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Allow yourself to be something other than human-Let's Play Deus Ex Invisible War
chiasaur11
Never doubt a raccoon.Do you think it's trademarked?Registered User regular
Never doubt a raccoon.Do you think it's trademarked?Registered User regular
TARSUS INTERNAL SECURITY REPORT. EYES ONLY.
Chicago branch
Student evaluation: Alex D. AKA Alex [Censored].
History: Orphan, possible ties to [CENSORED] and the [CENSORED] event. Foster parents placed Alex in a Tarsus middle school, where [ERROR, DATA UNRECOVERABLE] excelled. Consequently, Alex was transferred to further Tarsus programs, in the black operations division. Since that point, Alex has succeeded at all assignments, and is a promising potential recruit for field work.
Testing results
Marksmanship: OPERATIVE
Melee combat: OPERATIVE
Evasion: OPERATIVE
Stealth: OPERATIVE
Biomod compatibility: AJ-1
Psychological fitness: LOW (see attached evaluations)
Field operations approval: FULL APPROVAL
Teacher evaluation:
Alex is... a fine student. Everything we want for the Tarsus program. Placing Alex in the project was one of the best breaks the Chicago division has had in its history. I don’t need to go into detail on the combat trials, the films speak for themselves. Getting Alex in the field will, according to projections, increase operational awareness among WTO stockholder groups to an all time high, ensuring increased funding and more influence in global decisionmaking, a worthy legacy for any student. However, there are certain... risks. I hesitate to mention them, I suspect someone higher up than you or I has run the numbers already and given the op a go ahead, but I include them here, for the sake of, well, thoroughness.
1) Alex has shown almost no concern for the lives of fellow trainees and bystanders in combat operation training. Although primary objectives are completed quickly and efficiently, any secondary objective relating to the lives of others is treated as non-essential to the point of absurdity. The fire test? Standard fake terrorism drill?
Alex grabbed a fellow trainee to use as a human shield.
2) Alex has also shown a disturbing fascination with socially abhorrent behavior, including cannibalism, arson, larceny, and murder. I have a three page essay on my desk right now considering the possibilities of using the corpses of orphans as murder weapons.
(I won’t lie, it’s a compelling read. But it’s more the bus crash, nightmare kind of compelling than Jacob’s Shadow, you know? [By the way, you should read Jacob’s Shadow. I have a lending copy, if money’s a concern. Prime slice of pre-collapse lit.])
3) Alex has difficulty at times evaluating proper chain of command. Anyone not classified as an active hostile issuing orders seems to be at least considered. Alex makes decisions, it seems, not based so much on primacy of orders, but on immediate benefit. Right now good marks seem like enough bribery to get action, but in the future we may require bonus packages to ensure good performance on missions.
4) This one’s an odd one. Certain old literature seems to inspire inherent feelings of respect and loyalty. Emotions that are NOT Alex’s default. Versalife pamphlets, FEMA briefs during the later months of the Mead presidency, and religious writing concerning ranks of angels all evoke this emotional response.
It’s probably nothing, but I think a few more months should be spent ironing these things out before we risk the idea of field ops.
And, speaking personally, post me as far from Alex as possible.
Chicago branch
Student evaluation: Alex D. AKA Alex [Censored].
History: Orphan, possible ties to [CENSORED] and the [CENSORED] event. Foster parents placed Alex in a Tarsus middle school, where [ERROR, DATA UNRECOVERABLE] excelled. Consequently, Alex was transferred to further Tarsus programs, in the black operations division. Since that point, Alex has succeeded at all assignments, and is a promising potential recruit for field work.
Testing results
Marksmanship: OPERATIVE
Melee combat: OPERATIVE
Evasion: OPERATIVE
Stealth: OPERATIVE
Biomod compatibility: AJ-1
Psychological fitness: LOW (see attached evaluations)
Field operations approval: FULL APPROVAL
Teacher evaluation:
Alex is... a fine student. Everything we want for the Tarsus program. Placing Alex in the project was one of the best breaks the Chicago division has had in its history. I don’t need to go into detail on the combat trials, the films speak for themselves. Getting Alex in the field will, according to projections, increase operational awareness among WTO stockholder groups to an all time high, ensuring increased funding and more influence in global decisionmaking, a worthy legacy for any student. However, there are certain... risks. I hesitate to mention them, I suspect someone higher up than you or I has run the numbers already and given the op a go ahead, but I include them here, for the sake of, well, thoroughness.
1) Alex has shown almost no concern for the lives of fellow trainees and bystanders in combat operation training. Although primary objectives are completed quickly and efficiently, any secondary objective relating to the lives of others is treated as non-essential to the point of absurdity. The fire test? Standard fake terrorism drill?
Alex grabbed a fellow trainee to use as a human shield.
2) Alex has also shown a disturbing fascination with socially abhorrent behavior, including cannibalism, arson, larceny, and murder. I have a three page essay on my desk right now considering the possibilities of using the corpses of orphans as murder weapons.
(I won’t lie, it’s a compelling read. But it’s more the bus crash, nightmare kind of compelling than Jacob’s Shadow, you know? [By the way, you should read Jacob’s Shadow. I have a lending copy, if money’s a concern. Prime slice of pre-collapse lit.])
3) Alex has difficulty at times evaluating proper chain of command. Anyone not classified as an active hostile issuing orders seems to be at least considered. Alex makes decisions, it seems, not based so much on primacy of orders, but on immediate benefit. Right now good marks seem like enough bribery to get action, but in the future we may require bonus packages to ensure good performance on missions.
4) This one’s an odd one. Certain old literature seems to inspire inherent feelings of respect and loyalty. Emotions that are NOT Alex’s default. Versalife pamphlets, FEMA briefs during the later months of the Mead presidency, and religious writing concerning ranks of angels all evoke this emotional response.
It’s probably nothing, but I think a few more months should be spent ironing these things out before we risk the idea of field ops.
And, speaking personally, post me as far from Alex as possible.
In 2000, a game was released called Deus Ex. It earned a reputation as one of the greatest games of all time for its brilliant level design, clever choices and consequences, and solid-for-a-game-which-isn't-too-high-a-standard narrative. It's still considered one of the best games of all time.
