Actually this was my (only) other option, next to traditional adventures. Like you said, not reloading for scores, and not even to calm down unhappy players, but I do use the editor to peek at potential scores.

While the best solution is to make sure as a DM that total annihilation scenarios are not particularly likely, bending the rules every now and again to reward creative thinking in an otherwise desperate situation is fine in my book. Ideally, the cop-out should entail at least some serious repercussions while ensuring…

Such a fantastic series, the puzzles are sensible enough, the voice acting is top notch, and I found Rosa, the protagonist of the first game, to be one of the most relatable characters I've ever played. And, yes, rain, tea, and pastries is great for any adventure game, but they're perfect for Blackwell.

If you feel like that and you've just started it, wait for the final act. Mind-blowing.

Did anyone else have flashbacks of that brilliant Gogol-esque Guinness ad when they were watching that scene?

Cage and Telltale offer some interesting ideas but a crucial point to note is that their games (like all adventure-related subgenres) are primarily narrative-motivated and there are hardly any skill demands for the player to fulfil - hence they can afford choices like low difficulty thresholds, keeping the failure…

Except Spelunky which, being the work of unparalleled genius that it is, manages to keep you playing through the same "narrative" (especially if you don't you use shortcuts, which I never did) and, somehow, makes it feel fresh every single time.

Fail forward is a fantastic response to the problem, but I think there's a reason why it's not used as widely as it should. While being penalised a la Dragon Quest I see mainly as a perfunctory solution, both other approaches are wonderful: either making up for past missteps with a bonus level or suffer irreversible,…

"If you fail and suffer a violent death (it’s always a violent death), you’re forced to repeat the same sequence until you figure out the exact order and timing of things you’re supposed to do. After that initial rush, there’s no longer the thrill of the unexpected."

I like the point about plotting being the one exemplary aspect of the Wild Hunt/Blood & Wine narrative but I don't think the dialogue is that bad - I'd say it's inconsistent.

For me, Bloodborne is clearly the superior game but, if you've followed Geralt's saga so far, this is an absolutely essential part of it and the perfect ending to his story. It feels weird saying it but I think I'd go with B&W.

B&W makes for such a fantastic epilogue I would definitely wait until after completing the main game (even if I had to do it for the second time) before visiting Toussaint.

You can jump right in - the game just gives you the minimum statistics required, and, yes it's a far cry from Wild Hunt's grimness. Still, I think the reason it works so well, is precisely because of that contrast. I'm not sure it would have left such a deep impression on me if I hadn't gone through a 200-hour…

Keep in mind though that, as per Blizzard's new policy, older expansions are made redundant after a couple of years (at least for competitive play), so you may want to focus on the more recent ones.

I'm inclined to agree about the relative quality of TFTB - I enjoyed it more than their other offerings, but I think their core design principles are really showing their age, especially when compared to recent innovative takes on the adventure genre like Kentucky Route Zero and Until Dawn.

Still a possibility (if a remote one): http://www.gamesindustry.bi…

The plot and characters were fantastic, as ever, but that arena battle concentrates all of the issues the game has with combat mechanics. Still, as far as expansions go, Blood and Wine is exemplary.

A million times yes for another Vagrant Story.

I was thinking along the lines of less forgiving tabletop RPGs, like Call of Cthulhu. You shouldn't run the risk of dying every five minutes, and you may well survive through a whole scenario with smart decisions and a little bit of luck, but you only get one chance.

Crypt of the Necrodancer. The moment the shopkeeper starts singing - pure bliss.