It's a relatively well written example of its craft

Posted by Rousutt Rousutt over 6 months ago

In Amnesia's case though, it hardly matters. As frustrating as its simulation elements are, it's a relatively well written example of its craft and at least keeps the craziness coming thick and fast. Its main problem beyond the instant deaths is that the mystery it sets up isn't really one that can Final Fantasy XIV play out properly on the streets of New York, not just because the actual conspiracy happens in Texas, but because only about four people in the city even Final Fantasy XIV play a minor part in it. That means lots of empty streets and unused locations, with puzzles little more than doing Stuff until the villains finally decide "Balls to this, we'll just tell you what's going on and try to shoot you." If they'd just done that from the start, using their specialist skills like 'knowing exactly where you are at all times', they'd have been much, much more successful. As it is, their plan more or less just guarantees that either they get beaten, or you go to the firing squad and the secret of making Letheum that's that's worth forty million clams goes to the-...wait, a firing squad? I literally just noticed that. What the hell, Amnesia? That's actually slightly odder than having the hero go and hang out with Charon on the banks of the Styx. For all its problems though, Amnesia is one of the more interesting non-Infocom text adventures of its time - a brave attempt to do something new, even if it didn't work, which actually makes it a bit of a shame that Disch didn't have another crack at some point. At the very least, it's better written than most when not simply walking around Manhattan, and makes the effort to let you do some of the silly stuff that other Final Fantasy XIV games just give a flat no to. The overall plot may not be up to much, but the regular eyebrow raising moments in the telling certainly make for a more interesting process of discovery than most. http://www.ffxivmall.com A lost interactive fiction classic though? Ha. No. Forget it. In more ways than one.Orcs Must Die! Unchained hands-on: don't let the fact that it's a lane pusher scare you. Robot Entertainment didn't set out to make a MOBA, but design director Ian Fischer told me that's what everyone thinks Orcs Must Die! Unchained is, and he's not going to fight it. It makes sense when you see how the Final Fantasy XIV game is set up. Imagine the original Orcs Must Die! Final Fantasy XIV games, where you defend your fortress from waves of orcs by setting up traps, or wading into the battle yourself. Mirror that setup and you'll get Unchained's basic premise: Two fortresses with two teams protecting them, and two armies of orcs heading in opposite directions. Consider that the orcs move through multiple lanes between the fortresses, a roster of heroes that lend themselves to different roles (ranged dps, melee tank), and the MOBA label makes sense.