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Springheel

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You have got to be the most dedicated reviewer! Great reads to pick on which FM's to choose for the future for everyone if the description does not suffice.

Edited by Anderson
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"I really perceive that vanity about which most men merely prate — the vanity of the human or temporal life. I live continually in a reverie of the future. I have no faith in human perfectibility. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active — not more happy — nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago. The result will never vary — and to suppose that it will, is to suppose that the foregone man has lived in vain — that the foregone time is but the rudiment of the future — that the myriads who have perished have not been upon equal footing with ourselves — nor are we with our posterity. I cannot agree to lose sight of man the individual, in man the mass."...

- 2 July 1844 letter to James Russell Lowell from Edgar Allan Poe.

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Anderson, on 15 Jan 2017 - 09:01 AM, said:

You have got to be the most dedicated reviewer! Great reads to pick on which FM's to choose for the future for everyone if the description does not suffice.

 

Nah, I just don't have a life. :P

 

But really, I do plan to review every mission, it just depends on when I feel like playing/writing. I have many more missions that I've played to review, I just like to have a bit of room to do them. :P I'll try and get a few more up soon.

Because in mystery novels, the first suspect is almost certainly never the murderer. No matter how much unmovable evidence there is, it will all be smashed in pieces by the wrath of the remaining number of pages of the story.

 

-"The Evil Spirit of the Zushi Clan" from Virtual Carnal Pleasure by Yamada Fuutarou

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Nah, I just don't have a life. :P

 

But really, I do plan to review every mission, it just depends on when I feel like playing/writing. I have many more missions that I've played to review, I just like to have a bit of room to do them. :P I'll try and get a few more up soon.

It's totally fine to practice somewhere. No need to bring lamentation or self-flagellation for any activity outside daily life to discourage you. Because you write well.

  • Like 2

"I really perceive that vanity about which most men merely prate — the vanity of the human or temporal life. I live continually in a reverie of the future. I have no faith in human perfectibility. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active — not more happy — nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago. The result will never vary — and to suppose that it will, is to suppose that the foregone man has lived in vain — that the foregone time is but the rudiment of the future — that the myriads who have perished have not been upon equal footing with ourselves — nor are we with our posterity. I cannot agree to lose sight of man the individual, in man the mass."...

- 2 July 1844 letter to James Russell Lowell from Edgar Allan Poe.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Disclaimer: This was done on the lowest difficulty, because I like knockouts. :P

 

House of Theo (by Theothesnopp) is a slightly atypical mission, maining due the aesthetics. This time, Not-Garrett has been hired by no authority less than the Emperor himself to infiltrate the titual house of Theo to find information on possible weapons, gold, a moll, etc.

 

The mission is mainly different in it’s presentation, which is the best part of it. The mission starts with you staring out at a nice looking skybox with a sorrowful piano tune playing, and then you turn around and see a whole castle looking down on you. It’s honestly very well done, and sets the scene of this large, desolated area quite well. The castle itself, however, is a tad too big, which a little too much open space. This may have been needed though for the higher difficulties, which restain knock-outs. While I didn’t beat it on that difficulty, it seems like it's very fair, based on my observations. I also hope you like that piano, because it never stops playing, and gets repetitive after awhile, not to mention loud, which makes listening for guards that much harder.

One review I read said that there’s a little too much backtracking in this mission, but I don’t think I agree. For the most part, it’s simple to get from one area of the castle to another, and most of the backtracking is short. The only parts of the mission that will almost definitely give you trouble are the atic and a first floor hallway. The former has a guard who’s a pain to knock out, and the latter is a door you need to go into in pitch darkness. And a guard who’s sole job is to stand there and let you bump into him because you can’t see where you’re going.

 

All in all, good mission, though it’s quirks can annoy. Recommended.

Edited by The Dark One
  • Like 2

Because in mystery novels, the first suspect is almost certainly never the murderer. No matter how much unmovable evidence there is, it will all be smashed in pieces by the wrath of the remaining number of pages of the story.

