Humble Monthly Bundle - January 2019- Review and Discussion Thread . Full Unlock 01/04/19

[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 reviews..

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 Early Unlocks

Just Cause 3 XXL Edition ($50, Windows) - The Just Cause series has built up quite a legacy of campy fun and Just Cause 3 is said to be one of its best entries to date. In this comedic third person open world action title, players control Rico Rodriguez the suave operative dropped into despotic foreign nations to destabilize their (fictional) countries through destructive chaos. Where Just Cause took place in a South American banana republic and Just Cause 2 in Southeast Asia, JC3 goes to sunny Mediterranean (definitely Italian inspired) paradise Medici. Like previous games, a general has made himself President and set about typical dictator behavior, leaving Rico to drop in and break his grip on the nation, especially considered Medici is the sole supplier of a type of rare and dangerous mineral that can be used to create deadly weaponry!

The open world gameplay splits between the kind of fun diversions like collectibles, stunts and difficult courses in various vehicles or weapons etc... to the more core of the gameplay where areas must be converted from enemy to rebel hands, various targets such as propaganda megaphones, security force stations, statues of the President, power stations, communications and more must be destroyed. Like previous titles destroying things painted with the "I am red and flammable" scheme is a good way to know you're on the right path. Just Cause titles are known for having wonky physics to say the least, with the parachute, wingsuit, and especially grappling hook allowing all kinds of crazy fun ; grapple to the ground and reel in with your chute open to sail around the place, grapple up to aircraft and commandeer them, grapple a low flying helicopter to a tree and hit retract, watching either the copter smashed into the ground or the uprooted tree fly skyward into a magnificent collision! These are just a few of the things you can do in Just Cause 3 with the toolbox of fun it gives you, and that's not counting the major upgrades to your skills, unlockable weapons, vehicles, and all kinds of special equipment. As you progress there will be all kinds of setpiece missions and story elements that take the campy fun up to 11, where you'll find yourself grappled to ICBMs in flight or taking down a floating fortress!

The Just Cause 3 XXL Edition is the true "Definitive/Complete" edition of the game, containing all the DLC available and saving players quite a bit of money. This content includes 3 special weaponized vehicles (originally pre-order items), 3 unique and powerful weapons, a special alternate mech variant sold a la carte, and 3 expansion style DLCs. Each of the 3 DLCs adds new content and areas including new set piece locations, equipment etc.. that go along with their thematic "Sea, Land, Air" names, and they're definitely worthwhile expansions for fans of the game. Just Cause 3 is the kind of title where so long as you don't expect anything realistic (which some characters make vaguely 4th wall breaking jokes about) or take the story too seriously, you'll have a great time with the open world developers have provided for you to really cut loose! Both controller and keyboard/mouse support are present, but in my experience certain movement elements such as flight with the wingsuit and the challenges requiring near perfect execution are much easier via controller. While the verdict on the recent Just Cause 4 is not quite in as of yet thanks to its rocky start, this month's Humble inclusion helps you start the year off with a bang!

Project CARS 2 ($60, Windows) - The second title in the racing series, Project CARS2 seems to be to the interest of a very specific breed of player. These are the types who seek hyper-realistic racing titles, buy peripherals and construct sim-pits, and want the experience to mirror the depth and love they have for real-world cars and racing down to the smallest detail. I admit this genre is outside my preference so my overview may be limited in this regard; I'll instead be giving more attention to player reviews. Semi-realistic racing sims (as opposed to those such as Mario Kart or F-Zero) tend to exist along two axes, from arcade-y to realistic handling and performance and made-up versus real-world licenses for vehicles and the like; CARS2 attempts to go far to the realism side of both. It claims to offer many technical features including 12K and VR support, eye tracking, and various other peripherals to enhance the experience. The game itself advertises nearly 200 real world track and rally cars, all tuned by pro-drivers to be close to real world handling, various forms of real-world racing campaigns and motorsports, physics including loose-track styles, day night cycles in real time and much more.

