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GamesAreSupernice
Jan 3, 2014

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Let's Play Hidden Invasion

Hidden Invasion is a lost game. There are no comprehensive playthroughs, there are no guides, no discussions, no... anything. The few videos that exist are so unpopular that the game itself may as well have never been released. Why? Well, it's very bad, but it's bad in a bizarre way. Bad in a way that isn't humorous, or interesting, or remarkable. It tried to be something simplistic and fun, and it failed on a fundamental level. It's the PS2 equivalent of an unfinished indie Steam title, and no one shed a tear or dug it back up to see what was "hidden" inside.

So what is inside?

A 3D beat 'em up that bears striking resemblance to some of the genre's best... but lesser. It's like Oni, but with less interesting guns and no acrobatics. It's like Dynamite Cop or Fighting Force, but without the assortment of creative weapons. It's like Tekken: Devil Within, but without the brilliant enemy AI. It easily attracts so many comparisons to much better, similar games, but it doesn't come anywhere near their levels of idiosyncrasy or polished game design. It's almost the most average 3D beat 'em up that ever was, or ever will be. Almost.

Almost?

It has a lot of problems. Glitches, fundamental programming mistakes, game design oversights, that sorta thing. It's not pretty. And the depressing thing is, these flaws are the only thing that stop it from being overwhelmingly middle-of-the-road.

So why play it?

Consider this Let's Play something of a history exhibit, examining a stepping stone on the road to modern 3D action games. It'll be a pseudo-comprehensive, exhaustingly well-played look at a game that no one cared about, all for the sake of preservation and education.

Videos:









Fan-Art

SelenicMartian posted:

The president telegraphs his next attack




That's that!

GamesAreSupernice fucked around with this message at 06:04 on Jul 12, 2016

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marshmallow creep
Dec 10, 2008

I've been sitting here for 5 mins trying to think of a joke to make but I just realised the animators of Mass Effect already did it for me

So it's like Deep Black only even less remarkable and even less good?

GamesAreSupernice
Jan 3, 2014

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Lotish posted:

So it's like Deep Black only even less remarkable and even less good?

On the bright side, I really don't think I can find an action game more boring than this one.

SOLarian
Oct 29, 2012
Pillbug

GamesAreSupernice posted:

On the bright side, I really don't think I can find an action game more boring than this one.

Well, it has to excel at something :j:

SelenicMartian
Sep 14, 2013

Sometimes it's not the bomb that's retarded.

Remember, kids, when a cop arrests you, kill a nearby moth and tell him you're saving the planet from Yu Yevon.

GamesAreSupernice
Jan 3, 2014

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SOLarian posted:

Well, it has to excel at something :j:

I never thought about it that way. That's actually something it's special at. It is the single most boring action game I have ever played.


SelenicMartian posted:

Remember, kids, when a cop arrests you, kill a nearby moth and tell him you're saving the planet from Yu Yevon.

I laughed, thank you.

berryjon
May 30, 2011

I have an invasion to go to.
I'm thinking less Oni and more Urban Chaos in terms of combat and gunplay here. At least the graphics are closer to the latter than the former.

Seriously, how big is his chin?

GamesAreSupernice
Jan 3, 2014

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berryjon posted:

I'm thinking less Oni and more Urban Chaos in terms of combat and gunplay here. At least the graphics are closer to the latter than the former.

Seriously, how big is his chin?

Oh wow I forgot about Urban Chaos.

GamesAreSupernice
Jan 3, 2014

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SOLarian
Oct 29, 2012
Pillbug
That "red fist"-mechanic seems really badly implemented. One way to artificially increase the difficulty, I guess?
Also "Barry R." made me snicker. I'm a sucker for puns.

GamesAreSupernice
Jan 3, 2014

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SOLarian posted:

That "red fist"-mechanic seems really badly implemented. One way to artificially increase the difficulty, I guess?
Also "Barry R." made me snicker. I'm a sucker for puns.

At least it sounds like a villain.

Hoss Corncave
Feb 13, 2012

Did anyone else get a ReBoot vibe from that pic?

GamesAreSupernice
Jan 3, 2014

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Hoss Corncave posted:

Did anyone else get a ReBoot vibe from that pic?

That's what these models remind me of

GamesAreSupernice
Jan 3, 2014

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Esoteric Banana
Mar 29, 2010

Why do the all cops in the opening cutscene look like waluigi rejects?

GamesAreSupernice
Jan 3, 2014

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Esoteric Banana posted:

Why do the all cops in the opening cutscene look like waluigi rejects?

Budget.

SelenicMartian
Sep 14, 2013

Sometimes it's not the bomb that's retarded.

The White House has painted wooden doors sliding upwards?

GamesAreSupernice
Jan 3, 2014

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SelenicMartian posted:

The White House has painted wooden doors sliding upwards?

Only after the World Government made some renovations.

SOLarian
Oct 29, 2012
Pillbug
Why do so many games mistake "too dark to loving see anything" for "athmospheric" or whatever? I guess you can hide lovely graphics that way?

GamesAreSupernice
Jan 3, 2014

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SOLarian posted:

Why do so many games mistake "too dark to loving see anything" for "athmospheric" or whatever? I guess you can hide lovely graphics that way?

Considering how the in-game graphics look better than the very well lit cutscenes, I assume there was some other reason.

GamesAreSupernice
Jan 3, 2014

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These levels are so boring please help.

SelenicMartian
Sep 14, 2013

Sometimes it's not the bomb that's retarded.

GamesAreSupernice posted:

These levels are so boring please help.
Play Crimson Tears. It generates its levels.

marshmallow creep
Dec 10, 2008

I've been sitting here for 5 mins trying to think of a joke to make but I just realised the animators of Mass Effect already did it for me

With a name like that, how can it not be terrible?

GamesAreSupernice
Jan 3, 2014

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I've heard complaints about the repetition, but as someone who enjoyed Dark Cloud, I bet I could stomach it.

SelenicMartian
Sep 14, 2013

Sometimes it's not the bomb that's retarded.

Oh, CT is playable, and the combo system is neat for a beat em up, and you get three characters who can rescue one another if one falls in the dungeon.
It's just that it's also a roguelike with degrading weapons, very low healing item caps, and a few enemies later on can steal items.

GamesAreSupernice
Jan 3, 2014

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SelenicMartian posted:

Oh, CT is playable, and the combo system is neat for a beat em up, and you get three characters who can rescue one another if one falls in the dungeon.
It's just that it's also a roguelike with degrading weapons, very low healing item caps, and a few enemies later on can steal items.

I'm not sure if that made me bump it up on the list in my mind or not.

SelenicMartian
Sep 14, 2013

Sometimes it's not the bomb that's retarded.

GamesAreSupernice posted:

I'm not sure if that made me bump it up on the list in my mind or not.
How do you like random loot and branching combo trees?









There's one more character, but we don't talk about him.



Actually, he dual-wields guns

SelenicMartian fucked around with this message at 08:53 on Jul 8, 2016

GamesAreSupernice
Jan 3, 2014

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SelenicMartian posted:

How do you like random loot and branching combo trees?









There's one more character, but we don't talk about him.



Actually, he dual-wields guns

Oh cool I didn't hallucinate this post before passing out. Yes this looks good and I want it.

GamesAreSupernice
Jan 3, 2014

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SelenicMartian
Sep 14, 2013

Sometimes it's not the bomb that's retarded.

The US president telegraphs his next attack

GamesAreSupernice
Jan 3, 2014

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SelenicMartian posted:

The US president telegraphs his next attack



*world president

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GamesAreSupernice
Jan 3, 2014

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