 

-"The Evil Spirit of the Zushi Clan" from Virtual Carnal Pleasure by Yamada Fuutarou

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  • 2 weeks later...

Lords and Legacy(by Kvorning) is a mixture of city mission and mansion mission. This time, Not-Garrett has been hired by a coalition of townspeople and nobles who want to get rid of a nobel who’s oppressing them all. Sadly, his brother likes him, so there’s no arrowing him in his sleep. The plan is to steal a family heirloom and plant it in the brother’s safe with a fake note indicating that the brother was planning to have his brother killed and make it look like a robbery.

 

The mission is quite large, and is split into The Slums, The Commons, and the manor itself. The second could almost be a (small) mission unto itself. Graphics-wise, it’s quite nice looking, with more of blue tint to everything, much different from what I’ve seen in missions up t this point. Everything looks well, with the only real error being a door that leads out into blank space, but to be fair you have to go out of your way a bit to find it. However, the proportions felt off. It’s very hard for me to describe, but I felt like the inside of the apartments in The Commons in particular didn’t match the outside. I was somehow ending up on the other side of the map when I shouldn’t have been there, it felt like I was bumbling through the TARDIS at points. This might just have been me, but I noticed the same thing on a replay. Same thing with The Slums, check the perceptions of the lady’s apartment and where the side door takes you.

 

On the positive side, I did like the layout of the estate itself: Three semi-connected towers. A little linear, perhaps, but different from the norm.

 

Difficulty-wise, it;s up there. I don’t think that the loot goal is that hard to hit, but be prepared to dig through the level (and people’s pockets) for it. Thankfully, you can break into people’s homes to find what you need. I always like this part of city missions, and want plenty of it. I just wish it was a little more clear which places you could get into. The higher levels have (thankfully) optional objectives which require you to avoid getting seen and refrain from knocking people out. The former is definitely possible and I’m assuming the latter as well. The layouts are set up to make stealthing possible. There is one portion that I feel to be a tad unfair, as it suddenly puts you up against a character with no warning, and with little chance of escape. Either you know it’s coming, are very fast, or break the AI. The guards also have annoyingly good hearing, especially at the estate. As in, “Can hear you clomping around outside one floor up” or “Can hear a board creak one floor up and one room over.” It’s almost random how it works, and can be annoying. The creaking boards idea is interesting though.

Speaking of layouts, I want to go from there to another completely unrelated topic: atmosphere. One of the best parts of city missions is the little ideas and tidbits scattered around, and this mission has them. From a low-key love story, to a creepy haunted apartment, to a serial killer lurking in The Commons, it’s all done pretty well.

 

All in all, solid mission, with only a few slip-ups here and there. Recommended.

 

P.S. Also I borked up my last review, got the author wrong. Will be changing.

  • Like 3

Because in mystery novels, the first suspect is almost certainly never the murderer. No matter how much unmovable evidence there is, it will all be smashed in pieces by the wrath of the remaining number of pages of the story.

 

-"The Evil Spirit of the Zushi Clan" from Virtual Carnal Pleasure by Yamada Fuutarou

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  • 3 weeks later...

It’s the season of Valentine, so let’s do Christmas.

 

The Parcel (by Xonze is a short and sweet little mission. Not-Garrett has had his parcel stolen, and goes to break into a place and steal it. That’s it. That’s the plot. Though the reveal of what the parcel is and who Not-Garrett is stealing for does raise some amusing mental images.

 

Graphics-wise, it’s no better or worse than average. The snow is nice, and I think it’s one of only two missions I’ve seen that incorporates it. The layout of the house is plausible, and I like the way it looks from the outside, with some nice lights in the windows, though I don’t think that they match up with the outside that well.

 

Difficulty-wise, higher than you’d expect. While it’s not hard to evade and/or knock out the guards (this is one of the few missions where my stealth score is 0), the loot is well hidden, and careful searching and unconventional frobbing is a must. There’s also a needed key shoved on someone in a different position than normal, which can jam you right at the end of the mission. But other than that, it’s a pretty smooth ride.

