Humble Choice October 2023

[Spalls Hurgenson]

Oops. I almost missed the fact that the new Humble Choice games were
released today. While not as good as the usual freebies, I'm also open
to CHEAP games too, and 8 games for $12 USD seems a reasonable enough
approximation of 'cheap' to me. So what do we get this month?


(all games purchased from HumbleChoice
https://www.humblebundle.com/membership/home
and then redeemed on Steam)


* The Quarry: Deluxe Edition
https://store.steampowered.com/sub/727611/
Many of this months games have a horror theme to
them, appropriate to the season. An adventure-horror
experience, it's more cinematic than game. But it's
one of those games you play more for the narrative
than the challenge. If you ever wanted a slightly
more immersive horror-movie experience, this will
probably scratch that itch. But don't go into it
expecting a lot of freedom or stuff to do.


* Metal Hellsinger
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1061910/Metal_Hellsinger/
It's a rhythm game crossed with a boomer-shooter; a
combination that in no way should work as well as it
does. We've been slaying demons to metal for decades,
but this is the first time we've been slaying them
WITH metal. Is it a great game? No, not really; I'm
not really a fan of rhythm games and I find their
inclusion mars the shooter aspects. But it's an OKAY
game, and I appreciate the game's originality.

* Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1281590/The_Dark_Pictures_Anthology_House_of_Ashes/
Another of Supermassive's 'action-adventure-horror'
games (they also developed "The Quarry" above). Same
strengths, same weaknesses; it's generally well
produced but its more about the story and setting
than creating a fun GAMING experience (to wit, many
of the in-game challenges are QTEs). IT's short fun,
not particularly deep or engaging but fun nonetheless.
But, honestly, if you've played any of Supermassive's
other games, it's hard to recommend this one; it's
just more of the same.

* Rebel Inc: Escalation
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1088790/Rebel_Inc_Escalation/
Produced by the same team that created the mobile
game "Plague", "Rebel Inc" is a strategy sim that has
you trying to rebuild a country smashed apart by
civil war. Balance the various needs of politics,
military strategy and civilian necessities. The
individual campaigns are all fairly short and perhaps
a bit too heavily dependent on the RNG for encounters.
It's probably better suited to mobile but it's fine;
it's not the game you'll dedicate a lot of time to,
but good enough to waste a few hours with.


* Spirit of the Land
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1592110/Spirit_of_the_Island/
Basically, a Stardew Valley clone. Build up your farm and
all that. Not my usual genre, and it doesn't look to
be particularly polished, but if you like this sort
of game, you'll probably get a kick out of it.

* Lords & Villeins
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1287530/Lords_and_Villeins/
Looks sort of like "SimCity" crossed with "Stardew
Valley" crossed with "Crusader Kings". Its an intriguing
enough combination - build a city that's dependent not
only on physical resources but also the make-up of the
ruling dynasty. But does it work? Reviews are largely
negative, so probably not. Complaints include too
much micromanagement, not enough QOL; a generally
unpolished experience all around. Shame.


* A Jugglers Tale
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1252830/A_Jugglers_Tale/
An action/adventure/platformer where you lead a puppet
(the stringed sort) on a quest for freedom. Basically,
walk to the right, jump over things, solve simple
puzzles, run, jump, and hide. Think "Limbo" except
less depressing and with nicer graphics.


* Mr Prepper
https://store.steampowered.com/app/761830/Mr_Prepper/
Build the underground shelter of your dreams. Scavenge
the world above for supplies to expand your underground
man-cave. It looks sort of like a mixture of "Fallout
Shelter" and "This War of Mine". Reviews are generally
positive, IF you have the DLC... which this version
doesn't include. Hmmm.



This month's haul: worth it or not? That's a difficult call. I happen
to enjoy Supermassive adventure games (even acknowledging their many
flaws), "Metal Hellsinger" is neat, and the rest are conceptually
interesting... but none of them scream "must play". Still, it's hard
to beat the price, and +8 to The Number is a nice bonus. So I'm happy
to grab these, but I imagine many others will be turned off by the
choices.

[Dimensional Traveler]

On 10/3/2023 4:00 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>
> * Spirit of the Land
> https://store.steampowered.com/app/1592110/Spirit_of_the_Island/
> Basically, a Stardew Valley clone. Build up your farm and
> all that. Not my usual genre, and it doesn't look to
> be particularly polished, but if you like this sort
> of game, you'll probably get a kick out of it.

I bought this some time back. Had some issues with it. It wasn't
really finished at the time but claimed to be a full release. Also had
some issues with the controls and game play. How you were supposed to
advance and continue the "story" was not clear much of the time.
Haven't gone back to it.

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

[Geeknix]

On 2023-10-03, Spalls Hurgenson <spallsh...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Oops. I almost missed the fact that the new Humble Choice games were
> released today. While not as good as the usual freebies, I'm also open
> to CHEAP games too, and 8 games for $12 USD seems a reasonable enough
> approximation of 'cheap' to me. So what do we get this month?

Hi Spalls, $12 for 8 games is cheap, I check the site it seems like I
need to me a member though at $12pm. I couldn't find a one off payment
option, is there one?

