Board 8 > July B8 Game of the Month Club ft. A Hat in Time, Firewatch, Inside

(+) Yeah! (+)

Julys Games:
A Hat in Time (PC/PS4/XB1)
Firewatch (PC/PS4/XB1)
Inside (PC/PS4/XB1/iOS)

What is Game of the Month Club?
Game of the Month is a community project open to all B8ers where users share, discover, play and/or discuss a select few games every month. The games featured each month are chosen by YOU the users (and Lady Luck)

The Basics
- Each month will feature three games that were chosen via a random drawing from a pool of games that users nominated
- For each game you beat, you get a cool point on our just-for-fun standings as well as a nomination for next month's randomized drawing
- In order to receive the point and nomination, you must beat said game within the calendar month
- If you beat one of the current month's games in the previous month, you can apply for a "recently beaten waiver," but you will only receive a point and no nomination should you do so
- Drawing for next month's games is usually around a week before the end of the month
- If you periodically keep us posted on your progress and/or talk about different aspects of the games, then everyone will think you are super awesome!

Nomination Rules
- You get one nomination automatically each month
- You receive additional nominations each month for every chosen game that you beat
- Each game you nominate has to be unique from all other nominations and cannot include a game that has already been selected for GotM
- Each game must be a standalone game that can be acquired and played on its own (aka cannot be DLC/expansion that requires the base game)
- Nominations only carry over if you beat a chosen game after the drawing for next month's games but before the end of the month
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Just-for-Fun Standings (among those who beat a game in 2017-18)
KCF: 73
gameking: 65
Lolo Guru: 41
Mr Crispy: 37
ArkOfTurus: 35
KnightOfNee: 30
Arti: 23
scarletspeed: 23
MegamanX: 18
Fenny: 15
Robazoid: 13
Wickle: 10
profDEADPOOL: 8
Shaduln: 7
BetrayedTangy: 5
Cody: 5
darkx: 5
paperwarior: 5
LordoftheMorons: 3
MrSmartGuy: 3
MZero: 3
Shonen: 3
KommunistKoala: 2
PrinceReva: 2
Harrich: 1
Kain66: 1
Peace Frog: 1
SantaRPG: 1
Steiner: 1
Tom Bombadil: 1
Waluigi1: 1
Wiki: 1

Spreadsheet with history (not updated for June)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1X8E8oqzES42W4S82j7WTfNnzNa8c3uXdSE1rnqYG7WM/edit?usp=sharing
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All three games are currently on sale on Steam until July 5th

A Hat in Time is $19.50 USD on Steam
https://store.steampowered.com/app/253230/A_Hat_in_Time/

Firewatch is $5 USD on Steam
https://store.steampowered.com/app/383870/Firewatch/

Inside is $9 USD on Steam
https://store.steampowered.com/app/304430/INSIDE/
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Tag.

Should start Firewatch in a couple days. Still thinking of buying A Hat in Time and Inside, but probably won't.
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probably won't be able to get to anything this month.

just posting to say that I beat dott if you missed it last topic.
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I'm probably passing on everything for this month. I'm in the middle of an Assassin's Creed series full playthrough.
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I'll be playing Inside and Firewatch. Should start Inside tomorrow.
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Ooh, neat. Picked up Hat in Time during the Steam Sale, so I'll definitely start that. The other two I've already beaten, and are not great replayable games.
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Tag

I ended up moving to a new apartment which ate up the last half of June for me. However, I am definitely doing Firewatch now that is has been selected.
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Decided to start Hat in Time up tonight and finished Chapter 1. It's easy to tell that the budget was super limited from the animations and stuff, but it feels really good to play and has a ton of charm, and I would argue that's what really matters in a platformer like this.
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I wish A Hat in Time was on sale on PSN. Debating how long I should wait to see if it will go on sale
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tag
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MZero11 posted...

