Black Geyser - Review @ Mortismal Gaming

I'll read the link when I've completed it, I'm trying my hardest to avoid spoilers at the moment, so don't want to see spoilers while I look for brief UI bullet points.

There's quite a gulf between a UI with nitpicks and a UI that is just bad. At this moment in time I do not consider it a bad UI, but it's still early days in my run, relatively speaking.

Quote with no spoiler :

MMORPG.com said:
the camera doesnt follow the group. I cannot figure out how to make it so, and there is nothing in the settings (that I can see) that would toggle this. It's annoying to have to click to move and then manually follow where I go. Something like this feels true to the genres roots, but they are modern conveniences for a reason: nothing is lost by allowing camera follow.

Another convenience is the simple matter of transferring items between party members. There doesn't seem to be a way to do so while in the inventory panel, instead I've dropped stuff on the ground and had one of my other party members pick it up. This is incredibly convoluted and annoying, making inventory management a chore. I wish there were a way to right-click and transfer it to another member.
 
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the camera doesnt follow the group. I cannot figure out how to make it so, and there is nothing in the settings (that I can see) that would toggle this. It's annoying to have to click to move and then manually follow where I go. Something like this feels true to the genres roots, but they are modern conveniences for a reason: nothing is lost by allowing camera follow.

Yeah, ok, a nitpick, I didn't even notice this, I guess because, yeah, that's how the games it apes always did it. It's not like you're hand is going to be busy making pizzas while you watch your gang run across the screen, might as well give yourself something to do while walking around. *shrug*

Another convenience is the simple matter of transferring items between party members. There doesn't seem to be a way to do so while in the inventory panel, instead I've dropped stuff on the ground and had one of my other party members pick it up. This is incredibly convoluted and annoying, making inventory management a chore. I wish there were a way to right-click and transfer it to another member.

This one is hilarious. I figured this out within the first hour of having a companion. You pick up the item with a left click and then drop it on their portrait. Again, something anyone familiar with the games it's aping would instinctively know to try.
 
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Yeah, ok, a nitpick, I didn't even notice this, I guess because, yeah, that's how the games it apes always did it. It's not like you're hand is going to be busy making pizzas while you watch your gang run across the screen, might as well give yourself something to do while walking around. *shrug*



This one is hilarious. I figured this out within the first hour of having a companion. You pick up the item with a left click and then drop it on their portrait. Again, something anyone familiar with the games it's aping would instinctively know to try.

This also highlights one of the biggest problems I have in reading "bugs/issues/bad/etc" from users in general. Often the issue is more user error :p
 
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Now I remember why I never finished the demo. You have to kill a non-hostile innocent fox for a quest. I stopped at that point hoping they would provide another alternative. Reviews on steam indicate they didn't.

This is the only time this happens, or at least has happened in my first 20 odd hours.

The game is very good at offering you options in pretty much every scenario. The instance you're citing is just part of the tutorial as a means to show the player how to attack a non-hostile, UI-wise, it's not part of the role-playing at that point.
 
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problem with multiclassing is

I've never understood the obsession some people have with multi-classing.

As the years have gone by the various p&p systems have created so many character classes that almost everyone is already a multiclass anyway. I mean, what's a Paladin if it's not a pre-built multiclass fighter/cleric, etc.

Hmm, I'm complaining because my game wont let my Fighter/Cleric (paladin) dual/multi-class with a Rogue/Mage (bard)? Oh, come on, get a new obsession!

(maybe not you, but whoever that guy you were quoting if not)

It's like trying to read posts by people who are incapable of playing a game until someone's established the ultimate min/max build, it's normally some nutter with one level in rogue, three in fighter, two in mage and 14 in monk - just so they can pass a skill check when they get to the end-boss. Really eye rolling stuff.
 
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This is the only time this happens, or at least has happened in my first 20 odd hours.

The game is very good at offering you options in pretty much every scenario. The instance you're citing is just part of the tutorial as a means to show the player how to attack a non-hostile, UI-wise, it's not part of the role-playing at that point.

Thanks. Still not happy about it, never been a big fan of animal killing although understand it for defense and survival needs. Different topic though.

Regardless still looks like a fun rainy day kind of game so just picked it up so I will have it.
 
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Oh and I saw they include a PDF of an actual manual as part of the download! While not printed it reminds me of the old manual, if not as fancy. Has a lot of good information in it though.

Also custom portraits always a plus!
 
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Well, I'm over 30 hours in, just in the early stages of chapter 3, and so far this is a 9/10 game so far for me.

Kinda flabbergasted at the quantity of negativity when I read other people's thoughts here, on Steam and on RPGCodex *shrugs*.

It's unarguably the most Baldur's Gate game since Baldur's Gate. It's even more Baldur's Gate than Baldur's Gate 2, lol.
 
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I'm about 10 hours in. I have to say the game isn't as good as I hoped it to be.

First, dialogs are poor, very poor. NPCs, even your companions, have little to no personality. They often make no sense. You ask a peasant in the street where to go for a blacksmith and they tell you to go to the royal palace (!).

There is very little to explore. Outdoors areas are small with little to do. They seem to be linear, too. I have not yet encountered a single dungeon or a "combat" map that could take more than a few minutes to finish.

Combat are very easy (medium difficulty level with a fighter). I don't believe I have died once. I remember struggling a lot more in the early map of BG1 with a similar character.

I'm puzzled by the system. My character is something like level 5 or 6 and my sword skill is already maxed (at 15).

