Thursday. Free games on Thursday. Free games on Epic on Thursday. What
can I say about the free games on Epic on Thursday that I haven't said
already? Nothing, that's what. Let's just go see what the free game
is.

* Beholder
https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/beholder-8c3b4c
The most notable thing about "Beholder" is that somehow
it hasn't been offered as a freebie on Epic yet, since it's
been free pretty much everywhere else as some point. The
game itself is more of a statement on Orwellian tyrannies
than something that's fun by itself; it reminds me a lot
of "Papers Please" in that it often feels more like
unpleasant work than fun entertainment. And joking about
how terrible it would be to live under oppressive
governments seems a lot less whimsical than it used to be.
It's a worthy bit of art, just not a very good game.

But it's free, and it makes The Number go up. So take it or don't;
you've got two weeks to decide, anyway.

More games next week.

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote at 16:25 this Thursday (GMT):
>
> Thursday. Free games on Thursday. Free games on Epic on Thursday. What
> can I say about the free games on Epic on Thursday that I haven't said
> already? Nothing, that's what. Let's just go see what the free game
> is.
>
> * Beholder
> https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/beholder-8c3b4c
> The most notable thing about "Beholder" is that somehow
> it hasn't been offered as a freebie on Epic yet, since it's
> been free pretty much everywhere else as some point. The
> game itself is more of a statement on Orwellian tyrannies
> than something that's fun by itself; it reminds me a lot
> of "Papers Please" in that it often feels more like
> unpleasant work than fun entertainment. And joking about
> how terrible it would be to live under oppressive
> governments seems a lot less whimsical than it used to be.
> It's a worthy bit of art, just not a very good game.
>
>
> But it's free, and it makes The Number go up. So take it or don't;
> you've got two weeks to decide, anyway.
>
> More games next week.

Beauty is in the eye of the-
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

On 11/21/2024 5:25 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>
> Thursday. Free games on Thursday. Free games on Epic on Thursday. What
> can I say about the free games on Epic on Thursday that I haven't said
> already? Nothing, that's what. Let's just go see what the free game
> is.
>
> * Beholder
> https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/beholder-8c3b4c
> The most notable thing about "Beholder" is that somehow
> it hasn't been offered as a freebie on Epic yet, since it's
> been free pretty much everywhere else as some point. The
> game itself is more of a statement on Orwellian tyrannies
> than something that's fun by itself; it reminds me a lot
> of "Papers Please" in that it often feels more like
> unpleasant work than fun entertainment. And joking about
> how terrible it would be to live under oppressive
> governments seems a lot less whimsical than it used to be.
> It's a worthy bit of art, just not a very good game.
>
>
> But it's free, and it makes The Number go up. So take it or don't;
> you've got two weeks to decide, anyway.
>
> More games next week.
>
>

That's odd, it's the first time I see that game.

There also was the brief glimpse of hope it had something to do with the
classic Eye of the Beholder series, but it seems not.

I actually think games like this, as much as they try to be a commentary
on modern society, often move the Overton window a bit too much. Yeah,
it makes people think about how it sucks to live in a totalitarian
state, but then it also gets them used to the idea.

Kyonshi <gmkeros@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 11/21/2024 5:25 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
> >
> > Thursday. Free games on Thursday. Free games on Epic on Thursday. What
> > can I say about the free games on Epic on Thursday that I haven't said
> > already? Nothing, that's what. Let's just go see what the free game
> > is.
> >
> > * Beholder
> > https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/beholder-8c3b4c
> > The most notable thing about "Beholder" is that somehow
> > it hasn't been offered as a freebie on Epic yet, since it's
> > been free pretty much everywhere else as some point. The
> > game itself is more of a statement on Orwellian tyrannies
> > than something that's fun by itself; it reminds me a lot
> > of "Papers Please" in that it often feels more like
> > unpleasant work than fun entertainment. And joking about
> > how terrible it would be to live under oppressive
> > governments seems a lot less whimsical than it used to be.
> > It's a worthy bit of art, just not a very good game.
> >
> >
> > But it's free, and it makes The Number go up. So take it or don't;
> > you've got two weeks to decide, anyway.
> >
> > More games next week.
> >
> >

> That's odd, it's the first time I see that game.

> There also was the brief glimpse of hope it had something to do with the
> classic Eye of the Beholder series, but it seems not.

Ditto even though I couldn't get into that series.

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On Thu, 21 Nov 2024 23:40:43 +0100, Kyonshi <gmkeros@gmail.com> wrote:

>There also was the brief glimpse of hope it had something to do with the
>classic Eye of the Beholder series, but it seems not.

Same here. Too bad it doesn't.

On Fri, 22 Nov 2024 09:14:49 -0500, Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com>
wrote:

>On Thu, 21 Nov 2024 23:40:43 +0100, Kyonshi <gmkeros@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>There also was the brief glimpse of hope it had something to do with the
>>classic Eye of the Beholder series, but it seems not.
>
>Same here. Too bad it doesn't.

I admit; I get that reaction too.

(Less so than I used to, since this franchise has been around long
enough for it to create a series of its own --they're up to 'Beholder
3' now-- but my mind still flashes back to the SSI games at least a
little when I see the title.)

It happens with other titles too; for instance, every time I read
about a new game with 'Outbreak' in the title, I think that maybe it
will be the much awaited sequel to "Codename: Outbreak" (a sort of
predecessor to STALKER, made by the same developers). Or whenever I
read about a new "MW" game, I think, 'Oooh, Mechwarrior!' but they're
talking about "Call of Duty Modern Warfare".

And don't even get me started on "Portal". ;-)

On Fri, 22 Nov 2024 11:37:19 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
<spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

>It happens with other titles too; for instance, every time I read
>about a new game with 'Outbreak' in the title, I think that maybe it

Outbreak made me immediately think of the Dustin Hoffman movie since I
know of no game with Outbreak in the title.

>will be the much awaited sequel to "Codename: Outbreak" (a sort of

Now you made me think of Codename: Iceman from Sierra.

>predecessor to STALKER, made by the same developers). Or whenever I
>read about a new "MW" game, I think, 'Oooh, Mechwarrior!' but they're
>talking about "Call of Duty Modern Warfare".

That reminds me of CoH which to me means City of Heroes but these days
is more likely referring to Company of Heroes.

>And don't even get me started on "Portal". ;-)

Heh. :) Ah yes.. Portal... as in the game I played 35+ years ago on
my C-64. :-P

Mike S <Mike_S@nowhere.com> wrote at 19:39 this Friday (GMT):
> On Fri, 22 Nov 2024 11:37:19 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
><spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
[snip]
>>And don't even get me started on "Portal". ;-)
>
> Heh. :) Ah yes.. Portal... as in the game I played 35+ years ago on
> my C-64. :-P

Oh valve, please learn to count to 3
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom