I love the New Striga Villain Content! - Spoilers

[dtjunkie]

Ever since it was introduced in Issue 3, Striga Isle has been one of my favorite zones. I love how the four story arcs flow into each other and how they culminate with you being introduced to Ernesto Hess. The Hess TF is my favorite TF - I absolutely love the build up to the giant mech, how you first see its feet, then it's head, ending with the epic fight up the catwalks to Burkholder inside the volcano. The temp powers you get through these arcs are amazing... Stephanie Peebles' wedding ring is a great trick to use when you get in trouble, and the War Wolf Whistle is great when you need that extra bit of DPS when soloing.

 

I enjoyed it so much I made an alternate version of Stephanie Peebles. I like that I was able to incorporate her wedding ring into her costume (the cape brooch) and with psionic blast it really looks like the power of the ring is manifesting when she attacks.

 

So yes, I'm a big fan of Striga content and was very excited to check out the new Villain Striga content. And boy was I not disappointed! I love tying the Crimson Prototype back to the Council's Giant Mech and the monster hunting with Orpheus. And last but most certainly not least, the epic last arc where you have to take down the last witch of Striga.

 

I'm not going to lie. I knew that this last witch was probably going to be Stephanie Peebles. But when the mission text said:

 

 

I got goosebumps. YES! I knew Stephanie was a HERO. Let's goooooooooooooooooooooooo! I love how the arc designer was confident enough in the players that we would immediately understand who The Last Witch was when we read this. And I'm not going to lie y'all. Stephanie kicked my butt. And it was great:

 

 

 

I've never been so happy to have been defeated. Luckily I died behind that rock and I had a rez. I rested up and went back in and did what the villainous Blood Shovel had to do.

 

And holy smokes! It awarded the wedding ring!

 

I just want to say thanks to whoever wrote these missions. It was really clear to me that you care about the history and story of this game and Striga Isle as much as I do. Thanks so much and I'm so glad that I'm playing this in 2024.

[DougGraves]

Is this a contact arc - I can just go red and do the arc?

[Gavlam]

Yes ^ - also through ouro 

Edited February 28 by Gavlam

[Hedgefund]

I pretty much agree with OP point-for-point.  It was the first time I did the Striga arc that was the firs time I really got hooked on the game.

 

This full arc is definitely great work, especially the last arc.  I knew it was going to be Steph as soon as a witch was mentioned, she tells us that she's one in her arc.

 

I found that BP EB to be a bigger challenge.  I fought it first and got worked pretty good until I went in loaded for bear, loading up on T3 insps.  I had enough still on hand by the time I got to Steph that her fight wasn't too bad.

 

I dug how the vill missions mirror the hero ones.  There's a LOT of similarities, such as an all MekMan mission or Family on a boat, but with a twist. 

 

Really well done with the notable exception of some bugs with contact progression or mixed teams.  The latter is apparently fixed.

 

I don't know how hard it would be to modify contact text but after I did all the arcs red side I side switched and, since I was still in the 20s, went to talk to her.  She introduced me to the Hansens but I was kind of hoping she'd call me a big jerk face or something but it was just standard "move along to next contact" text.

Edited February 28 by Hedgefund

[Lazarillo]

They're pretty much ruined by the first arc requiring being an unquestioning nazi toady.  It's a shame, because basically everything about them is great, but there's no reason Strax's arc shouldn't have involved betraying him and keeping all the stuff you stole for yourself (or similar).  Taking orders from a jackboot (even a well-written one) isn't villainy, it's just being a goon, and I didn't sign up to play City of Goons.

[dtjunkie]

14 hours ago, Hedgefund said:

I don't know how hard it would be to modify contact text but after I did all the arcs red side I side switched and, since I was still in the 20s, went to talk to her.  She introduced me to the Hansens but I was kind of hoping she'd call me a big jerk face or something but it was just standard "move along to next contact" text.

 

Agree! After the arc I immediately went to see if Stephanie was gone ala Aaron Theiry.

[Vic Raiden]

Reports of her death were greatly exaggerated, it seems.