I waggle my magic wand, say the magic words, and *POOF*, free games
appear. Marvel at my sorcery; it has nothing to do with the folk at
Epic Games; it's all done through the power of my wizardry!

This week's offerings of the arcane are:

* Dark Deity *
https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/dark-deity-0b08d1

I know that I shouldn't judge a book by its cover (or a game by its screenshots), but looking at the store page for "Dark Deity" and I
immediately conclude this isn't a game for me. It's a retro-themed
JRPG-style adventure and nothing the store-page shows me about that
game convinces me this game is something I'm going to enjoy. The mixed
reviews aren't helping either. I suppose that if games like "Fire
Emblem" on the Nintendo were your thing you may see the appeal with of
"Dark Deity", but as for me? Thank you, but no.


* Evil Dead: The Game *
https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/evil-dead-the-game

So I'm torn on this one. On the one hand, it's a game based on the
"Evil Dead" franchise, and that gives the game a tremendous appeal
even before I've finished reading the title. On the other hand, it's
an "Evil Dead" game, and that franchise hasn't really had the best of
luck with its video-game adaptations (some have been okay, but none
have been exceptional, and a few have been trash). The game is also multiplayer-only and seems to be exclusive to Epic too; neither are deal-killers, but they don't inspire me to want to get the game.
Reviews cite a lack of longevity, novelty and variety, but the
gameplay itself is competent. But on the other hand, it has a
chainsaw-wielding Bruce Campbell. So I guess I'll have to grab this
one; I'm just not sure I'll ever play it.


-----------------------

The spell wears off in 168 hours, but if you grab the games before
then, they are yours to keep. Are you daring enough to meddle with
this sorcery before time runs out?!?

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 8:00:59 AM UTC-8, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

I waggle my magic wand, say the magic words, and *POOF*, free games
appear. Marvel at my sorcery; it has nothing to do with the folk at
Epic Games; it's all done through the power of my wizardry!

This week's offerings of the arcane are:

* Dark Deity *
https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/dark-deity-0b08d1

I know that I shouldn't judge a book by its cover (or a game by its screenshots), but looking at the store page for "Dark Deity" and I immediately conclude this isn't a game for me. It's a retro-themed
JRPG-style adventure and nothing the store-page shows me about that
game convinces me this game is something I'm going to enjoy. The mixed reviews aren't helping either. I suppose that if games like "Fire
Emblem" on the Nintendo were your thing you may see the appeal with of
"Dark Deity", but as for me? Thank you, but no.

Maybe I'd enjoy it... I picked it up. Chances I'll ever play it are near zero.

* Evil Dead: The Game * https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/evil-dead-the-game

So I'm torn on this one. On the one hand, it's a game based on the
"Evil Dead" franchise, and that gives the game a tremendous appeal
even before I've finished reading the title. On the other hand, it's
an "Evil Dead" game, and that franchise hasn't really had the best of
luck with its video-game adaptations (some have been okay, but none
have been exceptional, and a few have been trash). The game is also multiplayer-only and seems to be exclusive to Epic too; neither are deal-killers, but they don't inspire me to want to get the game.
Reviews cite a lack of longevity, novelty and variety, but the
gameplay itself is competent. But on the other hand, it has a chainsaw-wielding Bruce Campbell. So I guess I'll have to grab this
one; I'm just not sure I'll ever play it.

This one I'll definitely be playing today as I love ED2 and AoD movies
and the ED cable series. It is available on the PS5, ratings are good
there. I don't usually care much for survival horror or PvP so it's unlikely I'll stick with it, but I'll give a try.

I did enjoy "Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick" on the PS2, though
short and a bit janky. I wasn't aware there was more than one
Evil Dead game previous to this new one.

- Justisaur

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Thu, 17 Nov 2022 11:44:19 -0800 (PST), Justisaur
<justisaur@gmail.com> wrote:

On Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 8:00:59 AM UTC-8, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

I waggle my magic wand, say the magic words, and *POOF*, free games
appear. Marvel at my sorcery; it has nothing to do with the folk at
Epic Games; it's all done through the power of my wizardry!

This week's offerings of the arcane are:

* Dark Deity *
https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/dark-deity-0b08d1

I know that I shouldn't judge a book by its cover (or a game by its
screenshots), but looking at the store page for "Dark Deity" and I
immediately conclude this isn't a game for me. It's a retro-themed
JRPG-style adventure and nothing the store-page shows me about that
game convinces me this game is something I'm going to enjoy. The mixed
reviews aren't helping either. I suppose that if games like "Fire
Emblem" on the Nintendo were your thing you may see the appeal with of
"Dark Deity", but as for me? Thank you, but no.

Maybe I'd enjoy it... I picked it up. Chances I'll ever play it are near zero.

* Evil Dead: The Game *
https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/evil-dead-the-game

This one I'll definitely be playing today as I love ED2 and AoD movies
and the ED cable series. It is available on the PS5, ratings are good
there. I don't usually care much for survival horror or PvP so it's unlikely >I'll stick with it, but I'll give a try.

I did enjoy "Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick" on the PS2, though
short and a bit janky. I wasn't aware there was more than one
Evil Dead game previous to this new one.

There were several Evil Dead games made during the PS1/PS2 era:
"Hail to the King", "Fistful of Boomstick" and "Regeneration". They
were /all/ janky, average-at-best games that were largely carried by
their license more than their gameplay or polish. Had they been made
without the license (and Campbell's awesome voice-acting) they'd have
reviewed much more poorly and nobody would have remembered them.