On paper it seems to be pretty close to genre perfection, but some players seem to feel that it falls short in the delivery. For instance, there seems to be a pretty big split between those who feel the handling is acceptable and those who feel it is unacceptable. Penalties, including for things that are not the player's fault (like being nudged by the AI) seem to be accrued as well. Some players think CARS2 is not getting the attention it deserves since CARS3 has been announced, but I suppose that is yet to be seen. For all the features it does have, many seem to be concerned about a few that it doesn't like the ability to configure/upgrade your car with new parts - I hypothesize this has to do with the licensing to keep sponsors happy, perhaps? Others find the game to be a delight and offer close to all it promises. Clearly, it is up to the player to give it a try and decide for themselves.

Project CARS 2 seems to offer a lot from the start, but there is a significant amount of DLC purchased for those into the game. The best value for completionists is to start with the Season Pass for $30, which contains 4 DLCs (each of which is available a la carte for $10), plus a special bonus "Motorsport Cars Pack" that is EXCLUSIVE to the Season Pass and contains 4 notable cars. The other 4 packs include various cars and tracks throughout history and are thematically linked, so the "Porsche Legends" or "Ferrari Essentials Pack" include cars and tracks exclusive to those manufacturers, for instance. In addition, there is the $5 "Japanese Cars Bonus Pack" which as the name suggests includes noteworthy vehicles from the East, but this pack is not part of the Season Pass and must be bought a la carte. Overall, for fans of the game this kind of DLC will be a dream for some aficionados but others may see it fall flat if they aren't particularly enthused to pay extra to drive around a perfect recreation of Ferrari's test track, for instance. Project CARS2 sets some lofty goals and it will be up to the discriminating tastes of sim enthusiasts to see if it rises to the occasion.

Wizard of Legend ($16, Win/Mac/Linux) - Step up to the Chaos Trials! In Wizard of Legend, players control a novice sorcerer seeking fame and glory in the Chaos Trials, the legendary magical gauntlet of challenges orchestrated by the best wizards of the kingdom with success granting access to the coveted Wizard of Legend title! Mixing the top-down classic Zelda style perspective in pixel art style with rogue-like adventure gameplay makes for varied play. Players can equip many different kinds of spells and abilities, comboing them together to deal with the challenges before them. The procedural generated levels offer myriad loot in roguelike style, allowing players to unlock more and more spells/abilities as they progress, which in turn allows them to go farther on the next trip until they encounter one of the difficult bosses. Like some of the better roguelikes, as players progress new elements and gameplay dynamics appear which help to keep things fresh alongside the frenetic combat.

Contingent99, the developers of this indie title have made the wise choice to include Mac and Linux support natively, so those on other OSes won't be left out. While there isn't any DLC to speak of, Wizard of Legend is currently being updated with new content patches, such as the upcoming Sky Palace Update. These are mini expansions adding new weapons, areas, monsters, bosses,and other elements of the game. The quality of these updates reflect well on the devs and gives confidence should they ever release paid expansion style DLC. Wizard of Legend also includes co-op (and even competitive if options are set) play , allowing for 2 players to attempt th challenge together using complimentary skills and abilities. It is Local co-op only, likely due to the speedy rate of play and indie dev team';s first foray, but reports that using streaming services like SteamLink, Moonlight, or Parsec can make for quality play even over the Internet. Alone or with a friend, Wizard of Legend scratches the itch for a dungeon crawler with roguelike progression, so grab your cloak and get going!

 

[RanceJustice]

January Humble Monthly

Observer ($30, Win/Mac/Linux) - Strap on your hardware for a cyberpunk adventure with Observer! In this futuristic narrative adventure title, players are catapulted into the high-tech-and-low-hope cyberpunk world of 2084. As Dan Lazarski, an "Observer", the player is an elite neural detective jacking into the minds of the deranged, insane, or even the expired to solve their cases. In this world everything you say, think, or feel can be used against you and Observers (funded and trained by the kind of overlord corporations present in cyberpunk settings) hack into the minds of suspects and victims alike to read their deepest secrets. Of course diving into minds and feeling what they feel can have lasting effects, which pile up throughout the story. Veteran screen actor Rutger Hauer offers his voice to Dan, giving him the gravelly hard boiled future detective persona that fits well in this sort of story. This melding of cyberpunk investigation and horror has professional and amateur reviewers alike very excited.

Like their earlier well regarded narrative horror title "Layers of Fear", the developers at Blooper Team bring Observer to Mac and Linux. Given the publisher listing, it seems likely this smart move was facilitated by working with Aspyr who are known for quality ports. For those less experienced or ardent in their appreciation for this type of title, its inclusion into Humble Monthly makes for the kind of value that can expose players to great titles like this that they would not normally select and pay for at full price. For fans of cyberpunk and techno-horror, Observer provides a cohesive, intense experience and is a great addition to the month!

