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)Release: The Last Door: Collector's Edition(132 posts)(132 posts)
(132 posts)
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
This is my favourite topic
Posted May 20, 2014
Lurking at the Threshold.

The Last Door: Collector's Edition, an atmospheric horror adventure game presenting a chilling story worthy of H.P. Lovecraft, 8-bit (ish) graphical style, and sensational audio tracks, is available for Windows and Mac OS X on GOG.com for $9.99.

Feel what it's truly like to be alone in the dark with this low-res, high-suspense point-and-click horror adventure, winner of multiple Best Games of the Year awards. Set in Victorian England, when Jeremiah Devitt receives a letter from his old schoolmate Anthony Beechworth with a hidden, cryptic message, he knows something is wrong. His journey to an abandoned manor is only the beginning as he starts to remember a long-buried secret from his youth, discovering things man was not meant to know, and opening doors that should have remained closed…

The Last Door: Collector's Edition contains all four terrifying episodes (complete first season) of The Last Door, a game of occult and otherworldly horror. Featuring new scenes and puzzles, enhanced graphics, unlockable bonuses, and remastered sound. Explore ancient manors, decaying tenements, and twisting underground warrens with little but a lamp and magnifying glass to guide you.

Will you dare to open The Last Door: Collector's Edition and throw yourself head-first into the pixelated world of horrors originating beyond time and space, for $9.99 on GOG.com?
Posted May 20, 2014
avatar
grimgroove: ...At the very least they should be clear (precise, meaning no marketing) as to what exactly it is that's offered extra in comparison to the free version(s).
The Last Door isn't eactly FREE online, players definitely have to pay something for the full game they are just adopting a more open "pay what you will" business model.

"...players who can appreciate the amount of work and effort we put into each installment can support the game by making a donation, enabling us to continue offering the game for free... you can unlock the most recently published Chapter."

Also, being flash based it's not really "DRM free" in the open edition.
avatar
zeffyr: And question for The Blue Ones: will GOG version include season 2 after it's completed?
I'd like to get confirmation on this also. The Last Door website states "If your donation is a bit more generous, you can get perks like unlocking all future content, the game soundtrack..." then indicates to automatically unlock all future content players should spend €15 (or ~$20 USD) but GOG charges only $9.99.

Season 2 is expected to launch this Summer.
Post edited May 20, 2014 by undeadcow
Posted May 20, 2014
Oh hey, an "old school" game that tries to use crap graphics as a selling point. That's new.
Posted May 20, 2014
avatar
JudasIscariot: Soundtrack in both MP3 and FLAC format is now available :)
Great news, it felt laxking without it
Posted May 20, 2014
high rated
It seriously baffles me how anyone can complain about the pixel art graphics. Do you even know what website you're on? Have you heard of retro gaming? Are you at all aware that gameplay and story take precedence over graphics? Or are you some rich child who got a $2000 gaming rig from their parents and expects everything to look like Crysis?

I just wish people would actually play a game before judging it, instead of throwing it under the bus for a reason as foolish as "the graphics are bad." I don't give a shit if it's 2014 or any other year, there is no "standard" for how good the graphics in a game should look and there never will be. There's these little things called "art style" and "preference." Different games can use different art styles, like pixel art in this game, the colorful cartoon look of Team Fortress 2, or the realistic grey and brown of Gear's of War, and not be definitively better or worse than other games. Why? Because of preference. Everyone likes different art styles, different visuals, for the games they play. Thank god for game developers who don't feel compelled to compete in a pointless race for graphical fidelity and are willing to spend their time making a game with a strong atmosphere, well written story, or engaging gameplay instead.
Posted May 20, 2014
avatar
undeadcow: when there is a readily available free edition.
avatar
grimgroove: I do wonder what GOG is pulling here though, and hope it's not a precedent. I don't mind paying for shareware or freeware if that software would be unplayable on modern systems if not for some tweaking by GOG or whoever sells it through them, but today's release doesn't excite me in the least. They already did something similar with Race the Sun, which I bought before knowing you could play it for free online, and was a bit annoyed to find that out.

