I like it waaaaaaaay more than I should. The graphic are fucking amazing!
God damn if Persona 5 looks this great and the story is this good, it'll be the best thing ever.

Glad you're enjoying it, duder. Beware of ice blocks. God speed.

The soundtrack is the best part

Uncharted and LA Norie look amazing, but they look good in a CG way. Catherine is fucking art.

I hated it, what an awful game. GiantBomb's endurance run does not warrant Catherine a pass.

Glad you're enjoying it, duder. Beware of ice blocks. God speed.

I hated it, what an awful game. GiantBomb's endurance run does not warrant Catherine a pass.

Catherine owns, 2nd best game of the year

I hated it, what an awful game. GiantBomb's endurance run does not warrant Catherine a pass.

@Catolf: @kingzetta: No, no, I know they didn't do an endurance run of it. I meant Catherine shouldn't get a 'pass' as a good game just because GiantBomb did an endurance run of Persona 4... If you get me? Sorry for the confusion! :P

@Baillie: I love everything about Catherine except for playing it.

I'm of the opinion that it should've been about a guy who had trouble facing the realities of adulthood, of becoming a father, of committing to a woman he knows he loves, but isn't sure if he's in love with her. The nightmare stuff was neat, but the supernatural elements were unnecessary. I was hooked by the drama of the situation, and the fact that Vincent is actually a really decent guy.

Gameplay was utter, utter shit, though.

@KingWilly said:

@Baillie: I love everything about Catherine except for playing it.

I'm of the opinion that it should've been about a guy who had trouble facing the realities of adulthood, of becoming a father, of committing to a woman he knows he loves, but isn't sure if he's in love with her. The nightmare stuff was neat, but the supernatural elements were unnecessary. I was hooked by the drama of the situation, and the fact that Vincent is actually a really decent guy.

Gameplay was utter, utter shit, though.

gameplay was amazing, I'll have you know

@KingWilly said:

@Baillie: I love everything about Catherine except for playing it.

I'm of the opinion that it should've been about a guy who had trouble facing the realities of adulthood, of becoming a father, of committing to a woman he knows he loves, but isn't sure if he's in love with her. The nightmare stuff was neat, but the supernatural elements were unnecessary. I was hooked by the drama of the situation, and the fact that Vincent is actually a really decent guy.

Gameplay was utter, utter shit, though.

gameplay was amazing, I'll have you know

Still not out in Europe. Damn localisation. Or whatever it is that is actually causing this delay.

@Baillie said:

@Catolf: @kingzetta: No, no, I know they didn't do an endurance run of it. I meant Catherine shouldn't get a 'pass' as a good game just because GiantBomb did an endurance run of Persona 4... If you get me? Sorry for the confusion! :P

Your logic is baffling. You know that Jeff reviewed Catherine and gave it a low score, right? So people on GB apparently like Catherine because of their ER, despite their review lambasting it? Bartender, I'll have whatever this user is having. I'll certainly grant you that the ER got more people interested in Catherine initially, but believing people are fooling themselves into liking it after having actually played it because of having watched a Persona 4 ER makes you sound like a kooky internet psychologist.

Anyways, I had a chance to finally play through Catherine, as well. It's not a good game. Not terrible, but the story is pretty horrible, you can tell who is behind the whole thing within the first 5 minutes of the game (I was hoping the entire time that it wasn't that obvious, but it is), Vincent is a sniveling scumbag of a main character, Catherine is a terrible secondary "love interest", and they could have done far more with the choices/text replies/morality system than they did.

It does look nice, though, and the gameplay is fun (though I wish you could rotate the camera around 360 degrees, as the controls switching on you when you're climbing behind things is really disorienting). I did like Vincent's friends, Erica, and Katherine... It's a shame the game wasn't about any one of them instead of Vincent.

I still don't know how I feel about that game. If I had to give it a score it would be ?/5. That being said it is one of my favorite games that came out this year.

It's alright. The twist in the game is completely stupid though.

@PixelPrinny: I may be a kooky internet psychologist, but there is no way this forum would even be remotely active if it wasn't for the Persona 4 Endurance Run, in fact, before the ER I don't think I saw any posts about Shin Megami games at all. Catherine came out and everyone wanted it to be the new ER, it didn't happen so people played it themselves and I truly believe most have forced themselves to look beyond everything and praise it for being by Atlus.

