Humble Monthly Bundle - August 2019 - Review and Discussion Thread . Full Unlock 8/2/19

[RanceJustice]

It's that time again, the next Humble Monthly Bundle is about to arrive! For those unaware of Humble Monthly Bundles, please see my more in-depth introduction here during my first thread from April 2017 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humble-monthly-april-review-and-discussion-thread.1929347 - I'll just get right into it again!

For those interested, here are all my back Humble Monthly overviews..

May - https://hardforum.com/threads/humble-monthly-bundle-may-review-and-discussion-thread.1931795/
June - (Missed writing one)
July - https://hardforum.com/threads/humble-monthly-bundle-july-2017-review-and-discussion-thread.1939318/
August - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...st-2017-review-and-discussion-thread.1941294/
September - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...er-2017-review-and-discussion-thread.1943055/
October - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...er-2017-review-and-discussion-thread.1945470/
November - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...er-2017-review-and-discussion-thread.1947730/
December - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...er-2017-review-and-discussion-thread.1949477/
Jan2018 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...ry-2018-review-and-discussion-thread.1951895/
Feb2018 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...ry-2018-review-and-discussion-thread.1953943/
March 2018 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humble-monthly-bundle-march-2018-review-and-discussion-thread.1956171/
April 2018 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...-release-date-4-6-18.1957941/#post-1043572129
May 2018 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...iscussion-thread-release-date-5-4-18.1959906/
June 2018 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...iscussion-thread-release-date-6-1-18.1961480/
July 2018 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...iscussion-thread-release-date-7-6-18.1963715/
August 2018 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...iscussion-thread-release-date-8-3-18.1965425/
September 2018 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...iscussion-thread-release-date-9-7-18.1966820/
October 2018 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...scussion-thread-release-date-10-5-18.1969171/
November 2018 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...scussion-thread-full-unlock-11-02-18.1970520/
December 2018 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...iscussion-thread-full-unlock-12-6-18.1974264/
January 2019 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...scussion-thread-full-unlock-01-04-19.1975165/
February 2019 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...d-full-unlock-2-1-19.1976661/#post-1044065542
March 2019 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...-discussion-thread-full-unlock-3-1-19.1977810
April 2019 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...discussion-thread-full-unlock-4-5-19.1979767/
May 2019 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...discussion-thread-full-unlock-5-3-19.1980924/
June 2019 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...discussion-thread-full-unlock-6-7-19.1982600/
July 2019 - https://hardforum.com/threads/humbl...discussion-thread-full-unlock-7-5-19.1983786/

August Early Unlocks -

Kingdom Come: Deliverance ($30, Windows) - This month starts off with medieval adventure! Kingdom Come: Deliverance is the result of a crowdfunding campaign from Warhorse studios to build a historically accurate game set in the developer's own Czech Republic. This is a locale not often visited, with medieval setting at the time of the Holy Roman Empire providing a unique historical backdrop. Set against a civil war brought about by multiple claimants to the throne, players take on the role of Henry, the son of a blacksmith to a small Bohemian town. When the strife of the conflict reaches his village, Henry takes up arms in the service of a local lord for the chance to fight back against those who wronged his family.

The game takes the form of a first person adventure in the vein of something like Skyrim, but with far more attention to realism ; besides the lack of magic and other fantasy elements, everything from the setting to the particular styles of swordfighting are based on historical information and period-accurate as possible without impeding gameplay. As opposed to the "tap to attack" style from Elder Scrolls and others, combat in KCD is more akin to that in the "Mount and Blade" series or the more recent "Mordhau" in its attention to realism, with strike positioning and angle important tactical factors. This also extends to archery, where you cannot simply permanently draw back a bowstring and wait without fatigue! The game allows for ample roleplaying opportunities and Henry can train to expand his skills in everything from more common combat-related skills to things like drinking, gambling, and charm - which can be used to woo local maidens or soothe flared tempers. Another neat nod to gamified realism is that your reputation will evolve in many ways from actions viewed by many, to potentially rumors (good and bad), with elements coming right down to how you're dressed impacting how others view you : Stroll in in clean, well cared for armor and be treated like a respected Knight, but if you're in mismatched, rusty, or bloody gear people will be wary you're a bandit or criminal of some kind, so your word may not be taken so easily! While there is a core story and campaign, there are also a multitude of side quests and both are non-linear, providing the opportunity for different outcomes depending on your performance or decisions.

