Universal Little Inferno HD - (by Tomorrow Corporation)

Discussion in 'iPhone and iPad Games' started by Sanuku, Jan 30, 2013.

  1. mr ed209

    mr ed209 Well-Known Member

    Apr 13, 2009
    219
    0
    0
    He has as much right to tell the world why he didnt like it as everyone else does to tell the world and each other how amazing they thought it was. Discussion forums aren't just for praise and tips, they're for discussion, and at usually involves differences of opinion.

    The most salient point he made was that its really not your average 'game'. It's a satirical statement on freemium more than anything else. It's certainly much more 'satire' and 'touching story' than it is 'game' and frankly I wish that I had been told that first because I wanted to buy a game and not a satirical touching story,

    I will differ from the other naysayers by accepting that it is extremely well made and clearly has just enough completely shallow 'gameplay' to convince most people that it is indeed a game.

    But it's not really a game.
     
  2. Gabrien

    Gabrien Well-Known Member

    Nov 24, 2009
    5,148
    0
    36
    I fully agree that people have just as much right to be here complaining about a game as they do praising one. That point settled however:

    Your "I wish I had been told" lament doesn't hold much water. There are numerous videos of gameplay available on YouTube, as well as many reviews outlining the gameplay (or lack thereof, if you like.) It was your choice whether or not to make a more, or less informed purchasing decision.

    It's silly to shake fists exclaiming "why wasn't I told!" here. You were told. People expressed their opinions which you chose to listen to. Nobody set out to deceive you.
     
  3. mr ed209

    mr ed209 Well-Known Member

    Apr 13, 2009
    219
    0
    0
    #163 mr ed209, Feb 7, 2013
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2013
    "It's silly to shake fists exclaiming "why wasn't I told!" here. You were told. People expressed their opinions which you chose to listen to. Nobody set out to deceive you."


    I was also told not to read or look at ANYTHING, or else it would spoil the game, and because I thought it was really a game, I didn't.

    Okay, so I wish i had been told its not a game at the same time i was told not read anything about it.

    I object to your attempt to diminish my feelings by saying "oh but nobody set out to deceive you!" - that's a very underhand way of defusing my opinion,because I never said that I was deceived.

    I said that I wished I'd been able to find out that it wasn't a game at the same time as I chose to heed the warnings on the App Store and elsewhere that you should know as little as possible about the game first.

    Of course now I'm wondering if part of the reason they say that is because if you found out how little game playing there actually was, people might pass it up...

    ;)
     
  4. Gabrien

    Gabrien Well-Known Member

    Nov 24, 2009
    5,148
    0
    36
    But that's the thing: your "isn't a game!" objection is not fact. It is an opinion. Nobody warned you it "wasn't a game" because the people you chose to listen to happen to believe that it is. Or possibly that the definition is quite irrelevant.
     
  5. september

    september Well-Known Member

    Sep 14, 2012
    2,673
    0
    0
    I'd have to agree, you're stating "its not a game" like its fact, whereas like Gabrien said its an opinion.

    Sorry you didn't enjoy the game, 1 star is a little bitter though isn't it? Get a refund, be happy, play something you'll enjoy better. Strokes for folks and all that jazz.
     
  6. Bool Zero

    Bool Zero Well-Known Member

    Dec 14, 2010
    1,922
    0
    36
    I have to agree with the non-game opinion but perhaps that was part of the grand scheme of the story. But that is the problem with this "game" I've found, is that it is driven by its very deliberate story. The "story" is all but spelled out for you unintentionally by its deliberate delivery, so by the time you get to the end, you pretty much have already found the "message" well in advance; which really isn't much of a message to begin with as more so an exaggeration of the truth of sorts (about gaming, our own oblivious nature to the world around us when we are gaming, the industry and so on). Sadly, I found games like Doodle Devil and such more engaging despite having less. The combinations are far more entertaining and thoughtful, whereas here I felt I was going through the motions with rather simple straight forward solutions (5 hours, 9 minutes on my first completion, no help).


    There are many games I don't mind spending money on because the experience is worth it. This was not one of those games. I listened to the hype of the board and assumed this was up my alley. Normally I am not steered wrong, or at the very least some voice of levity chimes in to ground the accolades and lay out a game realistically, but that never happened on this thread, at least not right away. I normally like obscure experiences like this, but this "game" left little for me to invest myself; little gameplay, a straightforward message, and it doesn't help that I don't have a fixation with burning things. The story, its delivery and tone felt overtly familiar, ultimately leaving me with a game I just couldn't connect with because it felt so blatantly obvious, and with little in the way of challenging gameplay or truly puzzling puzzles, I was just trudging through to beat it by the end having summed up the thesis of the story.


    3.5 out of 5 for me. The art direction is interesting, and the item reactions were interesting but I felt left unexplored and pointless in the grand scheme when they don't have any effect other than to bedazzle the eyes and add nothing to the actual gameplay (and perhaps that was part of the point associated with the story like other things, but it is a bad one if it was from a game design POV). But everything else felt by the numbers and unimpressive.
     
