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AGS Games => Completed Game Announcements => Topic started by: Digital Mosaic Games on Thu 20/06/2019 00:23:33

Title: Metaphobia
Post by: Digital Mosaic Games on Thu 20/06/2019 00:23:33
(https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/intermediary/f/5c79d022-dfa5-49da-8ca4-8296b65565d4/dd0s2i9-2168c1c4-7b75-46be-ac34-5dd7dab620a5.png)

Best Freeware Game Award 2019
(https://i.imgur.com/d2XrVPO.png)

Best Animation Award 2019
(https://i.imgur.com/MGc2fhm.gif)

(https://i.imgur.com/hsPG6TJ.png)

Also:
Nominated, Best Game Created with AGS 2019
Nominated, Best Writing 2019
Nominated, Best Character 2019
Nominated, Best Gameplay 2019
Nominated, Best Background Art 2019
Nominated, Best Character Art 2019
Nominated, Best Music & Sound 2019
Nominated, Best Voice Work 2019
Nominated, Best Programming 2019
Nominated, Best Puzzles 2019

Metaphobia is an investigative mystery game in the style of classic 1990's point-and-click adventures.

STORY
Shortly after being elected mayor, Carl Elmstat is murdered by a thief who is quickly caught, convicted, and sent to prison – case closed. Carl's son Richard however, is unsettled by the details and decides to investigate further on his own. His prime suspect? His father's political rival – Edward Raban. Throughout the investigation, Richard will find out that the truth behind the murder is hidden deep under the ground – deeper than he ever could have imagined.

Story: Tolga Öcek, David Brocek
Dialogs, Puzzles: David Brocek
Art and Animations: Tolga Öcek
Scripting: Vincent Cortese
Music, Voice Acting Engineering: Daniel Kobylarz (Composer for Kathy Rain - Tales of Jayvin -  (http://www.dankoby.com)www.dankoby.com)
SFX: Max Weigl
Proofreading: Steven Avigliano

FEATURES
-Fully Voice-Acted
-Greenscreen Animations
-Retro Graphics
-Original Soundtrack, SFX
-Over 30 locations and 20 characters
-All wrapped in a thrilling, ever-evolving investigative drama.

Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Metaphobia/)

Metaphobia is a free game!
DOWNLOAD (https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2352/)

SCREENSHOTS

(https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/5c79d022-dfa5-49da-8ca4-8296b65565d4/dd9qcw5-d4f18ff3-4d3e-4e9e-8c09-5259af7da566.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzVjNzlkMDIyLWRmYTUtNDlkYS04Y2E0LTgyOTZiNjU1NjVkNFwvZGQ5cWN3NS1kNGYxOGZmMy00ZDNlLTRlOWUtOGMwOS01MjU5YWY3ZGE1NjYucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.GR86Qhaybwk7nFTu_bO2m6ZBVU-gn_P1WPcaWAan6ug)

(https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/5c79d022-dfa5-49da-8ca4-8296b65565d4/dd9qd23-f99c5f73-1e9c-4530-af24-3a304d24b4c7.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzVjNzlkMDIyLWRmYTUtNDlkYS04Y2E0LTgyOTZiNjU1NjVkNFwvZGQ5cWQyMy1mOTljNWY3My0xZTljLTQ1MzAtYWYyNC0zYTMwNGQyNGI0YzcucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.4mnmNB_vwuU0H3tWbpf3_43FAxYZ0iw8BljmEl4tARo)

(https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/5c79d022-dfa5-49da-8ca4-8296b65565d4/dd9qd45-a6d9eafe-6100-4ce9-9bee-b2a4ed767eb6.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzVjNzlkMDIyLWRmYTUtNDlkYS04Y2E0LTgyOTZiNjU1NjVkNFwvZGQ5cWQ0NS1hNmQ5ZWFmZS02MTAwLTRjZTktOWJlZS1iMmE0ZWQ3NjdlYjYucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.zHF52RgKpsWwUYOQGqSfb2aNlE0gltjr7mYdyUrThwI)

(https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/5c79d022-dfa5-49da-8ca4-8296b65565d4/dd9qd5z-4e7ccd83-0009-4112-9489-964e2e9665ad.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzVjNzlkMDIyLWRmYTUtNDlkYS04Y2E0LTgyOTZiNjU1NjVkNFwvZGQ5cWQ1ei00ZTdjY2Q4My0wMDA5LTQxMTItOTQ4OS05NjRlMmU5NjY1YWQucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.4JyPb1H0w6bzjH5u1USSZKHXtxWGGos5A-l_hfPs96c)

TRAILER

Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Jack on Thu 20/06/2019 00:43:23
Congrats on the release.