This is not that game.
This is not that game at all.
In 2003, a sequel was released. Invisible War. Despite a few lauditory reviews at the time of release, its reputation is... somewhat less sterling.
And we're going to see it. Well, I'm going to see it. You're going to see it or not at your own discretion. If you choose to see it through this thread, it will be with an extra layer of text between you and the game, and no voice acting.
I envy you already on the second count.
As for the choices in this game? That's up to you. Gender of the main character, factions supported, abilities and weapons, I'm putting it all up to vote.
In the spoiler box? Every aug in the game by category. They're all available in the first level.
This game has some issues with character progression.
You can have one aug per category.
Eye slot-
Vision Enhancement: Nightvision. Upgraded, it lets you see through walls
Regeneration: What it says on the tin. Higher levels mean faster healing and less energy drain.
Spy drone: Shoot a tiny robot out of your face and fly it around.
Cranial-
Cloak: Turn invisible. Lose the cloak when you shoot someone, lasts longer and cheaper with more levels. Standard stuff.
Hazard Drone: Avoid damage from environmental hazards. If you find any. You might be looking for a while.
Neural interface: Hacking! Steal money, override turrets, turn off cameras.
Skeleton-
Aggressive Defense Drone: Protection from explosives. No energy cost, and if you do it right and level it , the rockets blow up on the poor SOB who fired them. (And still you, if you're in close. Considering the size of the levels, that is kinda likely.)
Thermal Masking: Like invisibility, but for robots. Now robots can't see you. Or security cameras. I know security cameras in the real world can use non thermal imaging, and we've all seen predator enough to know the flaws of purely thermal vision. Look, do you want to be invisible or not?
Electrostatic discharge: Now your punches are made of lightning. Hurt robots! Disable security grids! Terrify your enemies! Make sex REALLY AWKWARD for everyone!
Arm-
Superstrength: Turn EVERYTHING into a weapon. Corpses, trash cans, basketballs, whatever. Also, more inventory space. Considering how bad this game's inventory is, and how insane the physics are, this one is good times.
Biotox drone: A tiny robot with knockout darts follows you around and shoots things you shoot. Yay?
Bot Domination: Mind control robots. All the robots.
Legs-
Speed Enhancement: Also jumping. Also means you won't die of fall damage.
Move Silent: Like always, a waste of points.
Health Leach Drone: Eat corpses. On the one hand, this is useless from a pragmatic prospective with regen right there. On the other hand, it makes you a monster hated and feared by civilized society. It's a complicated decision.
Eye slot-
Vision Enhancement: Nightvision. Upgraded, it lets you see through walls
Regeneration: What it says on the tin. Higher levels mean faster healing and less energy drain.
Spy drone: Shoot a tiny robot out of your face and fly it around.
Cranial-
Cloak: Turn invisible. Lose the cloak when you shoot someone, lasts longer and cheaper with more levels. Standard stuff.
Hazard Drone: Avoid damage from environmental hazards. If you find any. You might be looking for a while.
Neural interface: Hacking! Steal money, override turrets, turn off cameras.
Skeleton-
Aggressive Defense Drone: Protection from explosives. No energy cost, and if you do it right and level it , the rockets blow up on the poor SOB who fired them. (And still you, if you're in close. Considering the size of the levels, that is kinda likely.)
Thermal Masking: Like invisibility, but for robots. Now robots can't see you. Or security cameras. I know security cameras in the real world can use non thermal imaging, and we've all seen predator enough to know the flaws of purely thermal vision. Look, do you want to be invisible or not?
Electrostatic discharge: Now your punches are made of lightning. Hurt robots! Disable security grids! Terrify your enemies! Make sex REALLY AWKWARD for everyone!
Arm-
Superstrength: Turn EVERYTHING into a weapon. Corpses, trash cans, basketballs, whatever. Also, more inventory space. Considering how bad this game's inventory is, and how insane the physics are, this one is good times.
Biotox drone: A tiny robot with knockout darts follows you around and shoots things you shoot. Yay?
Bot Domination: Mind control robots. All the robots.
Legs-
Speed Enhancement: Also jumping. Also means you won't die of fall damage.
Move Silent: Like always, a waste of points.
Health Leach Drone: Eat corpses. On the one hand, this is useless from a pragmatic prospective with regen right there. On the other hand, it makes you a monster hated and feared by civilized society. It's a complicated decision.
Wish me luck. I'll need it.
+2
Posts
Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
I liked it at the time.
That said, looking forward to the LP.
Battlenet ID: MildC#11186 - If I'm in the game, send me an invite at anytime and I'll play.
I know it's a cliche. It won't get better if I say she was bad news from the start, will it?
Well, fuck you too, buddy. It's the truth. In six months, six years, six decades when the dust settles everyone else will have a lie to cover the story, and every damn lie will sound better, look better, be better than anything I could tell. So I have to tell the truth now, while it looks like cliched bullshit, instead of later, when I won't be able to tell it at all.
Billie Adams. I know there were smarter, prettier, funnier girls out there. And knowing then what I know now, I would have gone for one of them.
No I wouldn't. I saw the whole story from the first glimpse of those purple eyes.
I knew it was love. I knew I was fucked.
They already said it was all in my genes, in the works of a thousand and one global power groups, in the endless war of all versus all or some other Hobbesian bullshit dating back before the collapse.
I know better. It’s older than that. Boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. World goes to shit. I’ll skip part one, for brevity. All the way to... not the end. But where I saw it first.
We were on the last helicopter out of Chicago. Which was a bigger deal then than it is now. One million dead can at least act like a tragedy. When it hits the billion mark, it's a sick joke.
So, it’s her, me, and a couple of scientists, all leaving the city as it falls into gray goo and nightmare. And you know what was weird then? She was smiling.
Now, if it was me, nothing too odd. I’ve gotten, earned, whatever you want to call it, most people thought I was a borderline sociopath with no respect for social conventions and no natural resistance to killing.
Not ALL of it was true, but it helped clear some space at the cafeteria, and kept any other weirdness I had off the table. She was supposed to be the sane one of us. Little cynical, little bit of an asshole (like any of us weren’t, thinking back), but generally a levelheaded counterpoint to me.