It can still be fun at time but for me, so far, it's really a Poor man's BG1.
 
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You clearly have fonder memories of Baldur's Gate than me :lol:

I can't remember any companions from BG1 (apart from those who made it to BG2, because of BG2).

I can't remember any interesting fights in BG1 & didn't find much of it particularly difficult - Expansion tower excluded (This game hasn't had it's DLC content yet)

The exploration has been more interesting than any Baldur's Gate map of gibberlings and a random NPC.

AD&D 2E had very boring weapon levelling as well, and you could be maxed very quickly with a few dots.

BG didn't have any interesting dungeons (expansion tower excluded), but this game might still, it's early days yet.

I'd say it's certainly no worse than BG1, and, for me, a better experience.
 
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Eh? It's similar in that it's a party-based game that uses an isometric camera and RtwP combat. I wouldn't say the style of the world or characters are similar, and the production values aren't on the same level.

idk, he didnt elaborate and I havent bought the game yet. But Pillars was a little overrated, especially the second one (small maps, no innovation at all).
 
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I can't remember any companions from BG1 (apart from those who made it to BG2, because of BG2).

You need to try BG1 again. I did it a few years ago so my memory might be a bit fresher :) But yes, they carried over the best companions from BG1 to BG2 but even those that didn't make the transfer were more memorable.

I can't remember any interesting fights in BG1 & didn't find much of it particularly difficult - Expansion tower excluded (This game hasn't had it's DLC content yet)
That lone ogre you meet early in the game could be a killer. And even those kobolds with flaming arrows could be a decent threat.

AD&D 2E had very boring weapon levelling as well, and you could be maxed very quickly with a few dots.

Well, in BG/ADnD, you would get a better tac0 with each level so your character would progressively get better. But yes, leveling wasn't a big strenght of AD&D 2nd edition.

BG didn't have any interesting dungeons (expansion tower excluded), but this game might still, it's early days yet.

Well, in early game, you had the Nashkel mines that were a pretty fun dungeons with traps and all. The boss fight at the end of it was fun, too. Now in Black Geyser, after 10 hours, I'm not sure I have encountered anything that reach that level.

I'd say it's certainly no worse than BG1, and, for me, a better experience.

I fear we will have to agree to disagree :)
 
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There is a demo, I strongly suggest to those who might be interested, to try out this Black Geyser game with the demo. I thought it was a pretty mediocre game, but that is just based on the demo.
However, it definitely was not something I thought worth buying and it was nothing like close to a Baldur's Gate.
 
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Oh and I saw they include a PDF of an actual manual as part of the download! While not printed it reminds me of the old manual, if not as fancy. Has a lot of good information in it though.

Also custom portraits always a plus!

A manual!!!! I didn't see that, I was wondering where to look up stuff (I think there's a wiki), but I see the manual has quite a bit of info. Thanks for pointing that out :)
 
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There is a demo, I strongly suggest to those who might be interested, to try out this Black Geyser game with the demo. I thought it was a pretty mediocre game, but that is just based on the demo.
However, it definitely was not something I thought worth buying and it was nothing like close to a Baldur's Gate.

Absolute nonsense :lol:
 
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idk, he didnt elaborate and I havent bought the game yet. But Pillars was a little overrated, especially the second one (small maps, no innovation at all).

I don't think the PoE games are overrated. If you look at the user-scores, they're in the 8/10 range. Critic scores are higher, but the critics tend to overrate almost every popular release.

As for Black Geyser, I have to agree with vanedor and Arkadia7 here. It's no Baldur's Gate.
 
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I don't think the PoE games are overrated. If you look at the user-scores, they're in the 8/10 range. Critic scores are higher, but the critics tend to overrate almost every popular release.

As for Black Geyser, I have to agree with vanedor and Arkadia7 here. It's no Baldur's Gate.

I thought POE2 was better than POE1 myself, more polished and nice looking as well as fun game play and a cool location. Mileage varies of course.

I am only at the very start of my BG: Couriers game as still trying to decide on who to play. It is rough around the edges for sure. Could still be fun though.
 
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Made it to the City tonight. I have to say it does give me strong BG vibes. The music isn't nearly as good though. Enjoy the dialogue with the follower I met so far. It isn't like big games but then BG1 wasn't really that in-depth compared to know either, although for its time it certainly was. I even came across Kobolds walking the paths.

I didn't want to worry too much about mechanics at first so playing it easy with a Thief. I am nervous about looting anything though! Thief might not have been the best choice but I tend to like them a lot. More as scouts and jack of all trade adventurers though versus cut-purses and thugs.
 
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Yes, it's good to be nervous about looting stuff, however, there's a perception out there that 'looting is pointless' because of the greed mechanic, but this isn't the case.

I shall refrain from going into spoilers, but there's actually a very wide range of options you have when looting. I've looted a fair amount from both defeated foes and barrels/crates etc, for example, and am still doing extremely well with my greed stats.

I don't loot everything, but I don't tend to let everything lay unransacked either. Rogue is a good option for this game, especially as it has a very nice pickpocketing mechanic. Amongst many other benefits and skills, including the novel Powder Planting mechanic.
 
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Well, in early game, you had the Nashkel mines that were a pretty fun dungeons with traps and all. The boss fight at the end of it was fun, too. Now in Black Geyser, after 10 hours, I'm not sure I have encountered anything that reach that level.

I've just been through a small dungeon, which was also a mine in Black Geyser, and not very long after that a longer dungeon which also involved some time travel.
 
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