Blue Prince - Review Thread - 95 OpenCritic (Xbox Game Pass, PS+ Extra, Steam)

I'm not a puzzle fan but I kinda liked this one. It has unique and interesting gameplay and I feel like story will be a good one. I will play more tonight.

Few hours later: Yep, it's pretty good.
 
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I guess after 12ish hours I'm in the camp of the game is good. I hit lulls but it at least keeps me coming back. I've finally figured out a type of solution that I feel like gives me consistent permanent upgrades, not always the best but something. I also filled out the 4 permanent upgrade spots.

Still think my biggest complaint is the RNG. I get that it's silly for a Roughlike game to complain about that, but to solve some puzzles you literally need RNG not for just items but also rooms and where they're located etc. it gets a tad annoying. Also super lame when you get the good RNG and think you solve something for it to just give you a dogshit reward or another puzzle.
 
March Climber said:
Don't buy blind and don't instantly believe GAF comments either. It's best to see footage of the game, hear what it's compared to the most, and decide from there.
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Yea no I meant more based on WHAT reviews praised about it, not the scores. The concept sounds awesome but based on some of these responses, the execution doesn't sound too hot.

I have the basic ass PS+ to play online that's it. I'll wait for a sale.
 
Pretty fun, IMO. Very zen atmosphere, but if you don't like puzzles this isn't for you. The platinum hunt is gonna be a bitch, let me tell you.

Roguelike elements are well-implemented and fit very well. Not quite sold on this game having as much depth and easter egg content as games like The Witness or Animal Well, but there is still time for it to surprise me (I reached the end point of the main thrust of the game, but am aware there are other things to go after).
 
Cert.in.Death said:
Pretty fun, IMO. Very zen atmosphere, but if you don't like puzzles this isn't for you. The platinum hunt is gonna be a bitch, let me tell you.

Roguelike elements are well-implemented and fit very well. Not quite sold on this game having as much depth and easter egg content as games like The Witness or Animal Well, but there is still time for it to surprise me (I reached the end point of the main thrust of the game, but am aware there are other things to go after).
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Bummer the platinum might be super tough. But like how are the puzzles are they just dumb ridiculous or are they fairly decent with some thought?
 
Hollywood Hitman said:
Bummer the platinum might be super tough. But like how are the puzzles are they just dumb ridiculous or are they fairly decent with some thought?
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On Xbox most of the achievements have been completed by just 0.01% of players. Presumably that's the lowest number it tracks, so it could be less than 1 in 10,000 players. I haven't got any of them yet.

Everything is very well thought out. The thing I find annoying is when the only room that can get you further in a run is unavailable because you've run out of gems. There are strategies to mitigate that, but it's largely at the mercy of the RNG, so it's kind of inevitable that you'll be brought to a grinding halt despite having loads of steps left to take.
 
I played for a few hours and it is pretty good, I feel it's way too RNG heavy though, don't know how much that will change the more you progress but I'm not a big fan of it.

Either way, a great game to lay back and chill out with.
 
ComputerBlue said:
I played for a few hours and it is pretty good, I feel it's way too RNG heavy though, don't know how much that will change the more you progress but I'm not a big fan of it.

Either way, a great game to lay back and chill out with.
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I've done about 50 runs now. I have a handful of goals that I need to get done but since a lot of the rooms are dependent on one another for those goals, you just have to hope for the correct RNG to progress through the house. I'm pretty sure I found a shortcut but the requirements to unlock are so RNG dependent that it will probably break my will to unlock it. It's a really neat puzzle game with a lot of smart ideas that leaves me feeling dumb at times, but there are also some design decision that just waste your time. The only trophy I've earned is for completing the dartboard puzzle x number of times. Now that I've mastered that's puzzles logic it would be nice if you didn't have me keep playing it. There is also something at the beginning of each run that I understand why the implemented it and I understand the need for a penalty cost to utilize the option, but the amount of time you waste gets pretty tedious and should have been streamlined via a menu. I think there are about 5-6 mysteries I need to solve in the house and 4-5 things I have on a checklist to accomplish if the item/room layout/room selection Gods allow me to, but I think I've had my fill. I've had so man runs fizzle out mostly due to dead ends or the item/room I need not spawning. And it felt way easier to level up (every tile set north of the entrance is another level) in early runs and then much more difficult as you gain access to new room layouts. It's still a really neat idea. The only thing I really hate is the visuals are so drab and the movement feels a bit clunky. It reminds me a lot of Gone Home.
 
