|
 So what is Resonance? It's basically one of those ever so popular these days retro-styled point and click adventure games; it was released in 2012 by Wadjet Eye Games (well known for Blackwell games, Gemini Rue and many others). However it was in development much longer--since 2008, and more or less by one guy, indie developer Vince Twelve. Only towards the end did Wadjet Eye step in to help it get finished and released, whereupon it received mostly very good to excellent reviews. What is this about? It's difficult to say much without spoiling the twisty plot, but it more or less concerns four people (see above image) who for one reason or another get involved into a situation concerning some new and powerful technology which may or may not fall into the wrong hands, depending on their actions. Yes, I know that I've now described about half the games out there, but trust me on this, you do not want the plot of this one spoiled beforehand, not even a little bit. Technically, it's your standard sprite-style graphics (although I think it looks pretty good) with some nice music and voice acting that ranges from excellent to very slightly dodgy on occasion. It also features some interesting additional game mechanics which I will explain when we come to them. It also unfortunately features one of the most irritating mazes in the history of adventure games (although it is somewhat plot justified). The playthrough will be done in video format with (mostly sparse) subtitles. I have been experimenting a little bit with subtitle positioning so they won't be usually at the bottom of the screen, rather I will try to keep them around where the action is so you don't have to divert your attention. This may or may not work well, we'll see. Obviously, please don't post any spoilers in this thread! Videos:                 
ivantod fucked around with this message at 17:28 on Jun 10, 2015 |
#
?
May 2, 2015 18:33
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 18, 2024 18:20 |
|
|
Welcome to part 1 of Resonance; I like to call this one the "pre-prologue" as we still have the prologue proper to go through after! Click on the image to watch the video--make sure to switch it to 720px HD for optimal quality if it doesn't happen automatically.  In this one we've met Ed, first of our characters, who is some sort of scientist working in Juno labs in Aventine City. You may have noticed some additional buttons "LTM" and "STM" next to the inventory button--ignore them for now, they will come into play very soon.
|
|
#
?
May 2, 2015 18:33
|
|
|
In this one, we move on to the actual prologue, but it will take us a few parts to get through it! Click on the image to watch the video.  So, yes, Detective Bennet is really voiced by the soothing tones of Logan Cunningham's voice; he's the excellent part of the voice acting spectrum I mentioned in the introduction. By this point you can sort of figure out that the game is set either in a slightly different version of our world, or alternately in what could be described as very near future. The events might so far seem a bit random (even more so when you see the next part), but don't worry, there is a plot behind all this and we'll get there in time. Next time: Even more new characters!
|
|
#
?
May 2, 2015 18:33
|
|
|
Oh hey. It's that game I bought on a Steam sale and haven't installed for almost three years! It's actually pretty good?
|
|
#
?
May 3, 2015 08:23
|
|
|
SSNeoman posted:Oh hey. It's that game I bought on a Steam sale and haven't installed for almost three years! Yeah it's not bad--it has a decent plot with some interesting turns, graphics/music is nice enough for a retro sprite-based look. Voice acting for main characters is ok, but can be a bit iffy sometimes for side characters among other things because often several characters are done by the same person and it's actually noticeable.
|
|
#
?
May 4, 2015 18:53
|
|
|
This is the second part of prologue, and involves a rather lengthy early morning hacking session! Click on the image to watch the video.  So this is our third character, Ray--he seems to be a journalist of some sort, investigating what appears to be a strange conspiracy that somehow involves surreptitiously gathering the DNA of all citizens. Game mechanics-wise, we encounter for the first time long term and short term memory. STM is mainly so that you can use objects from the environment in conversations--this is simply to facilitate talking about stuff that can't be picked up. Also it is completely at your discretion, you can put in anything you want up to a certain limit. It doesn't generally persist outside a particular segment of the game you use it in. LTM is populated automatically by the game and stores important events that you can reference much later--it generally persists a lot longer than STM, as you might expect. So, that three out of four characters that you see on the banner--you know what we'll be doing next time! There's one last person to meet. Next time: Even more new characters!
|
|
#
?