Screenshots are not working. The thumbnail you linked was probably only valid for your browsing session.

You could link the screenshots from the game page. Nice graphics!
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: TheFrighter on Thu 20/06/2019 06:25:46

Nice one!

_
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Athanor on Thu 20/06/2019 08:09:31
Wow, that looks gorgeous and very classic and the story sounds intriguing! I'll try it this evening. Thank you for this beautiful gift! :)
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Chicky on Thu 20/06/2019 08:33:43
Fantastic to see this released, really looking forward to playing. I've got to say, I think you're mad to release this for free.
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Athanor on Thu 20/06/2019 08:47:14
Quote from: Chicky on Thu 20/06/2019 08:33:43
I've got to say, I think you're mad to release this for free.
I had exactly the same thought... ;)

Just started the game to get a first impression... and I'm really impressed! Soundtrack, graphics and voice acting are top-notch and very professional! I also love the design of the menues. Can't wait to get into it.
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Durq on Thu 20/06/2019 10:41:10
Really fun game, but did I encounter a showstopper?
Spoiler
I gave the phone book to the old man before talking to the librarian about needing a library card. And then I couldn't ever get the library card from the old man.
[close]
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Vincent on Thu 20/06/2019 15:07:18
Thanks for all your feedback guys! :)

Quote from: Durq on Thu 20/06/2019 10:41:10
Really fun game, but did I encounter a showstopper?
Spoiler
I gave the phone book to the old man before talking to the librarian about needing a library card. And then I couldn't ever get the library card from the old man.
[close]

Spoiler

If you gave the phone book to the old man before talking to the librarian then it would be enough to speak to the librarian about the option dialog "Use computer". After this you should be able to speak with the old man once again.
[close]
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Shadow1000 on Thu 20/06/2019 15:45:06
I am stuck on the first puzzle: downloading the game.

I tried three times last night and twice today and the download failed after about a minute each time. Is there another site where I can get it?
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Digital Mosaic Games on Thu 20/06/2019 16:29:17
@Shadow1000:
It seems to have something to do with your PC settings, antivirus, a slow internet connection or something similar.
Try to download it from these sites:
https://thanyx.itch.io/metaphobia
OR
https://gamejolt.com/games/metaphobia/420856
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Shadow1000 on Thu 20/06/2019 16:52:55
Quote from: Digital Mosaic Games on Thu 20/06/2019 16:29:17
@Shadow1000:
It seems to have something to do with your PC settings, antivirus, a slow internet connection or something similar.
Try to download it from these sites:
https://thanyx.itch.io/metaphobia
OR
https://gamejolt.com/games/metaphobia/420856

Gamejolt worked perfectly! Thanks!
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Jojo_the_monkey on Thu 20/06/2019 17:20:00
Congratulations on the release!!!  ;-D
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Laura Hunt on Thu 20/06/2019 17:48:51
This looks so cool! I hate that my List Of Games I Totally Need To Play One Day is just growing and growing out of control, but looks like this one might deserve to skip a few positions in the queue  :)
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Durq on Thu 20/06/2019 18:32:54
Quote from: Vincent on Thu 20/06/2019 15:07:18
Thanks for all your feedback guys! :)

Quote from: Durq on Thu 20/06/2019 10:41:10
Really fun game, but did I encounter a showstopper?
Spoiler
I gave the phone book to the old man before talking to the librarian about needing a library card. And then I couldn't ever get the library card from the old man.
[close]

Spoiler

If you gave the phone book to the old man before talking to the librarian then it would be enough to speak to the librarian about the option dialog "Use computer". After this you should be able to speak with the old man once again.
[close]
Spoiler
I'm not seeing a "Use computer" option. Am I missing something? Here's a GIF to show what's happening: https://media.giphy.com/media/mBj3cpyxp4jLyfAfWf/giphy.gif

Also, the phone book is not in my inventory. I already gave it to the old man.
[close]
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: KyriakosCH on Thu 20/06/2019 19:15:35
This looks awesome and I will try it immediately :)
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Vincent on Thu 20/06/2019 19:48:08
Thanks for all your feedback guys! :)

