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Episode Two: complete! Thoughts?

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Posts

  • rubicsrubics Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    I enjoyed the game. My only gripe is not being able to play through insane from the start. I hate having to unlock difficulty modes, even though that's common in so many games.

    rubics on
    Pearl Code: 0903 0254 5784
  • ScooterScooter Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    You know I joked about it before, but the whole 'kill fricking EVERYONE' bit bothered me to. I mean I don't mind if they kill all the random scientists, w/e but I liked whimple and the mime and, considering I just spent all that time getting him out of an asylum, I was pissed Crazior died to. There was no real reason for them to be killed there that I can see and being a sentimental lady that I am, the idea of two fuckers being vaporized right before getting married or meeting thier daughter just rubs me the wrong way. It's not exactly the sort of material I read Penny-arcade for.

    Like I mentioned in my post, (speculation spoiler?)
    I'm really hoping that Stripe's fiance was Crazoir's daughter, and that she shows up in Ep 3 looking for revenge for both of them. Not only would it then make killing them off worth something, but it would make their comments something more than just fucking with our heartstrings.

    Also, I noticed that the two of them were hanging out together at the symposium, and Crazoir was saying he'd just found out about her.

    Scooter on
  • ReaganReagan Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    As a lot of people mentioned, perhaps in ep3 the team will travel to underhell. If that was already in the works perhaps the writers needed a device to bring characters not in the main party into underhell to continue to build on previous stories. Maybe, just maybe we haven't seen the last of Wimple, Crazor and the mime?

    Reagan on
  • Santa ClaustrophobiaSanta Claustrophobia Ho Ho Ho Disconnecting from Xbox LIVERegistered User regular
    edited November 2008
    I think Ep. 2 is supposed to be darker. Like Empire Strikes Back or something. But killing most of the enemies in the swank part of town were still off-putting.

    Still don't like the block mechanic. And now I have to get a character to 40 hits? Through blocking? Hope those giant fucking conversation bubbles at the start of a fight don't block the screen as an enemy launches an attack. Also nice to know that Partial Blocks also break the combo. And Counterattacking was much harder this time around.

    Did it seem to anybody else that even when opening the inventory window (which is still a pain to navigate on the 360) it didn't pause combat this time. I could swear those motherfuckers were just launching attacks. And waiting for Tycho's mini-game to generate the proper targets sometimes sucked. I could swear I saw enemies healing up whilst waiting.

    Which brings up Tycho's third attack. Fuck. That. Noise. Whatever damage a perfect does had better be worth that aggravation. I tried it once. Once. I didn't find Gabe's to be that hard and mine was much easier than Ep. 1, but Tycho's third was just simply not worth it.

    And does every little fucking object in the game world have to have collision? Anne-Claire's room was awash in collision. How about broken objects lose their collision afterward? I promise I won't get mad at seeing characters walk through downed trashcans and such if it means Gabe and/or Tycho aren't constantly penning me in.

    It was nice that we could cycle through viewable objects. Now how about next time objects that don't regenerate get put on an ignore list once they've been viewed?

    The checkpoint shortcut at the asylum was nice. The lack of the same kinds of shortcuts at either Riverbrook Park or the Fair sucked.

    And the gilding of the dog? I admit I'm not much of a fan of dogs, but that shit was cold.

    I did enjoy it. The price was certainly more reasonable and the length was improved (I'd have been happy with just the new price). The writing/scripting was good (Ep. 1 was a bit better somehow).

    Santa Claustrophobia on
  • trentsteeltrentsteel Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    Well I loved this episode (especially
    Getting Dr. Whimple's paper signed...to bad he died :(

    I only have two complaints:

    1 My character's hair color changed.

    2 The boss fight at the end but I'm sure that's been discussed.

    trentsteel on
    http://www.botsnthings.com/
    I made a TD for iphone and windows phone!

