Choose Our Own Adventure for Wed 10/28/2015

Hey y'all!

We'll live streaming again this Wednesday, and while we'll most likely be finishing up Episode 2 of Life is Strange and maybe get into some of Episode 3 after that we've been thinking of making the show a 1-shot for games. I originally envisioned it as a place to try out a bunch of stuff we're either missing out on or haven't had time to check out but getting locked into one game defeats that purpose.

We may continue Life is Strange in a Playdate. That is a premium piece of content, so I don't want folks to feel like it's a bait-and-switch. Let me know what you guys think below, but that's the direction we're leaning right now. I like the idea of constantly testing games out in one feature, and if folks and we are interested in pursuing them further, do it in another feature for us and those people and leave the testing ground for people to recommend new games.

--Vinny

I'm fine with Life is Strange as a Playdate, and I think it makes more sense.

I would love for you guys to have a look into games that normally wouldn't get coverage from GB. Someone mentioned Football Manager and I would love to see it, but stuff like weird free-to-play games would also be interesting!

A different game a show sounds more fun Vinny

I agree, You might as well put Life is Strange as a playdate. Makes more sense, and frees you guys up to play more random/interesting games!

I'm more than happy to have Life Is Strange move to a different slot as a Playdate. Right from the start I thought Choose Our Own Adventure would be more like what that original vision was, as a place to try one new game every episode (similar to Danny O'Dwyer's old Random Encounter at Gamespot) and was really disappointed to get Life Is Strange every week. I couldn't care less about that clichéd game.

As for game suggestions, I don't know if they have to be recent games or could be anything. But it would be cool to have one of you play some of your favorite games, explain to the other two (and the audience) why you like it and then rotate it (one day Vinny's game, other day Austin's, other day Alex's). It's always interesting hearing you guys talk about a game you're passionate about.

I also like the idea of Choose Our Own Adventure being more of a one off play of a game. I am also certainly all for Life is Strange as a Playdate.

@ratamero: I really like the idea of having them play Football Manager as well, but I think it would work better if Danny could join them, like when they do videos about Cricket games or Fifa and PES. That way, we still get a funny video but there's also someone there who knows what's going on and can help them move in the game.

Can't wait for the LiS stream - watching the first two streams finally got me to play the game for myself, and it only gets better as time goes on. Continuing in a Playdate seems like a fine idea to me (though as a premium user I may be a little biased :p), as the longer video series (Endurance Run, VinnyVania, Contradiction etc.) are among my favourite content on the site.

Using Choose Our Own Adventure are a proving ground/one shot look at certain games seems like a good idea as well. Treating it similar to an extended UPF segment would be a great way to look at games you've missed or wouldn't really be suited to a longer playthrough. On a more cynical note, the business side of that works out pretty well too - "Want to see us play more of GameX? Well maybe you should subscribe..."

I absolutely want to see you guys finish Life is Strange E2 but I also do want to see this feature actually kind of work as it was originally intended, ie. as a one-off. Ergo I'd be cool with LiS being pushed to premium-features.

@johnymyko: I seem to remember Austin saying that he knows his soccer, so it wouldn't be a complete horror show, I guess.

I'm fine with 'Life is Strange' as a Playdate, as long as you guys continue playing it. I really want to see you guys continue with it, it has been super fun watching you guys play it. I don't think moving it from a free feature to a payed one is a big deal, same sort of thing happen with Contradiction.

Making C.O.O.A. a one shot makes sense, though maybe have rule more as 'it can't be the same game twice in a row.' That would allow some room for things to bubble up to playdates if every other time they are being chosen and you guys are digging them... I don't know, it's a hard question, how to actually format this. I love the feature, just yeah the rules around might take some time to solidify.

If we are supposed to vote for this week, my vote is: Life is Strange

I expected this move. I agree with this and Kerbal should also be a separate feature.

I love Life is Strange and I really hope you guys play more of it so it can get its props in the GOTY discussions. However, I'd be perfectly fine if you moved it to a Playdate to free up COOA for something else.

Also, I fully endorse any and all Football Manager talk on the live streams.

I like Life is Strange and I agree - it's probably better in the playdate slot alternating with VinnyVania.

If we're suggesting stuff - I'd agree with Football Manager assuming Austin knows enough about Football to delve into it - it's not really a fun game to watch if you have no idea.