Quote from: Durq on Thu 20/06/2019 18:32:54
Spoiler
I'm not seeing a "Use computer" option. Am I missing something? Here's a GIF to show what's happening: https://media.giphy.com/media/mBj3cpyxp4jLyfAfWf/giphy.gif

Also, the phone book is not in my inventory. I already gave it to the old man.
[close]

Spoiler

We have tested this part many times and we were not able to replicate this error. Please check whether the phonebook is still in your inventory or if you got the library card already.
[close]
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Durq on Thu 20/06/2019 20:27:38
Quote from: Vincent on Thu 20/06/2019 19:48:08
Thanks for all your feedback guys! :)

Quote from: Durq on Thu 20/06/2019 18:32:54
Spoiler
I'm not seeing a "Use computer" option. Am I missing something? Here's a GIF to show what's happening: https://media.giphy.com/media/mBj3cpyxp4jLyfAfWf/giphy.gif

Also, the phone book is not in my inventory. I already gave it to the old man.
[close]

Spoiler

We have tested this part many times and we were not able to replicate this error. Please check whether the phonebook is still in your inventory or if you got the library card already.
[close]
Spoiler
Here's another GIF that shows more: https://media.giphy.com/media/RisvPZGOSYzvEyVWEM/giphy.gif

I click on the shelves in the father's office to show that I've already obtained the phone book.

I open my inventory to show that I don't have the phone book (I've already given it to the old man) or the library card.

I left-click and right-click on the librarian and the old man to show the only responses I'm seeing.
[close]
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Thanyx on Thu 20/06/2019 20:38:56
I'm really sorry to hear that my friend. It truly seems like a one time glitch. We have tried to find what is going on but no one has ever got to the same situation as you did.
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: KiraHaraReturns on Thu 20/06/2019 22:03:45
looking great and fantastic soundtrack, thank you for releasing it for free
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Dkobylarz on Fri 21/06/2019 00:46:48
Hello everyone, thank you so much for checking out Metaphobia! This project was so incredibly fulfilling for me to work on. I was ecstatic to see the download ticker go up to 2 downloads and I can't wait to see where it takes off to. Thanks so much to everyone on the team for letting me write the music and handle the voice acting process!

I've released the soundtrack on all streaming platforms, with spotify here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/6dV2tvj7IUCUL891fLdJWl
and bandcamp here:
https://dankoby.bandcamp.com/album/metaphobia-official-game-soundtrack

(it's also on like Apple Music, iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer, Tidal, etc etc)

Here's some fun facts:
There's 2,820 unique voice acting audio clips
3 hours and 30 minutes of dialogue
3079 total sound assets
178 pages of dialogues/monologues
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: KyriakosCH on Fri 21/06/2019 04:36:30
Quote from: Dkobylarz on Fri 21/06/2019 00:46:48
Hello everyone, thank you so much for checking out Metaphobia! This project was so incredibly fulfilling for me to work on. I was ecstatic to see the download ticker go up to 2 downloads and I can't wait to see where it takes off to. Thanks so much to everyone on the team for letting me write the music and handle the voice acting process!

I've released the soundtrack on all streaming platforms, with spotify here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/6dV2tvj7IUCUL891fLdJWl
and bandcamp here:
https://dankoby.bandcamp.com/album/metaphobia-official-game-soundtrack

(it's also on like Apple Music, iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer, Tidal, etc etc)

Here's some fun facts:
There's 2,820 unique voice acting audio clips
3 hours and 30 minutes of dialogue
3079 total sound assets
178 pages of dialogues/monologues


2 downloads? It will go to 2000 downloads in the very near future, cause it is a very well-made game :)
I played a bit (currently had to stop, and I loved the game up to now; I am about to go to the prison center to interview that shady character :) ).
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Jojo_the_monkey on Fri 21/06/2019 09:50:03
Dkobylarz the music is very nice too!!! How much length is the whole soundtrack?
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Dkobylarz on Fri 21/06/2019 13:10:09
Quote from: Jojo_the_monkey on Fri 21/06/2019 09:50:03
Dkobylarz the music is very nice too!!! How much length is the whole soundtrack?

Thanks so much! The soundtrack is 1 hour and 2 minutes :)

Quote from: KyriakosCH on Fri 21/06/2019 04:36:30
2 downloads? It will go to 2000 downloads in the very near future, cause it is a very well-made game :)
I played a bit (currently had to stop, and I loved the game up to now; I am about to go to the prison center to interview that shady character :) ).