I wish A Hat in Time was on sale on PSN. Debating how long I should wait to see if it will go on sale

I know it was recently on sale for XB1 (at the same price), so if it was also on sale for PSN at the same time, I wouldn't count on it being on sale again so soon (unless that is quite common these days).
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Thought about it and guess I really won't play anything this month. I wish Hat in Time wouldn't have won for a long while... nearly $20 is just too much.
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I have an entire spreadsheet dedicated to potential GotM noms, and I am not the kind of person that has uncontrollable urges to play certain games. If you want me to change my nom for whatever reason in the future, I'm flexible and can move on to something else.
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I will probably play Hat in Time and Firewatch concurrently starting tomorrow
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A Hat in Time is on sale for $20.09 USD on Xbox One:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/1/bx91dhsr4c5t
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So in other words, it seems it might be possible for the PSN version to go on sale tomorrow MZero
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Thanks for the heads up!
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A Hat in Time is my 2017 GOTY. I probably should play it again.
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I'll probably play Firewatch sometime this week as I have the rest of the week off from work.
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A Hat in Time is $22.50 ($19.50-ish for PS+ users) on US PSN:
https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP3864-CUSA09267_00-AHATINTIMEPS4000

@MZero11

I should probably check if Firewatch or Inside are on sale for XB1/PS4 too before I forget.
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Thanks! Got it!

Been wanting to play this for awhile. Game of the Month and on sale is perfect
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INSIDE is on sale for $8 on PSN, $6 with PS+

https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP2054-CUSA05297_00-INSIDE0000000000

it's also available in a bundle with LIMBO for $12/$9

https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP2054-NPUB50382_00-INSIDELIMBOBUNDL
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Did the first few acts of A Hat in Time. I like it a lot, but the only problem I have is that it should have taken some crucial cues from the game I assume popularized the collect-a-thon formula, Banjo-Kazooie.

I still don't know what half of the items I'm collecting even do (BK explicitly mentioned what everything did the first time you collected an item). Also, with the act system, I have no idea what transfers over from act-to-act and a running counter for all the collectibles.
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I now have six time pieces in A Hat in Time. I'm still clearing out Mafia Town stuff, and when I was tasked with turning water/lava valves, I was one valve away when I came across a rift in like a sewer pipe. I did the platforming area that was reminiscent of Super Mario Sunshine (this entire act reminds me of that game a lot), and when it was all said and done, I was kicked back out to the main hub! I begrudgingly turned all of the valves again.
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Hahaha, I just got an achievement in Hat in Time for typing Fuck Off to the crows asking for personal details in World 2.
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I now possess 14 time pieces. After Mafia Town ended up being a prototypical (not an insult) 3D platformer chapter, Battle of the Birds has turned out to be a condensed, linear adventure that has deemphasized the platforming elements. I appear to not have what I need to progress here, so I unlocked the next two worlds and will likely start with Subcon Forest first. I have no idea what to expect after the major shifts from Mafia Town to Battle of the Birds.

I am on Day 2 in Firewatch. I can tell it will take more time to get used to the navigation/map system. So far, I have remembered the directions that the woman (I just finished playing this and can't even remember her name!) has given me, but I know there will soon come a time where I will be stuck. I recognize Henry's voice as one of the guys from Mad Men.
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Gameking has beaten Inside and Firewatch.

I beat Inside two days ago and really enjoyed it, but Firewatch stuck with me on a whole different level. I had wanted to play it back when it came out, but didn't have the means to. I remember hearing negative things about the ending, but I thought it was perfectly fine, and I think the game as a whole mostly did a great job of what it set out to do.

Both were short and sweet. I'll have my nominations up when I decide on them.
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Nominate Yokus Island Express
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I'm on Day 3 now in Firewatch. Sure enough, I had no idea where to start at the beginning of Day 2, but I picked a direction, went for it, and I ended up being lucky as I chose the correct direction. So far, I kind of like the game for its setting and subdued narrative. I expect this game to go into a different direction before long, so I am a bit cautious what it will lose in the process.

I now am halfway through A Hat in Time with 20 time pieces. I was in the midst of going for my 21st in the purple time rift from Battle of the Birds, but I was not getting anywhere in that. The time rifts in Battle of the Birds were quite the difficulty spike. I don't believe that I have died before, but I have died 5-10 times in those three rifts. I acquired an item in Subcon Forest that allowed me to wrap up Battle of the Birds, so I will finish up the latter before continuing with what is so far my favorite chapter.
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I thought Chapter 2: Act 2 was the high point in the game so far, but overall, I really like the Chapter 3 level. I equipped the badge that helps you find relics and just spent 2 hours roaming around collecting stuff. There's a ton to do, and it's all really fun.
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I have that relic badge, but it's kind of confusing with that mostly-useless mini-map so I quickly unequipped it. I think that I have the item magnet, charge attack, and no bumping into objects while diving badges equipped. I'm very much an explorer, so I have managed to find three complete relic sets on my own.

