Black Geyser - Preview @ Gamebanshee

HiddenX · August 15, 2020

Gamebanshee checked out the beta of Black Geyser: Couriers of Darkness:

Black Geyser: Couriers of Darkness Beta Preview

Introduction

Black Geyser: Couriers of Darkness is an isometric, party-based, real-time with pause RPG from GrapeOcean Technologies that was successfully Kickstarted back in 2018. A quick glance at any of the game's screenshots makes it obvious that it draws its inspirations from the old Infinity Engine games, but also Obsidian Entertainment's fairly recent Pillars of Eternity series.

Right now, the game is expected to launch before the end of 2020. And with that in mind, we decided to check out Black Geyser's recently released Backer Beta and report our findings to you.

Story and Systems

By the looks of it, this beta represents a vertical slice of the actual game and not some standalone adventure. It lets you control a small group of premade characters and engage in diplomacy in a hostile city that's being ravaged by a bunch of misfortunes. A plague, a rebellion, mysterious disappearances, cultists trying to summon all sorts of unpleasant things. Even the local mines are running out.

Speaking of the latter, you would think that a game inspired by Baldur's Gate, a game that itself abbreviates into BG, would at least have the decency to not copy the basic premise of the Bhaalspawn saga. You see, while most of it takes place before the beta starts, based on some conversations and the quick manual bundled with the beta, I've managed to piece together what happens during Black Geyser's intro.

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Thanks Old Grognard!

More information.

Old Grognard · August 15, 2020

Preview is spot on and I agree with the writer for once. First time in a while also.

Black Geyser: Couriers of Darkness, or at the very least its Backer Beta, is a strange game. It’s clear that a lot of care and effort was put into it, but then at times it almost feels like it simply tries to ape some other RPGs that came before it.

In the end, Black Geyser walks a very fine line between that and being its own thing full of interesting or at the very least unique ideas. And I can’t deny that despite whatever shortcomings the game’s backer beta may have, it also oozes a certain charm that makes you want to keep playing it.

And if you ask me, the number of technical issues and minor annoyances present in the beta the developers manage to fix by the time Black Geyser launches will determine if that charm is going to last. And I really hope that it does.

Nereida · August 15, 2020

Seems like one of those games that will release in 2020+ but seems to have beeen developed in the previous century. Wish them luck, they'll need it.

I mean, I can tell it won't be as good as PoE, and even though they copied its interface, I can't see how it'll sell better than PoE, which was a financial failure.

Old Grognard · August 15, 2020

That's the beauty of indie RPG development you are not beholden to make a modern game with a ten million budget or more. Raphael Colantonio said it way better.

"Our passion and our ambitions are very high, and we want to succeed and we want to make a game that people enjoy," he said. "But at the same time, we can take more risks, and we are less worried about the market than we would be if we were doing a triple-A game. Because the numbers to recoup a triple-A game, you're talking about numbers that are so high that, then you're not making a game anymore, you're making a product."

As for PoE 1&2 it's hard to draw a parallel as one sold 2+ million and the other 500,000 at best. Was it market fatigue or were buyers tired of isometric RTwP RPGs? Take a guess.

Not even Obsidian knows the answer based on Josh Sawyer replies as PoE 2 was the better game. They improved everything from PoE 1, and made it better according to reviews.

As for Black Geyser yeah it's been in development for a while, but the game started out from scratch at a small tech firm with no pc game development experience.

Hopefully they can at least sell half a million at best as well.

Edit: Look at UnderRail & Age of Decadence for reference.

Nereida · August 15, 2020

My best wishes go to them. I just fear they're developing for a dead audience but if it does release at some point, I'll likely get it. If nothing else to whine about how it'd have been a better game with Turn-Based combat without being as hypocrite as not having even played the game before doing so.

Stingray · August 15, 2020

Old Grognard said:
As for PoE 1&2 it's hard to draw a parallel as one sold 2+ million and the other 500,000 at best. Was it market fatigue or were buyers tired of isometric RTwP RPGs? Take a guess.

Neither - PoE1 just wasn't as good as people had hoped/anticipated, so many of the people who bought 1 didn't buy 2.

But 500K isn't bad sales numbers for a game like that anyway. With the appropriate budget, it could be quite profitable. But I'd guess PoE2 wasn't a money maker because they went overboard with full voice acting etc. Absolutely no need for that in a game like this.