Woohoo!!! Thanks for the kind words  :-D
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: lorenzo on Fri 21/06/2019 15:35:03
I've just finished the game. Loved it!

It has a nice story, a mix of adventure and thriller. I really liked the flow: puzzles weren't too difficult (I only got stuck once, but Vincent kindly saved me! (laugh) ), and that gave the game a nice rhythm. You always feel like you're making progress in your quest.

Graphics are great! Backgrounds always look good (the ruins background wouldn't look out of place in Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis!) and animations are quite impressive. Congratulations on those, some great rotoscoping there.

I can see some influences from Gabriel Knight in the setting and atmospheres. Which is great, because I love that game! Also
Spoiler
the jail seemed straight out of Silence of the Lambs! (laugh)
[close]

The soundtrack is fantastic, really high quality. Dubbing was pretty good, too.

In fact, graphics, dubbing, music, it was all professionally done. Commercial quality, I would say.

Playing the game was great fun. Puzzles usually made sense and I really liked the
Spoiler
translation ones.
[close]

Story-wise,
Spoiler
I wish the final section were a bit expanded. You finally find the island and it's over a bit too quickly. I would've loved to explore the place, but we only get a glimpse of what's there. Also, it's a bit exposition-heavy. You get two characters that, basically, tell you the whole plot. It's not bad, but it could've been a bit more involved.
The final cutscenes are great, however!
[close]

All in all, I really enjoyed the game. Congratulations to all involved!  (nod)
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Grundislav on Fri 21/06/2019 18:58:41
Saw this and played through it this morning. Nice work! Great to see other developers embrace rotoscoping, and I was extra impressed by the sheer amount of sub-pixel animation that went into it.

The story was cool, although I have to admit:
Spoiler
The mustache disguise puzzle was a bit silly and tonally inconsistent in an otherwise serious game. It wasn't so much the concept of disguising yourself with a mustache, but the execution of it. If the receptionist hadn't been looking at you the whole time, or Richard hadn't immediately called and explained to Judy that he had used a disguise to sneak past the receptionist while she was still in earshot, it might not have sparked my nerd-rage. Then again, the receptionist didn't come off as the sharpest knife in the drawer :D
[close]

Again, great work!
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Digital Mosaic Games on Fri 21/06/2019 19:07:44
Thanks for all your feedback guys! We appreciate it! :)

Quote from: Grundislav on Fri 21/06/2019 18:58:41
Saw this and played through it this morning. Nice work! Great to see other developers embrace rotoscoping, and I was extra impressed by the sheer amount of sub-pixel animation that went into it.
That means a lot to me. :) And thanks again for showing us Edwyn Tiong and his connection to voiceactors!
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: SarahLiz on Fri 21/06/2019 21:01:36
Oh, wow.  I've just started this game (how many hours of gameplay would you say there is?  Just curious...) and I've gotta echo others' sentiment that I would have GLADLY paid money for it.  It's really well-done with an interesting story line and some amazing graphics.  I'm not very far into it yet, but cannot wait to play it further and see how it develops.  Thank you so much for making it, I know it will have tons of downloads!
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: sthomannch on Sat 22/06/2019 22:15:21
What a good game! Extremely fine piece, nice story, very polished. It was interesting from the beginning to the surprising end. Congratulation. And thank you for giving this away for free. I can only imaging how much effort you put into it.
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: KyriakosCH on Sun 23/06/2019 00:25:16
Very good game :) Finished it now.
I suppose there is only one ending?

Spoiler
Mads Michelsen is now reptilian  8-0
[close]
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Tampere on Sun 23/06/2019 00:52:55
I promise to leave a more articulated review but... those rotoscoped actions are awesome and so fluid!
How long did it take to film/pixel them? Titanic task!

edit:

Spoiler
Ending was a punch in the gut! I am still crying.
[close]
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: SarahLiz on Sun 23/06/2019 19:17:20
Just finished it!  What a great game.  The graphics are that awesome, 90's Lucasarts-style that I've always loved.  The storyline is really intriguing and reminded me at first of starting out in Lamplight City--one of my all-time favorites.  My only gripe was the second translation puzzle (I know that some people liked it), but if I hadn't screwed it up in the first place, it might have been less frustrating.  And that ending!