  7. dasme

    dasme Member

    I've been playing and enjoying this title. Finally managed to get all of the combinations, any idea on how one can unlock the "Super Shopper" achievement? My only thought is that I have to save each item that the Tomorrow Corporation sends out, which I hope isn't true :)
     
  8. BrushMyNoseOff

    BrushMyNoseOff Well-Known Member

    Jan 3, 2009
    902
    0
    0
    Coach / Photographer
    NYC
    Hint. Look at the borders of each item in the catalogs.
     
  9. worldcitizen1919

    worldcitizen1919 Well-Known Member

    Jun 27, 2012
    1,615
    0
    36
    I'll try and be open minded so I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll buy it when the price comes down. I don't fancy burning up 5 real bucks just to find out. But I'll keep an open mind as a few of you are enjoying it whatever it is so it might be worth a look.
     
  10. dasme

    dasme Member

    aha! Got it, thanks for the tip!
     
  11. Psiufoxx

    Psiufoxx Well-Known Member

    May 25, 2011
    421
    0
    16
    sustainability consulting
    paris (yeah, the one in france)
    A game is structured playing, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. - Mr. Wiki Pedia
     
  12. astridprinter

    astridprinter Member

    Jan 16, 2013
    8
    0
    0
    How about we all just be friends? I like the game! Or, whatever you want to call it ;)
     
  13. Lokita

    Lokita Member

    Aug 29, 2009
    17
    0
    0
    Achievement

    Does anyone know how to get the Stay Warm In There achievement? I think I need the free hug which I burned right away....
     
  14. slamraman

    slamraman Well-Known Member
    Patreon Gold

    Aug 27, 2011
    2,511
    5
    36
    Yep - that's the free hug one. My existence, now achievement didn't unlock. Just got all the combos but need that free hug too so hopefully existence, now will unlock on the second playthrough.
     
  15. Peewhy

    Peewhy Well-Known Member

    Mar 27, 2012
    551
    0
    0
    squirrel whistle looks like the guy from ice age who wants his nut
     
  16. backtothis

    backtothis im in ur base killin ur d00dz
    Staff Member Patreon Silver Patreon Gold Patreon Bronze

    Jul 13, 2009
    13,250
    1
    0
    college student (junior)
    Houston/Austin, TX
    Played through the first catalog of Little Inferno. What the actual f**k? This is some seriously weird shit. Quite the experience so far.
     
  17. MidianGTX

    MidianGTX Well-Known Member

    Jun 16, 2009
    3,738
    10
    38
    Just thought I'd stop by to say... Braid doesn't even have a touching story, just pretentious crap marring what could have been a fairly decent game.

    Anyway, I don't know who told you not to read anything about it, that doesn't sound too smart to me. I've been suggesting the opposite. In fact I'd say just reading my posts in this thread is enough to help someone decide.
     
  18. september

    september Well-Known Member

    Sep 14, 2012
    2,673
    0
    0
    Amen.
     
  19. Dams

    Dams Well-Known Member

    Sep 16, 2012
    94
    0
    0
    Quite disappointed by the end. I imagined a better one.
     
  20. andsoitgoes

    andsoitgoes Well-Known Member

    Lets see. 5 hour playthrough for me. At least 5 hours from my daughters who surprised the heck out of me coming up with the combos that they did. Their reaction to some of the things that happened, how emotional they got. The fact that they each started a second game even before they were done with the first.

    The whole lot of us singing the damn song.

    My wife getting into the game while helping my girls figure out combos.

    This game is simply stunning. Some may see it as pretentious... It is what it is, I can't explain it more than that. It accomplishes everything it tries for. It doesn't falter in the constrains as to what it's trying to do.

    You don't buy a yoyo expecting to get a hidden rocket ship, do you? This is a very experimental "game". I loved every minute, and being able to share it with my family, being BEGGED to get more time to play with it... That's well more than almost every other game I own has gotten.

    Here, if you liked games like Windosil, Lume or other more experimental games with crazy mechanics or non standard mechanisms, I think there's a stellar chance this game is for you.

    Want to know if you'll like it? Read this:

    does the idea of having this crazy control of a fireplace for 5 hours, burning everything you can get your hands on in attempt to find combos based on wordplay sound intriguing?

    What about a head scratching story involving strange neighbors and overseers named nancy, this story is portrayed in random letters spread throughout the game. The entirety of the dialogue would probably fit into a small pamphlet.

    Do you like quirky? Do you have questionable feelings on the IAP system and rushing task completion? Do you think you maybe spend too much time in front of your idevice gaming, but still can't help doing it?

    Then maybe this is the game for you. Otherwise save your $5.

    Anyone who is really not into strangely quirky games with gameplay that might not be considered gameplay by many will most likely not enjoy this.

    For anyone seriously on the fence, Sanuku has done a huge 20 min playthrough. Watch it.
     

Share This Page