It's been three weeks since the last update on Amazon Prime games. I'm
sure in that interval Amazon has added plenty of awesome games, right?
Let's find out.

* Ghostwire Tokyo (EPIC)
Fight supernatural horrors in a near-future
Tokyo. A surprisingly good game. Not
particularly novel, though, and too much open
-world grind, but pretty good anyway. I found
the monster designs a lot of fun, even if the
mechanics were fairly humdrum. It's not the
sort of game I'd recommend you rush out and buy,
but if you're getting it for (sort-of) free?
It's worth giving it a try.

* Grunnd (Amazon)
A 'dark and gritty' adventure game. Solve the
mystery of the surreal, twisted town. It's got a
unique art style and atmosphere, but gameplay
is reportedly slow and the game doesn't do much
to innovate. Probably for adventure-game
aficionados only.

* Hundred Days (Amazon)
A 'winemaking simulator'. Although it looks like
a tycoon (business management) game focused on
directing your vinery to the top of the market,
it's actually more of a choose-your-own adventure
sort of thing. I'm sure there's a market for this
game; I'm just not in it.

* Unsolved Case: Murderous Script (Amazon)
Another hidden-object game, where discovering
all the concealed items unlocks the next bit of story.
I never got the point of these; it's like someone
took the most aggravating part of old-school
adventures (scouring the screen looking for the item
you needed) and said, "yeah, let's make a game based
on that". Then again, David Cage has made a career
out of stringing together quick-time events, so I guess
there's no accounting for the taste of gamers.

Well, not particularly exciting; without "Ghostwire Tokyo", it would
be another wash. But we're coming up into the holiday season; maybe
Amazon will kick things up a notch in celebration.

On 2023-10-10, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> * Unsolved Case: Murderous Script (Amazon)
> Another hidden-object game, where discovering
> all the concealed items unlocks the next bit of story.
> I never got the point of these; it's like someone
> took the most aggravating part of old-school
> adventures (scouring the screen looking for the item
> you needed) and said, "yeah, let's make a game based
> on that". Then again, David Cage has made a career
> out of stringing together quick-time events, so I guess
> there's no accounting for the taste of gamers.

I also dislike pixel hunters, eventually it becomes a game were you move
the mouse left and right across the screen until the mouse pointer
change. Yuck!

Anyone here can explain the attraction?

--
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Geeknix <usenet@apple.geeknix135.net> looked up from reading the
entrails of the porn spammer to utter "The Augury is good, the signs
say:

>On 2023-10-10, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> * Unsolved Case: Murderous Script (Amazon)
>> Another hidden-object game, where discovering
>> all the concealed items unlocks the next bit of story.
>> I never got the point of these; it's like someone
>> took the most aggravating part of old-school
>> adventures (scouring the screen looking for the item
>> you needed) and said, "yeah, let's make a game based
>> on that". Then again, David Cage has made a career
>> out of stringing together quick-time events, so I guess
>> there's no accounting for the taste of gamers.
>
>I also dislike pixel hunters, eventually it becomes a game were you move
>the mouse left and right across the screen until the mouse pointer
>change. Yuck!
>
>Anyone here can explain the attraction?

Masochism!

Xocyll

Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>
> It's been three weeks since the last update on Amazon Prime games.
> I'm sure in that interval Amazon has added plenty of awesome games,
> right? Let's find out.
>
>
> * Ghostwire Tokyo (EPIC)

Nope, not falling for that one, Epic / Tencent. You are not getting my data.

> * Grunnd (Amazon) A 'dark and gritty' adventure game. Solve the
> mystery of the surreal, twisted town. It's got a unique art style and
> atmosphere, but gameplay is reportedly slow and the game doesn't do
> much to innovate. Probably for adventure-game aficionados only.

It reminds me a bit of Kentucky Route Zero, so I'm giving it a chance.

> * Unsolved Case: Murderous Script (Amazon)

This one is a code for Legacy Games. With that name, I expected they
would offer games even more obscure than GOG (I always wanted to try Les
passagers du vent, released for the amstrad CPC and based on Bourgeon's
bande desinee), but... Sigh. Hidden object games. There are quite a few
good ones, but they are so easy to make that unless somebody can curate
them, it's going to be Sturgeon's law's 90% in full force.

Geeknix wrote:
> On 2023-10-10, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

> I also dislike pixel hunters, eventually it becomes a game were you
> move the mouse left and right across the screen until the mouse
> pointer change. Yuck!

Some old adventure games don't change the cursor when moving over
objects (Maniac mansion for PC will not tell you what you are hovering
over unless you use the "What is" verb. Simon The Sorcerer II has a key
for illuminating objects that can be interacted). But In this kind of
games, you can get penalized if you click spam by lowering the score...
Unless it happens to be a mobile game, where you will run out of
"energy" for interactions and it will offer to buy more energy or wait
until the next day. With no option to just buy the whole game and play
it on your own terms.

On 10/11/2023 1:06 AM, Xocyll wrote:
> Geeknix <usenet@apple.geeknix135.net> looked up from reading the
> entrails of the porn spammer to utter "The Augury is good, the signs
> say:
>
>> On 2023-10-10, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> * Unsolved Case: Murderous Script (Amazon)
>>> Another hidden-object game, where discovering
>>> all the concealed items unlocks the next bit of story.
>>> I never got the point of these; it's like someone
>>> took the most aggravating part of old-school
>>> adventures (scouring the screen looking for the item
>>> you needed) and said, "yeah, let's make a game based
>>> on that". Then again, David Cage has made a career
>>> out of stringing together quick-time events, so I guess
>>> there's no accounting for the taste of gamers.
>>
>> I also dislike pixel hunters, eventually it becomes a game were you move
>> the mouse left and right across the screen until the mouse pointer
>> change. Yuck!
>>
>> Anyone here can explain the attraction?
>
> Masochism!
>
With OCD.

