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Penumbra: "Regardless, you need a hand. I do not. Bring me a saw." No cowards or 56k!

firewaterwordfirewaterword SatchitanandaPais Vasco to San FranciscoRegistered User regular
edited May 2010 in Games and Technology
Jesus Christ I can hear spiders!
Penumbra.jpg

Ever play a FPC? It's like an FPS, except instead of shooting, you're cowering! [strike]Thanks to the Steam sale this weekend, you can pick up three (OK, two and a half) awesomely scary games for less than a beer![/strike]

OK, no longer on sale, but @$20 for all the games, it's still worth it.

I'm talking about Penumbra: Overture, Penumbra: Black Plague and Penumbra: [strike]Poor Man's Portal[/strike] Requiem!

Shamelessly stolen Wiki info from the shamelessly stolen Wiki info from Helloween's LP:
Helloween wrote:
Shall we Wiki steal?

Although Frictional Games describes Penumbra: Overture as a first-person adventure, the game blends the genres of survival horror, first-person shooter, and adventure. The use of Newton Game Dynamics emphasizes physics-based puzzles similar to those in Half-Life 2 as well as physics-based combat. The game also takes advantage of advanced artificial intelligence to respond realistically to noises and light, creating stealth-based gameplay.

There are no firearms in the game, so during combat the player is limited to improvised melee fighting with a pickaxe, or throwing objects at attacking creatures. The game is designed to emphasize stealth and avoidance over direct conflict. (For example, Philip can close doors behind him to temporarily hold off attacking enemies.)

The game's main focus is on exploration and classic adventure game object interaction: examining and collecting objects and using them to solve puzzles.

(In case you're wondering why I didn't just dredge up that thread it's because it has spoilers! It's also really good in case you want to watch someone else play it!)

Anyway, I picked these up after coming home from the bars last night, and didn't get very far into the first one before I was all "fuck this, I'm a'scared!" So I continued today, finishing the first and second, and sampling the "third".

So let's talk about it. If you picked it up on the Steam dealy, hope you enjoy it! I'd say be good about spoilers I guess.
By request, Screenshots!
Going to spoiler these - some of the fun comes from not knowing what the fuck to expect from this one. They're also big!
penumbra_cave03.jpg
Goddamn spiders!
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Stick by me, trusty flashlight!
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"I told you to stay away from the brown acid! Did you listen?"
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Mmmmph! Mmmmph! Mmmmmmmph!

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
firewaterword on
«13

Posts

  • XagarathXagarath Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Only a little way into the first so far, but it's nicely atmospheric, and I wish more games had this degree of environment interactivity.

    Xagarath on
  • CarcharodontosaurusCarcharodontosaurus Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Having purchased the Penumbra Collection from Steam, what's the proper order to play through all of them?

    Carcharodontosaurus on
    steam_sig.png
  • EliteDoomMasterEliteDoomMaster Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Having purchased the Penumbra Collection from Steam, what's the proper order to play through all of them?

    Overture, Black Plague, Requiem I believe. I started with Overture in any case, since the intro screen says episode one.

    EliteDoomMaster on
    Don't fuck with Mel Gibson, yo.
  • RookRook Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Yeah, I remember playing the demo of Overture and kinda liking it, if a little scary and not suitable for late nights. Not encountered anything too bad at the moment, but we'll see.

    Rook on
  • firewaterwordfirewaterword Satchitananda Pais Vasco to San FranciscoRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Xagarath wrote: »
    Only a little way into the first so far, but it's nicely atmospheric, and I wish more games had this degree of environment interactivity.

    Yeah, the level of immersion they manage to create is pretty cool. Playing with headphones in a dark room is pretty awesome. Especially when you start hearing those fucking spiders.

    And (real minor spoiler) the
    creepy voices from beyond!

    firewaterword on
    Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
  • seabassseabass Doctor MassachusettsRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    For 5$? Bought'd, and how. I seem to remember this is a first-person adventure game?

    seabass on
    Run you pigeons, it's Robert Frost!
  • firewaterwordfirewaterword Satchitananda Pais Vasco to San FranciscoRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    seabass wrote: »
    For 5$? Bought'd, and how. I seem to remember this is a first-person adventure game?

    Yeah, pretty much. It's really unique as games go. The only thing I could compare it to is an awesome, first person love child of Siren and the digital abortion that was Jurassic Park: Trespasser. If anyone can think of a better way to put that, let me know.

    I know a seal pup is killed every time someone mentions Trespasser, and don't want to be a part of that.

    firewaterword on
    Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
  • StuffGuyStuffGuy Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Im mildly annoyed at the fact that the game has you adjust your brightness at the beggining using a really shitty test for it, which is making it hard to get my settings right.

