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Sep 24th, 2018 at 21:10:32 - Nier Automata (PS4) |
I was very excited to play today. I took greater care when looking at the main menu system. I Noticed the main menu looks like it's glitching out with lines coming across like an old VHS movie, but more digitized. The game title looks like it's trying to be taken over by something or maybe like it's breaking away from something.
Seems as if you're memories were uploaded to base and then you were given a body. This was interesting to find out. The game then presented a nice cinematic that gives the backstory. Apparently an invading alien race of machine life-forms took over and the few survivors fled to moon. They made and android army and send them on missions to recover earth.
The Tutorial for UI menu system was interesting and helped set the tone of the game. There seemed to be some sort of alternative response system to questions that I'm unsure if will change story, but really hope it does. Setting self destruct to on feels surreal, it's strange that they make you set this and think about what it means. Looking back I wonder what would happen if I left it off.
During this first mission the Animals don't attack you. I decided to leave them alone, thinking that the game wanted me to recognize that nature needs to win this battle in general, not just humanity. What is strange is that even some of the enemies don't attack if unprovoked. I'm not sure why they chose to implement that.
Meeting other androids really adds insight into what they want the player to think about. For instance the supply trader has been contemplating fixing knee, but it is the only original part left of his original body and he wonders if replacing it makes him no longer him. This is especially interesting when considering you just recently self-destructed and are in a completely different body. I would argue that humanity is in the non-physical aspects.
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Sep 20th, 2018 at 12:33:56 - Nier Automata (PS4) |
Just started Nier: Automata and I have to say that I'm impressed. The game hooked me and made me want to play more. I've played up to the point where you can save the game. So far I have concluded that this game makes an ethical statement about machine reliance and how it could go so incredibly wrong. The game seems to be a post apocalyptic world and I think the main character and supporting characters are android like humanoids. The enemies are obviously machines. At one point your support person, I think the name was 2B, says something to the effect of "nothing machines do have a purpose or makes sense." It seems that machines have either taken over or are in the process of trying to take over, it is unclear at this point. I believe the main character and supporting characters are android like because when your partner is hurt the discombobulated limbs seem to be mechanical and there isn't any blood. Their eyes are also covered at all times. The names are seemingly 2 character hexadecimal codes. Maybe it has been some time after a devastating war becasue there's a scene where you are supposed to be mesmerized by the presence of birds.
In terms of functionality the multiple automated camera angles are fun and interesting. The fights are satisfying and hard enough to challenge without making it impossible. I loved being able to temporarily use my enemies massive arm as a weapon against him - very satisfying. I also like that there seems to be multiple ways to get to the objective point. Thorough exploration led me in a few circles. This feels less linear than other games, even though the outcomes, so far, haven't changed based on route.
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Aug 29th, 2018 at 15:30:59 - Little Nightmares (PS4) |
Today was more of the same. The game continues to be frightening, but now with some puzzle solving while trying to avoid the long-armed man. What's interesting is how successfully the game draws me in. The game genuinely frightens me at times. It has a creepy setting that makes me want nothing more than to escape where I am. So why do I have such a hard time walking away from the game? It's interesting that a game focused on emotions that are generally tend to be viewed negatively can elicit a strong emotional desire to continue playing. I think it's because I feel connected to the character and want to help him escape the horror that seems to be his life.
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Aug 29th, 2018 at 00:14:18 - Little Nightmares (PS4) |
This is my second play session of little nightmares. The game has increasingly gotten scarier. The part where you become starving for the second time in the game particularly stood out to me. The combination of the screen going hazy/ shaking, hearing what sounds like a rumbling stomach, seeing your character dramatically clench their stomach and fall repetitively, and the rumbling of the controller make it all too real. I instantly saw a rat and thought "How can I kill it and eat it quickly." You end up walking into the next room from passage way and instantly notice the dead rat in an open cage. Cages have been ubiquitous so far, but this still felt like a trap. Seeing the signs of hunger increase at a rate that suggests imminent death, however, overrides this initial fear and without hesitation I walked into the trap knowing that the need for food outweighs the dangers of the obvious trap. Watching the hand close the cage on me while I feasted on an uncooked rat corpse was truly unpleasant to experience. This game is very unique in how it imbues a sense of helplessness.
The controller vibrations were an amazing design choice. I later entered a room and when I felt the controller vibrate with that specific rhythm I new the long armed man was near. I instinctively hid in a corner, fearing that he would be walking towards me, hoping he wouldn't see me hunched down in a corner next to another cage. Agonizing seconds went by and he never showed so I tediously inched forward until I could see him wrapping up children and hanging them on a hook conveyor system. Getting past him took a few tries and each time I felt the fear, helplessness, and desperation of the character. When I started churning the crank in the next room I cringed at the loud creaking/ shrieking sound of the metal gears grinding to open the trap door. The long armed man comes rushing into the room and without hesitation I stopped turning the lever and ran for the opening hoping to make it before gravity can close it.
These moments are agonizing and it feels like this game truly invokes empathy towards the main character. It's easy to feel these emotions because of the setting, character, enemies, game mechanics, and game design. They intricately work together to make a truly unique experience.
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| Brando Calrissian's GameLogs |
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Brando Calrissian has been with GameLog for 6 years, 2 months, and 25 days |
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| Entries written to date: 9 |
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