There were also a couple of mobile games (which were exactly as you
might expect), and Ash (Bruce Campbell's character) made some
appearances in a couple other games. And - according to mobygames - a
game for the Commodore64. But this is the first PC/console game in a
long time.

This game is - by all accounts - an acceptable title but (again)
without the license there's nothing about it that screams "must play",
and after "Dead By Daylight" and "Friday the 13th" and all the rest of
the horror-themed multiplayer co-op titles, I'm sort of burnt out on
the genre. And while I loved the movies and the short-lived TV series,
the games rarely capture the weird mix of madcap horror and action
that made the live-action depictions so memorable

(largely because the AI hasn't been made that can replicate Bruce
Campbell. Thank God.)

So given the choice, I'd rather just spend time rewatching the movies.

(Plus, you know, the game's on Epic ;-)

Hence my ambivalence about the title. I should be excited about the; I
/want/ to be excited about it... yet past experience indicates I'm
better off poppin' in the Army of Darkness blu-ray if I need to pass a
couple of hours.

But YMMV so if this game is your thing, go for it.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 3:55:02 PM UTC-8, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Thu, 17 Nov 2022 11:44:19 -0800 (PST), Justisaur
<just...@gmail.com> wrote:

On Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 8:00:59 AM UTC-8, Spalls Hurgenson wrote: >> I waggle my magic wand, say the magic words, and *POOF*, free games

appear. Marvel at my sorcery; it has nothing to do with the folk at
Epic Games; it's all done through the power of my wizardry!

This week's offerings of the arcane are:

* Dark Deity *
https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/dark-deity-0b08d1

I know that I shouldn't judge a book by its cover (or a game by its
screenshots), but looking at the store page for "Dark Deity" and I
immediately conclude this isn't a game for me. It's a retro-themed
JRPG-style adventure and nothing the store-page shows me about that
game convinces me this game is something I'm going to enjoy. The mixed
reviews aren't helping either. I suppose that if games like "Fire
Emblem" on the Nintendo were your thing you may see the appeal with of
"Dark Deity", but as for me? Thank you, but no.

Maybe I'd enjoy it... I picked it up. Chances I'll ever play it are near zero.

* Evil Dead: The Game *
https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/evil-dead-the-game

This one I'll definitely be playing today as I love ED2 and AoD movies
and the ED cable series. It is available on the PS5, ratings are good >there. I don't usually care much for survival horror or PvP so it's unlikely >I'll stick with it, but I'll give a try.

I did enjoy "Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick" on the PS2, though
short and a bit janky. I wasn't aware there was more than one
Evil Dead game previous to this new one.

There were several Evil Dead games made during the PS1/PS2 era:
"Hail to the King", "Fistful of Boomstick" and "Regeneration". They
were /all/ janky, average-at-best games that were largely carried by
their license more than their gameplay or polish. Had they been made
without the license (and Campbell's awesome voice-acting) they'd have reviewed much more poorly and nobody would have remembered them.

There were also a couple of mobile games (which were exactly as you
might expect), and Ash (Bruce Campbell's character) made some
appearances in a couple other games. And - according to mobygames - a
game for the Commodore64. But this is the first PC/console game in a
long time.

This game is - by all accounts - an acceptable title but (again)
without the license there's nothing about it that screams "must play",
and after "Dead By Daylight" and "Friday the 13th" and all the rest of
the horror-themed multiplayer co-op titles, I'm sort of burnt out on
the genre. And while I loved the movies and the short-lived TV series,
the games rarely capture the weird mix of madcap horror and action
that made the live-action depictions so memorable

It seems like the game's got some hold on that.

(largely because the AI hasn't been made that can replicate Bruce
Campbell. Thank God.)

They've attempted:
https://twitter.com/dailyshemp/status/1535232398773952514
*Shudder* Yeesh...

(Plus, you know, the game's on Epic ;-)

Yeah... Their client is being extremely slow just to load my list of installed games, talk about jank.

Hence my ambivalence about the title. I should be excited about the; I
/want/ to be excited about it... yet past experience indicates I'm
better off poppin' in the Army of Darkness blu-ray if I need to pass a
couple of hours.

True there.

But YMMV so if this game is your thing, go for it.

I'm somewhat enjoying it so far. I'm supposedly 5 hours in already?
I played the tutorial for both the deadites and survivors, which was
kind of fun. I found there's 6 solo missions so I've been playing
the first over and over - as I keep dying and you have to start
from the beginning. I learned where some better equipment is
though so my last play I b-lined there, but still got killed by the
deadite boss.

The evil trees keep getting me... in the jump scare sense, they
don't actually kill my character. I had to stop playing for a bit
and went back to Vermintide 2 because the jump scares and
failure were getting to me.

It's kind of funny you can play ash at 4 different ages and
classes (warrior, leader, a couple others) ED, ED 2, AoD,
and the ED tv show Ash. although it appears each solo
mission you're restricted to only the one for that mission.
During the tutorial, I also got to summon and possess Bad Ash
from AoD.

You can of course play other characters on the survivor side,
but why would you?

The combat is fairly slow, and does indeed feel a bit janky,
(but nowhere near as bad as RE) but chainsawing/boomsticking
deadites is really satisfying.

I suppose I should try the 'real' PVP game, but I'm kind of meh on
the thought.

I'd give it a 'might as well try out for a bit' for Ash fans, after all it
was free.

- Justisaur

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)