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Pathologic 2 |OT| Taking Drugs From Children Simulator 2019

Deleted member 25117

Banned
Oct 29, 2017
909
Is it just me or does the game get SIGNIFICANTLY harder on Day 5? I've died so many times since and I'm almost on Day 7. It's such a struggle, I got infected from touching a patient and now I'm essentially dying either from starvation or infection. After caring for yourself you barely have time to complete even the most essential tasks. 😔
 

Deleted member 11214

user requested account closure
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
731
merf said:
So, Pathologic 2.

I started my first playthrough knowing just about nothing about the mechanics, the story, etc. Only that it was difficult and strange. I missed a lot on my first day, and in fact I think I accidentally slept through a lot of it.

I have now died.

I feel like I had such a fundamental misunderstanding of the game when I first started it that I would be fine to start over, but then I also know failure is a part of the core gameplay loop. I'd honestly prefer to start over, because I'm sure I'll have enough trouble as is, but would I be denying myself some fundamental part of the experience by doing so?
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I'm cross-posting this from the PC Gaming OT.
 
Nordicus

Nordicus

Member
Oct 29, 2017
1,496
Finland
merf said:
I'm cross-posting this from the PC Gaming OT.
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You are correct, rolling with the punches and accepting setbacks is part of the game, but if you really are that early still, you could just as well restart if you think that the game managed to "click" for you in some manner.

That said, that early there's not much you can do to actively fuck up your playthrough. All the big methods of making cash, the decisive story moments come later, so during my 2nd playthrough, I actually had trouble getting ahead in any real way on Day 1, despite thorough knowledge of the mechanics, events and locations.
 
Nameless

Nameless

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,354
My goal this first playthrough is to learn, and survive each day however I can while soaking in as much of the brilliant story/writing/atmosphere as possible. I'm not too concerned with min-maxing my time & resources or finding a cure for the 'good ending'. Things are stressful enough and P2 will 1000% be a game I play multiple times and revisit for years to come.

This approach means I'm playing a broken Burakh instead of the good righteous doctor. A man concerned with his own survival above all else, who's mental state and moral compass are steadily detiorating alongside the town itself.
 
Azzanadra

Azzanadra

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,805
Canada
Dunno if this has already been posted, but this EDGE interview (recent I think? I just saw it on the subreddit) provides some interesting insights, including updates on the Changeling and Bachelor campaigns.

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Dusk Golem

Dusk Golem

Local Horror Enthusiast
Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,804
The main take-away I get from this is they first are releasing two smaller games the people at the team want to work on, "Know by Heart", which is personal pet project of Ice Pick Lodge's managing director, and working title "Franz", a game about toxic relationships.

Now the Pathologic news of the article will be controversial, and probably not what many want, but I am fine with it: It seems the Bachelor and the Changeling campaigns will be very different than the Haruspex. They more than hint they may drop combat and survival mechanics from the other mechanics, and in fact these two scenarios may be in completely different genres than the Haruspex campaign. They also hint they will be longer than Marble's Nest, but much shorter than Haruspex. They have a much smaller team size and they also seem to think that with so many quality games coming out we're on the cusp of the death of longer form narrative games for a time.

I can already see many not being happy about this, but I do understand their situation and I do trust them to get creative with it. I'll be curious what comes out of this.
 
Nameless

Nameless

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,354
Unfortunate news for sure. P2 is one the most stimulating and engrossing RPGs I've played in ... years. I would've happily paid a premium a for additional campaigns and/or sequels. But I sympathize with IPL's situation. Even before the cuts, that such a small team pulled this game off feels insane.

Still, encouraging that it's slowly but surely finding an audience. I'll definitely be doing my very small part by gushing about the remarkable achievement that it is, whenever I get the opportunity.
 
snausages

snausages

Member
Feb 12, 2018
10,347
Well I was waiting for a PS4 release, but I've since built a PC so I've got this on gamepass now. I'm only on day 1 after roaming around nearly passing out, eating a few stale peanuts looking for the one person in town who isn't ready to murder me on sight.

I'm really into what this seems to be while expecting that I'll get nowhere near completing it, at least on this playthrough. I'll see how it goes anyway
 
Haze

Haze

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,782
Detroit, MI
Dude this fucking game...

I'm on day 7 and about to lose my fucking shit.

God I am in fucking LOVE with this game's narrative framing. As someone whose never played the original, having it set up as a sort of failed play leftover from the events of the first game is incredibly creative.

I also love the use of certain characters who speak through the Artemy and right to me. At times, it's fucking unnerving as hell.

This may be one of the scariest games I've ever played. At once because of the sensational sound design and atmosphere, but also because of the soundtrack, character designs (executors are terrifying) and just the ... fragility of yourself and the world around you.

It feels like I could die at any second. Or that someone could die because of choice I made 2 days ago.

