General Gaming Tribeca Games Spotlight (highly recommended watch), update: reviews posted for Norco (Southern Gothic/dystopic point n' click adventure)

[crispy4000]

As I said in the indie thread, this is one of the best E3 (season) presentations I’ve seen in quite a while.  No new announcements per say, but don’t be surprised if you come away more interested in some games than you were before.

Some ‘big’ name indies in here as well, including Kena and 12 minutes.

Demos are also available on their website, but only through Parsec at signed-up time slots.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

I'm watching this now and agree that I really like this format/presentation quite a bit!

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Oh boy - these REALLY caught my attention:

 

NORCO on Steam

STORE.STEAMPOWERED.COM

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NORCO is a sci-fi Southern Gothic point and click adventure that explores the industrial swamplands and decaying suburbs of South Louisiana.

 

SIGNALIS on Steam

STORE.STEAMPOWERED.COM

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A classic survival horror experience with a unique aesthetic, full of melancholic mystery. Investigate a dark secret, solve puzzles, fight off nightmarish creatures and navigate dystopian, surreal retrotech worlds as Elster, a technician Replika searching for her lost dreams.

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

I was on the Harold Halibut train from the start:

 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Yup - Lost in Random got my attention too!
 

Explore Lost in Random, an upcoming EA Originals title from Zoink Games.

WWW.EA.COM

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Welcome to the world of Random, a dark kingdom where every citizen's future is determined by the roll of a dice.

 

[crispy4000]

That one was also at the EA presser last year.  Games like it, Solar Ash, The Gunk, Little Devil Inside and Kena stole the show for me last year.

 

Haven’t seen any new IPs quite as exciting yet this year.  There’s plenty of still time though.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

PC Gamer published an article about Norco earlier today.

 

This stunning Deep South fable isn't the next Kentucky Route Zero—it’s the first Norco | PC Gamer

WWW.PCGAMER.COM

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Breaking down the "bummer vibes" of Norco, a striking new adventure game.

 

Quote

 

Norco is a many-headed creature—a narrative hydra of place, personhood, nostalgia, and spirituality. But to start with the basics, it's a real Louisiana town named for the New Orleans Refining Company, a monumental piece of psychogeographical storytelling, and in March 2022, I'm ready to call it my game of the year.

 

The tiny dev collective Geography of Robots has called Norco's style "petroleum blues," a nod to the area's relationship with the oil corporation that has defined both the town and the environmental decline that colors its existence. The game pointedly avoids the disaster porn and fetishization that tend to dominate media portrayals of the Deep South, and while a big part of Norco revolves around grief and trauma, it's also full of rousing punk momentum channeled from the DIY music scene. The result is nothing short of incredible.

 

Norco is a bristling pastiche of Louisianan references, pop culture, and satirical moments distilled into a point-and-click pixel art adventure. The townscape and Greater New Orleans area take the form of distant highways, refinery stacks, and familiar snapshots of suburbia; impossibly careful, subtle dithering imbues each scene with warmth and life. Norco isn't just for Louisianans, though residents will get a kick out of seeing real locations like Kenner's Esplanade Mall—closed due to Hurricane Ida and now being repurposed for political events—rebirthed as the Promenade Mall.

 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Game Information

Game Title: NORCO

 

Platforms:

• PC (Mar 25, 2022)

 

Developer: Geography of Robots

 

Publisher: Raw Fury

 

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 91 average - 93% recommended

 

Critic Reviews

But Why Tho? - 10 / 10

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Overall, NORCO is a game I could not stop thinking about. Even long after completing my first playthrough, I find myself thinking about Kay, Catherine, the AI security robot Millions, Private Investigator Leblanc, and the multitude of ordinary citizens I encountered that profoundly impacted me throughout my time in NORCO. It’s been a while since a game has managed to cause so much emotional damage in such a short period of time, and I cannot recommend NORCO highly enough.

