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Yeah, I wasn't a fan of the Taipei mission either, but I hear it praised a lot. I can't really think of another mission that I liked that much. :shrug: What can you do, shitty level design.
Try before you buy. Seriously, unless you have some moral hangups with piracy, get the demo. If by the end of Saudi Arabia (about 2 hours max) you don't like it, don't bother.
Eh, slightly different story but it's still the same missions over and over again. And while there is a difference between run and gunning and stealthy, it's not a huge difference. It'd be one thing if the levels were more open a la Deus Ex, but that just isn't the case. You may be able to replay it once without throwing up, but I really think you have to be a total Obsidian fanboy to get through it more than that.
Also, Taipei was far more ruined by shitty mini-games than by the level design itself. And finally, as a lasting, maybe Captain Obvious grade note before the update, the model of subtitles used in Mass Popamole and Alpha Brotocol isn't a "next-gen innovation", but a direct copy from the model of subtitles used in movies since the first movies with sound were created and distributed to several countries. I believe this speaks a lot about what is ultimately declining gaming. Now for it:
Lots of Big Words in NPC conversations and a Stalking minigame to train some KKKodexers
First, some further dossier details:
Nothing apparently relevant about this Madison.
Mina was a NSA operative before joining the Protocols. This explain why she suggested investigating an Echelon outpost in Rome.
And thus it will be done. Bugging Daed... Echelon. Wait... Vandenberg was a much better level than any Alpha Protocol level.
: Looks like a Mexican ice-cream shop being run by a nigger junkie in Tijuana.
: They did what they could to dissuade the public from coming in for a cone and stumbling into their stuff. Also, I suggest you bluff whoever is operating this place that you are here to perform maintenance and security upgrades. If you fail they'll shut this station down. You need a handshake code to identify yourself.
: Like the Jewmasons?
: No, like "The moon is a mysterious mistress...", wait, nevermind. Anyway, tell whoever is there that the Adirondacks are beautiful this time of year, and he'll answer "Yes, but the Alps are lovely all year long"
: The Adirondacks are beautiful this time of year.
: Yeah, yeah, I don't like the mountains.
: I said, the Adirondacks are beautiful this time of year.
: I heard you, now,
: Be careful Mike, this man isn't a NSA operative, or he would know how to answer.
Mike pulls his way safely by talking bullshit, lies, R00fles FFS with the Beaner.
Back home...
Sean Darcy is apparently trying to hunt Mike now. Hopefully this will end with Thorton having to take EXTREME measures against him.
More information about the shady kingcomrade Marburg
Operation Northwoods and 09/11, amiriet?
Now Al-Bara is hosting a party and maybe we ought to kill him, maybe not. It's STALKING TIME!
: Not this man, and there is nothing worthwhile to mention about him. That other guy, he's just a controversial Roman artist with some juvenile offenses regarding showing his multiheaded dicks in public,
: Planned and led the assault to took back the hijacked British jet last year.
: Should I get an autograph for you?
: No, I work for the infamous Michael Thorton Shepard. Compared to you, he is small-time.
: dipping into the drug trade, but that's all I've got, nothing really relevant to what you need.
Nobody relevant, time to shift position.
: Immigrated to France from the West Bank about ten years ago, and serves on the board of directors for the Christian-Islamic Confederation.
[Sarcasm]
: Seller right now on corporate involvement in the Middle East.
: Is it a good book?
: I'm waiting for the movie and for the game adaptation to Wii and the 360.
:
: town. His latest exhibit on the crusades has brought more polemic than the London Mega-mosque, but he's clean.
: Moonlighting as a bodyguard for some extra.
After moving the scope further around,
: : lots of Interpol and State Department records about his wealth. State Department says he is dirty with bribery from Halbech. Interpol says his finances are legitimate though, and,
: Mina, do I take him or not?
: None of these State Department records are sourced, I can't tell where they came from, or when. Best I can tell is that their intel was added to his sheet a few months before you left for Saudi Arabia.
: He is a member of Al-Samad, right?
