr. House, first-season Veronica Mars, Cirque de Zale's Alexander Zale, The Shivah's Rabbi Stone) push the bounds of likability, they challenge us to disapprove. Mortia is altogether too safe to cut it. (Again, nothing wrong with a goody-goody heroine, but Spooks starts out with her going around insulting everyone, which is a bit pointless if we never believe in her as a bad girl.)

Tone is a very tricky thing, and very subjective. Spooks didn't quite work for me, but clearly a lot of others loved it, and that's great. It's not like every game has to be designed to please me.

"Something Amiss" is now the second Underground adventure I've played based on these threads. I don't usually visit the underground forum, but started when these "scenes" threads appeared.

Just so you know that it has an impact on someone.. ;)

Thank you!

You're very welcome. :D