Shadowrun Shadowrun: Hong Kong - Extended Edition

[Alfons]

I called them brain candy. I think they are good examples, compare them to the films Sin City, John Wick and Kill Bill which are comic book quality dirt.

What do you mean by brain candy?

 

[Ninjerk]

I think it's worth noting that you've chosen 3 films about dour men grappling with fatalism and their own dourness. It's fine if that's what you're into (we'd be pretty similar) but that's not the be all and end all of human experience. Do you think there's a possibility that you don't like the women characters in this game because you're just not interested in characters that aren't 'serious' in their inclination and journey?

Similarly, in the case of The Killing and Heat, they're not exactly high art. They're probably pretty bad examples of 'art' elevated above the general run of comic schlock; in fact I'd say there's a big overlap between the kind of people who like nerdy video games and the sort of films you've cited. They're meticulously made, shot beautifully and I love them a great deal but they're both just heist films which hit pretty simple emotional beats.

I agree totally on Deadwood.

Pointing out where those films lie in the hierarchy of artistic achievement really ought to shine a spotlight on how "not there" video games, SRHK included, are.

 

[Ninjerk]

Come on, it can't be that hard no matter how you approach it. None of the fights in this game are hard.

I haven't bought many consumables so I have one trauma kit that gets used on Is0bel, and then she gets nuked again.

 

[Crichton]

Tips on the Wuxing mission? I'm fighting 6 Mages who appear to each have 4AP and if they have line of sight to Is0bel at all they kill in her in one turn regardless of the distance.

What's your party composition?

Spoiler

I summoned the environmental nature spirit and had it stun them all with chain lightning

 

[Icewater]

What do you mean by brain candy?

he means he's taken to impersonating lyric suite

 

[Ninjerk]

What's your party composition?

Spoiler

I summoned the environmental nature spirit and had it stun them all with chain lightning

Is0, Gaichu, Rifle-Shaman PC (with enough points in whatever the Mage casting attribute to have Aim, Armor, and Heal Wounds), and Duncan.

Spoiler

Where is the summon you mentioned? The only spirit I've noticed is the rock one with the point blank AoE smash and the ranged AP depletion skill (2 AP cost).

 

[Zetor]

By the way, my unspent Karma points before the final run (I forgot to capture the actual character sheet, but I did capture the number of karma points available):



That's right, 31 unspent Karma points. This is how you know the game is much easier than it should be.

I did spend those points for the final run (here you can see how if you want), but only because I felt like it, not because I had to. I didn't install any Cyberware either.

Yeah, my mage had 100+ unspent karma by the end, even after splurging on 7 CHA -- I basically kept all that karma in reserve to pass any kind of stat check the game may throw at me, but ended up not using them. I think they overdid it on the Karma rewards just a bit, even if we consider that mages are a 2-stat archetype (wp, spellcasting)...

Aside: the way I'd have done things is to set up the player as a veteran shadowrunner around 100-120 karma, and only give out 30 or so during the entire game (bump the characters to 3 AP halfway through). That way you start with a competent character and end up with a slightly more competent one, but it's not zero-to-hero in two days... also makes the skill choices actually matter.

Is0, Gaichu, Rifle-Shaman PC (with enough points in whatever the Mage casting attribute to have Aim, Armor, and Heal Wounds), and Duncan.

Spoiler

Where is the summon you mentioned? The only spirit I've noticed is the rock one with the point blank AoE smash and the ranged AP depletion skill (2 AP cost).

My team was similar-ish, only with Racter instead of Gaichu.

One thing you can try is trigger the encounter by walking onto the bridge. They won't have a clean shot on you, and you can use the first 2 turns to retreat back to the lotus thing (be sure to split up your group into 'left' and 'right' teams), making sure your units are spread out enough so that the AI doesn't use AOE attacks. The AI is kind of skittish, so you'll probably be able to pick off mages piecemeal as they approach. Gaichu is actually a bit of a liability here (you don't want to leave heavy cover if you can help it), but you can send him in the end to clean up when there's only two of them left.

Spoiler

There's only that one spirit there, I think (earth spirit by the rocks in the lower right).