  • DreadPirateAmyDreadPirateAmy Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    I pretty much couldn't like Episode 1 any more even if I tried. I loved that damn game. That being said, I thought Episode 2 was even better.
    Which brings up Tycho's third attack. Fuck. That. Noise. Whatever damage a perfect does had better be worth that aggravation. I tried it once. Once. I didn't find Gabe's to be that hard and mine was much easier than Ep. 1, but Tycho's third was just simply not worth it

    I got really good at Tycho's third attack by the end. And I liked that pulling off any given charater's final attack wasn't necessarily the "I win" button. You had to choose which one you were going to use based on the situation. I maxed out everyone's Overkill bonus.
    And, sweet Jesus, bleed effects. FTW.

    The negatives:
    The end fight, yeah, that was kind of lame. It reminded me of one of those puzzles they give second graders to teach them about using logic. "Jimmy is taller than Sally. Sally is shorter than Tommy. Tommy is taller than Jimmy. Put them in order of height."

    The other thing that kind of pissed me off was that right before the last boss fight in Episode 1, there was a warning message that said "Hey, you're not going to be able to go back to get the rest of your collectables, so go now." There was no such message in the second one. So I was thinking, "Oh, hey, great, they've improved so many other things, I guess now you can go back through the world after you finish." Nope. Very sad.

    And yes, the minigame should be playable on its own after you beat the game.

    DreadPirateAmy on
  • trentsteeltrentsteel Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    I thought my character's special move was absolutely brutal. I HATED it. I love Gabe's though.

    trentsteel on
    http://www.botsnthings.com/
    I made a TD for iphone and windows phone!

  • MistressKanaMistressKana Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    I personally loved the special attack mini games this time aorund. In the first one I could never pull of Gabe's and I could never do Tycho's third. This time around I was actually capable off pulling them of with some regularity.

    MistressKana on
  • LeviantLeviant Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    The game was great, but... things just confused me, or i was just unable to to things properly
    I wasn't able to bring back the petition for Whimple :( i don't know how (not reading any walkthroughs) to get all of them singed, it always has one missing, either the short one of the spiky old haired guy.

    Sissy Boss fight sure gave me a laugh when it went on screen, but i wished Charles, as a character lasted longer, or we could all visit them in HELL in the next episode.. lol . Same goes for Crazoir, it was just.. you know.. sad

    FF Prime? all it gave me was a smile cause, well THEY WERE HUMONGOUS, and i'm sooo totally blank what the robot's attack was for and how to use em properly :(

    I think "enemy" here, is coined as "Anything near-fcuking annoying is good enough to kill" . lol killing mushy couples, but kill them for their ring? thats a bit.. harsh ow well.

    still the comedy was there, thats it, still giggling of the Clair Bot's dialogues.

    hates: more like " annoyed with "
    My Character's Special Attack, no matter what level, i suck so bad, i barely get it right, finished 78% of the game on first run and still unable to master it's proper accelerating timer. I managed to get 11/15 overkills though.

    The Final fight lacking GREAT EPICness, but i never really saw it coming THAT WAY. When I've seen the words "Silk" or whatever, i was thinking GIANT FUCHSIA, in battle against FF Prime. But no.. ow well

    When, Crazoir and Charles died. nuff said

    Dr. Mondo, or whatever, lacking intro or something, i mean he was referred as Mr. M or something, but when he popped up on the Symposium, its like.. you know "who's he?" . Remember in Ep.1? Golden Hair dude had at least something.


    time for pure speculation for upcoming episodes <3 : hey, i tend to imagine~ :D
    1. We get to kill politicians, nerds, jocks, cheerleaders, homos, garbage collectors, and presidents of the world.