GamesHub - 5 / 5

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NORCO is a confronting video game; a confident, biographical and bewildering point-and-click narrative experience that feels more like something you inhale rather than play, with an effective cocktail of magical realism, societal heartbreak, and bummer coolness.

TheGamer - 5 / 5

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Even the perpetually overcast skies feel like a sign of what’s to come for its characters, as if a torrential rain is set to descend anytime soon. But look beyond the parted clouds and we may see a slither of hope yet. Likewise, this is the proverbial silver lining that Norco represents for the videogame industry: a modest title that demonstrates that a narrative-rich experience, made by a first-time indie developer, doesn’t always have to be overshadowed by ostentatious displays of bigger releases. Norco may refer to itself as a sort of pixel ephemera, but its adventure is a vast, cosmic tale that will be fondly remembered decades after.

TechRaptor - 9.5 / 10

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NORCO is a brilliant game with an incredibly high level of craft, particularly with its writing. It is one of the most entertaining and thought-provoking games in years, and everyone should play it.

PC Gamer - 94 / 100

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A must-play for anyone interested in narrative-driven games.

Game Informer - 9.3 / 10

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I’ve never played a game like Norco, which elegantly celebrates and admonishes its cultural roots while simultaneously chronicling a strange doomsday scenario. Kay and Catherine’s shattered America is not so dissimilar from our own – burgeoning industrial complexes threaten to displace low-income families, automated systems supersede human workers, and the filthy rich work around the clock to deter upward mobility. The game isn’t always gloomy. One cool night, I sat atop City Hall and gazed at the constellations with a stranger. Hours earlier, I flipped through treasured memories on a faulty flatscreen TV. Norco is an unforgettable reminder that there’s an inherent beauty behind the madness.

RPG Fan - 91%

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Don't let NORCO be lost to time: this is a must-play for those who don't mind a depressing tale.

AnaitGames - Spanish - 9 / 10

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Norco is built through suggestive images that convey the idea that behind all the ugly and dirty, inside the low quality constructions and plastic jewelry, there can be a flow that gives them power.

Destructoid - 9 / 10

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A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage.

GameSpot - 9 / 10

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Norco weaves a compelling and utterly wonderful story that's dark, beautiful, evocative, and distinctly human.

Hardcore Gamer - 4.5 / 5

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If nothing else, NORCO will go down as the game this year that had the most unique world, but it also stands a huge chance of going down as the game with the best writing, story (or stories) and atmosphere. Who could have thought that Louisiana would be a perfect backdrop for a bizarre sci-fi mystery? Geography of Robots did, and it's thanks to them that we got this memorable journey that folks should check out, even if it may be hard to describe what happened.

Jump Dash Roll - 9 / 10

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Norco is the good kind of point-and-click game; its engaging story is paired with a great world and solidly enjoyable gameplay for an experience that shouldn't be missed by fans of the genre.

VideoGamer - 8 / 10

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What saves Norco is that the visions on offer belong as much to the imagined as the troublingly real.

Try Hard Guides - 5 / 10

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This game is disappointing. It doesn’t commit to its story enough, and the gameplay mechanics it chooses to make vital parts of the game are lackluster or strange choices that the game would have been better without. To the game’s credit, however, it’s only disappointing because it managed to build up an expectation. If it could deliver on its own promises, it would truly be one to remember.

Eurogamer - Recommended

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Norco is a beautiful, surprising, human, and utterly magnetic debut.

Polygon - Polygon Recommends

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Norco ends on a visceral note that will speak to Louisiana’s staunch hangers-on, but also to anyone seeking a beautiful, oppressive, and ultimately hopeful story. The past and future compound, and my reaction was unbridled. As I heaved and sobbed over my computer screen, I thought once again about faith — the kind it takes to stay here. If you don’t understand that faith, Norco may very well convince you.