: I don't know. I'd say yes, but I might be wrong. You can take him out, or we can abort.
: Wait a moment. Didn't I spare Shaheed? And isn't it fishy those State Department records were added so recently and at such a coincidental time? Couldn't it be someone wanting to frame him so to justify his assassination and use me as a puppet?
Great plot revelation aheaad, it seems.
Something is going on.
And someone from Halbech is stalking Thorton, is this person Madison or someone else?
Wait a minute? How did he know Thorton e-mail? How did he know Mike was there if he was never, ever spotted while inside the chateau? Something is wrong about this meeting.
And thus Thorton asks for Mina to trace this mail and see if she can pull anything else about it.
On next update:
Veredict of this update: No real gameplay to speak off, just lots and lots of conversations and a stalking minigame. I haven't really much to say other than the fact they should perhaps have made it less obvious that the meeting to come was a trap.
More tl;dr and NPC conversations that make this feel like an interactive movie
Totally not obvious "It's a Trap" moment is totally not obvious.
[Intelligence]He'll be a boss fight more than once in this game.
But even though it is a trap, the linearity gives no other alternative. Therefore:
[Perception]That man on a suit is suspicious.
Then, suddenly, Marburg appears with his personal escort of Lithuanian Hitmen. He demands for Thorton to shut down his PDA immediately.
: Will kill you.
: Very well, for now. What do you want, Marburg? And why such lack of civility, when we could have a civilized conversation here?
: You make it necessary. Once I have the information I need, I plan to leave. You will not be harmed. Perhaps you thought you could enter Rome under the radar. You almost did, but you broadcast your nature very obviously. First, why are you here, and why did you gave away yourself so easily?
: You're the 'why', and I was hoping if I revealed my position just enough, you'd come out of whatever hole you were hiding in.
: I would have expected a rogue agent would be more cautious.
: Why bother? Corporate tools like yourself can always be baited into showing themselves, it is a rookie move. So what now? Are you going to threaten me? Go ahead, this should be worth a laugh.
: You aren't here in an official capacity. You're operating under Alpha Protocol.
: Interesting. Considering the program secrecy, I would have expected you to say "traitor". Unless you have insider knowledge.
: If you think you are the first to be abandoned by your government, you would be wrong. You are Michael Thorton Shepard. Straight out of Langley. Perhaps they felt the "untouchables" approach would benefit them.
: I'm an operative, now. After Saudi, I had to change my five-year plan. I'm guessing you're here to confirm the file you have on me. Anything else you need to check?
: Reports place you as someone loyal to your country and who believes in carrying their missions through, even when having to resort to EXTREME means to accomplish them.
: Is that so odd?
: In today's day and age, yes. But not to me.
: So you know a great deal about me, and I know who you are. You are G-man Leland's right hand man, his lackey, toadie, henchman. And you wear those gloves to keep the blood off your hands. I've read your dossier. You've lived a full life,
: explosion in Moscow, it's like a concert tour with you.
: You, on the other hand, have managed to enter Rome quietly. I didn't know you were here until a hour ago, you're skilled at keeping a low profile. No murders, no public announcement. Very impressive.
: What happened to Al-Bara?
: Dead, of course. Once you'd ID'd him, well, his use to me was at an end. In less than a day's time, you have already managed to cause me considerable inconvenience.
: I was tracking down a lead, and it looks like I've found it.
: I see. So you thought all you had to do was wait and we would speak? Interesting.
: What I don't understand, though, is why we're talking at all. Unless keeping me alive is important for some reason.
: I have orders, and I am a cautious person. I expected that reaction. I believe you have nowhere to go for help. In that situation, it is rare a man who goes to meet someone who could have him killed. So yes, this is a social call. A warning. You've proven yourself capable, but pursuing this course of action will not serve you any longer. Go underground, hide, but stay out of our way.
: Or else what?
: Or people you care about will start to die. We know you've been in contact with one of your fellow agents. That contact will die if you persist. And then we will kill you.
