Overview: An atmospheric platformer where the player plays as a string pupet named Abby.
20220922:
Today I started this game and completed the first four acts. The game's story is compelling and I just about couldn't put the game down.
Setup: Steam Deck.
Steam Game Time: Unknown.
20220924 Part 1:
Today I completed fifth act, which completes the main story of the game. I have, however, only completed 8 out of 18 achievements. It might be fun to try and complete the remaining achievements some other time. Overall, the game was gorgeous. I suppose, as much as I liked it, the story has a plot hole: the player is introduced to the game under some premise which is somehow both false and true. The ambiguous premise is never really resolved, and somehow because the game has a happy ending, that's supposed to somehow make the player forget about the initial assumptions.
The game has elements, particular dark ones, which remind me of Limbo. Doing a quick search, it appears that Limbo is one of the inspirations for the game (though I'll have to double-check).
At 104 minutes, the game is relatively short. Though for my current mood is perfect.
Steam Game Time: 104 minutes (total game time)
20220924 Part 2:
In the evening I decided to set out and hunt for various achievements. I ended up completing all but one.
Gameplay Log:
Bullseye: for some reason I didn't hit the bullseye on the left target. But I walked to the right of the right target and hit it from the left and that counted.
Animal Friend: I didn't know I'd be getting an achievement but I knew I got one for not freeing the wolf. So I figure why not free him this time around. The choice to free him was much easier to realize given the game's ending.
Riot: I initially didn't see what to do. So I was just jumping around. It occurred to me later in the act there were rocks. It took me a couple of throws before I hit the part of the stage that could be ruined
Childish: straightforward, it does take a couple throws
Lunchtime: I looked for this in several places (probably at least four distinct parts of the game until I managed success). I wasn't sure what was meant by "freedom" and where one could take a break ("enjoy").
An apple a day...: I first tried the circus scene. It didn't seem to work so then I tried the near opening, then the end, this was all earlier. When I unlocked it here, I went back to the circus sceme and just kept throwing an apple and waiting for him to eat it one by one. Eventually it worked so I guess it was a certain number of apples [apparently 8]
Troublemaker: before I tried "annoying" the baker. I looked in one or two other places in the game. When I unlocked it here... I was gonna go to the baker again but figure I poke around and I happened to notice the bell.
Plumber: I thought about the hint and I read it over and over as I revisted the achievement list. It finally clicked that the barrel was probably the whirlpool and trying to plug it up. I had two barrels plus the ship get sucked in. But I'm not sure exactly what it takes to get this achievement
Close Call: I tried this one before by ringing the bell multiple times but I didn't get it. When I unlocked it here, I was moving the cart around and seemingly randomly unlocked it [I later read through a guide that mentioned certain movements will alarm a bandit to raise his torch but not pursue the noise]
On Dry Feet: I attempted this once early and tried again before falling in the water. I decided to not pursue this achievement today. It's kind of an annoying achievement.
Steam Game Time: 3.3 hours (total game time)
20220928:
I took a crack at "On Dry Feet". Unfortunately, I fell into the water at a jump near the end of the level before the corpse segment. Apparently a running jump is better here. It takes about 10 minutes to run Act II, and I wasn't interested in attempting the achievement twice in a row.
Steam Game Time: 3.6 hours (total game time)
20220930:
Today I completed the final achievement "On Dry Feet". It took me two-and-a-half tries. The first time I got to the end and somehow failed to jump to the rope with the dead body. The second time I fell into the water near the beginning. Technically it wasn't a full fall. It was just a cliff fall, but I had learned the other day that this counts as a failed attempt. As such, I tried once more and managed to succeed. The achievement is given as soon as the last jump is made (before the Tonda chase).
Steam Game Time: 4.2 hours (total game time)
Thoughts:
Pros:
+ Captivating story
+ Beautiful visuals / atmospheric
+ Fun puzzles
+ The animation and interaction deriving from the strings is wonderful
+ Good narration
Neutral:
~ Unreliable narrator
Minor Con:
- For such a good feeling game, it was
20231224:
Ensuring backup of game from Steam Deck to PC.
Steam Game Time: 4.2 hours (cumulative game time) / 0.0 hours (session game time)
https://www.metacritic.com/game/switch/a-jugglers-tale
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1252830/A_Jugglers_Tale/
20220922:
Today I started this game and completed the first four acts. The game's story is compelling and I just about couldn't put the game down.
