I know I sound like a grumpy old man, but there are too many games coming out that claim to be both Metroidvania and Roguelike. Everyone wants to have a catchy new thing to advertise, but this just doesn't work.

Metroidvania games are hand-crafted, with everything exactly where it was the last time you played through. The story unfolds from gradually opening up new areas and knowing that, if you miss something in the first playthrough, it will still be there the next time you play the game. Permadeath and Procedural generation are exactly the opposite of everything that Metroidvania games require. Power-ups and bosses are not enough to make something a Metroidvania. The word is going to lose all meaning.

[rant over]

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Great to see Knockout Games is back!

none of it is randomly generated

Yay!

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Quoting: M@GOidOne gamepad I wish got PC support already is the GameSir G5.

That looks closer to the design I would like, with a read D-pad. However, they lost the proper ABXY buttons, which keeps it as only for phones. I note they went with a different back button design. It would be interesting to try.

I like the idea of more programmable buttons, but I can see that Valve may not want to get too complicated. The extra configuration of the SC already scares a lot of gamers.

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Quoting: GuestI must say I was quite disappointed by the "cheap plastic" feel of the SC.

Depending on your needs the SC is either brilliant or a let-down. Personally, I really like it, but know that it doesn't fit some game types.

1) I don't like the haptic so I turn it off completely. It doesn't "rumble" in the same was as you might be used to, so that may be a disappointment.

2) The lack of a real D-pad is a frustration for me. I like metroidvania platformers and using a thumbstick isn't the same for many precision games. Some people report loving the left thumbpad, but I never like it.

3) The under-side squeeze buttons felt fragile to me, but they have held up to millions of clicks so far.

4) The ABXY buttons are a little small and close together, but I got used to it.

Good side:

a) For First-Person games, this thing rocks. I love the touch-pad for mouse look and the gyro fine-tune is awesome. No, it won't be enough for competitive games, but that is not me. I love sitting back with the controller and not having to use a keyboard.

b) I love the under-side squeeze buttons, even thought they should feel a little more solid. Other controllers should adopt them.

c) Adaptability is great. Both Steam and SCC allow me to make the controller anything I want. This has saved me in many games that would be otherwise unplayable.

YMMV

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Thanks for the mini review. I just picked up their bundle to complete my collection.

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Glad to see it is out for Linux. I am keeping my eye on this one...

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Quoting: xaviRogue Legacy play is quite metroidvania, but instead of three lives, you have one, but each time you play you will be more prepared and you will explore more.

I have played pretty much every good Metroidvania for Linux and enjoyed almost all of them. On the other hand, I played Rogue Legacy and didn't like it at all. It is missing almost everything I like about metroidvania games.

However, don't get me wrong. Everyone has different tastes and I respect that other people love rogue-likes. Indie games are great at experimenting with new things and, who knows, maybe there will be some experiment that I like in the future.

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Rogue-lite, metroidvania

So, like a very black sort of white? Or maybe a wet kind of dry.

In my mind rogue-anything and metroidvania are so opposite that they should co-annihilate in a puff of gamma radiation when brought close together.

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Well, it is nice that Valve seem to be trying to address flaws in their system. I will repeat my mantra, though:

If you don't release your methodology, your stats are junk.

View this comment - View article - View full comments

The video was hilariously cheesy. I loved it. (It helps that I drink my Americano black).

Although I have absolutely no need for this machine myself, I am glad it exists. You go, System76!

View this comment - View article - View full comments