: Those are your terms? Allow you to carry out your mission, and I stay out of the way.
: Yes, and that does not change my terms. I understand your feeling, and I encourage you to set them aside.
: So we're done here. I leave Rome, leave you to your plan, and that is it.
: Yes. What you do next is up to you, but there are only two immediate choices: vanish or join us.
: Why should I negotiate with you? How long will it be before they have a new Chief of Security, new secrets? You're just getting set up, like I was.
: You are ignorant. Halbech is not the same hierarchy as your organization, and the term "loyalty" is not used there lightly. Try anything, and it will be your last time.
It was not as much of a mission as of a glorified interactive cutscene, but at least it is less annoying than the typical mole-popping mission, even if it reminds anyone of the dangerous blend between movie and game that is one of the primary sources of decline.
And before the safehouse, another cutscene with G-man happens.
Like Marburg, G-man seems to admire skillful operatives, even when they are working against him. Maybe he enjoys the challenge of hunting a ghost over hunting a POPAMOLING BRO that shoots everything on sight and makes lots of noise.
: Between Halbech and the local authorities, the locals were the tough ones.
: No matter, Mr. Marburg found you. That must have been a surprise, meeting up for lunch like that.
: We talked, He had a lot to say about Halbech, and some suggestions about my involvement with your corporation.
: Really? I can rarely get three words from the man.
: [Sarcasm]Feel free to have him threaten you whenever you get tired of listening to yourself.
:
: I'd be curious to hear more, and your first impression of Mr. Marburg. What did you DISCUSS!!! ?
: But Mr. Marburg was not always the best judge of character. Nor does he instill much loyalty in employees... Speaking of which...
: after your meeting with Marburg. She was in our office in Rome.
: Oh, Mike, Mike, Mike... in the end, it was.
And thus, the cutscene ends and back in the safehouse, Mina warns Thorton about some shit going on. Serious shit from her way of speaking.
: think she is going to act
: What do you mean? Now?
: She's calling the operator, and asking for you by name.
: She can't be working for Marburg, unless this is a trap. Who is she calling?
: This city directory...
: What? Why?
: I want to know why she is looking for me.
: Okay
: No, Miss Saint-James, this is Michael Thorton Shepard.
: Oh thank God, Mr Thorton, please you have to listen to me.
: I don't believe we've met before, how do you know my name, and why are you asking for me?
: I have reason to believe your life is in great danger. I know it sounds crazy but... I don't want to discuss the details over the phone, but it is important I speak with you. Is there some place we can meet?
: She's a sharp one.
: A local restaurant. I will have one sent to your cross streets.
: Agreed, I will wait you there once I leave the office.
Meanwhile Thorton gains another level. He is becoming capable of using the AR like a true BRO. As the conversations are over, time to check for new e-mails, specially about that request for Mina to investigate the obvious trap using the name of the already dead Al-Bara.
Being Cyber-stalked by Scarlett Lake. Will Thorton have a chance to bang her? Will there be consequences like being hated by a chick because of going beyond banging with the other one to actually show trust of one over another so one of them will get pissed and refuse to bang Thorton any further? It is unknown.
Intercepted from the NSA facility. Apparently they are still trying to get to Thorton and they were spying on the CIA, but he was sufficiently discrete to avoid being caught.
Darcy is a true asshole. Maybe some collar-grabbing can fix him up later.
Al-Samad seem to be operating in certain ruins, but why would they risk themselves with e-mails? Something is truly fishy about this.
And with this, the most dull update ever in this thread comes to an end.
Veredict of this Update: Do I really need to give a veredict on the fact it felt like an interactive movie and the writing quality is just average? Trust me, posting them was more yawn-inducing than reading it.
Yeah, there aren't many :headdesk: moments in the dialogue, but I hear far too many people praising it. It's... average, which I suppose is good for most video games, but still.
Anyway, continue. I want to see the OMG different consequences of our playthroughs.
I don't like having played the game too further ahead of these updates, so I'll even up things while I play more inclined games in the meantime. And I hope your Internet doesn't suck.
