Let's Klay The NeverhoOd Chronicles - Now Playing Skullmonkeys

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The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Games > Let's Play! > Let's Klay The NeverhoOd Chronicles - Now Playing Skullmonkeys

TwoDayLife: Jan 26, 2006; On a two-day vacation
*poot*

Latest Vid, Part 8: Never Hood State of Mind

Never Hood State of Mind Youtube Vidja

Dear Let's Klay Peoples,

Let's enjoy a fun game about a sorta duck-looking guy who stumbles through a clay world while chillaxing to some sweet tunes.
I can promise you monsters, explosions and more slapstick than you can shake a stick at.

Buddies,
TwoDayLife

The Neverhood Chronicles is a series of two games set in a lovingly handcrafted world made by Doug TenNapel of Earthworm Jim fame.
Both games are very unique in that the assets used to create them were made completely out of clay. This gives the games a very distinct and gorgeous look.
They also have TenNapel's special flavor of surreal.

The first, The Neverhood, is a point and click adventure game, that plays more like an interactive cartoon than anything else. The game is chock full of clay-animated cutscenes.
You take control of Klaymen, as he bumbles through the Neverhood solving puzzles and "learning" about the world around him.

The second, Skullmonkeys, retains the clay-animated cutscenes but now plays as a platformer which is very similar to Donkey Kong Country. That is if DKC had floaty as gently caress controls, ridiculously hard levels and nonstop fart jokes. Which is not to say that it's a bad game, just disappointing when considering what it could have been. The levels is are unique, the weirdness and humor is still there.
But you simply don't get the charm you got in the original game, at least not outside the cutscenes.

Both games feature an AMAZING soundtrack by Terry Scott Taylor that just oozes character and gives The Neverhood games a very distinct and recognizable feel.
Album featuring music from both games can be bought here: Imaginarium : Songs from the Neverhood

I'll be playing through both games in sequence, so let's begin:

Part 1: Klaymen

Vidjas
Klaymen Youtube Vidja
Bonus Vidja: Full Neverhood Documentary

Muzaks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU8b0Y8yCY0 - Klaymen Shuffle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aRMSqCxk6I - Klaymen's Theme
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2flJRv8c16Y - Dum Da Dum Doi Doi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqD04plYwrI - Everybody Way Oh!

Uthaz:

--->> Hall of Records Transcript <<---

INTERMISSION : Klaymen Gun Hockey

Vidjas
Klaymen Gun Hockey Youtube vidja

Part 8: Never Hood State of Mind

Vidjas:
Never Hood State of Mind Youtube Vidja

Muzaks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiIUVADK9g8 - Monk Rushmore (Presidential Funky Monkey)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_xgA2dqMk0 - Psychedelic Boogie Child

TwoDayLife fucked around with this message at May 13, 2013 around 05:05

# ? Jan 10, 2013 08:03

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# ? May 22, 2013 18:29

TwoDayLife: Jan 26, 2006; On a two-day vacation
*poot*

Some fanart from folks:

-Triangle

-Stragedy

TwoDayLife fucked around with this message at Mar 4, 2013 around 07:22

# ? Jan 10, 2013 08:06

TwoDayLife: Jan 26, 2006; On a two-day vacation
*poot*

TwoDayLife fucked around with this message at Jan 10, 2013 around 08:23

# ? Jan 10, 2013 08:06

Danger-Pumpkin: Apr 27, 2008; I love physics,
in theory.

Hooray! I could never beat The Neverhood as a kid, probably because I was (am?) retarded, but I loved it so much. The music, and the cutscenes, and just the whole vibe. The weird thing is, I have no recollection of receiving the game. I just had the disk one day, tucked away in the back of a drawer, in a sharpie labeled jewelcase. It was weird. Like, magical weird, because I was nine, but probably just something a friend lent my brother. Whatever.

Also, I didn't know there was a followup game, so even though I'm disappointed to hear it isn't up to par, I'm really excited to see that.

# ? Jan 10, 2013 08:35

Blue Ghost: Dec 12, 2012

While The Neverhood doesn't really stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other classic adventure games (it's puzzles aren't quite as cleaver), it was something new and that has to be admired. You're right when you say that the claymation was a good choice for the game because other games from the mid 90's low terrible now. Looking at you Mario and Final Fantasy.