Setup: Steam Deck.
Steam Game Time: Unknown.
20220924 Part 1:
Today I completed fifth act, which completes the main story of the game. I have, however, only completed 8 out of 18 achievements. It might be fun to try and complete the remaining achievements some other time. Overall, the game was gorgeous. I suppose, as much as I liked it, the story has a plot hole: the player is introduced to the game under some premise which is somehow both false and true. The ambiguous premise is never really resolved, and somehow because the game has a happy ending, that's supposed to somehow make the player forget about the initial assumptions.
The game has elements, particular dark ones, which remind me of Limbo. Doing a quick search, it appears that Limbo is one of the inspirations for the game (though I'll have to double-check).
At 104 minutes, the game is relatively short. Though for my current mood is perfect.
Steam Game Time: 104 minutes (total game time)
20220924 Part 2:
In the evening I decided to set out and hunt for various achievements. I ended up completing all but one.
Gameplay Log:
Bullseye: for some reason I didn't hit the bullseye on the left target. But I walked to the right of the right target and hit it from the left and that counted.
Animal Friend: I didn't know I'd be getting an achievement but I knew I got one for not freeing the wolf. So I figure why not free him this time around. The choice to free him was much easier to realize given the game's ending.
Riot: I initially didn't see what to do. So I was just jumping around. It occurred to me later in the act there were rocks. It took me a couple of throws before I hit the part of the stage that could be ruined
Childish: straightforward, it does take a couple throws
Lunchtime: I looked for this in several places (probably at least four distinct parts of the game until I managed success). I wasn't sure what was meant by "freedom" and where one could take a break ("enjoy").
An apple a day...: I first tried the circus scene. It didn't seem to work so then I tried the near opening, then the end, this was all earlier. When I unlocked it here, I went back to the circus sceme and just kept throwing an apple and waiting for him to eat it one by one. Eventually it worked so I guess it was a certain number of apples [apparently 8]
Troublemaker: before I tried "annoying" the baker. I looked in one or two other places in the game. When I unlocked it here... I was gonna go to the baker again but figure I poke around and I happened to notice the bell.
Plumber: I thought about the hint and I read it over and over as I revisted the achievement list. It finally clicked that the barrel was probably the whirlpool and trying to plug it up. I had two barrels plus the ship get sucked in. But I'm not sure exactly what it takes to get this achievement
Close Call: I tried this one before by ringing the bell multiple times but I didn't get it. When I unlocked it here, I was moving the cart around and seemingly randomly unlocked it [I later read through a guide that mentioned certain movements will alarm a bandit to raise his torch but not pursue the noise]
On Dry Feet: I attempted this once early and tried again before falling in the water. I decided to not pursue this achievement today. It's kind of an annoying achievement.
Steam Game Time: 3.3 hours (total game time)
20220928:
I took a crack at "On Dry Feet". Unfortunately, I fell into the water at a jump near the end of the level before the corpse segment. Apparently a running jump is better here. It takes about 10 minutes to run Act II, and I wasn't interested in attempting the achievement twice in a row.
Steam Game Time: 3.6 hours (total game time)
20220930:
Today I completed the final achievement "On Dry Feet". It took me two-and-a-half tries. The first time I got to the end and somehow failed to jump to the rope with the dead body. The second time I fell into the water near the beginning. Technically it wasn't a full fall. It was just a cliff fall, but I had learned the other day that this counts as a failed attempt. As such, I tried once more and managed to succeed. The achievement is given as soon as the last jump is made (before the Tonda chase).
Steam Game Time: 4.2 hours (total game time)
Thoughts:
Pros:
+ Captivating story
+ Beautiful visuals / atmospheric
+ Fun puzzles
+ The animation and interaction deriving from the strings is wonderful
+ Good narration
Neutral:
~ Unreliable narrator
Minor Con:
- For such a good feeling game, it was
20231224:
Ensuring backup of game from Steam Deck to PC.
Steam Game Time: 4.2 hours (cumulative game time) / 0.0 hours (session game time)
https://www.metacritic.com/game/switch/a-jugglers-tale
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1252830/A_Jugglers_Tale/
Date/Time
Thursday, September 22, 2022
@
21:00
Labels
__rating_4
,
__rating.8
,
100% achievements
,
atmospheric
,
fantasy
,
main game completed
,
platformer
,
story rich
,
top 100
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