May 6, 2015 22:12
|
|
|
Hey guys I have to ask you something... We're 3 updates in and it's pretty much just me posting here... but the videos have at least a few views. So I was wondering what's the issue (if any)--is this just too boring or is there simply nothing to say about this game? Anything you can suggest that would make this more interesting is quite welcome.  Thanks!
|
|
#
?
May 8, 2015 17:06
|
|
|
I just found it now; I think it will take a few updates to get people watching. The character-switching and the memory mechanics are pretty neat, and for the most part I think it's a well-made adventure game. Except in the end I hated it and gave up literally at the last moment. I can't fully articulate why (though some reasons are spoilery). I do want to watch you go through it, partly to look at it from the start again and partly to try and understand where it soured for me.
|
|
#
?
May 8, 2015 17:54
|
|
|
Oh hey, Resonance. Nice to see it getting an LP. I know a lot of the people involved in making it, so it's interesting to see someone else's perspective on the finished product. Incidentally, Wadjet Eye are also releasing another future sci fi adventure game this month called Technobabylon, so if you like Resonance, check it out.
|
|
#
?
May 8, 2015 18:44
|
|
|
Wow, this is a really good adventure game. Also, Logan Cunningham and silly dialog! 
|
|
#
?
May 8, 2015 21:52
|
|
|
I think it's cause you started an LP just as Chip and Ironicus did. And that one's a Watch_Dogs LP no less.
|
|
#
?
May 8, 2015 22:55
|
|
|
I've been here mostly lurking. I usually don't post in threads, but I am enjoying the LP. Subtitles are great for when I have a headache and can't listen to people talking. Mostly, I'm not certain what to make of the game yet (haven't watched part 3). I think I recall seeing a commercial for this game somewhere, but otherwise, I'm still forming an opinion.
|
|
#
?
May 8, 2015 23:43
|
|
|
Thanks everybody for the comments! Let's keep going then; to celebrate here is a double update today--the last two parts of the prologue. Individually they are quite short, so I figured I might as well post both today. Also this will allow us to finally put the prologue behind and move on to the real plot of the game.
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2015 10:48
|
|
|
The third part of the prologue, and this one is a bit different. Click on the image to watch the video.  This is our final character, Anna. We'll find out more about her in the coming parts. Like last segment demonstrated the use of Short Term Memory, this one does the same for Long Term Memory. Other than that, the pressure is not just for show, we are indeed on a time limit and if the monster manages to break down the door, we will have to start over from the beginning of this part. Locking the door as your first action, however, increases the time limit quite a bit, so if you do that you should be quite comfortable to accomplish everything necessary, there's even room for errors as you've seen. The game will always make it seem you finished in the nick of time though! There is actually enough time to "escape" even if you don't lock the door, but you must already know what to do in advance, i.e. what's the code for the chest and so on. I forgot to mention that in the previous part with Ray, all names and passwords are randomised and won't be the same in different playthoughs; however the code on the bear is always the same. This the last of the four characters; there is one more short part of the introduction and then we can move on to the real plot of the game.
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2015 10:49
|
|
|
The final part of the prologue, and no new characters in this one! Click on the image to watch the video.  As you could see, there is not a whole lot to do in this part; it's just a short conversation with Anna, and Ed arriving at the lab building, only to discover it half-destroyed. If you continue talking to Anna until all options are exhausted, you get an achievement for being a creeper!
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2015 10:50
|
|
|
Thanks for playing this, Ivantod. I'm curious to see how the story's going to play out.
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2015 17:24
|
|
|
Hey! They got that grate puzzle from The Longest Journey! Right down for needing one coin from a pile of them.
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2015 01:54
|
|
|
SSNeoman posted:Hey! They got that grate puzzle from The Longest Journey! Right down for needing one coin from a pile of them. But wait till you see what they did with the rubber ducky puzzle! Just kidding, there is no such thing in this game!
