This Is Fine: Maximum Cope

I backed this game on Kickstarter with the full expectation that it was not going to be good. I knew it was going to be a cheap cash-in, but I've also been a fan of KC Green since the Horribleville days and wanted to see him at least get something out of the one thing he ever made that went viral. In case you're unaware, the backstory goes like this: Question Hound was a character from Gunshow, a comic KC made in the 2010s. One strip from Gunshow (the infamous "This is Fine" strip) went viral, and was subsequently stolen by a bunch of shady companies and slapped on cheap merchandise, most of which was made without the artist's approval. I knew things were going to be bad from the get-go because the game is a mascot platformer based around a non-character: Question Hound is barely an entity in Gunshow and had his longest appearance in a different comic (KC's short-lived syndicated strip Funny Online Animals) where he was killed off as a reflection of the fact that KC didn't really "own" him anymore. What I didn't anticipate is that this game is to Hollow Knight what Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing is to the racing genre. The art style looks nothing like KC's. I don't know how much he had to do with this game outside of licensing his character for it, but it looks like it was done entirely without his input. The enemy designs have no identity, the animation is lacking at best, and the whole thing is just.. bad. It becomes clear early on that the ONLY thing the developers had rights to was Question Hound himself, and just had to make the rest up. The gameplay also isn't great: enemies are damage spongy but not particularly hard to avoid. Most of the damage I took was to contact damage rather than from an actual attack, and for the most part it made more sense to run past everything than actually try to fight it. There are also a lot of outright bad design choices: the game has "rest points" that restore your HP bar but don't restore your heal charges, which have to be purchased from coffee machines that are nowhere near the rest points. The whole thing makes no sense and feels bad. Even if you're a KC Green fan, I'd avoid this one. It's not the fun kind of bad game, it's the borderline unplayable kind.

[H1]This is fine (if you enjoy backtracking and fetch quests)[/H1] Not every game has to reinvent the wheel, but it should at least be somewhat rememberable (which is clearly not a case here). I didn't have a bad time with it, but between the short playtime, recurrent patterns, and the current price, it's hard for me to recommend. As someone who barely plays platformers or metroidvanias, I still made it through without much trouble, so it's definitely approachable though. The presentation is fun, and probably the main appeal of why you clicked on this game in the first place. The little dog wandering around is hilarious if you know the meme, the cartoon visuals give Cuphead vibes and the 5 zones (plus a final boss) each have their own identity. Platforming is accessible, there are optional collectibles scattered around, and you can pick which perks to unlock first. Controls felt good on a controller, the in-game map of the current zone is always available, and there are plenty of welcome settings like fullscreen, V-Sync, camera shake and vibration toggles, plus separate audio sliders for music and sfx. Unfortunately, this is not enough for me to actively recommend this title. Most realms revolve around fetch quests, collectibles don't matter outside of achievements, and many of them require revisiting earlier areas or directly buying them from shop. There isn't any way to track what you've missed on the map either, so completion becomes more of a memory test than anything else. One playthrough also doesn't award enough currency to purchase every perk, making 100% completion far grindier than it needs to be. And on top of that, the game only lasts around 3-4 hours, so the asking price feels steep for what's here (don't mind my very long streaming time up there). Technical issues also didn't help. The game repeatedly lagged on stream whenever it sat idle for too long, one save simply failed, and I softlocked myself in an upper room in the Fear area and had to reboot everything. Bosses also start blending together, with many sharing similar attack patterns and relying more on contact damage or large health pools than interesting mechanics. The soundtrack becomes repetitive, and while the story revolves around confronting the darkest parts of yourself, I never felt like the protagonist actually evolved. The ending also lands with far less impact than I expected. I didn't dislike my time with it, but I also never found that little spark that made me want to keep thinking about it afterward. If platformers are your comfort zone, you might find more to enjoy than I did. Personally, I'd wait for a significant sale before jumping in, especially while the technical issues are still around. [quote]For more reviews like this one, please check out [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45639970-Ele%2527s-Little-Recommendation-Corner/][b]Ele's Little Recommendation Corner[/b][/url]! For a smol bat streamer with a side of ADHD yapping, look up [url=https://www.twitch.tv/eleanoramanticore/about][b]here[/b][/url]![/quote] [quote]For reviews covering all types of indies, recent and old, don't hesitate to drop by [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32732116-IndieGems/][b]IndieGems[/b][/url]![/quote]