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

>Anyone here can explain the attraction?

I've played one of these, and rather enjoyed it! Part simple puzzle,
part HOG, with a nancy drew level of mystery/ghostly happenings. I found it
relaxing and engaging in a quiet way; no quick reflexes nor a great amount
of keyboard dexterity or mechanics learning curve required.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/209230/Sherlock_Holmes_and_The_Hound_of_The_Baskervilles/

rms

On 10/11/23 04:28, H1M3M wrote:
> Unless it happens to be a mobile game, where you will run out of
> "energy" for interactions and it will offer to buy more energy or wait
> until the next day. With no option to just buy the whole game and play
> it on your own terms.

Wait, there are point and click mobile games? That seems odd.
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

On 10/11/2023 9:21 AM, candycanearter07 wrote:
> On 10/11/23 04:28, H1M3M wrote:
>> Unless it happens to be a mobile game, where you will run out of
>> "energy" for interactions and it will offer to buy more energy or wait
>> until the next day. With no option to just buy the whole game and play
>> it on your own terms.
>
> Wait, there are point and click mobile games? That seems odd.

Isn't that what touchscreens were made for?

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

On 10/11/23 13:42, Dimensional Traveler wrote:
> On 10/11/2023 9:21 AM, candycanearter07 wrote:
>> Wait, there are point and click mobile games? That seems odd.
>
> Isn't that what touchscreens were made for?
>

Seems like it would be harder to fill with ads.
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

On 10/11/2023 5:31 PM, candycanearter07 wrote:
> On 10/11/23 13:42, Dimensional Traveler wrote:
>> On 10/11/2023 9:21 AM, candycanearter07 wrote:
>>> Wait, there are point and click mobile games? That seems odd.
>>
>> Isn't that what touchscreens were made for?
>>
>
> Seems like it would be harder to fill with ads.

Smaller screen makes it easier to cover over the entire game with ads.

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

On 10/11/23 19:56, Dimensional Traveler wrote:
> On 10/11/2023 5:31 PM, candycanearter07 wrote:
>> Seems like it would be harder to fill with ads.
>
> Smaller screen makes it easier to cover over the entire game with ads.
>

Then there is no game.
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

On 10/11/2023 6:04 PM, candycanearter07 wrote:
> On 10/11/23 19:56, Dimensional Traveler wrote:
>> On 10/11/2023 5:31 PM, candycanearter07 wrote:
>>> Seems like it would be harder to fill with ads.
>>
>> Smaller screen makes it easier to cover over the entire game with ads.
>>
>
> Then there is no game.

There is an illusion of a game, that's all that's required. Plus they
save the expense of actually making a working game.

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

On 10/11/23 22:03, Dimensional Traveler wrote:
> There is an illusion of a game, that's all that's required.  Plus they
> save the expense of actually making a working game.
>

Seems some console devs have this philosophy too.
--
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On 10/11/2023 10:06 PM, candycanearter07 wrote:
> On 10/11/23 22:03, Dimensional Traveler wrote:
>> There is an illusion of a game, that's all that's required.  Plus they
>> save the expense of actually making a working game.
>>
>
> Seems some console devs have this philosophy too.

I don't do consoles.

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

On 10/12/23 01:58, Dimensional Traveler wrote:
> On 10/11/2023 10:06 PM, candycanearter07 wrote:
>> On 10/11/23 22:03, Dimensional Traveler wrote:
>>> There is an illusion of a game, that's all that's required.  Plus
>>> they save the expense of actually making a working game.
>>>
>>
>> Seems some console devs have this philosophy too.
>
> I don't do consoles.
>

Most modern games. I was just pointing out consoles in particular
because of all the triple A exclusives.
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

On 2023-10-11, H1M3M <wipnoah@gmail.com> wrote:
> Geeknix wrote:
>> On 2023-10-10, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I also dislike pixel hunters, eventually it becomes a game were you
>> move the mouse left and right across the screen until the mouse
>> pointer change. Yuck!
>
> Some old adventure games don't change the cursor when moving over
> objects (Maniac mansion for PC will not tell you what you are hovering
> over unless you use the "What is" verb. Simon The Sorcerer II has a key
> for illuminating objects that can be interacted). But In this kind of
> games, you can get penalized if you click spam by lowering the score...

Good to know. I have played a few but guess I missed these, looks like
Simon The Sorcerer II is free on Steam!

--
Don't be afraid of the deep...
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--[ /query geeknix on libera.chat | tilde.chat ]--

On 2023-10-11, rms <rsquiresMOO@MOOflashMOO.net> wrote:
>>Anyone here can explain the attraction?
>
> I've played one of these, and rather enjoyed it! Part simple puzzle,
> part HOG, with a nancy drew level of mystery/ghostly happenings. I found it
> relaxing and engaging in a quiet way; no quick reflexes nor a great amount
> of keyboard dexterity or mechanics learning curve required.
>
> https://store.steampowered.com/app/209230/Sherlock_Holmes_and_The_Hound_of_The_Baskervilles/

Added to wishlist I give the genre another go, I sometimes like games
that don't require quick reflexes or keyboard dexterity also :)

--
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candycanearter07 wrote:
> On 10/11/23 04:28, H1M3M wrote:

> Wait, there are point and click mobile games? That seems odd.
I mean hidden object games. I know it's not technically correct, but I
still use "Point and click" for graphical adventure games like the Lucas
games and the later Sierra games were they dropped the text parser.