| An Apology | |
| by Ian Klinkhamer (alcritas@att.net) | |
| Thissa’s Review | |
An Apology, the newest scenario by Alcritas, is, by anyone else’s standards, a masterpiece. (I should know, I was the first one to beat it. Ask Alcritas.) With the “no outdoors” concept that is all the rage these days, it adds a unique element to judging it.
First, let’s have a look at the good points. The custom graphics were made— and used— well, the special nodes are to (maybe even beyond!) what is expected of even an exceptional designer like Alcritas. The “No Outdoors” concept, while it has been done before, has been done exceptionally. The dream sequence bowled me over, and added to an atmosphere much more mirthful than the rest of Alcritas’s scenarios. The NPCs have been done well, but this must be expected (It’s Alcritas, people! He made Redemption and Of Good And Evil!). The rest of the good points shall be explained fully later.
But then, every gem has its flaws. Until half of the scenario has passed, one has an impossible time figuring out exactly WHAT is going on. Monsters are FAR too hard to destroy for a beginning party, especially that annoying “Rune” battle! Even with my 5 AP Ambidextrous Flaming-Weapon 1pc party, I had to reload eight times during the Syracuse encounter. But this is a minor squabble. The plot is good, but not good from the standards we hold on Alcritas. (It’s much worse when great writers turn out okay books than when okay writers turn them out.). The “Dreams of Forever” sequence didn’t last long enough, but that’s more of a positive thing. Fort Tassle would be enriched by being smaller. Most battles, like “Ambushed!”, can be escaped easily.
Overall, however, it’s Alcritas’s first *light* scenario (not comedy, or really all that funny, but lighter than all others, in my opinion), and it deserves to be judged as such.
For anyone else, I’d give this scenario a 9.8— but it’s below Alcritas’s standards slightly; 8.5 should be sufficient. Either way, go and play it— it’s a great scenario, and worth the five hours it takes to beat.
— Thissa