My review for Obsidian.

Boneho Chane · 11-27-2006, 01:15 PM

Here it is:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/dos...w/R107684.html

Terramax · 11-27-2006, 02:16 PM

sorry, I only got flicked through your review as it read too much like a fanboy/ zealotish fan review.

I know when people find a game they really love and want to go on and on, I was kinda like that with Ankh the first week I got it, but I found this way too extreme, 10/10 on almost everything.

I know this is much of a cult favourite, but I really found it hard to believe that anyone would be blown away by the 'amazing' puzzles and that everyone would reply this kind of game.

If this was written for Justadventure, a site that specializes, no, goes absolutely nuts over 1st person adventures, I wouldn't have a problem as I know the site, the reviewers and readers like those kinds of games.

But gamespot is for casual gamers, and hardcore for the FPS, RTS and sports game lovers. I find it hard to believe that a person in one of those categories would be really trusting with your judgement and even more that they would buy and really like it half as much as you do.

Further more, you say something amoung the lines of 'goes where Myst never dreamt of' but never backed points like this up. You promise that the puzzles are going to amaze, excite and please the gamer (where other AGs haven't) but I wasn't convinced with enough information as to what this did right that others didn't/ haven't.

That being said, I have always thought about playing this game, but I still generally have a hard time playing 1st persons. I like Myst IV: Revelations and Atlantis 3 was quite fun, but more obscure titles don't tempt me (although I have given a few a try, like Reah and I'm currently waiting for Phantasmagoria through the post any day) as they always seem to aim for the adventure fan and not grab fresh blood.

One thing that I don't think I was made aware of is that this is a slideshow game, something that makes me hate a 1st person adventure immediatly (I have a hard time even playing Riven let alone another Sci-fi adventure of many with slideshows). If that was a professional review for a site, I'd be ballistic not knowing that and buying the game to find it has my pet hatred.

One good point I liked was the warning of the ending(s) that for many don't deliver. I think I'm quite good with endings that aren't very fulfilling. At least I was warned that Still Life wasn't to have a terrific ending and that actually helped me accept it big time later when I did complete the game.

But your review didn't convince me that this was a game not just for the hardcore adventure gamer. Sorry

Boneho Chane · 11-27-2006, 02:43 PM

Good points. I was writting to adventure gamers, not gamefaqs, because I know no one would even look at it there. I just realized that I hadn't written a review there in almost a year so I decided to write it there.

The reason why I didn't expand on my whole beyond myst idea was because I didn't want to ruin any of the game. If you notice I only use examples from the first act of the game. However, I am also a Myst fan so I wasn't just saying this because I was being fanboyish. In fact, I really wouldn't say I was being fanboyish at all, though I probably did give that impression. Obsidian is not my favorite game at all and it's definitely not in my opinion the best game ever. It is does however have some incredible ideas that I have never seen before and for that reason it deserved the score. I also like to give to give 10's to certain aspects of most the games I review because I feel that's it's really the overall score that matters.

But yeah, as a regular gamer, I too wouldn't find this appealing. Only as an adventure gamer. I strongly recommend playing the game anyway. It's definitely mindblowing.

Terramax · 11-27-2006, 02:55 PM

I'm sure there will be a day when I do play Obsedian. But not just yet. I have to be ready for it. There are some types of adventures I played a year or two back and hated, and only a year or two later did I play them and learn to enjoy.

I know I wouldn't enjoy this game right now, because I still have a relativily bad judgement of most 1st persons, but your review is one of a few that reminds me that I will get round to it one day.

Boneho Chane · 11-27-2006, 03:04 PM

Fair enough. I'm in kind of a 1st person mode myself right now, and last year I wouldn't play anything unless it was in the third person. So yeah, I know what you mean. However, I think no matter how much some one can hate a first person adventure game, or even an adventure game period, no one can deny how cool and creative this game is. It's not flawless though.

Fairygdmther · 12-07-2006, 02:49 PM

I did a review for Obsidian almost 3 years ago. Obsidian review It remains my favorite game ever. No, it's not perfect, but it is so creatively done, it deserves all the hype it gets. This game had virtually no advertising ahead of time, and was considered a flop - the company failed and went out of business after this. What a terrible shame!

I'm afraid I'm as guilty of fanboyism as you are with this game.

FGM

*Melanie68* · 12-07-2006, 05:07 PM

That's another game I need to hunt down on eBay.

Boneho Chane · 12-09-2006, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fairygdmther

I did a review for Obsidian almost 3 years ago. Obsidian review It remains my favorite game ever. No, it's not perfect, but it is so creatively done, it deserves all the hype it gets. This game had virtually no advertising ahead of time, and was considered a flop - the company failed and went out of business after this. What a terrible shame!

I'm afraid I'm as guilty of fanboyism as you are with this game.

FGM

Not only that, but their budget was indeed cut before they could finish the game. The developers mentioned in an interview that the radio on top of the scrap junkyard was originally a long and complex puzzle. Now all you have to do is a single button on it and you're done.

I still have this game stuck in my head. I wish there was another game just like this but it seems this is all there is.