I got fed up and looked up something. I would have never thought to use a magnifying glass on
scribbled out words
 
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Hollywood Hitman said:
Bummer the platinum might be super tough. But like how are the puzzles are they just dumb ridiculous or are they fairly decent with some thought?
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Little tough to describe, but here goes:

(1) Your routine runs will have a handful of puzzle rooms that feature one of either a logic (Parlor) or math (Dartboard) puzzle. No hints are given, just some ground rules, then they just let you go. Otherwise it's entirely about deploying a design strategy as you open new rooms, choosing which to prioritize at the start, how many areas to populate, whether you should continue your present run or sabotage it by migrating resources to the next one, etc.

(2) As you navigate the mansion, you'll start picking up hints and clues within the environment (via items, journals, room assets, etc.) that will lead you down a rabbit hole to discover things aren't as they seem. There is a secondary plot behind the primary mission, but - to avoid spoilerts - I'll leave it at that. It's evocative of a game like The Witness and The Talos Principle, IMO.

(3) There is a community forming to work through some deeply complex game theorization, but this is going way overboard for most people. The bulk of players (myself included) are better off just reviewing fans' treatises after the true hardcores among us write them :p

The loop is ostensibly luck-driven and as you discover new room types, floorplans, etc., their additions to your catalog dilute your ability to acquire the room you need in the moment you need it, thus the game gets progressively more difficult as you progress. I managed to finish the game's main objective (locate Room 46) just this evening and I laud it with same level of praise, it's an exceptional experience. It's not a game for the mass market, it's a game for specific player type, but what you find beneath its surface is infatuating.

EDIT:
If I were to put a difficulty tier on the platinum, it's going to be 9/10 due to the time investment, the puzzles' necessitating your active attention, and RNGesus smiling upon you. Not looking forward to having to unlock Dare and Curse Modes, then beat the game with them enabled, then beat the game on the very first day O...O
 
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I'm about 5 hours in with mixed feeling with my immediate thought being: super overrated with that metacritic score. Reviews never dictate what I buy so for me they serve best as a barometer of what the "general" consensus is and it's fun to see whether or not it aligns with my own views. Let's get into it.

I love a good puzzler. Myst, Portal 1&2, The Witness, these are classics not just within the genre but in all of gaming. I likewise love a good rogue-like, Binding of Isaac, Dead Cells, Hades, truly fantastic games. On the surface then this should have been a match made in heaven. The reality is it's more like a match made in....limbo. For every one thing I love there are two that hinder the experience, chief among them is the frustrating RNG.

Now RNG is part and parcel in the genre but the problem here is just how dependant success hinges on specific things spawning in your run. Last night I had a near perfect run, only 1 tile was left empty near the beginning corner, I had 8 gems, 8 keys, bunch of items in my inventory, plenty of steps left. I managed to connect to the anteroom from ALL 3 DIRECTIONS. The problem? The Great Hall never spawned which has a lever that opens the eastern metal shutter allowing access to the room (don't know if the other two doors also open there). This is just bad game design.

I love the atmosphere of the game, there is something deeply contemplative about it. The entire set-up of why you're there and what your character's goal is is intriguing and immediately had me hooked. Piecing together the puzzle of this house and the family is satisfying. Discovering the various items and how they connect in solving the various mysteries has lead to multiple "oooooh, that's cool!" moments. The problem is it's all hampered by the tedium.

Log-in to computer, wait 10 seconds to "dial-up" and grant access. Endlessly do the same dart board puzzle for extra keys. Walk slow as molasses. Waste steps and time to take advantage of a permanent unlock near the start that may or may not actually help your run. Ultimately what happens is in between every revelatory moment there are myriad sigh-inducing beats.