 

All in all, a short little Christmas mission. Short, but Recommended.

  • Like 3

Because in mystery novels, the first suspect is almost certainly never the murderer. No matter how much unmovable evidence there is, it will all be smashed in pieces by the wrath of the remaining number of pages of the story.

 

-"The Evil Spirit of the Zushi Clan" from Virtual Carnal Pleasure by Yamada Fuutarou

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  • 4 weeks later...

Geez, been too long.

 

Sons of Barltona 1 (by Carnage) has a one in the title, but since there hasn’t been a two, I’ll just treat it as its own thing.

 

This time, Not-Garratt is named, though I can’t recall it. Anyway, his mentor has vanished while investigating a merchant, and he’s angling for some answers. Hence, breaking in. The break-in is oddly difficult. The house itself is lightly guarded, and once you get to the second floor you more or less have free-reign of the place. Getting in, however, requires you to dance around a whole circle of torch guards, with little room for error. You can find a trick or two to get around, but expect more than a few issues on a first playthrough. This isn’t helped by the fact that one of the optional objectives is to not be noticed, which is a bit of a wonky trigger at the best of times. Sometimes a well-fired water arrow gets the guard to draw his sword, but the failure doesn’t trigger until a bit later.

 

Loot-wise, it’s hard. The available loot comes close to the goal, and you’ll have to look carefully for it. Those of you who won’t rest until you get every single bit of change will be frustrated, because part of the loot is in the pockets of guards. Who are in the light. Who are angled so that you have to be crawling on them to grab it. Thankfully, they’re not needed. Unless you want all the loot, in which case, good luck to ya.

As stated above, the mission starts difficult before dropping down again. Once you get into the house it’s much easier, with the only real sticking point being finding an office key on one of the guards, and even then you don’t even need to go in there, I recall. Getting out is the same as getting in, though I feel I should warn that the passage you use to get in can’t be opened from the inside. If you don’t realize that, then you’ll be forced to run out one of the doors and make a break for it. Personal experience, yes.

 

Also, fair note, apparently the game locks if you go on the roof. This isn't something you can do accidently, but it's worth noting.

 

All in all, a decent mission that needed a better difficulty curve. Recommended, but don’t make it your first mission.

  • Like 2

Because in mystery novels, the first suspect is almost certainly never the murderer. No matter how much unmovable evidence there is, it will all be smashed in pieces by the wrath of the remaining number of pages of the story.

 

-"The Evil Spirit of the Zushi Clan" from Virtual Carnal Pleasure by Yamada Fuutarou

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Solar Escape (by Tr00pertj), by its title alone, makes me think of those Japanese room escape games I used to play pretty often, even though I was terrible at them.

 

The plot is simple: Not-Garrett discovers a body in the swamp, as well as information on it that leads him to the home of one Sebastian Creep, who has arranged for the death of said man nad gotten his hands on a valuable scepter, and maybe more. Hence, breaking into his house, stealthing it, and leaving the note calling for the murder behind for blackmail purposes (even though it doesn’t help, because he can just get rid of the note. But anyway.)

This mission is small, but oddly difficult. There’s a good bit of loot, but a lot of it is crammed in odd locations, so you’ll have to take things slowly and be willing to look everywhere. Not helping matter are the guards: One is inside and near-impossible to get around if you want to ghost the mission, and one outside who can see you from there, and you really can’t get a good look at him, forcing you to try and remember where he is and not be there. The main gripe I have is with finding your way onto the upper balcony, the entrance to which isn’t clear or hinted at.

There’s another element of this that I don’t understand: Why does the woman ignore this strange man wandering the house? She’ll panic if you leave bodies lying around, but why is she fine with this robbery in the first place? It’s never explained, really. Also, why does Creep feel that he can take over the world with a scepter that A. only lets you travel between worlds, and B. can’t even get you back to your own? The diary implies that he doesn’t understand B. but A isn’t much better. Finally, why does Not-Garrett feel the need to leave by the church tunnels? Can’t he just leave the same way he came in?

