I’m really glad the reviews are positive… I was able to enjoy the first game despite its flaws, and I enjoyed this one too (at beta). It’s good and long; the big conspiracy comes together fairly well; it sets up a promising sequel.
But I really struggled with the plausibility of making life-or-death decisions via reality show, and that’s pretty fundamental to the whole concept. I didn’t like the fact that the MC doesn’t get the option to radically question this. Yes, you can initially think the show is “beneath you,” and you can prioritise Jenny’s investigation over winning.
But for all that, at least in the beta version the MC stayed emotionally engaged with the Hero Project (excited! thrilled! nervous about getting kicked off!) even after it became clear just what a terrible idea it is to fight a terrorist team via reality show, and how much more important stuff was going on just under the silly, shiny surface.
Notably, there was a choice: “How do you feel about being involved in such a high-profile mission?” where I really, really wanted an option for “I think it’s appalling that they’ve entrusted a vital national security mission to a bunch of contestants on a f—ing popularity contest which includes at least one known supervillain.” Unless an option along those lines ended up in the final game, I guess the author decided that would be out of character…
@Havenstone I just suspended belief on that aspect. I agree, entirely. But I took my belief, I kicked and beat it until it was dead, and then I threw it out the window. Because there was no way I could think of changing things without wrecking the entire premise of the game.
So I decided that it was a future in which ridiculous things like that happened.
I did enjoy the game. I thought that it was a vast improvement on the first one. I felt that Zachary had learned from the mistakes of the first game. It is still somewhat linear, but that’s the nature of such a long game. There’s nice bits of variation though and they do matter, especially towards the end.
1 Like
My problem is i dont have idea what choice are loyalist float or heroic half of the time , difference is minimal in most of choices so i end badly all plays lol You dont stay in character say game! Could you explain me what is what lol. Im not native to different one sly grade in a synonym. I will suggested it in amail to the support or i musnt? i only want help get game clear and better
Does giving up jenneys secret change anything or are you still eliminated
@Marajade: Haha, glad it’s not just me! I honestly find the difference between ‘cutthroat strategist’ and ‘villain’ is pretty slim - both imply selfish, mean spirited choices, and in the context of a competition, the difference is rather subjective .
the ‘floater’ is another hard one, sometime you just can’t stay neutral, you have to choose a faction. Is this the D&D style of neutral, where you have to alternate between to extremes like you’re bi-polar? That’s less ‘floating’ and more ‘chronic backstabbing syndrome’.
‘loyal ally’ and ‘hero’ are generally easier, although ‘hero’ is bit vague too, seeing as there’s no heroic way to come out of a mass melee.
I think it’s too late to revamp the system now (too bad no one suggested that in the beta stage), but I wish the choices were a little less ambiguous. I am also not clear on whether the score is affected solely by your action, or by your motivations as well (i.e. choosing to save the girl because it’s right VS saving the girl to gain more allies).
@Jackrabbit Sometimes things get mentioned during the beta stage and the author decides against them. I’m fairly sure I did mention my frustrations with how strict the strategies were. I took one action that I’d thought was heroic but ended up being team player instead.
You can play the game choosing whatever options you like and I don’t think you’re really penalised for it?
Does giving jennys secret away change anything
@Natsu_Dragneel Yes. It changes quite a lot. The two paths to the ending hinge on that decision. Some things do remain the same, mind you, but that’s probably the most influential decision in the game.
@FairyGodfeather that´s not true game punished you a lot. saying something people dont know how think about you that drops your fame. I dont remember if afected legend or not but i think affects. I would send my concern to support its real annoying and break my enjoy of the game try to figure What the hell its what ?
My bet is Cog did it difficult on purpose to sell That guides in game and that’s nasty policy.
@Marajade What did your fame impact? Is is impossible to complete the game if you don’t stick to a strategy?
You could end but your legend is bare minimum and to win in my plays you has to be popular. And text are always negative in tv show you are called figter generic and chamaleon and people hate you more.
I didnt buy the guide and never buy in game apps which not add to the story. But the stay in character so bad implemented make me not desire replay again after 4 plays and if sequel has same system i dont give a peny in the game lol. Frustrating !
@FairyGodfeather The game states you lose legend points for not sticking with one strategy. It was my understanding legend points are somehow related to your leaderboard score, so I deducted not sticking with one strategy lowers your score, which could get you kicked out too early and leads to game over. If you don’t carry a save with high legend from the first game, your character is always barely hanging on in terms of points, so you really need to gain them in every chance possible.
Not to mention, if you’re shooting for the 100 legend points achievement, you presumably need those as well.
Well, if the author decided it should stay that way, I hope it was for a the story’s and RP reasons.
Put the choices clear. Help to Rp , so that is good to tne story . But probably sell less guides
@MaraJade Unlike in the original, the sequel didn’t take away choices from you just because your previous decisions pushed the needle on a stat too high or too low.
@Jackrabbit The leaderboard and legend scores aren’t always connected. You’re absolutely right on getting legend points for sticking to a strategy however.
@Havenstone Civilian government offficials have often tied their own militaries in knots, giving them ridiculous orders and sometimes farming out important tasks to CIA or mercenary yahoo’s. And powerful interests have often been able to buy government officials, including Presidents. Therefore it’s not impossible, especially given the way the supreme court decided the Citizen’s United case, that someone rich and powerful enough could push something like this through in some fictional America where powered superheroes exist.
I really enjoyed the second part in this series. I also enjoyed the first though as well. The length of these heroes stories are longer than I expect a CoG to be so I am very satisfied (although I attribute that to the story being more linear). I found myself more invested in the character I was playing than I do when I play other CoG games. Just a few positives I felt like sharing from my play throughs.
@P_Tigras, even allowing that governments do make ridiculous decisions in situations of high consequence, this one is such a transparently, whoppingly bad idea that I wanted my character to at least be able to think so. 
@Havenstone No disagreement there. Fair point.
@Havenstone
Well, it’s a story with comic book silliness.
I mean it turns out that that Jenny isn’t only a desk employee BUT a badass ninja, with guns on her face and katanas.
And not only that but she’s a badass desk employee ninja, with guns on her face and katanas, who has the genetically induced instinct to monologue while a battle is raging around her.
@SamuraiMantis That’s a good point as well. A certain amount of outlandishness is a traditional part of the comic book genre.