    2. The story behind the four gods attempting to invade ours was due to Gabe punching the devil. then things got totally complicated

    3. You have to beat Jesus Christ in a fighting game or top his Bejeweled high score (mini game)

    4. Since the Swindle guy is already fcking rich, Frank will be the new salesman

    5. The enemy side gets their own freaking genius kid named GALAHAD

    6. Pacman will become a support character

    7. They'll meet Mr. Zombie in hell

    8. the MERCH will be the other boss GOD they'll be fighting against


    NEXT WEAPON: Shovel > Shovel with protruding spikes> scythe-like shovel


    though i have to disagree with others saying the game was hard, or gabe's and tycho's were too difficult, or maybe that's just me. loved the gameplay, except for the times the angle/formation was bad for clicking the enemy for initiating special attacks. Will now attempt on insane mode

    Leviant on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • DreadPirateAmyDreadPirateAmy Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    So, I have a question. All these people who are hating/having trouble with the special attacks... what platform are you playing on? I'm thinking this might hold the answer.

    DreadPirateAmy on
  • Ghostly ClockworkGhostly Clockwork Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    Me, I'm playing on the PC. And the only one i'm haveing problems with is Gabe's, with the PC's and Tyco's attacks, no problem, I can get the top level attack most of the time, but with Gabe's, I can barely get his first one.

    Ghostly Clockwork on
    FTC: honk.
    FTC: HONK.

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    PAX Prime 2014 Resistance Tournament Winner
  • LeviantLeviant Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    Windows, but in my case, i just don't know, maybe I really just CAN'T pull it[my character] off decently.. lol

    Leviant on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • Santa ClaustrophobiaSanta Claustrophobia Ho Ho Ho Disconnecting from Xbox LIVERegistered User regular
    edited November 2008
    Somebody was having that problem on the PC with Gabe's attack earlier in the thread and they discovered that by using both hands it was easier. I play on the 360 and it's usually only when I'm not paying attention that I can't pull it off and the 360 uses the shoulder buttons...

    Santa Claustrophobia on
  • MistressKanaMistressKana Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    You know why I think we're all so off put by the couple killing and mime murdering in this episode?


    If you think about Penny Arcade, you might recall it has a bloody history. Gabe and Tycho are routinely murdered, fucked up stuff happens to people at least once a month in the strip.

    But here's the thing: the strip's continunuity is as thin as sweat.

    If Gabe kicks Tycho's head into a counter, splitting it in half, we are not bothered because we know that in the next comic Tycho will be perfectly fine. We assume paramedics were able to put him back together again or soemthing. Hell, he may not even remember it ever happened. The violence is magicly wiped away in two days time.

    Now in the game it's an on going story. Your scienist friends aren't going to pop up at the local ice cream parlor to get a sunday or some shit. They're actually dead. Even if you see them in under hell, well, they're still dead and ontop of that now they're rotting in hell. Forever. That sucks.

    Anyway i thought that might give our angered feelings some clarity. It's not that the violence is un-penny arcade, it's that the context in which it's occuring is very different then we're accustomed to.

    MistressKana on
  • DreadPirateAmyDreadPirateAmy Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    Somebody was having that problem on the PC with Gabe's attack earlier in the thread and they discovered that by using both hands it was easier. I play on the 360 and it's usually only when I'm not paying attention that I can't pull it off and the 360 uses the shoulder buttons...

    I had a theory that it might be pc. I'm wondering if it might be frame rate related. I've had problems like that before while testing games. And it not only happens when the computer isn't up to snuff, but if you're computer is "too good" and a frame rate cap hasn't been set in the game, that can really screw things up too.

    And I just seem to think the XBox bumpers don't register particularly well.

    DreadPirateAmy on
  • SoultakerSoultaker Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    I'm wondering if it might be frame rate related.
    I think you're right. I noticed that the frame rate isn't too high at full screen resolution on Linux (I complained about it at the Greenhouse forum) and noticed that it made the fast games effectively unplayable; both at (much) lower resolutions and on Windows the frame rate is high, and the problem disappears.

