Preview Pathfinder: Kingmaker Trailers, Previews and Interviews

[Tacgnol]

I don't think KS backers have received anything yet.

Already had their shekels so Owlcat probably doesn't care.

 

[Decado]

I want this to be good, but I don't have a good feeling. Two things are making me very suspicious:

1) I can't find any actual reviews that are reviews, and not labeled "previews," or demos where the dev sat in. Which usually means the developer hasn't given out review keys, which usually means the game is shit.
2) I can't find any gameplay footage on YouTube that isn't from the open beta back in August, which was full of missing art assets, etc. The game drops TOMORROW, how is there no recent footage, anywhere?

 

[Infinitron]

I want this to be good, but I don't have a good feeling. Two things are making me very suspicious:

1) I can't find any actual reviews that are reviews, and not labeled "previews," or demos where the dev sat in. Which usually means the developer hasn't given out review keys, which usually means the game is shit.
2) I can't find any gameplay footage on YouTube that isn't from the open beta back in August, which was full of missing art assets, etc. The game drops TOMORROW, how is there no recent footage, anywhere?

I'm starting to sound like a broken record but reviews on release day is completely normal. You should know this.

If, on the other hand, on release day there are no more than a handful of reviews on a bunch of sites you've never heard of (as happened with Bard's Tale IV), then you might assume something is off.

 

[PrettyDeadman]

1) I can't find any actual reviews that are reviews, and not labeled "previews," or demos where the dev sat in. Which usually means the developer hasn't given out review keys, which usually means the game is shit.
2) I can't find any gameplay footage on YouTube that isn't from the open beta back in August, which was full of missing art assets, etc. The game drops TOMORROW, how is there no recent footage, anywhere?

The game was in alpha and beta for a pretty long time. You had to buy the key, but they didn't restrict who can buy it or who can post videos / written expressions about the game (or at least didn't cause any problems for whose who did).

 

[Decado]

I want this to be good, but I don't have a good feeling. Two things are making me very suspicious:

1) I can't find any actual reviews that are reviews, and not labeled "previews," or demos where the dev sat in. Which usually means the developer hasn't given out review keys, which usually means the game is shit.
2) I can't find any gameplay footage on YouTube that isn't from the open beta back in August, which was full of missing art assets, etc. The game drops TOMORROW, how is there no recent footage, anywhere?

I'm starting to sound like a broken record but reviews on release day is completely normal. You should know this.

It is not normal anymore -- especially if the game is being backed by a fairly big publisher like Deep Silver, whose job it is to get journalists covering their product. If they had never hooked up with a publisher that would be a different story, but DS should be combing for friendly outlets and getting reviews placed a few days beforehand. That's how you do it in 2018.

Maybe this is an exception, okay fine. But if I go through my mental file of games for which I could not read a complete review at least a day beforehand, I'm thinking of games that ended up being mediocre (or bad).

Edit: I HOPE THIS IS NOT THE CASE. I want this game to be good. And I like what I have seen so far (from the beta) and what I saw at PAX.

 

[Jaedar]

I want this to be good, but I don't have a good feeling. Two things are making me very suspicious:

1) I can't find any actual reviews that are reviews, and not labeled "previews," or demos where the dev sat in. Which usually means the developer hasn't given out review keys, which usually means the game is shit.
2) I can't find any gameplay footage on YouTube that isn't from the open beta back in August, which was full of missing art assets, etc. The game drops TOMORROW, how is there no recent footage, anywhere?

Not to mention the trailers in op also showing several pieces of placeholder art. That is very strange to me.

 

[Infinitron]

Almost all of the games I post about on the Codex front page have their reviews published on the day of release. Sometimes a few hours before, sometimes literally on the moment of release on Steam. Maybe I'm looking at the wrong games. *shrug*

That said, there's every reason to believe they've crunched on this game until the last minute, and didn't have time to create new trailers. Its scope seems crazy, especially for a first-time studio.