Q.U.B.E 2 ($25, Windows) - Add some spacial and physics puzzling this month with QUBE 2! The Q.U.B.E series is clearly inspired by Valve's legendary "Portal" titles of first-person puzzles...with a twist! This inspiration is present in QUBE 2 right down to the female protagonist, pristine industrial testing areas , and the multi-function gloves by which you manipulate puzzles. Players take the role of Amelia Cross, an archeologist who awakens in a strange alien facility. Finding herself with no memory of how she came to be there, yet equipped with a suit of advanced technology including "manipulation gloves". Her only friendly contact being a remote voice of a similarly trapped survivor, she and the player must learn how her gloves can be used to affect the landscape, structures, and other features of the environment in order to explore, escape, and eventually find out all the big questions about this strange place! ALong the way collectibles, lore, and challenges all extend depth , playtime, and hopefully enjoyment for interested players.

Fans of the "Portal" , "Quantum Conundrum", "Talos Principle" or a few best examples of the genre will feel right at home as physics and logic challenges impede one's progress. Thankfully, simple color cues and other identifiers will allow the player to understand how certain items behave and how this can be manipulated by your suite of abilities in order to progress. Like most of the genre (with the notable exception of Portal 2') QUBE 2 is a single player experience, but beyond the core title it offers a single piece of DLC in its $14 Season Pass. This Season Pass includes the game's soundtrack, a special cosmetic set of gloves reminiscent of those from the first QUBE game, and 2 "Puzzle Packs" of additional maps and challenges! Puzzle Pack 1 "Lost Orbit" is an expansion style campaign set in a space station and seems to refresh the game with new challenges, collectibles, story and more. Puzzle Pack 2 is still in development but it is expected to also be expansion style and from the description of the first, the Season Pass is reasonably priced for a considerable amount of content! While not guaranteed, the first QUBE title supported Mac and Linux in its "Director's Cut" version, so there is a possibility of the second being ported as well though for the moment it is Windows only, unfortunately. Those seeking an invigorating first person puzzler should certainly check out QUBE 2 !

Sundered: Eldritch Edition ($20, Win/Mac/Linux) - Thunder Lotus Games is back with another mythological foray in Sundered! As with their greatly appreciated previous release "Jotun: Valhalla Edition", the developers of Sundered use a rich, fluid hand drawn aesthetic to bring their fantastical worlds to life. Where Jotun focused on traditional Scandinavian myth for its inspiration, Sundered chooses the works of H.P Lovecraft and uses the trappings thereof to create a 2D exploration-adventure typically referred to as a "Metroidvania". Players control Esch, trapped into a world of caverns populated by horrific creatures. Some of the hallmarks of Metroidvanias include an expanding map, unlocking new powers in order to return to gain access to new areas, and taking on challenging bosses and secrets alike. Sundered also mixes in some "roguelike" elements in that there is a combination of hand crafted and procedural generated areas, as well as AI dynamically spawning vast, varied horrors to test the player's mettle. Death allows respawn and loadout change, in another borrowed roguelike feature. Players will acquire various different items and weapons that will help them in their quest, some of them twisting their very form, becoming monstrous to fight monsters. However, some of these have a cost to the player both in mechanics and lore, with one's soul hanging in the balance. Choices to embrace or resist the madness are just a few advertising the possibility of branching story paths and multiple endings.

Thunder Lotus Games again makes the smart choice to release Sundered on Mac and Linux, winning them appreciation and acclaim from the community and beyond. As with Jotun, they have established a long history of supporting their games well with content updates. In lieu of paid DLC (at least for the moment) they have added content patches up to and including the "Eldritch Edition" branding, that add new locations, features, bosses, and even co-op! 4 player local co-op is now part of the game and, though it will require a utility such as SteamLink or Parsec if you don't have a partner in the same room, numerous titles (including the Guacamelee series of Metroidvanias) have shown that even local co-op can add much to the experience if well crafted. Sundered provides a lush world of horror to explore and conquer, so steel yourself against the abyss at the center of your soul and the voices scratching at the edges of your mind before you dive in!