 

I also want to take a moment to soapbox about an issue near and dear to my heart: Proofread your mission dang it. This has come up before, but I’ve only remembered to mention it now. No one is asking for Shakespeare level mastery, but at least make it flow. The grammar in this mission, for example, feels stilted and flawed, and needed someone to at least give it a once over. But that’s mainly a personal gripe (now watch as some smart guy nitpicks my own grammar. I suppose I deserve it. :P )

 

All in all, it’s a decent mission, similar to the last one I reviewed. Recommended, but don’t make it your first.

  • Like 1

Because in mystery novels, the first suspect is almost certainly never the murderer. No matter how much unmovable evidence there is, it will all be smashed in pieces by the wrath of the remaining number of pages of the story.

 

-"The Evil Spirit of the Zushi Clan" from Virtual Carnal Pleasure by Yamada Fuutarou

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  • 2 weeks later...

Special Delivery (by Silencium18) is a short little thing. No really, one of the shortest missions for The Dark Mod.

 

The plot is as normal: Not-Garratt has gotten wind of a valuable diamond and sets out to rob and (if you’re me) give many guards concussions. Where this mission sets itself apart is in the choice of location. Instead of the normal fancy mansion, we have an industrial warehouse, bringing the problem of electric lights and metal floors. However, once you get through the first room, the rest is mostly smooth sailing. Getting the key you need is slightly harder than you might think, but other than that, this is a pretty smooth mission.

 

I don’t have much else to say, really. Recommended, even if I feel that experienced players will blaze through it.

Edited by The Dark One
  • Like 2

Because in mystery novels, the first suspect is almost certainly never the murderer. No matter how much unmovable evidence there is, it will all be smashed in pieces by the wrath of the remaining number of pages of the story.

 

-"The Evil Spirit of the Zushi Clan" from Virtual Carnal Pleasure by Yamada Fuutarou

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Too Late (by Nielsen74) is yet another short mission. Don’t worry, I’ll get to some longer ones after this one.

 

The plot is simple: Not-Garrett is after another jeweled scepter (Bafford never learns), but finds that another group of thieves have made off with it already. Since Not-Garrett already bothered himself to get out at night, he decides that he might as well steal if from this new group.

 

Similar to the last mission, the setting is more industrial, taking place at a dockside warehouse. It’s an oddly liner level, with a straight shot from beginning to end, barring a little extra back area that I don’t fully understand the purpose of. What makes up for that if difficulty: Loot is cannily hidden, guards are abundant, and higher difficulties limit your knockouts. It’s mostly fair however, with multiple chances to scramble on the higher ground and work your way around the guards. I do wish that it was a little more clear how far the light from the obligatory torch guard can reach, since more than once I had to scramble across the boxes to dodge it. But that’s not really the fault of the mission creator.

 

All in all, a fun little mission with some nice challenge behind it. Recommended.

  • Like 2

Because in mystery novels, the first suspect is almost certainly never the murderer. No matter how much unmovable evidence there is, it will all be smashed in pieces by the wrath of the remaining number of pages of the story.

 

-"The Evil Spirit of the Zushi Clan" from Virtual Carnal Pleasure by Yamada Fuutarou

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Since he just released a new mission, he gets dibs.

 

Full Moon Fever (by Spoonman) is another Victorian burglary simulator...with a twist. A certain lord has been doing renovation on his mansion, and rumors are spreading that he’s found incredible treasure. Rumored, because he isn’t talking, due to suddenly vanishing, leaving his house more or less abandoned besides the guards. A thief sent in to case the joint has confirmed that the family will be arriving soon to take possession, meaning that Not-Garratt has to make his move.

 

The first thing about this mission that strikes is how big it is. Maybe I’m just easily impressed, but this is a very last mission, with a mansion that feels like a mansion. There’s lots to explore, and guards lurk around every corner. You’re granted maps of the place, you’ll need them. I won’t say it’s a *hard* mission, certainly it would take time to make your way through it, but once you get a handle on the layout, I think it goes smoothly. “Methodical” is the best word I can think of. It’s a tense half hour or so, but once you get a few people knocked out and get your bearings, it becomes much more satisfying.

