The Gamer's Quarter

Faithless · . Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Posts: 153

I need a videogame that feels like smoking, like Portishead ... a game that sinks into you like the end of a relationship. When you're miserable with film, you can rent movies about love or solitude; with music, you drop in Kings of Convenience or Billy Holiday.

What game can I be really sad with?
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dark steve · . Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 1110

Nobody say Shadow of the Colossus. No.

You could do Cave Story and not save curly.

Phantasy Star II?

Faithless · . Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Posts: 153

macdonaldez · . Joined: 23 May 2006 Posts: 16

gah, last time i played Cave Story, i didn't even KNOW you could save Curly. I came away from it relieved to have beaten that bastard doctor, but sad.
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Fred · . Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 99 Location: Iowa

Cave Story, yeah. That has a pretty compelling story, which is all I should probably say.

A lot of people say Legend of Mana didn't have much of a story, but that really did a number on my heartstrings when I was younger for some reason, probably because it just felt so lonely. You meet these cool people, but they never really click with your avatar. You meet an entire race of folks that is being killed off systematically. There's some kind of complicated four-way love triangle involving a demon and a priestess. All the while you are the only one even aware of the all of these plots and, further, how they all tie together--just you and your pet alone against the world. Dunno if I would feel that strongly about it if I played it again today, but it seemed good at the time.

Harveyjames · the meteor kid Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 3636

Captain Blood.

It's like Noctis but you're dying from a wasting disease. Perfect!

Tablesaw · . Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 303 Location: LACAUSA

There's a lot of good IF along these lines, if you can get into it. I'd suggest Galatea and Shade off the top of my head.
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J.Goodwin · . Joined: 31 Jul 2006 Posts: 297 Location: North Shore, MA

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 8:33 am Post subject:

Swimmy · . Joined: 16 Sep 2005 Posts: 990 Location: Fairfax, VA

Final Fantasy VII?

I don't know if that's a joke or not. There's gotta be a reason angsty teens love it so much.
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Dracko · . Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 2613

Angsty teens generally have abysmally poor taste.

That's why they're angsty.

QED.
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dhex · Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 10:07 am Post subject:

and here i thought it was hormones and a lack of willing sexual partners.

i can't really think of any sad games off the top of my head.
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OtakupunkX · . Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 730

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 10:18 am Post subject:

another world is sad.

(the sequel has the really sad ending, but the game itself is the real tragedy.)
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helicopterp · . Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 1435 Location: Philadelphia

You could train your Animal Crossing neighbors to greet you in really morose ways and expressly refuse any errand they ask of you. And you could make clothes with lifeless colors and bury your apple tv and lime chair and pineapple bed and all that other fruit-themed furniture you have been collecting. Then add on a basement to your house but never pay the debt and just let yourself fester in anti-social poverty. And you could name your town Anne Frank's Attic.
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Dracko · . Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 2613

I think there's a difference between active self-destruction and having a fit of melancholy.
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helicopterp · . Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 1435 Location: Philadelphia

Well, Animal Crossing is the Great Amplifier, so it works.
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OtakupunkX · . Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 730

ApM · Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 10:36 am Post subject:

I poked around this morning, but all I came up with was cly5m's Johnny fangames. Which probably says something about me, though I have no idea what.

Blade Runner, maybe?

Mansion of Hidden Souls?

Bad Mojo?

Roam Unit · . Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 14

Zork Nemesis would probably work pretty well if you've got a copy laying about, what with the cavernous, abandoned environments that you wander through, and the whole murder and betrayal thing. At least, I think there was murder and betrayal. That's the main thing I remember about the game, anyway.

Also, Book and Volume by Nick Montfort might be a good choice.

Dracko · . Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 2613

J.Goodwin · . Joined: 31 Jul 2006 Posts: 297 Location: North Shore, MA

J.Goodwin · . Joined: 31 Jul 2006 Posts: 297 Location: North Shore, MA

Swimmy · . Joined: 16 Sep 2005 Posts: 990 Location: Fairfax, VA

Hey, how about playing a game--any except rhythm games, I guess--putting the volume on mute and playing Portishead over it? See if that doesn't completely transform it?
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"Ayn Rand fans are the old school version of Xenogears fanboys."
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squidlarkin · . Joined: 10 Dec 2005 Posts: 100

Shadow of the Beast and Chakan: The Forever Man are both excellent if you want to be depressed and frustrated.