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2015 06:41
|
|
|
ivantod posted:But wait till you see what they did with the rubber ducky puzzle! ...I forgot about this. But when I googled it and I saw that blue loving thing it all came back. And I actually kinda liked that clamp puzzle. Goddamn that game did NOT age well 
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2015 06:57
|
|
|
Oh man I am loving this mystery poo poo. Is there a reason you played the characters semi-inverted clockwise? But how the hell did they get all those DNA samples?And knowing which one went to whom? I'm only up to part 3 though.
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2015 20:34
|
|
|
I'm lurking about and enjoying this tremendously. Your use of text location is really effective-and Anna's section is suitably disturbing. It's not hard to see the subtext there.dreezy posted:Incidentally, Wadjet Eye are also releasing another future sci fi adventure game this month called Technobabylon, so if you like Resonance, check it out. I recall playing what I assume were prototypes of a couple technobabylon chapters a while ago. They were really well-written. Discendo Vox fucked around with this message at 00:13 on May 11, 2015 |
|
#
?
May 11, 2015 00:04
|
|
|
Discendo Vox posted:I recall playing what I assume were prototypes of a couple technobabylon chapters a while ago. They were really well-written. Yep, James Dearden made a few short freeware games in the Technobabylon world before getting picked up by Wadjet Eye for a commercial release.
|
|
#
?
May 11, 2015 00:39
|
|
|
PSA- in the event of an emergency stop on a subway, DO NOT force the doors open and try to leave on your own. You will die. The car system has an intercom, and the driver will tell you what to do.
|
|
#
?
May 11, 2015 02:48
|
|
|
Wedemeyer posted:Oh man I am loving this mystery poo poo. Is there a reason you played the characters semi-inverted clockwise? But how the hell did they get all those DNA samples?And knowing which one went to whom? I'm only up to part 3 though. No, not really, I just played the segments in order which I felt flows the best story-wise; you'll see when you watch the other two videos why. Discendo Vox posted:I'm lurking about and enjoying this tremendously. Your use of text location is really effective-and Anna's section is suitably disturbing. It's not hard to see the subtext there. Yeah that one is pretty clear what it's hinting at. This game does go to some darker places than you would expect--even though the dialogues so far seem fairly lighthearted, don't be fooled. ivantod fucked around with this message at 07:22 on May 11, 2015 |
|
#
?
May 11, 2015 06:10
|
|
|
Finally, we get into the game proper! Click on the image to watch the video.  There was a nice bit of light puzzle solving in this one--the co-op work feels very natural and not even a little bit annoying. Same unfortunately cannot be said about Saul the overdone Jewish stereotype that may or may not border on offensive. Yes, I understand that he's meant to be annoying, but still. Regarding that panel puzzle, it's just an alternate option if you don't move the boulder that's blocking the front door. Essentially, each pin has a particular voltage value (which you don't know) and you need to connect the pins in such a way that sum values is exactly what you need to activate the door. Needless to say, this is tedious and annoying, so luckily you don't have to do it if you don't want to. And since Saul was complaining about "thump-thump" music, here is a nice example of it, apropos of nothing in particular at all, just to enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qgx_V0So0qk. Have fun until next time.
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2015 22:41
|
|
|
As far as offensiveness goes, Dave Gilbert himself is Jewish and his first commercial game was called The Shivah and it starred a Rabbi who is voiced by the same actor as Saul, Abe Goldfarb. But you can interpret the character how you will.
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2015 22:49
|
|
|
dreezy posted:As far as offensiveness goes, Dave Gilbert himself is Jewish and his first commercial game was called The Shivah and it starred a Rabbi who is voiced by the same actor as Saul, Abe Goldfarb. But you can interpret the character how you will. Eh, I don't know, it felt a little overdone to me. Maybe I'm a little bit overly sensitive; it's just a minor character anyway, so I guess we can leave it alone. Certainly was not intending to make a huge point of it anyway. But thanks for the info about Shivah, it's a game that interests me for sure, but haven't gotten a chance to play it yet!
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2015 23:00
|
|
|
Make sure you play the updated rerelease, appropriately titled "The Shivah: Kosher Edition".