Instead, she watched with joy as about a million people get killed by a fanatic with a grey goo bomb.
Should have seen it all then. I didn’t.
Fuck me if I didn’t pay for it.
And fuck her. Just on principle.
And before I forget, fuck Seattle.
Wish I'd never been to Seattle.
Why I fear the ocean.
--[accepting 14,012,031 octet overwrite from source (null)]
--[reflashing devie: /dev/membackup]................... done
--[reflashing device: /dev/ memkernel]................... done
--[secondary monitoring system online. Beginning playback.]
"Hello Alex. And good morning."
[Voicecheck running. Match: Leila Nassif. 98% certainty.]
"Where the hell am I?"
[Voicecheck: Subject confirmed as Alex D. Logging standard variations for future identification. Aggression levels-high. Empathy- low. "dickbag"-very high]
Nassif: You're in Tarsus academy, Seattle. I know it must come as a shock, but we had to evacuate you from Chicago as quickly as possible.
Alex: Because everyone got killed. You really need to hire better guards. Have any of them heard of operational security? Looking at the ground and screaming "FUCK!" gives the game away.
Nassif: Er, right. If you need time to cope, feel free. I know this must be very...
Alex: My foster parents dumped me into Tarsus the first chance they got, most of my friends were probably dead anyway, one way or another, and Billie got out alright. I'll manage.
[Accelerated pulse rate. Shortened breathing. 80% chance of falsehood.]
Nassif: Billie and the others will be waiting for you outside, then. I hope you...
Alex: End call. Crap, does ANYONE here know when to shut the hell up? Lessee...
[Camera active. Visual feed restored.]
Alex: Oh, YES. Montybites!
Alex: Binoculars, not bad. Okay, so this is one of those everyone-spies-on-everyone trust exercises. I can cope. Lessee, if I were... Leo? Whatever assholes were here, how would I get intel on the competition?
Alex: Oh, you think you're SO CLEVER, you little fuckers. Nice try. Real nice. But all I have to do is close the shades. Okay, any other housewarming gifts?
Alex: A basketball. Great. Because that's what I needed for a top secret kill or be killed military academy. I'm like that asshole who only got a pot lid. Well, here's hoping there's no kill your classmates requirement. Would feel a helluva lot safer with a gun, not that it'd do much if anyone really wanted to kill me. The map said they'd be right...
Alex: Fuck. Someone just murdered the security. Okay, okay, make a plan. Make a good plan.
[Grunting detected. No language match.]
Alex: Yes. Hiding the body in someone's shower is... Right. This was the worst plan. This is the worst plan I have ever made.
"Alex, we need to talk."
[Subject voicematch begin. Consulting recent files. Consulting blocked files. Reconstructing from subject memory. Deciphering... Subject Billie Adams.]
Alex: Now's...actually now's a good time. Now is a great time. Your place or mine? Yours. Mine has a corpse in it.
Billie: Already?
Alex: Ha. Ha. Ha.
Billie: Look. They aren't telling us everything. Meet me in person.
Alex: Here. You seen the vent systems here? Like they're built for hoping from room to room. They're really going for a whole paranoia vibe at this place. I approve. Hell, maybe that's why they iced the guard.
Billie: You would. Wait. Security guard?
Alex: Yeah, one just died in the hall. Pretty damn callous if that's a training exercise, but I'm impressed they can afford it. Really give us some live fire experience.
Alex: And I knew it. I get a basketball, you get a grenade. I really got the shitty housewarming gifts, didn't I? What were you going to talk about?
Billie: It can wait. Meet with the others. I'll talk to you then.
Alex: Yeah. Oh, you heard about... shit, obviously you... family. You lose anyone? Because...
Billie: No-one that mattered.
Alex: Right. Be seeing you. Tell you if the others are any good. Don't want to risk our scores just because 8 million people died. Oh, and I hear good things about the rec room.
Billie: They do say that. They say a lot of things about this place. Forgive me if I don't trust them all.
Alex: Hell. This is going to be a mess, isn't it?
1) They're stupid
2) They suck
3) I hate them.
...Okay, I need better ones. It's like this. By default, everything in invisible war is STUPID bullet spongey. Even on realistic. So, I might have cranked up the damage variable so things felt right.
That kinda increased fall damage. So, I needed the jumping aug if I wanted to survive. Which meant no cannibalism aug.
Which, after having tried the thing out? I was fine with the decision. That thing drained battery life like crazy for minimal health restoration. Thematic as all get out, but shit from any practical standpoint, especially with regen as an option. I tried! I really did! Then I gave up. Like the devs for Invisible War did, on so many things. It's thematic.
Then I remembered that the one thing that people said was fun in this game was super strength, and the drone for that was just knockout darts and kinda expensive, and then I was losing the theme anyway.
Finally, all the drones are just glowy orbs. It's pretty dull.
Why I fear the ocean.
Why I fear the ocean.
acceptable reasoning but still disappointing! however, the narration is entertaining, as I come to expect from a chiasaur11 production™
I won't say it is great. It is not. I won't say there are not glaring flaws, there are. But I still liked it.
The Universal ammo system was rubbish and stupid. That still pisses me off to this day.
Great naration!
Almost makes me want to reinstall, but I remember the last time I tried to play this. Loading screens that last up to 30 seconds.
On a solid state drive...
Battlenet ID: MildC#11186 - If I'm in the game, send me an invite at anytime and I'll play.
Invisible War is merely an enjoyable but unremarkable game.
White FC: 0819 3350 1787
But!
It's being compared to the original DX, which, by direct comparisson, is pretty bad.
I still enjoyed it at the time and it got me into Western RPG's. So DX:IW will always have a soft spot in my heart.
Battlenet ID: MildC#11186 - If I'm in the game, send me an invite at anytime and I'll play.
That's the best one for that slot, in my opinion. No more having to crouch to be silent, you still get some protection from fall damage, and it's always on.
Steam: MightyPotatoKing
Main complaint I can recall is how constrained you are by the smaller map layouts. Also the universal ammo idea was terrible.
Alex
Leila Nassif: Tarsus is one of the finest institutions on the continent, yes. We’re proud of our work here. What caught your attention?
Alex
Leila Nassif: What did you say?