 

[Haba]

Almost all of the games I post about on the Codex front page have their reviews published on the day of release. Sometimes a few hours before, sometimes literally on the moment of release on Steam. Maybe I'm looking at the wrong games. *shrug*

That said, there's every reason to believe they've crunched on this game until the last minute, and didn't have time to create new trailers. It's got a pretty crazy scope, especially for a first-time studio.

Even if the reviews have an embargo, you'd still read about "journalists" playing the game and writing their reviews.

 

[m_s0]

I don't think KS backers have received anything yet.

Already had their shekels so Owlcat probably doesn't care.

The official word is that keys are to drop "shortly before our release day on September 25th". Nothing as of yet.

A pre-load would've been a nice to avoid complete silence just before release day and keep the narrative surrounding release healthy, but yeah, it seems like they've been crunching HARD on the game.

Feels a bit like the olden days in that respect where the paper magazine release schedule and physical availability wouldn't necessarily permit you to read a review beforehand (though often there'd be an advanced preview of sorts - still a couple of months prior, though) and/or to get the game immediately even if you had reviews on release. That's assuming the game had a distributor in the first place. In my neck of the woods, anyway.

tl;dr: people are spoiled these days.

 

[PrettyDeadman]

 

[m_s0]

Update: keys are available if you log into the backer portal (+pre-load). No official announcement yet, though.

 

[jerfdr]

Here is the link to grab your Kickstarter keys:
https://owlcatgames.com/preorder/digitaldownload
(you need to be registered there with the same email you used for Kickstarter, yadda yadda).

 

[Jaedar]

No keys yet for those of us who pledged via kodex it seems.

 

[Farewell into the night]

What? Rage of Mages II is the best one!

Just ask Darth Roxor

I didn't finished it. I only played the first level and wasn't insterested at all. Guess, I'm gonna check it one more time.

 

[Fenix]

What? Rage of Mages II is the best one!

Nah... I replayed it year ago or two, with exploit of killing Skrakan in first mission, that mage that send you to another allod. It didnt aged well in mechanics, felt morally old.
Evil islands, on the other hand is still good.

 

[DeepOcean]

Of all those, only the last two are really garbage for being MMOS.

 

[ArchAngel]

Hype Intensifies!!

Spoiler

 

[RK47]

wuts the diff from the version on sale? Oh found it

Explorer Edition
Digital download


Noble Edition
Premium Digital Download*
Digital ArtBook
Digital Original Sound Track
2 additional in-game player's portraits (one female + one male)


Royal Edition
Premium Digital Download*
Digital ArtBook
Digital Original Sound Track
2 additional in-game player's portraits (one female + one male)
Digital Chris Avellone Adventure Module
Digital Map of Stolen Lands
In-game pet - Red Panda


Imperial Edition
Premium Digital Download*
Digital ArtBook
Digital Original Sound Track
2 additional in-game player's portraits (one female + one male)
Digital Chris Avellone Adventure Module
Digital Map of Stolen Lands
In-game pet - Red Panda
Season Pass

 

[Van-d-all]

What? Rage of Mages II is the best one!

Just ask Darth Roxor

I didn't finished it. I only played the first level and wasn't insterested at all. Guess, I'm gonna check it one more time.

It was great back then, but I doubt it aged well.

 

[Mech]

Well this just got added to my wish list.
Please don't be shit, please don't be shit.

 

[MicoSelva]

Regarding Codex fundraiser pledges:



EDIT: also check Infinitron's post here:
http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...g-september-25th.115243/page-172#post-5805920

 

[Iluvcheezcake]

Got my GoG key through the backer portal. Waiting for official release time.

 

[Mech]

Fuck it, day 1 purchase. Can't be worse than Grimoire after all.

 

[Riel]

I am going to wait until I read people's experiences with the game, that's the sensible thing to do... fuck!! what's my credit card doing on my hand?!?!?!?

 

[Deleted Member 22431]

At this point, I just want a game with a good character system, without bullshit, with decent itemization that isn't Diablo shit and some decent fights to use all those cool items and abilities with. I want also a writing that at least doesn't make me wish to avoid it like a plague and drive me close to suicide out of insanity when I enter on any dialogue heavy zone.

You want too much.