很喜欢这部作品，想尽量不剧透地聊一聊。 　　首先，它不是什么？它不是一款类银“大作”。它不提供宏大的世界观，不提供精妙的地图设计，不提供极致的解谜或战斗系统，不提供挑战自我极限的快感，它不是一个让人玩了会“爽”得心率飙升的游戏。抱着类银大作的期待去的人多半会失望。 　　那它是什么？它呈现的只是一只小狗的狗物小传，作为游戏它在以上方面似乎都有所“欠缺”，可作为屏幕外的玩家，我的观后感却是：那还能咋，它的狗生就是这个样子的。 　　说起来俗气，但它确实适合在一个不忙碌的午后，怀着点进视频网站盲选一部电视剧的心态打开品鉴（怎么这么像”熬过前八集就好看了“的挽尊话术。 　　[b]美术：[/b] 　　类银里独特的卡通手绘风，画风在 PV 里有所展现，正式版的水准稳定在线，可以放心。我想补充的一点体验是，在玩的过程中，（尤其是）在已知每张小地图对应小狗的一种情绪的前提下，小怪的外形设计以及前后景的物体，都在一点一点地堆积起我对这个场景（i.e., 这个狗生阶段）的认知。 　　我是一个非常在意游戏设计为故事服务的人，我对类银的喜爱很大一部分在于我能从游戏的各个角落里碎片化的、抽象化的信息中拼凑（不）出故事的全貌。这个游戏的美术细节令我想起初中语文老师反复强调的“在行文中点题”，使我即便全部文字都左眼进右眼出，也能在探图的过程中慢慢摸索感知到这一章大概在讲什么。 　　此外，小狗在很多场景下也做了单独的小动画，谁懂一个毫无难度的跳跳乐把我跳到残血时此狗给我做了一个超贱的鬼脸是什么感受。我ds@!cjk%av@uh#¥ide*w。 　　说实话就凭它的美术，我就可以与它的所有不足和解。 　　[b]动作：[/b] 　　虽然整体游戏跟类空洞不搭嘎，但它的攻击模组（上劈、下劈、攻速）有很强的空洞（特指空洞 1）感，我印象中 demo 里攻击和跳跃粘滞感挺重的，正式游戏改善了，好评。 　　另外，它的二段跳有一个后空翻的动作挺有意思；还有一个螺旋升天的技能，如果地图设计得更有层次，这些技能在探图上本该有更多可能，可惜了（话都说到这了，你们能不能再做个五章十章的，我什么都不会做的求你了。 　　[b]战斗：[/b] 　　战斗系统确实比较空，没有护符没有技能。唯一一个感觉可说道的是有个二段跳无敌的能力可以购买，或许能开发不同的打法，不过说到底本质上都是普攻流。 　　每个小地图都是一个群战一个 Boss，群战不换怪，有固定解法；Boss 乍一看是新的，但拆解开基本就是横冲+投掷，换皮而已。不过我本来以为 Boss 全是背板，但实战过程中发现还是有贪刀空间的，可以稳着打也可以贪着打，意外之喜。 　　另一个惊喜的体验是打不同 Boss 的过程中依次经历了“这是一个下劈的游戏—什么什么居然还是横劈更无脑吗—窝趣这果然是一个下劈的游戏”的心路历程，这种疑似被主创耍了的感觉让我很兴奋（这是可以说的吗。 　　[b]一些善恶意点：[/b] 　　有大小地图善意；有传送善意；椅子跟血瓶贩卖机离得远恶意；血瓶需要购买这件事我本来觉得很恶意，但转念考虑到血瓶设定成咖啡这么牛马的饮品，付费也很合理，那还说什么钱给你了；没有死亡惩罚善意；死亡没有存档恶意恶意恶意恶意！！！！同志们人要及时坐椅子，还好这个游戏不难不然我真的要报警了。 　　总而言之，这是一部需要对上电波的类银甜品。如果你非常在意类银的技术力，或许它无法满足你；但如果你愿意花时间与金钱看一部意识流动画，或许它会给你许多会心一笑的时刻。