# ? Jan 10, 2013 08:46

Koorisch: Mar 29, 2009

God, I loving love the Neverhood Chronicles, it's so good!

# ? Jan 10, 2013 14:51

Antlerhill: Nov 6, 2012

Fantastic, a LP of my favorite game of all time. I've played this game so many times when I was a kid I have it pretty much memorized. Definitely going to follow this thread.

And you're right about Skullmonkeys being a disappointment, I remember I was pretty bummed about it when I played it back when it came out. Specially since that was the last game this development team made, and I feel they could've had a pretty good run with their unique style and creativity.

# ? Jan 10, 2013 14:55

a spooky ghost: Jan 1, 2010; stay the same never change

I love the Neverhood. It is probably one of the most unique looking and sounding games I have ever played. Taylor's soundtrack is probably the best collection of original music composed for a videogame as far as I am concerned. I got the game from a friend way after its release, but it still totally made me fall in love with it.

On sort of a different note: TwoDayLife, your pair of Oddworld LPs were the first I ever saw on Something Awful, so they have always been kind of special to me. From the time I found out that Let's Play was a thing, it coincided with me wanting to see a well-done look at the Neverhood. So it's sort of serendipitous that you've ended up doing this game.

# ? Jan 10, 2013 16:10

mailorder bees!: Nov 4, 2011; Beemo, turn the music down.
Come on, Beemo, you're messing up my game

Awesome, I was just thinking about this game the other day, good to see some love for it. I wonder if I still have the old copy of it that came with the old family computer back in 2000; it'd be great to dust it off and play it again. I remember once, I got super bored one day and decided to read the whole hall of records, screen by screen.

The visuals were like nothing I'd ever seen, and I instantly loved it. I never played skullmonkeys, but from the sounds of it, I'm not missing a whole lot.

# ? Jan 10, 2013 16:28

Seshoho Cian: Jul 26, 2010; IF YOU'RE HAVING TRUST PROBLEMS I FEEL BAD FOR YOU SON
I GOT 999 PROBLEMS BUT AN ALLY AIN'T ONE

I am a man with a great love of point and click games, and I've always been really intrigued with this series. I've never actually got to play the games (Wikipedia says that the first game was never released in Europe, so that seems likely why.), so I'm definitely going to follow this thread.

Also, are you going to attempt that one Neverhood hockey game that was only released in Japan? I'd imagine there wouldn't be a lot to cover so maybe just a bonus video would do you.

# ? Jan 10, 2013 17:33

Starving Wolf: Apr 2, 2010

The Neverhood is the first game I've ever bought, back when I was 11 or 12. I remember that day very clearly. I paid for it with spare change I collected over a six month period. It cost quite a bit, because games generally cost a lot of money in my country back then. I remember the look on the kindly old shopkeeper's face as I emptied my manifold pockets and started dropping handfuls of small coins on the table to pay for the drat thing. It took us half an hour to count it all; the whole counter was literally covered in coins.

I've always loved the Neverhood, there is something so magical about it, not only the look and story, but the whole world they made for it. You can see the love they put into crafting this. I replay it every couple of years (My CD is completely worn out by now), and even though I know every puzzle and line of dialogue back to back, it's never not great every single time.
Thank you for playing these games! I'm looking forward to see Skullmonkeys, I've never even seen gameplay of it before.

# ? Jan 10, 2013 17:40

A Meatslab: Apr 15, 2010

I'm so glad this is getting LP'd. I remember playing this game with my parents when I was around 4-5 years old, although I didn't beat the game on my own until I picked the game up again in high school. In fact, I might as go as far as saying this is the first legit video game I had ever come into contact with.

Of course, the puzzles in this game were tricky as hell and required either near-perfect photographic memory or a pen and paper. A few years ago I found some pieces of paper tucked away in a CD case that was covered in weird scribbles my parents put down while playing this game.

Nonetheless, there's really something about the style, humor, and atmosphere of The Neverhood that really sticks with you, especially if you play it at a young age like I did. I still have some of the songs stuck in my head even after all of these years.

