UtRR's: Joshua Jones's Journeys continue! [AUG and nothing after {er...til SEP|]

[cranebump]

Okay gents & gentiles...er, gentlewoman...what the hell, gentle-PERSONS (I’m TRIGGERED!)

 

Josh Jones is back! 

 

And ready to....well just what IS he ready to do. Let’s see…

PERRRRFECT! I’m a whole level 8. I can crack skulls. Including my own.

 

To it, then.

 

M1: 

Great...I’m working with Nancy Reagan…

 

FYI: as a scriptor, ol’ Crane just LOOOOOVEES this guy:

P.S. Check out Ordinary People, parts 1-3, featuring THIS GUY and is buddy Pep (end shameless Crane plug).

 

Okay, so this ISN’T the strip club. Check.

 

Style thing, but I’m not much of an “everything right up front guy.” Feels like it’s all being thrown at me. On the OTHER hand, I know what I gotta do, and this probably avoids the ol’ “let’s run back and forth and find stuff'' phenomenon that AE loves to throw at us designers. FYI: You can clear a small amount clutter by just putting Haul in the Operation Leader, or Arrest Skull Leader (depending on who he/she be).

 

Again? Hey, I only caught you once, dude.

 

Oh, Ed, must I arrest you AGAIN? Okay, then, the FIRST TIME?

 

2 clues in Eduardo’s Room (which is adjacent to Marvin’s Room, mayhap?). One clue points to another location. Nice job presaging future developments.

 

Alas, poor Yoric. He hath been shotteth (nice job using one of lit’s most famous skulls):-) +9000!

 

Dude...get some sun...seriously…

 

Actually, I’ve got a load of buckshot on yo’ arse, son! Btw, your brother sez “ouch!”

 

DONE! Easy, Breezy, trapeze-y...er, yeah…

 

M2:

Why thank you...that IS an apt description of my life...never leaving KR...always at AE...eating the same...hot dogs every day…(sniff) I’VE WASTED MY LIFE, MOM!

 

Ol’ Joe sends me to take out lab equipment, and arrest whoever’s in charge. I **could** do that, but how about I just push for legislation legalizing ‘dine. You know, CONTROL it. Regulate it. TAX it, and...what? Is this not a good idea?

 

That’s the ice water in my veins, yo!

 

Okay, so what the freaky-deak is THIS?

 

We just got twisty. LIKE!

 

Once again, LOTS to do.

 

All the space in this warehouse, and the Skulls decide to play Tetris.

 

So, after beating up a couple Seers, I find out the new stuff is called “Necrodyne.” Which sounds, I dunno, preternatually dangerous? (mystery deepens…)

 

Hmmm...gee wonder if this could be a reference to, I dunno, the boss?

 

Guess I’m ultimately looking for this guy:

 

Meanwhile, back at the ‘dine ranch...

Yeah, well, you evidently don’t see far enough, bro.

 

Another custom. Nice.

 

Didn’t I say this was dangerous?

 

Mo-om! The underboss is coming on to me!

 

Looks like a li’l typo here. Colon followed by ellipsis. 

 

Bit of a walkaround finding the last 2 crates, mainly because I don’t game with headphones and couldn’t hear the damned glowies. But we grab ‘em. We also get Undertaker’s address. Strangely, he’s at the morgue (kidding).

 

M3

Nice touch. Okay, I do have plenty of greens, so I feel, “somewhat inspired?”

 

Okay, maybe not so kidding up there…

 

So, eventually....

Bad news for Undie. I dinged lvl 9 during mish, so finale was easier than it would’ve been. Under’s got pets and some grav stuff going, but I still had a big PURP buzzin above my head, so I was good. Then these guys came to deliver my spam and sardine sammies!

 

 

 

Okay, so overall:

 

GOOD STUFF:

• Clean, clear writing. Only noticed the one typo.
• Customs! Just enough new stuff to keep it interesting. Not overdone on power selections (i.e, not indulging in any of Crane's bad habits).
• Great use of “window dressing” glowies on the last mish (I forgot to take a pic of the HUGE crate).
• Bit of a twist on the whole ‘dine (‘dyne?) thing.
• Spawns not really an issue, since nothing was chained. You could roam around and find stuff everywhere (which has me rethinking the whole, “not too many objectives at once” thing).

 

TWEAKS:

• I can’t think of anything major. It’s a lowbie arc, and it plays dead on well for a lowbie like ol’ JJ here.
• It's solid as railroad spike...so to speak...:-)

 

Verdict: 4/5: It’s solid, if unspectacular (this is not a gripe - I’ll take solid time and time again). Got a lot packed into 3 mishes. Bravo! Not everyone can do that. 

 

Play this if: You want more Skull action than KR gives you. Now that I think about it, play this, then play Cranebump’s Ordinary People as a follow up (yes, I’m piggbacking here, because man, would this be a great intro to the other thing - you meet ol’ JF, he calls you up later for more stuff...okay @Coulomb and I are opening up a law office). [End especially shameless reminder plug].

 

Don’t play if: You’re not a fan of lowbie play, or some sort of snooty d-bag who refuses to do the grunt work for the cops.:-)

 

That’s it for now. Adios all, and Vaya con Frijoles.

 

Crane

 

Edited August 29, 2021 by cranebump