Mad Jack

Why isn't Psychonauts selling well?

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I ordered the pc game from double fine's site, and they are currently "backordered on Psychonauts - PC Version". That seems like good news, the pc version is selling better than they anticipated, i guess.

I hope that the well-selling era of Psychonauts has begun!!

Jaap

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I agree, but i think that the sales of real stores and online shops are linked, if a game doesn't sell in the stores it won't sell well online, and the reverse.

So when noticed that at least one online shop seems to do it well, there might be hope.

Jaap

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Didn't PC Gamer USA once have a listing of pc game sales and it said that The Longest Journey only sold like 70 copies of the game, then it later turned out that they left out a bunch of things like online sales and other countries and stuff. I don't know, I just think that maybe that this is what happened to psychonauts, that maybe they only counted one way that the game could have been sold or something.

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Should I find solace in the fact that they simply say Psychonauts has "slow" sales rather than calling it a commercial failure like they did Advent Rising?

Incidentally, I hate everything.

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June

XBX PSYCHONAUTS $435,579 8,923

PS2 PSYCHONAUTS $318,041 6,375

:eek:

By comparison,

PS2 MEDAL OF HONOR: EUROPEAN AS $6,405,767 161,055

XBX MEDAL OF HONOR: EUROPEAN AS $3,853,602 97,024

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Psychonauts: 90's Adventure game + 90's platforming + wit and ingenutiy = 90's Gameplay :sad:

The adventure elements were basic: Talk to the guy who runs the class in the demo and he'll tell you to take your time exploring the camp, suggesting you get a good look around. Go back and he'll repeat the same message. Go back again and say you want to join the class and he'll yell at you for being late.

You really don't expect this sort of gigantic flaw affecting a game's atmosphere in this day and age (see it in the demo to get what I mean).

The actual gameplay revolves around a linear 3D map and collecting items. Mario 64 had more advanced gameplay :sad:

Psychonauts had a lot going for it, but you really have to love LucasArt's adventure games to get the most out of it. It doesn't really cross-over to the average gamer; the plot actually makes it sound like a children's game! Such a shame, but KOTOR is still the only truly successful blend of adventure/RPG/action elements for me. :sad:

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That's your personal experience, but I don't think that's the general sentiment. See, the game is practically being worshipped by the media. The same media that won't cover adventure games because these are "too 90's".

--Erwin

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You really don't expect this sort of gigantic flaw affecting a game's atmosphere in this day and age (see it in the demo to get what I mean).

Dude, gigantic is being way too kind. I think more along the lines of humongous or gargantuan is a more appropriate description. Glad to hear I'm not the only who thought it totally destroyed the game's atmosphere as well.

Am I the only person who wasn't that impressed by KOTOR?

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Am I the only person who wasn't that impressed by KOTOR?

No. I enjoyed it on the whole, but nothing blew me away, and there were long stretches of gameplay that were very boring. I took a year to finish it because I was so uninterested in the Manaan questing that I left the game alone for several months. It had some great moments and some nice characters and locations, but I think an RPG, and particularly a Star Wars RPG, could be so much more.

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I'm thinking about buying my temproary roomate/friend Psychonauts on the PS2 for his birthday. It's an expensive gift, though, as usually I don't buy gifts/buy something that is around $20. the other option would be to buy him ICO. Comments?

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Netmonkey, if your friend likes platformers, linear storylines, and has a sense of humor, yes, get him Psychonauts.

If your friend likes platformers and enjoys fine art direction and off-the-beaten-path puzzles, yes, get him ICO.

If your friend likes anything else, get him a gift card. Or a hooker.

Why is Psychonauts $50, anyway? I don't see many brand-new-released games for $50. Hell, a used GameCube with paddles and Mario Sunshine is, what, $7 now?

And where was the action in KOTOR, except for the totally-turning-my-dad-off-from-it mini games?

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$50 isn't the going rate for new games? Unless you almost only buy PC games that aren't by Blizzard or Valve, and DS games, you must live in a strange alternate dimension.

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Psychonauts: 90's Adventure game + 90's platforming + wit and ingenutiy = 90's Gameplay :sad:

I really fail to understand this 90's gameplay thing. Or that since Psychonauts is one of those "original" games it should have totally reinvented platforming, like Gamespot alluded to in their review.

Also I loved KotOR but I don't think the two are really that comparable in terms of design goals.

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First off, what's wrong with 90's gameplay? I think Mario 64 DS would like some words with you about success in the modern gaming world, and Banjo Kazooie has had to be restrained to keep from running at you, sharp pokey things sticking out of its grey cartridge casing. Donkey Kong 64 is just very dissappointed in you. It's sitting in the corner and crying.

Personally, I still enjoy games of this type. Yeah, they've got you hunting for random crap you don't really care about, but that's the nature of the genre. You need to expect going in that you'll be hunting around, and just sit back and enjoy the search. If the game environment has been well-realized enough, there's a sense of wonder and discovery as you explore each world looking for the goodies. If not, it's a crappy platformer, but so be it.

Psychonauts had the atmosphere. The world was amazing, and constantly intriguing, which is what a platformer needs to be great.

Edit: Oh yeah, KOTOR. I really liked it. It was the only RPG (Ok, and Earthbound) that I've ever been able to sit through. It really sucked me in and, despite the boring of Mannan (I kind of liked the political backstabbing though), made me want to see what became of my characters. I finished the whole thing in about a month which, considering I have school, is pretty quick.

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I like what Tycho wrote about Gabe on PA today,

This should not be construed as a critique of the game, it is just something specific about me, because Gabe devoured the game as I understand it. Kara tells me that when he finished the game, he proceeded to simply play with the case itself for a period of no less than two weeks. He was reluctant to let go of those good times.

Too bad they never did a comic.

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XBX PSYCHONAUTS MAJESCO 4/1/2005 8,923 $435,579 $48.82

PS2 PSYCHONAUTS MAJESCO 6/1/2005 6,375 $318,041 $49.89

Grand Total 15,298 $753,620 $98.70

Again these are American numbers only.

And again I say if a great game gets great reviews and doesn't sell well, it may be due to the fact it isn't culturally relevent- meaning the mainstream don't get it and don't identify with it.

But I do think publishers should once a year or once every two years put out a great orginal game to help with the compnay's reputation and to broaden the portfolio of game genres and IPs in the indusrty as a whole. Thsi is why I think Lucas should have put out Sam and Max 2 even if they knew they would lose money.

Peace out.

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Didn't PC Gamer USA once have a listing of pc game sales and it said that The Longest Journey only sold like 70 copies of the game, .

LONGEST JOURNEY FUNCOM Nov-00 WIN 152,955 $4,557,667 $29.80

It sold half as much as Escape from Monkey Island which lost to TLJ that year as best adventure game of the year.

ESCAPE FROM MONKEY ISLAND ASPYR MEDIA Mar-01 MAC 2,554 79,171 $31.00

LUCASARTS Nov-00 WIN 94,305 3,316,036 $35.16

ESCAPE FROM MONKEY ISLAND JC LUCASARTS Feb-02 WIN 36,482 330,156 $9.05

ESCAPE FROM MONKEY ISLAND ARCHIVE SERIES JC LUCASARTS Oct-01 WIN 15,577 216,590 $13.90

LONGEST JOURNEY JC FUNCOM Apr-05 WIN 8 83 $10.38

Grand Total 301,881 $8,499,703 $129.29

Peace Out My Peeps

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