Is it a "bad" ending?

(This post contains spoilers about one of the many endings for I Was a Teenage Exocolonist--please proceed with caution if you're trying to avoid spoilers!)

I decided it was time to revisit one of my previous gaming adventures, namely the part-deckbuilder/part-RPG-ish I Was a Teenage Exocolonist.  One of the great parts of this game is the fact that it offers up numerous outcomes based on the choices you make (I think it's something like over 20)--the entire premise of the game/story is that it's meant to be replayed.  The first time I felt like I had so many negative events happen--Tammy died, both my parents died, and the colony failed.  Total bummer!

This time around I decided I would go with a different skillset (namely the "social" path) and make some different choices.  All of this was in the hope that I could avoid an ending that felt absolutely catastrophic.  One of the things that I discovered in my second playthrough was that your character has flashbacks of their previous lives--this allows you to make some decisions that help to avoid certain character deaths.  For example, this time around I managed to save Tammy and the goofy teacher character, Hal, thanks to memories from my first playthrough.  One word of advice though...when given the option to reveal that your character is having flashbacks, don't do it!  Basically everyone thinks you're nuts and you earn a -1 "delusions" card.

I didn't find anything too special about choosing social skills.  I had hoped that if I had higher persuasion skills that I could talk more characters into beneficial actions, but it turns out that persuasion is one of the harder skills to level up.  The main benefit I found was from bravery and the ability to engage in more fighting (this, despite the fact that I had basically no combat skills) when the xenos attacked.  In all reality though, choosing to fight does give you a buff to physical skills for 3 months, but usually results in getting injured more than anything, so it's a mixed bag.  I supposed that my high social skills did help me at certain points--namely in dissuading Dys from setting a bomb during one of the attacks.  I also didn't manage to land a real "profession" for my character.

There were a few positive outcomes during this playthrough--I managed to save both my parents!  I helped Tangent find a cure for the Shimmer and also discovered enough food sources to avoid the famine that results in the loss of your mom.  I hoped this would result in more interactions with the parent characters, but it actually results in a wholly different outcome that I didn't anticipate.

Curing the Shimmer unlocks a deadly path forward.

In curing the Shimmer you potentially set Tangent and her science mentor, Instance, on a devastating path for Vertumna. As my teenage years were coming to an end I was treated to a surprising cutscene...my character woke up to find that their hopeye pet had died.  It was a sad moment, but I figured it was a natural thing.  Then the cutscene proceeded and the entire camp was gathered for a major announcement.  While heading to the announcement you notice some drones spraying a substance through the air around the camp...something strange is afoot.  It's at the meeting that it's revealed that in curing the Shimmer, Tangent and Instance were able to synthesize a biological/chemical agent that will kill all native flora and fauna on Vertumna.  That's what killed your pet hopeye!  This means that all plants, animals, and even the alien Gardeners will be completely wiped out.  The plan is then to seed native Earth species onto the planet--essentially making it into a blank slate to completely restart from scratch.  Cal, your sensitive animal-loving friend, reacts negatively and tries to take out the camp dictator, Lum, and is shot and killed by the guards.

In the end, the colony survives, but at the cost of everything that made Vertumna unique.  Humanity prevails.  Is it a bad ending?  I mean, I did manage to save the colony.  Yeah, this is a bad ending.  I didn't like the feeling of completely wiping out the native life on the planet.  Ugh, I just really want to get an ending that doesn't feel so crappy!  But, I think that's the point, to get you to keep replaying to shoot for a better ending.

There are still a few things I find frustrating about I Was a Teenage Exocolonist--namely the fact that I wish there was a better way to prompt players about how to proceed when they're solving certain events.  For example, when you discover the components for the Shimmer cure you must go to hydroponics first or else the correct events won't trigger (same goes for the food crisis).  I also find that it's difficult to know how much exploration to do versus staying in camp and building skills.  If you don't explore enough I feel like you're missing a fair chunk of stuff and exploration also offers good opportunities to build certain skills.

It's my ultimate goal to unlock a good ending, so future replays await.  For now, I'm happy to sulk about the depressing ending.

The Year of the Samurai

I've been feeling the mid-late May malaise that comes with being a teacher nearing the end of a stressful school year, therefore I'm not playing anything too exciting.  My time gaming has mostly been spent with a couple of different relaxing faves--namely trying for more success at saving the colony in I Was a Teenage Exocolonist and chalking up some goofy achievements in PowerWash Simulator.  Payday is coming up soon and I'm eyeballing the poker deckbuilder Balatro that currently has overwhelmingly positive reviews.