Since its release KCD has offered a number of content related patches as well as both free and paid DLC. Besides the content patches updating the title overall, there are a number of free DLCs that must be chosen manually - the "HD" upgrades. The "HD Texture Pack" as it says upgrades the graphics option for those with systems sufficient to handle it (they suggest 6GB+ of VRAM for its use, so that's fairly accessible these days), while the "HD Sound Pack" upgrades the audio in all ways but voice, with the "HD Voice Packs - English, French, German" allow a la carte selection of high quality voice overs in the languages of your choice without the need to download those you don't wish. On the paid DLC side, content and campaign enhancements abound as well as expansions. "Treasures of the Past" ($4) grants access to a variety of treasure maps to follow and hoards to discover, including new types of equipment. "From the Ashes" ($6) offers a new expansion where Henry is put in charge of the rebuilding of a town and all that entails, adding lots to do and a new town-management dynamic. "The Amorous Adventures of Bold Sir Hans Capon" ($6) is a story focused expansion focused on helping a rather humorous side character win the heart of his beloved - not as easy as it seems, even with you as his wingman! "Band of Bastards" ($7) tells a new story of Henry tasked by his liege to guide a mercenary band seeking enemies of the realm ; plenty of combat and new content too! Lastly, "A Woman's Lot" ($12) is the largest expansion with two entirely separate questlines - one for Henry with multiple endings, and one playing as a woman named Theresa (and her dog Tinker) which shows certain game events from a different perspective! Both sides include additional content such as canine companions, new weapons, perks, quests, and characters! For those enjoying KCD, the DLC is content focused and worthwhile, so keep an eye on Steam to upgrade to the "Royal Edition" to get it all, or pick up pieces you're missing when they come up on sale!

Kingdom Come: Deliverance takes an underutilized medieval setting and uses it to provide a rousing first person adventure, coming to great acclaim as a finished package. Though there are some bumps along the road (the combat system takes some adjustment but feels great once you've gotten the hang of it, sadly the MacOSX and Linux versions didn't come to pass etc) KCD is overall a crowdfunding success and a great way to start off the month!





Surviving Mars ($30, Win/Mac/Linux) - After our trip into the past, now we rocket forth into the future with Surviving Mars! As the name suggests, players are put in charge of setting up a Martian colony in this city-builder from Haemimont Games. Settling the Red Planet is a not exactly an easy endeavor, so players must choose how they wish to go about it from the get-go, partnering with varying Earth based space agencies to take advantage of their prowess and selecting a location for the colony itself. Upon landing and construction, players must decide how to provide for both the needs (ie food, shelter) and wants (entertainment) of colonists, guiding their settlement forward. Fans of other city manager titles such as "Cities: Skylines" or "Tropico 6 will find much to enjoy off-Earth, as they build a colony rendered in 1960s style "Retro-furturistic" aesthetic.

As one may expect, problem solving becomes a big part of the experience. Ensuring you have enough power for required systems, keeping the oxygen balance and other elements are just one side of the coin, as colonists have individual proficiency, quirks, and issues that can develop - if one of your lead scientists gets to be suicidal and depressurizes an airlock, you're going to have a bad day! While not quite at the "Rimworld" level of mental condition monitoring, you do need to be aware of the desires and health of your colonists, where providing entertainment can be as critical to your stability long term as waste recycling. Players can try to shape the whims of their colony, or even specific "domes" by setting up policies, for good or ill. Talent trees populated with both randomized and static elements can be unlocked through scientific research, development of technology, or perhaps a big discovery on the Martian surface. Inspired by great science fiction, there are mysteries that lie beneath the Martian soil and your colonists can investigate them...if you dare! Will that strange orb or face-shaped structure offer answers, or only danger?