It's the same with Deadly Premonition. That game is absolutely awful and no one would have said they enjoyed it if it wasn't for the ER. Persona 4 was actually a good game, and that's what made it special.

@Baillie said:

@PixelPrinny: Catherine came out and everyone wanted it to be the new ER, it didn't happen so people played it themselves and I truly believe most have forced themselves to look beyond everything and praise it for being by Atlus.

That's a new one.

@Baillie: Even people who like Deadly Premonition will agree that the game side of it is terrible. They enjoyed the quirky and absurd story and characters.

I wont deny that the Persona 4 ER drew attention to Catherine from a crowd at Giantbomb but as for what you are assuming that is ridiculous.

@Resident4t: Maybe. I just think people are giving it praise (more than it deserves) because Atlus seem to be pretty untouchable on GiantBomb.

@Baillie said: 

@Resident4t: Maybe. I just think people are giving it praise (more than it deserves) because Atlus seem to be pretty untouchable on GiantBomb.

That's odd, because I recall there being several people who didn't like Catherine and had no problems stating their displeasure with it. Also, I disliked Devil Survivor, which is an Atlus game. 
 
You're just overgeneralizing.

@FluxWaveZ said:

@Baillie said: 

@Resident4t: Maybe. I just think people are giving it praise (more than it deserves) because Atlus seem to be pretty untouchable on GiantBomb.

That's odd, because I recall there being several people who didn't like Catherine and had no problems stating their displeasure with it. Also, I disliked Devil Survivor, which is an Atlus game. 
 
You're just overgeneralizing.

I think they forget that 2 out of five that it was given here..XP No, everyone did not like catherine, though i will admit that GB did shine a light on the SMT/atlus games in general, being a small company i bet it was nice to get a few new fans their way.

@Baillie said:

@Resident4t: Maybe. I just think people are giving it praise (more than it deserves) because Atlus seem to be pretty untouchable on GiantBomb.

Talk to Video_Game_King about Devil Survivor sometime. See where that gets you.

@Hailinel: Why do you want to torture him so?

Catherine is a fun and unique game. What other game is half bar simulator and half block puzzling?

I hope they take the art style and transfer it to Persona 5. That would be amazing.

@Baillie said:

@Resident4t: Maybe. I just think people are giving it praise (more than it deserves) because Atlus seem to be pretty untouchable on GiantBomb.

Talk to Video_Game_King about Devil Survivor sometime. See where that gets you.

Also a huge fan of Catherine, didn't know if I would like the block puzzle aspect but that shit is great, I had dreams about those puzzles more than once lol

The story twist was a little lame, but I went with it and it really wasn't as terrible as everyone says. Though Vincent is a little bit of a dumbass sometimes (I mean wtf tell your fiance that you messed up, don't keep going back to the same bar every night and getting shit-faced then be surprised when you wake up with the same girl.) but no big most main characters act like dumbasses at some point.

I guess my point is that I loved the game even with the issues it had.

@Baillie said:

@PixelPrinny: I may be a kooky internet psychologist, but there is no way this forum would even be remotely active if it wasn't for the Persona 4 Endurance Run, in fact, before the ER I don't think I saw any posts about Shin Megami games at all. Catherine came out and everyone wanted it to be the new ER, it didn't happen so people played it themselves and I truly believe most have forced themselves to look beyond everything and praise it for being by Atlus.

It's the same with Deadly Premonition. That game is absolutely awful and no one would have said they enjoyed it if it wasn't for the ER. Persona 4 was actually a good game, and that's what made it special.

This may sound weird, but I played the demo for Catherine and totally loved it, so i sorta....bought it. The opinions of people on the internet had no bearing on my enjoyment of the game. As a puzzler, I found the mechanics to be addictive, challenging and rewarding. More power to you for not liking it, but that doesn't mean that people that do like it do so for artificial reasons. I don't even disagree with Jeff's review of the game, as I think all his points are totally valid. However, the things that ruined the game for him had zero effect on me. Also, unlike most, I could give two shits about the story. I just really enjoyed the actual gameplay.

