Gemini Rue

Stupot · Mon 28/02/2011 14:10:55

Teeny bug, but did anyone else find that in the weather tower, when you clicked the hand command on the plug while standing on the crate, that the cursor becomes the newspaper icon (it also became the gun icon for about 10 seconds, but it was mostly the newspaper)?

BTW, if anyone is interested I update my earlier post a few comments [which became more of a review]:
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=42957.msg570481#msg570481

Igor Hardy · Mon 28/02/2011 15:34:39

And here's what ddq thinks about all this:

http://www.hardydev.com/2011/02/28/gemini-rue-review/

Kweepa · Mon 28/02/2011 16:36:18

The release is mentioned on kotaku:
http://kotaku.com/#!5772057/the-ghost-of-blade-runner-the-game-is-now-out
"It's out, and well worth your $15."

Armageddon · Tue 01/03/2011 02:37:21

Just one question, is this your first adventure game? And if yes,

WHAT THE HECK MAN THIS GAME WAS FREAKING AMAZING!

Iliya · Tue 01/03/2011 08:42:47

[EDIT]

This post is sent to the authors of the game.

Gilbert · Tue 01/03/2011 09:39:10

You shouldn't post the link here though.

Instead you should inform JBurger or Dave via PM or alert them in the Wadjet Eye forum.

Iliya · Tue 01/03/2011 09:50:46

Quote from: Iceboty V7000a on Tue 01/03/2011 09:39:10
You shouldn't post the link here though.
Instead you should inform JBurger or Dave via PM or alert them in the Wadjet Eye forum.

You are right! I'm removing it.

Snarky · Tue 01/03/2011 13:37:42

Quote from: TheJBurger on Sat 26/02/2011 22:56:16
Cowboy Bebop and Portal are the two main inspirations, with everything else being secondary. I also haven't played the Blade Runner game (or Snatcher) so any references to Blade Runner lie solely within the film context. (And I haven't seen Dollhouse, btw)

You might find Dollhouse interesting. It shares a number of plot points and themes with your game.

Spoilers for Dollhouse (and implicitly for Gemini Rue):

Spoiler

It all revolves around a secret underground facility (the Dollhouse) where scientists erase attractive young people's identities and imprint them with new memories and skills. They are then sent out on missions as bodyguards, assassins, prostitutes (who put on a very convincing act because for them it isn't an act), and other roles that require special talents and total commitment. After each assignment they get their minds wiped again. The question of whether people's identities are composed strictly of their memories, and whether there is any free will if your personality has been programmed, become quite prominent. And it has some good shock!twists! where certain established characters are revealed to be dolls (or worse).

I wouldn't call it a great show. A lot of the early episodes play like "sexy fun-time with the mindwipe slaves!" without really acknowledging how icky that concept is. And it's hard to swallow that this world-changing technology would be used only to run a glorified temp agency (albeit a sinister glorified temp agency). All that changes at the end of the first season, though, as the series makes a jump into proper science fiction and some truly intriguing ideas.

[close]

If you enjoy sci-fi TV shows (Dollhouse is practically a Battlestar Galactica reunion) or you're a Joss Whedon fan, and can tolerate a bit of cheesiness, I'd say check it out.

saluk · Tue 01/03/2011 18:49:29

Eh, I disagree. I always felt that Dollhouse had an undercurrent of "yes this is wrong", it's just not many of the characters were in a position to say so. People don't complain about other shows with moral repugnancy (or at least not enough to matter), but I guess the fact that most of the shows I'm thinking of are on cable makes a difference.

Gemini Rue is awesome! I bought this without even thinking about it or trying the demo on the strength of the publisher's previous games, I know that if they put their stamp of approval on it I'm in for an experience, and I wasn't led astray. I did pick up on the cowboy bebop and portal vibe, (even before I saw them mentioned) - the influences are maybe a little too obvious, but it's still really interesting going back and forth between the two storylines.

Great job with the artwork too. While some people complain about the low-resolution, I think the subtlety hints at a greater world. It would be much flatter in higher-res. The artstyle seems perfectly suited to its resolution. Attention to detail is astounding, such as with the paths the water makes on the soaked city streets. I don't think I've ever seen rain done so well.

Still haven't finished the game, so hopefully whatever twists there are don't disappoint

Oh, and memento reference for the win!

adam100 · Wed 02/03/2011 00:35:43

Just finished the game, decided to drop a few comments.

Overall, it was enjoyable although I don't find myself as jubilant as some of the other folks here. The art-style was very good, of course as mentioned high-res backgrounds perhaps more justify the price tag. Look at the big poster on the front page of this announcement-this is how the whole game should have looked like, more or less. But I'm cool with the retro style. Graphics- definitely a high point.