    Otherwise, this game is amazing.

    Edit: Oh, also there are some minor graphical glitches occasionally with objects going invisible and stuff like that, but reloading usually fixes those, and that might be because I forced the game to run in 1920x1080, and by default it only wants to go up to 1280x1024. For overture that is, I hear the other two support higher resolutions?

    StuffGuy on
  • BloodySlothBloodySloth Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    seabass wrote: »
    For 5$? Bought'd, and how. I seem to remember this is a first-person adventure game?

    Yeah, pretty much. It's really unique as games go. The only thing I could compare it to is an awesome, first person love child of Siren and the digital abortion that was Jurassic Park: Trespasser. If anyone can think of a better way to put that, let me know.

    I know a seal pup is killed every time someone mentions Trespasser, and don't want to be a part of that.

    Hey man, don't be down on Trespasser. It was way ahead of its time. It failed really hard for precisely that reason.

    BloodySloth on
  • ImpersonatorImpersonator Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    OP needs more screenshots.

    Impersonator on
  • Ninja Snarl PNinja Snarl P My helmet is my burden. Ninja Snarl: Gone, but not forgotten.Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    3 pseudo-survival-horror games with an emphasis on exploration for five bucks? I can risk five bucks for that. Even if the games turn out to be just an hour each, it's still a sweet deal.

    Gotta love Steam and crazy deals.

    Ninja Snarl P on
  • firewaterwordfirewaterword Satchitananda Pais Vasco to San FranciscoRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    OP needs more screenshots.

    Thar she goes.

    And BloodySloth, I'll admit that I enjoyed the demo for nearly half an hour. It was an interesting concept, I will concede.

    firewaterword on
    Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
  • HelloweenHelloween Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    When I did my Let's Play on this series I had to pay full price. And god was it worth it. One of the scariest fucking series of games I have played in a long time. Some bits actually got me shaking. SO good.

    Helloween on
    See all of my Let's Plays Here:
    Youtube Channel!
  • RamiRami Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Got 90 minutes to kill before the apprentice final, time to give this a whirl.

    Rami on
    Steam / Xbox Live: WSDX NNID: W-S-D-X 3DS FC: 2637-9461-8549
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  • firewaterwordfirewaterword Satchitananda Pais Vasco to San FranciscoRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Helloween wrote: »
    When I did my Let's Play on this series I had to pay full price. And god was it worth it. One of the scariest fucking series of games I have played in a long time. Some bits actually got me shaking. SO good.

    Heh, what's funny is I remember watching the very first one from your LP and being suitably intrigued by the opening narration. I closed the video so it wouldn't be spoiled, then decided I would buy the game. Then went and did something else and forgot about it entirely.

    Anyway, I saw the deal on steam and had my memory jogged. What strikes me after playing through them is that it's a really good example of developers improving on a product. Mechanics spoilers follow:
    I liked Overture, but had issues with the the "combat." I know you're meant to run/hide/use the environment, but when I got deeper into the installation and did a few things out of order (incinerator before shafts, for example) I had to keep crossing paths with those asshole dogs. So I resolved to getting my ice pick on, which worked, but was pretty frustrating from a control standpoint. Minor issue really.
    Long story short, Black Plague took everything that made Overture cool and ramped it way up, while also getting rid of the things that, in my opinion, set Overture back a bit.
    Also, my first encounter with an "infected" nearly made me piss myself.

    firewaterword on
    Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
  • Delta AssaultDelta Assault Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I don't know why I bought this, AvP Marine campaign scared me so much... and you had a gun in that game.

    Delta Assault on
  • firewaterwordfirewaterword Satchitananda Pais Vasco to San FranciscoRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I don't know why I bought this, AvP Marine campaign scared me so much... and you had a gun in that game.

    Your weapons in the first game?
    • Shitty hammer.
    • Shitty icepick.
    • Broom.
    • Three or so sticks of TNT that will most likely kill you if you try to use them.
    • Beef jerky.
    Your weapons in the second game?
    ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! You're FUCKED!

    firewaterword on
    Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
  • HelloweenHelloween Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I don't know why I bought this, AvP Marine campaign scared me so much... and you had a gun in that game.

    Your weapons in the first game?
    • Shitty hammer.
    • Shitty icepick.
    • Broom.
    • Three or so sticks of TNT that will most likely kill you if you try to use them.
    • Beef jerky.
    Your weapons in the second game?
    ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! You're FUCKED!

