Deity

Oh, man, finally!  Not only a game that works, but a game that works well!

The most striking feature about this game is that it can be played using only the mouse, which leaves one hand free for sipping hot chocolate, instantly improving the play experience.

Deity isn't an incredibly long game, but it's long enough that if I were playing it on a weekday where I only have an hour at most to spare for this little project, I would have had to stop before the final level, which would have been a shame because this game is impeccably paced and the last level is very satisfying.

The basics of this game are simple.  Teleport your way around, using torches and gargoyles as your conduits, to take down guards with the power of darkness and progress from level to level.  Killing enemies head-on reduces your health by almost half, so stealth is a necessity.  This game is, to me, just the right mixture of thinking to execution

The aesthetic of this game is kind of similar to that of League of Legends, but with a lot more emphasis on darkness (just like in Corruption, you play as an ambassador of darkness).  In fact, this game as a whole kind of reminds me of League, only this game is actually good (okay, settle down.  League is good too, it's just not my cup of tea).  Mouse movement, stylized characters, particle effects and stealth gameplay make the similarities easy to notice.  The real difference between this and League is that this is a PvE, singleplayer game, whereas League is not.  I find this kind of gameplay to be much better suited for a singleplayer game, because it allows you to play at your own pace.  I'd elaborate, but this would soon turn into a review of League, so in the interest of staying on topic, let's move along.

This is the most fun I've had with a DigiPen game in a while.  Pacing, aesthetic, control, narrative, game feel...all of this is nigh flawless.  I would say that the real selling point with this game is the atmosphere.  It's the only game so far on this list that gave me that jarring feeling when I stopped playing it and I realized reality is still a thing.  That's something not even many mainstream games can do for me.  The last game that was able to pull that off was Spec Ops: The Line.  Even though I was alt+tabbing in and out to chat with my friends while I was playing, I was still fully immersed in the experience, and that is a feat worth congratulations.

Actually, on that note, that's another thing I liked about Deity. Alt+tabbing is no big deal.  A lot of these games make chatting on Skype or Facebook a nightmare, but Deity respects your right to screw around with something else and return to the game without much annoyance.

Mind you, this game's not perfect.  There are a few conveyance issues, like the firey walls that instakill you even though you've had no trouble phasing in and out of fire beforehand.  Come to think, the conveyance as a whole is kind of ham-handed.  The mechanics of the game are presented by little illustrations of the mouse buttons right over the place where you are to press them.  It doesn't affect the atmosphere too much, but still, I'd expect better from students who were ostensibly shown this stuff in a "what not to do" lecture.

The teleport move doesn't take you quite as far as you'd expect, leading to a few mildly irritating moments where I wanted to teleport just outside a lighted area that would hurt me, only to be plunged directly into the light.

All-in-all, Deity doesn't give me the most raw sense of fun out of all these games (Attack of the 50ft Robot still takes that honor), but I would wager to say it's the best experience overall.  I can't do it justice with digital ink.  It's a game that you've got to experience for yourselves.  Deity definitely gets my seal of approval.  Good work, Double++.  Keep on rockin.

That's all for now.  Until next time, stay evil.

Links
https://www.digipen.edu/?id=1170&proj=24653

Dawn of Empires

Again?!  Seriously??!!!?!

okay, this is getting a little ridiculous.  This is like the 5th broken game in a row.  These games may be making my job a hell of a lot easier, but I'd wager to say that they're making the blog a bit more boring.

This time, it said OpenGL2.0 is not supported on my computer.  I'm running OpenGL version 4.2.0, so I assume I might be able to get this game to work if I played around with drivers and stuff, but last time I tried messing with my video card, I ended up blowing out my entire motherboard.

I don't know.  I may not be technologically illiterate, but I can't figure this one out.  I would assume version 4.2.0 would be compatible with programs that require version 2.0, but whatever.  I won't question it.

Until next time, stay patient...One of these games is bound to work...

Links
https://www.digipen.edu/?id=1170&proj=8723