I backed this on kickstarter primarily to support KC Green, and only secondarily with the vague hope that this might turn out to be a decent platformer. Unfortunately this is actually pretty mediocre in terms of gameplay, which would be fine if it at least evoked KC Green's unique art style, but it doesn't really do that either. Look up the original Gunshow comic and compare how this game looks to that to see what I mean. It's not the worst game ever, but I can't say that I really recommend it since there's not much here for metroidvania fans or for KC Green fans. If you want to support KC Green you're probably better off buying something off his store or directly supporting his patreon.

https://youtu.be/wv1-nzxsjMg Отличная рисованная метроидвания про пса из мемов "Question Hound" и порой довольно сложная. В игре не мало юмора. Наконец то проект с kickstarter 2024 года получил релиз (52 641 долл. США собрали / пообещал собрать 50 000 долларов, 1065 спонсоров)

作为甜品级休闲图一乐还行，细玩是真的不行。地图和动作的单薄我都不挑你的理，毕竟小体量，但你游戏基本的部分得做好吧。 首先，角色成长有个逆大天的设计，如果你通关了，数值类的天赋只找到了骄傲，也就是加射程，然后认为这个游戏没有什么数值提升，恭喜你，你错过了这个游戏绝大多数的数值提升—— [b]这个游戏有：力量、快劈、稳体、坚韧[/b]，一应俱全，我在不依靠攻略的前提下达成了100%收集完成度，也没有在通关之前找到以上四个（这几个不计入完成度，若非有成就，甚至不会知道）。 以上这些全部藏在没有任何外观差异且要打好几下才显示的隐藏墙里面，要说隐藏墙的设计其实没问题，以这个游戏的极低难度，不需要任何数值提升也没问题，但所有角色成长藏得很深、没用的收集物摆你脸上，让你白板通关以后发现卧槽怎么有力量快劈，此时已经没有任何用处，纯粹愚弄玩家。 然后优化极差，很难想象这个词用在这种小游戏上： 掉帧，墓地那关掉帧到眼晕，不知道的还以为玩的PS模拟器显存爆炸了。地图加载有时极其慢。卡死BUG，我遇到过很多次，一般首次通过不会触发，但是回头进入以前的地图扫图就会出现，尤其已打过的BOSS房几乎再进入必卡死。 手感也很一言难尽，滑溜溜的，以至于提升移速的天赋，这种在其他游戏可以说极强的属性，在这里有一定的负面效果。 而增加扒墙时间的天赋，我建议不要买，最后通关再买，纯纯的负面，没任何需要，纯硬控玩家自己用的，让你随随便便就会在场景中吸住。二周目没买舒服多了。 最后，这个看似人畜无害其实是个白金黑洞，如果你不做任何预先规划，很可能需要三周目（三个档）才能白金。如果你像我一样牺牲一周目的体验刷无伤和场景破坏，和平主义也免不了二周目。 这其中无伤反而是最容易刷的。场景破坏很坑，作为类银很多地方有能力锁，依我测试，这些房间再回头来清就不计数了，必须是刚好：有可破坏场景&房间内无能力锁部分&首次通过时无遗漏，才能解锁。 最恶心的这个和平主义，10个房间不杀小怪，几乎必须用一个新档来做，因为实际上的要求是：你必须一命不死且没有任何小怪死亡的情况下完整通过一个房间，且是首次通过（先过了回头刷不可以），计数才会+1（是否生效似乎还和路线有关）。不杀小怪不难，但是[b]这游戏的小怪TM会自杀！！！[/b]小怪撞陷阱、撞水面、撞门都是秒死，然后第二个大区开始有三次攻击后自爆的小怪，第三个大区开始有见面直接自爆的小怪，你一旦让它自爆了！你这个房间就废了！通关一共30+的房间，我整个二周目除了BOSS，一个小怪没杀，用掉了70%的房间才解锁这个成就，但凡忍不住手贱多杀几个怪就解锁不了了。 最后的最后，成就有BUG，费劲巴拉把别的都解锁了，您猜怎么着，收集27个天赋的成就有BUG，解锁不了，根本不能白金！淦！ ----------------------------------------------- 成就已修复，更新后打开存档直接跳杯，这个不错，虽然修的慢好歹还修，比明末好。