 

Loot-wise, it’s pretty simple. The highest loot goal is high, but there’s plenty to be found. I admit, when I first played the mission, I fell short, but my second playthrough got me plenty, so make of that what you will.

Like I said, this mission has a tweeeeeest, and it’s well-done. I don’t want to give away the nature of it, but rest assured, when you realize what a literally bloody mess you’ve walked into, much panicked uttering and desperate running towards your goal will ensue (for me, anyway.) I don’t want to say anymore, it’s best saved.

 

My main gripe with this mission is that it feels a tad too long. Needless to say, there’s terror and horror beneath the house, but maneuvering through it feels like a little bit too much mission. I know that this is probably just a personal thing, but considering how much there is to this mission in the first place, the final sequence feels slightly anticlimactic. I also have to question the story itself, but since there are spoilers involved, I’ll just say that I’m not totally sure how the lord’s actions were actually supposed to help. That bedroom won’t stay closed forever, after all.

 

All in all, a very solid and creepy mission, and I’m honestly a little disappointed that I’m having a hard time wording why I liked it so much.. Recommended, and I hope that I can get to The Ravine within the next twenty years. :P

  • Like 3

Because in mystery novels, the first suspect is almost certainly never the murderer. No matter how much unmovable evidence there is, it will all be smashed in pieces by the wrath of the remaining number of pages of the story.

 

-"The Evil Spirit of the Zushi Clan" from Virtual Carnal Pleasure by Yamada Fuutarou

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I finally beat this mission gah.

 

The Rift (by Baddcog) was a mission made for a vertical contest mission, which the creator decided to take in a different direction, which I approve of. Not-Garratt is laying low in a hillside mining town and decides to make a few extra gold bits by stealing the jeweled scepter of a local lord. He barely takes two steps before an earthquake opens a huge rift, which demands exploring.

 

This is a more undead focused mission, with exploration of ruins and tomb raiding. I think this is the first time I’ve reviewed one of these, or at least the first to have it as the major focus. I’m not sure if I like this type of mission; I admit that I prefer to creep around in an elegant mansion or vast city, exploring, finding secrets, and indulging my inner voyeur. But maybe I just haven’t played the right kind yet.

 

Graphics-wise, it certainly pulls off making the rift seem vast and you feel very small, at least for to first half of the mission, after which it gets a tad more claustrophobic. It’s not pretty, but impressive enough, and it’s nice enough to make it clear where you’re supposed to go.

Difficulty-wise, it’s actually pretty hard, or at least more difficult than expected. You don’t have a lot of equipment, and if you aren’t familiar with The Dark Mod’s combat system you’ll find yourself ducking around quite a lot. There are also a few places where I felt it was nigh-impossible to drop down without taking damage. One would think you could just use rope arrows, but this mission is oddly skimpy on them. It’s even possible to find yourself stranded at the end of the mission with no real place to go, due to the lack of rope arrows. Also, you have to personally make your way back up, and again, poor use of rope arrows can leave you stuck. Even the opening is a pain, you have three guards right out your window, and only perfect timing will get you to street level without getting seen.

 

I admit, I’m biased: I took waaaay too long to beat this mission, and I’m still a tad bitter. But being fair, this is a solid mission, just not part of a subset I like, and with a few kinks to be ironed out here and there. Recommended.

P.S. If anyone knows how to get into the church, do say. :P

  • Like 2

Because in mystery novels, the first suspect is almost certainly never the murderer. No matter how much unmovable evidence there is, it will all be smashed in pieces by the wrath of the remaining number of pages of the story.

 

-"The Evil Spirit of the Zushi Clan" from Virtual Carnal Pleasure by Yamada Fuutarou

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Now, back on target.

 

The King of Diamonds (by Spooks) is the first city mission I’ve reviewed in a while, and it’s a good one. Not-Garratt is contacted by an acquaintance, King, who wants Not-Garratt to do something for him. After tracking down King’s accomplice, Not-Garrett learns that King made of with a valuable diamond...but was ratted out and is currently laying low, and he wants Not-Garrett to break into his former residence and get King’s stuff back.

