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Thomas Was Alone


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Started playing this last night. It hasn't come up as a game to play in the monthly thread yet (though has been suggested) but it's a good time to bring it up as is about to be released on PS3 and Vita.

It's a platform puzzle game so I'm playing with a pad as I hate playing games like this with keys.

There is a story running through it, it's very Valve/Portal-like and has Danny Wallace doing the narration which is quite funny. I'm sure people dislike him but I like him in this and found him ok in Assassin's Creed (2? Brotherhood?).

I'm a few chapters in so won't spoil too much but the generic square or rectangle shapes have lots of character (in the narration at least) and it's a lovely looking game with nice shadow effects and a brilliant soundtrack.

It was made largely by one guy on his free time while he worked in a big studio. Well worth picking up and giving it a go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpsZaExywRk

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  • 2 weeks later...

So this game came out a bit ago on the old PC, and I was always curious about it as it got some of the cool indie gamers talking as they propped up their designer frames. But I have an unpredictably shite PC so I hesitate without a demo.

But then it came to PS3 and no-one mentioned it, but then it came to Vita and the game starved Vita owners started making noise about this game, as they have nothing else to play, so it came to my attention this game is out on PSN.

On top of that, it is free on PS+.. this is how I play a lot of games these days.

Anyway!

This game has interested me mostly because I feel it's like a pop-up book in terms of game design. I often think about he language of game design, like how Ben called me insane for calling Sin & Punishment: Successor of the Skies one of my favourite games of the last few years and I don't understand why.

Now, I'm not trying to get pompous, I just think it's cool to have a game that makes a big deal of the subtleties of game design, and turning the slightest thing into a little piece of story; I like that the game encourages that; that line of thinking.

I guess I haven't really talked about hat game itself. It's a puzzle game; it has a bit of platforming, and it combines the two. You have to switch between different characters with different skills to solve a level and it makes you feel pretty good... I say that, it's pretty obvious early on. I'm half way through the third chapter and I think it's still teaching me stuff.

I'll say if it gets better.

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Where did this thread come from? Oh well.

There was something else I wanted to say about it but it's gone now, apart from it's better than I'm making it sound, and it's more puzzle-y than platform-y... in fact it's not very platform-y at all, you just do some jumping from time to time. It's a slow start but it gets gently challenging and interesting.

And I joke about game starved Vita owners. They have loads of games to play. Games you can get elsewhere but are apparently better or more worthwhile on Vita because reasons.

That's just a Thomas style observation I've made whenever I find myself looking at comments for Vita games (well, games on the Vita).

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Up to 3.9 now, more or less halfway?

Anyway the narration is great, Danny Wallace has done a great job.

The puzzles have mostly been straightforward but the last one I'm on is a bit more timing-based.

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I'm on level 7.something now and it definitely picks up, some pretty good levels, still some boring ones too IMO though. I've missed a lot of the narration which is probably missing the point, some bits I have heard have been pretty funny.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I played through this the other week and really enjoyed it. I can see why Spatular didn't get on with it, play with the sound off and it really does lose something, and I say that as someone who doesn't really like Danny Wallace. He has done a great job though, and it is the strength of the game, bringing loads of character to blocks

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There's some dlc for this on PSN called Benjamin's Flight. It's quite short, probably not even an hour long, but it's only a couple of quid and as I got TWA on ps+ so I don't mind chucking them a couple of quid for a game I enjoyed.

You play as Benjamin mostly, he quite soon gets a jetpack which makes for some really good levels, especially when you have to work with other blocks. It could do with being longer though, the story doesn't get you involved as the main game even though the script is still pretty good, and it does feel like the levels don't push you quite as hard as they could if there was another 5-10 of them. It is good though, a little bit bleak maybe

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've played this as far as level 3.2.

Have to say the more I play it the more I'm impressed with it. Everything just works really well - the art, the music, the narration, the personality in the game. I just see as a game about how there are all different kinds of people in the world and it's rather lovely really. Thumbs up so far.

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Up to chapter 6.1 now. I like the start of each chapter where they introduce a new character but after that there's usually a lull.

I've also been replaying the earlier chapters for the achievement pick ups. 18/35 achievements so far.

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Stage 9.2 now, on the home stretch. 27/35 achievements so far, I need to replay Origins and Associations as I'm missing both of the achievements in those, also the first achievement in Purge.

Nice game, well worth a play.

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Finished! 4.7 hours, 35/35 achievements! First time I've ever done that.

I like looking at the special thanks for indie games, you always see some familiar faces. Eric Chahi in this one.

That's me done with the May games for the indie thread. Next up, Botanicula! Loved Machinarium so am looking forward to this. :)

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  • 1 month later...

I'm not sure what to think about this. I'm just sort of being a tourist more than anything. The narration is pretty nice though. Danny Wallace should be getting himself some voice overs on advertisements or audio books. Even kids tv or something, he has a really nice level voice, it's calming without being boring. He's pretty good at conveying emotions from someone elses point.

Chris is a dick. Yeah, he's a block as well, but mostly he's just a dick.

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I got this on sale yesterday and did the first few levels, Claire has just showed up. It is crazy how much personality each little block has, Chris is a dick but to see his podgy little block jumping around and trying so hard is so charming. I love the way the story is told, not just the narration but the way new story elements are introduced through gameplay. There was a level where John thought about how he enjoyed helping the little fellas out and really patronised them. But then in that same level he needed to use Thomas and Chris to get to a higher spot. Similarly, Chris can't jump as far or as high but he is easier to control for those small jumps. So far there is a lot going on and I am really digging it.

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