https://youtu.be/5cX3RhKgeOA Attempting to extend a simple meme into a full scale metroidvania platformer falters under it's own weight to be clever for a far longer than it can maintain.

As Question Hound says: "This is Fine". And the game that QH is in is also... fine? I guess... I can’t figure out why this game was made or who it is for. People who enjoy Metroidvannia will be disappointed, this is a mediocre platform pretending to be a metroidvannia. Backtracking is pointless unless you want to collect collectables, which do function as minor upgrades, (the most exciting of which is one that makes your character waddle 20% faster) or more coffee bean currency. Bosses function identically from one another and all of them have the same attack sets with different art. The abilities you gain at the end of an area are the bog standard double-jump, get across water, flying, etc. You don’t use them to fight bosses in interesting ways or get to new and exciting places. People who like KC Green, the artist behind Question Hound and so much more will be disappointed. I did join the Kickstarter for this game and wasn’t expecting much other than supporting a project for an artist I liked. But I expected more of his humor, art, and style in the game. The artwork is adapted by the developer Hero Concept, but they don’t really do much with it. None of his crazy cartoonish violence, silly movement, or nonsense humor that I have come to expect from his work. The closest is some comic panels after you defeat a boss but they are short and you can’t go back and view them again, unless you want to replay the game. There isn’t a story, which seems appropriate for a throwaway character like Question Hound, but there isn’t an opening cutscene or anything, you just get dumped into Question Hounds mindscape with a devil and angel on your shoulder and a vague sorta: “well I guess you have a game to play”. They pop up to remind you that this is a metriodvannia and to backtrack to areas you can’t reach and make comments about the zone you are in like Highschool, Hospitals, and your deepest regrets, but nothing that ever made me chuckle or smile. I don’t even know why they are a devil and an angel, there isn’t ever a point that you make a good or bad choice. If you want a metriodvannia go play Silksong, it is the same price and you will get a finely crafted story and gaming experience. If you want to support KC Green just support him directly.

bought this because I'm a huge fan of KC Green from very ancient times (horribleville, graveyard quest, LAIDAD, etc) and wanted to throw him some walking around money. its not TERRIBLE but- to put it in the nicest way possible- they basically remade Castlevania II: Simon's Quest but with a cartoon dog

I'm surprised that a "meme" gained such status that it's now a game. I enjoy this game, but it does have it's challenges. Such as the statue challenges. Anyway I'd still recommend this game, if you like hand-drawn sprites, dealing with anxiety, old-school platformers, then this is one of many games that you can play. (Especially if you're a dog lover.) :) I managed to complete the game, but haven't quite earned all of the achievements. (yet). Though, I do hope, one day there will be a (free) DLC where you can play as QH's (Question Hound) angel and devil sides. I know it's not fine to go on and live without emotions. So, if there's an update to/for the game, let it be that you can play as them. And restore QH completely. In other words Free DLC That includes the following: - The Ability to play as Angel and Devil Dogs , including the ability to all them to fight the bosses as well. - An art gallery of sorts. - Costumes such as the "!" Bubsy shirt, costumes that poke a little fun at the developers. - a special thanks for the fans. - The ability to replay bosses that you've defeated. (Even after completing the game)