    Sure, I sometimes mess up an attack, but it's like 10% of the cases, where with the flaky frame rate I'd actually succeed around 10% of the times I tried. Sometimes I had the idea that the needle for the rake-attack moved completely over the hit-area in a single frame. So yeah, I think frame rate is key here.
    And it not only happens when the computer isn't up to snuff, but if you're computer is "too good" and a frame rate cap hasn't been set in the game, that can really screw things up too.
    I do think this game is frame rate limited though; on low resolutions (and one Windows) the CPU usage is way below 100%, which indicates that it doesn't try to do as many frames as possible. Also, the attack games are implemented in Flash, which I believe has a fixed frame rate too.

    Soultaker on
  • LeviantLeviant Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    Insane mode has got to be a blessing, I'm getting the hang of it, *cough* hoe weapon *cough*
    get to counter attack better,
    i think the HP-flash is confusing me in normal mode

    i recently just understood why my weapons were glowing... lol the "hits", i was unable to read it from the episode 2 tutorial properly the first time, neither in episode one when i used to whack things with a Rake.


    uhh... question
    When battling with Dr. Wolfington[Sanitarium Boss], can you really BLOCK/Counter-attack his Mesmerize? I simply can't let go of Gabe's 40 hit blue fists of fury XD I'm currently on insane mode right now and ENJOYING the challenge. I'M ACTUALLY USING ITEMS NOW!

    i'm asking here cause i don't want to make a new thread just for that :P




    On windows, I used the lowest resolution with normal graphics for best gameplay, reaction time, whatever. I tried hovering the cursor on higher resolution, it.. kinda lags, I mean the cursor's sensitivity significantly decreased. my pc is uses an Intel Core 2 , and a gig of ram, and a 512 vid card.

    seriously, gabe has got to be the one with the easiest Special Atk. :D

    Leviant on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • stebuustebuu Crabs are fucking crazy, and I hate horses Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    i really wish the insane collectibles stuck around. i missed the fourth one.

    stebuu on
  • LinkWorshiperLinkWorshiper Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    My game was a bit laggy here and there, which made any of the special attacks impossible, but when it was cooperating, I was okay with nailing it. I was running the game on a MacPro, and fudging around with the resolution was what got me more or less on track with it. So I think the theory about the framerate is bang on.

    Having said that, I really enjoyed the game. I think the story really exemplifies what an excellent writer Tycho truly is, though I feel as if this particular game will act as more of a bridge between the first and the next one. Every little detail is going to come back, I just know it, and that makes me nerd!flail, though. The dialogue is so well-written for the record: it's that same smart, snappy humour that gives PA so much punch in the first place. I think Tycho and Gabe would be pleased to know that I managed to even get total non-PA nerds playing the game too 8D!!

    LinkWorshiper on
  • MongerMonger I got the ham stink. Dallas, TXRegistered User regular
    edited November 2008
    You know why I think we're all so off put by the couple killing and mime murdering in this episode?


    If you think about Penny Arcade, you might recall it has a bloody history. Gabe and Tycho are routinely murdered, fucked up stuff happens to people at least once a month in the strip.

    But here's the thing: the strip's continunuity is as thin as sweat.

    If Gabe kicks Tycho's head into a counter, splitting it in half, we are not bothered because we know that in the next comic Tycho will be perfectly fine. We assume paramedics were able to put him back together again or soemthing. Hell, he may not even remember it ever happened. The violence is magicly wiped away in two days time.

    Now in the game it's an on going story. Your scienist friends aren't going to pop up at the local ice cream parlor to get a sunday or some shit. They're actually dead. Even if you see them in under hell, well, they're still dead and ontop of that now they're rotting in hell. Forever. That sucks.