Spoiler
  I assume there's no other possible ending?  That was pretty brutal to come so far, only to be turned into Hitler-Lizard!  What about his daughter & Judy?  I guess not every story has a happy ending, eh?  I agree with another poster that it seemed a little bit abrupt...but it didn't affect how much enjoyment I got out of the game, so who cares?  ;)
[close]


Overall, I had a lot of fun playing and you guys are extremely talented...like I said before, I would have gladly paid money to play it.  Commercial quality for sure.
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Digital Mosaic Games on Sun 23/06/2019 20:43:35
Quote from: Tampere on Sun 23/06/2019 00:52:55
I promise to leave a more articulated review but... those rotoscoped actions are awesome and so fluid!
How long did it take to film/pixel them? Titanic task!

We could film the actors in front of a greenscreen in 3 sessions. The pixel-work took me about almost 2 years.
I could get through this process because I'm a huge fan of rotoscoped animations like Prince of Persia 1, Sierra Games (especially Gabriel Knight 1), or clocktower.
My love for these graphics started actually with seeing Ben Jordan 1 deluxe as a teenager :D.
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: KyriakosCH on Sun 23/06/2019 21:31:37
It certainly is the best kind of animation :)
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Kweepa on Mon 24/06/2019 03:00:27
Quote from: Digital Mosaic Games on Sun 23/06/2019 20:43:35
The pixel-work took me about almost 2 years.
It shows! Great work!
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: TheFrighter on Mon 24/06/2019 07:50:39
Quote from: Digital Mosaic Games on Sun 23/06/2019 20:43:35

We could film the actors in front of a greenscreen in 3 sessions. The pixel-work took me about almost 2 years.
I could get through this process because I'm a huge fan of rotoscoped animations like Prince of Persia 1, Sierra Games (especially Gabriel Knight 1), or clocktower.

Well dear DMG, next time a commercial game! Your efforts deserve it!   ;)

_
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: KyriakosCH on Mon 24/06/2019 08:51:21
Quote from: TheFrighter on Mon 24/06/2019 07:50:39
Quote from: Digital Mosaic Games on Sun 23/06/2019 20:43:35

We could film the actors in front of a greenscreen in 3 sessions. The pixel-work took me about almost 2 years.
I could get through this process because I'm a huge fan of rotoscoped animations like Prince of Persia 1, Sierra Games (especially Gabriel Knight 1), or clocktower.

Well dear DMG, next time a commercial game! Your efforts deserve it!   ;)

_

Indeed!

Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: luisdementia on Mon 24/06/2019 22:23:34
wow, this game looks awesome! it seems to have everything i like from an adventure game, downloading right now :D

congrats on the release!!!
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Khris on Tue 25/06/2019 13:26:09
I finished it and gotta say, the amount of work that went into this must have been pretty insane. This could have easily gone commercial, especially regarding the quality of the background graphics and animations.

Awesome job everyone!
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Shadow1000 on Tue 25/06/2019 22:20:04
My thoughts on the game:

Overall the game is awesome! The strong points are the graphics and animation which are completely professional grade. I had to look on Wikipedia to find out what rotoscoping is, but I was amazed at the ultra-smooth animation. It's rare that backgrounds and sprites are so well-done that it tops the list of strong points of a game but I have to mention this aspect first. Most of the voice acting, particularly the protagonist and some others could easily be Hollywood-grade.  Someone pointed out
Spoiler
the silence of the lambs nod which I also recognized.
[close]

I liked the story. Without giving away any detail, the plot and characters were interesting and engaging and the pacing of the story and how the backstory and interactions between characters unfold compared to the game was really good. This is a real art and really impacts how enjoyable a game is. When stories get too complicated or detailed, I usually find myself lost and unengaged but in this case it was spot on.

The puzzles were fun! With little exception, they were challenging enough to be a challenge but almost never to the point of frustration. There's a great variety of puzzles ranging from dialogue to inventory items, to pass-code deciphering and so on. I only had to get one tip from the forum.
Spoiler
That said, I did need help with the puzzles at the end. I don't want to get into detail because people read spoilers before playing :) but while the idea was good, I'm not sure how many players would be able to solve those independently
[close]

There really is a lot more to be said about this release but it's hard to be specific about many of the aspects that I enjoyed without giving away too much so I'll conclude here.