Manor of Epic Rage and frustration
Before the meeting, of course the convenient purchase of information from cyber-stalkers who, among other things, can discover whether a supposed female is truly female or not. I Promise, this is the before last NPC conversation segment before the rage, popamoling and secrets of Marburg.
: Let's discuss what you have told me over the phone.
: I know it sounds crazy. Where to begin...
: Just start at the beginning, and don't edit yourself, just tell it.
: I work for the Veteran Combat Initiative, VCI, they're a global military contractor. My boss... Mr. Marburg... I think he's involved in something illegal. So I checked it out... and your name came up several times in our database.
: What makes you think he intends to kill me?
: Termination contracts, even one for a man named Al-Bara, a professor here in Italy. It was... cross-linked to several contracts.
: Do you have the contracts? That'd be valuable evidence.
: Not on me, no, it would be too risky.
: I see.
: Mr Thorton, I'm not sure what to do next... go to the authorities? Is there someone I should notify or...?
: Miss Saint James, I shouldn't have accepted your call. It's possible Marburg is watching you, along with other employees.
: Then what do I do?
: I believe your boss is involved in illegal weapon trafficking. And I'm concerned with what he intends to do with those weapons, specially after that plane was struck down in the Middle East.
: What? I didn't realize.
: Miss Saint James, you've only been employed by VCI for a short time, and as Marburg's assistant. That's an important position, specially for a man of his influence.
: Yes... I was abroad studying art history... but when it comes to paying the bills, I thought I would apply for an administrative assistant position. The language skills helped, VCI does a lot of work with foreign governments.
: My point is, what you discovered is sensitive information, and this could prove dangerous for you.
: I know.
: I need those files, are they in the VCI branch office?
: I don't know what you're looking for... but the VCI office in Rome isn't Marburg's personal office. He does most of his work off-site, or when he travels.
: But he's here now. So where would he store the information while in Rome?
: He... has a villa. I've been there several times... if the files exist, I'm guessing they'd be there.
: Along with Marburg. Give me the address, can you get me in? Do you know where the system is?
: Marburg would want me dead if I allowed you inside.
: Trust me, if you can get me into the mansion, I'll get the information, and then your boss goes away for good.
: Mr Thorton... Marburg is... I've never seen him angry, but everything about him, indicates he is a dangerous man to cross.
: I'll protect you. If he gets by me, then no goon will be coming close to my haven.
: A-all right... Mr Thorton, I trust you. If I can help you, I will. I can get you the address to the villa, and the names of the files you need to search.
: Then that's all I need. Come with me.
And before going to the manor, maybe it's a good time to check what the hell this Deus Vult is.
Seems like something that will require some serious popamole shooting ranges to defeat. This can't be good.
kingcomrade Marburg looks almost like a tinpot dictator from the looks of the place.
: My apologies for relieving you of your weapons, but I'm sure you understand.
: I wouldn't want anyone walking into my home with a gun, either.
: I've been tracking your progress in Rome, and I've made a recommendation to my superiors.
: And?
: They dislike inefficiency as much as I do. You and I have a common goal, yet we're working at cross-purposes.
: A common goal? How do you figure?
: Mike... I've been in your situation. You can't go back to the government. As for being left in Saudi Arabia... I think your superiors would prefer you not come back at all.
: Perhaps I need another employer.
: Halbech rewards loyalty.
: I noticed that coming in.
: I mean you will feel satisfaction in your work. You will have confidence and respect in your superiors, and they will show the same. We don't leave our people behind, Thorton. Nor de we throw them to the wolves when it's politically convenient. We could use agents like you. And you wouldn't have to hide or be hunted any longer.
: [PATRIOT] My situation has nothing to do with my mission, or my faith in my country.
: Even if your country feels differently about you?
: It isn't my country, it is the people claiming to represent it. Assign blame where blame belongs.
: I see. A shame. I had hoped you would be willing to cooperate. But I haven't provided the right incentive.