# ? Jan 10, 2013 19:41

Triangle: Jul 30, 2011

I have no idea how this game ended up in my hands when I was a kid but I do remember playing the poo poo out of it. Thanks for reminding me of this game!
Here is something I drew up while reminiscing and listening to the awesome soundtrack.

# ? Jan 10, 2013 19:45

C-Euro: Mar 20, 2010; Actually, Lucy, my trouble is football. I just don't understand it. Instead of feeling happy, I feel sort of let down.

Go Lions.

The Neverhood is awesome and I'm still holding out hope that it makes it onto something like GOG or Steam. This and Age of Empires were my first forays into PC gaming and I still love both unconditionally

# ? Jan 10, 2013 19:55

Brainamp: Sep 4, 2011

One of the first games I ever played. I still have the soundtrack somewhere in my house.

VVV: And?

Brainamp fucked around with this message at Jan 10, 2013 around 20:34

# ? Jan 10, 2013 20:28

Waltzing Along: Jun 14, 2008; i literally believe in magic

Surprised to see this because it was done before. For some reason it isn't in the LP Archive, but it is in the SA Forums archives: http://forums.somethingawful.com/sh...hreadid=2423503

# ? Jan 10, 2013 20:33

Seshoho Cian: Jul 26, 2010; IF YOU'RE HAVING TRUST PROBLEMS I FEEL BAD FOR YOU SON
I GOT 999 PROBLEMS BUT AN ALLY AIN'T ONE

Waltzing Along posted:

Surprised to see this because it was done before. For some reason it isn't in the LP Archive, but it is in the SA Forums archives: http://forums.somethingawful.com/sh...hreadid=2423503

All the images in that thread are dead though. You can't exactly read a screenshot LP without screenshots.

# ? Jan 10, 2013 23:09

Arkanomen: May 6, 2007; all he wants is a hug.

ME WILLIE
ME WILLIE...TROMBONE

That adorable little dope. I miss the old adventure game narratives, the way the Neverhood's was revealed piecemeal. It really felt like you earned big advances in the plot.

# ? Jan 11, 2013 01:53

Aeros Wilhelm: Sep 2, 2011

This is a great game; I think I got it with one of my families second or third computers. windows 95 or 98, can't remember. Played the crap out of it. Thank you for bringing a piece of nostalgia back to me. as soon as I heard that da dum da dum doi doi it really came rushing back. I remember reading ALL of the hall of records.

# ? Jan 11, 2013 02:10

Clockwork Beast!: Jan 18, 2007; Clockwork beast! Clockwork beast! We're doomed!

JUMP IN THE HOLE

Clockwork Beast! fucked around with this message at Jan 11, 2013 around 03:16

# ? Jan 11, 2013 03:12

TwoDayLife: Jan 26, 2006; On a two-day vacation
*poot*

a spooky ghost posted:

I love the Neverhood. It is probably one of the most unique looking and sounding games I have ever played. Taylor's soundtrack is probably the best collection of original music composed for a videogame as far as I am concerned. I got the game from a friend way after its release, but it still totally made me fall in love with it.

On sort of a different note: TwoDayLife, your pair of Oddworld LPs were the first I ever saw on Something Awful, so they have always been kind of special to me. From the time I found out that Let's Play was a thing, it coincided with me wanting to see a well-done look at the Neverhood. So it's sort of serendipitous that you've ended up doing this game.

I completely agree.
If anyone's interest Tayler and TenNaple just came out with a new Neverhood-y album. I have yet to listen to it. but you can find it here: http://www.danielamos.com/store/ (as the featured item). One of the tracks is on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-Iy8zqhK_E others might be as well.

Also,

Seshoho Cian posted:

Also, are you going to attempt that one Neverhood hockey game that was only released in Japan? I'd imagine there wouldn't be a lot to cover so maybe just a bonus video would do you.

I wasn't planning to as it's pretty much just an attempted cash-grab on the Klaymen name. If people want to so it I don't mind showing it off, maybe Boombots, too.