 

Graphics-wise, this mission is quite...purple. And blue. Very different from what one expects out of a city, and for that I’m glad. The city is more of a mix of back alleys and side streets, giving it a cramped, claustrophobic feel. However, it also has the result of making the mission a tad confusing to navigate, at least at first. You get two maps, and while they look nice, to be honest I didn’t find them much help.

 

Difficulty-wise, it feels like the inverse of Sons of Barltona: The city itself is simple to navigate; there are very few guards on the streets, but the estate itself jacks the difficulty up. In Expert, at least, you can’t even knock anyone unconscious, the torches are dutifully relit, and there’s a fair bit of ducking around people who wander into every nook and crany. And getting out is a pain as well.

 

Where this mission really shines are the side quests and stories you can find in your scrounging. The mission is similar to Lords and Legacy, in that there are a lot of mini-stories going on, though here they do tend to dovetail a bit more. It’s not pure horror, but there are a few creepy moments in the mission, which I’m loath to spoil. It’s quite good, and the atmosphere is well done, with understated sound (or lack thereof) to hammer in the creepiness. Although I do question how you can have neighbors who are separated by like solid blocks of house.

 

Like I said, there are side quests aplenty here, ranging from simply dealing with a wannabe backstabber to a long and involved quest to take out a captain via….interesting means. It’s a very involved thing, and it’s easy to miss on a step or two if you don’t know what you’re doing. Still, it’s definitely one of the more creative objectives I’ve seen in The Dark Mod. Only gripe is that he died out of view of everyone when I played, so no mass panic.

 

All in all, a good, creepy mission, with a fair amount to do. Recommended.

  • Like 3

Because in mystery novels, the first suspect is almost certainly never the murderer. No matter how much unmovable evidence there is, it will all be smashed in pieces by the wrath of the remaining number of pages of the story.

 

-"The Evil Spirit of the Zushi Clan" from Virtual Carnal Pleasure by Yamada Fuutarou

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hm, I’m nowhere near done with my backlog.

 

Volta and the Stone (by Kingsal) starts by changing your screen in The Dark Mod proper to some neat purple tower, so you know you’re getting effort here. A decently-voiced cutscene fills you in on the plot: Not-Garrett has been recruited to steal a valuable stone from the Volta estate, and surprise surprise, it’s at the top of a stupidly huge tower. Most of the mission is spent trying to make your way into the tower, so it’s not really a verticle mission, however.

 

Difficulty-wise, it’s not overly hard. The guard placement is light, and the patrols are wide enough so that even that odd thief that doesn’t whack everyone and their mother over the head can slip through. The loot goal is also pretty reasonable, at the very least you shouldn’t have any trouble hitting it if you’re paying attention. The only part that I feel might trip people up is one of the switches. You’re told where it is, but there’s still a bit of pixel hunting to find it. To be honest though, it’s a very mild complaint. There’s also a rather annoyingly placed guard at the tower entrance who more or less have to run and pray around.

Where this mission shines is in the layout. It *looks* different than most missions, with more of a red hue to everything. Even the guards have custom outfits, the whole thing almost makes me think of a house of cards. The mission is very non-linear, there are quite a few different ways through the mansion, if you’re willing to look up every now and then. Some people have compared this to canon missions, so I’ll take that as a good sign.

 

The only real tripping point is the ending, which has a little puzzle elements and some good views, but still feels a tad bit anti-climactic, considering some of the foreshadowing throughout the mission. Oh well, this is supposed to be part 1 of a series, I’ve gathered, so we’ll see what the future holds. All in all, solid, creative mission. Recommended.

Edited by The Dark One
  • Like 2

Because in mystery novels, the first suspect is almost certainly never the murderer. No matter how much unmovable evidence there is, it will all be smashed in pieces by the wrath of the remaining number of pages of the story.

