Keepsake

[Terramax]

Has anyone bought this game and care to give some information on it?

I've just completed the demo and I have to say this is one of the worst demo's I've ever played. Not just one of the worst AGs, one of the worst games period.

The Voice acting is some of the worst ever. the guy teaching you the interface (which, unless you're 5 years or under, you could figure out even if you've never played an point and click before) has the most irratating voice I've ever heard.... HELL, all the voices are attrocious. The Wolf doesn't sound like he was once a great dragon at all. Nothing ambigious about his voice at all. The rest sound like they've just heard and read their script for the first time.

The graphics are unoriginal, bland and the demo almost completely still. I know the place is supposed to be deserted, but a little more movement here and there would be terrific (Myst 4 should be taken as an example). The locations have terrible, dull colour patterns and the drawings look like something from a mid-ninties game.

The FMVs are the worst too. I imagine that these guys had possibly the smallest budget ever. half of it is just still pictures again with the most minuete of movements. It would've been better just to have told the story in complete ingame gameplay than waste the money on these FMVs.

The story doesnt' seem very motivating too. What a shambles of a game. This is the ultimate evidence as to why no one takes any notice of AGs anymore.

[AFGNCAAP]

Has anyone bought this game and care to give some information on it?
http://forums.adventuregamers.com/showthread.php?t=14056

(Although half of that thread consists of people asking does the game have Starforce, and what Starforce is, again and again and again, so it's perhaps better to start a new one...)

[Jackal]

The voice acting is pretty bad, which is why it was re-done for the North American version. That said, the awful Italian guy is barely in the game, and there's a reason the wolf sounds the way he does that isn't revealed in the demo.

The graphics are unoriginal, bland and the demo almost completely still.

Unoriginal? Why, what other game do they remind you of? Bland, maybe a little in some locations. It is a castle, after all. There's bound to be a certain degree of sameness over time. I thought the background graphics were quite nice, though I didn't much like the character models. Being still is, as usual, a technological issue. It's certainly not more still than the majority of today's adventures.

Myst 4 should be taken as an example.

Taken as an example of what? How a big budget game can trounce a small budget game for production values?

The story doesnt' seem very motivating too. What a shambles of a game. This is the ultimate evidence as to why no one takes any notice of AGs anymore.

The demo is from the beginning of the game, yes? So you don't know much about the story. It's told pretty clumsily, but it actually shows more emotional maturity than 99% of other games out there.

Anyway, the game has plenty of flaws, but it's just not the travesty you're making it out to be whatsoever. It's certainly reflective of the niche state of the genre and the budget restrictions of developers, yes. There are still plenty of people taking notice, though. But yeah, if you believed Keepsake would be capable of taking the mainstream by storm on a small budget with a fairly traditional design, it's not really surprising you're disappointed.

[Panthera]

I hated the demo, really like the game (I don't like myst) so there's my answer..

I think the locations are quite beautiful.. Some of the most beautiful locations arn't shown in the demo, as the big fountain in the main hall and the upper part of the school.. The voice-overs are bad, but it doesn't ruin the game. The puzzles are quite hard and diverse..
Only negative about it (besides the voice-jobs) is that you have to do an awful lot of running..

But I still wish someone would answer me on my question about a bypass button.. I can't stand to do the observatory puzzle one more time (yes, I know what I'm supposed to do, but I've already put the coordinates in 8 times, and I don't want to do it again)

[Fien]

Only negative about it (besides the voice-jobs) is that you have to do an awful lot of running..

Yep, that became boring pretty soon.

But I still wish someone would answer me on my question about a bypass button.. I can't stand to do the observatory puzzle one more time (yes, I know what I'm supposed to do, but I've already put the coordinates in 8 times, and I don't want to do it again)

I don't think I have seen your question, but you can skip puzzles. Just ask for a hint, and again and again, until the game solves the entire puzzle for you. Used it myself a couple of times. One of the most annoying aspects of the game which nobody has mentioned yet, is that you don't know if you should try your hand at a puzzle or not. I solved one puzzle (with cog wheels) as soon as I discovered it, but nothing happened when I pulled the handle and the puzzle reset itself when I moved away. I was so sure I'd solved it that I asked for a hint for the first time and to my surprise the game told me I didn't have "the prerequisites" to solve the puzzle yet. What the f...! My solution was correct, as I found out later, so why did the puzzle reset?