At the very least they should be clear (precise, meaning no marketing) as to what exactly it is that's offered extra in comparison to the free version(s).
Neither of the titles you named are identical to the free release. Race the Sun was expanded considerably from the free version. The Last Door was paid for by fans before being released, and others have said it's been altered to fit together better in this standalone version. You didn't mention Vertical Drop Heroes, but that's another example of a free game expanded for commercial release. Spelunky is another.

If you're worried about precedents, go back over a year ago to the GOG release of Star Control 2. The Ur-Quan Masters, freely available at the time, contained the exact same content and more.

GOG rarely has the best price for games available other places. If you're bothered by paying for an expanded free game, you'll find there are a lot of $10-20 GOG games available on other sites for $5-10. Even the sale prices don't always match lower prices elsewhere. There are other reasons to buy here besides price, and if I'm happy with the price, I prefer GOG over alternatives.
Posted May 20, 2014
avatar
JudasIscariot: Soundtrack in both MP3 and FLAC format is now available :)
Okay, now I'm a little more sold on the $9.99 price point. The music was fantastic!

I guess I'll do a little more research before I decide it's worthy of a day-one purchase, but the addition of the soundtrack goes a long way. :)
Posted May 20, 2014
It will likely be a few weeks before I'm compelled to buy after Insomnia, perhaps a bit more with adventures. However...

First pass through the screens and I was like "whoa."

Second pass through the screens and I was definitely intrigued enough to check out a few episodes on their website as soon as I can spare the time. I can see myself being drawn in without much difficulty.

Edit: Of course as soon as I'm drawn in, I will be happy to purchase the upgrade/drm-free version. :)
Post edited May 20, 2014 by budejovice
Posted May 20, 2014
avatar
EckoShy: It seriously baffles me how anyone can complain about the pixel art graphics. Do you even know what website you're on? Have you heard of retro gaming? Are you at all aware that gameplay and story take precedence over graphics? Or are you some rich child who got a $2000 gaming rig from their parents and expects everything to look like Crysis?

I just wish people would actually play a game before judging it, instead of throwing it under the bus for a reason as foolish as "the graphics are bad." I don't give a shit if it's 2014 or any other year, there is no "standard" for how good the graphics in a game should look and there never will be. There's these little things called "art style" and "preference." Different games can use different art styles, like pixel art in this game, the colorful cartoon look of Team Fortress 2, or the realistic grey and brown of Gear's of War, and not be definitively better or worse than other games. Why? Because of preference. Everyone likes different art styles, different visuals, for the games they play. Thank god for game developers who don't feel compelled to compete in a pointless race for graphical fidelity and are willing to spend their time making a game with a strong atmosphere, well written story, or engaging gameplay instead.
Some people are spoiled bitches. I may not like the graphics for The Last Door, I probably won't buy it, but I'm not going to make a stink about it either.

Edit: Made my statement less inclusive.
Post edited May 20, 2014 by Ophelium
Posted May 20, 2014
avatar
EckoShy: It seriously baffles me how anyone can complain about the pixel art graphics. Do you even know what website you're on? Have you heard of retro gaming? Are you at all aware that gameplay and story take precedence over graphics? Or are you some rich child who got a $2000 gaming rig from their parents and expects everything to look like Crysis?

I just wish people would actually play a game before judging it, instead of throwing it under the bus for a reason as foolish as "the graphics are bad." I don't give a shit if it's 2014 or any other year, there is no "standard" for how good the graphics in a game should look and there never will be. There's these little things called "art style" and "preference." Different games can use different art styles, like pixel art in this game, the colorful cartoon look of Team Fortress 2, or the realistic grey and brown of Gear's of War, and not be definitively better or worse than other games. Why? Because of preference. Everyone likes different art styles, different visuals, for the games they play. Thank god for game developers who don't feel compelled to compete in a pointless race for graphical fidelity and are willing to spend their time making a game with a strong atmosphere, well written story, or engaging gameplay instead.
I have a feeling it's because a lot of people are tired of so many indie games sharing this same art style. Yes, it's an art choice. And yes, many of these recent games have utilized it impeccably. However, the market for games released today that rely primarily on pixel graphics appears to be oversaturated at this point. This isn't to say that using the art style is a bad thing, it's just that it's used frequently enough to get bemoanings from others. More significantly, though, it means that people could get overwhelmed by so many "similar" games to choose from that they can't determine which ones they want to play or which ones they think are good from a glance.