    Your first play through will be terrifying

    Helloween on
    See all of my Let's Plays Here:
    Youtube Channel!
  • RamiRami Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Yeah okay, this isn't gonna happen. I get that this is about hiding and being a pussy by why even have combat if it's completely unworkable? I've reloaded 6 times against this damn dog and I've yet to land a single blow with the hammer despite the fact it's right in front of me when I swing.

    Rami on
    Steam / Xbox Live: WSDX NNID: W-S-D-X 3DS FC: 2637-9461-8549
    sig.gif
  • BloodySlothBloodySloth Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Rami wrote: »
    Yeah okay, this isn't gonna happen. I get that this is about hiding and being a pussy by why even have combat if it's completely unworkable? I've reloaded 6 times against this damn dog and I've yet to land a single blow with the hammer despite the fact it's right in front of me when I swing.

    They fixed that issue in the second game.

    BloodySloth on
  • firewaterwordfirewaterword Satchitananda Pais Vasco to San FranciscoRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Rami wrote: »
    Yeah okay, this isn't gonna happen. I get that this is about hiding and being a pussy by why even have combat if it's completely unworkable? I've reloaded 6 times against this damn dog and I've yet to land a single blow with the hammer despite the fact it's right in front of me when I swing.

    Even if you manage hit it, it's just going to run away. And then bring more dogs back with it.

    firewaterword on
    Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
  • RamiRami Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Yeah I eventually hit it, when it fell down I figured I could now bash it to death but nope, all you can do is sit there and watch it run off and then come back for more. The controls are nice and immersive, which is fine when you're opening doors and pushing over filing cabnets. But when you need to do something with urgency/accuracy it just becomes a frustrating mess.

    Anyway, just blew a hole through the cave to get further in and now it's TV time. It is a really nice game, I love the puzzles
    getting over that electric fence, I went to grab a barrel but couldn't get it over the sandbag wall. Then I remembered seeing a wedge shaped block back in the carpentry room. I started to go back to get it, and as I walked back over the planks realised I could prop them up on the wall to make a ramp to push the barrel over

    10x better than Half-Life 2's incredibly obvious 'weigh this part down!!' physics puzzles. Also I'm yet to use my torch/flare/glowstick, is that a sign that my brightness is too high or is the beginning area not that dark?

    Sometimes frustrating controls aside, I'd definitely recommend this.

    Rami on
    Steam / Xbox Live: WSDX NNID: W-S-D-X 3DS FC: 2637-9461-8549
    sig.gif
  • firewaterwordfirewaterword Satchitananda Pais Vasco to San FranciscoRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Yeah, the fact that you can solve the majority of the puzzles by doing what you'd do in reality is pretty cool.

    If you're not needing to use the flashlight or glowstick, you might want to bump down your gamma. Pretty optional though I guess. I like the danger aspect of using light, so I went with way dark.

    firewaterword on
    Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
  • MalaysianShrewMalaysianShrew Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    So I'm digging this game so far but...


    The game says "Better block this door so that dog monster can't get in!" so I barricade it.....and then it busts the door down. :( I assume there is no way to barricade it successfully.

    MalaysianShrew on
    Never trust a big butt and a smile.
  • firewaterwordfirewaterword Satchitananda Pais Vasco to San FranciscoRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    So I'm digging this game so far but...


    The game says "Better block this door so that dog monster can't get in!" so I barricade it.....and then it busts the door down. :( I assume there is no way to barricade it successfully.
    I think you can use some of the metal barrels scattered about. It's gonna get'cha regardless though! And it's not alone.

    firewaterword on
    Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
  • StollsStolls Brave Corporate Logo Chicago, ILRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    So I'm digging this game so far but...


    The game says "Better block this door so that dog monster can't get in!" so I barricade it.....and then it busts the door down. :( I assume there is no way to barricade it successfully.
    I think you can use some of the metal barrels scattered about. It's gonna get'cha regardless though! And it's not alone.

    There's a way to deal with that.
    "Here, Mr. Satan, look what I have for you."

    "Oh, what do you got for me, Helloween?"

    "I GOT A PICKAXE"

    So many memories. Awesome game :^:

    Stolls on
    kstolls on Twitch, streaming weekends at 9pm CST!
    Now playing: Teardown and Baldur's Gate 3 (co-op)
    Sunday Spotlight: Horror Tales: The Wine
  • BlutrasereiBlutraserei Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Bought and playing these. Overture is substantially detailed and awesome so far.

    Trying to find a fuse for that fukken generator. These dudes know how to make an creepy environment. I didn't like that noise coming from the radio either D:.

    Blutraserei on
    Tttnl.jpg

  • RamiRami Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Just done that bit myself, completely lost in the vast expanse that lies beyond the gate.