 

-"The Evil Spirit of the Zushi Clan" from Virtual Carnal Pleasure by Yamada Fuutarou

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Getting close to a milestone!

 

In Remembrance of Him (by RPGista) is one of those experimental missions that tries to do something different within the confines of the ordinary mission. Some succeed, some fail, and this kinda….flops.

 

The plot is simple: Not-Garrett is having some sweet quiet time with his lover when she kills the mood by bringing up her previous fiance. Not-Garrett ends up deciding to break into the man’s crypt and get the engagement ring back. This is all much more touching than I’m making it sound.

 

The mission starts with you in an alley, an invisible wall behind you. If you’re like me, you'll want to explore, jump around, see what lurks. Before long, a guard comes around. He does not care about the invisible wall, he just runs in to kill you. This is the first taste you get of the odd design choices.

 

In fairness, this is an atypical mission that tries to offer you more choice. There’s no loot goal, and the only restriction you have is not killing innocents. If you want to stealth your way through, you can. If you want to slaughter the resident gang, you can. If you want to play the stoic thief, only focused on the ring and not caring about the loot scattered around, you can. You do have choices, but choice that’s constantly made for you is banging your shin.

 

You cannot see a dang thing in this level. There about two, three segments in near pitch darkness, making what should be, for example, a good bit of parkour into an exercise in tedium. An endgame bit becomes nothing more than you fumbling in the dark if you put out all the candles. This could all be fixed with a lantern, but for some reason you don’t have one, which is why I’m going off on this so much, the fix is so simple.

 

It bugs me, because this is a good mission. It feels like you’re crawling around the backways of the city, the storytelling is good, and there’s even a nice shot of horror at the end, but the little things trip it up. Recommended, but with knowledge of the flaws.

 

Also, what was with that book in the priest’s office?

Edited by The Dark One
  • Like 3

Because in mystery novels, the first suspect is almost certainly never the murderer. No matter how much unmovable evidence there is, it will all be smashed in pieces by the wrath of the remaining number of pages of the story.

 

-"The Evil Spirit of the Zushi Clan" from Virtual Carnal Pleasure by Yamada Fuutarou

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Also, what was with that book in the priest’s office?

It's a fragment from a real world philosopher. I remember it was real good. Montesque or Voltaire or someone like that.

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"I really perceive that vanity about which most men merely prate — the vanity of the human or temporal life. I live continually in a reverie of the future. I have no faith in human perfectibility. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active — not more happy — nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago. The result will never vary — and to suppose that it will, is to suppose that the foregone man has lived in vain — that the foregone time is but the rudiment of the future — that the myriads who have perished have not been upon equal footing with ourselves — nor are we with our posterity. I cannot agree to lose sight of man the individual, in man the mass."...

- 2 July 1844 letter to James Russell Lowell from Edgar Allan Poe.

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Anderson, on 26 May 2017 - 01:42 AM, said:

It's a fragment from a real world philosopher. I remember it was real good. Montesque or Voltaire or someone like that.

 

Ahhh, alright. I was a little confused, both because it didn't seem like the sort of book that a priest would have, and because it seemed like an odd author tract. I didn't mention it in the review because I couldn't think of how to word it/fit it in.

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Because in mystery novels, the first suspect is almost certainly never the murderer. No matter how much unmovable evidence there is, it will all be smashed in pieces by the wrath of the remaining number of pages of the story.

 

-"The Evil Spirit of the Zushi Clan" from Virtual Carnal Pleasure by Yamada Fuutarou

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Ahhh, alright. I was a little confused, both because it didn't seem like the sort of book that a priest would have, and because it seemed like an odd author tract. I didn't mention it in the review because I couldn't think of how to word it/fit it in.

