"Under the Radar" Reviews #2: The Lazarus Project (by @coulomb)

[cranebump]

Why I picked it: Title, level range; intrigued by use of the Legacy Chain; only 17 reviews, so definitely “under the radar”
What I ran it with: Discount Ninja! (Heroic Technology Blaster)
Powersets: Archery/Ninja Training (+Fighting)

 

Part 1: Harvest

• Okay, so Kenny the Discount Ninja is on the case! And who do we find as our contact?
• FREITAG! (Yaaaaaas! [I used this guy in my own Ordinary People storyline]). 10 million points. 5 Stars. 4 buckets of Hami goo….etc.
• Title is ominous. But then, this is the Vahz, so…
• My send off is “I’ll do my best to find the missing heroes.” I think “I’ll do my best” is fine, unless, for some reason we can assume Freitag doesn’t know what we meant by that. (I’ll do my best! To what? Ummm...make a sandwich…?)
• Scenario is to find missing low-level heroes in AP Swers (specifically, Sewer Junction J48B [nice touch]). Rescue any who need help, and find out who’s sending them to their impending doom.
• Nice job of highlighting (color-coding) tasks and key info.
• And...it’s a sewer map:-)

All four objectives pop at once, so I can approach them in whatever fashion I deem fit. Here they are:

 

• Nothing wrong with doing it this way, but this approach can be cluttered.
• Take out a pair of spawns, then glowie (a fridge). Some awkward verbiage here: “Recovering contents inside” (I think...I just forgot what I read). “Recovering contents” would be fine.
• And we have the remains of a dead hero, plus a clue. Looks like the Vahz have plans for these puppies. 
• Map is a one-way ticket with no curves. Not a bad idea.
• More glowies (body bags). Find clue referring to experimentation process failing. Vahz trying to fuse heroes with Eidolons, appears.
• Yeeouch! Forgot about that toxic damage. Kenny gets pounded somewhat, but survives.
• Another fridge, another set of remains. Also free hero named Novastorm, who reveals his contact, Martha Summers.
• Last room boss defeated, and 3 glowies all there, so that was nice.

At this point, my questions are:

1. Why do I need to recover that many hero remains as mish objectives? Feel like you get one, get the clue, then the remaining fridges can simply be extra (not mandatory objectives).
2. What do the Vahz hope to gain from splicing heroes with Eidolons? I mean, I can guess, but that’s where the mystery leads.

 

Summary: Map is a straight shot. No running back and forth for anything. Sparsely populated, however (which is typical when you run on default, as I am).

 

Note: Still from awkward verbiage, ex: “Find clues as to what the Vahzilok are up to,” can simply be “Find Clues.”

 

2. Summer Goes to Fall

• First thing, the title. “Summer Goes to Fall.” Obviously related to Martha Summers? Attempt to be clever, but it doesn’t work well here. 
• Freitag has decided we have enough to arrest Martha Summers. I think I’d prefer, “Bring in for questioning,” but let’s assume he’s got actual evidence I ain’t seen. Besides, Kenny Ninja don’t care!
• Office map, security force (i.e., cops)
• Bringing in Summers, while looking for clues as to why she’d turn rogue (mind control anyone?) [my guess]
• Well...that was wrong. First clue sez Doc Summers has inoperable/incurable cancer. So, naturally, have to turn to other methods, right? Like carving up heroes.
• 2nd clue indicates that Summers formed connections with rich clients, then diagnosed them all with the same cancer, thus using them to foot the bill for her own research with the Vahz. (very nice) The tycoons formed “The Lazarus Syndicate.” Now, TECHNICALLY, they’re not dead, so...what up with that name?:-)
• Clue 3: about the money.
• Ah, okay. So Clue #4: Summers has made a deal with Dr. V:
• 

Summary: Summers is arrested. Clues present a bit of a twist now. Good. Freitag explains that Summers and tycoons would be resurrected as Eidolons. I didn’t make that connection (because I’m Kenny, and I’m stupid).