This game is dour and crushing. At times it is not even remotely fun and extremely frustrating.

but I can't get enough of it
 
Gabbo

Gabbo

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,567
Haze said:
Dude this fucking game... <snip>
This game is dour and crushing. At times it is not even remotely fun and extremely frustrating.

but I can't get enough of it
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That's ice-pick lodge's MO through and through. Even the game they made as a response to the original and Tension being called 'not fun' is mean spirited and frustrating - since you have to recover fun itself in the game (Cargo:Quest for Gravity).
 
Haze

Haze

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,782
Detroit, MI
Gabbo said:
That's ice-pick lodge's MO through and through. Even the game they made as a response to the original and Tension being called 'not fun' is mean spirited and frustrating - since you have to recover fun itself in the game (Cargo:Quest for Gravity).
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People always look at me crazy when I say some segments in GR2 are meant to be frustrating.
 
Ahti

Ahti

Unshakable Resolve
Member
Nov 6, 2017
9,191
Installed this today (thanks to game pass).
Two hours in and I´m like

giphy.gif


That first 20-30 minutes alone completely absorbed me.
In certain aspects this is the game I´ve been waiting for for years, without knowing I was.
 
Beeblebrox

Beeblebrox

Member
Oct 28, 2017
388
What was the performance like on Xbox? Gonna grab it on PS4 Pro, so I hope it looks nice and plays well *fingers crossed*
 
Beeblebrox

Beeblebrox

Member
Oct 28, 2017
388
Ummm, anyone tried this on PS4? Or should I just bite the bullet... and then post performance impressions a few years down the line, when I finally get to it? :D
 
Beeblebrox

Beeblebrox

Member
Oct 28, 2017
388
Ummm, anyone tried this on PS4? Or should I just bite the bullet... and then post performance impressions a few years down the line, when I finally get to it? :D
 
Beeblebrox

Beeblebrox

Member
Oct 28, 2017
388
Ummm, anyone tried this on PS4? Or should I just bite the bullet... and then post performance impressions a few years down the line, when I finally get to it? :D
 
OP
OP
Jader7777

Jader7777

Member
Oct 26, 2017
1,211
Australia
Glad there is a swell of critical analysis of this gem. Everyone has very nice and personal insights into the game that are really inspiring to see.


Ahti said:
Installed this today (thanks to game pass).
Two hours in and I´m like

giphy.gif


That first 20-30 minutes alone completely absorbed me.
In certain aspects this is the game I´ve been waiting for for years, without knowing I was.
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If you have any other feelings on the game please post your experiences here, the best part of the game is talking to others about it. Also:


unknown.png
 

Deleted member 419

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
3,009
My playthrough took me a while because the game is exhausting (rewarding, but exhausting). I would've preferred to just suck it up and finish it in a few marathon sessions instead, I can only imagine how oppressive it would've felt in that context vs. taking constant breaks.

I really think this is one of the best game experiences in the last decade or so and I expect it'll still have a critical life well after discussion of most other games released in its timeframe has died out. Ideally I'd like it to have the same sort of arc that Planescape: Torment or Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines had, where they were met with overall ambivalence critically at release and tepid sales, but over the years grew into very high-level classics.

There are two games in particular that released this gen that I think were several years ahead of the general game design curve and will be appreciated more in time: this game and Rain World.
 

Deleted member 56803

Banned
May 17, 2019
2,649
FiveSide said:
My playthrough took me a while because the game is exhausting (rewarding, but exhausting). I would've preferred to just suck it up and finish it in a few marathon sessions instead, I can only imagine how oppressive it would've felt in that context vs. taking constant breaks.

I really think this is one of the best game experiences in the last decade or so and I expect it'll still have a critical life well after discussion of most other games released in its timeframe has died out. Ideally I'd like it to have the same sort of arc that Planescape: Torment or Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines had, where they were met with overall ambivalence critically at release and tepid sales, but over the years grew into very high-level classics.

There are two games in particular that released this gen that I think were several years ahead of the general game design curve and will be appreciated more in time: this game and Rain World.
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Thank you for reminding me to replay Rain World
 
belairjeff

belairjeff

J->E Localization
Verified
Oct 25, 2017
4,117
I can't believe this thread is only 8 pages.
This game, while I've only played the first 4 days, is groundbreaking game design.
Makes you feel like shit. I hate it when I'm playing it. But I can't stop thinking about it when I'm not playing.

This will truly be a cult classic. Everyone needs to try this game. It's a triumph to fail.
 
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Optional Objectives

Optional Objectives

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,426
Cool to see the GOG bump. I've been playing and streaming the game from PS4 a little bit, and it's just as incredible as everyone says. In the first day there were a few moments that blew me away.

