Though we got good and stuck a few times, with perseverance we managed to finally make it to the end game scene. Eastshade is one of the best long games we have ever played. There is a vast amount of scenery to walk and paddle through, and dozens of fun puzzle assignments to carry out. There is a town and a city to explore, as well as forests, mountains, and an arctic location. There are beaches, caves, waterfalls, and flower strewn woods. Even without working on any of the puzzles, the game is fun when you just walk around. After acquiring a reed boat, one can paddle rivers, streams, and the ocean at will. With a tent the player can camp out, and with a fire and kettle, you can brew various kinds of teas that have a wide range of effects on the player. One of the highlights of the game (no pun intended) is a slow and majestic balloon ride, where the now familiar landscape can be seen from a bird's eye view. The puzzles vary from serious ones to more whimsical ones. There are a lot of them. And there are a lot of 'people' to meet and talk with, too. One of the most fun aspects of the game is that the player is a painter by trade, and can earn money by fulfilling commissions and selling them at the gallery. It's the kind of game that when played after a while one thinks about it during the day a lot, and even at night in bed. The light changes as the day progresses, and each day has a brief eclipse of the sun. Once certain items are collected, the player can wander around at will at night, too. There is no dying in the game. The worst that can happen is that if you do something terribly wrong, you will wake up back in bed at the first inn you have stayed at. There are four inns in the game in which to sleep or rest. A very fun game, especially if you are not in a hurry and love just looking around and exploring. Most of the terrain can be explored off-trail, though the trails are numerous and fun to walk on as well. Highly recommended!
We have now begun playing Syberia 4: The World Before. We played the opening scene, which pretty much is as spectacular an opening as ever seen in any game. Hopefully this won't be as frustrating to play as Syberia 3, which I ended up finishing on my own. Deb finally dropped out due to lack of interest. It was, in retrospect, somewhat flawed in places, but still is worth playing, with many areas of incredible originality and beauty. But this 4th game gets rave reviews.
In TV news, we have been watching the 1st season of Broadchurch, a crime show starring David Tenant and Jodie Whittaker. We are 3 episodes in, and aside from nearly everyone in the town looking like a suspect in the killing of a young boy, it's a pretty good drama. Whittaker is pretty amazing as the mum going through a terrible period of grieving her lost son. Tenant, sporting a light beard, is pretty low key as the lead detective with a cloudy past.
In movie news, there are only two to report, as there have been a few clear nights of late. Deb's leaving choice was called The Star Prince, from 1918. Directed by 21 year old Madeline Brandeis, it is a children's film about a foundling young boy who insults his real mother when he meets her, then spends the rest of the film trying to find her to apologize. There is a princess with whom he is in love, and evil witch and dwarf, and an amazingly clueless king who gives his daughter to the dwarf in marriage. All of the acting roles are carried out by children. It was probably more fun to make the film than it is to watch it.
Her main choice was another silent film, this time from 1920. From Morn To Midnight is a German Expressionist film with some bizarre sets and even more bizarre story. Set in five acts, it concerns a bank cashier who runs off with a lot of cash. He tries to buy women and prestige, but has little luck with either. One of the best parts concerns bicycle racing, with three different social classes that have come to watch. The cashier at home with his fawning family is another highlight. Definitely worth watching. We saw it on Youtube.
Mapman Mike
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