It's the first Tuesday of the month. That date might not resonate
quite as strongly with you as "Free-Games-On-Epic Thursdays", but it's
more exciting to me because - despite the lessening quality of the
offerings - I still like HumbleChoice. It's hard not to like getting
eight new games all at once.

This month we get:

* Scorn
https://store.steampowered.com/app/698670/Scorn/
"Scorn" is an interesting game, not for the game itself
but for the reaction it causes. It presents itself as
a horror-based FPS, but it's really more of a walking-sim
with some light combat. It's Gigeresque grotesqueries also
divide the audience, with some thinking its over-the-top
for no reason beyond sophomoric shock value, and others
seeing deeper meaning. It may or may not be a good game
(it really depends on you ask) and it is definitely not a
game for everyone - I'm not even sure it's a game for me -
but it's one I want because it has proven so divisive. I
like games that don't play it safe and just follow
the leader.

* Destroy All Humans 2: Reprobed
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1266700/Destroy_All_Humans_2__Reprobed/
The "Destroy All Human" games are stupid and,
ultimately, valueless shooters... except they're also
weirdly fun. Well, in short spurts anyway. DAH2 is
weaker than its predecessor - with a stupider story
and less likable characters - but you can still
glean some enjoyment from it. Well, if you're lucky;
the game is also buggy as hell.

* There Is No Light: Enhanced Edition
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1132980/There_Is_No_Light_Enhanced_Edition/
An 'isometric' action-adventures; I'd call it a shooter,
except you use a sword. Claiming Souls-like difficulty
and RPG elements, it's not my usual sort of game, but
there is something about its art-style that I find
attractive enough that I want to give it a chance.

* Snowtopia: Ski Resort Builder
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1124260/Snowtopia_Ski_Resort_Builder/
There's no surprise to this game: it's exactly what
it says on the tin. And - being a lover of snow-sports
myself - I can see the appeal of the game. It certainly
has its heart in the right place, but it suffers from a
lack of polish: it suffers from bugs and a lack of
content. It had the potential to be great but never
got the final cut it deserved. It's still fun, in a
very flawed way, but game - and gamers - deserved better.

* Life is Strange: True Colors
https://store.steampowered.com/app/936790/Life_is_Strange_True_Colors/
The original "Life is Strange" was an interesting game
too. Part adventure, part walking sim, it had a weird
mix of supernatural and mundanity wrapped up with a huge
amount of teen-angst that - while it didn't quite appeal
to me - made it stand out from the crowd. But the
inevitable sequel - and this game, the sequel to the
sequel - are far less appealing, because they feel so
formulaic. "Make it like the first game, but more!"
just isn't something that makes me want to rush out and
play it. The game itself is fine, and if you absolutely
loved the first two and wanted more... well here you
are. But it was the novelty of the original that
attracted me to it, and without that, I fail to see
the appeal.

* Oaken
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1348690/Oaken/
I'd love to give Oaken a chance, but I don't think I
will. On the one hand, its hex-based turn-based
tactical combat might be fun. On the other hand,
its cutesy graphics and card-based mechanics are
driving me away. I think I'll pass.

* Children of Silentown
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1108000/Children_of_Silentown/
A point-n-click adventure. Normally I'm all over these
type of games, except - because its an Indie - the
protagonist is a young child being sent into dark and
terrible locales, and I am JUST SO OVER that motif
that I've lost interest in the game before I've
even finished writing this summary. Find some new
ideas, Indie devs!

* Beacon Pines
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1269640/Beacon_Pines/
A visual novel with anthropomorphic animals. It's got
good reviews, but honestly it's just so far out of my
interest zone that I just don't care.

If Humble had chosen a theme for this month's titles (I don't think
they did) it would have to have been 'games that - with some more
polish and time - could have been great'. They're either all too
niche, too buggy or too unfinished to be more than average
experiences. Sure, some of them look interesting to me, but none of
them cry 'must get!'. That's still better than last month's offerings
but that's not much of a reason to buy the bundle. Is it worth it?
Well, I guess I'll get it just to grab "Scorn" but I completely
understand why others might not want any of the games.

Do better, Humble.

On 2/6/2024 7:49 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>
> * Scorn
> https://store.steampowered.com/app/698670/Scorn/
> "Scorn" is an interesting game, not for the game itself
> but for the reaction it causes. It presents itself as
> a horror-based FPS, but it's really more of a walking-sim
> with some light combat. It's Gigeresque grotesqueries also
> divide the audience, with some thinking its over-the-top
> for no reason beyond sophomoric shock value, and others
> seeing deeper meaning. It may or may not be a good game
> (it really depends on you ask) and it is definitely not a
> game for everyone - I'm not even sure it's a game for me -
> but it's one I want because it has proven so divisive. I
> like games that don't play it safe and just follow
> the leader.

" a nightmarish universe of odd forms and somber tapestry."
that's an interesting thing to focus on.
Looks a bit... I could have sworn I already had one like this in my list
and wasn't interested.

> * There Is No Light: Enhanced Edition
> https://store.steampowered.com/app/1132980/There_Is_No_Light_Enhanced_Edition/
> An 'isometric' action-adventures; I'd call it a shooter,
> except you use a sword. Claiming Souls-like difficulty
> and RPG elements, it's not my usual sort of game, but
> there is something about its art-style that I find
> attractive enough that I want to give it a chance.
>

This one I actually might try. The trailer for it is horrid though. The
music and gory action they show just make it seem completely
uninteresting to me. I had to look at it again after reading your
comment to notice that it might actually have redeeming qualities.
>
> * Oaken
> https://store.steampowered.com/app/1348690/Oaken/
> I'd love to give Oaken a chance, but I don't think I
> will. On the one hand, its hex-based turn-based
> tactical combat might be fun. On the other hand,
> its cutesy graphics and card-based mechanics are
> driving me away. I think I'll pass.
>
Yet another deckbuilding roguelike? I can't stand the deckbuilding
genre, and yet I keep collecting these kinds of games with these
bundles. Sigh.

>
> * Children of Silentown
> https://store.steampowered.com/app/1108000/Children_of_Silentown/
> A point-n-click adventure. Normally I'm all over these
> type of games, except - because its an Indie - the
> protagonist is a young child being sent into dark and
> terrible locales, and I am JUST SO OVER that motif
> that I've lost interest in the game before I've
> even finished writing this summary. Find some new
> ideas, Indie devs!

This is the one that might be actually interesting. And not that
interesting. But it might be something I actually would play at one point.

>
>
> If Humble had chosen a theme for this month's titles (I don't think
> they did) it would have to have been 'games that - with some more
> polish and time - could have been great'. They're either all too
> niche, too buggy or too unfinished to be more than average
> experiences. Sure, some of them look interesting to me, but none of
> them cry 'must get!'. That's still better than last month's offerings
> but that's not much of a reason to buy the bundle. Is it worth it?
> Well, I guess I'll get it just to grab "Scorn" but I completely
> understand why others might not want any of the games.
>
> Do better, Humble.
>

Definitely one of the weaker months I have encountered, and I don't have
too many expectations normally. Just a single game that's interesting.
In this case there are two that are somewhat better than meh, but
neither of them would be something I feel like I would get on my own.
Maybe it's gonna be better than I expect, but I doubt it.