I'm determined to at least clear the game once but after that I'm not so sure I'll feel compelled to keep playing. I don't want to be *too* harsh since it was "free" on PS+ but at the time *time* is the most precious resource we have and we are spoiled for choice when it comes to games. This particular game simply isn't in the same league as some of the aformentioned classics despite what some reviews would have you believe.

Edit: there is a secret in the lobby you start in, discovered it last night, good luck sleuths.
 
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Yeah this is the perfect game to warn you about reviewers tbh. They were all in a discord call (was said) and clearly they all circlejerked amongst each other. Im not disputing whether the game is a good or not... I like it. But with it being in the 90s... Give me a break lol
 
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This was the run I was talking about:

wLBK2Nu.jpeg


Just look at that, keys and gems out the wazoo, steps for days, whole bunch of items in my inventory and all for naught. Now, since my last post I've gained access to that room and more layers of the onion have been peeled back...

The game can be real frustrating because of the flashes of brilliance which are often bogged down by the nonsense. I like this game, I admire what it's doing, it's just mired in too much bullshit for it to *really* sing.

I have 3 of the 4 flames outside lit now, 3 of the 4 permanent additions, solving the circuit breaker box puzzle was satisfying. I continue to be intrigued so I keep pushing through the tedious parts to delight in the next revelation and ponder the next mystery.
 
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Got to credits on day
24
but it seems like there's plenty to keep going with after.

It's slow at times but I never felt like I had a totally wasted run, and never felt the need to resort to any outside help in order to progress (at least as far as the credits). There are various mechanics which mean you will become progressively less starved for resources on all future runs, so it generally becomes easier to achieve something or other you are working on.

I don't think the 90+ reviews are wrong necessarily, it's just a niche genre which isn't going to be for everyone. Great but niche still has to be scored as a great game.
 
TheDarkPhantom said:
This was the run I was talking about:

wLBK2Nu.jpeg


Just look at that, keys and gems out the wazoo, steps for days, whole bunch of items in my inventory and all for naught. Now, since my last post I've gained access to that room and more layers of the onion have been peeled back...

The game can be real frustrating because of the flashes of brilliance which are often bogged down by the nonsense. I like this game, I admire what it's doing, it's just mired in too much bullshit for it to *really* sing.

I have 3 of the 4 flames outside lit now, 3 of the 4 permanent additions, solving the circuit breaker box puzzle was satisfying. I continue to be intrigued so I keep pushing through the tedious parts to delight in the next revelation and ponder the next mystery.
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My The foundation was 2-3 levels deeper than yours and I incorrectly figured it was locked to a certain level like The Garage. And that probably made my runs more difficult, and speaking of the garage, I always try to go for it as I generally get stuck repeating patterns in games.. I only saw the Showroom twice in 50 runs.
 
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Co-sign the complaints on the platinum and trophies in general. I have probably just short of 20 hours and literally not a single trophy (probably close to the parlor and dartboard puzzle ones though).

I will give the game this, it is pretty massive. I thought I was super close to the end and then discovered the
basement
and who boy is there a lot I still need to do there.

Something's I'm completely lost on still. Saw another post mention and in the same spot, I have 3 of the 4 flames. But I feel like I've had them for a very long time and the first 3 were rather easy to find with some trial and error. The 4th is either tough or further in the game or I'm being oblivious and missing something easy.

On day 39 and starting to see the Roughlike elements come into play more. Not just so with permanent additions but with other things I currently have 13 coins a day starting with allowance which is rather nice.
 
TropicanaTwista said:
Co-sign the complaints on the platinum and trophies in general. I have probably just short of 20 hours and literally not a single trophy (probably close to the parlor and dartboard puzzle ones though).

I will give the game this, it is pretty massive. I thought I was super close to the end and then discovered the
basement
and who boy is there a lot I still need to do there.

Something's I'm completely lost on still. Saw another post mention and in the same spot, I have 3 of the 4 flames. But I feel like I've had them for a very long time and the first 3 were rather easy to find with some trial and error. The 4th is either tough or further in the game or I'm being oblivious and missing something easy.