The developers and publisher should be commended for the support of MacOSX and especially Linux, along with comprehensive mod-tools being made available to the community; the fruits of which are often visible on Steam Workshop. There is a modest amount of DLC available too, expanding your colonization experience in new ways. Some are part of free content patches and free DLCs such as the "Mysteries Resupply Pack", offering 3 new phenomena to investigate. The "Deluxe Upgrade Kit" ($10) offers some out-of-game bonuses as well as new building sets, housing skins, and an additional in-game radio station. Inspired by another title published by Paradox, the "Stellaris Dome Set" ($4) offers a new set of aesthetic options for dome construction. The "Marsvision Song Contest" ($4) adds a host of new radio stations for your colony while the "Colony Design Set" ($5) offers 25 new buildings to expand your colonial repertoire. "Space Race" ($13) is the first major expansion, allowing for players to exist alongside other AI colonies on Mars, championed by different Earth nations. Adding new factions like Japan and Brazil for player use or AI, all come with their own specific buildings, benefits, technologies and the like. Players can interact with these other colonies in both cooperative and competitive manners, with all sorts of new narrative events along the way. Campaigns and victory conditions from various Earthbound factions also add to the experience. "Project Laika" ($6) is a mini-expansion focused on bringing animals to Mars! Added to the game are new systems for livestock and their involvement in farming or ranching, and a comprehensive pet system allowing 25+ species from Earth to make their home in your colony. Finally, the most recent expansion, "Green Planet" ($20) adds comprehensive terraforming, letting established colonies go beyond their domes and change the surface of Mars from red sandy wastes into a green garden world! Lots of new mechanics are in play here including possible climate catastrophes, greatly adding to the depth of play. All of these DLCs are available in a Season Pass normally for $35 , but those enjoying the game may wish to wait for sales and/or pick them up a la carte.

Those looking for a different take on city management will find the tasks of colony building exciting! Ad Astra!

 

[RanceJustice]

August Humble Monthly - Full unlock 8/2/19

Be sure to sign up for August prior to the Full Unlock date, to be granted the Early titles now and the remainder to be unveiled when that date arrives! When they do, I'll provide an overview of the newly revealed titles here. Here we go!

Rising Storm 2: Vietnam ($25, Windows) + Uncle Ho's Heroes DLC ($8) + Born in the USA DLC ($8) -

Tripwire Interactive is perhaps best known for their cooperative zombie-hunting "Killing Floor / Killing Floor 2" game series, but the other side of their development is more realistic warfare FPS. Starting years ago with titles such as "Red Orchestra / Red Orchestra 2" which showcased the clash over Stalingrad during WW2, the eventual birth of the "Rising Storm" side of the franchise taking the combat to the Pacific side of the theater. As its name suggests, Rising Storm 2: Vietnam moves away from the WW2 setting but doesn't lose what made the previous RO / RS titles unique.

Rising Storm 2 is primarily online focused as an asymmetric warfare FPS. Player can take on the roles of varying Vietnam War troops on both sides - from differing US military branches, Australia, and the Republic of Vietnam troops (ARVN), to North Vietnamese PAVN and NLF (aka Viet Cong). With up to 64 player battles and multiple game modes (including a multi-map, multi-objective Campaign playstyle), players can take on varying kits and specializations for different play styles, allowing players a way to get into the thick of it, stay back and support, or even command and direct major assets. These kits and specializations impact which of the many types of weaponry are players' current focus, of the many types of period-accurate weapons and vehicles rendered in Rising Storm 2. The asymmetric nature of Rising Storm is on full display as both sides play a little different, with Southern forces having additional overwhelming force, from aerial fire support (including napalm drops) and helicopters for both maneuverability and firepower. Northern forces on the other hand play in a more tactical manner, while still having access to artillery , their squad leaders can place spawn tunnels as they please and Northern troops can't be spotted from the air as easily when prone; creation of tripwires/punji sticks and other traps, as well as Ho Chi Minh trail resource/respawn bonus tactics are just a few ways the North can use their home field advantage and deal with the newer tech and firepower of the South. There is a level of persistent progression as well, as players can level up on their accounts as they play, not unlike some of Tripwire's other games, and customize their characters as they do so.