In all, it's clear that an incredible amount of work was invested into this game by a talented team. All of  you have a lot to be proud of. After the celebration, get to work on your next release! ;)

Cheers

Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Two Tales on Thu 27/06/2019 10:29:45
I've only watched the trailer and the character animations alone make me want to play it. I'm going to have to give it a go.
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Monsieur OUXX on Thu 27/06/2019 12:19:03
This is fantastic
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Mandle on Fri 28/06/2019 15:20:55
This game is an amazing resume piece for a commercial game. It required an impossible amount of effort to get all the rotoscoping done, obviously, you even have separate animations for opening top and bottom drawers FFS when this could have easily been fudged, but...

MASSIVE SPOILER ALERT!!!

Spoiler
I do get the feeling that it was written as the game progressed, which is fine for an indie game.

But this also means some jarring moments, especially in a game developed over a long time-frame:

There was so much charming dialog with Patti, the daughter at the beginning, getting to know and learn of her relationship with her father, and then we never get to interact with or see her again. (well except to show her stuff)

There was a lot of exposition of Judy and our relationship and a mystery about why we just ran away. This is never addressed again and Judy just vanishes at the end.

I'm guessing there were plotlines imagined with them that never got fully developed and then they just fell through the floor in the rush to get the damn thing finished? But you didn't have the heart to go cut out all the initial relationship exposition and the effort that went into it?

The puzzles: Some were great, some were intuitive, some were...ummm filler?

I felt that most of the puzzles kept the fun level of the game up there, and you did limit the areas of searching for answers to puzzles to the bare minimum, which helped.

But, in an investigative game, I feel that the puzzles should be based on that element and not weird stuff like making a fake mustache that the character could just go to a shop and buy. I even have money in my inventory to do so with.

If you're gonna go with the evaporated coffee solution at least let there be two alternatives. The second being using the character's kitchen without the excuse of "That would stink up the whole apartment.".

On the flip-side of the coin, I felt that the puzzles in the museum in Iran were just right, as the character is out of his element and has to make do with what he has on him. Very fun!

The translation puzzles were exactly what I wanted them to be! Perfect! Gabriel Knight vibes plus the unexpected multiple symbols and additional hints in the museum brochure. I thought the final translation puzzle to be a masterpiece!

The ending: I would have preferred (and kept looking for) a way out of our character's eventual fate. During the final cutscene I was on the alert for an inventory option to pop up to allow me to do something other than just watch. I was thinking I would pour the alien blood sample into the goblet just before being forced to drink it and that would make me more powerful than the master, or something like that.

But no, it just ended. Which is fine. It was an amazing game and I hope it leads you guys onto greater things that you actually get paid for and thus have the (extra headaches and) luxury to develop to the max.

Thanks for the great time!
[close]
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Thanyx on Fri 28/06/2019 17:11:54
Quote from: Mandle on Fri 28/06/2019 15:20:55
This game is an amazing resume piece for a commercial game. It required an impossible amount of effort to get all the rotoscoping done, obviously, you even have separate animations for opening top and bottom drawers FFS when this could have easily been fudged, but...

MASSIVE SPOILER ALERT!!!

Spoiler
I do get the feeling that it was written as the game progressed, which is fine for an indie game.

But this also means some jarring moments, especially in a game developed over a long time-frame:

There was so much charming dialog with Patti, the daughter at the beginning, getting to know and learn of her relationship with her father, and then we never get to interact with or see her again. (well except to show her stuff)

There was a lot of exposition of Judy and our relationship and a mystery about why we just ran away. This is never addressed again and Judy just vanishes at the end.

I'm guessing there were plotlines imagined with them that never got fully developed and then they just fell through the floor in the rush to get the damn thing finished? But you didn't have the heart to go cut out all the initial relationship exposition and the effort that went into it?

The puzzles: Some were great, some were intuitive, some were...ummm filler?

I felt that most of the puzzles kept the fun level of the game up there, and you did limit the areas of searching for answers to puzzles to the bare minimum, which helped.

But, in an investigative game, I feel that the puzzles should be based on that element and not weird stuff like making a fake mustache that the character could just go to a shop and buy. I even have money in my inventory to do so with.

If you're gonna go with the evaporated coffee solution at least let there be two alternatives. The second being using the character's kitchen without the excuse of "That would stink up the whole apartment.".

On the flip-side of the coin, I felt that the puzzles in the museum in Iran were just right, as the character is out of his element and has to make do with what he has on him. Very fun!