  • The first time entering a building, in which Burakh knocks and there's a small bit of text saying that its inhabitants trust you... for now. That, by itself, is so very different a reminder of entering people's lived spaces than what other ImSims typically provide. Imagine seeing that kind of thing in, say, Deus Ex!
  • The first time I got knocked out/died and, instead of game over, I found myself dragged back to the warehouse run by my criminal old friend, with the person who dragged me saying that I bled all over a perfectly good blanket and now owed him a new one.
  • When I denied that I had to kill the men in the railyard, and the game transported me back to it and had me face those three assailants.
[/SPOLER]
 

Deleted member 56803

Banned
May 17, 2019
2,649
Optional Objectives said:
Cool to see the GOG bump. I've been playing and streaming the game from PS4 a little bit, and it's just as incredible as everyone says. In the first day there were a few moments that blew me away.

  • The first time entering a building, in which Burakh knocks and there's a small bit of text saying that its inhabitants trust you... for now. That, by itself, is so very different a reminder of entering people's lived spaces than what other ImSims typically provide. Imagine seeing that kind of thing in, say, Deus Ex!
  • The first time I got knocked out/died and, instead of game over, I found myself dragged back to the warehouse run by my criminal old friend, with the person who dragged me saying that I bled all over a perfectly good blanket and now owed him a new one.
  • When I denied that I had to kill the men in the railyard, and the game transported me back to it and had me face those three assailants.
[/SPOLER]
Click to expand...
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You're in for a wild ride.

P.S. Don't take the traveller's deal
 
Kakihara

Kakihara

Member
Nov 10, 2017
308
Wow I just finished the game. Sadly somewhere when I died for the hundredth time I came across the fellow traveler. I just pressed through the dialog without reading because I was gonna reload anyway. Mhm big mistake as I found out now.

Ps.: The game is still one of the best I ever played. Gonna start Pathologic Classic HD soon.
 

Deleted member 56803

Banned
May 17, 2019
2,649
Kakihara said:
Wow I just finished the game. Sadly somewhere when I died for the hundredth time I came across the fellow traveler. I just pressed through the dialog without reading because I was gonna reload anyway. Mhm big mistake as I found out now.

Ps.: The game is still one of the best I ever played. Gonna start Pathologic Classic HD soon.
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If you want to see the other endings, check out Sulmatul's playthroughs on youtube
 
Kakihara

Kakihara

Member
Nov 10, 2017
308
HooAmEye said:
If you want to see the other endings, check out Sulmatul's playthroughs on youtube
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Thanks. I already watched them without commentary, not a big phan of lets plays.

So (maybe a bad place to ask) shall I immediately jump into Pathologic Classic HD tomorrow? I mean I am definitely gonna start with the bachelor, so I have a little variety. But is it smart? Maybe I am gonna burn myself out because of the hardcore survival gameplay, which I already experienced for a while in Pathologic 2. Shall I put a game of my backlog in between and then play Pathologic Classic HD? HELP!
 
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Deleted member 56803

Banned
May 17, 2019
2,649
Kakihara said:
Thanks. I already watched them without commentary, not a big phan of lets plays.

So (maybe a bad place to ask) shall I immediately jump into Pathologic Classic HD tomorrow? I mean I am definitely gonna start with the bachelor, so I have a little variety. But is in smart? Maybe I am gonna burn myself out because of the hardcore survival gameplay, which I already experienced for a while in Pathologic 2. Shall I put a game of my backlog in between and then play Pathologic Classic HD? HELP!
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Definitely take a break, but also be aware that Patho1 is a very different beast. As a whole, it is much jankier and troublesome to play. Far easier to die and less to do with not as much variety. It is a fascinating game, but it lacks the polish of Patho2.
 
Kakihara

Kakihara

Member
Nov 10, 2017
308
HooAmEye said:
Definitely take a break, but also be aware that Patho1 is a very different beast. As a whole, it is much jankier and troublesome to play. Far easier to die and less to do with not as much variety. It is a fascinating game, but it lacks the polish of Patho2.
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Okay thank you again. Then I am gonna search through my backlog. Maybe I am gonna play a game which is completely the opposite of pathologic. A happy blue blue sky game!
 
Cugel

Cugel

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Nov 7, 2017
4,412
Any "quick start" guide on this guide? Really want to try it but seems a bit intimidating.
 
Nordicus

Nordicus

Member
Oct 29, 2017
1,496
Finland
The (apparently) incredibly blunt way in which TLOU2 seems to try being dark and bleak made me start up Marble Nest. And... damnit game, you got me again!
Because the main game has pulled the "interpret my speech literally" thing so many times, I thought I was sooooo clever coming up to the tragedians with an actual heart after they called me a 'heartless man', only to be met with shock, because this ONE time they weren't literal!
Also, I think the DLC pulled the only real scripted scare in the game, tho it wasn't severe.
 
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