Of course, it becomes far more profitable if you make it in Russia instead of California.

Old Grognard · August 15, 2020

I used to wish we had more games like this. That was back when Interplay shutdown, BioWare moved on, and Black Isle shut it doors. Still time moved on that I can't deny.

Then you get games like Original Sin 1&2 that prove they still sell if you modernize the formula a little. At least I got a few games over the last few years to play at least.

Old Grognard · August 15, 2020

Stingray said:
Neither - PoE1 just wasn't as good as people had hoped/anticipated, so many of the people who bought 1 didn't buy 2.

But 500K isn't bad sales numbers for a game like that anyway. With the appropriate budget, it could be quite profitable. But I'd guess PoE2 wasn't a money maker because they went overboard with full voice acting etc. Absolutely no need for that in a game like this.

Of course, it becomes far more profitable if you make it in Russia instead of California.

Yeah 500K is not bad especially if your budget was only 3+ million to make the game in the first place. It's Obsidian who keeps mentioning it was a flop/under-performed in interviews.

Pathfinder's success was it was developed in a country were the dollar goes a lot further. Look at another Russian Fallout inspired game called Encased for another example.

Heck even Atom RPG developed on a shoestring budget has sold over a million copies.

Stingray · August 15, 2020

While Larian is my favorite developer, I don't think our best hope is "modernized" games like D:OS1 and D:OS2. I think it's people making great games in places where the labor isn't so ridiculously expensive. Owlcat being the premier example for the type of game we're talking about here, but you've also got guys like CDProjekt, the makers of Underrail, ATOM, Encased, etc. Black Geyser is Eastern Europeans too, if I recall correctly from when I asked them about it in a thread here a couple years ago.

Old Grognard · August 15, 2020

Stingray said:
While Larian is my favorite developer, I don't think our best hope is "modernized" games like D:OS1 and D:OS2. I think it's people making great games in places where the labor isn't so ridiculously expensive. Owlcat being the premier example for the type of game we're talking about here, but you've also got guys like CDProjekt, the makers of Underrail, ATOM, Encased, etc. Black Geyser is Eastern Europeans too, if I recall correctly from when I asked them about it in a thread here a couple years ago.

Years ago I used to criticize Russian RPG games as they were borderline terrible, and I played everyone of them. A crap ton of bugs, and don't get me started on bad translations.

Then in the last few years my opinion has vastly changed due to better quality games.

Also as a fan of BioWare style games I'm glad CDPR has stepped up to the plate with Triple-A games nowadays as well. It's not just western games dominating the market.

Morrandir · August 15, 2020

Nereida said:
Seems like one of those games that will release in 2020+ but seems to have beeen developed in the previous century. Wish them luck, they'll need it.

I mean, I can tell it won't be as good as PoE, and even though they copied its interface, I can't see how it'll sell better than PoE, which was a financial failure.

Well, they don't have to pay an expensive Josh Sawyer for developing and “improving“ game mechanics.

So that money can be spent elsewhere.

Darkheart · August 15, 2020

Morrandir said:
Well, they don't have to pay an expensive Josh Sawyer for developing and “improving“ game mechanics.
So that money can be spent elsewhere.

Yeah, the way of the Muscle Wizard was the wrong path.

Both PoE are pretty good. PoE II was even very good imo and should be even better with turn-based combat (which I still have to try).

They just geared the systems in the wrong direction.
Not to say Divinity was flawless either. After a while I came to loath the armor system. BG III will still be a day one for me (final release).

screeg · August 15, 2020

Stingray said:
I think it's people making great games in places where the labor isn't so ridiculously expensive.

Game development overall may be expensive, but keep in mind the low level devs and artists working 80 hour weeks for a mediocre 40 hour salary that isn't competitive with related industries like advertising, tv production, anything with programming.
I honestly think the problem isn't *indie* game design being expensive, it's that people don't want to pay ANYTHING for a game.
Just about everything indie costs $15-25 these days, and people even whine about that pittance. Non-AAA computer games cost less today in unadjusted dollars than they did in the 1990s.

Old Grognard · August 16, 2020

True but on a side note based on publisher interviews games are going up again. This is based on the new consoles, and they usually affect PC prices as well. Around $70-80.

As for indie games it depends I wont spend $40 on a short pixel-art game. Anyway Steam sales and heavy competition is to blame for prices being so low on most indie games.

Black Geyser - Preview @ Gamebanshee

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