: That was over nine thousand volts. And you, beat Mr Thorton until he can no longer stand, but leave him able to speak.
That must have hurted, but Thorton is too EXTREME to surrender. Instead he engaged into combat with the two goons.
: now I just need my gear. Mina, do you read me?
: I'm here Mike.
: But they've got me locked in, Yeaaaahhh. Can you override the security systems?
: No, I can't patch through to security. I'm sorry, Mike.
: Would Madison know the codes?
: It depends who you want to help you out, Mike. I can patch Madison through or I can stay on the line, just say the word.
: Madison isn't trained for this. When push comes to shove, I'd rather you were backing me up, Mina.
: All right, Mike. If you hope to get out of here, try to avoid drawing much attention, and hurry up, it seems Marburg is getting
: Mike, careful, Marburg's is likely to have cameras covering the exit. I'm picking up a lot of radio traffic in the villa, if you want to isolate the guards, EMPs may shut down their communications.
This is a dull section to time properly and avoid being detection. It works like those swinging axe traps of platformers of old. You just wait for the man to start moving and have to cross to the other side before he turns around.
Or I could just use that special retardability of becoming invisible, but then, I'd be raging even more about how the gameplay.
In that door around there, the only minigame that isn't totally annoying. But on the same way, it is totally forgettable too and I don't see why implement this stuff in the first place besides trying to copycat Ass Defect.
Anyway, opening this door, he reaches a luxurious and fortunately empty room with a phone ringing in it.
: The phone on the desk is flashing, you might be able to listen in.
: Do I proceed?
: It depends... is everything in place?
: taken care of, but I don't anticipate any problems.
: I hope not. Call me when you have something more.
That is a good alternate path to avoid security.
Those double doors probably aren't the best entry point. There must be lots of these Deus Vult goons inside. A lone sentry onlooks the horizon. And it's unlikely it'll be possible to reach the door more ahead to his right without alerting him.
Thus he is knocked out in a discrete and nonlethal way.
A small reading room. Thorton follows the quest compass to victory, and loots what the flashing icons show as valuable stuff.
But heading straight like an idiot from one compass to the other won't always ensure maximum grabbing of loot in a level. The game rewards at least trying to ignore the retard beacon sometimes. These things that a dork using the compass would most definitively end missing should be more oftenly used. No need to comment on how the level design could have been improved anymore.
And thus, of course, time to go now that everything has been looted.
Lone man, shouldn't be too difficult to take down or(very maybe) avoid.
Thorton hides in another room further ahead and to the right in that corridor the Deus Vult goon was patrolling. In this room, conveniently, all his equipment was stored, so now he can deal with the enemies properly and not be forced to take a covert approach through a point where it would not even be possible anymore.
And encroaches the man, knocking him out.
Behind, a door that can be opened, and a camera that is easily avoided, and some ammunition.
Inside the room, another guard and a security terminal that is hacked to disable security in the area. After the hacks, Thorton levels-up again. Lets see how the EXTREME BRO is becoming.
The boosts to recoil, damage, accuracy, etc are pretty much the only sensible and non-declined benefits from the combat skills. Now back to the normal, quest compass-sanctioned way...
Thorton reaches a tricky area. Full of guards.
Only one of them can be safely knocked out.
But there is absolutely no alternate path and sneaking is nigh impossible(I refused to develop the stealth skill because of the retarded special abilities that come with it). Thus... I've ignored posting the screenshots of the deaths and moments the alarm was triggered... I just, I still remember this section of this level more than all others because it was the most AIDS-ridden one and because I was still clinging to the delusional belief I won't have to just go rambo and kill everything on sight then
Fffffffffffffffffffffffffffff
But regardless, I managed to use only non-lethal weaponry and a certain trick always work wonders to take enemies by surprise.
It required a very well thought timing. The two Deus Vult goons in the room were dealt with, then as expected, another one patrolling the corridor right down and ahead came , missing Thorton as he began to pop moles unconscious.