The writing-- not so much. Considering there are practically no puzzles, it's actually a huge disappointment, even more so since the raw material could've easily gained you folks a place in the Gaming Valhalla alongside Gods such as Deus Ex (plot intended). The general outline was promising and the twists actually caught me off guard. But the actual script, dialogs and descriptions alike, seem like an insult to this potentially mind-blowing epic. The dialogs especially range from bland to just plain cheesy (come the end I was cringing). And for crying out loud, cut down on the 'what'. I know it's a cool way to save on voice-overs but it's just plain cheap and irritated the hell out of me. You make the characters sound like retards. The theme should have been tackled in a more elaborate, gripping, original, insightful way. Instead, you took the easy avenue and served us a recycled mess of pseudo-philosophical cliches. To be precise- the writing isn't flawed in so far as a picture of a canned soup isn't flawed. Sure, Warhol could get away with it, but it was practical joke. This isn't funny. This game's writing pretends to be deep but gets lost somewhere along the way. It's simple, straightforward but not in the mystically intriguing Hemingwayan manner. The surface simplicity here is not the tip of iceberg-it's an icycle posing as one.

I don't want to sound harsh, but that's my opinion. It was not a waste of time and I enjoyed the noir atmosphere, the graphics, and the overall story was good, even really good, but it was spoiled to me by lackluster writing. Also I feel that the price is a little steep...Anyway, I'm writing this because I really love your devotion and the job you are doing and hope that in your next game you'll maybe work on these issues to create something really great.

Cheers

Takyon · Wed 02/03/2011 11:30:04

Quote from: Peder Johnsen on Mon 28/02/2011 00:39:28
J.H: I had trouble with the full game on Windows 7. Same issue.
Are you using a laptop? Try setting the battery settings to high performance, did the trick for me..
Appearantly you can also set the colors to 16bit and run in window mode... But the first solution is much easier and crazy enough works .

I'll try the battery thing thanks!

The only way I could get it to work was playing it in Windows 95 compatibility mode in a letterbox like 640 x 400 sized window.

Yeah I'm running on a laptop btw. I miss windows xp lol.

Takyon · Wed 02/03/2011 15:19:32

My first impressions of Gemini Rue here

cosmicr · Sat 05/03/2011 23:55:34

Wadjet eye really really need to get a new online shopping provider. Only 24 hours to download???

I'l post my review when I finally get to play the game.

TheJBurger · Sun 06/03/2011 00:33:16

Hey everybody!

I finally got around to adding the game to the AGS database (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/games.php?action=detail&id=1407), so feel free to comment / rate if you wish!

-Josh

Dave Gilbert · Sun 06/03/2011 04:37:04

Quote from: cosmicr on Sat 05/03/2011 23:55:34
Wadjet eye really really need to get a new online shopping provider. Only 24 hours to download???

I'l post my review when I finally get to play the game.

Already on that.

The default used to be 72 but they shorted it to 24 for some reason. This, coupled with several other problems, is the reason why I'm going to switch over to another provider.

veryweirdguy · Sun 06/03/2011 07:56:24

Gamesradar have a Gemini Rue review up!

(here.)

I don't know how many 'mainstream' reviews it is getting in general, but I was pleasantly surprised to see this one! Congrats!

reagel · Sun 06/03/2011 22:12:26

I have enjoyed several different Wadjet Eye games, and I really love the look of this one, but I'm a little hesitant because of the action sequences. Can anyone give me a very honest recommendation?

I really hate being drawn into an intriguing plot and then having to give up on a game because the action is beyond me. I'm very, very, very bad at action sequences. Is there any workaround/way to skip those areas for someone like me, or would it be pretty much impossible to finish the game otherwise?

Thanks for any guidance you can give me, I'd hate to buy something I can't finish...

Dave Gilbert · Sun 06/03/2011 22:34:42

Regarding the action sequences, I'll just quote the review from Adventure Gamers:

Quote
Much hand-wringing will surely take place over the threat of gunfighting action sequences, but I would like to dispose of such chatter with little more than a yawn, which is about the amount of effort I needed to complete these shootouts. I believe I counted five such sequences in the entire game, and none felt out of place. The sequences consist of moving between three positions (call them left exposed, protected, and right exposed) with the A-S-D keys and firing when your enemy moves into the matching position on their side. These events are short, painless, simple, and require a bare minimum of reflexes.

If that's not enough, there's even an Easy setting, and the game autosaves before each action sequence so that no time is wasted if you don't initially survive. I found them so brief and easy that I thought I should replay them on Medium for the review's sakeâ€"and was shocked to find that I was already on that setting. Rather than leaving any lasting negative impact on me, I actually found it pleasant to have at least a bit of intensity in the midst of multiple men trying to kill me instead of a silly resolution like just using the gun as a normal inventory item to fire at bad guys. To equate these harmless sequences with something much more difficult (Full Throttle's road battles come to mind) would be a big mistake that would keep you from a great experience.

The Donut · Sun 06/03/2011 23:11:51

Excellent game. Bought it last night and could not stop playing it; it was instantly gripping.

Great atmosphere and music. My only complaint (if you can call it that) is that I want more. MORE!

cosmicr · Mon 07/03/2011 23:20:09

started playing it last night - one of the best ags games i've played.

The intro was fantastic, sucks you right in straight away. I'm enjoying the graphics, even though some parts are a bit blurry.

The sound and music is top-notch and the detail is second to none. It's the detail that really makes any game.

I haven't got very far yet -

Spoiler

I got the stick stuck in matthias's door - what now?

[close]

my only criticism so far is that no-one in any of the character portraits have eyes?!?