11-27-2006, 01:15 PM	#1
Boneho Chane Adventure Lover Last Online: 05-02-2012 10:19 PM Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 522	My review for Obsidian. Here it is: http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/dos...w/R107684.html __________________ Salesman: "Hey, you missed the party last night." Bernard: "You and the CLOWN where having a party!?!"

11-27-2006, 02:16 PM	#2
Terramax Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 1,595	sorry, I only got flicked through your review as it read too much like a fanboy/ zealotish fan review. I know when people find a game they really love and want to go on and on, I was kinda like that with Ankh the first week I got it, but I found this way too extreme, 10/10 on almost everything. I know this is much of a cult favourite, but I really found it hard to believe that anyone would be blown away by the 'amazing' puzzles and that everyone would reply this kind of game. If this was written for Justadventure, a site that specializes, no, goes absolutely nuts over 1st person adventures, I wouldn't have a problem as I know the site, the reviewers and readers like those kinds of games. But gamespot is for casual gamers, and hardcore for the FPS, RTS and sports game lovers. I find it hard to believe that a person in one of those categories would be really trusting with your judgement and even more that they would buy and really like it half as much as you do. Further more, you say something amoung the lines of 'goes where Myst never dreamt of' but never backed points like this up. You promise that the puzzles are going to amaze, excite and please the gamer (where other AGs haven't) but I wasn't convinced with enough information as to what this did right that others didn't/ haven't. That being said, I have always thought about playing this game, but I still generally have a hard time playing 1st persons. I like Myst IV: Revelations and Atlantis 3 was quite fun, but more obscure titles don't tempt me (although I have given a few a try, like Reah and I'm currently waiting for Phantasmagoria through the post any day) as they always seem to aim for the adventure fan and not grab fresh blood. One thing that I don't think I was made aware of is that this is a slideshow game, something that makes me hate a 1st person adventure immediatly (I have a hard time even playing Riven let alone another Sci-fi adventure of many with slideshows). If that was a professional review for a site, I'd be ballistic not knowing that and buying the game to find it has my pet hatred. One good point I liked was the warning of the ending(s) that for many don't deliver. I think I'm quite good with endings that aren't very fulfilling. At least I was warned that Still Life wasn't to have a terrific ending and that actually helped me accept it big time later when I did complete the game. But your review didn't convince me that this was a game not just for the hardcore adventure gamer. Sorry Last edited by Terramax; 11-27-2006 at 02:39 PM..

11-27-2006, 02:43 PM	#3
Boneho Chane Adventure Lover Last Online: 05-02-2012 10:19 PM Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 522	Good points. I was writting to adventure gamers, not gamefaqs, because I know no one would even look at it there. I just realized that I hadn't written a review there in almost a year so I decided to write it there. The reason why I didn't expand on my whole beyond myst idea was because I didn't want to ruin any of the game. If you notice I only use examples from the first act of the game. However, I am also a Myst fan so I wasn't just saying this because I was being fanboyish. In fact, I really wouldn't say I was being fanboyish at all, though I probably did give that impression. Obsidian is not my favorite game at all and it's definitely not in my opinion the best game ever. It is does however have some incredible ideas that I have never seen before and for that reason it deserved the score. I also like to give to give 10's to certain aspects of most the games I review because I feel that's it's really the overall score that matters. But yeah, as a regular gamer, I too wouldn't find this appealing. Only as an adventure gamer. I strongly recommend playing the game anyway. It's definitely mindblowing. __________________ Salesman: "Hey, you missed the party last night." Bernard: "You and the CLOWN where having a party!?!"

11-27-2006, 03:04 PM	#5
Boneho Chane Adventure Lover Last Online: 05-02-2012 10:19 PM Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 522	Fair enough. I'm in kind of a 1st person mode myself right now, and last year I wouldn't play anything unless it was in the third person. So yeah, I know what you mean. However, I think no matter how much some one can hate a first person adventure game, or even an adventure game period, no one can deny how cool and creative this game is. It's not flawless though. __________________ Salesman: "Hey, you missed the party last night." Bernard: "You and the CLOWN where having a party!?!"

12-07-2006, 02:49 PM	#6
Fairygdmther Magic Wand Waver Last Online: 05-29-2008 03:36 AM Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Sarasota, Florida Posts: 3,142	I did a review for Obsidian almost 3 years ago. Obsidian review It remains my favorite game ever. No, it's not perfect, but it is so creatively done, it deserves all the hype it gets. This game had virtually no advertising ahead of time, and was considered a flop - the company failed and went out of business after this. What a terrible shame! I'm afraid I'm as guilty of fanboyism as you are with this game. FGM __________________ Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Ralph Waldo Emerson

11-27-2006, 02:55 PM	#4
Terramax Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 1,595	I'm sure there will be a day when I do play Obsedian. But not just yet. I have to be ready for it. There are some types of adventures I played a year or two back and hated, and only a year or two later did I play them and learn to enjoy. I know I wouldn't enjoy this game right now, because I still have a relativily bad judgement of most 1st persons, but your review is one of a few that reminds me that I will get round to it one day.

12-07-2006, 05:07 PM	#7
Melanie68 Super Moderator Last Online: 05-19-2012 11:09 AM Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 8,907	That's another game I need to hunt down on eBay.