Also, is Act 2 Murder on the Owl Express? I don't think that I have done the acts of any chapter in order.
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Yeah, that was the one. First off, it had some fun platforming and stealth segments, but mainly, I feel like that's the act that best represents the game's sense of humor, which I totally adore.
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https://www.humblebundle.com/monthly

If you subscribe to Humble Monthly ($11-12 USD depending on the length you choose), you can unlock immediately A Hat in Time for PC (possibly Steam DRM)
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I bought A Hat in Time in the PSN sale, so I'll probably play it sometime this month as well as Firewatch.
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KCF has beaten Firewatch

I enjoyed my time with this. The atmosphere, tone, setting, dialog, and vocal performances were all up my alley. I know that the ending was thought to be disappointing. I do not know if they are referring to the stuff with Ned, the long trek to Delilah's tower + aftermath, or just the entirety of Day 79. I guess that I can agree that all of it was unsatisfying, but to me, video games overwhelmingly embody the "it's the journey, not the destination" mantra, so I'm used to that by now.

My main issue with the game is something that I never consciously considered until a few years ago with The Last of Us, and that is, was there any sense of accomplishment? I'm not sure that Henry grew as a person and/or overcame any personal obstacle that he entered the game with. Henry and Delilah even had a late conversation that touched base on the lack of production from their professional efforts.

As an aside, I really should have seen it coming that Ned was involved in all this. I was certain that Delilah had a role in all of this that I didn't give it a second glance when she mentioned that Ned and Brian left abruptly.
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KCF0107 posted...

https://www.humblebundle.com/monthly

If you subscribe to Humble Monthly ($11-12 USD depending on the length you choose), you can unlock immediately A Hat in Time for PC (possibly Steam DRM)

Guess I'm getting it after all.
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TheArkOfTurus posted...

KCF0107 posted...

https://www.humblebundle.com/monthly

If you subscribe to Humble Monthly ($11-12 USD depending on the length you choose), you can unlock immediately A Hat in Time for PC (possibly Steam DRM)

Guess I'm getting it after all.

Same, maybe.
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I progressed slightly further in A Hat in Time. I now possess 25 Time Pieces and will probably do the final act in Subcon Forest when I resume.
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Nominate Rime
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A Hat in Time beated

Great game. Very fluid controls, beautiful soundtrack, tons of charm, wonderful sense of humor, perfect length. Just about the only complaint I have is with the camera. I wish up and down didn't zoom in and out, but instead looked up and down. There were a plethora of times I wanted to see if ground was below me, but couldn't, so I had to take a leap of faith.

Ending spoilers: The ending was a bit eh, as well. They really poured it onto the Mustache Girl at the end. There was no "yeah, we could maybe do with a bit more regulation, but this is insane", it was just "GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE WE DON'T NEED YOU". I appreciate the final option of leaving one hourglass for her, so it makes it apparent she wasn't totally wrong. And the choice of allies at the end is weird. We're just gonna ignore that 80% of these guys tried to kill me at one point, I guess.

Ah well, that's all really minor. I still really enjoyed it. They have some great merch available on The Yetee I'm tempted to get. The hourglass shirt is neat, and they just HAD to put my absolute favorite loading screen on a poster.

https://theyetee.com/collections/hat-in-time#
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Up to 29 Time Pieces now. I completely finished Mafia Town and Battle of the Birds. I am contemplating whether to attempt to wrap up Subcon Forest first or go straight to what sounds like the final chapter. I plan on doing more of Alpine Skyline post-game. The length of time it took me to get to the first time piece there leads me to believe that will be one looooong chapter.
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Oh right, I'm up to 13 Time Pieces, I might have gotten all of the Time Pieces from Mafia Town, probably gonna do a bunch of Subcon stuff.
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Does it count as having beaten Hat in Time within the month if I didn't even know this was a thing and had started before July but finished it last week during July? O_o
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I don't see why not
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Same thing happened for me with Super Mario Odyssey so yes
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I wasn't sure if I had to start in July. In that case I completed Hat in Time. :)
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Actually, I forgot about the opening scene implying that I will need all 40 Time Pieces, so I guess there's little reason to do the final chapter now as well as holding off on doing the rest of Alpine Skyline.
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Subcon Forest fully completed, and I am making great progress in Alpine Skyline. 35 Time Pieces now.
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