 

[Ninjerk]

I beat it. Lost Gaichu about 3 turns before I cleaned up the last two. Pretty sure I only won because Gaichu zoned their AI out (only 1 left cover that I can remember) and grenade attrition was > fireball attrition at the distance I engaged them.

 

[Jason Liang]

I had a really easy time with the Wuxing run, but that's probably because I saved that last of the initial runs and already had 3 AP and Class S Drones pew pew (only ones left were Ares, Shangri-la and the Tissue run). But maybe that run is far harder than either Serial Killer or The Dig?

 

[Jason Liang]

I think it uses the same 'almost-mechanics' for stealth as the watcher IC: a frontal vision cone. Just as with the watcher IC, the best way to stealth around is to walk right behind them and sidestep when they're about to turn a corner to stay behind them. Problem is, if any of the braindead teammates walk into the detection cone, the jig is up. The same thing was true for the Aztech run in Dragonfall, btw

Spoiler

You need to talk to that annoying researcher guy and nod your head as he keeps going with his stupid stories. Eventually he'll run out of steam and give you the code to the quarantine room just to fuck with his boss. Then you can release the thing and...

Spoiler

Ah. I couldn't talk my way past the guards on that floor so I cleared that floor Neo style. Actually had to do pretty much everything violently on that run. Too bad there doesn't seem to be another way to get that passcode.

 

[Ninjerk]

I had a really easy time with the Wuxing run, but that's probably because I saved that last of the initial runs and already had 3 AP and Class S Drones pew pew (only ones left were Ares, Shangri-la and the Tissue run). But maybe that run is far harder than either Serial Killer or The Dig?

I have a... curious.. spread of stats.

 

[Gregz]

Well written, good combat system, fun game.

I liked the new matrix and weapons, writers did a good job using the culture and setting.

The zero to hero motif is a bit tired and I'm always bummed at the end because I know I'll never play the character I rolled again. Also, too much tl;dr, and there's not much re-playability with such a linear set-piece oriented game.

Funniest parts were the codex stuff, the grenade cyberarm, and the

Spoiler

vampire girl trying to act like a vampire

 

[Infinitron]

The zero to hero motif is a bit tired and I'm always bummed at the end because I know I'll never play the character I rolled again.

Funny you should say that...

 

[Zetor]

Speaking of which... where is my commentary track and hi-res panorama stuff (I backed for $35+ through the KS directly)? /angrytroll

 

[Wolfenswan]

Could someone check if the armor value in the character screen is updating correctly? Mine's stuck at 1, no matter the armor/buffs.

 

[Gord]

Could someone check if the armor value in the character screen is updating correctly? Mine's stuck at 1, no matter the armor/buffs.

Seems to work here.

 

[naossano]

Crooked Bee >
Use spoiler tags, like everyone.
We don't have to know what interactions we will have with the big boss, its nature or if we will actually interact with Raymond or not, before those things happen or not ingame.

 

[V_K]

I disagree that HK is overwritten. It does have some unevenly written parts, and occasionally some long-winded parts

Given how certain very long-winded conversations pay off in the ending, I've come to suspect they've made them so long on purpose.

 

[Owlish]

he means he's taken to impersonating lyric suite

Is that a forum poster?

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/brain_candy

 

[eric__s]

Instead of playing Shadowrun: Hong Kong, you could probably just do this for the next 10 minutes and get the same experience.

 

[Alfons]

Anyone try a melee character without the martial defense spell? I can't figure out how to go about it without the PC being critted for 20-30 every other turn.

 

[Pope Amole II]

Anyone try a melee character without the martial defense spell? I can't figure out how to go about it without the PC being critted for 20-30 every other turn.

I think it's either build your party about crowd control/AP damage or just invest into 5 throwing and use flashbangs.

ed: quick 5/5 in quickness/dodge might work too.

 

[Rivmusique]

Oh yes! Let's play Alfons is Bad at Shadowrun one more time. This is always good.

 

[Ramireza]

Instead of playing Shadowrun: Hong Kong, you could probably just do this for the next 10 minutes and get the same experience.

I cant help, but after reading this line this comes to my mind :



I realy love his "I will get you all!" expression at 1:25 :D

 

[Ninjerk]

Anyone try a melee character without the martial defense spell? I can't figure out how to go about it without the PC being critted for 20-30 every other turn.

Probably going to need to take a totem of some kind.