On day 39 and starting to see the Roughlike elements come into play more. Not just so with permanent additions but with other things I currently have 13 coins a day starting with allowance which is rather nice.
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I just got the 4th flame. Got spoiled on it tho lol.

You can get them all early on. I could give u a hint in the right direction if U tell me your 2 unlocked areas from the 3 flames.
 
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Thaimasker said:
I just got the 4th flame. Got spoiled on it tho lol.

You can get them all early on. I could give u a hint in the right direction if U tell me your 2 unlocked areas from the 3 flames.
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Ugh I hate doing it for puzzle games but I looked up as I was fairly sure it was just an oversight on my part. It was a room
in the outhouse


Probably my least favorite room to get so have been in there less than typical rooms but still annoying that I missed it all this time. Time for a new puzzle now, that I think I have a basic understanding of what to do
 
Definitely enjoying the game, but don't think roguelike elements are a great fit for this genre. Maybe this will be addressed later on, but for now there a lot of rooms I need that just don't show up. For now not a big deal, as there's always something new each day, but I worry that down the line there will be a ton of just wasting a day due to luck. Also the game runs like ass on PS5, even with poor image quality and seemingly pretty simple geometry.
 
Arsic said:
Ended up uninstalling within a hour.

All the praise isn't remotely warranted. This is the first game in my life that actually put me to sleep on my couch. Props to them.

You move slow as molasses even with the "run button." Most of the rooms are pointless fluff rooms with nothing worth a shit to them. The game has no sense of style and has no compelling music or atmosphere to be had.

It's also devoid of interesting puzzles. Oh and no voiced dialogue for the notes you touch is a major miss.

2/10 play if you have an irregular amount of chromosomes.
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I'm 19 days in and can say for certain rooms are important. Saying "most of the rooms are pointless" is categorically false. Perhaps this game is over your head.
 
I got to the antechamber thinking I had completed the game, but then I picked up the basement key and a whole new section opened up. That moment kind of broke the magic for me. The last time I felt something like this was with The Messenger. Up until that point, the game was a solid 10/10 for me. The room discovery and the roguelite experience tied to it were absolutely brilliant.

However, with the basement unlocking, the puzzle aspect of the game started to take center stage, and since I'm not very good at puzzle games, it became quite challenging for me. Because the room mechanics took a back seat, the enjoyment I was getting also dropped significantly. I had already spent a lot of time on the game, and I don't think I have the energy to see it through to the end. I'll probably watch the rest on youtube.

Btw it never would've crossed my mind that I'd have to use the door of another room to activate the elevator in the Foundation. I came across it while looking for something else—but I'm glad I did!

Still, it's definitely a game that even people who don't like puzzles should try. I think we'll see more games in the future using this kind of room/roguelite mechanic. It's seriously addictive.
 
it is very addictive, only real issues is that some puzzles can be a little obtuse and that in the end you are very much at the mercy of RNG, even if the game gives you way to mitigate it, you are still pretty much only waiting for that one "good run" when you get what is needed to make actual progress
 
There's a lot of luck involved in getting to room 46. I've pulled the lever to open the north door a couple of times, but the rooms and items I need to open the other antechamber doors hardly ever appear. The one time everything else lined up, the final room wouldn't let me connect to the antechamber.

You basically have to build the entire mansion before you can be sure you're not going to get the drops you want. This game has zero respect for your time. I have a shortcut opened to the room 46 lever, but even that takes ages. Loads of walking, about 10x pressing a button and waiting for a platform to rotate, loads more walking...

That said, it definitely has that 'one more go' factor. I think I did at least 10 runs today while I was meant to be working.
 
Game kinda starts slow but once you start making progress and that many threads start to unravel it becomes seriously addictive imho.

Love the way they implemented rogue like mechanics into a puzzle game, some are really clever imho even if from time to time you really have bad luck and must accept it
 
Have a look at this run. I finally got the secret garden key again, which is by far the easiest way to open one of the antechamber doors. But then the early rooms I get allocated by the RNG lead round in a loop.

I can't even use the shortcut to the foundation, because that requires a keycard for the lift or to turn off the circuit breaker. Game over.

Hmg3Xed.jpeg
 
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