 

3: Reanimation
So, onward and upward. Looks like one of the Tycoons has arrived. I’ve got to go to junction L66.  
Again, feel like objectives are cluttered:

 

• A boss tries to reason with me that what they’re doing is good for mankind. I shot him in the face, because that’s what heroes do when faced with philosophical conundrums.
• The new Eidolon is an “Inferno Eidolon.” Interesting. Mission ran straightforward and simple. By the end, we find out what we suspected. Vahz want to easily transfer superpowers to their Eidolons. Though, really, that toxic damage is already rough. So, what is gained, I ask ye? Then again, if they combine the different damage types with their toxics, THEN we got a real problem.

On to 4: Jailbreak

• So I destroyed one of the 3 prototype Eids. Also blew up their renaimation canister thingies. Freitag is worried about the ones I missed (fret not, you ninny--I got more arrows). 
• Also: the procedure Summers promised to heal made Dupois ill. SHE LIED! SHE LIED! (surprised?)
• So now a breakout of Summers from the PPD.
• Off we go!

5 minutes later: Yes. It's a short mish, but features a “Cortex Eidolon.” Nice costume. Also with unique powers (for an Eid, anyway).

 

 

5: Born Again (Finale)
So, time to take it all down. Again, awkward writing here on send off:

• So, Freitag says, “You! Go do that!” and player responds with “I will go do that.” A simple, “I’m on it!” would do here. (at this point, I worry that I am criticizing a second language speaker--if so, my apologies).
• Crey type lab map.
• Okay the Cryo Eidlon handed me my bacon. Slowed, and teh embalmed belched acid all over me, and fwomp, down I went.
• It is at this point I realize I have not been running either of my fighting defense toggles for the entire arc.:-)

Okay, so took Summers down quick, and guess what? SHE REZZED! LIKE LAZARUS!:-)  Enjoyed the little fight at the end.

 

Positives:
*Did not find any typos or grammatical errors.
*Mechanically, spawns were well placed. I was always moving forward.
*Liked the costumes of the custom Eidolons.
*Loved seeing Freitag! (personal pref there)
*No plot holes. The baddie’s scheme is logical (from their point of view).
*The Boss dialogues were all uniformly interesting.

Recommendations/Tweaks:
*The awkward usage. It happens enough that it’s noticeable. It starts to feel strange, almost robotic. 
*Spread out the objectives by having some of them spawn in a chain/sequence. Now, there’s a caveat to this one. The way it’s presented is fine. It’s clear. I know what I’m supposed to do. But my objective screen is a bit loaded, and -- my opinion -- you get a better sense of progression when you accomplish A and B, then C pops up. 
*Related: Not sure we needed multiple fridge clues in first mish. One of them establishes the main idea.
*Not one ambush. I think it could use one somewhere to keep the player on their toes. Might also throw in an extra patrol, as well.
*The custom Eidolons were great. But I feel like I should’ve seen multiples of them in a group, maybe some versions of them surrounding Summers in the boss fight. The Cryo one gave me the most trouble. Got slowed, and couldn’t bail out.

*Oh--where was the Legacy Chain?

 

Overall: Gets strong marks for plot, custom costumes, clean scripting, objective placement/spawn points (shows some testing). It just felt a tad bland at times,  since my little squishy rolled through it pretty easily (well, save for a couple tense moments). So, factoring in my own personal biases with the objective strengths of the design, it's at least a 3, but not quite a 4. Let’s say 3.5/5.  It’s competent, and not a waste of the player’s time. So, round it to a 4, then, if you wish.:-) Clean, competent, with a few nice touches here and there (and some glaringly weird verbiage).:-)

 

Play this if: (1) You enjoy the Vahz and want to see a different spin. (2) You have a sub-20 toon and you’re looking for something different. 

 

Don’t play if: (1) You’re using your tricked-out 50+. It won’t challenge you at all. (2) You’re annoyed by awkward grammatical constructions.:-)

 

That's all for now. Thanks to our designer, @coulomb for sharing their arc!

 

Vaya Con Leche,

Crane
 

Edited November 12, 2020 by cranebump