 

 

A Stunning Southern Dystopia Is One Of The Best-Written Games Of The Year

KOTAKU.COM

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If you have Game Pass on PC, this point and click adventure from Raw Fury is a mesmerizing head-fuck

 

[Bloodporne]

On 3/31/2022 at 9:11 AM, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

Game Information

Game Title: NORCO

 

Platforms:

• PC (Mar 25, 2022)

 

Developer: Geography of Robots
Publisher: Raw Fury

 

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - -1 average - -1% recommended

 

Critic Reviews

GamesHub - 5 / 5

PC Gamer - 94 / 100

AnaitGames - Spanish - 9 / 10

Eurogamer - Recommended

 

 

A Stunning Southern Dystopia Is One Of The Best-Written Games Of The Year

KOTAKU.COM

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If you have Game Pass on PC, this point and click adventure from Raw Fury is a mesmerizing head-fuck

 

 

Thanks for pointing this one out, that sounds great. I really loved The Last Door last year and want to check out more Point & Clicks

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

On 4/1/2022 at 12:11 PM, Bloodporne said:

Thanks for pointing this one out, that sounds great. I really loved The Last Door last year and want to check out more Point & Clicks

 

I'm about an hour into Norco and  the writing is absolutely top-notch!

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Really good review of Norco from the perspective of the game's religious themes:

 

Norco is an unforgettable game about losing and finding religion

WWW.POLYGON.COM

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The Southern Gothic tale examines characters who have strayed from, and returned to, childhood beliefs

 

 

 

[Moa]

I’m a little over halfway in and I’m not really digging it. Everything about the game is fine and serviceable, but it lacks the something extra that makes the games it is frequently compared to (Disco Elysium and KRZ) so special. Maybe the latter half will change my mind, but so far the game has kind of felt like a chore.
 

The puzzles especially feel like they are there because the developer felt they were compulsory and really do nothing but upset the pacing of the game. 

 

The writing is fine but doesn’t deviate far from run-of-the-mill Souther Gothic and lacks any of the wit or humor of a game like Disco Elysium. 
 

I consider KRZ and Disco Elysium as works of narrative art that can go toe to toe with pieces outside the gaming medium. So far whatever shine I’ve seen from Norco exists only in comparison to the generally poor writing in other games. 
 

Spoiler

In conclusion, more like Boreco

Spoiler

Snoreco

 

[Bloodporne]

2 hours ago, Moa said:

I’m a little over halfway in and I’m not really digging it. Everything about the game is fine and serviceable, but it lacks the something extra that makes the games it is frequently compared to (Disco Elysium and KRZ) so special. Maybe the latter half will change my mind, but so far the game has kind of felt like a chore.
 

The puzzles especially feel like they are there because the developer felt they were compulsory and really do nothing but upset the pacing of the game. 

 

The writing is fine but doesn’t deviate far from run-of-the-mill Souther Gothic and lacks any of the wit or humor of a game like Disco Elysium. 
 

I consider KRZ and Disco Elysium as works of narrative art that can go toe to toe with pieces outside the gaming medium. So far whatever shine I’ve seen from Norco exists only in comparison to the generally poor writing in other games. 
 

  Reveal hidden contents

In conclusion, more like Boreco

  Reveal hidden contents

Snoreco

 

Maybe a dumb question but...what's KRZ because I fucking love Disco Elysium.

 

Also the spoilers are A+.

[TheLeon]

1 hour ago, Bloodporne said:

Maybe a dumb question but...what's KRZ because I fucking love Disco Elysium.

 

Also the spoilers are A+.

Kentucky Route Zero. Episodic game that released over the course of roughly a billion years, finally finished a year or two ago. 

[Bloodporne]

10 minutes ago, TheLeon said:

Kentucky Route Zero. Episodic game that released over the course of roughly a billion years, finally finished a year or two ago. 

I take it it's good? That name never inspired confidence I guess?

[TheLeon]

Never got around to it, if I’m being honest. Bought it when the first episode came out, thought “I’ll wait until the whole thing is out” and somewhere in those years I just completely lost interest. The people who like it reeeally like it. 

[Moa]

I adore KRZ and would recommend it to almost anyone, but it is abstract in the extreme and some people might not vibe with that. However, the art, music, direction, and overall story are absolutely fantastic.