Alex
Nassif: It was nothing to worry about. Just meet with the other trainees by the basketball court. Things are going fine.
Alex
Nassif: I didn't say that. Just stay calm. We have the situation under control.
[Screaming]
Alex
Alex
Klara Sparks: Who are you?
Alex
Klara: Your whole family? That’s terrible!
Alex
Klara: I know this is hard for you, but you’re probably just being jumpy. We hear stuff like that all the time in Seattle. Fastest growing city in...
Alex
Alex
Leo Jankowski: I’m betting you’ve heard the name Leo Jankowski. And there’s no need to worry. If there was trouble, they’d have told me.
Alex
Leo: That’s probably just a training exercise. They tried the same thing on me. Kept my head and got the top scores in the class. Word to the wise, rookie? Just do what I do and we’ll all be fine. I watch out for my team.
Alex
Jankowski: Sure, right down by the courts. But they’d tell me if you needed to worry.
Alex
Nassif: Full alert! All trainees...
Alex
PA system: The Order has siezed control of this facility. We have come here to free you from the tyranny of...
Alex
[Gunshots]
Initiate Stanton: We come to liberate you. Tarsus academy is a...
Alex
Alex
[silence]
Alex
Alex
Billie Adams: Just like they always wanted for us.
Alex
Billie: The Order isn’t who you should worry about, Alex. They’re the ones trying to help us.
Alex
Billie: They told me the truth about Tarsus. We’re not students, Alex. We’re test subjects. Guinea pigs. Check your room if you don’t believe me. Get out while you can.
Alex
Billie: At least they’re not lying to us. And Chicago wasn’t theirs. This is a rescue, if you’re too blind to see it.
Alex
Billie: You didn’t. You did. FOR FUCK’S SAKE, ALEX. I should have seen this coming. Look. Just get to your room. I’ll try to figure out a way to get you out of here. You fucking moron.
Alex
Billie: Then the Order will shoot you as a collaborator. And you’ll deserve it for being such a fucking toolbox.
Billie: Are you at your room yet?
Alex: Ran into a little... trouble. Or a lot of trouble.
Billie: FOR FUCK’S SAKE.
Alex: Relax, just gave them some concussions. Don’t want to kill your new friends until I get some answers. Oh, come on.
Billie: What?
Alex
Billie: This is more important. Just watch the ceiling. Three. Two. One.
Billie: And here’s your evidence. They’ve been watching us this whole time. Well, watching YOU. I’ve been a little more careful.
Alex
Billie: Horrendous invasion of privacy, battery of tests...
Alex
Billie: Seriously, Alex? They watch everyone here. Eat, drink, sleep, shit, it doesn't matter. They’re logging it. Don’t you care?
Alex
Billie: In the shower. And I need to know, WHY did you put a corpse there?
Alex
Scientist (Unidentified): This can’t be right. He’s off the main grid. Almost like...
Scientist: Never mind. He’s here.
Alex
Scientist: Is... is that a threat?
Alex
Scientist: There are people trying to kill us. Right now.
Alex
Scientist: Well, I know where the biomods are. And the others have equipment. Of course, if the Order gets to it first, you know how they feel about megacorp technology.
Alex
Alex
Scientist: There are people trying to kill us. I know I said this before...
Alex
Scientist: You've only been here a few hours!
Alex
1) I just saved your asses.
2) If you do not compensate me for my services, I can break every bone in your body as easily as I just disabled those cultists.
Hint. Hint.
Scientist 2 (no voice match on file): We have a silencer for your...
Alex
Alex
Alex
[Bullet impact. Gas leak. Screaming.]
Alex
Alex
Lin-May: You joke, but the scientists in the facility were just using you. The second you disappointed them...
Alex
Lin-May: I'm talking about matters of conscience.
Alex
Lin-May: And your soul?
Alex
[Feed ends]
Why I fear the ocean.
Battlenet ID: MildC#11186 - If I'm in the game, send me an invite at anytime and I'll play.
Can't say I'm excited if that holds true here. Never liked Invisible War's opening.
Now, the opening to the opening, I kinda like. You're a trainee at a corporate security academy. Everyone you know but one person was just murdered in the largest terrorist attack in human history. You're in a new city, meeting new people, and maybe going on black ops for the highest bidder. Corporate espionage, working up the ladder, and the required conspiracies steadily hinting your benefactor is even nastier than required for, you know, corporate mercenaries? I can see the potential.
But before you're five minutes in, the place is under attack, your supposed friend has sold everyone out to a religious cult, and now you're out on your ass.
Deus Ex the first spent the whole first act working for UNATCO. Human Revolution gave you Sarif Industries for the whole game. You had a team, people you could more or less trust (or so you think), and some solid ground. It meant you could develop attachments, and that you had enough confidence that the game could at least try to blindside you from time to time.
Here, your CHARACTER supposedly cares about some of this stuff, but you the player? Nothing doing. Hooray my best friend Billie is still alive. Oh no, the scientists I met five minutes ago bugged my room. Gasp shock, Billie is working with religious terrorists. Oh no, the WTO might be the same as Tarsus. Lesson learned. Trust no-one, care about nothing, be loyal to the highest bidder. Which is a fine theme for a cyberpunk game, but you can't then try to use anything else to manipulate the player, and you want to build to it, you know?
Meanwhile, DX1 gave you a third of the game before confirming your bosses were being played by the real baddies, and the terrorists you were hunting were (mostly) working on the side of the angels. When Paul turned out to be working for the NSF, at least you were pretty sure who Paul was.
Deus Ex the first and HR also both spent time on the first (well, first real, in HR, the one before that all but demands the one man army approach) mission encouraging dabbling in pacifism. Deus Ex had your brother talk about your responsibility as a cop, and put emails on the statue of liberty computers about how the terrorists had just attended a wedding for a couple of their own. HR gave XP bonuses and had a couple of the low rent gangers freak out about anyone dying.
Invisible War, your introduction to the Order is "a band of religious fanatics". The opening cutscene has people looking a lot like them killing everyone your character knew. And the first Order grunt you see charges you with a pistol after killing the security at your new home and bullets do you about as much harm as foul language. The game still acts like it presented a COMPELLING CHOICE.
