In one of my past posts, I contemplated downloading and using GoG's gaming client "GoG Galaxy". I have recently decided to go ahead and download, install, and use the client, now that they are past version "1.1" (as of this posting, I think it's 1.3.something, but don't quote me). Unlike the Steam client, most settings are optional and does not require an active Internet connection to run* your games. And just to clarify - you don't *need* GoG Galaxy to play** your games.
One of my favorite old games is "Thief"†.
If you don't know about it, you should use your Google-fu and learn about it. It was a ground-breaking game, touted as "the" original "first-person sneaker" game of that genre. Can you fight and kill in the game? Yes, but there are those of 'us' who believe that a true expert†† thief would not stoop to that level. In fact, in the original game, that was one of the conditions of "expert‡ mode" - no killing whatsoever (unless the mission explicitly required it). Except for zombies, but then - they are already dead, so...
Zombies. I hate the Thief zombies. While they are not so bad to look at (in the original game, the artwork was quite primitive, especially by today's standards), the eerie background music of the game coupled with the dark atmosphere, and moaning/wheezing/growling sound effects just creeped me out enough that I could not play a zombie level at night. *Shudder*
But I digress...
Anyway, lately I've been playing "Thief 3" and while several consider it the worst of the three original games, it's still fun to play, as far as I'm concerned. Except the zombie levels, of course (hehe). Compared to many games today, the controls are simple, but one does not need overly complex controls to have a good game. This is something I wish more game developers understood - "simple" does not equate to "bad" nor does "complex" equate to "good". Some of the best games I've ever played have had simple controls (original "Tomb Raider", anyone?).
I've actually built-up quite a little library of games from GoG - Tomb Raider series, Thief series, Commandos series, most of the (non-enhanced versions) of D&D titles (Icewind Dale, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, etc.) - but have yet to download, let alone, install (or play) them. I should work on that. But then, finding time to actually play them is a challenge in-and-of itself.
Although, they do say one should set goals for oneself, so there is that.
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* You do need an active Internet connection to download your games, but that's true whether you actually use the GoG Galaxy client or not. But once they are downloaded (and installed, of course), you do not need to be connected to the Internet to start or play - unless, of course, the game itself needs one for multi-player modes, but if that is the case, you'd need one regardless.
** GoG Galaxy is 100% optional. You can run/play your games without it by running the individual game shut-cuts. But it does provide a nice little interface that has all of the short-cuts in one locale.
† There were (3) original games and a 'reboot' released in 2014. I was really looking forward to the PC version of the reboot...until I learned that, like many PC-games being released these days (unfortunately), it required the Steam client. And since I've actually read the T&C and Privacy Policies of Steam, I refuse to use it.
†† There are even those 'elitist experts' who go so far as touting that one should not even 'black-jack' any opponent (unless explicitly required by the game, which I don't think was ever part of any mission). I don't go that far, and will quite often knock-out most opponents so I can have 'free run' of the place. But I have only ever intentionally killed an opponent when the mission required it. I say "intentionally" because I tend to stack bodies in the same location and I once had a pile large enough that the guy on the bottom was apparently smothered or crushed by the others. That and I once dashed a body in a shallow pool of water and they ended up drowning. Oops...
‡ Other than playing in normal mode for the first mission, just to get acquainted with the controls, I've only ever played in "expert mode" - I find it more fun. But hey, you can be an 'amateur' if you want (*snicker*).
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