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Double Fine's Stacking Priced and Dated

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How much does a game about Russian matryoshka dolls run a fella nowadays? About 15 bucks.

Double Fine’s second downloadable project will be available next month. Publisher THQ has announced that Stacking will hit PSN on February 8 and Xbox Live Arcade the following day on February 9. It also announced that the game would cost just under $15 on both platforms.

In case you missed the unveil a couple of months ago, Stacking is an adventure puzzle title that puts you in the shoes of a boy named Charlie, the world’s smallest Russian stacking doll. The game revolves around Charlie’s ability to thrust himself into dolls one size bigger than himself. These bigger dolls, which give Charlie unique special powers, are essentially the tools that you’ll need to use in order to interact with the game world and solve the puzzles therein.

Strange, right? Ryan and Brad got their hands on the title not too long ago with some special guests from Double Fine. Check out the EX Quick Look and see if Stacking is something you should consider checking out next month. [You should. -Ed.]

    
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Posted by BradNicholson
Double Fine’s second downloadable project will be available next month. Publisher THQ has announced that Stacking will hit PSN on February 8 and Xbox Live Arcade the following day on February 9. It also announced that the game would cost just under $15 on both platforms.

In case you missed the unveil a couple of months ago, Stacking is an adventure puzzle title that puts you in the shoes of a boy named Charlie, the world’s smallest Russian stacking doll. The game revolves around Charlie’s ability to thrust himself into dolls one size bigger than himself. These bigger dolls, which give Charlie unique special powers, are essentially the tools that you’ll need to use in order to interact with the game world and solve the puzzles therein.

Strange, right? Ryan and Brad got their hands on the title not too long ago with some special guests from Double Fine. Check out the EX Quick Look and see if Stacking is something you should consider checking out next month. [You should. -Ed.]

    
Edited by MechaEspio

Will probably buy this.

Posted by Matt

On my birthday yay!

Posted by Pkshields

If I wasn't determined to work through my backlog at the minute I'd definitely get this. Have to wait though.

Edited by nintendoeats

It's strange, I think this looks totally awesome...and yet it doesn't interest me in the slightest...

Edited by AndrewW

Yes, it's almost here!

Posted by dr_pineapple

Pass.

Posted by Yummylee

Nycccccccccccccc

Posted by Wrighteous86

Double Fine shot themselves in the foot by releasing this on PSN a day earlier.  Will not buy.
 
/sarcasm

Posted by SuperSambo
@nintendoeats
It's strange, I think this looks totally awesome...and yet it doesn't interest me in the slightest...
What? That's... Odd. I can't imagine those two feelings coliding.

After how amazing (up until the bugger glitched on me) Costume Quest was, then watching the quick look ex, I'm getting this on launch.
Posted by JJWeatherman

Just under $15? Sooo, $14.99 then?

Posted by WilliamHenry
@SuperSambo said:
" @nintendoeats
It's strange, I think this looks totally awesome...and yet it doesn't interest me in the slightest...
What? That's... Odd. I can't imagine those two feelings colliding. After how amazing (up until the bugger glitched on me) Costume Quest was, then watching the quick look ex, I'm getting this on launch. "

Its not really odd at all. I feel the same way. Game looks awesome yet I have no desire to actually play it.
Posted by Portis

Sold. 
Posted by Sammo21

Day 1 son!   
 
I was pretty excited when Tim S. replied to me and told me it was out in February about 2 weeks back.  Been holding $15 in my hands, shaking, ever since then.

Posted by Mystyr_E

Not interested, especially if it's as short as Costume Quest was

Posted by wewantsthering

Calender set!

Posted by Valwryn
@Mystyr_E
Not interested, especially if it's as short as Costume Quest was
I'm right there with you. The grubbins on ice expansion was $10 for 2 hours of similar gameplay. I'm going to need to see some good faith from Double Fine before I pay $15 for what I presume to be 3 hours then?
Posted by heatDrive88

Sounds good to me. I probably won't buy on launch because of the huge list of other games in my queue, but I'll definetely have my eye on this.
Posted by DriveupLife

NOOOOPE.
 
I spent 15 bucks on an overhyped artsy game already, LIMBO.
 
Not making the same mistake twice.

Posted by Tesla

$15 is about my limit for downloadable games, but I will not hesitate to buy this.

