Aargh!

[seiberwing]

So I got to the ending credits of Hotel Dusk:215 about five minutes ago, after no less than sixteen hours of solving amusing puzzles, having things make no sense (such as having a pencil sitting in your suitcase for half the game but never being able to actually pick it up and put it in your inventory until there came an obscure need for it) and sitting through endless dialogue. The last one is expected in such a game, mind you, but is still rather annoying to an impatient someone and without the whimsical fun and fast-paced action of Phoenix Wright. A good amount of time could be cut out of the game simply by putting in "I explained to so and so what I'd found out about this and that" instead of having to recap every single time you talk to a new person. Realistic, yes, but pointless when the player already knows this stuff.

Still, I was intrigued by what was going on and by the end of Chapter Nine willing to sit through the inevitable hour of pressing the 'continue' arrow just to find out what was going on.



We never find out what happened to Grace, for one. I thought her similarity to Melissa in the flashback meant she was actually Jenny all grown up, but in retrospect the ages just don't match up. Alan Parker's story is a total dead end, and it feels almost like that plot was put in there to take up space because we never find out what happened to him either.

No Bradley, obviously, although I can see why they left that one open-ended. Nobody ever actually catches Niles or does anything but talk about him, and we never find out about Jenny either It's all very wistful and hopeful at the end, but nothing actually happens. The post-credits scene has Jenny walking into Hotel Dusk, and I believe your number or lack of Game Overs determines if you see her face and if Mila comes with Hyde or stays at Hotel Dusk, but that's hardly an answer either.


In short, no more interactive novels for Seiber. I require more action, and ideally more crack.

Comments

[craftknightzero.livejournal.com]

I fucking loved Hotel Dusk. Even though like you said alot of what was said was "he said this and that" but it was so well written and natural it didn't matter. My gripe about the game was the ending with no pay off if only to make me hope for a continuation at some point.

[seiberwing.livejournal.com]

It just took up unnecessary time, and I got frustrated at points with the lack of interactivity. In PW games you usually do a lot more choosing of options.

[craftknightzero.livejournal.com]

I found hotel dusk far more interactive than PW but one has to realize that all the PW games were made for the GBA with only Apollo Justice actually developed for the DS. I will admit I wasted more time trying to find the right spot to click to get moving again. But it felt more immersive than when I play PW and get stuck and start showing the most random of evidence to every body I come across.

[seiberwing.livejournal.com]

It's interactive outside of dialogue scenes. Inside them, you're basically stuck pushing that little 'next' arrow for fifteen minutes and you might not even get to interact at all.

Hello

[(Anonymous)]

I'm new here, just wanted to say hello and introduce myself.

Re: Hello

[seiberwing.livejournal.com]

Lol spam.