Rising Storm 2: Vietnam also showcases the long term support that has become a Tripwire hallmark. The game has been updated numerous times with content patches and events, but they've also made a good amount of DLC content available, mostly cosmetic in nature. From the $5 "Digital Deluxe Upgrade" to the multiple $8 packages, (2 of which are included though unnamed in the Humble listing and without separate keys ), each of these DLCs offers more options of cosmetics to customize your soldiers: hair styles, helmets, glasses, masks, cigarettes/cigars, and more add to what is already unlockable through play normally. There are a couple of $15 packs with even more cosmetics, including those generated by the modding community and officially adopted into the game, as the modders involved are given a piece of each DLC purchase - "SgtJoe's Support Bundle". Lastly, there is the "Green Army Men" ($17) total conversion which takes the game from the jungles of Vietnam to the living room floor and back yard, with totally new weapons, maps, classes and other elements of the "green army men vs blue army men" toy setting. Its worth noting that the standard rifleman class is available in the Green Army Men mode to everyone free of charge so they can get a look at it, but for those who enjoy it and want the full experience they can pay for the DLC which again, is shared with community developers. Overall Tripwire has done much to support Rising Storm 2 and doesn't show any signs of stopping! Rising Storm 2: Vietnam provides a unique military FPS experience, well crafted and honed for inclusion this month!



Yoku's Island Express ($20, Windows) -

While I'm a big fan of Metroidvania-type exploration platformers, I don't think I've seen one like this before! Yoku's Island Express stars Yoku, a small beetle postal carrier who has arrived on the tropical island of Mokumana expecting to relax, but gets pulled into adventure helping residents and dealing with an island diety. Rendered in a charming "Samorst-meets-Studio-Ghibli" hand drawn aesthetic, Yoku will need to explore the island and meet its many inventively-designed denizens.

The main game mechanic is crossing the platforming adventure of most Metroidvanias with a pinball dynamic! Yoku perpetually binds himself to a little sphere which can be used to roll, bounce, swing, and otherwise traverse the landscape. Besides momentum based swinging and bouncing about, the pinball mechanics also play into combat including against bosses and some light puzzling as well, both requiring trajectory as key. In Metroidvania style, unlocking new abilities allows the player to explore new regions and make deeper progress into existing ones; important, given the open world nature of the title.

The combination of the hand-drawn artwork, imaginative characters/setting, and unique pinball-inspired transversal of the gameworld won Yoku's Island Express much acclaim among critics and players alike, making for a solid addition to this month's bundle! Roll on!



The Adventure Pals (Win/Mac/*, $15) -

The next title this month is another take on the 2D platformer, The Adventure Pals! In this wacky adventure, maniacal Mr. B is kidnapping and transforming "old people" into hotdogs; a sentence that should provide some insight on what kind of game we're starting! When the protagonist's father is one of those kidnapped, they sets off on a rescue mission with a backpack, wooden sword, and accompanied by your Pet Rock and magical morphing Giraffe! Players will rescue all varieties of old folks from processed meat prisons on their adventure and help out the denizens of the crazy world you'll traverse along the way.

Aesthetically, the game is inspired by both classic and more recent cartoons (chief among them seems to be "Adventure Time", listed even on the game's page) as well as a wide variety of web comics/toons, flash games, and titles such as "Castle Crashers" which makes for a colorful, jaunty mix of the weirdly wonderful. On the mechanical side, it takes inspiration from many classic platforms from the quintessential legacy of the "Super Mario Bros" to the momentum platforming of "Super Meat Boy", the latter more visible as the player and their Giraffe swing from jump points and use a "helicopter tongue" ability to slow descent, before bounding up exploding passageways in triangle-jump style before footholds are no more. Besides hand-crafted platforming levels, the game keeps things fresh with combat arenas, massive boss fights, and town style zones where various creatures can be met and helped as quests are undertaken. Progression is primarily via these events unlocking new weaponry and items to cater to the additional challenges that ramp up as players progress through the game. Local co-op is available for adventuring with a friend, as well!