On the other hand Kingdom Hearts or Europa Universalis IV could be fun.

I agree with what everybody's feelings are. After playing Life is Strange this week, it should be moved into a play date and the weekly choice can go to something else. It'll serve the format and make everyone happy.

I'll put my enthusiastic support into finishing Life is Strange in the premium play date format. I love GBeast's content and want to support the guys!

As long as we get more Life is Strange, that's fine by me. :) But yeah, it probably makes sense at this point to move it to a Playdate. I think it's fine to move it to premium because, as you said Vinny, this was seen more as a lot of one off episodes. It just so happens Life is Strange is such a crazy popular game.

If this week isn't going to be Life is Strange, I'd recommend Tales from the Borderlands, Phantasmagoria 2, or Kerbal.

As others have said, moving Life is Strange to a Playdate is a good idea. I still want to see you guys play it, but COOA should be its own proving ground/1-shot thing.

Basically this.

Yeah I totally support the decision to move Life Is Strange to a GBE Playdate feature. As for a one off type of game: Still would love to see Alex play WWE Smackdown: Here Comes The Pain

I'm definitely more interested in one-off games than a whole series of Life is Strange..

I really want to see some Keep Talking.

Football Manager would be hilarious. Just seeing someone trying to make sense of it all, and then maybe scoring a goal or winning a match... be some epic viewing. Possibly the first time GB has covered the games also? Not sure.

Perhaps a return to Euro Truck Simulator 2, another road trip!

Life is Strange as Playdate sounds great.

Sounds good Vinny! =)

• Life Is Strange is my recommendation for this week, but yeah, maybe graduate that to a Playdate.
• Endless Legend is my other suggestion, because it's a cool game. I don't know if a Civilization-style game is great for a livestream, when up against games like Life Is Strange or Phantasmagoria 2 where the users want to see the staff reactions to the events of the story.

Hey @vinny, is the intention to make Choose Our Own Adventure a democratic thing for the foreseeable future? The alternative is that you treat it more like improv, where we (the audience) throw out a bunch of suggestions, but you, Alex, and Austin ultimately pick the suggestion you like the most instead of it being mob rule. If you do it purely by votes, my only concern is that you're going to inevitably get roped into a Playdate for both Life Is Strange and Phantasmagoria 2, given the current leanings of the community. If you guys get the final say, you can at least steer things away from nonstop narrative-focused games where the community will have an expectation that you see the whole story through.

Divinity: Original Sin enhanced edition just came out. That could be fun.

Sword Coast Legends!

Austin as DM.

You Vinny, Alex, and get on the horn and call DAVE SNIDER!!!!!!!!!!!

Life is Strange as a playdate sounds good to me, I like the idea of a different game every week.

As for this week, I think playing Europa Universalis IV would be cool. Or, with all this disappointment around THPS5, one of the Skate games...

If we're still voting for this week, I vote for Life Is Strange just to finish off episode 2. Episode 2 ends really strongly and it'd be nice to get that out of the way just in case the play date to continue it doesn't happen for a while.

Going to echo the majority of comments here. I'm thoroughly enjoying the LiS playthrough and would hate to see it come to a sudden stop. I have no qualms with it being transferred to a Playdate format. Otherwise, I'm completely onboard with COOA being used as a one off feature to showcase games.

PHANTASMAGORIA 2

Life's a bit too strange for my tastes. I wouldn't mind seeing it continue in a playdate. I think that format is a better fit for the game anyway. Otherwise I don't think we'll see many other games for some time.

Life is strange, unless it becomes a playdate, then I want some Phantasmagoria 2

• Phantasmagoria 2.

I would like it if Life is Strange became a Playdate. I don't like the idea of getting invested into a playthrough of something, then having it stop because of votes. Choose Your Own Adventure should definitely be more about, like Vinny said, one-off plays of games. Playdates are more for the multi-part series.

I do not care how you guys keep playing life is strange as long as you keep playing it. :)

Phantasmagoria 2

Life is Strange continuing on Playdate would probably be the best option.

I think this feature in its original form is a great idea and I'm fine with LiS moving as long as it continues. LiS is such a good game in my opinion and I think it would be a shame if it didn't at least get mentioned at the GOTY discussion because none of staff members have played it.

Pick and choose.

