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[Dusk Golem]

Big fan of ocean settings in games, critical response looks quite good as well with an overall good curve to the highs and lows. Consider me excited to play this when I return from my trip.

 

[Karak]

Thanks for putting my ACG review in the thread. From now on I will have to come up with some sentence for a blurb. I always forget.

The game is great not perfect but incredibly enjoyable and interesting enough to keep me returning.

 

[fernoca]

Thinking of grabbing this today on PS4. Missed the Plus discount, but whatever it was only $4.

 

[Listonosh]

I wonder, for anyone here who says it's not like Journey, have you guys played it? There are very obvious parallels to Journey in a lot of ways, which I don't want to list out as I feel like they should be experienced, but to discount people for hoping or expecting it to be like Journey is plain wrong.

 

[Lord Error]

I am surprised at 80+ average scores for this game. I really feel it's missing something crucial to make it enjoyable. The sense of strangeness and wonder that was there in Journey, which no doubt was amplified by the existence of the silent second player, is simply no longer here. Even gameplay feels like a step down. Whereas in Journey you had those sequences where you had to use the jumps and wind and stuff to get somewhere, everything is so braindead simple in this game. I played it for about an hour last night and got to a place where you can

Spoiler

walk on the ground

, so I'm not sure how far I'm in the game, but I don't feel too happy spending money and time on it so far, and I generally tend to enjoy these kinds of games a lot (Flower is one of my all time favorites for example).

Also, to comment on a technical side of the game - the visuals are nice, and the image quality very clean on PS4, but the performance is consistently below 60FPS. It seems to fluctuate between something like 45-55 all the time, and for a game that's supposed to be about smooth relaxing presentation, it's slightly annoying.

 

[Z3M0G]

Not regretting my discounted pre-order one bit. Looking forward to diving in tonight!

 

[Bitsnark]

Where's the PC reviews?

We've put our review up today fella - http://www.gamewatcher.com/reviews/abzu-review/12633

We gave it 8.5 over at GameWatcher saying:

Though Abzû lacks the guiding hand of famed developer Jenova Chen who worked on Journey and Flower on PlayStation consoles, the art director of those games Matt Nava, proves to be more than suitable for the task, creating an experience quite unlike any other that provides a window into an underwater world the likes of which none of us could have ever imagined.

Ultimately, Abzû felt like a dream I never wanted to wake up from and so long as you go into it wanting an experience that will captivate with a tale about nature’s dominion rather than something that will challenge you, I’m certain you will feel same too.

Get stuck in!

 

[Sexually Aggressive Uncle]

I am surprised at 80+ average scores for this game. I really feel it's missing something crucial to make it enjoyable. The sense of strangeness and wonder that was there in Journey, which no doubt was amplified by the existence of the silent second player, is simply no longer here. Even gameplay feels like a step down compared to Journey. Whereas in Journey you had those sequences where you had to use the jumps and wind and stuff to get somewhere, everything is so braindead simple in this game. I played it for about an hour last night and got to a place where you can

Spoiler

walk on the ground

, so I'm not sure how far I'm in the game, but I don't feel too happy spending money and time on it so far, and I generally tend to enjoy these kinds of gams a lot (Flower is one of my all time favorites for example).

Also, to comment on a technical side of the game - the visuals are nice, and the image quality very clean on PS4, but the performance is consistently below 60FPS. It seems to fluctuate between something like 45-55 all the time, and for a game that's supposed to be about smooth relaxing presentation, it's slightly annoying.

Completely agree. I finished it today and as a massive Journey fan I couldn't help but feel disappointed overall.

 

[Kremzeek]

I've played 4 "levels" so far, and it sure is beautiful & relaxing, but I just keep hoping for there to be something more to "do", like collect more things or upgrade something or even take photos of fish for an album to unlock something....

 

[Lord Error]

I honestly can't even say the game is relaxing. It constantly requires you to do things that feel like a chore, and the payoff just somehow isn't there.

 

[etrain911]

Yikes, sub 60 fps performance on the PS4 and Denuvo support on the PC along with the game length and 20 dollar asking fee warrant a "no-buy" for me. A shame too because I really enjoyed Journey.

