RPGWatch Feature - Kenshi Review

Originally Posted by TheRealFluent
Looking great BlackVoid! I played 200 hours and near the end dozen or so I started building a base in Shek territory. It's kind of rough sledding at first since you're getting raided by Barbarians and tougher enemies, but it was starting to come together before I shelved it for awhile. 200 hours and barely scratched the surface honestly, the game is massive.

Thanks man!

I think I am over 200 hrs too (139 on the account, but I played offline a lot).

Shek territory is no joke at the start. Berserkers, Krall's chosen and another annoying minor faction is there (can't recall the name, disgraced warriors). I think only territory around Hub is safe, relatively.

I think of starting in cannibal country next. or may be all robot play through.

Originally Posted by lackblogger
I found Frogger to be the most rewarding role playing experience, maybe I'm weird.

I loved the unique and interesting take on the genre whereby the enemies levelled up as the game progressed from your actions rather than you gaining levels. Now that was thinking outside the box.

I loved the open world approach that allowed me to go anywhere on the map and that all areas of the map had both dense content and BRUTAL combat.

By doing away with the health bar you were placed into a realistic world where just one hit could kill you, and the death animation itself was satisfyingly realistic.

I also loved the immersion the game provided as you really jumped in your seat as if you were actually the frog each time you got hit by the traffic. They really caught the atmosphere of a typical road crossing nailed so perfectly, you really felt like you were there.

Frogger masterfully combines both the RPG and Survival genres to such a pinnacle of perfection that it has been the inspiration for all that follows in these two genres.

Most importantly, you aren't at all railroaded by the developers into any specific gameplay choice. You can roleplay a hesitant and nervous little jumper or you can go bold and unthinking and all in between with no overriding narrative to throttle you into one specific playstyle.

And if that's not enough for you, you can even mod it to however you want it to play:

It's a shame you lack imagination. You should practice this by imagining the rest of the world thinks you're as clever as you do.

Finally got a new machine to run Kenshi on and it now has my #2 position next to Demise as one of my all time favorite games. I will probably be playing it until I am actually dead myself.
Edit: I am about 35 hours in to my first game. It was just a lame character name (Mullet), 1st settlement near The Hub (Mulleted). I became very attached to my recruits. This happens to me when I am enjoying a good game.

Edit:

This may get my lifetime vote for favorite game of all time if I can enjoy over 1k hours.

Originally Posted by lackblogger
While being directed to the Codex the other day in another thread about another open world survival game, I checked out their thread on this as well, curious to see how the survival trend is escalating.

It seems this game is hugely popular over there as this game is one of those games that allows you to simulate your inner genocidal maniac & most of the posts are screenshots of piles upon piles of dead humans & discussing the myriad ways you can kill ever more humans ad-infinitum.

If that helps anyone decide whether it's their thing or not.

Just seen this.
You realize thats not exactly unique to Codex. Most popular TV shows in the last ten years are about glorifying some depraved aspect of humanity. We pretend its not, and we have some pretend social outrage, but really its what sells.

Originally Posted by Wisdom
Just seen this.
You realize thats not exactly unique to Codex. Most popular TV shows in the last ten years are about glorifying some depraved aspect of humanity. We pretend its not, and we have some pretend social outrage, but really its what sells.

The sentiment of the post wasn't that having a game where you pile up bodies should be controversial but that the game has been given an RPG discussion freedom of access to this game solely because it specialises in one specific aspect of depraved humanity that particularly tickles the codex sensibilities. They don't even allow the discussion of Diablo in their General RPG discussion forum, but have some random sandbox genocide, sure, now THAT'S a game they welcome into the forum with open arms.

If the game had unkillable NPCs and a more mundane approach to free-form murder then I've no doubt someone would have chucked it into their general gaming or whatever forum with all the other zombie survival sandboxes. Though I commend you on taking every opportunity to look for angles to preach your current political agendas, whatever they may be.