• Point Blank(PS1)
• Samurai Western(PS2)
• Rival Schools(PS1)
• Vib Ribbon(PS1)
• Psi-Ops(PS2/Xbox)
• Gitaroo Man(PS2)
• Shadow of Rome(PS2)
• Blood Will Tell(PS2)
• Rhythm Heaven Fever(Wii)
• Fire Pro Wrestling Returns(PS2)
• Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast(PS2)
• Metal Slug Anthology(PS2/Wii)
• Heavenly Guardian(PS2)
• Darkwatch(PS2/Xbox)
• Heatseeker(PS2)
• Gregory Horror Show(PS2)
• Disaster Report(PS2)
• Sky Odyssey(PS2)
• Dogstation(PS2)
• Fear Effect (PS1)
• Breakdown(Xbox)
• Bishi Bashi Special(PS1)
• Makai Kingdom(PS2)
• Space Fishermen(PS2)
• Boogie(PS2/Wii)
• Stretch Panic(PS2)
• Urban Chaos: Riot Response(PS2/Xbox)

Iʼm fine with Life is Strange as a Playdate if that just means itʼs moving to a different slot and becoming a weekly feature rather than having to vote for it, because Iʼm really enjoying watching you go through it.

Iʼd also like to see you finish it—as a group—before the GotY discussions this year, because I really do think itʼs a contender.

Though I donʼt think it has a chance of winning Giant Bombʼs GotY award (I think thatʼs going to end up being MGS:V, just like Shadow of Mordor won last year) I do think it deserves a place on the list, and I donʼt know that anyone in the other office is likely to return to it. (Maybe@brad would give it a chance?)

I donʼt know that I have any suggestions for “Choose Our Own Adventure” though.

I really enjoyed “Random PC Game” where you were playing older PC games rather than new releases. An enhanced edition of the original System Shock was just released on GOG and Steam recently, so that might be interesting to see? I donʼt know how well that would work in the “three people in front of a camera” format rather than just a longer Quick Look though, so perhaps sticking to FMV games or point & click adventure games might be a better idea.

I will say that I really do not want to see Football Manager (for a video stream, really‽) and unless there have been big changes recently, Kerbal seems a bit overplayed at this point so I would prefer to see something that you havenʼt played before.

Gonna do a repost

Interstate 76

Blood

Thief 1 or 2

Tesla Effect

Giants: Citizen Kabuto

MDK

Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl

Hello!

Life is Strange.

Related question for the BEAST crew: What do you think life would be like if everyone could time travel, but just a little bit like in the Life is Strange?

I also would like to see more Life is Strange, whether it's on COOA or a seperate feature.

As for new suggestions, from the top of my head and steam library:

Gods Will Be Watching, Lone Survivor (director's cut), Remember Me, McPixel, Tales from the Borderlands, The Fall

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (Wii Version)

The whole Phoenix Wright trilogy is on Wiiware and according to Nintendo official website you can still buy stuff off the Wii-Shop (by loading into Wii Mode on a Wii U and going to the shop) so it should be easy to get and play it on a Wii U :)

If I say "Sonic the Hedgehog 2006" enough times, maybe it will happen.

I hope you do a different game and do a Play Date for Life is Strange. Like you say, otherwise I don't see the point of the series.

Phantasmagoria 2

Kerbal

Grim Fandango

I'd love to see you guys complete Life is Strange so if it needs to move to a Playdate for that to happen that is fine by me. It's (imo) one of the best games of the year and it would be nice to see it potentially discussed for some awards when you guys do GOTY stuff.

I'm cool with you guys offloading Life is Strange to a Playdate as long as you guys finish it. Having just finished it myself I REALLY wanna see your guys reactions to a number of things that happen. Please please continue playing it in some form or the other!

My first vote would go to Life is Strange however assuming that does get moved to its own thing Phantasmagoria 2 is the next thing on the list for me.

The Sims 4 - This is a great game to mess around with, and I think it would suit the COOA format.

That said, I have no problem with GBEast finishing Life is Strange, either in further Choose Our Own Adventures or a Playdate series. I watched the first episode (which didn't go much further than the Quick Look), but will wait to watch the other installments until I've played the game.

I really want to see you guys finish LiS - graduating it to Playdate might be a good idea.

Also, this sounds like a good idea:

Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)

If you guys are wanting a more 'one and done' kind of game/stream then you have to play Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 most of the best parts are front loaded so you will get to see most of the 'good' stuff in an hour and a half stream without the joke wearing out its welcome :D