[Jelena]

(Although half of that thread consists of people asking does the game have Starforce, and what Starforce is, again and again and again,
I promise you that I will only ask what Starforce is once(in a thread of my own, but still...)! But there may come some other new gamer that will ask the same question in a couple of months.:P I find it condecending of you to make a statment like that. Shouldn´t an experienced gamer like yourself appreciate new gamers wanting to learn about games, computers and the genre.

[Melanie68]

Unfortunately Lena all this Starforce stuff has been getting to me too so I can understand AFGNCAAP's 'annoyance.' Within that thread he linked to, it came up multiple times. If later posters had possibly read the whole thing, they may not have needed to ask some of the questions they did. It seems a lot of threads have been turning into 'OMG does this have Starforce' and 'Starforce is the devil reincarnate' and it's wearisome.

[Jelena]

Unfortunately Lena all this Starforce stuff has been getting to me too so I can understand AFGNCAAP's 'annoyance.' Within that thread he linked to, it came up multiple times. If later posters had possibly read the whole thing, they may not have needed to ask some of the questions they did. It seems a lot of threads have been turning into 'OMG does this have Starforce' and 'Starforce is the devil reincarnate' and it's wearisome.
I still think it´s condecending toward those who don´t know what it is. And I think it´s an important thing to know.
I´m sure you´ve been new to things as well and have had to ask "stupid" questions. That can be awkward enough without getting comments like that.
I don´t read threads through when the topic is very much technics. My english doesn´t include that vocabulary. Instead I skim through them trying to find the hotspots where I can get the info I need. That can be the case for more forumites than me.
I started a thread of my own: What is Starforce? and there are 74 replies right now. Apparently a lot of people like to discuss the topic.
I think a forum like this should include all kinds of questions. A topic isn´t dead because those of you who have been here many years have discussed it before. That´s the nature of an open forum isn´t it?

[Jackal]

None of us here even remotely mind a genuine inquiry about what StarForce is, assuming it hasn't already been answered in the same thread and doesn't purposely derail a topic that has nothing to do with StarForce. Newcomers aren't exempt from reading a thread they're posting in.

I'm not exactly sure I understand what it is you find condescending. You yourself knew enough not to do the very thing AFGNCAAP was complaining about. Your thread is fine; no one said otherwise. If another newcomer starts a similar thread when that one is long gone, that will be fine, too.

[Terramax]

Unoriginal? Why, what other game do they remind you of?

Take Harry Potter? The so far basic narrative on the demo sounds like something from a Potter book as well.
Also, I hope I don't have to mention how many point and click games we have based in old castles?

I thought the background graphics were quite nice, though I didn't much like the character models. Being still is, as usual, a technological issue. It's certainly not more still than the majority of today's adventures.

half of it is just the walls of the castle, or at the start there was the trees which, if there was some actual movement from time to time, I wouldnt' have such a problem.

Taken as an example of what? How a big budget game can trounce a small budget game for production values?

Point taken. However, why spend £20 on a half baked game?

The demo is from the beginning of the game, yes? So you don't know much about the story. It's told pretty clumsily, but it actually shows more emotional maturity than 99% of other games out there.

The story could be the next Ben-Hur - but if it's told clumsily like in the demo, then it's still gonna end up like a pile of....

Anyway, the game has plenty of flaws, but it's just not the travesty you're making it out to be whatsoever. It's certainly reflective of the niche state of the genre and the budget restrictions of developers, yes. There are still plenty of people taking notice, though. But yeah, if you believed Keepsake would be capable of taking the mainstream by storm on a small budget with a fairly traditional design, it's not really surprising you're disappointed.

Apart from 12 year old Harry Potter fans, or fans of countless other castle and sorcery material in the past, who will buy anything that's remotely like that, I can't see anyone spending £20 on a game like this.

If this game were a download for £10 then maybe I'd buy it. But personally, I don't think a game being low budget has got anything to do with the lack of quality. Take Bone for one. It may have been short, but I got more fun out of the first 2 minutes from that than the whole demo of Keepsake.