Posted by Nadafinga

The QL sold me on the game. Looking forward to it.

Posted by litrock

Can't wait. The QL was enough to get my offbeat puzzle cravings going.

Posted by SuperSambo
@Valwryn said:
" @Mystyr_E
Not interested, especially if it's as short as Costume Quest was
I'm right there with you. The grubbins on ice expansion was $10 for 2 hours of similar gameplay. I'm going to need to see some good faith from Double Fine before I pay $15 for what I presume to be 3 hours then? "
$5 an hour seems good to me... 
 
@DivineCC said:
" @SuperSambo said:
" @nintendoeats
It's strange, I think this looks totally awesome...and yet it doesn't interest me in the slightest...
What? That's... Odd. I can't imagine those two feelings colliding. After how amazing (up until the bugger glitched on me) Costume Quest was, then watching the quick look ex, I'm getting this on launch. "
Its not really odd at all. I feel the same way. Game looks awesome yet I have no desire to actually play it. "
How can you not want to play something 'awesome'?
Posted by rjayb89

I shall download the trial version and be done with it.

Posted by BaconGames

No PC version?  FUCK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by YoungFrey

My least favorite part of any downloadable release is listening to people complain about the price per length.  Until I hear people complain about a $60 being less than 12 hours long.  I won't accept any "$15 for 3 hours" complaints either.   
Posted by MetalBaofu
@Valwryn said:
" @Mystyr_E
Not interested, especially if it's as short as Costume Quest was
I'm right there with you. The grubbins on ice expansion was $10 for 2 hours of similar gameplay. I'm going to need to see some good faith from Double Fine before I pay $15 for what I presume to be 3 hours then? "
Grubbins on Ice is 5 dollars, not 10.
Posted by HaltIamReptar
@DriveupLife said:
" NOOOOPE.  I spent 15 bucks on an overhyped artsy game already, LIMBO.  Not making the same mistake twice. "
This game looks artsy to you.
Posted by Mystyr_E
@YoungFrey: 
it's not the pricing that bugs me, it's how little I'll actually play it if I get it. When games like Super Meat Boy can go over 10 hours and way more trying to do everything or MNC with long multiplayer component, I'd play this, S rank it then never touch it again
Posted by Jolt92

Day 1, bitch! Double Fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Pie

People are complaining about the price of this?

Posted by Undeadpool
@YoungFrey said:
" My least favorite part of any downloadable release is listening to people complain about the price per length.  Until I hear people complain about a $60 being less than 12 hours long.  I won't accept any "$15 for 3 hours" complaints either.    "
Agreed. People will happily shell out $10 for a two hour movie (or even $15 for a 3D movie), but $15 for a game that will last 3+ hours is suddenly an insurmountable concept.
Posted by StandStrong

Best news all week. I really look forward to this game.

Posted by LetterT

Nice! Will most likely pick this up.

Posted by Zoombini

The aesthetics and concepts behind this game looks great, however the general gameplay doesn't really click with my fried and twitchy action orientated brain. Although I still wish it does well enough sales-wise to inspire more companies to make other real bizarre but kinda cool games on the download services.

Posted by HarlequinRiot
@Undeadpool:  It has to do with the cost of comparable products available. All movies in the theater cost $10 (roughly). But when it comes to video games, you can pick up something like ME2 for about $20. The thing is, all movies cost the same but all games don't. So the pricing comparisons can get wonky, as illogical as it sounds.
Posted by enemymouse
@Zoombini said:
...   
 "I still wish it does well enough sales-wise to inspire more companies to make other real bizarre but kinda cool games on the download services. "
I guess you'd better buy it then ;)
Posted by Undeadpool
@HarlequinRiot: True, but I feel like that value proposition can be extended roughly to $10/2 hrs of entertainment. This is, of course, a general, sweeping statement and doesn't always apply.
Posted by Genjai

I've really liked Double Fine's other games. $15 might be steep - but it also might be low, too. 
 
Guys, it's really hard to tell how much content is in a game until you see a review or play it for yourself. If you have a really awesome experience with a game, how much is that worth to you? Would you pay $10 for that experience or $15? Or would you pay $20 if that awesome experience was longer? I passed on Limbo because reviews said it was short; personally, I would pay $10 for that experience. I loved the trial for ilomilo and, based on the promised content, was not willing to pay $15. Fortunately, when I checked the price it was $10. 
 