Also, (although I cranked the damage enough to restore things to the old ways), the game's default really makes bullets feel pointless. Deus Ex, even on normal, a few lucky shots could wreck your limbs, and even kill you if you weren't careful. Realistic, you could be down in one shot. Human Revolution, ducking out of cover is basically a death sentence if three or more guns are aimed at you.
Here, charging a gunfight with no plan and standing in the open doesn't take more than half your health, and enemies can take multiple rounds to the skull. Guns don't feel impressive. They don't have much feel at all. Not the worst I've had, but pretty bad. I'm sure later stuff will be better than the pistol, but it's a shame.
Oh, and the level loading. It's as bad as you heard. It's worse. Let's say you're playing, oh, Dishonored. Dishonored's a good game. You read a tip at the bottom of the screen. You see the next one come up. Boom. Level's loaded, and you get another city block to murder and mayhem your way through. A beautiful city block, with wonderful art direction and graphics that say "Welcome to the 21st century. You're running this on a laptop. Feel free to drool."
Here, the game quits out, reboots, spends a minute or so loading, and then gives you a few ugly corridors with graphics that were dated when it came out. Game has one of the worst optimized engines known to man. Loads more common than Half Life 2, and three times as long.
Upsides, the powers are decent, and throwing things to kill people is still a simple pleasure.
And for all the faults, it's Deus Ex. Multiple approaches to any problem, lots of opportunity to kill or spare (Hint: Kill. He or she is an asshole. If it's human, in this game, it's an asshole. Odds on bet.), conspiracies, all that. Not the worst game I've ever played.
(Also, trying to remember what game I just played and/or watched with absolutely no feel to the guns. It will drive me insane.)
Why I fear the ocean.
Battlenet ID: MildC#11186 - If I'm in the game, send me an invite at anytime and I'll play.
11:45
Officer Lawson and his partner made contact with an individual claiming to come from Tarsus Military Academy.
11:46
All contact lost with Lawson.
11:55
Officer Lawson found alive and mildly concussed facedown in a garbage bin. Officer(... shit, cannot find his name in the files, fix this before sending it to Donna, I am in enough trouble as it is), his partner, was found in a restroom stall with a fake mustache design on his face applied in what appeared to be blood. Analysis indicates the blood in question came from an individual linked to the terrorist attack earlier tonight.
11:57
Citizen Matthew Rodriguez found unconscious in financial district, "I'm with stupid" written on his forehead in sharpie.
Officer Lee suggests we may be dealing with a spree criminal.
12:00
Complaint from unidentified individual regarding Order member in upper Seattle.
Complaint mentions "Not shutting up" and "having a crappy half assed religion". Operator suggests these are not actually crimes, and perhaps peaceful discourse should be attempted.
12:02
Order member found taped to repair drone, unconscious and robbed of all cash and ammunition. Officer Lee again suggests spree criminal.
12:03
While officers are occupied removing Order acolyte from repair drone and issuing citation, ATM robbery reported. Suspect not located.
12:07
Citizen reports unusual price hike at transport terminal. Voice patterns show 85% match with earlier caller.
12:10
Multiple homicides reported at transport terminal. Bodies identified as belonging to local gang affiliates. Bodies sent to Resyk for processing. Ticket machine and automated transportation systems damaged, possible use of unauthorized transport pass.
12:15
Complaint issued that the music at Club Vox, quote, "Sucks. A LOT." and "Is too loud". When informed that those are not crimes, and he is free to leave at any time if he does not like the music, citizen asks why he pays taxes. When questioned, citizen admits he has not actually paid taxes as part of Tarsus student waver programs. Citizen is kindly requested to "Fuck right off" and "stop wasting WTO time". Officer on duty Jenner is cited for unprofessional behavior.
12:18
Reports of Omar presence in Club Vox transmitted to WTO via NG Resonance holonetwork. Information relayed to WTO Chief of Operations Donna Morgan. Morgan requests informant be given wide band protection from prosecution due to, quote, "unusual circumstances". Officer Lee suggests connection between spree criminal and informant. Officer Lee cited for disrespecting a superior officer. Officer Jenner suggests that charge is spurious. Officer Jenner cited for disrespecting a superior officer.
2,000 credits in cash and goods stolen from Club Vox while officers track Omar intrusion.
12:35
Violence reported in Emerald Suites apartment complex.
3 dead.
Security disabled.
Multiple apartments ransacked, with a focus on materials related to Tarsus academy and a WTO official. Breach in security found to result from the aforementioned individual hiring a quote "Cabana boy", who then presumably stole everything he had when he gave him the key without due diligence, fucking dumbass.
Said official "arrested" (IE, terminated) for ties to Templar activity, weapon smuggling, and illegal biomodification. WTO officials suggest no further investigation into cabana boy, despite said individual matching sketches of the night's spree criminal.
Officer Lee cited for violation of profanity ordinances.
12:36
Murder reported in club Vox. On investigation, victim found to be an Omar. Caller is told to stop wasting police resources.
Voice matches calls made earlier tonight. Investigation denied by higher ups.
12:40
Individual matching description of night's spree killer PUBLICLY BRINGS UP HIS FUCKING MURDERS IN FRONT OF FUCKING WTO OFFICERS AND THAT FUCKING SHITWIPE MORGAN SAYS HE CAN GO WHAT IN THE FUCKING HELL? (note, delete before anyone else sees this)
Officer Lee suspended for impairing WTO business.
12:47
Three dead.
Witness descriptions match with night's previous criminal activities. Morgan again denies requests for investigation. Que surprise.
12:50
Robbery at Order church.
Caller laughed at for twenty minutes straight. Jokes made regarding Order's known anti-WTO policies.
1:10
Employees of Pequod's and QueeQueg reported to employ a mercenary matching...
...You know what? I'm not even going to bother.
1:30
Incident reports: WTO station 46. Office Charles LeRoy on duty.
Officer Jenner suspended for defecating on the desk of a superior officer.
Why I fear the ocean.
Battlenet ID: MildC#11186 - If I'm in the game, send me an invite at anytime and I'll play.
Though I miss Alex's first person assholery.