Originally crowdfunded, the game made its Windows and Mac debut (alongside a few consoles if I am correct), but sadly Linux has not yet been delivered. Thankfully, it has not been nixed and is still on the docket but is not currently available - I would suggest checking out Proton in the meantime. The Adventure Pals provides a bright and colorful adventure of irreverent fun and solid platforming, and besides - who can't smile seeing a goofy magical giraffe!



Almost There: The Platformers ($10, Win/Mac/Linux) -

Where previous platformers in this Humble Monthly Bundle have focused on uniquely colorful worlds, this one takes things another direction. Almost There: The Platformer is a minimalist title that banks on the lineage of games such as "Super Meat Boy" , distilling the experience down to its core essence. Playing as a square (possibly with a headband/scarf trailing behind you), more than 150 levels are set before you where you must puzzle through momentum-based platforming to reach the exit.

Moving spikes, laser wands/grids, all manners of spinning saw blades and similar dangers will impede your path and only near perfect execution of the varying jumps, wall-hops, and other movements necessary will allow you to proceed safely. As in this genre, expect to die frequently but the game keeps the action moving right along as you respawn. The pumping techno soundtrack will hopefully help you get into the flow state necessary for optimum performance. Almost There: The Platformer provides further evidence there is room for the simplicity of doing one thing and doing it well in gaming today!



Swords and Soldiers 2: Shawarmageddon ($15, Windows) -

Those in the mood for something a bit more tactical will want to check out Swords and Soldiers 2: Shawarmageddon! Ronimo Games may be most well known for their comic-styled 2D action MOBA "Awesomenauts", but years ago they also created the predecessor to Shawarmageddon, the original "Swords and Soldiers" title. Along with its lighthearted styling, S&S mixed tower defense gameplay with 2D RTS elements and a comedic plot to create a unique and accessible gametype. S&S2 does as sequels do by building upon this legacy and refining the experience along the way.

With options to play in multiple game modes from a single player, story-focused campaign to both local and online multiplayer matches, S&S2 allow various ways to get into the thick of combat. Players are tasked as the commander of an army set up against a similar and opposing enemy in every stage. Set up on a 2D plane, players must gain and use resources in order to deploy soldiers from their base, which when summoned begin to automatically walk towards the enemy's headquarters on the other side of the field, who is deploying their troops in kind. When encountering an enemy unit or building, the units automatically attack, clash success based on troop parameters including type and HP. Besides using resources to spawn units, players can also more directly influence the battle by using abilities that buff your soldiers, hinder opponents, or simply changing the path indicators during split sections of the map to allow the best angle of attack.

Like the previous title there are three different factions each with their own separate units, abilities, and play styles. Vikings, Persians, and Demons are all rendered in the tongue-in-cheek style of the game, allowing players to choose their favorites; the single player Campaign offers both player use and antagonists of all three armies, so it is a good place to get familiar with how they work. The combination of side-scrolling RTS and tower defense makes every battle in Swords and Soldiers 2: Shawarmageddon an action-filled tug-of-war!



Don't Give Up: A Cynical Tale ($??, Windows, Humble Original) -

This month's Humble Original is a work-in-progress and first major release of TacoPizzaCat Games. Don't Give Up: A Cynical Tale is inspired by 16-bit, SNES era JRPGs and more recent homages to them such as "Undertale". Seemingly drawing from the developer's personal experience, DGU regards mental illness as an enemy to beat in search for one's own happiness, delving into the subconscious and whatnot. I know there will be some who will immediately roll their eyes in judgment, but it may be worth a shot even for those who are less inclined towards "those" perceived games. The retro graphics show attention to detail (the dev suggests that they dislike seeing repeat townsfolk in most JRPGs, so he crafted each one differently) and the battle system seems to be a mix of genre bests, including Super Mario RPG style combo systems and an active dodge.

Early reports suggest that the version included in the Humble Monthly is a "sneak preview/demo" of sorts, with a cliffhanger ending, not the full and complete game. At the moment, it is by direct download from Humble and there is no Steam key available, supporting the previous statement. The developer's homepage lists a Steam page for the game and a release date of September 16th, 2019, along with a blog entry mentioning that on release they'll likely offer not only the full game title but a 1.1 content patch with new content. I have not been able to confirm if Humble Monthly August subscribers will be granted the full title upon release or not, but I'll make inquiries. Its worth mentioning that past Humble Monthlies have done this - for instance "Kind Words" from July 2019 and "A Short Hike" from April 2019 bundles (the latter now available! Go check out the redemption page for the month in order to pick up your key!) have intended to deliver Monthly owners full Steam keys when the game is complete.

