AREA MAN LIVES
- May 12, 2022
- Numinous Games
Get on SteamArea Man Lives. Or does he? A quirky radio drama unfolds around you in VR while you do your best to keep the radio station humming along as its new DJ. You record commercials, interview callers and try your best to piece together how your actions inside the station impact your listening audience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The concept of being a radio DJ is unique and immersive, providing a fun and engaging experience.
- The voice acting is high quality and adds to the humor and charm of the story.
- There are many interactive elements that enhance the gameplay and keep players engaged in the narrative.
- The game suffers from confusing mechanics and vague instructions, leaving players unsure of what to do next.
- There are significant issues with bugs, item handling, and long downtimes that disrupt the flow of gameplay.
- The audio quality is inconsistent, and the reliance on voice recognition can lead to frustrating experiences.
- story8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its humor and engaging mechanics, with high-quality voice acting enhancing the experience. However, technical issues, such as bugs affecting gameplay, detract from the overall enjoyment, leading some players to hesitate in recommending it until these problems are resolved. Despite these setbacks, the narrative's potential is recognized, and players express hope for future improvements.
“Voice acting is super pro and very funny story.”
“The 'story mechanics' in this game are amazing.”
“The amount of things you can interact with is surprising, and you quickly get caught up in the story.”
“Story-wise, I'm not sure about all that voice recognition thing; it seems it's used only in a few places and makes no difference in what you are actually saying.”
“The story feels disjointed and lacks depth, making it hard to stay engaged with the characters and their motivations.”
“While the game has potential, the narrative is poorly executed, leaving many plot points unresolved and characters underdeveloped.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a mixed experience; while some players appreciate the unique mechanics and engaging story elements, others criticize the clunky controls and lack of quality-of-life improvements, leading to frustrating navigation and unclear objectives. The reliance on specific object interactions can be both innovative and cumbersome, impacting overall enjoyment.
“Edit: I've played this game a lot; it is very good. The comedy is good and the mechanics are very cool.”
“The 'story mechanics' in this game are amazing.”
“However, after getting through the first episode, the narrative takes a strange turn and totally leaves you in the dark as to what you're supposed to do next. The mechanics get super clunky, and the quality-of-life updates are non-existent: just navigating between episodes and checkpoints is tedious.”
“It's a mechanic that is supposed to work like Alyx's gravity gloves, but unlike the gravity gloves, it doesn't 'just work.' Rather, it sometimes works and forces you to use a laser pointer to identify the object (not all objects are handleable) and then pull it towards you.”
“Most of the gameplay seems to be finding the right object and using it.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly after the initial episode, as the narrative becomes unclear and the mechanics feel clunky. The lack of quality-of-life updates exacerbates the issue, making navigation between episodes and checkpoints a cumbersome experience. Overall, the grinding becomes increasingly unenjoyable with each chapter.
“However, after getting through the first episode, the narrative takes a strange turn and totally leaves you in the dark as to what you're supposed to do next. The mechanics get super clunky, and the quality-of-life updates are non-existent: just navigating between episodes and checkpoints is tedious.”
“Would love to finish it, but every chapter just feels more tedious than the last.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent glitches and freezes when attempting to use voice commands, as well as erratic item handling and unexpected teleportation out of the play area. Overall, players describe it as a "buggy mess" that detracts from the gaming experience.
“Every time the game wants to use my voice, it glitches, freezes, and my view flickers between the Steam VR holding screen and the game. Then, after about 3 seconds, it comes back and I can use my voice.”
“Buggy mess, item handling is a mess; sometimes you get teleported out of the playing area.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by professional voice acting and a very funny storyline, contributing to an engaging and entertaining experience.
“The voice acting is top-notch and the story is incredibly funny.”
“The humor in this game is spot-on, with clever jokes that keep you laughing.”
“I love how the characters have such witty dialogue that adds to the overall hilarity of the game.”