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2015 23:02
|
|
|
As far as adventure game characters go, that guy was downright helpful. The multi-character mechanic seems pretty cool so far. I'm guessing if you tried to fiddle with the power/door boxes as Bennett he would say "yeah no that's for someone smarter"
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2015 23:28
|
|
|
That duct tape got me thinking about a neat idea for a puzzle/adventure game: Since duct tape can be a solution to any problem, the game has you solving some ridiculous problem with duct tape. The problem is, you don't have any. Your goal is therefore to get some duct tape, but because you're in a game you have to do so in the most roundabout way possible because of some absurd justification or another.
|
|
#
?
May 13, 2015 03:20
|
|
|
ViggyNash posted:That duct tape got me thinking about a neat idea for a puzzle/adventure game: Just in case you're not making a reference to this.
|
|
#
?
May 13, 2015 03:37
|
|
|
No, actually. I just meant the game wouldn't take itself seriously. It'd have multiple puzzles, but they all require duct tape, and they all require silly puzzle solving to get you that duct tape. I refuse to believe people can't make competent puzzles in adventure games. Resonance is proof of that, so far. ViggyNash fucked around with this message at 03:56 on May 13, 2015 |
|
#
?
May 13, 2015 03:53
|
|
|
dreezy posted:Make sure you play the updated rerelease, appropriately titled "The Shivah: Kosher Edition". I'm going to have to say, as far as special edition names go, that one is pretty good. Also it's basically $5 at GOG, so I guess I should finally go and play it. I've heard good things about it. Oh yeah another thing that I forgot, but will be pretty obvious as we go though the game... Abe Goldfarb, the guy who voices Saul, seems to be doing about half the character voices in this game, literally. In fact, we already encountered another one: Reggie, Bennet's partner! ivantod fucked around with this message at 21:38 on May 13, 2015 |
|
#
?
May 13, 2015 21:32
|
|
|
I think I'll check out this LP. Will the OP be updated with links to the videos?
|
|
#
?
May 13, 2015 21:57
|
|
|
Mraagvpeine posted:I think I'll check out this LP. Will the OP be updated with links to the videos? Yes, I have updated OP with everything that's been posted so far. Thanks for reminding me!
|
|
#
?
May 14, 2015 06:04
|
|
|
We continue just where we left off last time. Click on the image to watch the video.  So this was just another short break where our characters sit down and have a conversation. About Dr. Morales's journal, we will have a chance to try our hand at deciphering it very soon (although technically you don't need to do it to finish the game). If you try to break the lock, as Ed suggests, the journal gets destroyed and you don't get a chance to read it any more. So don't do that. Next time we'll be experiencing somewhat of a déjà vu.
|
|
#
?
May 14, 2015 16:33
|
|
|
Oh it's just a pigpen cipher. We probably need to find a decoder sheet now.
|
|
#
?
May 14, 2015 16:57
|
|
|
SSNeoman posted:Oh it's just a pigpen cipher. We probably need to find a decoder sheet now. It's not that hard to figure out, this:  is the key. Won't take too long.
|
|
#
?
May 14, 2015 19:36
|
|
|
SSNeoman posted:Oh it's just a pigpen cipher. We probably need to find a decoder sheet now. Yes, the game is not really trying to hide the fact that it's some sort of pigpen cipher, although it does have a slight modification from what you would normally expect. If you are trying to decipher this, be aware that the actual text in game that we'll be looking at is a lot longer than those couple of pages you've seen in the video! Also if you do decipher it, I ask you to not post it here in the thread please since we will get to that point very shortly, maybe in just a couple of episodes. Thanks. 
|
|
#
?
May 14, 2015 19:52
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 18, 2024 18:20 |
|
|
ivantod posted:Yes, the game is not really trying to hide the fact that it's some sort of pigpen cipher, although it does have a slight modification from what you would normally expect. If you are trying to decipher this, be aware that the actual text in game that we'll be looking at is a lot longer than those couple of pages you've seen in the video! Alright, I'll withhold the solution until you say the word.
|
|
#
?
May 14, 2015 20:00
|
|