...Okay, even I realize that's a dick move. Sorry. What I meant was that by the time you read this, I'll be out of the city due to an excess of murders. Seriously, though! Everyone was paying me to murder someone, and willing to overlook some of the other murders if I'd murder the right person. In the last six hours, I committed murder in the first and second degree, voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit murder, grand larceny, and a dozen more.
If the law in this town was more concerned with, you know, stopping people like me than internal politics, I would probably be arrested or dead. Good thing they're just another gang with a few more guns. Like everyone here, your new church buddies included. Pass a little money, do a few favors, and all your sins are forgiven. Fuckers walked right out of 16th century, selling indulgences like Leo X. (History minor just keeps paying dividends.)
Funny thing? The only people who were any different were the Omar.
Inhuman freakshows actually complained that I got one of their own killed. Indirectly killed, even. On accident. I apologized, even, and I still think they have a grudge. What the hell, right? Like it's my fault they're criminals. Anyway, left them alone after buying some tech, and ran down the list of jobs I had. Standard stuff. Murder, mayhem, that kind of thing.
BnE at a gangster's penthouse for your buddies in the Order.
Well, okay. Technically, they wanted me to Send A Message about operating in their territory, and stealing everything that wasn't nailed down was my call. As was any injury to the security staff, liberating someone's helicopter, selling security codes to rival gangs, writing political screeds in blood to encourage competing conspiracy theories, and the rest. But it's still basically their fault. They hired me, they should have some idea who they were getting and the methods I'd use.
And before you complain, the security terminal's password was "password". They deserved everything they got.
They even let me walk in the front door, with a shotgun, and steal everything. No blinking, no "get out of here". Just waiting for concussions, death, whatever.
You'd be surprised what an unconscious body can do with a little creativity. Surprised and terrified. I was terrified by some of the possibilities. Mostly enthusiastic, but terror played a part in my reasoning.
Oh, last thing. They had a flamethrower. You should have seen me when I got that thing. You remember the time we talked about the Great War and Greek Fire and how psychotically brilliant the first flamethrower was? I remembered the whole thing the second I picked it up. Then I might have, possibly, sorta accidentally, lit myself on fire.
Even this did not reduce my enthusiasm. In fact, it amplified it. Knowing the pain others will experience...
Just looked back at the last sentence. Suppose I look even more like a sick fuck than I intended. Don't worry, I won't go on a murder spree for fun. I'm a professional. I do this for money, like we signed up for, before the whole secret experimentation thing came up. Including for your "friends" in the Order. Reminds me.
Did another job for them, besides the gangster thing. They had some, heh. Heretics. Well, seemed more like excessively true believers, from my position. You remember the clusterfuck when they came to visit Tarsus? Seems there's some dissent in the ranks. Moderates who want to play everyone for suckers, and the classic kill-them-all types.
Hardcore psychos are called Templars. They claim to be preserving the legacy of Jacques de Molay. My ass. If they were, they'd just be running a predatory lending service, like the WTO.
Give them some credit, though. They have some damn fire in their bellies, some idea what the hell they're talking about. It's a bad religion, sure, but let's compare to the Order. They believe the same things, but hide it behind a thousand buzzwords, and refuse to act on it. Templars might be dead psychopaths, but they're dead psychopaths who know what they believe. Can't say the same for your pals.
But hey, it's your stupid fucking religion. Not my place to tell you to trade up. If I did, might suggest something old anyway. Catholicism, or Shinto, or some shit like that. Something with more than 20 years of thinking going into it. Look, I did a couple history classes, I can send you some pamphlets with a long, long list of better religions.
LONG.
(Like my penis. Another subject with detailed information available exclusively on request.)
After that, I got drunk. Greasel Pit, good bar, amazing security, boring pit fights. Met up with a few people.
Leo and Klara are alright, in case you care. Leo's freelancing for the Omar, Klara's doing grunt work for the WTO. You know, standard soul killing whatever. Good hours. One of us might have to kill them. If I'd known 'em for more than a day, I might care. Or I might not. World is a big place, and there aren't enough damns to go around.
And an asshole offered me a job for 100 credits. I don't get out of bed for less than 150. I told him what he could do with the money, he tried to pull a gun on me, confiscation grid nearly took his arm off. I laughed for five minutes straight.
Then I got a little call from the Order and the WTO at once. They want me to "investigate" Mako ballistics. Both of them are offering money for the same job.
So, I stole a helicopter, and well, here we are.
Yeah, travelogues are dull. Sorry. But none of that's why I wrote this. That's a simpler matter.
See, Billie, I've been in a unique position lately, working for both the Order and the WTO, the supposed "arch enemies". And I don't like what I'm seeing.
Leadership for both keeps talking about how they can "settle their differences". They have a lot of other enemies in common, from Apostle Corp (whoever the hell that is) to the Omar. You never see them in the same place at the same time, almost like they're marketing to different demographics. And for me, this is the clincher. They spout the same damn policies!
Oh, sure. Order couches it in psuedo-religious doubletalk, and the WTO pretends it's doing it out of free market capitalism, but they both advocate the same level of tech, the same pace of growth, the same damn everything.
I'll put it simple, Billie. I don't think Superman is a movie about two dudes living coincidentally similar lives. WTO and Order are working towards a common goal, and playing us for suckers.
Correction. Playing YOU for a sucker. As long as they pay, I don't give a fuck!
But you do, and I figured you'd want to know. Sorry for violating your newly acquired life's ambition.
-Alex.
Why I fear the ocean.
I vote latter.
To: Andrew Jameson, chief of security, Mako HQ, Seattle.
Re: Security breach.
You have 24 hours to convince me to let you keep your job, buddy. And six of them will be gone by the time you read this. We're having enough problems staying independent in this political climate. Throw in a clusterfuck of this magnitude, and our situation just gets worse.
Last evening, while I was busy drinking with a few WTO officials and laughing at their jokes in the hope of securing one or two more development contracts, your team detected an unauthorized aircraft in our airspace. Now, according to our official training manual, the one you approved, that merits high alert status, and activation of the anti-air turrets. The ones you insisted on. The ones that cost us at least 25,000 credits each. The ones that were not activated last night, due to, if I'm reading this report correctly, "An anticipated meeting with a client regarding the EMP device prototype."