Until none of them were still conscious, and the area was cleared. This segment was almost as frustrating as the experiences with minigames in Taiwan hotel that will be told in another update that is a long way from coming yet.
With all clear, Thorton loots the place as it is standard practice.
A statue castrated by PG13 along the way. And my best captured of the annoying camera blur.
And thus, an outdoors area ahead, where the challenge of neutralizing the enemy without triggering an alarm will also be big, but I was always up to make the game more difficult than it would be by simply going guns blazing and screwing such details like alarms being on.
And with this, this update is over. The rest of the mansion and a very significant plot relevation will come in the next one.
Veredict of this update:
I hated this level. The very beginning had potential, with effective ways to bypass a large security force, but then everything went down. It feels like "Hey guys now that the player got the equipment back, screw having stealth and just shove this the way it is. It's not likely 99% of the customers will care about such detail." after the brief part where avoiding enemies was necessary to survive.
I decided to go into a nearly absolute specialization route with a few exceptions. There were very few situations where HtH combat could have been useful too, besides the standard knockouts and the tutorial level.
And of course, I want to make this game more difficult whenever possible. I have virtually not used the sticky cover so far, and it's not really needed to beat the game(with a special case that nearly convinced me otherwise but in the end being a fast shooting Bro it still worked regardless).
The thing I hated the most about Marburg's villa were the fucking doors closing behind you every five steps. Headdesk moments at their finest. The beginning doesn't really make that much sense either - I mean, he's zapped by OVER 9000 volts, and is able to stand up after 10 seconds and beat the shit out of two goons?
I finished Taiwan but I don't want to get too ahead in the game/movie before posting all updates, neither I do want to rape shitty Internets(although 3 updates of about 5 MB each in a single page already are fucking enough but not as fucking as 20 or 30 MB per page, so Page 7 now.
SFR, you're spoiled by Kwanzanian multikult internets. There are people here from Pakistan, Ukraine, England, Australia... we're talking people that don't have drinkable water or freedom.
SFR, you're spoiled by Kwanzanian multikult internets. There are people here from Pakistan, Ukraine, England, Australia... we're talking people that don't have drinkable water or freedom.
SFR, you're spoiled by Kwanzanian multikult internets. There are people here from Pakistan, Ukraine, England, Australia... we're talking people that don't have drinkable water or freedom.
Aren't Californian hippies trying piss on the 2nd amendment?
Anyway, the next part of the update in the Dramatic Marburg's Manor, that different from Bafford's Manor, is full of fail, banal, shit and boring. But at least there is little in dialogues here.
Shifting between popamole and ninja in fail mission, and finding a critical plot revelation.
In the previous episode of Marburg's Manor, Thorton was next to a door leading to an outdoors area. This area is filled with Deus Vult, and a full stealth approach(except through the way of decline), is nigh impossible. However, taking most of them down silently and without triggering the alarms isn't.
It required cautious timing. But it is completely possible, albeit frustrating and always tempting to go the full popamole way.
At least so far the game proved itself completely beatable without using Gays of War-derived sticky cover system. Yet a full stealth approach was proven entirely possible in only one mission so far and I seriously doubt this will change.
At least those sentry gun cameras don't have fucking flashlights to indicate their field of view.
But Thorton doesn't need flashing indicators to succeed at avoiding cameras. Back inside the manor, one more linear corridor to go through.
It would be naive to think this level wouldn't suck any further from now on.
Another case of a room where both stealth and discretion are virtually impossible without retarded special skills, so fuck it.
Thorton tried to advance without being spotted. But realizing that he would be in a tight situation if caught and the chances of not being spotted, he simply retreated discretely back to the corridor, and hiding behind a sculpture, he began to pop moles like a Bro.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID POPAMOLE IN ALPHAIL BROTOTURD MORE THAN ONCE OUT OF EVERY ONE HUNDRED TIMES!! DISCUSS!!!!!!