    Anyway i thought that might give our angered feelings some clarity. It's not that the violence is un-penny arcade, it's that the context in which it's occuring is very different then we're accustomed to.
    To offer a bit of a different perspective, this is exactly what I loved about this episode. PA is a webcomic, and, as such, it's meant to be transitory. You flip open the comic, maybe laugh a bit, close it, then move on. A couple days later, you pull it back up and start fresh. You go into the game with the expectation of a similar transitory experience, and it subverts that expectation pretty intentionally. We got hints of it in the first episode, with a bit of talk about Tycho's family being obsessed with ending the world, and they lay it on a lot thicker here. It's still dark comedy in the same form as the comic, but the comedy is much darker because the context forces you to consider its implications ("It's not personal, it's just a money thing!"). Think Burn After Reading.

    I think whether or not it rubs you the wrong way depends on whether or not you appreciate the subversion. Personally, I do. I like the disorienting feel of random, unexpected character death, and I like the twist on the nature of the heroes (given that we may be working to destroy the world, and the good doctor may be saving it).

    Monger on
  • ShabsShabs Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    I pretty much loved everything about Episode 2. The story was on par with Episode 1, I loved the combat and new weapon specials (so satisfying to nail Tycho's 3rd special!), and I thought the environments were more interesting.
    I'm surprised to see people so put off by the death of all the scientists. I hate when movies "play it safe" and you know the main characters will make it out alive. The death of the characters I was attached to was actually quite shocking to me, and I can appreciate a plot twist that I absolutely did not see coming. I really wanted to destroy that huge Fruitfucker after it killed off my man Whimple.

    I have no doubt they'll have an equally strong story for Episode 3, and I look forward to it when it comes out!

    (I don't mind the wait between episodes. The gameplay is essentially the same across the games, so I don't want to get fatigued by it.)

    Shabs on
  • Santa ClaustrophobiaSanta Claustrophobia Ho Ho Ho Disconnecting from Xbox LIVERegistered User regular
    edited November 2008
    After playing through it a few more times to wrap up the final achievements, I'll say I kind of miss the story from the first episode. It felt better somehow. Episode 2 seems to lack focus.

    Santa Claustrophobia on
  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    edited November 2008
    KalTorak wrote: »
    Hey, Thomas Kemper was anything but useless! He ate up time and let your moves charge up.
    Though Mr. Tails is a good replacement - take a lot of time as well as doing decent damage.

    He was also a smart bomb if he got a critical hit

    Tube on
  • DrunkMcDrunkMc Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Fuck the petition signing. I get the puzzle, but it's annoying to go through the dialogue with each scientist.

    KalTorak wrote: »
    Hey, Thomas Kemper was anything but useless! He ate up time and let your moves charge up.
    Though Mr. Tails is a good replacement - take a lot of time as well as doing decent damage.

    He was also a smart bomb if he got a critical hit


    My first playthrough he must have critted 5 times, once I think the first hit on a boss. My 2nd playtrhough after my PC crashed and I wanted to get DIV, he didn't crit once. Damn cat. :(

    DrunkMc on
  • jefe414jefe414 "My Other Drill Hole is a Teleporter" Mechagodzilla is Best GodzillaRegistered User regular
    edited December 2008
    I'm an idiot. I have 2/3 costumes. Where are they (inventory in the office?) and how do I use them?

    jefe414 on
    Xbox Live: Jefe414
  • Santa ClaustrophobiaSanta Claustrophobia Ho Ho Ho Disconnecting from Xbox LIVERegistered User regular
    edited December 2008
    jefe414 wrote: »
    I'm an idiot. I have 2/3 costumes. Where are they (inventory in the office?) and how do I use them?

    In the office, scroll/highlight the coatrack to the right of the door and select it. Then just select the costume you want to use. Only the player character can use it and it does appear in cutscenes.

    Santa Claustrophobia on
  • HappylilElfHappylilElf Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    I had fun with this episode and the things that people seem to be bothered by I was kind of ok with.