Even Grand Theft Auto was made on a rather minuete budget, but it's its originality that made it become a storm. Like many other games.

[Jelena]

I'm not exactly sure I understand what it is you find condescending.
I guess I snapped at him referring to: people asking What is Starforce again and again and again Although I had started a thread of my own which he can chose to read or not, I perfectly understand those who posted like they did.
Being one who asks questions where the answers are obvious to the majority here, I "heard" a condescending tone in those words of his. So I snapped! I´m sorry if I hurt anyones feelings.

[Jackal]

Take Harry Potter? The so far basic narrative on the demo sounds like something from a Potter book as well.

Oh well, if we're doing crossover media, there's almost no originality anywhere. ;)

Also, I hope I don't have to mention how many point and click games we have based in old castles?

Actually, yes, please do. :P I don't remember the last time I played one.

Point taken. However, why spend £20 on a half baked game?

I'm not trying to talk anyone who finds it half-baked into buying it. I wouldn't spend much on a half-baked game, myself. But I actually found a fair bit to like in the full game, which makes your question one I can't answer about Keepsake, because I just didn't find it half-baked. Only 3/4 baked, mind you. :D But not half.

I don't think a game being low budget has got anything to do with the lack of quality.

Nor do I. But it does explain lesser production values, which is the only context I mentioned.

Being one who asks questions where the answers are obvious to the majority here, I "heard" a condescending tone in those words of his. So I snapped! I´m sorry if I hurt anyones feelings.

Nah, no feelings are being hurt here. But AF's comments only applied to a very particular context, and was not some all-encompassing attitudes towards newcomers or harmless questions in general. Absolutely everyone is welcome to ask questions freely, preferably after reading the thread it's going to appear in. ;)

[colpet]

Also, I hope I don't have to mention how many point and click games we have based in old castles?

I'm interested in this as well. It's not an environment that I remember seeing in a while; and I can say with some certainty that it is not common in the type of games I like to play.
Now you've got me trying to remember which games (of ~150).
Let's see - Connections, Pilgrim, Drowned God, GK2, Nancy Drew Treasure in the Royal Tower and Traitor's Gate. Of those, only the Nancy Drew one spent the whole game in a castle.

[Marian]

I haven't played it, but didn't The Watchmaker take place in a castle? That's the only other adventure game I can think of with that setting that hasn't already been mentioned.

But we're hardly talking about a plethora of castles, are we? Castle settings are few and far between compared to Egypt and Atlantis.

One of the things I really like about Keepsake is Zak. When I first stumbled across him in the game, the encounter had a Zork Grand Inquisitor feel to it for me. ZGI was a game that also had sidekicks in what otherwise would have been a somewhat lonely experience, and I thought it improved the overall experience greatly. It's the same for me with Keepsake and Zak.

[rtrooney]

The puzzles I've seen remind me of those in Shivers2. They aren't necessarily intuitive, but require a great deal of trial and error. (With multiple saves.) Not my choice in an Adventure, but for those who like this sort of thing, it's probably a great play.

[AFGNCAAP]

Just to say something in my case (though Jackal explained it well, I believe) and end the off-topic, I thought it was pretty clear that I was referring to that particular thread only. I'm sorry if I came across as condescending. Asking questions is welcome. Repeatedly asking off-topic question answer to which has already been provided, isn't.

[Panthera]

I don't think I have seen your question, but you can skip puzzles. Just ask for a hint, and again and again, until the game solves the entire puzzle for you. Used it myself a couple of times. One of the most annoying aspects of the game which nobody has mentioned yet, is that you don't know if you should try your hand at a puzzle or not. I solved one puzzle (with cog wheels) as soon as I discovered it, but nothing happened when I pulled the handle and the puzzle reset itself when I moved away. I was so sure I'd solved it that I asked for a hint for the first time and to my surprise the game told me I didn't have "the prerequisites" to solve the puzzle yet. What the f...! My solution was correct, as I found out later, so why did the puzzle reset?

Thank you. I've asked in other Keepsake threads, not in this, so sorry for lashing out. Off course you couldn't have seen it.. I'll continue playing, now that I know I can bypass that stupid thing..

They aren't necessarily intuitive, but require a great deal of trial and error. (With multiple saves.) Not my choice in an Adventure, but for those who like this sort of thing, it's probably a great play.