 

[mckmas8808]

Yikes, sub 60 fps performance on the PS4 and Denuvo support on the PC along with the game length and 20 dollar asking fee warrant a "no-buy" for me. A shame too because I really enjoyed Journey.

How much sub 60 is it?

 

[Lord Error]

How much sub 60 is it?

I'd say it's 45-50 most of the time. I don't feel like the game ever reaches 60 except in the simplest looking scenarios. IMO, this was a dumb technical decision, as I think the game would not look much worse at all if it was 900p (which presumably would let them run it at 60), but it does suffer from the constant frame jitter.

 

[lt519]

Got it with the promotion, will wait til I can play with all the lights off and surround sound up on max.

 

[b0bbyJ03]

anyone try this at 1440p on PC yet? must look gorgeous.

 

[d00d3n]

How is 21:9 support on PC?

 

[Brandon F]

How is 21:9 support on PC?

My decision between PC and PS4 hinges on this answer...

 

[Bloodporne]

I really like the visuals here and the idea seems interesting bu Gaffers, the dreaded question: what do you do in simple terms, what are the actual mechanics?

Atmosphere and a great score sound really appealing but doesn't sell me on a video game, I need a good, tight gameplay hook first and foremost. What goes on in this otherwise beautiful looking game for those who have played it?

As a disclaimer, I have not played Journey nor do I really know what that game entails either.

 

[dralla]

I really like the visuals here and the idea seems interesting bu Gaffers, the dreaded question: what do you do in simple terms, what are the actual mechanics?

Atmosphere and a great score sound really appealing but doesn't sell me on a video game, I need a good, tight gameplay hook first and foremost. What goes on in this otherwise beautiful looking game for those who have played it?

As a disclaimer, I have not played Journey nor do I really know what that game entails either.

It's not a mechanically deep game, it's not what it strives to be. The 'hook' comes from its presentation and the players willingness to explore. There's no gameplay or mechanical hook, it's more of an experiential game, much like Flower and Journey (hence the comparison). You swim/dash and you latch onto the wildlife to ride them, that's all there is in terms of mechanics.

 

[Bloodporne]

It's not a mechanically deep game, it's not what it strives to be. The 'hook' comes from its presentation and the players willingness to explore. There's no gameplay or mechanical hook, it's more of an experiential game, much like Flower and Journey (hence the comparison). You swim/dash and you latch onto the wildlife to ride them, that's all there is in terms of mechanics.

Thanks. I'll be skipping this one then. I was hoping it wasn't going to be like that but yes, that's the impression I got from the reviews.

 

[Dangansona]

Yikes, sub 60 fps performance on the PS4 and Denuvo support on the PC along with the game length and 20 dollar asking fee warrant a "no-buy" for me. A shame too because I really enjoyed Journey.

Aw come on, I didn't notice the frame rate at all until there was a drop in a giant swirl of fish. I can't imagine passing up this game because of a dumb reason like that, it's freaking beautiful and smooth.

I really like the visuals here and the idea seems interesting bu Gaffers, the dreaded question: what do you do in simple terms, what are the actual mechanics?

Atmosphere and a great score sound really appealing but doesn't sell me on a video game, I need a good, tight gameplay hook first and foremost. What goes on in this otherwise beautiful looking game for those who have played it?

As a disclaimer, I have not played Journey nor do I really know what that game entails either.

If it counts for anything they've created the best controlled swimming in a game ive ever played.

 

[kanuuna]

My decision between PC and PS4 hinges on this answer...

How is 21:9 support on PC?

Seems to be in place and looks just fine. Needs an .ini edit apparently, see the description.

Might double dip and pick up the PC version alongside my PS4 copy.

 

[Bloodporne]

Aw come on, I didn't notice the frame rate at all until there was a drop in a giant swirl of fish. I can't imagine passing up this game because of a dumb reason like that, it's freaking beautiful and smooth.



If it counts for anything they've created the best controlled swimming in a game ive ever played.

I mean that's cool and I think these experimental type games are noble ideas but in my personal experience I can't ever shake the 'style over substance' feeling. I need tight gameplay and mechanics in my games, I'm too old or some shit.

 

[sn00zer]

My Video Review for Workforce Gaming