Grimrock

I'm just not having as much fun with this game as I thought I would. At the moment I'm just wandering around not sure what I'm meant to be doing, and while some people might like that kind of thing I generally really need a solid goal in mind with regards to games, like a place to go or a think to do or stuff like that.

I had the same problem with dark souls 2 compared to the original actually.

I actually enjoy LOG2, considerably more. The changes of scenery make it feel like I am not stuck in the same place for hours. (Granted LOG1 had different stone tiles, but LOG2 has that - outside tiles, different outside - swamp, beaches, etc!) Definitely think LOG2 is a huge improvement over the original (and I loved LOG1!)

I thought the first game was amazing, but I was not at all disappointed by the sequel. There were some things I liked more in the first game, but the sequel has improved on other things and just exploded in features. I waited like a little kid before Christmas for LoG2 and I was not let down.

But from the point of view you are presenting I can understand you.

I think I know what your'e talking about. I have trouble staying interested in sandbox-type games. I am loving Grimrock 2, though. I think it's a big improvement over the original.

I'm not sure how far you are in the game. If you're at the point where you have tons of options as to where to go, my advice is to concentrate on one area at a time. Choose an area and play through it as if it were a self-contained dungeon level from Grimrock 1. Mostly they are pretty self-contained, so this has been working out for me.

If you're in one of the first two areas (beach, forest), they're about as linear as dungeon levels in the first game, so I'm not sure what to tell you.

Grimrock 1 excels more in the isolating, enclosed, Claustrophobic feeling, which is mostly gone with Grimrock 2, since there's less dungeon tilesets, mostly just the default one you see in the first few floors of Grimrock 1. Thats is the one thing I truly miss from Grimrock 1.

But, that doesn't mean Grimrock 2's open areas and outside are bad, infact, it means theres still reason to play the first. Some sequels do stuff where "This is so good, you'll never play the previous one again!", but this is an exception. I still have reason to go back to Grimrock 1, to enjoy the claustrophobic dungeons, the "gear" theme with the undying one, and it's unique story. Grimrock 2's is just as good, so I can enjoy that aswell.

Hopefully what I wrote down made sense :p

Maybe someone will port the LoG1 Map into LoG2...

tschrage wrote:Maybe someone will port the LoG1 Map into LoG2...

Hopefully, I miss all the fun dungeon tiles like the prison.

In all honesty, I'm also enjoying GR2 much more than GR1, although, as presented by my "balance" topic, I feel there is still room for improvement within the current system.

LastFootnote wrote:I think I know what your'e talking about. I have trouble staying interested in sandbox-type games. I am loving Grimrock 2, though. I think it's a big improvement over the original.

I'm not sure how far you are in the game. If you're at the point where you have tons of options as to where to go, my advice is to concentrate on one area at a time. Choose an area and play through it as if it were a self-contained dungeon level from Grimrock 1. Mostly they are pretty self-contained, so this has been working out for me.

If you're in one of the first two areas (beach, forest), they're about as linear as dungeon levels in the first game, so I'm not sure what to tell you.

I reached the sleet island/forgotten river area a while ago and so far I've been just wandering around the bog feeling lost. I get this nagging feeling that there's stuff I'm missing that I'll need to come back later and get or something, which is never cool. In fact a lot of what's going on feels like I'll be backtracking later to do, the levels don't feel as self-contained as in grimrock 1. I know the first couple of areas were quite linear and that was cool, I could deal with that, but I guess it kind of opened up too quickly or something? I don't know. If a game goes into being able to go anywhere do anything quite early on I feel incredibly lost, I had a similar problem with gothic 2, combined with that game having some far reaching consequences thing going on.

I didn't have the same problem with morrowind or any of the other elder scrolls games, because although it was really sandbox-y you could still define goals and work purposefully, whether that's doing quests, or raiding a dungeon, or saving up money for something, or even just developing your characters skills or something like that. You could think of a thing you wanted to do, and go do it. In grimrock I have no idea what I want to do

To be honest this is more a personal thing than any failing of the game, or at least it seems that way from other people's reactions.

Baxter wrote:I get this nagging feeling that there's stuff I'm missing that I'll need to come back later and get or something, which is never cool. In fact a lot of what's going on feels like I'll be backtracking later to do, the levels don't feel as self-contained as in grimrock 1. I know the first couple of areas were quite linear and that was cool, I could deal with that, but I guess it kind of opened up too quickly or something? I don't know. If a game goes into being able to go anywhere do anything quite early on I feel incredibly lost, I had a similar problem with gothic 2, combined with that game having some far reaching consequences thing going on.

I find your experience to be pretty interesting and informative. I felt that way mainly about Grimrock 1... many puzzles that I couldn't necessarily solve when I came upon them, feeling like I was going to have to come back later. In fact I remember distinctly several occasions where I was running back up many levels to pick up some key item I dropped and bring it back down to where it was needed. While in Grimrock 2, it seemed quite easy to determine what was needed to be done. Much like many other RPGs, you simply choose one of the few areas presented to you (Forgotten River basically points you towards the Bog, and Sleet Island essentially gives you only one choice as not everyone finds the "special key" and the Cemetery is blocked off) and complete it thoroughly before moving on to the next.

Baxter wrote:I'm just not having as much fun with this game as I thought I would. At the moment I'm just wandering around not sure what I'm meant to be doing, and while some people might like that kind of thing I generally really need a solid goal in mind with regards to games, like a place to go or a think to do or stuff like that.

My only recommendation is to remember that the game does give you a relatively clear overarching goal: Collecting power gems. That might give you the motivation you need to pick a course of action and stick to it.

Hope your enjoyment of the game picks up!