 

I actually got it wrong. But the author answered me 2 years ago on the subject, name of the work in the thread among the latest ones.: http://forums.thedarkmod.com/topic/13749-fan-mission-in-remembrance-of-him-by-rpgista/page-8

Edited by Anderson
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"I really perceive that vanity about which most men merely prate — the vanity of the human or temporal life. I live continually in a reverie of the future. I have no faith in human perfectibility. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active — not more happy — nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago. The result will never vary — and to suppose that it will, is to suppose that the foregone man has lived in vain — that the foregone time is but the rudiment of the future — that the myriads who have perished have not been upon equal footing with ourselves — nor are we with our posterity. I cannot agree to lose sight of man the individual, in man the mass."...

- 2 July 1844 letter to James Russell Lowell from Edgar Allan Poe.

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Alright then.

 

Sneak and Destroy (by SeriousToni) was made as part of a contest for first-timers (which you guys should totally do again *end soapbox moment*), and is a pretty accomplished effort.

 

The story is told in cutscene: Not-Garratt is tipped off by a mysterious woman that an assassin is after him and is staying in a nearby inn. Not-Garratt sets off to take care of the problem and make some fast cash on the way...once he figures out which inn the assassin is staying in.

 

Difficulty-wise, it’s not bad. The highest difficulty restricts your knock-outs and fails you if you’re seen, but getting around the guards is mostly simple. There’s one outside the second inn that can be a pain to get around (especially when leaving) and the second inn is a bit cramped, but nothing that can’t be overcome. The loot goal is a tad high, but carefully searching will help, there wasn’t anything hidden in like some bizarre location. You also have a plentiful supply of water arrows, which helps. That being said, the guards here are the types of guards to notice when loot is missing, which is sort of a rarity in the missions I’ve played. There’s not much to say graphics-wise, other than that the creator does a good job in keeping the inns looking distinct.

 

The main draw of this mission is the assassination. I admit, I like missions like these, and I’m not totally sure why. The set-up isn’t exactly Hitman level complex, but there is a bit of strategy involved in tracking down your target. It’s simple, but satisfying. That being said I would have liked a slightly more satisfying ending.

 

All in all, this is a solid mission, especially when you consider that it was the author’s first. Recommended.

 

Like I said in my last review, were at a milestone: This is, for now, the last of the single-author missions, creators who have only done one mission. Now, we can move on to the creators who have done multiple missions. Next up: stumpy.

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Because in mystery novels, the first suspect is almost certainly never the murderer. No matter how much unmovable evidence there is, it will all be smashed in pieces by the wrath of the remaining number of pages of the story.

 

-"The Evil Spirit of the Zushi Clan" from Virtual Carnal Pleasure by Yamada Fuutarou

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Also, quick question before we move on here: How are the reviews so far? Am I being detailed enough, am I putting in too much detail, etc? Anything, by all means. :P

 

(Also what the heck is up with the font all of a sudden.)

Edited by The Dark One

Because in mystery novels, the first suspect is almost certainly never the murderer. No matter how much unmovable evidence there is, it will all be smashed in pieces by the wrath of the remaining number of pages of the story.

 

-"The Evil Spirit of the Zushi Clan" from Virtual Carnal Pleasure by Yamada Fuutarou

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I appreciate them, but could you upload a few screenshots for each? It would be an improvement.

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Come the time of peril, did the ground gape, and did the dead rest unquiet 'gainst us. Our bands of iron and hammers of stone prevailed not, and some did doubt the Builder's plan. But the seals held strong, and the few did triumph, and the doubters were lain into the foundations of the new sanctum. -- Collected letters of the Smith-in-Exile, Civitas Approved

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Melan, on 29 May 2017 - 01:27 AM, said:

I appreciate them, but could you upload a few screenshots for each? It would be an improvement.

 

I would, but I'm honestly not sure how.

Because in mystery novels, the first suspect is almost certainly never the murderer. No matter how much unmovable evidence there is, it will all be smashed in pieces by the wrath of the remaining number of pages of the story.

 

-"The Evil Spirit of the Zushi Clan" from Virtual Carnal Pleasure by Yamada Fuutarou

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You can find a hosting site for your pictures and simply link them here in your post. This would allow you to illustrate what you are saying, showing visual examples. Or maybe you could show off the best vistas in the map, in your personal view. It helps making people curious to play the mission as well.

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