My humble opinion on Strong Badia the Free!
(Not that anyone cares, but I feel like sharing anyway...)
Wow, that was great. I mean really great.
First, it felt like a natural & free flowing experience. Where in Homestar Ruiner, everything felt like a hot spot & the fun was a bit too spread out, leaving a sort of disjointed experience.
The jokes & humor were a notch better than the previous episode, and I really liked the WWII-like cutscenes.
I also like the smattering of music that was mixed in this round. I couldn't tell if they managed to mix in Midi-music (which was mentioned in my last review-that-nobody-cares-about post), but it was much appreciated all the same.
Puzzle-wise, I loved it. I saw on Adventure Gamer's they thought it was a bit too easy, but I really enjoyed it myself. There were only 2 puzzles that really stumped me (& needed to seek out a FAQ for advice).
1.
2.
Really great, and it makes my decision to upgrade to the season pass all the more worthwhile. Can't wait for the next episode.
Kevin
Wow, that was great. I mean really great.
First, it felt like a natural & free flowing experience. Where in Homestar Ruiner, everything felt like a hot spot & the fun was a bit too spread out, leaving a sort of disjointed experience.
The jokes & humor were a notch better than the previous episode, and I really liked the WWII-like cutscenes.
I also like the smattering of music that was mixed in this round. I couldn't tell if they managed to mix in Midi-music (which was mentioned in my last review-that-nobody-cares-about post), but it was much appreciated all the same.
Puzzle-wise, I loved it. I saw on Adventure Gamer's they thought it was a bit too easy, but I really enjoyed it myself. There were only 2 puzzles that really stumped me (& needed to seek out a FAQ for advice).
1.
Strong Sad's sickness. This was only because I couldn't find the SB figure. While its neat looking, sometimes the pictures don't really convey what you're talking about & I end up occasionally forgetting which ones I've asked & haven't asked.
2.
The Power strip. The reason why I had an issue with this item, was because there was another buried item in Strong Badia, and I had long since forgotten what it was, once I found out about the language puzzle. Thus, I didn't think to look further for an additional item.
Really great, and it makes my decision to upgrade to the season pass all the more worthwhile. Can't wait for the next episode.
Kevin
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Comments
Mind you, I gave Episode 1 glowing praise, and thought to myself that they'd have a tough act to follow making Ep 2 better than Ep 1.
Then... Telltale proceeded to totally hit a home run out of the park with it.
The whole tale felt honestly epic... but at the same time, did not betray the "sparce and low-key" feeling of the H*R universe.
The main thing that did it for me was the idea that this tale of war, divided nations, world domination, and military super powers was actually somewhat involving and hilariously interesting in it's own way, but yet, was being played out by Strong Bad and the other assorted numbskulls of Free Country.
It managed to be epic at the same time as just being a bunch of cartoon characters running around pretending to be an entire planet of succeeded nations. There was this duailty in nature going on that was really funny on it's own, and made even funnier by the wittiest, cleverest, and more well written gags yet.
I must say that while the Chaps are of course, the creators and overseeing entities of these games, as of course, as everything must go through them.... but aside from the source material and the Chapman's vision of it, this episode has also proved to me that Telltale and it's own writer(s) are doing a job that is beyond wonderful, yourselves.
I was impressed with 1. But with Strongbadia The Free, you guys cemented my faith in your handling of the Homestar Runner license.
But the thing that really amazed me was how you chose to end this episode. The final Maps and Minions mini-game really shone.
I think this is because, when WiiWare started coming out with it's initial lineup, the WiiWare launch titles were little games like that Game Show thing or Defend your Castle, comparable to the playability and attention span of Maps and Minions alone. If Maps & Minions weren't Homstar Related, I could have seen it as an early WiiWare title by itself, for about 500 points or so.
I must say, I got Episode 2 a few days ago, and I just got the eagerly awaited and extremly hyped Mega Man 9 as soon as it came out. I've been playing it, loving it and enjoying it. Yes, Mega Man 9 is excellent, yet I still kept thinking of Strongbadia The Free, and specifically, thoughts of how "Baddest Of The Bands" is probably gonna be great.
.....it was during this train of thought, I realized that I just died on Magma Man's stage because I was daydreaming about SBCG4AP Ep 3 instead of paying attention to the level.
Keep this quality up, and I think SBCG4AP Season 2 is inevitable.