 

Below is as close to a good review for the game as I've seen, although I think he overemphasizes the art bullshit, and I think the game can be understood and appreciated by people without art degrees who do not visit avant garde art galleries. That said, if you're considering playing KRZ I STRONGLY RECOMMEND stopping the video at the 11:00 mark when he starts talking about the music. The game's use of music is fantastic and better experienced blind.

 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

I got an achievement in Norco for knowing how to recite the "Ave Maria" prayer 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

I completely lost it at this dialog in Norco:

 

"You've got to have a clean ass to fight crime.  Everybody knows that."
"Had I been done wiping...I guarantee you they'd be dead right now.  I'm serious."

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

I completed Norco last night and all I have to say is that it was one of the most emotionally affecting pieces of media that I've experienced in a very, very long time.

[Moa]

Fine ill finish the game

[Moa]

I don't know. I didn't really dig this game. I feel like I'm already personally overexposed to post-industrial "Doom Porn" as the video essay in the other thread put it. I don't really get the actual plot of the game and felt like there were too many threads between the corporate conspiracy, AI sentience dealio, cult mambo-jumbo, Christ figure gumbo-jumbo, and cool orb guy who I actually liked. I feel like all this stuff pushed the characters so deep into the background that other than some biographical information I didn't actually know anything about what these people were like. I can't really describe who Kay or Catherine are as people. I can't really imagine how they would act outside of the situations shown in the game. I don't even know why they were estranged other than "the usual reasons." With the exception of LeBlanc, the remaining characters all felt like means to an end with very little personality.

[Keyser_Soze]

34 minutes ago, Moa said:

I don't know. I didn't really dig this game.

 

Wow. Ban incoming!

[Bloodporne]

@Commissar SFLUFANbought Norco last night based on your comments on it. I'm about 2 hours in and yea, I really really like this.

 

Ironically I find this more engaging than Pentiment.

[Bloodporne]

Shit this game is really great.

 

I love the hot dog guy's story.

[Bloodporne]

On 4/22/2022 at 10:15 AM, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

I completely lost it at this dialog in Norco:

 

"You've got to have a clean ass to fight crime.  Everybody knows that."
"Had I been done wiping...I guarantee you they'd be dead right now.  I'm serious."

 

The Garretts have some great funny lines. I thoroughly enjoy the overall sarcastic tone of a lot of the writing, including the constant use of "breh" and "bruh". Love the zealot who rants and raves about Kenner John wearing shoes. 

[Bloodporne]

@Commissar SFLUFANokay. I need someone to chat about the ensing and overall story with because I just finished it and I feel that nagging empty feeling after a good story stops.

 

What ending did you get, what's your take?

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

6 minutes ago, Bloodporne said:

@Commissar SFLUFANokay. I need someone to chat about the ensing and overall story with because I just finished it and I feel that nagging empty feeling after a good story stops.

 

What ending did you get, what's your take?

 

My ending was

Spoiler

Kay jumping off the spaceship with Blake while carrying Catherine's body

 

As for my take, I will have to recall where I landed in my interpretation of the game's events...if such an interpretation is even possible with a narrative like that of NORCO!

[legend]

I have absolutely no idea what to make of Norco after finishing it. The end is really fucking weird and not in a way that made me think. My reaction was "oh okay." I played it with my wife and she felt similarly.

 

But the entire game was worth for the hotdog story. 

[Bloodporne]

9 hours ago, legend said:

I have absolutely no idea what to make of Norco after finishing it. The end is really fucking weird and not in a way that made me think. My reaction was "oh okay." I played it with my wife and she felt similarly.

 

But the entire game was worth for the hotdog story. 

I was expecting an epilogue of sorts. I thought we would circle back to the people in the fishing huts where we initially got the boat. I didn't mind the weirdness but I felt the abruptness of the end left me hanging. Again, I was firmly expecting to circle back with the folks in the room. I guess I should've brought the Meter back earlier. 