Think of it like the this. Remember how seemingly tons of games released in the late '80s and early '90s on consoles were side-scrolling platformers (or at least had heavy elements of it)? It's kind of a similar situation here. Many developers select this by choice due to it being simpler to make given developing constraints. This isn't a problem in itself because great games can be made with those choices, but it ends up leading to a situation where each game has problems standing out in the crowd amongst other titles unless it garners a lot of outside appeal. It certainly makes it more difficult for developers choosing this path to make their game noticed.
Posted May 20, 2014
I'm going on record here: this game is NOT about the graphics. This game is about the creepy atmospherics, sounds and ambiance. You CAN play the first three chapters on Kongregate if you'd like to try before you buy. I, for one, was pleasantly (or unpleasantly, considering the genre,) surprised by how well the game does convey its creepiness despite the graphical limitations.
Posted May 20, 2014
This game would have been an insta-buy for me if my finances weren't taking a nap after a long bout of insomnia.
Posted May 20, 2014
avatar
RichterSnipes: I have a feeling it's because a lot of people are tired of so many indie games sharing this same art style. Yes, it's an art choice. And yes, many of these recent games have utilized it impeccably. However, the market for games released today that rely primarily on pixel graphics appears to be oversaturated at this point. This isn't to say that using the art style is a bad thing, it's just that it's used frequently enough to get bemoanings from others. More significantly, though, it means that people could get overwhelmed by so many "similar" games to choose from that they can't determine which ones they want to play or which ones they think are good from a glance.

Think of it like the this. Remember how seemingly tons of games released in the late '80s and early '90s on consoles were side-scrolling platformers (or at least had heavy elements of it)? It's kind of a similar situation here. Many developers select this by choice due to it being simpler to make given developing constraints. This isn't a problem in itself because great games can be made with those choices, but it ends up leading to a situation where each game has problems standing out in the crowd amongst other titles unless it garners a lot of outside appeal. It certainly makes it more difficult for developers choosing this path to make their game noticed.
If you only look at the graphics sure but I look at the gameplay. There are also alot AAA games out there with highend graphics which play the same or like crap. Also the graphics doesn't say anything about the complexity of a game.
Posted May 20, 2014
avatar
Matruchus: First chapter of the browser version is here: http://jayisgames.com/games/the-last-door-chapter-1/ - no signing in needed
Thanks. I find it quite odd that the player has to control Anthony Beechworth during the intro.
Post edited May 20, 2014 by Lemon_Curry
Posted May 20, 2014
avatar
Johnmourby: But yeah The more I think about it the more I like these graphics. Lovecraft's prose while verbose and overblown is quite minimalistic in his own way. Only ever telling you the things you need to know at quite vaguely at that (But still overblown),
avatar
Telika: Yeah, I guess that a stylistically faithful adapttion of Lovecraft would have these graphics, PLUS a series of arrows pointing at them with labels such as "hideous", "truly horrible" and "in fact very scary you know".

It's the reason why Lovecraft doesn't transcribe well to the big screen, The more precise the image, the more awkward and funny the result. His descriptions shouldn't be processed too much. It's not a universe for visual media.

I don't think that the choice of awful pixelisation is so terribly dishonest, here...
I don't know about that, I really enjoyed Dark Corners of the Earth, until the action sequences, of course. The first portion of the game prior to getting weapons was extremely well done AND creepy.
Posted May 20, 2014
This thread takes me back to the time ASA was rejected partly because of 'the low resolution of the game'.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussion (archive)Release: The Last Door: Collector's Edition(132 posts)(132 posts)
(132 posts)