A client you haven't arranged a face to face with for me in the months we've had this contract. I thought we could trust each other here, and you're just letting that all slide away. So, the helicopter lands, and you apparently sent a small team to investigate, complete with a drone escort. Now, I know I've talked about expenses and untested prototypes before, but we just haven't seen enough use of the HS-66 in the field to justify relying on it.
Do you remember why I said apparently here, Andy? It should be in your memory. I know it's fairly firm in mine.
I said apparently because there are no witnesses, because the entire team sent to investigate died in a nerve gas attack using our own equipment. Now, I'm no expert, but I think that counts as a security breach. I don't like writing letters to families about how they won't see their children again, Andy! Preventing this kind of PR disaster is half of why I hired you. The smaller half, maybe, but half. We don't want to lose our people to a routine incident, even the outside contractors. Imagine if we'd stayed entirely in house, like you wanted. That was only the start, of course.
I had some of the boys and girls in cybersecurity check for video of the intruder. Anything to say who we're dealing with. Which is when I found out one of our janitors took a bribe to give someone our security codes. Not just anyone, but from the look of the guy a Tarsus grad. Professional corporate espionage experts, Andy. We should have briefings on this? We talked about it? Now, I know times are hard, and the guy was a contractor, but that's no excuse for that kind of laziness.
Oh, and your claims the secondary entrance was secure, unless, and I quote "Some 'banger with more money than brains got his hands on military grade explosives, and started chucking them around like a rabid ape"?
Someone got his hands on military grade explosives. Inside our perimeter. You said that this wouldn't happen? Well, it did, and we're all paying for it. Dumier himself is mentioning special investigations, which is pretty funny when he runs one of the maybe four groups in the world that could afford to fund our little break in expert. You should have had people on this, not just standard 2 man stationary patrols. And that's not getting into the other incidents that night.
Like the power outage that ruined most of the security footage. That was a pleasant surprise when we spent extra on getting our own private grid. Again, at your suggestion.
Or the memos that came up when I was doing some cleanup with a private team after this. I thought we could truse each other, Andy. I really did. But now I'm seeing all these memos about ties to the Templars and Apostlecorp. I don't like the WTO much either, but funding terrorists isn't good for anyone. I heard that the latest job made the Order put out a kill order on one of our top researchers. That's a sign that something went wrong, the way I see things. We got a religion of inner peace and balance screaming for our blood. That isn't supposed to happen. At all.
Oh, and then there's the biggest problem.
An intruder walked RIGHT INTO our most secure testing grounds, made smalltalk with the guard, while drunk, and stole the Magrail prototype without anyone intervening. We had guards in that room, I checked. Security drones. Gas release. And none of it triggered because he was "clearly too dumb to be a threat"?
He had the mag rail. A child could kill people with it. The safeties weren't complete. And it's worth hundreds of thousands to the right bidder. How did we let this breach pass again?
Oh, and that's not even mentioning the biolab. I just got off the phone with IA. We were filled, tip to tail, with Tarsus moles in that department. In case you forgot, Tarsus is one of our competitors. And they let the intruder steal everything that wasn't nailed down.
And the Grey, well, I'll be honest. I have no idea what the hell is going on with it. But it needs to stop.
You said that the defenses here were idiot proof. From where I'm standing, it looks like someone's been spending all their RnD money making a better breed of idiot. We've got medical bills for a dozen people, at least eight dead, and our automated systems wrecked. Someone did something wrong.
Right now, it looks like you.
Why I fear the ocean.
Andy looks to be fucked
Battlenet ID: MildC#11186 - If I'm in the game, send me an invite at anytime and I'll play.
No it's a complete waste.
Crouch, activate speed enhancement mod. Now you're moving at running speed completely silently.
Now, the nice thing to say would be it's well worth the wait. That I've spent all this time wrestling the words and images to a new height of glorious perfection, and you will weep tears of joy on seeing it.
That, however, would be a total lie.
Truth is, Fire Emblem Awakening is out, and I own it now. Or maybe the reverse. Hard to tell.
Should have something up by Tuesday, but no promises.
(Fun fact: Marth in awakening has the same VA as Alex D.)
Why I fear the ocean.
Entry 1,372 (5/15 found this review helpful)
Hey. American tourist here. First time outside the country, and I figured I could do anyone else on the same ticket a solid with some handy Cairo travel tips. Kind of a pro's guide to getting around and using your natural American charm to get a leg up in anything you have to do.
First, burn any maps the locals give you. Just burn them in their faces. I can't believe the shitty excuses for a map they have around here. News flash, dumbass. It's the 21st century. We have computers now. If your child's arthritic hands can't hold a pen, maybe you could print something out instead of passing her C- art project off to the first American in town in hopes he'll buy your kids off you for food money or something. In case you forgot, President Lincoln passed some law so I couldn't have your kids as slaves even if I wanted to. And I could get MUCH better slaves on any street corner in Chicago. Like, your shitty kids couldn't compete. They'd barely pass if I wanted to get slaves FOR my slaves.
Second tip. All the locals assume you give a shit about their problems. Pretend to, and they might give you money or drugs or something for helping. Don't expect much. Most people around here on the Medina are poor. And not funny pre collapse musical poor, where they launch into ethnic song and dance numbers about how great life is. Just the boring, shitty kind of poor.
On the upside, they will dance if you wave money in front of them and go "Dance for your job, wage slave!", which is service they point blank do not provide in an American Queequeg's. Not even if you call the manager and ask for it, like, a week in advance because you have a girl you want to impress.
You may also encounter whimsical local street merchants, trying to scam you in their lovable foreign ways. They will offer "plague cures" "Souvineers" or another item they cannot deliver. This is probably part of the hustle and bustle that is whatever shitty country Cairo is in.
To avoid scams, be polite, but firm.
If you are interested in the history of the city, there are a number of sites to visit. I recommend the mosques. Ancient, impressive architecture, and no cover charge. Unfortunately, all Mako ballistic weapons are disabled while on the premises, so that's kind of a pain in the ass. Next time I'm in town, I'm smuggling in an old AK, and you should too.
Still, place looks nice.
And you never know who you're going to meet! Ran into a high ranking member of the order AND an ex-girlfriend. So, basically you will meet everyone you hate, is the short version.