The translation puzzles were exactly what I wanted them to be! Perfect! Gabriel Knight vibes plus the unexpected multiple symbols and additional hints in the museum brochure. I thought the final translation puzzle to be a masterpiece!

The ending: I would have preferred (and kept looking for) a way out of our character's eventual fate. During the final cutscene I was on the alert for an inventory option to pop up to allow me to do something other than just watch. I was thinking I would pour the alien blood sample into the goblet just before being forced to drink it and that would make me more powerful than the master, or something like that.

But no, it just ended. Which is fine. It was an amazing game and I hope it leads you guys onto greater things that you actually get paid for and thus have the (extra headaches and) luxury to develop to the max.

Thanks for the great time!
[close]

Thank you very much for your comprehensive review. Much appreciated. Also...

Spoiler
As I already mentioned, our game tried to accomplish something that hasn't been done that many times so far - true lovecraftian hopelessness. Our hero has been destined to be doomed. Not everyone likes it, but we do and so do many others. I very much appreciate your opinion on this matter as we really want to know how all the players feel about our decisions.
[close]
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Shadow1000 on Fri 28/06/2019 19:17:54
Quote from: Thanyx on Fri 28/06/2019 17:11:54
Quote from: Mandle on Fri 28/06/2019 15:20:55
This game is an amazing resume piece for a commercial game. It required an impossible amount of effort to get all the rotoscoping done, obviously, you even have separate animations for opening top and bottom drawers FFS when this could have easily been fudged, but...

MASSIVE SPOILER ALERT!!!

Spoiler
I do get the feeling that it was written as the game progressed, which is fine for an indie game.

But this also means some jarring moments, especially in a game developed over a long time-frame:

There was so much charming dialog with Patti, the daughter at the beginning, getting to know and learn of her relationship with her father, and then we never get to interact with or see her again. (well except to show her stuff)

There was a lot of exposition of Judy and our relationship and a mystery about why we just ran away. This is never addressed again and Judy just vanishes at the end.

I'm guessing there were plotlines imagined with them that never got fully developed and then they just fell through the floor in the rush to get the damn thing finished? But you didn't have the heart to go cut out all the initial relationship exposition and the effort that went into it?

The puzzles: Some were great, some were intuitive, some were...ummm filler?

I felt that most of the puzzles kept the fun level of the game up there, and you did limit the areas of searching for answers to puzzles to the bare minimum, which helped.

But, in an investigative game, I feel that the puzzles should be based on that element and not weird stuff like making a fake mustache that the character could just go to a shop and buy. I even have money in my inventory to do so with.

If you're gonna go with the evaporated coffee solution at least let there be two alternatives. The second being using the character's kitchen without the excuse of "That would stink up the whole apartment.".

On the flip-side of the coin, I felt that the puzzles in the museum in Iran were just right, as the character is out of his element and has to make do with what he has on him. Very fun!

The translation puzzles were exactly what I wanted them to be! Perfect! Gabriel Knight vibes plus the unexpected multiple symbols and additional hints in the museum brochure. I thought the final translation puzzle to be a masterpiece!

The ending: I would have preferred (and kept looking for) a way out of our character's eventual fate. During the final cutscene I was on the alert for an inventory option to pop up to allow me to do something other than just watch. I was thinking I would pour the alien blood sample into the goblet just before being forced to drink it and that would make me more powerful than the master, or something like that.

But no, it just ended. Which is fine. It was an amazing game and I hope it leads you guys onto greater things that you actually get paid for and thus have the (extra headaches and) luxury to develop to the max.

Thanks for the great time!
[close]

Thank you very much for your comprehensive review. Much appreciated. Also...

Spoiler
As I already mentioned, our game tried to accomplish something that hasn't been done that many times so far - true lovecraftian hopelessness. Our hero has been destined to be doomed. Not everyone likes it, but we do and so do many others. I very much appreciate your opinion on this matter as we really want to know how all the players feel about our decisions.
[close]

In my review, I didn't want to give anything away, even in spoiler tags, but now that we're talking about it:

Spoiler
I loved the ending. I did not expect it, and I actually thought that the text that foreshadowed the event depicted was actually a hint as to how to defeat the boss. Boy was I wrong! I liked the twist over the old "hero saves the world and the story ends there". In fact, the story is just starting! Bwahahaha!
[close]
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: lanchong on Mon 01/07/2019 11:21:00
I think it's the best free game this year so far !
You're very talented and don't hesitate to put a price tag on your next production.
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: SarahLiz on Mon 01/07/2019 22:12:32

Spoiler


Oh, I agree, not every story has to have a “happy” ending.  I take back what I said about Hitler-Lizard.  LOL!  The hero was doomed from the start, and it was a damn good story that I truly enjoyed playing.  Thanks so much for making this game!  Please, please keep making them, it'd be tragic if you stopped now!