I don't agree. All the puzzles I have encountered so far is pure logic puzzles, witch if you know how to solve them, or se the logic in them, don't require trial and error (I'm not saying this because I'm so logical that I'm able to solve all the puzzles.. Hah! I've been stumped with several puzzles, not understanding at all what I'm supposed to do, but having a very logical boyfriend, he solved many of the puzzles I understood what I was supposed to do, but didn't manage to do it.. Like the "lead the dragon to the cave" puzzle) Several of the puzzles in the game are IQ puzzles, puzzles I've encountred solving IQ tests or Logical games..

[rtrooney]

I don't agree.Then, by all means purchase and play the game. You have a different impression of it than I do. It is not on my "Must Buy" list.

[AFGNCAAP]

Then, by all means purchase and play the game.
...and that she did.

I didn't love the demo, but the one puzzle I remember from it, a Minotaur game reminiscent of DROD (http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewsitepage.php?id=89468), by no means required trial and error (although it was probably easier to figure out a couple of first moves by trial and error).

[Panthera]

Then, by all means purchase and play the game. You have a different impression of it than I do. It is not on my "Must Buy" list.

If you read a bit better what I wrote, I based my opinion on playing the game.. I already have the game, and have played about half way through it, and as I said before, I hated the demo, so I had to consider it a fair bit before I finally desided to buy it..
But, off course not all ppl like the same games, I'm not questioning your motives, I'm just stating that I don't agree with you.. Please don't take it as an insult.. :)

...and that she did.

I didn't love the demo, but the one puzzle I remember from it, a Minotaur game reminiscent of DROD (http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewsitepage.php?id=89468), by no means required trial and error (although it was probably easier to figure out a couple of first moves by trial and error).

For me it was completely opposite.. I saw at once (when I understood that the mintaur walked two steps) how my first moves should be. I was having a bit more trouble with the finish, but got it after about three tries.. ;)

[Snatcher42]

Well all I can say is I'm playing this game now and enjoying it a lot. There is a lot of running around, but the place is beautiful (the demo doesn't do it justice), and the puzzles are fun. I like the hint system. I've never had to use it to outright solve a puzzle for me yet, but a few of the subtle nudges have pushed me in the right direction and prevented me from glancing at a walkthrough.

EDIT: Just got to the second level. I thought I was done with the game, but no - there's more! A lot by the looks of it. NICE. :)

[Merovia]

Well iwas one of the ones that re-posed the question about Starforce, I did the whole thread before, and most of the "what i starforce thread", but i still missed a bit about how to recognice starfoce on a computer and how one could now that a game doesn't include starforce if it doesn't tell you that it installs itself...

Ofcourse one is worried about Starforce since ones discovers that it is a very hot topic in the gaming world and that most people within said gaming world considers it evil...

other than that i'm reallylooking forward to receiving this game

[Altoum]

Has anyone bought this game and care to give some information on it?

I've just completed the demo and I have to say this is one of the worst demo's I've ever played. Not just one of the worst AGs, one of the worst games period.

The Voice acting is some of the worst ever. the guy teaching you the interface (which, unless you're 5 years or under, you could figure out even if you've never played an point and click before) has the most irratating voice I've ever heard.... HELL, all the voices are attrocious. The Wolf doesn't sound like he was once a great dragon at all. Nothing ambigious about his voice at all. The rest sound like they've just heard and read their script for the first time.

The graphics are unoriginal, bland and the demo almost completely still. I know the place is supposed to be deserted, but a little more movement here and there would be terrific (Myst 4 should be taken as an example). The locations have terrible, dull colour patterns and the drawings look like something from a mid-ninties game.

The FMVs are the worst too. I imagine that these guys had possibly the smallest budget ever. half of it is just still pictures again with the most minuete of movements. It would've been better just to have told the story in complete ingame gameplay than waste the money on these FMVs.

The story doesnt' seem very motivating too. What a shambles of a game. This is the ultimate evidence as to why no one takes any notice of AGs anymore.
I've just bought a copy yesterday and I like it so far
TO BE CONTINUED

[CrimsonBlue]

I've been hoping for a Kyrandia-style game... is this it?

