"Tonight is the end of our bloodstained history!" - A thread about Iji

[Grand Master Kickface]

So, Iji's this neat little indie game made by a guy in Sweden. The game begins with you awaking from a coma to find that you're in a building complex overrun by aliens who have wiped out the human populace, and you're equipped with a mysterious set of nanotechnology. Then the game lets you go from there.

The most interesting part about Iji is that the game watches your actions, then changes the story (and gameplay, in a few cases) accordingly. For example, choosing to do (or not do) something will change events or dialogue down the road, which presents you with new choices, etc. You might think that this means the story has to be light in order to be flexible, but you'd be so, so wrong. Iji has an incredible narrative - the creator didn't just make a game, he made a world. Logbooks detail everything from the thoughts of individual soldiers to the culture and history of the alien races to weapon schematics to game secrets. The game uses a graphics style that's reminiscent of Out of This World. Oh, and the soundtrack is great too, with an industrial feel that complements the action smoothly.

You can see a trailer for the game here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33mxD4FjD3w&feature=channel_page), and you can download it here (http://www.remar.se/daniel/iji.php). If you have any interest in it at all, I implore you to download and play it - Iji is truly a one-of-a-kind experience.

[greed]

Man I got through that earlier this year. The multiple paths make it so good for replay. And the story and characters are so damn likeable. The game is like if they mixed Metroid Prime and it's focus on apocalyptic logs and Fallout's open endedness and awesome characters. then stuffed it into a 2d sidescroller.

Also when you download it, the in game music is present as MP3s meaning it's easy to slot them into your playlist which is great cause the entire soundtrack rules. Kinda Green for the sudden rock out in the middle, the even more synthesised cover of Machinae Supremacy's Hero and the final boss track Tor are particularly awesome.

[Kim]

So I just started playing this, and I'm trying to get everything I can. I ended up starting the first stage over just so I could change what I spent my points on and get everything. Of course, this undoubtedly means I'll get some ending where I'm some big bully picking on the poor little aliens or some shit, but that's irrelevant. Right now I'm kicking alien ass with a machine gun.

EDIT: Part of me wonders if I should have saved the point I spent on Health and the one on Attack for the next stage where I'm sure I won't have enough points to do everything I want. :(

[BB]

I've never known a game that made me care as much about the supposed enemies. They turned from generic enemy soldiers into people. On my first playthrough I just killed everything I saw, and by the end really regretted it! Especially (near-end spoilers) that last logbook of the tasen girlfriend... good lord I felt terrible, and I've spared her in every playthrough since. In fact I spare as many Tasen as I can get away with.

And yes, the soundtrack is utterly incredible, make sure you download the higher quality version. It really took me by surprise to hear it, having been expecting typical synthy-bleepybloop music.

Part of me wonders if I should have saved the point I spent on Health and the one on Attack for the next stage where I'm sure I won't have enough points to do everything I want.

You don't have to worry too much, there's a hidden move. I'll spoiler it in case you want to discover it yourself but it can be performed any time, whther you've "discovered" it or not. Find somewhere safe, crouch, press Crack four times, press kick. You'll crack yourself and all your points will be set to one, and you can spend all the points you've earned so far again. Be careful though as you drop most of your weapons, your health goes to one, and health doesn't recover when you upgrade health for the rest of the sector. Best done near health pickups if you can.

[Telephalsion]

Played it today and I have to say I love it.
As previously mentioned, I regretted my course of action.

And I noticed that when you kill your first few people in level one, Iji says "I'm sorry" in a really sorrowful voice, further along, maybe becayse of the later levels, or maybe because of the exceedingly large number of previous kills, she starts saying "Die!" with the shriek of a Warrior-Princess. I found that to be a nice touch.

[Kim]

I'm getting close to the end. I'm getting the impression that there must be a New Game+ mode, though I'm not sure. Also, I feel like such a jerk. I loved following the story of the one alien who keeps trying to get transferred to the same area as his girlfriend.

[mudah.swf]

Man, this is damn good for an indie platformer. Just makes me wonder how much better it could be with some real polish on the looks. I know looks aren't everything but I'm not a huge fan of the MSPaint style. Could do with a little less MORALITY though, that or develop that aspect further. Interesting idea for a platformer though.

[Jagos]

I haven't played but what do you mean about the morality and expanding? Any specific ideas?

[Bells]

still haven't played it but i saw a couple of youtube videos. It has that Blackthorn / Flashback feel to it which is really great. So i'm interested by that alone. If the story is what you're all saying then it should be really great! But, is it a short game? How long does it take to get to the end?

[BB]

My first save file clocked in at about 5 hours, and I don't think that includes restarting due to dying etc. But I've since played through it several more times, plus the Single Sector Mode you unlock for finishing it once so you can find all the secrets. Very replayable.

[Kim]

I actually beat it last night. The boss takes a while if you go about him the stupid way. I didn't figure out the logical thing to do until I had already slowly worn him down. So now it's looking like I can't keep my stats for a second playthrough. Then what the shit is up with those doors where you need 15, 20, or even 25 Crack to open. That's just mean.

I also want to throw out there that the whole thing with the plot changing based on whether or not you're being a murderous jerk and the way it is pulled off makes any alignment system I've seen before look stupid and dumb.

[Odjn]

I actually beat it last night. The boss takes a while if you go about him the stupid way. I didn't figure out the logical thing to do until I had already slowly worn him down. So now it's looking like I can't keep my stats for a second playthrough. Then what the shit is up with those doors where you need 15, 20, or even 25 Crack to open. That's just mean.