I loved the gameplay in Catherine, despite my dislike for Vincent as a character and an issue or two with the way the story played out and how your choices affect things. It was a fantastic game, probably some of the most fun I had all year despite the punishing difficulty it can throw at you before you get used to the mechanics.

@Baillie said:

@Resident4t: Maybe. I just think people are giving it praise (more than it deserves) because Atlus seem to be pretty untouchable on GiantBomb.

That's kind of a ridiculous assumption. Some people like the game, some people don't, both sides are pretty vocal even here. The staff doesn't even like Catherine that much and regularly mock it when it comes up in the Bombcast. It's not like people enjoying the game is limited entirely to people who like the Endurance Run, and it's pretty insulting to insinuate as much.

@Bocam said:

@Hailinel: Why do you want to torture him so?

It'd teach him a lesson. :P

@kingzetta said:

@Hailinel said:

@Baillie said:

@Resident4t: Maybe. I just think people are giving it praise (more than it deserves) because Atlus seem to be pretty untouchable on GiantBomb.

Talk to Video_Game_King about Devil Survivor sometime. See where that gets you.

Does he like it or hate it?

To hear him tell it, he despises the game with every fiber of his being.

goodupdategoodupdategoodupdategoodupdate

babel is a fucking dick, can't even to menhir or obelisk D:

@Hailinel said:

@Baillie said:

@Resident4t: Maybe. I just think people are giving it praise (more than it deserves) because Atlus seem to be pretty untouchable on GiantBomb.

Talk to Video_Game_King about Devil Survivor sometime. See where that gets you.

I think I missed that era of the forums. And everyone that mentions it does so in hushed fearful tones.

@Turambar said:

@Hailinel said:

@Baillie said:

@Resident4t: Maybe. I just think people are giving it praise (more than it deserves) because Atlus seem to be pretty untouchable on GiantBomb.

Talk to Video_Game_King about Devil Survivor sometime. See where that gets you.

I think I missed that era of the forums. And everyone that mentions it does so in hushed fearful tones.

That's because bringing it up is like summoning Beetlejuice.

@Hailinel said:

@Baillie said:

@Resident4t: Maybe. I just think people are giving it praise (more than it deserves) because Atlus seem to be pretty untouchable on GiantBomb.

Talk to Video_Game_King about Devil Survivor sometime. See where that gets you.

I think I missed that era of the forums. And everyone that mentions it does so in hushed fearful tones.

@Turambar said:

@Hailinel said:

@Baillie said:

@Resident4t: Maybe. I just think people are giving it praise (more than it deserves) because Atlus seem to be pretty untouchable on GiantBomb.

Talk to Video_Game_King about Devil Survivor sometime. See where that gets you.

I think I missed that era of the forums. And everyone that mentions it does so in hushed fearful tones.

and the era of trophyhunter

@kingzetta said:

@Turambar said:

@Hailinel said:

@Baillie said:

@Resident4t: Maybe. I just think people are giving it praise (more than it deserves) because Atlus seem to be pretty untouchable on GiantBomb.

Talk to Video_Game_King about Devil Survivor sometime. See where that gets you.

I think I missed that era of the forums. And everyone that mentions it does so in hushed fearful tones.

and the era of trophyhunter

Man I miss everything.  Where's FrankCanada and his GB retrospectives when we need him.

@Animasta said:

goodupdategoodupdategoodupdategoodupdate

babel is a fucking dick, can't even to menhir or obelisk D:

Yeah I know! I cannot even beat Altar. How the hell do people beat these. I do not even want to think about what Axis Mundi is like! O_O

@PixelPrinny said:

@Baillie said:

@Catolf: @kingzetta: No, no, I know they didn't do an endurance run of it. I meant Catherine shouldn't get a 'pass' as a good game just because GiantBomb did an endurance run of Persona 4... If you get me? Sorry for the confusion! :P

Your logic is baffling. You know that Jeff reviewed Catherine and gave it a low score, right? So people on GB apparently like Catherine because of their ER, despite their review lambasting it? Bartender, I'll have whatever this user is having. I'll certainly grant you that the ER got more people interested in Catherine initially, but believing people are fooling themselves into liking it after having actually played it because of having watched a Persona 4 ER makes you sound like a kooky internet psychologist.

