UtRR's #3: The Golden Age Secret of the Paragon Society (by @Miss Jersey) ID:3408

[cranebump]

 

Why I picked it: WW2 Theme, unusual level range, “Paragon Society” (I’m a fan of the JSA), only 9 reviews (Under the Radar!)

What I ran it with: Gunbone (L29 Defender) 

Powersets: Dark Misama/Dual Pistols/Badassery

 

Mish 1:

Okay, time to deal with the fargin’ pseudo-Nazis. First off, the contact, The Firecracker Kid:

 

Holy irony, Batman. Your “kid” days are passed. But no matter. What’s the skinny?

 

So, I guess it's “I'm glad you tromped on my lawn...a**hole…” (“Faceyspace?” Seriously, “Kid,” take it easy).

 

*Mish 1=Stop a break in. Locate a case that I am not to open UNDER PENALTY OF DEATH (yeah, it was in all caps, and red, that one).

*Start out defending a statue from 5th column (one of whom screams, “For the Fatherland!”). Yeah, we know who we’re dealing with here...people from Pennsylvania…(kidding...mostly...actually met a dude with a Hitler ‘stache from there irl...no kidding…)

*“Superior breeding” indeed. Knock out the perps, find the safe.

*Clue=some burnt film here. The Column got to the case first and vandalized it. NAZI BASTARDS! (er, I mean...Goodness Gracious!)

 

Back to Kid F

 

*Mish kudos: great map! I’m totally unsure which one it is, but now I have to use it sometime. And then there’s this nugget upon my return:

 

Kid F...the F is for “Jackass.”

 

Mish 2:

• Okay, first off, I don’t get coffee at the coffee shop anymore. And if I did, who cares if it’s cocoa foam? (and a double?...with sprinkles...)
• (Enjoying the old man’s crusty persona, btw)
• Look’s like son of KF’s ol’ running dog, “Red White Boom.” This “Sherman” might be there.  Hmmm...could he possibly be, I dunno, a TANK?:-)
• 5th column base map (boooo caves, but it’s 5C, so, whaddaya gonna do?).
• Main Task=”Secure Stolen Info” ON IT! (after I have my cocoa foam fru-fru java)
• Several minutes of skulking/shooting about and I find Shermie. 

 

Obviously on the ‘roids…

 

• The two of us take out Commander Hecker. Or rather, I get a few shots in before Shermie pounds them with an overhead SLAM! (Yeah, he’s got some chops there).
• Kudos: Changing the text color of the clues to match each mission (green for 1, orange for 2). EXCELLENT idea! (stealing)

 

So, on to 3:

 

• After I offer the “no worries,” Kid F calls me a “Nancy,” but sends me in anyway. 
• Warning on screen about “Elite Boss.” Wonder if it’s actually Shermie?

 

In we go…

 

3: Investigate destroyed lab

• Using one of the FL dig labs in Agent G arc. I just ran this recently, so familiar.
• Experiments turn out to be cloning tubes.
• Clues found: DNA in cloning tube I destroyed, then a crate with Shermie’s costume and cape in it (uh oh…)
• Boss battle with Hecker not too hard. I have multiple Fear powers, plus placate. He spent a lot of time trembling. He did inform me of Shermie’s apparent demise, however.
• Took out a control console to finish mish. Hard drive indicates next location.
• So, Cloning Tube, and missing tanker=I probably have to fight some version of Sherman.

 

Mish 4:

• Well, well, nice twist here about Sherm’s origin (no reveals, but unexpected).
• Off we go! Save Sherman and Arrest Base Commander
• Located Sherm. Just in time, evidently:

 

• Interesting (optional) clue of pic of old Paragon Society. It has holes from darts in it.:-) (nice touch)
• Okay a bit worried here, as Sherman is spouting off German phrases as we fight.
• And of COURSE, Sherm turns on me. Doing fine till I got hit and held. Didn’t help that I pulled a stray group to help him. Got sent to hospital. Stocked up on insps and went back in. 
• Just noticed, I don’t have to beat Sherman. The last objective's a glowie. So I grab that and disregard another ass whoopin’.

 

Mish 5:

• Okay, so with device, Sherman is saved! 
• Forgot to mention: custom enemies appeared. Boss named Blitzkrieg for one. 
• Okay, so unsurprisingly (now), 5th column is rebooting their cloning thing to create an army of supermensches. 

 

Pretty straightforward objective:

Then again: 🙂

 

Find Sherm guarded by some customs. Here’s my favorite:

 

Heh...nice…

 

• Once I get Sherm on my side, we lay waste to everything. He went a bit crazy in the final room. I had the big boss slowed and debuffed, but Sherm KB’ed him out of the targeted Debuff, then aggroed the pets and the subsequent ambush (DOH!). Ended up using all those insps I bought after my arse-kicking from Sherm earlier, and took down Uber Alles. 
• We save the day and trash that beeyotch lab.

 

So, summary:

 

Positives:

*Excellent map choices and spawns. No running back and forth (indicates testing was done).

*Great NPCs (esp. Firecracker, who really makes the arc).

*Challenge level for my lvl 29 was on the mark, except for Sherman (whom I wasn’t supposed to beat, anyway).

*Excellent pacing. No plot holes. Nice twist with Sherman’s backstory.

*Strong editing (didn’t see any mistakes)

*Novel use of color-coded clues!

*HUMOR! 

 

Tweaks:

*Nothing major at all. 

 

Overall: 5/5. Allusions to the the Golden Age. Kid F the curmudgeon. Sherman’s drive to “prove” himself. The mishes are straightforward, the ethos is black and white. And, like the old school comics I recall from back in the day, it’s just freakin’ fun. It’s something of a well-used trope* (super clones). But, so what? We've all seen every plot in the book anyway (I know I steal my ideas). So, well-known don't matter, as long as it's a tale done well. This one is. It’s freshened up by merging the golden past with the present, using crusty, funny ol' of Kid F as your contact, and, finally, the key role of Sherman, and that nice little twist. All in all, the characters make it work. A great, fun arc.

 

Play this if: You’re a fan of the JSA, or something of that nature (or, you just want to beat up Nazis).

Don’t play if: You don’t like geezers throwing out good-natured insults using millennial stereotypes. Honestly, the "insults" say more about Kid F than anything else. 

 

That’s it for the nonce. Happy Holidays, all!

 

Crane

 

Edited December 1, 2020 by cranebump

[Miss Jersey]

Thanks for playing and reviewing the arc and for your kind words. Really happy you enjoyed it!

[cranebump]

Enough to put it in my “bliggity blog!”:-)

[laudwic]

Miss Jersey,

 

I played this one and your 'trademark' mission last night and loved them both.

 

Thank you for making them and would greatly appreciate any additional content you are kind enough to make for us.

 

Thank you!

[Miss Jersey]

On 12/9/2020 at 2:00 PM, laudwic said:

Miss Jersey,

 

I played this one and your 'trademark' mission last night and loved them both.

 

Thank you for making them and would greatly appreciate any additional content you are kind enough to make for us.

 

Thank you!

Thanks for playing them. I have a second account with three more arcs. I believe if you search for "Miss Jersey" they will all come up. (I believe the other global is @MissJersey2 though not 100% on that. I would love to make more, but I am locked on slots currently.