This week the trailer for the newest iteration of the Assassin's Creed franchise dropped.  If you haven't seen it yet, give it a gander:

Looks cool, no?  I had a brief glimmer of excitement before I remembered the fact that I felt pretty meh about the last game in the series.  Honestly (and I've stated this many times before), I think the UbiSoft formula has gotten a bit stale for many gamers.  The big, beautiful world filled to the brim with pointless map marker tasks that wind up feeling like checking off a list...well, it gets old.  I also didn't have the best performance with Valhalla and experienced way more crashing than I should have (this was despite turning down many graphic settings).  It's not all bad though--I thought the river raids were a lot of fun.

Samurai themed games and shows are having a moment.  From Ghosts of Tsushima to FX's Shogun series, it seems like feudal Japan is the current cool vibe.  I'm totally okay with that because I've really been hoping that games that focus on periods of history would veer away from the strictly Western settings and cultures and try something more unique.  (I suppose since everyone seems to be doing samurai/feudal Japan stuff at the moment that this does take a bit away from that uniqueness)

It does seem like Ubi is trying to switch things up a bit with Assassin's Creed Shadows.  It sounds like they're veering away from the overwhelmingly large maps and that the world will be about the same size as it was in Origins (which I found to be just right).  They're also changing the way that synchronization points work--apparently the sweeping cinematic camera pan is going away.  Instead, players will be able to view the surrounding area and mark areas of interest (they'll still serve as fast travel points).  Sadly, it sounds like they're axing the use of bird companions and adding in a player focused ability to use "eagle eye" to mark enemies.  I liked my bird friends!  (Source: this article)

I'm going to be sitting on the sidelines for this one.  My ideal way to buy the Assassin's Creed games is to wait until they start going on sale for 50% off (or more--FYI they're currently on sale on Steam for super cheap).  Someday in the future I might find myself stabbing baddies in feudal Japan, but not anytime soon.

Hi-Fi Disappointment--The Corporate Gaming Downsizing Strikes Again

Just last week I finished my first playthrough of the highly enjoyable rhythm/fighting game mashup Hi-Fi Rush.  Heck, I enjoyed it so much and found the robot cat companion 808 to be so cute that I even ordered a t-shirt from the official Bethesda store.  (*Here's where I'd like to interject that even though I ordered said shirt a week ago, it still hasn't shipped--there was a message that said they were updating their systems and that shipping could be delayed, so I suppose patience is warranted) So with all this in mind, it was a huge bummer when news broke this week that Microsoft decided to slash the staff at several Bethesda studios (you can read this article for details).  Sadly, these cuts include Tango Gameworks, the developers behind Hi-Fi Rush.

808, Chai's adorable robot cat companion.

I'm really disappointed because I was anticipating a sequel.  It's doubly disappointing because Hi-Fi Rush has been lauded by fans and critics as a great game.  Apparently it doesn't matter how good or how loved a game is if it doesn't move the requisite number of units that the gaming mega-corporations require.  This also follows an unfortunate pattern of companies being swallowed up by the corporate overlords (your Microsofts and Activisions) and then immediately slashing all but the biggest titles.  It's specifically mentioned that they hope to focus on Bethesda's flagship titles (Fallout....and I suppose Starfield even though I've heard pretty lackluster feedback about it).

I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised by this fact because this pattern seems to keep occurring.  That doesn't mean that it's any less disappointing.  I feel bad for all the people who worked at Tango Gameworks and who are now out of a job (Arkane Austin--makers of the bomb that is Redfall also got axed).

RIP Tango Gameworks--for this gamer you made a game that was truly enjoyable and unique.  I was looking forward to another adventure with Chai and the rest of the team!  I will wear my 808 t-shirt (someday...when I finally receive it) with great pride in your honor.

Mastering the Beat in Hi-Fi Rush

Everyone has that one genre of gaming that they know they aren't great at (or, if you're me, multiple).  For me the biggest one is rhythm games.  Let's face facts--a large percentage of us just don't have any musical skills, knowledge, or ability.  I tried dipping my toes into the rhythm dungeon-crawler Crypt of the Necrodancer and found myself making frustratingly little progress.  Knowing this, I was extremely hesitant to dive into anything that promoted itself as being rhythm-based.  When Hi-Fi Rush started showing up on my recommended titles, I was intrigued, but knew better than to punish myself with my embarrassing lack of rhythm.  Weellll, it went on sale, and I just couldn't stop myself.