Also I still didn't rant enough about the Halo cloning of the idea of a regenerating Armor/Endurance and a non-regenerating Health. But Gaylo is a futuristic game so at the very least, it justifies such a thing instead of throwing turd at the fourth wall. So Obsidian copied several POPAMOLE NEW SHIT in the gameplay elements of AP, I'm not surprised at all.
With most of the enemies neutralized, it is time to advance further on.
[Lore]The first games in the history of gaming to have checkpoints were racing games where you had to move through a mostly linear track and it always begin and ended the same and it just looped the same thing over and over. Checkpoints induce a total linearity mindset in level design and are made of AIDS, FAIL and shit and they are one of the worse things ever after they stopped being relevant only for racing games. Also it's laughable because with modern technology saving anywhere should be entirely possible, even in a fucking console.
This is like if we would still have 2d platformers being released with 16 colors because that is the way they worked, if they were sufficiently mainstream back then and more colors would confuse the microcephalic brains of the majority of the consoletards. Seriously, is it fucking impossible to add a "save anywhere" feature to a console? At least it would justify making games more difficult.
[Lore]A few games released for the pre-decline of gaming Playstation 1 allowed the player to save anywhere. So there is virtually no excuse for this faggotry to go on besides the fear retards with one-digit IQs would be confused if they suddenly had to manually save their games(As if developing a save system using one of the memory card slots for Autosave would be too fucking hard FFS)
And adjacent security room, controlling gun turrets further ahead.
Where some interesting information is also found, together with some cash.
That turret ahead. It is disabled now, saving explosive grenades. Although reconsidering it, maybe blowing it up would have been a more EXTREME approach.
These are the front gates. Apparently there was no intended back entrance or secret tunnels to the sewers to avoid meeting the brunt of the security forces.
Thorton tried to search for secret tunnels so he wouldn't have to go through the open in the garden. Then there was a hose to the right wall, and believe it or not, I was so sick about this level that I had a faint hope that the hose could be used for something like if this was an Adventure RPG hybrid instead of a Popamole interactive movie with a handful of branching plot elements labelled as RPG.
And thus I stumbled into a secret passage in a mostly accidental manner. I seriously hoped that it would reward the player by offering an alternate exit or way that would totally bypass enemies, like that secret passage in Grout's Mansion or the secret passages in several Thief and Thief II levels.
All that it gave was some loot and information. I am disappoint. But the information, well, it was seriously important. A revelation, an important one.
Before leaving the room, Thorton checks for the information. As you may already have guessed:
Now Mike knows who is the Halbech insider in the Protocols. I was hoping that Mina would be discovered as one, because then the implications and the branching of knowing he was being used as a pawn would be far more interesting, possibly allowing for two entirely different paths instead of just consequences in the form of e-mails acknowledging choices and whether then greenshirt or the redshit will support him in the end.
Still, it is better than a Biowhore-grade plot.
Back outside, Thorton cautiously sneaks through. Considering the exit isn't too far away, this can't be that complicated, can it?
Complicated, no. Frustrating, yes.
But it was entirely possible. Trying to take a full stealth approach in this level would be like being kicked in the balls multiple times and than having your shoulder tapped a handful of times between the ball kicking, and at the end of the torture session.
Back at the safehouse, Thorton offers to protect Madison.
In exchange of a future opportunity to fuck here, of course
Meanwhile Mina begins to analyze the stuff he gathered at the Manor.
A warehouse where a shady arms smuggling deal is expected to be happening and ruins from the old Roman empire where Al-Samad is supposed to be operating. The Roman empire has declined a long time ago, differently from other institutions that have declined far more recently.
The e-mails explain it better.
And now for the lulz only, this which I have referred to before to show once again that this game doesn't have the wunderbar dialogues some fanboys praise it so much about:
The warehouse seem to be tougher shit. After all it involves the Russians. But that is for the next update.
Veredict of this Update: The Marburg Mansion is the second worst level in the entire game, I wasn't really surprised that Parker was the Halbech insider, and Madison is an empty shell that was added to the plot just to be fucked by the PC.
But at least there is one type of camera that doesn't show exactly its field of view.