    Take the special attacks for instance. My brother got me hooked on Stepmania a long time ago and I got pretty decent at it so using arrow keys was extremely easy for Gabe and Tycho. I can see where people are saying Tycho's final attack was a pain but it just takes some practice. I'll grant you it'd be nice if there was a way to practice the specials though.

    As far as killing rich people for their money- Meh. The rich bastards jumped me and the attacks, like Monokill for example, made me laugh pretty hard. And annoying couples? Well, again, they jumped me. If I had a problem with that area it's that Gabe wasn't drawn to the money fountain like a moth to a flame. I would have chuckled everytime if when you walked past it Tycho had to physically drag him away from it.

    The conference ending didn't bother me either because while I did say "noooooo" when
    they killed off Wimple and the Mime
    I was laughing while I said it. It was the kind of ridiculous to the point of being comical violence I felt was missing in the first episode.

    Only thing I kind of agree with was the final boss fight. I beat it completely by accident just trying out the different attacks so it was more than a little anti-climactic. I also wish the rooftop fight had lasted a little longer since for me personally the animation and art really seemed to come together in that fight in particular. I was still thinking to myself "this is really good looking" when the next phase kicked in.

    HappylilElf on
  • jippeejippee Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    happylilElf couldn't have said it any better. my experiences were similar, even the accidental final boss thingee.

    i do have something about the violence though. Why would it be amusing to kill hobos but disturbing to kill filthy rich people? Come on. It's either okay to kill every enemy you're dealt with, or it's not okay to kill at all.
    as for architects, I do find them annoying in general.

    i also thought the animations were way funnier than ep1... especially Gabe and the monkey, The final mansion scene and yes, the conference climax...

    jippee on
    Nellie the elephant packed her trunk
    and trundled off to the jungle
    off she rode with a trumpety trump
    trump trump trump



  • DrunkMcDrunkMc Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Gabe and the monkey were awesome together.

    And I don't remember him doing it in the first, but when Gabe blocks an attack he gives the finger while doing it. First time I noticed it, I laughed my ass off.

    Def. a good game.

    DrunkMc on
  • ScooterScooter Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    jippee wrote: »
    happylilElf couldn't have said it any better. my experiences were similar, even the accidental final boss thingee.

    i do have something about the violence though. Why would it be amusing to kill hobos but disturbing to kill filthy rich people? Come on. It's either okay to kill every enemy you're dealt with, or it's not okay to kill at all.
    as for architects, I do find them annoying in general.

    i also thought the animations were way funnier than ep1... especially Gabe and the monkey, The final mansion scene and yes, the conference climax...

    Because insane hobos, it's not hard to imagine them attacking you and you having to defend yourself, in the PA cartoon world. Rich people up and throwing down their lives for no particular reason is a yeabuhwhat? moment, and and the lovey-dovey couples deciding to murder people walking by them goes straight into wtf territory. Why are we fighting?

    I mean, I'm half expecting in the next Ep we'll be stomping babies that use their Smelly Diaper attack on us.

    Scooter on
  • LeviantLeviant Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    Scooter wrote: »
    jippee wrote: »
    happylilElf couldn't have said it any better. my experiences were similar, even the accidental final boss thingee.

    i do have something about the violence though. Why would it be amusing to kill hobos but disturbing to kill filthy rich people? Come on. It's either okay to kill every enemy you're dealt with, or it's not okay to kill at all.
    as for architects, I do find them annoying in general.

    i also thought the animations were way funnier than ep1... especially Gabe and the monkey, The final mansion scene and yes, the conference climax...

    Because insane hobos, it's not hard to imagine them attacking you and you having to defend yourself, in the PA cartoon world. Rich people up and throwing down their lives for no particular reason is a yeabuhwhat? moment, and and the lovey-dovey couples deciding to murder people walking by them goes straight into wtf territory. Why are we fighting?

    I mean, I'm half expecting in the next Ep we'll be stomping babies that use their Smelly Diaper attack on us.

    20021018h.gif

    Leviant on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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