Starving Wolf posted:

The Neverhood is the first game I've ever bought, back when I was 11 or 12. I remember that day very clearly. I paid for it with spare change I collected over a six month period. It cost quite a bit, because games generally cost a lot of money in my country back then. I remember the look on the kindly old shopkeeper's face as I emptied my manifold pockets and started dropping handfuls of small coins on the table to pay for the drat thing. It took us half an hour to count it all; the whole counter was literally covered in coins.

I wanted this game really badly as a kid, but my parents wouldn't get it for me.
Somehow I convinced my dad to get it as a birthday present for one of my friends.
It took some work, as the back of the box had "For Ages 17 & Up" written on it.(Not sure why cause the game was super kid friendly and the ESRB already existed)

Anyway, I give it to my friend and he loved it, but the fucker never lent it to me.
My whole plan was ruined.

Triangle posted:

I have no idea how this game ended up in my hands when I was a kid but I do remember playing the poo poo out of it. Thanks for reminding me of this game!
Here is something I drew up while reminiscing and listening to the awesome soundtrack.

This is pretty great.
Thanks!

TwoDayLife fucked around with this message at Jan 13, 2013 around 02:28

# ? Jan 12, 2013 19:11

SleazyBakeOven: Oct 4, 2011; Please, talk to me about Eberron! And by Eberron I mean Warforged. Really I just wanna talk about the Warforged.

I loving love the Neverhood. My brother made a Klaymen mug for ceramics a few years back, and we still use it. Are you gonna post the gigantic blob of text in the hallway that shows the origin of the world when we get to there?

EDIT: Woops sorry im an idiot what can't read.

SleazyBakeOven fucked around with this message at Jan 13, 2013 around 00:14

# ? Jan 12, 2013 21:37

KnT: Jul 12, 2010

Though I never played the Neverhood, I did play the snot out a the demo for it (it was on one of a group of disks chock full of game and program demos). It'll be a treat to see the full game in all it's glory.

# ? Jan 12, 2013 22:24

Starving Wolf: Apr 2, 2010

SleazyBakeOven posted:

I loving love the Neverhood. My brother made a Klaymen mug for ceramics a few years back, and we still use it. Are you gonna post the gigantic blob of text in the hallway that shows the origin of the world when we get to there?

It's, uh, right there in the first episode of this LP. He posted the transcript.
Also, might you have a picture of this mug?

# ? Jan 12, 2013 23:21

Kgummy: Aug 14, 2009

SleazyBakeOven posted:

I loving love the Neverhood. My brother made a Klaymen mug for ceramics a few years back, and we still use it. Are you gonna post the gigantic blob of text in the hallway that shows the origin of the world when we get to there?

Considering there's a copy listed in the OP, I'd say yes. Especially considering it's in the video. I'd say it's the most annoying bit I've ever seen in an adventure game.

Chalk me up as one of the people who played this game. Don't think I ever beat it, and I ended up losing the cd somewhere. So when I tried to find it, I ended up only having the case. It oozes charm though.

It's a shame that it's not exactly feasible to make claymation anything anymore. Larger scale projects, I mean. At least the Aardman Animations kept their claymation style, when they switched to computer animation. They specifically added 'flaws' into it to get the clay look.

As an aside, Doug TenNapel is currently doing sort of webcomics. I say sort of because going by what he did with his previous one: he basically did uploaded it as he went, then after he finished it, he took most of it down and started selling it as a book. With some extra bits, though. If you're curious, the site is right here. He even makes fun of how he messed up and left out some comics, putting them in later and renumbering. Not sure if that's in the online version anymore, though.

# ? Jan 12, 2013 23:45

Y-Hat: Feb 10, 2007; Birdemic 2: Koholint Island

I never played this game, but I have seen it played once or twice. One song in particular is very catchy and I still remember it to this day. This does seem like the kind of game that's perfect for a TwoDayLife LP, so I'm glad he's doing it.

# ? Jan 13, 2013 09:38

TwoDayLife: Jan 26, 2006; On a two-day vacation
*poot*

SleazyBakeOven posted:

I loving love the Neverhood. My brother made a Klaymen mug for ceramics a few years back, and we still use it. Are you gonna post the gigantic blob of text in the hallway that shows the origin of the world when we get to there?

EDIT: Woops sorry im an idiot what can't read.