Doors above 10 crack (the maximum) are essentially terminal only or not openable (like some doors that lead back to previous levels.)

[Belm]

I actually beat it last night. The boss takes a while if you go about him the stupid way. I didn't figure out the logical thing to do until I had already slowly worn him down.

I did so poorly the first time I fought him, I was on a pacifist run, and he used that weapon they talked about in the logs and insta-killed me. The game gave me the tip on him the next try.

The fight was damned epic.

[Kim]

Doors above 10 crack (the maximum) are essentially terminal only or not openable (like some doors that lead back to previous levels.)

What about the above ten strength ones? I saw one that led into a room with ammo and experience. Why do that? Why?

Also, anyone know what those things where it's three little orbs orbiting each other is? I don't know if it's experience or a special ability or what. I can never figure out how to get to them. There's one in the level where you get the jump, but I can't figure my way to it after getting the jump. There's another in one level behind some glass, but the glass is in the air, and I can't jump-shoot.

[BB]

What about the above ten strength ones? I saw one that led into a room with ammo and experience. Why do that? Why?

You reach that room from the other side later in the level.

The weird floating ball of energy is a supercharge; there's one in every level and it gives you an extra point to spend.

You need to learn to rocketjump for the other things you mention. Get something to hit you with a rocket in mid-air and it'll send you flying through the glass.

[Kim]

No, it was a self-contained room. the only way in was that one door. I think the game was just fucking with me. Thanks for the tip about rocket jumping though.

EDIT: Or maybe I was supposed to ram a vehicle through it. In fact, I'm pretty sure that was it. I feel silly now.

[mudah.swf]

I haven't played but what do you mean about the morality and expanding? Any specific ideas?

Well the game give you the ~*MORAL CHOICE*~ of "kill everyone" or "don't kill everyone". Not wiping out everything you see earns you some more dialouge, an eventual welcome break from everything trying to kill you, and the game's super secret bonus weapon, only obtainable by getting to a certain point with 0 kills. (Irony!) Not only that, as previously mentioned ITT Iji herself is a goody-two-shoes who doesn't really want to fight back, despite everyone apart from her brother trying to kill her for no reason other than she exists, even apologising for killing an enemy. Up until you get over about 50 kills anyway. This theme continues throughout the game, and if you're a pacifist you can enjoy being blasted around levels with rocket fire and not ever fire back!

The game itself is also very much geared towards being a shooter, with a wide variety of weapons and stats to upgrade, and rooms and chests which require Iji to be at a certain skill level to even open or use. You can still level up and upgrade in a pacifist playthrough, but you'll be doing it less. The problem is, a "good", pacifist playthrough is just inconvenient, because you'll be constantly taking damage. A forcefield mitigates this somewhat, but if you don't dump almost every upgrade point you get into your Health stat, it can get annoying, especially since the later levels are filled with rocket shooting enemies and explosions everywhere. And since you're probably prioritizing your health, your other stats may not be high enough to go down certain routes, or open certain barriers, or chests that contain weapons and health or other items. Essentially, a pacifist run is more of a self-imposed challenge than anything else. It's an interesting thing for a platformer to try, but I feel it could be expanded. Maybe have the morality thing be not so... binary. Maybe have more items or upgrade to assist a stealthy playthrough, instead of just an infrequently found powerup..

Basically I agree with Lyx's review at http://db.tigsource.com/games/iji

[Kim]

I'm finding a nice middleground in killing every alien that isn't a Tasen. It works.

[BitVyper]

GET THE FUCK OFF MY PLANET, YOU ALIEN FREAKS! *shoots everything and everyone, completely ignoring all diaries/logs*

[russianreversal]

Hey, y'know what's dumb? Avoiding every Tasen for 2 levels, then making the truce and trying to kick a door MILES from anybody and STILL getting shot at. Since I was only getting in there to access datalogs in the first place, though, all I had to do was find out the information on them then restart the level in pacifist mode. To date I still haven't beat the game with 0 kills, though I know how to now, but I HAVE gotten the Invincible rank (or whatever it's called) and the Z Sector, which is INSANE.

EDIT: And if anybody's beaten the final boss battle ready, please film it and send me a link because dear god that's impossible.

[BB]

EDIT: And if anybody's beaten the final boss battle ready, please film it and send me a link because dear god that's impossible.

Here you go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67eLpLhxEPg

Final boss, Maximum Charge, Ultimortal difficulty. (Obviously REALLY HUGE SPOILERS for anyone who hasn't seen it!) The creator of the game made it, say hi!

[BitVyper]

The one thing I dislike about this game is how the Tasen react to your violence in their logs. Half the time it seems like they don't understand your motivation for shooting at them; the invading force that has wiped out most of Earth's population. I'm not saying they should be all guilt ridden, but when you shoot at someone and they shoot back, you don't go "what the hell was that for?"

[Kim]

I think it's less, "Hey a person we shot at is shooting at us" and more "She is going through killing every single Tasen in every single area systematically murdering the remainder of our species. I can kinda understand why, but this is just too far."

[BitVyper]

Well see, those ones I can understand. There's a few logs where it sounds like they just don't comprehend why this person would have any problems with them though. They seem too... surprised by the fact that she doesn't just roll over and accept fate.

[Kim]

Well, they are aliens. It's pretty easy to identify with the Tasen, but they do think different. I mean, compare that to the Komato(I spell that right?). Those guys is craaaazy.