Four in February: The Octopug Parable

I finished my Four in February. Six, if you count this and that. Hopefully, I'll bring myself to type about all of them, and then some, before the end of this month. Four games and four posts before March is the goal, after all. I expect a strong dip in quality from the other entries, but it's not as if I was producing anything of value to begin with, so, lettuce get on with this garbage, shall we?

The Stanley Parable is a Source engine mod by Davey Wreden that was enhanced and added upon to become a standalone purchase on Steam for $15. The entire thing revolves around your choices and how the narrator (British actor Kevan Brighting) responds to them. Also, there's a big ol' basket of Easter eggs (some with Disco music). It can be "beaten" in roughly six minutes, except when Stanley respawns in a different location, then there's the achievement for finishing the game in under 4 minutes and 22 seconds. There are eighteen endings, along with a bonus ending that's really just another Easter egg. For the most part, how one plays doesn't change from person to person. You could get the full experience from watching these two? videos. I would be grateful, however, if you did not. Whether at full price, a Humble Bundle, or through a sale, this intelligent and humourous work of art deserves to be monetarily praised, supported, and encouraged. This is why I am keeping the post brief. It's such a simple story with simple choices that it wouldn't take much to ruin a secret or ending with even a single picture. At best, I'd just show you the same title screen image of a computer or perhaps the room with two doors, and, since everyone else has already done that, there's no reason to add another to Google's image search. Just go and enjoy it.

Ok, so I added this image anyhow, because Sir Barnes the Noble likes pictures. It spoils nothing.

Following that joy was Octodad: Dadliest Catch, a sequel that carries on with controlling a cephalopod out of water who is pretending to be a human being. It's as difficult as it sounds, even with simple chores, like pouring a drink...

...or mowing the lawn.

For the first half of this game, challenges are made out of everyday tasks. It's charming. Comical, even. This is especially obvious with things like bananas peels, water puddles, and other pointless hazards just lying around in unusual places.

Because no wedding chapel is complete without children's drawings and DK decorum.

Then all of that joy turns into frustration as the difficulty spikes in certain parts. As a whole, Octodad isn't too much of a pain, and I haven't noticed a specific area where everyone suffers, though I endured quite a bit at the arcade.

Yeah, fuck these games.

Since the original, character design has improved considerably. The simple, cartoony look is appropriate, though Octodad's wife, Scarlet, gives off a Jimmy Newtron vibe. 

Maybe it's just me.

Their children certainly take after their mother... perhaps too much. You know, I'm not even sure if Octodad is their real father. Again, maybe it's just me.

I was expecting a longer game. Even with my troubles, it only took five hours to complete. I suppose I could go back and try for a few of the achievements, but I really don't want to go through that mess again.

The theme isn't half bad (isn't half good, either), and this goes for all versions of it. With exception to the Captain's Jig and The Backyard, I'm only glad I bought this during the winter sale. I should have listened to the full soundtrack on Youtube before making the purchase, but, again, it wasn't a total waste, and I didn't pay at full. Besides, I can rationalize it out as further supporting creativity in the industry. The development team of Young Horses deserves it.

This was suppose to be the final of my Four in February for 2016. It wasn't expensive, and I love pugs (and every other breed of dog). Yes, a speedy pug would have been a fantastic way to finish up this challenge. That price tag should have clued me in on what to expect, yet it didn't.

Turbo Pug is just a simplified endless runner. Adorable, well-made, and priced right with only two flaws that I feel it possesses: changes in the background might make it difficult to spot the spinning blades of death whose existence, along with that of the floating boxes and bloodied spikes, go without explanation (because why should we give a fuck?) and a lack of depth. For what little music there is, it's fine. If that's a priority for your endless runners, go play BIT.TRIP RUNNER. Great music there! Better gameplay, too. Sorely lacking in pugs though.

As one continues to rush his wrinkly waddler through an obstacle course, pug points will accumulate in the top left corner. Along with the potential for hi-score bragging rights, you'll also unlock additional pugs to choose from in the character select menu.

Impressive, but their diversity pales in comparison to that of goats, as proven by Coffee Stain Studios.

I think a sequel to Turbo Pug is in the works. If so, I hope it provides a more fulfilling experience, or, at least, allows my pug to run left. Unfortunately, because Turbo Pug is endless, it's not actually something a player can beat, so I had to look for another game to finish before the end of February. No problem there.