Sigma 2
The Massassi Temple » Levels/Mods » MotS Single Player Level » Sigma 2
Description
This is the second part of Aliens on Sigma. You start where you ended in the last part, and now you must get out. You will encounter more aliens and less imperials.
Screenshots
Level Info:
Ratings:
3D Preview
User Comments:
Register for Commenting System or Log In
Register for Commenting System
3D Preview developed by Stephan Reiter
FREAKY!
Wow, best thing to do is stand someplace were the aliens can't get you, listen to them run around... I swear to god I can hear them around me. You did an EXCELLENT job on the running sound of the aliens.
-I agree with the above that there are too many aliens attacking you. Especially at the beginning, you walk away and like four or five aliens have spawned and come out of nowhere. This makes portions of the level kinda annoying...
-I think there should be more batteries around the map. With most of the level in the dark, you need to keep the batteries up. Once you run out, it's not difficult for the aliens to cut you to pieces...
Other than that, I think this is one of the best levels I have ever played in MOTS. I hope you decide to keep expanding this series...
-Geobrass
Dave, I'm only giving you an 8 for this one. I like to make hard levels too, but this thing is VERY hard to live through. Buyer beware.
It totally lives up to the original's level of quality. Great aliens, and great atmosphere. I WAS scared while playing this thing. Also, the terragen-like effect at the end is something we haven't seen before(at least not in SP). That alone gets you a high ranking.
Dave, I'm only giving you an 8 for this one. I like to make hard levels too, but this thing is VERY hard to live through. Buyer beware.
It totally lives up to the original's level of quality. Great aliens, and great atmosphere. I WAS scared while playing this thing. Also, the terragen-like effect at the end is something we haven't seen before(at least not in SP). That alone gets you a high ranking.
Why not combine both into a Special Edition?
Architechture: The architechture was very well done. Beams and supports were broken and I especially liked the part at the very end were you are running through a bunch of hills towards your ship.(Sorry if any spoilers are in this review.)
Gameplay: This level was just as awsome as the original, you are running through a facility with xenomorphs, facehuggers, and even...... the QUEEN! My only problem with her was she looked a little odd in a way. A real big dissappointment was the fact that you removed the pulse rifle. By doing this, I was short-handed on ammo at times and it took me a while to beat this as difficulty was increased. Other than those minor details, I loved this level.
Final Comments: David, I salute you on a job well done. The sequel scared me and it was very satisfying. Congrats on a job well done!
Scores:
Archi: 10/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Queen: 8/10
Final Score: 9/10
Namely:
1. No Pulse Rifle.
Though I found it a pain to constantly 'lose' it with weapon switching or out of ammo conditions (to the extent it wasn't reselectable), this was the best damn New Gun I've ever played with. Only the sound effect wasn't quite reverb-ripped hollow-jackhammered enough.
2. Aliens Move Too Fast.
Literally Blink Of Eye jumps from multiple spawn points in which 1-2 hits kill you is _NOT FUN_. Xenomorphs should be slow like snakes UNTIL they get close enough to leap. Cheetah Speed when you cannot respond in kind is mucho UNFUN. Particularly in the kinds of numbers we find here.
3. Aliens Are Too Hardy.
Anything which fears normal fire should fear a contained plasma sheath. Because if you can see the flame in open air, it's unlikely that it's more than about 1,200-1,500` Fahrenheit.
But in a blaster bolt, we're talking an magnetically bottled surface temperature rivaling that of the sun. When the head honcho in the Death Star prison level gets crossfired by multiple bolts in 'ANH', his body /steams/ as it twitches and indeed would likely explode like an egg in the microwave as that superheated '90% water' content flash vaporized beyond the ability of conventional orifices to vent.
If the enemy can kill me in one swipe (something even a Rancor could not do in MOTS or JA/JO) then FINE.
Just give me the ability to return the favor.
4. It's too darn dark.
I realize that it adds to the suspense of the Alien films but for an FPS, this is not a good gameplay decision. Tactically you NEED to be able to make the kinds of _just one man to lose_ choices necessary to put all threats into a 'shoot list' engagement order decision stack. "Oh, you want some too?" at in-your-face distances doesn't work when they get there so fast.
This doesn't necessarily mean that the Aliens have to be /easy/ to see (keep them blurry black shadows rather than glowing white skeletal forms under amplification). But it does mean that NVG and Field Lights must have near-infinite charges and/or Force Blank Zones must be removed so that Jedi Sight skills can be brought to bear. When I have to cheat (Boinga 1) just to survive, it's no fun to find that I'm /still/ not a party to the story, as half the time I get jumped while reloading a (DieDieDie) weapon from a threat which I should have been able to see coming.
5. There are problems with the level progression and specifically with an endless rotation between a water level, a rooftop and a midlevel command section with doors that don't open. Indeed, it is possible to be pushed back into an operating underwater door by a sudden Alien ambush and be 'stuck' (quicksand geometry hole) so that you have to start the level over.
I really like some of the visual effects and room designs but it should not be necessary to go back to go forward with an absent indicator tree as to what you have missed (searching for a key which apparently does not exist).
IN PARTICULAR it is /irritating/ to have both a 'Read Me' and a 'Mission' text file but no helpful walkthru advice on detail objectives. That's just cheap.
6. Some of the architecture doesn't match the 'feel' of the Aliens environment. Things like circular elevator promenades and grand staircases belong in a Gone With The Wind film. Access to the subbasements should be through tightly wound, zig-zag claustrophobic, staircases. Not doors and elevators. Certainly not such small ones (think Reactor Building and APC).
7. All-Warrior Aliens are boring.
As with Aliens 3 and /particularly/ in a multicultural (multispecies) prey environment like the SWU, it makes sense for there to be 'dog, drone, spider, guardian' type variations of form. Indeed, in the Alien RPG system such type classifications are common as indicators of precursor development (Like an Ant colony) by which you /eventually/ get to a Queen and her court of ladies in waiting protectors.
CONCLUSION:
It's one thing to invoke wonder of newer, darker, evil things in a first edition. Because the very act of innovation can forgive a lot of basic flaws. But #2 needs to be about smoothing the rough edges while adding depth of the environmental game interaction.
None of which was done here.
As such, I gave it a five because it's like Mr. McHale wanted to prove how 'bad' he could be in designing the ultimate _never beginning_ (die too soon to scream) nightmare rather than an ever more immersing level which required skill and good reflexes. Not cheating.
If that was his goal, he has indeed succeeded, going completely overboard with this version. To do this while pretending the resulting sense of hopelessness (hit any key to continue, with a 5lb sledge)belongs in the Star Wars not Geigerian/Cameron one is against the basis of what Lucas intended for his wonderland. IMO.
Kurt Plummer