Anyways, I had a chance to finally play through Catherine, as well. It's not a good game. Not terrible, but the story is pretty horrible, you can tell who is behind the whole thing within the first 5 minutes of the game (I was hoping the entire time that it wasn't that obvious, but it is), Vincent is a sniveling scumbag of a main character, Catherine is a terrible secondary "love interest", and they could have done far more with the choices/text replies/morality system than they did.

It does look nice, though, and the gameplay is fun (though I wish you could rotate the camera around 360 degrees, as the controls switching on you when you're climbing behind things is really disorienting). I did like Vincent's friends, Erica, and Katherine... It's a shame the game wasn't about any one of them instead of Vincent.

SPOILER WARNING: Click here to reveal hidden content.

I realize there are people out there who like Vincent and think it's a moving story of a guy coming to terms with adulthood, but come the fuck on -- after three nights of waking up with some stranger in your bed, you're completely retarded if you're a) not questioning her about what the fuck is going on; b) telling your goddamn fiancee, cause this is a full on affair and you're a scumbag for cheating on her, and c) STOPPING DRINKING BECAUSE CLEARLY YOU'RE DOING SHIT YOU REGRET WHEN YOU DRINK LATE AT NIGHT, EVERY NIGHT, AND CANT REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED.

"Derp, oh man, I got plastered last night and don't remember anything. Woah, stranger in my bed! wtf happened?!?! Oh well, I'll just get plastered again tonight, and every other night, and not actually try to figure anything out or resolve anything till some guy just blurts out the whole fucking plot to me a week from now,"

I finished the game not too long ago and I am pretty much where you are at on it. That was amazing that you figured out the culprit. I should pay more attention. My only complaint with your argument is that with the exception of the very first night and scenes after the bar when he is at home, you are making Vincent getting drunk at the bar if you want. Other than that, I agree with you on every other point. I tried both law and chaos paths and they do not affect what he does until the end. The story script just feels forced and annoying. I did have fun with the block puzzles (especially during the boss stages), but I do not feel compelled to play the game again.

@kingzetta said:

Uncharted and LA Norie look amazing, but they look good in a CG way. Catherine is fucking art.

I'm sorry, just because a game is good looking doesn't make it art.

There are other parts of it that I might defend as art, but I'm never going to talk about games as art because it LOOKS nice.

it was good not awesome but if you asked me what was the most different game this year it would probably be this one and I look forward to games like this in the future.

I don't think it's fair to call Vincent a dick. I mean...

Catherine was sneaking in his apartment and having sex with him while he was asleep. Sure, he probably shouldn't have hidden the relationship from his girlfriend but I don't think that makes him a scumbag.

I found Catherine's gameplay to be crazy fun. When I'd go to sleep after playing it I'd be thinking about the puzzles for an hour or so and trying to think up tricks to do stuff. A few times I grew really frustrated, particularly the escort part, and the second to last boss. But I still loved how it played, with the caveat of needing the full 360 degree range of rotation.

And my enjoyment has nothing to do with it being Atlus.

@Turambar said:

@Hailinel said:

@Baillie said:

@Resident4t: Maybe. I just think people are giving it praise (more than it deserves) because Atlus seem to be pretty untouchable on GiantBomb.

Talk to Video_Game_King about Devil Survivor sometime. See where that gets you.

I think I missed that era of the forums. And everyone that mentions it does so in hushed fearful tones.

That's because bringing it up is like summoning Beetlejuice.

@Resident4t: Maybe. I just think people are giving it praise (more than it deserves) because Atlus seem to be pretty untouchable on GiantBomb.

@mutha3: You're SILLY!

@kingzetta said:

Uncharted and LA Norie look amazing, but they look good in a CG way. Catherine is fucking art.

I'm sorry, just because a game is good looking doesn't make it art.

There are other parts of it that I might defend as art, but I'm never going to talk about games as art because it LOOKS nice.

I just remembered I need to finish this game.... I started playing it the same time my brother did, but I ended up walking by at the wrong time, caught some late game spoilers and decided to put it off. Amazing game and soundtrack.

@Baillie said:

@Resident4t: Maybe. I just think people are giving it praise (more than it deserves) because Atlus seem to be pretty untouchable on GiantBomb.

That is completely false.

I mean, Persona 2 came out in September with almost no attention from this site. Same with Etrian Odyssey 3 in 2010, and that game was fucking amazing.