Awesomeness + Length = Price
 
Not,   
Price / Length = Dollars per Hour 
 

Ultimately, you pick which metric is important to you. As a child, #2 used to be important to me during the SNES days. As an adult with comparatively more money, #1 is so much more important.
Posted by TonyBlue87
@Matt: It's the day AFTER my birthday.  Hi five Feb bro!
Posted by Matt
@TonyBlue87:  Hi five!
Posted by WilliamHenry
@SuperSambo said:
@DivineCC said:
" @SuperSambo said:
" @nintendoeats
It's strange, I think this looks totally awesome...and yet it doesn't interest me in the slightest...
What? That's... Odd. I can't imagine those two feelings colliding. After how amazing (up until the bugger glitched on me) Costume Quest was, then watching the quick look ex, I'm getting this on launch. "
Its not really odd at all. I feel the same way. Game looks awesome yet I have no desire to actually play it. "
How can you not want to play something 'awesome'? "

Because the gameplay doesn't really interest me. The art style and concept are great, the gameplay just doesn't seem all that fun to me. I kind of feel the same way about all of Double Fine's games. Brutal Legend's concept, characters, design, etc were great. The gameplay did nothing for me. Same for Costume Quest.
Posted by Klei

I'm in the same boat. I really love Tim's work, but this game seems so uninteresting and not fun to me. I guess i'll wait for the trial.

Posted by animathias
@DivineCC said:
" @SuperSambo said:
@DivineCC said:
" @SuperSambo said:
" @nintendoeats
It's strange, I think this looks totally awesome...and yet it doesn't interest me in the slightest...
What? That's... Odd. I can't imagine those two feelings colliding. After how amazing (up until the bugger glitched on me) Costume Quest was, then watching the quick look ex, I'm getting this on launch. "
Its not really odd at all. I feel the same way. Game looks awesome yet I have no desire to actually play it. "
How can you not want to play something 'awesome'? "
Because the gameplay doesn't really interest me. The art style and concept are great, the gameplay just doesn't seem all that fun to me. I kind of feel the same way about all of Double Fine's games. Brutal Legend's concept, characters, design, etc were great. The gameplay did nothing for me. Same for Costume Quest. "
I'm really stoked for Stacked, but I can definitely see someone really liking the dialogue and charm but being completely turned off of the gameplay. It's different.. and weird, but it scratches a certain puzzle itch in my brain (at least from what I've seen in the Quick Look.)
Posted by Mephiles1990

Strange, but that's what you get when you're dealin' with... 
 
DOUBLE FIIIIIIIIIINE!!!!! *guitar riff*

Posted by Sharpless

I want to smack anyone who dares complain about the price of this game. It looks gorgeous, it sounds brilliant. Even if it's just two hours long, quality is what's important, not quantity. I've put $20 into Costume Quest and gotten around 6-7 hours of entertainment from it. I regret nothing. Watching that Quick Look, I can already confidently say that Stacking is worth $15, if not more.
 
I'd love to live in a world where all new downloadable games cost $5-10, but I'm not entitled to that, and neither is anyone else. Double Fine puts out quality products (though, perhaps, Brutal Legend was never quite worth $60) and should be paid fairly for them.

Posted by Purple_Proletarius
@Undeadpool said:

" @YoungFrey said:

" My least favorite part of any downloadable release is listening to people complain about the price per length.  Until I hear people complain about a $60 being less than 12 hours long.  I won't accept any "$15 for 3 hours" complaints either.    "
Agreed. People will happily shell out $10 for a two hour movie (or even $15 for a 3D movie), but $15 for a game that will last 3+ hours is suddenly an insurmountable concept. "
Length =/= Value. For example, I would much rather see Blue Valentine and Rabbit Hole than play Monday Night Combat. 
 
Also, I never pay $10 for a movie. Netflix/matinee pricing.    
Posted by MrRedwine

After playing the demo, I passed on Costume Quest.  Mostly because I couldn't read the word bubbles fast enough and the point of double fine games is the world they are in and the humor.
 
This game is still looking pretty enticing.  I want to get my hands on a demo though, just in case.

Posted by Redbullet685

I'm gonna get this.

Edited by JustinSane311

This game looks like alot of fun, but I'll probably buy  the game when its on sale as "deal of the week".

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