What is it?

When a mommy rhythm-based game and a daddy fighting game really love each other...Hi-Fi Rush is the resulting offspring.  There's a bit of light platforming thrown in there too.  The gameplay revolves around navigating the campus of a large evil corporation and fighting off groups of robotic baddies.  Fighting involves landing combinations of attacks AND doing so on the beat for the maximum effect.

There's an awesome photo mode with frames & stickers!

How long is a playthrough?

You're probably looking at 10-12 hours depending on how much effort you put into fully exploring each level.  There's also a ton of new game+/challenge options for after you've finished the main story.

Pros:

+ Cute anime/cartoony animation style.

+ Low system specs.  If you're on on older PC, this game is a great choice.

+ Ran great.  No crashes, no glitches--worked like a charm.

+ A fun, expanding cast of characters.  This includes an extremely cute robot cat!

+ Light platforming that manages to feel just right.  There's nothing that's extremely frustrating or that feels like you're required to mash a million buttons at a time.  There are a few sequences that do require some reaction time, but even if you mess it up, the game is very forgiving.

+ Tons of built-in support & tutorials to acquaint players with the rhythm parts of the game.  There's a toggleable beat indicator, a "training room" where you can fight AI enemies (and it has tons of options for customization so you can practice against a certain type of enemy or pick a certain combination of moves to work on), and plenty of in-game tutorials.  Even someone like me, who is completely inept at rhythm games was able to get it down with the support of these tutorials.  You can get as much or as little help as you need.

+ A fabulous soundtrack that perfectly compliments the music/rhythm based playstyle.  There's even a couple of songs by some relatively well-known bands!

+ Combat that is extremely fun.  There is a wide array of enemies to face off against--from your lowly, basic robot all the way up to the big, boss baddies.  You receive a score and ranking for every combat sequence.  It is based off many factors--the number of different attack combos you use, avoiding damage, performing attacks on the beat, and how quickly you're able to defeat the enemies.  To earn the coveted "S" rank you need to combine all your skills.  (It's doable though)

+ Customization options for Chai (the protagonist).  You can purchase new regular attack combos, special attacks, items to expand Chai's base stats (health, reverb--for special attacks, etc.), and chips that boost certain abilities.  Unlocking all of them isn't too challenging and it's fun to figure out your favorites.

+ I'm a big fan of the teamwork vibe and this game has that in spades.

+ Tons of replayability and extra features to keep you playing after you've finished the main story.  There's an option for chapter selection (in a new game+ type of mode).  It's worthwhile to revisit everything because there are areas that you can only unlock with certain characters (who you didn't have in your first playthrough) and special challenge areas.  There is also a challenge mode and two different arcade modes.

+ Unlockable items and artwork. You can buy special items to customize the looks of the entire cast.  There's also a big mural that gradually fills in as you achieve certain tasks in the game (and in the challenge and arcade modes).

+ Multiple difficulty modes that encompass a wide variety of skill levels.  The easiest setting is very forgiving with the rhythm elements (and might be a good place to start if you feel insecure about your abilities).  There's also an ultra-leet setting for all the uber-rhythmists out there.

Cons:

- Controller needed.  I can't even imagine trying to play this with mouse & keyboard.  I suppose it would be possible, but it worked great with my cheap-o XBOX controller.

- Certain rhythm-based sequences can be frustrating, but fortunately there's no penalty for messing them up.  Certain generators will have a series of buttons pop up and require you to fully complete the sequence without messing up.  I had to re-do one of them many times before I finally got it down.

- There is an element of timing and reaction time that could be frustrating for some people.  I'd recommend the easy setting if you're having trouble.  Parrying and dodging sequences for some enemies require fairly quick reactions.

-Like any fighting game, remembering all the combos, attacks and options is rough.  It can also be a bit confusing when you start to add-in partners to counter enemies with certain attacks/abilities.  To be TRULY great at Hi-Fi Rush does require some awesome skills.  Luckily, it's still plenty fun and doable, just don't expect to be getting the uber-scores or rankings.

Recommendation:

Hi-Fi Rush is great fun--even if you're someone with limited rhythm or fighting game skills.  The story, characters, and gameplay plus all the additional features make this a game that's totally worth paying full price for.  Prepare to be rocked!