The Darkside Detective ( $13, Win/Mac/Linux) - Fans of Twin Peaks, X-Files, LucasArts or Sierra adventure games of the 90s, and other paranormal investigation watch out! The Darkside Detective is a pixel graphics, point and click adventure title starring Detective Francis McQueen , a talented if underpaid officer assigned to the Darkside Division in Twin Lakes City. His sleuthing talents are required whenever some paranormal phenomena requires investigation and in this jurisdiction that seems to be frequently! This city is filled with mysteries and seem to include a significant amount of tongue-in-cheek humor as well, so your investigations don't get too dry or end up simply reduced to the old adventure game staple of "try to combine every two items in the inventory, or click everything everywhere"

Launching thankfully with Mac and Linux support, the game originally included 6 cases which play in somewhat episodic form, not unlike some of the games and television shows that inspired it. While there is no DLC to speak of, the developer has added content patches with additional cases, to the point that there are now 9 cases in the game, which is referred to as "Season 1". Its worth noting that the developer was crowdfunding for the next chapter on Kickstarter and as of this writing has successfully completed their campaign (including a stretch goal or two). Those who enjoy the first game will be happy to know that Darkside Detective Season 2 will be on its way this or perhaps more likely next year. Those looking for an old school adventure title with a humorous twist will be happy to find The Darkside Detective in this month' bundle!

Regions of Ruin ($12, Win/Mac/Linux) - Gaming history has taught us that when Dwarves, forts, and adventure are combined, look sharp! Regions of Ruin is a 2D action adventure that is itself an evolutionary homage to some of the bests of the genre. Taking the 2D , pixel-art settlement building of "Kingdom: New Lands" , the town management and just plain funny weirdness of "Dwarf Fortress" (one can die of having your bum grazed by an enemy!), and the mashed up in depth RPG progression and adventure of "Terraria", "Starbound", and even "Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim", Regions of Ruin creates something where contributing influences are very apparent, yet wholly independent and unique. This single player title starts the player off as a single Dwarf venturing into the wilderness in an open world RPG with twitchy combat. Over time, the founding of a town and the recruitment (and saving!) of NPCs to populate it expands the game world even further, adding depth and quests as your little holdfast expands. Leveling with skill trees/abilities, greater understanding of lore, and other elements all grow as your time in game continues, adding more to do and more to know. Sending your new residents off to harvest resources, hiring mercenaries to protect them as they do or bolster your army for a scrap, or progressing through both main storyline and side quests are just a few of the paths available.

Especially for a debut effort, developer Vox Games has added a lot of love to this passion project, including Mac and Linux support. The game spent time well deserved in Early Access rolling out new features and testing along the way and this has continued post-release with considerable updates as well. At the moment, the only DLC is a free, expansion style pack known as "Sieges", offering an in depth titular siege system with new siegeworks and supporting elements to craft, a well as a variety of other game improvements, quests, and features. All of this for such a reasonable price certainly makes for a good value and players can likely look forward to continued updates including a "Huge" one scheduled after Vox launches their sophomore title, "Meeple Station", on January 17th! Regions of Ruin is the kind of game that some may dismiss as an "also ran", but to do so would miss a well crafted title wherein the whole is more than the sum of its inspired parts! Enjoy!

Roombo: First Blood ($??, Win/Mac, Humble Original) - This month's original takes the form of Roombo, one of the only games with a bloodthirsty robot vacuum protagonist...I think. Roombo is a stealth action title rendered in a cartoonish, low poly setting. Peacefully charging, a robot vacuum hears breaking glass and watches as burglars attempt to loot the house. Controlling Roombo, the gameplay is based around luring the burglars into the range of household hazards which, thanks to your IoT interface and the amount of networked devices around the house, can be activated to dispose of the intruders in hilariously satisfying fashion. All the while the Roombo must be sure not to be caught moving or acting in a hostile manner while in site lines lest the bag guys catch on. Once the burglars have all been violently brought to their ends by falling ceiling fans, exploding ovens, or decapitating doors Roombo has to clean up their blood and viscera, fulfilling his duty so that the family is none the wiser! A fun little diversion, certainly with an interesting premise and vaguely reminiscent of a few classic titles from the 90s and 2000's.
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Don't forget that aside from each month's games, you also are granted a global 10% 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!