[rtrooney]

I don't agree. All the puzzles I have encountered so far is pure logic puzzlesI'll try this again. Yes, the puzzles are intuitive in that you have a fairly good idea what needs to be done. But doing it is something else entirely. I probably used the wrong word.

For example, the gnome and ogre (or whatever it was called) in the demo reminded me very much of the spider puzzle in Shivers2 (as well as a few others.)

I have not bought the game. My preference is for inventory-based puzzles which, I grant can often be very non-intuitive. I don't know if Keepsake offers a mix of inventory and logic, or whether it is all logic. My guess is that it's the latter.

Which may make it most similar to Black Dahlia, which was, with only a few exceptions, logic puzzle from start to finish. I enjoyed BD because of the back story. I'm not sure Keepsake has one.

Some people love Soduku puzzles. (I'm not one of them.) Others love crossword. (I'm definitely one of those.) As few and far between as AGs are these days, it's hard to pass on one. But this isn't a game I think I would enjoy, so that's my choice.

[Merovia]

Welll I just got my keepsake today... and after a few installation/loading problems it runs smoothly... and I think it is beatyful...

Love the atmosphere...

To my suprise though the gameplay from the Demo is not as it is in the game... or rather the bits in the demo is taken from odd places in the game itself...

Love the story, and so far is the only thing that really bugs me Mustavios voice...

[Dendy]

Did anybody finish the game? I am wondering if using the hints in puzzles or during running (when you do not know where to go) has some effect on the end of the game. I mean if there is something like your rating or something, because I am trying to not use the hints so often and in the puzzles I am trying not to use them at all, but maybe I am loosing too much time with it.

[Merovia]

well... I just finished it... and really I don't think using hints or not alter anything, other than the time you spend playing the game...

Most of the puzzles i solved without any hint or only the first one to give me a clue as to where to start and what to do....

I also used the in-game hints to sometime point me to my next goal, since the order i wanted to do the things in didn't always match the games...

[Ninth]

I'll try this again. Yes, the puzzles are intuitive in that you have a fairly good idea what needs to be done. But doing it is something else entirely. I probably used the wrong word.

For example, the gnome and ogre (or whatever it was called) in the demo reminded me very much of the spider puzzle in Shivers2 (as well as a few others.)

I have not bought the game. My preference is for inventory-based puzzles which, I grant can often be very non-intuitive. I don't know if Keepsake offers a mix of inventory and logic, or whether it is all logic. My guess is that it's the latter.

Which may make it most similar to Black Dahlia, which was, with only a few exceptions, logic puzzle from start to finish. I enjoyed BD because of the back story. I'm not sure Keepsake has one.

Some people love Soduku puzzles. (I'm not one of them.) Others love crossword. (I'm definitely one of those.) As few and far between as AGs are these days, it's hard to pass on one. But this isn't a game I think I would enjoy, so that's my choice.
There no inventory puzzles in Keepsake, so yep, I don't think that's a game for you. ;)

[Christian IV]

Finally had time to try my UK copy of Keepsake, has some good points, nice graphics and some introduction of localized semi-motion elements, i.e. water areas, but over all stiff and rather limited game, voices are as others have noted, terrible and the voice acting very stfff, they tried to imitate April in LJ and failed totally so far as I can see, and the story lacks build up, you are dropped into it with little or no use of a back story intro of any kind, and really I just dont care that she cant find anyone, that is not a compelling story start, i will give it another few chances, but expect that I shall not finsih it, too bad, as there is indeed a strong market for good adventures but they need to take note of the changes in the potential tehcnical innovations and the new directions of gaming.......we will see, but so far, i am not impressed much.

[Jackal]

...they need to take note of the changes in the potential tehcnical innovations and the new directions of gaming.......

What a bizarre thing to say. Like most adventure developers, they worked within their financial means (and maybe beyond them) and came up with something competitive in an established niche market. Suggesting they take note of something that would have prevented them from ever starting the game in the first place doesn't make much sense to me.

[NcroManiac]

I've been hoping for a Kyrandia-style game... is this it?

No, more like Myst meets Harry Potter meets TLJ in 3d person.

I found the demo to be farly mediocore, but i'm willing to give it a try once I run out of games to play.