As others have mentioned, it's posted in the OP.
If anyone is actually going to read through the stories, I'd recommend Ottoborg and Hoborg. The stories try hard to parody the Bible and most end up getting a slog to get through, especially the ones with paragraph after paragraph of who begat who.

# ? Jan 13, 2013 19:59

Treuan: Jun 30, 2011; Go have some COFFEE with CREAM or something! Because I'll tell you something! This is a happy place!

Oh man, I love this game. It was one of my first point and clicks, and it really sold me on the genre.

# ? Jan 13, 2013 21:23

Glazius: Jul 22, 2007; Hail all those who are able,
any mouse can,
any mouse will,
but the Guard prevail.

So, are we going to get the giant wall of text (literally) doled out in bits and pieces over future updates? It must be at least a little interesting.

# ? Jan 13, 2013 22:46

Blue Ghost: Dec 12, 2012

Glazius posted:

So, are we going to get the giant wall of text (literally) doled out in bits and pieces over future updates? It must be at least a little interesting.

Look for the Woopers in the OP. Also two posts up from you.

# ? Jan 13, 2013 23:01

Pierzak: Oct 30, 2010; Perfection Takes Practice

Are you going to go all the way to the end of that wall with the lights off?

# ? Jan 14, 2013 01:58

Unit 112: Apr 11, 2007; we are our own wicked gods

I'm really looking forward to skull monkeys. I don't remember how far I got in it, but I know I didn't beat it when it came out.

# ? Jan 21, 2013 00:35

Max Wilco: Jan 22, 2012

I remember being able to trigger the animation bug with the door by clicking the area to the right of it. I think it might also happen if you click the door more than once.

EDIT: I also remembered that if you walk to end of the Hall of Records without turning the lights on (Yes, I did this. No, I don't remember why.), there's a little signature that shows up in the corner of the screen.

Also, the fifth ring does affect a puzzle later on. You can tell because it chimes when you pull it.

Max Wilco fucked around with this message at Jan 21, 2013 around 03:42

# ? Jan 21, 2013 03:30

TwoDayLife: Jan 26, 2006; On a two-day vacation
*poot*

Part 2: Klayzee-Duz-It

Vidjas
Klayzee-Duz-It Youtube Vidja

Muzaks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHPDUN4UOuI - Weasel Chase
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWBkz0T8mHk - Triangle Square
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzhfqNHsm5o - Rock n' Roll Dixie

Also, here's a brightened up screenshot of the last Hall of Records room in the dark.
Signature can be seen in the lower left. That's your "reward".

Just a quick heads up, while there isn't much to spoil in this game, I will avoid mentioning or showing off something for a specific reason. Feel free to correct me if I've said something wrong There was a part of this video where I was being deliberately misleading but try to avoid giving away solutions to puzzles we haven't seen yet, please.

# ? Jan 21, 2013 05:31

Koorisch: Mar 29, 2009

The Weasel Chase is probably the best cutscene in this game and I just can't get enough of Klayman doing silly stuff while running away.

# ? Jan 21, 2013 13:59

Forgall: Oct 16, 2012

Too bad TenNapel being such a piece of poo poo retroactively ruined this game for me.

# ? Jan 21, 2013 14:47

Capilarean: Apr 10, 2009

All the video I was hoping you'd leave what happens when you eat a third apple from the tree for the end of the video. I think you missed an opportunity there.

# ? Jan 21, 2013 15:10

Brainamp: Sep 4, 2011

Koorisch posted:

The Weasel Chase is probably the best cutscene in this game and I just can't get enough of Klayman doing silly stuff while running away.

Seconded. Its been a while but that scene still makes me giggle my head off.

# ? Jan 21, 2013 15:58

Max Wilco: Jan 22, 2012

Forgall posted:

Too bad TenNapel being such a piece of poo poo retroactively ruined this game for me.

What did he do?

# ? Jan 21, 2013 16:43

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# ? May 22, 2013 18:29

a spooky ghost: Jan 1, 2010; stay the same never change

Max Wilco posted:

What did he do?

This whole thing I am assuming. Which is essentially that he is a pretty hateful conservative on most social issues and is a super bummer.

# ? Jan 21, 2013 16:59

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