It seems that you're using an outdated browser. Some things may not work as they should (or don't work at all).
We suggest you upgrade newer and better browser like: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera

×
Community
General discussion (archive)Platformers with a soul(61 posts)(61 posts)
(61 posts)
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
This is my favourite topic
Posted May 29, 2014
Give Magrunner a try, fun gameplay and an interesting premise. It looks gorgeous as well, so that's a plus.
Posted May 29, 2014
avatar
mqstout: Non-combat is gaming.
Even in tabletop RPGs.

Watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QJVGtKPjNc

You have played Braid, right?
The guy in braid is kinda gingerlike so some might argue that it's not a platformer with a soul :D
Post edited May 29, 2014 by XYCat
Posted May 29, 2014
avatar
groze: controller
It's just a matter of preference and accustoming. Apart from Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons I haven't played any game yet that wasn't just as playable with keyboard than with controller. Naturally, players used to controllers will feel more comfortable playing with one, players accustomed to mouse (and keyboard) will do better without one. That being said, I was pretty much a keyboard/mouse player only, too, before I finally caved in and got me an XBox controller for the PC, and now I actually do enjoy playing platformers and brawlers with it instead of with the keyboard. It's not necessarily easier or better, like I said, it's a matter of preference and getting accustomed to it. Just saying, if you give something a chance and familiarize yourself with it, there's a chance you'll actually end up loving it. Or not. :)

One thing that gets lost in translation to keyboard and mouse is the vibration effects though. And depending on your preferences that can be both a good thing or a bad thing. But some games (like Brothers) actually use this in significant ways, not just for show.
Posted May 29, 2014
avatar
genkicolleen: *snip*

Along the same lines is a game I'm absolutely wild about -- <span class="bold">Nihilumbra</span> (Vote for it on the GOG Wishlist!) The first two hours of the game are intensely story-driven, and challenging, but not overly-difficult. It was touching, moving... thought-provoking. I LOVED it. As for the rest of the game? Here's a snippet from my review:

*snip*
Nice one, just looked it up and threw it on my Steam wishlist. :)
Posted May 29, 2014
avatar
groze: controller
avatar
Leroux: It's just a matter of preference and accustoming. Apart from Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons I haven't played any game yet that wasn't just as playable with keyboard than with controller. Naturally, players used to controllers will feel more comfortable playing with one, players accustomed to mouse (and keyboard) will do better without one. That being said, I was pretty much a keyboard/mouse player only, too, before I finally caved in and got me an XBox controller for the PC, and now I actually do enjoy playing platformers and brawlers with it instead of with the keyboard. It's not necessarily easier or better, like I said, it's a matter of preference and getting accustomed to it. Just saying, if you give something a chance and familiarize yourself with it, there's a chance you'll actually end up loving it. Or not. :)

One thing that gets lost in translation to keyboard and mouse is the vibration effects though. And depending on your preferences that can be both a good thing or a bad thing. But some games (like Brothers) actually use this in significant ways, not just for show.
I do try playing with a controller every now and then. But it's more along the lines of "for lulz" or "I appreciate the fact that I can stand up, and walk around the room while still controlling my avatar (not possible with a keyboard, even less with a mouse)". :)

I don't even have a problem with the famous fighting games' Dragon Punch move (down, forward, forwarddown) or half-circle-backward kind of moves on keyboard while having difficulties with the controller this was made for, namely the arcade stick.

I think that the advantage of a keyboard is that you can use all of your fingers at once and there are many buttons within reach of each one. With a controller your ring finger and pinky is mostly just used to hold your controller. ANd index and middle are so strong and fast, the thumb is just awkward and big...

Maybe it's because I played piano and bass guitar...

I do agree however that certain games were designed with certain controllers in mind and that pads, joysticks, arcade sticks and all other have their own respective advantages in certain cases... It's just the amount of keyboard hate is overblown, the poor little keys feel discriminated! And some people justify it as something totally objective when it isn't!

Ok I'm getting a little off the topic here. So, to redeem this post: lots of interesting suggestions, I like it! Abbe's Oddysee is playing great atm, the games with such a unique character like this one are so rare in gaming history. And the graphics didn't age much at all, it's freakin' 1997! If this wasn't an already established IP, no AAA studio would have been keen on kicking off an entirely new franchise like that, I think. So much new gameplay ideas for it's time, story, art and it plays so smooth and responsive... I'm absolutely a fan of this, after finishing first level :) Psychonauts also great. Lot's of cool dialogue, voice acting top notch, level design a total surrealism.
Post edited May 29, 2014 by CaveSoundMaster
Posted May 30, 2014
Oh, looks like GoG waited for me to post this thread so that they can release something that looks like what I was looking for: http://www.gog.com/game/where_is_my_heart

Yay! A totally objective unbiased proof that the world revolves around me!
Posted May 30, 2014
Games with souls.. that sounds terrifying.
I suppose it's OK as long as they don't become sentient.
Posted May 30, 2014
avatar
NoNewTaleToTell: If you can run it, I fully recommend Spate, it's a beautiful 2d platformer that was released earlier this year.
avatar
genkicolleen: Ohhh, wonderful! *clap* It was already on my wishlist, but it's nice to see such a great recommendation!