[close]
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: DBoyWheeler on Tue 02/07/2019 10:39:38
I signal boosted this game in my own blog, since I'm trying to break into the biz of freelance blog-writing, and figured it'd be a good excuse to help get the word out.

https://dboy2029.home.blog/2019/07/02/july-2nd-2019-discussing-a-recent-ags-game/

I'd try it out for myself if it weren't for my crazy current job schedule (yeah, the story of my life), but from the screenshots and trailer that I've seen, I just KNOW this'll be a smash hit!

Please keep making great games.
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: cianty on Fri 05/07/2019 14:13:46
Oooh, this looks beautiful! I just downloaded it and will give it a try this weekend.
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Thanyx on Sat 13/07/2019 12:58:49
Check out a new video by Jonas Tyroller about the communication during development of Metaphobia.

There you can learn about "How To Find & Manage a GAME DEV TEAM Online". And there you can also see some concept art as well as some greenscreen videos with actors which Tolga, our artist, used for the animations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_xC2Gskjm8
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Dennis Ploeger on Sat 20/07/2019 17:48:18
Hey!

Awesome game, thanks! I was so bold to use your game files in my attempt to build a macOS version of it (https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=47264.msg636608357#msg636608357) and succeeded.  :-D

It's not optimized or anything, but it runs well. Check it out here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eq0MSAn1abhHeb0e52lMmssqtKPhzYFq/view?usp=sharing (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eq0MSAn1abhHeb0e52lMmssqtKPhzYFq/view?usp=sharing)

Kind regards

Dennis
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Thanyx on Thu 09/01/2020 09:03:47
Hear Hear!

Great news everyone!

Metaphobia is coming to Steam on February 10th. It is of course still FREE to play.

Wishlist Now!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1220930/Metaphobia/

(https://i.imgur.com/bT92HKH.png)
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: shaun9991 on Thu 09/01/2020 20:33:25
So glad you guys are putting this on Steam - more people need to play this game! It's great!  :)
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Vincent on Sat 11/01/2020 13:04:27
Thanks Shaun for your truly kind words, we deeply appreciate it.
The game will contain also some Achievements too so will you guys be able to archive them all?

Wishlist it Now! :)
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1220930/Metaphobia/
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: KyriakosCH on Sun 12/01/2020 18:53:15
Indeed, it is an excellent game!
Keep us informed about future projects  (nod)
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Duztie on Mon 13/01/2020 20:18:47
I just finished the game, and I had a blast! You guys have made a really fantasticgreat game. Absolutely wonderful graphics, that reminded me a lot of Clocktower for the SNES. The Sound and music was also top notch. Will deffinetly recommend this to my friends. Can't wait to see what your next project will be :D
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Thanyx on Thu 13/02/2020 12:00:45
HEAR HEAR fellow adventurers!

Metaphobia has been released on STEAM!

Go ahead and download the game for free.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1220930/Metaphobia/

(https://i.imgur.com/bT92HKH.png)
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: xandmatt on Sat 22/02/2020 14:55:16
Currently playing it on Steam after I saw it advertised on Twitter. Enjoying it so far!
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: splat44 on Wed 26/02/2020 03:01:30
Wow for a free game, good to see it got nominated in 12 categories and definitely should be classified as commercial!

Well done.
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Digital Mosaic Games on Thu 23/04/2020 14:07:16
A big thanks to everyone who voted for us for the AGS Awards!  :=
Title: Re: Metaphobia
Post by: Vincent on Sat 16/05/2020 11:00:43
Good day to all fellows Agser, I'd like to special thanks my brother JONATHAN LA IENA for taking the initiative to record the official guide of Metaphobia. For all those interested this guide will be splitted into various episodes and it will show step by step how to complete the game. I hope you will enjoy it and stay tuned on his channel for the next future episodes! I was almost forget to say that we are working with him to release an Italian version of the game.




I also take this chance to share with you a nice review and interview made by Indie Dev Short about Metaphobia that I hope you will enjoy it!