Metroid Prime 2's kinda melancholy. So's Phantom Brave, at least during the cutscenes.

I really should be able to think of more.

SuperWes · Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 12:32 pm Post subject:

Faithless · . Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Posts: 153

I'm about to play Cave Story for the first time.

I'll get animal crossing later today.
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wourme · . Joined: 01 Jul 2005 Posts: 362 Location: Maridia

This is a series of small freeware games by TheAnemic (a.k.a. Biggt). Very small--each takes less than five minutes to play.

La La Land 2
La La Land 3
La La Land 4
La La Land 5

The creator of these is also working on a much larger adventure game called Lucretia that will probably qualify even better.

Ketch · . Joined: 17 Sep 2005 Posts: 420

Beyond Good & Evil.

J.Goodwin · . Joined: 31 Jul 2006 Posts: 297 Location: North Shore, MA

SJ · . Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 61 Location: swamp

Only SotC and maybe Cave Story out of the games listed really fit as well as I would like.

The primary goal of games has traditionally been fun, and producing a game that allows you to identify with its depression doesn't seem like the easiest path to fun.

I'd imagine IF and adventure gaming in general have the best chance of meeting the given criteria.

Dracko · . Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 2613

wourme · . Joined: 01 Jul 2005 Posts: 362 Location: Maridia

I guess Silent Hill 2 hasn't yet been mentioned just because it's too obvious and well-known? Especially if you get the "water" ending. (That's the one I got.) Silent Hill 4, too.

I'd say ICO, but not until you get to the part where it's raining. Maybe Klonoa, if it pulls you in enough to care. I also found Secret of Mana very melancholy--mostly because of its music.

SuperWes · Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 2:12 pm Post subject:

Harveyjames · the meteor kid Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 3636

Captain Blood is fun! You can blow up WHOLE PLANETS.

It's abandonware, too. You can find it here.

Dracko · . Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 2613

Have you played its sequel?
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Alc · . Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 109 Location: UK

SJ · . Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 61 Location: swamp

sawtooth · . Joined: 02 Nov 2005 Posts: 419

Photopia

Do some exploring in one of the Escape Velocity games.
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Harveyjames · the meteor kid Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 3636

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 3:03 pm Post subject:

Mister Toups · Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 8:42 pm Post subject:

This thread needs more Silent Hill.

Silent Hill 3 is actually the most Portishead-like, actually.
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DaleNixon · . Joined: 08 Jul 2005 Posts: 179

Negative. Silent Hill (1)

Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

I love portishead... a lot.

Anyways, aside from Silent Hill which has been recommended, I will come out and say R-Type Final does this for me with shooters, but the music and atmosphere works really well.

Going back a little bit further, Panzer Dragoon Zwei is the only other game I can think of that kind of has this feel to it. Especially after the first level.

Even a little further back you have Out of This World, but I think you already know that.
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Swimmy · . Joined: 16 Sep 2005 Posts: 990 Location: Fairfax, VA

I don't know why I didn't think of Silent Hill 2. That one gets my vote for "melancholy" feel. Rather than scary or whathaveyou, it's just depressing.

But Toups is right that SH3 is more reminiscent of Portishead.
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Tablesaw · . Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 303 Location: LACAUSA

J.Goodwin · . Joined: 31 Jul 2006 Posts: 297 Location: North Shore, MA

DaleNixon · . Joined: 08 Jul 2005 Posts: 179

Maybe a little D2? I might be very bad at this.

Alc · . Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 109 Location: UK

People mentioning Out of this World got me thinking of Flashback, which fits as well.

Legend of Kain: Soulreaver 2 (disclaimer: this game is broken.)

SuperWes · Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 11:01 am Post subject:

Holy shit! I found some awesome games that are a lot like smoking.

Smoking Asteroids

Smoking Quiz

And the SNES game Rex Ronan: Experimental Surgeon, which is a game that's all about "saving the life of a tobacco salesman, ironically laid low by health complications caused by the very cigarettes he sold."

A bonus game might by Packy and Marlon or Captain Novolin, but those have more to do with diabetes and general health than smoking.

-Wes
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