    Also I found a way to kill those dogs easily, as long as you can land the first blow crouch straight away and keep swinging and it should never get the chance to stand up.

    Rami on
    Steam / Xbox Live: WSDX NNID: W-S-D-X 3DS FC: 2637-9461-8549
    sig.gif
  • JebralJebral The guy nobody pays attention to Down South in the land of free thinkingRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Barely played it as of yet, but I feel it wasn't a waste of $5.

    I'm not looking forward to getting to combat of any kind, though.

    Jebral on
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  • BlutrasereiBlutraserei Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Jebral wrote: »
    Barely played it as of yet, but I feel it wasn't a waste of $5.

    I'm not looking forward to getting to combat of any kind, though.

    Fuck combat, and the way they made it work. You can barely defend yourself against the spiders. Fuck this for now, I'm gonna take a break before I injure a nearby object. That was experience ruining.

    Blutraserei on
    Tttnl.jpg

  • XtarathXtarath Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Yeah, why the fuck is it so hard to hit spiders the size of a plate that move quickly. It's like you are a puny scholar or something.

    Xtarath on
  • übergeekübergeek Sector 2814Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    There's an option in the setting file called Simple Weapon Swings and it's set to false. I think setting it to true might make combat suck less. I think I did that in the demo a while back and it made things a bit better.

    übergeek on
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  • augustaugust where you come from is gone Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    In a related note I'm playing Call of Cthulluh: Dark Corners of the Earth on pc right now. Played through on the OXBox previously.

    I understand what they're trying to do with the fov but holy shit... 55? I just played for 10 minutes and I'm gonna hurl. Thank god there's the unofficial patch for that.

    august on
  • AdusAdus Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    If you hate combat, then you're in luck.
    Black Plague has none, which I think has been said already. At least, you don't get to defend yourself at all. This was perhaps the most irritating part. We can assume Phillip is at least average in strength, and we see him beat down some demon dogs with a pickaxe, then suddenly he can't even pick up a pipe to beat down the weird pasty guys in Black Plague? They're slow and retarded.

    Removing combat is such a cheap way to try and make horror games scarier.

    Adus on
  • ImpersonatorImpersonator Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    august wrote: »
    In a related note I'm playing Call of Cthulluh: Dark Corners of the Earth on pc right now. Played through on the OXBox previously.

    I understand what they're trying to do with the fov but holy shit... 55? I just played for 10 minutes and I'm gonna hurl. Thank god there's the unofficial patch for that.

    Wow? 55? I like to play with the FOV at 90. :?

    Also, someone needs to get that game on any digital distribution service, NOW! :x

    Impersonator on
  • StuffGuyStuffGuy Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Rami wrote: »
    Just done that bit myself, completely lost in the vast expanse that lies beyond the gate.

    Also I found a way to kill those dogs easily, as long as you can land the first blow crouch straight away and keep swinging and it should never get the chance to stand up.

    Want a so easy it feels like cheating way to get that first blow?
    Get on top of a crate, crouch, ready a swing, and follow through when the dogs try to jump up to get you. Most of the time depending on the crate they cant seem to hit you at all when your on top of one anyway.

    No crates? Pick up some object and throw it at them (right mouse button while holding object), and then get em while theyre stunned.

    Actually, sorta disappointed I figured out how to beat them so easily, as the game was pants-shitting terrifying when they were invincible demon-dogs. On the other hand, it looks like the game is going to have enough of them that it mightve gotten slightly annoying while backtracking through areas to run into the same damn ones again and again.

    StuffGuy on
  • BasticleBasticle Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    man fuck the spiders

    Basticle on
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  • BlutrasereiBlutraserei Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Xtarath wrote: »
    Yeah, why the fuck is it so hard to hit spiders the size of a plate that move quickly. It's like you are a puny scholar or something.

    It's not so much that other than the fact that swinging is just so clunky to do some times. I tried doing a swing to kill them and then all of a sudden I was looking up.

    I don't even care about the dogs, I just slink past them. Haven't been spotted by one yet. But man fuck. That goddamned spider tunnel.

    Blutraserei on
    Tttnl.jpg

  • YesNoMuYesNoMu Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    OK, come on, the dog decides it needs to get inside the door as soon as I step inside? Why didn't it want to get in there when it was locked? They can walk right past me without smelling me, so their noses can't be too great.

    I'm more pissed off that the two barrels I placed were completely ineffectual at protecting me. Grrr.

    YesNoMu on
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  • Professor PhobosProfessor Phobos Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Wow, I got super-nauseous playing this. I've never been made sick by a FPS before...

    Also
    Fuck that dog just smashing through my barricade. I wanted to explore the area in peace.

    Professor Phobos on
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