Nihilumbra
I have Nihilumbra and I'll have to agree with you, it IS a great game.
Posted May 30, 2014
avatar
CaveSoundMaster: Oh, looks like GoG waited for me to post this thread so that they can release something that looks like what I was looking for: http://www.gog.com/game/where_is_my_heart

Yay! A totally objective unbiased proof that the world revolves around me!
But that one has no heart! ;)
Posted May 30, 2014
avatar
CaveSoundMaster: Hello, I am playing Treasure Adventure (again, but last time i didn't finish though I was close..... *cough* no indecent references here). I absolutely adore this game, it mixes great narrative, style, and platforming action with a small bit of rpg-ish character progression. I love that the pixelated 2d view isn't just a means of representation (and poke at nostalgia) but has it's own place in the game's lore! I would like to hear your recommendation for a similar thing, can be indie, doesn't have to be. I'd love if it was something with low system requirements as I have a bad PC atm, maybe something from 1995-2005 era, but any recommendation is appreciated. Can be 2d or 3d. I just yesterday bought Abbe's Oddysey and Psychonauts with the gog gem sale going on, though I'm facing some tech issues with stuttering sound. It seems that Psychonauts is gonna be great for what I'm looking for, when I fix it. Yet to play Abbe, but I was told it's great by friends, plus I remember I liked the demo back in the day.

I never played much platformers (except a lot of Jazz Jackrabit) but seems I missed out. Especially since I like cartoonish things (surreal and wacky the most). Most important for me is for the game to have unique graphical style and some interesting narrative that is not strictly aimed for kids.

Oh btw, I remember a certain game from ages past: "Dreams to Reality", any thoughts on that? Heart of Darkness also comes to mind. Hmm... I'll put or vote those games on the community request board.

And yeah, "Super Meat Boy" is on my wishlist.

On a sidenote: I seem to like platformers for one peculiar reason: because the game is about any movement it seems to find a way to reduce the overblown violence of majority of other titles while still being full of action (as opposed to adventure games, which I also like, but sometimes I want more action!). Ok, there's lots of violence in many titles, but just relatively speaking - there's something more to it than violence. Especially after all the rpgs I played that are: hear NPC telling you who to kill, buy weapon to kill, train skill to kill, go kill 100 people, repeat (the part I like in rpgs the most is exploration: the non-violent part). Not even mentioning shooters.
You've probably played it already, but if you haven't Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a great 3D platformer. Is it violent? You do have to swordfight enemies 50% of the time (the other 50 being pure platforming) but there's no blood, enemies turn into sand. and the aren't living any more so you can't calm to by killing them. And yes, despite being a AAA game I'd say it does have a soul. The Romance and character arcs though simple feel quite genuine. And real love was poured into the game's environments.

In a similar vain Another World is really good (Made buy the same guy I think, only much earlier and harder). It's considered the first cinematic game. But you've probably played that too.
Posted May 30, 2014
avatar
NoNewTaleToTell: I have Nihilumbra and I'll have to agree with you, it IS a great game.
I'll also vouch for Nihilumbra! It caught me by surprise.
Post edited May 30, 2014 by Nirth
Posted May 30, 2014
Don't know if you played it and I don't think anyone mentioned it but, Cave Story (Doukutsu Monogatari) is a great platformer simply dripping soul from every one of it's orifices. It's a bit on the short side but, there's plenty of challenge to stretch it out oh, and it's as cheap as free (or donation).

Also I just finished Symphony of the Night for the first time and I'm going to have to recommend that game--

[grabs CaveSoundMaster by the collar]

Strongly!
Posted May 30, 2014
Yeah, I was going to mention Cave Story + as well as Fez and that remake of Flashback which I assume is at least as awesome as the original...
Ooh Lost Viking is free over at Blizzard now too - maybe more of a puzzle game disguised as a 2D platformer, like Vessel which is good too (maybe a bit hardware demanding for your rig though...)

*edit* Limbo! Give Limbo a go!

*edit again* turns out that the Flashback remake actually really sucks by all accounts - still check the original if you can find it though!
Post edited May 30, 2014 by Fever_Discordia
Posted May 30, 2014
avatar
Fever_Discordia: Ooh Lost Viking is free over at Blizzard now too - maybe more of a puzzle game disguised as a 2D platformer, like Vessel which is good too (maybe a bit hardware demanding for your rig though...)
Oh, Lost Vikings! I consider puzzle platformers platformers too! Didn't notice they were giving the game away now... (maybe that's a sign that Warcraft 1 is coming to Battlenet btw) One of the games on GoG is based on a similar idea of having three characters with different abilities to solve puzzles, don't remember the title... And Blackthorne is there too, also a nice platformer. Story-wise or art-wise I don't consider neither as great, but they do have great gameplay mechanics. I'll give them half the soul ;)
Posted May 30, 2014
La-Mulana. Probably the best platformer of the last decade. While occaisionally obtuse, it is the ideal mixture of Zelda and Metroid.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussion (archive)Platformers with a soul(61 posts)(61 posts)
(61 posts)