Edit: Apparently there was some technical issue in which version was propagated to Humble. At time of writing, they pulled a "Demo" version of the game but that wasn't intended. Instead, there should have been a closer-to-complete game version. There will still be a Steam release in Sept and it will have additional content - still finding out if Monthly subscribers are granted it as well.

Edit2: Confirmed with the developer themselves, that existing Humble Monthly owners will be getting Steam keys when the title releases via Steam!








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Don't forget that aside from each month's games, you also are granted a global 20% discount (that even stacks with other discounts!) in the Humble Store , access to the Humble Trove of downloadable titles , and extras like discount coupon If you enjoyed any of this and wish to subscribe , feel free to use my Recruit-A-Friend link and discount/credit-sharing code to lock in the savings - https://www.humblebundle.com/monthly?refc=02L8o8 . There is also another coupon that can be used for 10% off everything on Humble Store for a month, but unlike the RAF it can only be used once per month - PM if you're interested in that (note: I do not think it stacks with Humble Monthly Discounts; its a new program version after all) Don't forget you can always "pause" your subscription for a month too before the unlock day, if you don't think you'll want what's upcoming. Enjoy!

 

[Ranulfo]

It will be interesting to see what the rest of the unlocks are this month. I let it ride despite owning both of these games (not on steam). At this stage, given summer sales Surviving Mars base game is worth $10 only and the season pass has been a rip off unless you buy the complete colony edition. Basically a big middle finger to those of us who bought the base game on release. Game is ok, supposedly better with dlc content but by mid game when you spend time managing the colonists it gets tedious and annoying.

 

[Comixbooks]

I just subbed going to give the extra keys to my Steam bud he's going to go nuts lol. Already have Kingdomecome Deliverance which is a game you get when you sub.
Some of these games are too good to pass up but I do own a bunch of them already,

Can I just give him Steam keys in Steam chat or do I have to email him the links?

 

[RanceJustice]

I just subbed going to give the extra keys to my Steam bud he's going to go nuts lol. Already have Kingdomecome Deliverance which is a game you get when you sub.
Some of these games are too good to pass up but I do own a bunch of them already,

Can I just give him Steam keys in Steam chat or do I have to email him the links?

The safest thing to do (assuming you have your own Steam account bound to your Humble account) is to send him the links via the "Gift" feature. However, you can PROBABLY just, on the Humble Monthly keypage, redeem each key for Steam and just copy/paste them to your friend. Note that if there are keys for anything else besides Steam (ie Blizzard, UPlay etc.) you need to use the Gifting feature, as these don't always propagate with actual keys and instead just link directly to accounts when redeemed.

 

[Comixbooks]

I just sent him the Key and he was super happy for me on the other hand I'm stuck with Rising Storm Vietnam 2 =D
So I picked up Metro Exodus at a discount which will be the 1st Epic game I ever install.

 

[RanceJustice]

I just sent him the Key and he was super happy for me on the other hand I'm stuck with Rising Storm Vietnam 2 =D
So I picked up Metro Exodus at a discount which will be the 1st Epic game I ever install.

Glad to hear sending the key worked! I'm interested to try Rising Storm 2 as I've enjoyed Tripwire's other titles, all well supported long after release (Killing Floor 2 being the one in which I've spent the most time).

Just letting everyone know that the overview of the rest of the month is now up! Looks like a nice mix, especially if you enjoy various kinds of platformers and a few other interesting titles. What does everyone think?

Edit: check out my edits for the Humble Original this month - there have been some updates! In short, if the game seems to have a cliffhanger ending or seem short, that's because a last minute glitch in the build system pulled an old demo version to be released for Humble Original direct download. They'll be fixing it ASAP and I've recently confirmed that not only will a version of the game with an additional content patch be released when it comes to Steam in September, existing Humble Monthly owners will be granted Steam keys too!