--
Don't be afraid of the deep...
--[ bbs.bottomlessabyss.net | https | telnet=2023 ]--
--[ /query geeknix on libera.chat | tilde.chat ]--

[Spalls Hurgenson]

On Wed, 04 Oct 2023 01:30:03 GMT, Geeknix
<use...@apple.geeknix135.net> wrote:

>On 2023-10-03, Spalls Hurgenson <spallsh...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Oops. I almost missed the fact that the new Humble Choice games were
>> released today. While not as good as the usual freebies, I'm also open
>> to CHEAP games too, and 8 games for $12 USD seems a reasonable enough
>> approximation of 'cheap' to me. So what do we get this month?
>
>Hi Spalls, $12 for 8 games is cheap, I check the site it seems like I
>need to me a member though at $12pm. I couldn't find a one off payment
>option, is there one?

I /was/ going to write about how the monthly choice thing is always
optional and never an automatic charge, but then I decided to do some
research. Much to my surprise, I learned that, no, it /is/ a
subscription. You can cancel anytime and skip a month (or two, or ten)
but you have to manually do so each month (you don't lose access to
any purchased games if you cancel, though).

So, no, there doesn't seem to be a 'just get this month's games'
option.

Still, if you really are only interested in the single month, sign up,
pay the $12USD, grab the games, then cancel. There's no fine for doing
so, and you can always repeat as necessary if there's a new bundle
that interests you in the future. The main advantages to sticking with
the plan is: convenience, you get an increasing discount from their
store, and access to the 'HumbleVault', for additional games.

Honestly, though, I wouldn't recommend going with the subscription
anyway. While I am generally a happy customer of the service, that's
mostly because cheap games lets me bulk up 'The Number'(tm). But for
those less profligate with their money, it really doesn't make sense
to stick with Choice as a subscription.

In truth, I mostly use the announcements of HumbleChoice games to
(hopefully) prompt discussion of the games themselves more than to
promote the service (it's not like I get kickbacks... though I
probably should. Humble, call me! ;-). Honestly, I'm not really sure
it has value to most people outside of the niche of game-hoarding
weirdos like myself. Certainly not as an every-month subscription
service.

But as an every-now-and-again thing, when you see a game or two that
looks interesting? Go for it. It's worth it at that price.

TL;DR: no, there's no one-off option. But you can cancel right after
the purchase with no real downsides.

[Werner P.]

Am 04.10.23 um 03:30 schrieb Geeknix:

> Hi Spalls, $12 for 8 games is cheap, I check the site it seems like I
> need to me a member though at $12pm. I couldn't find a one off payment
> option, is there one?

it is a subscription service, but unlike for instance ps+ it is a you
get the games permanently service not a rental as long as you pay service!
So whatever you have gotten within the time period you paid for, stays
with you permanently.

Most of the times you get 1-2 really interesting games the rest usually
goes into the pile of shame to be forgotten, but even for 1-2 games it
is worth it!
This month it looks again like a 2 games month!

[Mike S.]

On Wed, 04 Oct 2023 10:58:21 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson
<spallsh...@gmail.com> wrote:

>Still, if you really are only interested in the single month, sign up,
>pay the $12USD, grab the games, then cancel. There's no fine for doing
>so, and you can always repeat as necessary if there's a new bundle
>that interests you in the future.

I have done this exact thing once so far and I had no issues with
doing so.

[Geeknix]

On 2023-10-04, Werner P. <we...@gmx.at> wrote:
> Am 04.10.23 um 03:30 schrieb Geeknix:
>> Hi Spalls, $12 for 8 games is cheap, I check the site it seems like I
>> need to me a member though at $12pm. I couldn't find a one off payment
>> option, is there one?
>
> it is a subscription service, but unlike for instance ps+ it is a you
> get the games permanently service not a rental as long as you pay service!
> So whatever you have gotten within the time period you paid for, stays
> with you permanently.

Ahh good to know.

> Most of the times you get 1-2 really interesting games the rest usually
> goes into the pile of shame to be forgotten, but even for 1-2 games it
> is worth it!

Good point, at $12 per month even if only 2 are your cup of tea still a
good deal. Myself, I'll skip this service for now, one day I'll have the
time for more games.

[Geeknix]

On 2023-10-04, Spalls Hurgenson <spallsh...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 04 Oct 2023 01:30:03 GMT, Geeknix
><use...@apple.geeknix135.net> wrote:
>
>>On 2023-10-03, Spalls Hurgenson <spallsh...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Oops. I almost missed the fact that the new Humble Choice games were
>>> released today. While not as good as the usual freebies, I'm also open
>>> to CHEAP games too, and 8 games for $12 USD seems a reasonable enough
>>> approximation of 'cheap' to me. So what do we get this month?
>>
>>Hi Spalls, $12 for 8 games is cheap, I check the site it seems like I
>>need to me a member though at $12pm. I couldn't find a one off payment
>>option, is there one?
>

> So, no, there doesn't seem to be a 'just get this month's games'
> option.

I thought so, thanks for confirming.

> Honestly, though, I wouldn't recommend going with the subscription
> anyway. While I am generally a happy customer of the service, that's
> mostly because cheap games lets me bulk up 'The Number'(tm). But for
> those less profligate with their money, it really doesn't make sense
> to stick with Choice as a subscription.

I feel guilty enough with the collection of unplayed games I already
have. Adding 8 every month when I will probably play 0 is too much for
me to take.

Will keep checking the site though, who knows maybe one day I'll have
more time!