And you won't have a gun, because Mako ballistics has a monopoly.
Fortunately, the smart traveler is always prepared to improvise.
The mosques also have all the plague corpses you could ever want (pro)
And worshipers of Hastur, I guess. (Con)
So, that was a wash, let's be honest.
Make sure to visit the black market while in town. Nobody like the Omar for a deal. Only honest brokers I've met, and I'm not just saying that for a discount on bootleg cyborg pornography, which I would not know about, as I do not have 300 gigs of the finest Russian triple X in a backup brain module.
But let's say you want out of the shitty part of town and into the slightly less shitty part. That's easy.
Bribes around here are ridiculously cheap.
Not that the Arcology is actually nice, but it's, as I said, less shitty. And more difficult to navigate.
A tip. If you get lost, just get out a multitool and act condescending. They should take you for an expert, and you can go pretty much anywhere. I reprogrammed the atmosphere processor, and nobody said shit. I think I didn't break it any worse, but, you know, if it all burns to the ground, that's THEIR fault for not having better security. Assholes.
You also might encounter religious recruiters.
Again, be polite, but firm.
If you encounter celebrities or their managers, remember they like bribes. It's a common bond between the rich and the poor.
Just be careful about hanger security. They installed killbots.
If you really want to spice up your trip, blackmail someone! I took a list of all the dirt I could find as an attachment. I got all the cash I could out of it, so enjoy.
Same with the soda machine codes.
Of course, visiting Tarsus is also a must see, but the truly discerning tourist will find a gold mine if they visit the local apostlecorp HQ in the next... 24ish hours.
Meet top WGO employees!
Frisk templar corpses for pocket change and weapons!
Steal terrifying prototype weapons!
Deal with any remaining security!
And generally wreck any evidence connecting me to the place. This is VERY FUCKING IMPORTANT and I might actually pay you if you do that, and meet me, and don't die. Again, VERY IMPORTANT.
Seriously, I WILL OWE YOU.
-AlexDenton105
***/*****
(PS. Ignore anything international pop star NG Resonance or a hologram thereof says.)
(SHE IS A LYING SKANK)
Why I fear the ocean.
Battlenet ID: MildC#11186 - If I'm in the game, send me an invite at anytime and I'll play.
Like the messed up skill curve. I've got almost all my mods maxed out, and the game is still chucking biomod canisters at me. The game's not half done, and I've got what I want of the skill tree. Only reason to change is, well, boredom or a mistake. And even then, the higher cost of reclassing an aug compared to just upgrading once it gets going discourages any change. Yes, the game will probably give you enough aug canisters to respec five times over, but for the moment, you'd be trading a level 3 aug for a level 1 with no return on the initial investment, and that never feels good.
But really, it's a symptom of a much larger problem. The game almost never gives you a reason to care about, well, anything. Avoiding spoilers the two main factions so far are both full of unlikable assholes who will forgive you for killing their leadership and pissing on the corpses faster than you can say Jack Robinson, most of the side characters are scum to one degree or another, and the highest payout almost always comes from stabbing everyone in the back.
Now, me, I like a good round of backstabbing, and that sort of thing can really work. Look at the novel Red Harvest, for example. It's all about a private detective fucking over everybody on moral grounds, and it's a favorite. Or, sticking to Deus Ex, the in-game novel Jacob's Shadow has a pretty good line on the subject.
"Jacob stopped, looked up at the night sky. He'd been assuming that there were two sides to this game and both were playing to win. But what if...what if there was someone else, and they wanted to see both sides lose?"
But the problem here is the game takes away all motivation to support anyone and still expects you to care. Cairo has more than one quest where your primary motive is dogoodery if you're getting them done at all. Helping a poor kid get into Tarsus to, you know, not die of plague, that kind of thing. But the whole game so far has been motivating you not to piss on anyone if they were on fire. If you do, they'll treat you like a lapdog, if you don't, they'll give you another chance, so why bother?
At the same time, and this is a weird fault considering the first one, the villains are too, well, black and white. Yes, in Human Revolution and the original once you got to the Real Bad People faction, you were probably doing the world a favor by cutting loose with an assault rifle, but the earlier enemies were usually Just People, who sometimes were working for a possibly good cause. Here, the Templars spend the entire game being dicks. It's like the rest of Invisible War is the cast of Seinfeld, and the Templars have to be the cast of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia to keep up. In Cairo, there's a mission where you stop their plot to murder elementary schoolers.
No, it's not a plot to disable nanomachines that will, coincidentally, kill a few kids. It's not like the opening, where they blow up Chicago and some 12 year olds almost definitely got caught in the crossfire. This is different. There's a Tarsus school, and you find out the headmaster:
1) Is named Archer. Not important in the grand scheme of things, but worth mentioning.
2) Is REALLY working for the Templars
3) Because of point 2, he is going to murder schoolchildren because they have nanobots in their blood. This is a whole big plot, with emails exchanged and everything. Not even all the schoolchildren. Just... some of them.
4) When the kids go missing, his plan for an explanation is "these things happen, shrug".
What the hell.
This is supposed to be a big, popular social movement, that is currently NOT being stomped out by the police and vigilante groups whenever they spring up. Billie Adams, who is (well, supposed to be, more on that later) your character's oldest friend, is sucking up to them bigtime.
And then they have a plot out of a Roald Dahl book, and we're expected to take them seriously as a cultural movement people WANT to join. I mean, killing the Omar? Yeah, you can sell that. The Omar are genemodded cyborg freakshows with anti-social tendencies. Killing those guys, you could sell it as a public service. Killing schoolkids?
It's a suicidal PR move with no benefits.
Meanwhile, the Tarsus gang keeps showing up like you're supposed to give a damn, but as said last time, thirty seconds of face time before Billie stabbed you in the back. Kinda hard to give a rat's ass about her beyond that. And the other people have a similar history with you guy or gal in universe.
As for the gameplay, I really miss the radar in Human Revolution. And the bigger maps. And lean. I would kill
With those, you can plan an assault, sneak efficiently without powers, all that. Here, yes, you can have X-ray vision and invisibility, but ignoring powers, you're going to stumble into gunfights where everyone takes far too long to kill.
Sigh.
Why I fear the ocean.