Under the Radar Reviews [DEC 22 Edition]

[cranebump]

Well, we’re back. Because you CAN have too much of a shitty thing.

What? You can’t break a 20?

 

JOSH JONES RETURNS! And this time, he means WAR!

(or fruitcake…both are absolutely good fer nuthin’)

 

This installment, we have a true GEM for you:

Well, well, well. We now have LBMA’s! Right up Josh’s considerably narrow alley! Let’s see what Marco wants.

 

Part 1: Out of Warranty

Mark sez he has bad mojo comin’ from a cellphone (isn’t that EVERY phone these days? I mean, look at my spam folder). 

 

We head to Cook’s Electronics, and find Goldbrickers bricking around. What do we do?

Um, shoot them, of course?

 

DESIGN NOTE: We get a nifty bit of summation with the Mish begin clue:

 

This continues throughout the arc. Here's another exanmple:

Nice add. Especially if you’re like me and you forget what you just did. I may steal this idea. (MAY? Who am I kidding, I steal everything.)

 

Quick mish where we beat up Billmark (brother to Markbill, both of whom wear Billabong?). Looks like the brickies have plans to steal techies from shoppies. And such…

 

Back to mark for M2:

 

M2: Parts and Labor

Off to gather more bits and giggles. We get a taste of a neat little custom here:

Sucesptible to bullets? Good.

 

We run into some Clocks, who give us some forbidding dialogue:

Yeah, this can only be good…

 

See?

 

Things momentarily look good, and then…

 

Yup…lowbie friendly my…

 

Okay, so have to do better at pulling, I’d say. 

 

So these guys…

Man, oh man, do they suuuuuuuck…

 

I avoid getting retweeted and forge ahead.

Well, DINE-O-MITE! Let’s see what ELSE JJ may say?

Scavenging around for various parts, and we find

Ugh…storm…and it’s paired with electricity. Go figure.:-)

 

We get the job done. JJ rants about her stuff, and how she repurposed the custom clocks. After she realizes I’m NOT with Crey (and here to steal her stuff), she calms down. (Can you blame her? I mean, I LOOK so high tech.)

 

M3: Secondhand Store

Mark gets more “ghost” vibes from the phones in JJ’s collection. So, this means we simply MUST go to a cave (because everyone loves caves, natch).Marco assures me he wouldn’t send me there if he dint have to.

 

I do not believe him, of course. This changes nothing, but I feel all tough and edgy when I intentionally doubt good people (bc that’s what Edgelords do - that and destroy perfectly nice DnD campaigns).

 

Mark DOES say he’s getting some bank vibes and Bricker mojo off what we have, though, so some nice furniture and people running around screaming MAY be in my future (hmmm..sounds like home…on Thanksgiving...with all those damned kids running around…[what, are they immune to the turkey-fu-sleep thing?]).

 

So, even though it IS caves:

It’s the GOOD kind. With LOTS of fascists!

 

As we beat his ass, Targus releases bad gas!  (Er, like from canisters and such. Aimed at the city.  I mean, maybe he did the other, but we’re past that now, ‘cuz hero time.)

Okay, good, it IS that kind of gas. Phew…

 

While commenting on the use of gas as an old Nemesis standby, the guard gives me some props!

Um, I’d prefer to stay OFF Nem’s radar for a little while, bro.

 

Along the way:

Know what they say about shooting fish in a barrel?

It’s true, man.

 

I am  more harrowing than sleeping in a gas mask! Good to know…

 

I have a bit of running around to find crates, but they’re right next to each other. And DONE!

 

Some questions remain about JJ and how she got into that place and rooted around without being, you know, shot to death, but we’ll table that for the moment. The good news: the city is saved from GAS! (and not just Archon "Fartgus's").

 

M4: Factory Direct

Turns out JJ had a cloaking device. And assumed I had one, because DOESN’T EVERYONE? (note to self: get with Hero Corps about frequent rewards program).

 

Back at it with the Brickers. JJ has provided me with some backup:

Try to remember whose side you're on, okay, kemosabe?

 

So, as we gather more tech for Marco:

Amen! Sorry I can’t let you off though, pard.

 

DESIGN NOTE: I did not know you could color code the objectives. The designer is using light blue to signify the optional ones. Neat! I may adopt that sometime. Or just stay jealous about it. Whichever's easier.:-)

 

NOTE: Reference to Watergate and Nixon and the end of mish=+1,000 from this geezer.

 

M5: No Refunds, no Exchanges

And, I would add, No Retreat, No Surrender (because I’m a soldier in the night with a vow to defend).:-)

 

So, this looks like a timer, because of this:

If so, nice to have a warning (I never use them, personally…warnings that is. Timers? That’s another story.):-)

 

Sure enough, 15 minutes. And a Defeat All. But it’s a small bank map, so it’s doable, and I do. Even took on an ambush just after taking out the boss.

Yeah, yeah - if it wasn’t for you meddling kids and your stupid…gun…

 

So, we stop the Brickers from getting a shit ton of money, and we keep JJ out of trouble. All in all, we’re a big, damned hero.

 

So, THE REVIEW:

 

GOOD STUFF:

• Mechanically perfect. Spawns, objectives, map choices - everything was navigable without any glitches (except JJ followed me everywhere the first time we met (after saying she was staying put), but that’s an AE thing, not the designer.
• Sold story.
• Great contact dialogue and character presentation. Mark Freeman feels "real."
• Solid mix of stock bad guys and a some customs.
• Innovative use of Mish Begin clue as shorthand for objectives and keeping track of ongoing investigation.
• Whiz bang finale.

 

TWEAKS:

• Not one damned thing I would change.

 

VERDICT: 6 out of 5. What more can I say? This is a grade-A, well done arc, from top to bottom (and sideways, too). Pretty much perfect. Well, well, WELL done.

 

PLAY IF: You want to take your lowbie on a solid, well-designed, well-scripted, beautifully constructed arc.

DON’T PLAY IF: You’re some sort of douche bag, because only a douche bag wouldn’t like this (because they’re douche bags).:-)

 

A+,  @Zasani. And thanks!

 

Happy Hanukwnazamas all,

Crane

Edited December 7, 2022 by cranebump

[Zhym]

2 hours ago, cranebump said:

(I never use them, personally…warnings that is. Timers? That’s another story.):-)

 

So true...