 

One of my biggest questions really is 

Spoiler

why don't Kay and Blake have faces? Is this supposed to be an "immersive" thing? Weirdly enough, this is the only thing I flat-out didn't like about the game. Blake especially is barely existent as a character who is a focal point. 

 

[legend]

1 hour ago, Bloodporne said:

I was expecting an epilogue of sorts. I thought we would circle back to the people in the fishing huts where we initially got the boat. I didn't mind the weirdness but I felt the abruptness of the end left me hanging. Again, I was firmly expecting to circle back with the folks in the room. I guess I should've brought the Meter back earlier. 

 

One of my biggest questions really is 

  Hide contents

why don't Kay and Blake have faces? Is this supposed to be an "immersive" thing? Weirdly enough, this is the only thing I flat-out didn't like about the game. Blake especially is barely existent as a character who is a focal point. 

 

 

The abruptness didn't help for sure. I just wasn't sure what I was supposed to take away from the end and I don't really have any sense about the characters having changed in some important way. It was just this very weird event that then ended.

[Bloodporne]

23 minutes ago, legend said:

 

The abruptness didn't help for sure. I just wasn't sure what I was supposed to take away from the end and I don't really have any sense about the characters having changed in some important way. It was just this very weird event that then ended.

I took it as a futuristic take on classic Southern Gothic themes. Coincidentally I've been reading quite a few books of that ilk lately. The obsession with a Christ-like figure coming down the Mississippi for example, very Delta Blues-ish in my eyes. It reminds me a lot of a movie like Inherent Vice, or I guess the Big Lebowski. It's the overall place, like Los Angeles in TBL's case, that's the main character and we're witnessing the weird stories in it. I really, really like this game in that regard, I think it has a really strong sense of place and its mysticism.

 

Since I tend to get wrapped up in things that strike me like this, I went on a deep dive yesterday and checked out some developer interviews. They're very involved in the Steam community surrounding the game and flat-out answer people's lore and story questions and so on. Interestingly, they basically answered "we did what we could with our budget and schedule limitations in terms of scope but trust us, there was WAY more wanted to tell" and they've apparently made the whole lore document they used to write the game available to posters on the Steam board, kind of wild. 

 

I might take a dive into that over the weekend if I feel up to and report back. 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Norco filled me with love, hope, and wonder, then immediately asked 'is that enough?' | PC Gamer

WWW.PCGAMER.COM

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A standout adventure game in a red letter year for the genre.

 

Quote

 

I'm really sorry everyone, but it's the end of the year, we're all cutting a little bit loose, and I think I deserve this: I want to begin this one with a quote. In Ursula K. Le Guin's introduction to her novel The Left Hand of Darkness, she wrote "Science Fiction is not predictive; it is descriptive." I don't think I've felt that in a work of sci-fi more than with Geography of Robots' miracle of a point and click adventure, Norco.

 

It's the year 20XX or so and self-aware artificial intelligence has proliferated such that it's a nuisance on the festering internet and a simple expectation of domestic labor and security-focused robots. Climate change has advanced unchecked, delivering at least one more Katrina-level disaster to New Orleans, and the United States is in the grips of some kind of low-grade civil war, "a meme that set Albuquerque on fire."

 

At the same time, the only sense I get of this future is one of stasis, the same stifling, dehumanizing present we're living in now extended for fifty years or so, with every potential moment of climax and resolution leading to more of the same. The Second American Civil War that lunatics like to jerk themselves off to has just led to some parts of the nation falling under the sway of "the soldiers of a popup junta," while everywhere else you can still tell your phone to order someone making less than minimum wage to bring you a burger.

 

 

[Moa]

The enduring legacy of this game in my mind is reminding me how good Suttree was. 

[Bloodporne]

I kinda miss its characters like when a great TV show ends. I doubt it somehow but I think this game absolutely could have a great sequel focused on other crazy shit going on in its world with some of this game's cast popping in here and there as paths intersect.