Adventure Gamers - Forums

I’m playing the iOS version of The Last Express, having never played it on PC. I have a quick question that I’m hoping someone can answer. The game seems to have a smattering of action sequences (such as a knife fight between Cath and a Russian guy in Cath’s compartment). In the iOS version, this is handled with a QTE-like interface, with the player tapping on-screen prompts to avoid the knife and attack the aggressor. Can anyone tell me how it works on PC?

On PC, clicking the mouse made Robert duck or move. This required precise but not overly difficult timing.

Thanks! Do you remember if you were clicking in response to an on-screen prompt (like in a QTE), or if you could click whenever you wanted to and needed to time your actions to what was happening on screen?

Just trying to get a sense for whether the gameplay has been changed at all on iOS, or if it’s basically the same.

EDIT: Never mind, the Let’s Play Kuru posted answered my question. Why didn’t I think to go to YouTube…?

Just a quick note: When I played TLE on iPad, I switched off all indicators (cursors) and had no problem moving around, picking items etc. But I guess it is because of all these years that I spent with this game. Some reviews mentioned that controls of iOS conversion are not very good, but I guess it might be problem on iPhone, because of small screen, more than on iPad. Any opinion is welcome.
Oh, btw, The Last Express (iOS version) is 40 % off for limited time.
http://www.dotemu.com/en/jordan-mechner-s-classic-the-last-express-discounted-on-ios

That’s partly why I was asking - I just finished up a write-up for an upcoming AG article and wanted to make sure I understood what had been changed in the port. It seems that the way they’ve done the fights is less “thinky” (e.g. you’re not timing your actions based on what’s happening, like you did on PC), but it’s an interface/mechanic that iOS gamers are probably familiar with.

I don’t think the controls are buggy necessarily, just that they don’t translate too well to the small screen. On an iPad they probably work better. But I also think it’s not an insurmountable issue for people who want to play this game and the new iOS port is their only option. I happen to have a terrible sense of direction and that makes the control system tough for me, but it probably would be on the PC, too.

Anyway, my impressions of the port will be appearing on AG in the near future, I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise.

fov - 05 January 2013 12:03 PM

That’s partly why I was asking - I just finished up a write-up for an upcoming AG article and wanted to make sure I understood what had been changed in the port. It seems that the way they’ve done the fights is less “thinky” (e.g. you’re not timing your actions based on what’s happening, like you did on PC), but it’s an interface/mechanic that iOS gamers are probably familiar with.

I don’t think the controls are buggy necessarily, just that they don’t translate too well to the small screen. On an iPad they probably work better. But I also think it’s not an insurmountable issue for people who want to play this game and the new iOS port is their only option. I happy to have a terrible sense of direction and that makes the control system tough for me - but it probably would be on the PC, too.

Anyway, my impressions of the port will be appearing on AG in the near future, I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise.

I am looking forward to your impressions
As for the directions, all those additions like bluescreen in your inventory showing where you are + other things are good improvements reflecting what gamers possibly missed in the original game, imho. I think before gamer gets used to new locations, one is confused. Just like on the actual train. And I remember people were saying it is so annoying you have to click all the time to move, but they somehow did not realize all you have to do is double click and you move along automatically :-)
Well, I only finished TLE on iPad once, but I do not remember there was any kind of change in fights (controls) compared to PC version. Both require timing, mostly defense - or you are killed. But I am afraid I am missing the point all the way, so I’d better go and play some game

Maybe I’m mistaken? It seemed to me that in fights on the iOS version you just had to tap on the icon when it appeared, rather than watching the opponent and tapping based on his movement. The end result is the same but the game’s telling you when to tap…?

fov - 05 January 2013 12:21 PM

Maybe I’m mistaken? It seemed to me that in fights on the iOS version you just had to tap on the icon when it appeared, rather than watching the opponent and tapping based on his movement. The end result is the same but the game’s telling you when to tap…?

I do not know, to be honest, might be because I did not like all those controls showing up all the time and switched them off, so I guess if you have them on, you are more guided during fights (understandable, because fights were considered to be difficult by quite a lot of gamers).
I am sure only about PC version (but you can see it on video, so nothing new in what I write): if you can grab the knife, for example, cursor of hand appears. In more difficult fights, you can choose from attack right/left or defend down/up. Hmm, I am tempted to play TLE (PC) now, as I have the most interesting part of the game ahead of me.

Sorry for confusion, I confused myself and I curse my bad memory and not having iPad, so I can check TLE now with controls on :-)