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Post by Discoalucard on Sept 29, 2009 20:24:05 GMT -5
www.hardcoregaming101.net/ihavenomouth/imustscream.htmI remember reading about this in PC Gamer years ago, but only now got to try it. I'm really split, as the text indicates - it's a fantastic complement to the story, because it really fleshes things out, but as game, it's really lacking in many, many areas. It's certainly not QUITE the masterpiece I've read it elevated to.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2009 20:29:30 GMT -5
It really seems unfair as a game and pulls out the entire book of frustrations associated with this genre; time limits, guide dang its, things that can potentially be lost forever, sudden deaths, and many unwinnable situations. However, DAMN if it doesn't have an impressive style to it. Bad form though this may be, I'm tempted to observe the game on a longplay just to see how it all progresses. Fine article, though. Makes me want to audition for reading AM myself, just in case a film adaption was ever to be made.
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Post by Discoalucard on Sept 29, 2009 20:44:18 GMT -5
I don't think there are any videos currently out there, but there is a Let's Play: lparchive.org/LetsPlay/I%20Have%20No%20Mouth/There actually aren't any time limits, that I'm aware of. There are unwinnable circumstances and some occasional random deaths though. One which I didn't bring up is in Ted's chapter. You're presented with five different monitors each with a different image. There's no clue which is the right one (at least that I'm aware of) but you pick any of the wrong one, the screen just goes black, AM taunts you, and you're stuck at the beginning. Actually, now that I type this up, this might be interesting to analyze! Maybe it's a conscious attempt to elicit a sense of hopelessness and frustration? Or was it just stupid, hacked-in design from the developers, which is a bit of a running theme with this game?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2009 20:51:34 GMT -5
Jesus Christ. I have to read this story and play this game. Thanks for the article!
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Post by Discoalucard on Sept 29, 2009 20:54:14 GMT -5
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Post by Atma on Sept 29, 2009 20:59:00 GMT -5
As both a huge fantasy/sci-fi fan AND a hopeful fantasy/sci-fi writer, there is absolutely no excuse whatsoever for the fact I have yet to read the original story and play this game. I will definitely be looking into both soon. I have a feeling the story will drive me well enough to be able to ignore any gameplay flaws, as most story driven games are able to do to me.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2009 21:22:19 GMT -5
Thanks for the link. All I can say is...my god. The author is a genius and a madman. Of course, those two traits often go hand-in-hand.
Very impressive.
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Post by kitten on Sept 29, 2009 21:24:29 GMT -5
Interesting, I think I'm going to play this, now to go find it.
Also, great article, but a few sentences feel a bit redundant. You first say this -
" Even the "best" ending is remarkably depressing, and the bad one remains shocking, even though it's basically the same as the book (and where the title comes from.)"
Then only a couple paragraphs later, essentially say the same thing again, albeit reworded -
"("Best" is put in quotes because it's still remarkably depressing...it's all just relatively speaking. The "Worst" ending is basically the same as the finale of the book.)"
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Post by Discoalucard on Sept 29, 2009 21:31:31 GMT -5
Ooops...I meant to edit that out during restructuring.
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Post by kitten on Sept 30, 2009 1:56:36 GMT -5
Heh, I kinda figured.
Again, though, great little article, I love reading about games like these.
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Post by jorpho on Sept 30, 2009 11:23:21 GMT -5
You should mention that the game is playable in ScummVM now. For some very strange reason it's also still for sale for $32 at the Harlan Ellison store, but I suppose it's a good thing that it's still for sale at all. (As I mentioned previously, no one can publish Callahan's Crosstime Saloon anymore even if they wanted to, since the relevant contracts have all expired.) Also, you really ought to hide that "shocking ending" on a second page - now it won't be shocking anymore. (The short story won the Hugo, incidentally.) Ever heard of Faust: 7 Games of the Soul? I hear it's vaguely along the same lines.
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Post by Discoalucard on Sept 30, 2009 16:35:21 GMT -5
Yeah I gotta mention that too. I actually couldn't get it working on SCUMMVM for some reason - it just wouldn't recognize the files.
Anyway, since the basics of the ending are the same as the story, I figured it wouldn't be a big deal to just visualize it.
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Post by kal on Oct 1, 2009 22:08:07 GMT -5
This game would be better if Harlan Ellison wasn't so insane about his pricing structure for it - seriously he had like a breakdown and sued the developers for ownership because he thought they were hoarding profits from him...somehow given the nature of the game I doubt that.
In regards to the actual game - It's shear genius but it's basically unplayable without a guide (unless you like head butting your desk). Despite that I think the fact that the game is so broken - that it is so awkward it only serves to elevate this game into the nightmarish prospects that it tries hard to convey as you mentioned briefly. The subjects the game touches on though are quite impressive given the tendency for games now to tackle subjects without much subtly.
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Post by Garamoth on Oct 4, 2009 14:29:08 GMT -5
Finally got the game working. In my case it was really easy with ScummVM. Still too stupid to get DOSBox to work, though. Bleh... despite the absolutely fascinating starting idea, I find this game quite dull. EDIT: two details 1. In the article you talk about "the book". Isn't it a short story that was published in a magazine? I've read it on the Internet and it was only a few pages long. 2. In Nimdok's chapter, despite the fact that they use euphemisms like "the regime" or "the lost tribe", Nimdok does mention being a Nazi loud and clear at the end, and the psych profile mentions many real historical details. Maybe that's what tipped the censor over the edge?
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Post by kal on Oct 4, 2009 20:21:42 GMT -5
I never thought there was any doubt that Nimdok was a Nazi - I don't see how you could interpret the character any other way. I don't think the censors would let it slide especially if what Garamoth mentions is true (I don't recall - his chapter gets a bit weird by the end).
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