Originally Posted by warmonger3
Finally got a new machine to run Kenshi on and it now has my #2 position next to Demise as one of my all time favorite games. I will probably be playing it until I am actually dead myself.
Edit: I am about 35 hours in to my first game. It was just a lame character name (Mullet), 1st settlement near The Hub (Mulleted). I became very attached to my recruits. This happens to me when I am enjoying a good game.

Edit:

This may get my lifetime vote for favorite game of all time if I can enjoy over 1k hours.

What is Demise? It is a similar kind of game?

Originally Posted by lackblogger
The sentiment of the post wasn't that having a game where you pile up bodies should be controversial but that the game has been given an RPG discussion freedom of access to this game solely because it specialises in one specific aspect of depraved humanity that particularly tickles the codex sensibilities.

Bodies actually tend to pile up on their own near the gates. No player's input required.

Putting some psycho in his own limb removal machine, cutting off all four, bandaging and stabilizing him, then carrying his trunk for hours to a closest police building dodging bandits and hostile wildlife on the way just to get the bounty. That's Role Playing LOL.

[QUOTE=Kos;1061569821]What is Demise? It is a similar kind of game?[/QUOT
Demise is a rather long dungeon crawler. No relation to Kenshi of course, I just view it as an extreme version of it's genre so similar in that way.

Demise also had a long development time if you include the length of time we waited for someone to purchase the IP and finally add new content.

https://www.decklinsdemise.com/

Still, a map of this size is pretty impressive.

Originally Posted by Wisdom
Just seen this.
You realize thats not exactly unique to Codex. Most popular TV shows in the last ten years are about glorifying some depraved aspect of humanity. We pretend its not, and we have some pretend social outrage,

No. The effect of the shift from different types of stories to ruffian dominated stories, a push that has been accomplished by the US since the days the US middle class started to read and dime novels.

but really its what sells.

Kenshi is not that a big seller this statement of real thruth about true reality stands.
Many other vid products sell better without going toward that thing.

Beside, the most important point, Kenshi does not allow depravity. Always the same with so called RPGers, they deny the necessary built in morality system.

Rimworld allows depravity (and provides more means to be) M&B allows depravity.
Because they have a built in system that reviews players'actions. There is a world at large and NPCs pass judgement on players.

Players want to dedicate himself to the business of farming the poor, extorting the weak, a companion can not take it and warns the player he wants to test his mettle through worthy battles. If the player does not change course, companions leave.

Player wants to get a good natured lord to join his burgeoning kingdom, player has burnt settlements, lord is good natured, that is refusal.

Rimworld features a similar system of control from within as pawns are unsettled and show outrage when a course of action does not fit them, this might weaken the small community enough to lead to their destruction (or used to)

No external control, the enemy is meant to be subdued and must not be strong enough to exert control on the player's course of action (even though Rimworld intended an enemy strong enough to push players into surrendering a settlement)

But internal control from the closest group, they disapprove and their disapproval is a danger. It must be taken into account.

Kenshi is US American brand of freedom, a mixture between nihilism and totalitarianism, some must enjoy unbridledness, no restraints for them whereas others are caught in a life every single aspect has been thought for them and imposed them.

There is no depravity. Depravity demands a morality system. There is no others'perception to influence behaviours. Players do as they wish. No morality, no moral judgment passed, nothing.

If depravity sells, Kenshi would not sell.

Originally Posted by BlackVoid
Bodies actually tend to pile up on their own near the gates. No player's input required.

Putting some psycho in his own limb removal machine, cutting off all four, bandaging and stabilizing him, then carrying his trunk for hours to a closest police building dodging bandits and hostile wildlife on the way just to get the bounty. That's Role Playing LOL.

Which role it is. There is no role in it.

Kenshi is not role playing. Mere acting.

A role is a set of charges, that dictates the behaviour. People take up roles to be forced to behave a certain way.

It is simply a story about a guy who fear so much the enemy he must cripple him when the enemy is at his mercy and is greedy enough to endure luggaging the enemy's trunk around to pocket a reward.

No role in that.