Redemption

[BainIhrno]

Redemption

 

Author: Alcritas

Difficulty: Very High

Rating: R

Version:

 

Composite Score: 4.67 / 5.00

 

Best: 67% (18/27)

Good: 33% (9/27)

Average: 0%

Substandard: 0%

Poor: 0%

 

Keywords: Alcritas Scenario, Contest Winner, Fifth in Series, Mature Scenario

[BainIhrno]

On replay, this scenario was much much better than I gave it credit for the first time. I loved the unique setup and atmosphere, which gives it a very different feel from other scenarios. It had an excellent (and very scary) plot, it was fun, and there were lots of unique sequences and such. It's really cool how so much can happen out in the middle of almost nowhere. Play it at night to get the full effect.

 

Definitely one of the five best.

 

I rate this scenario Best.

[*i]

This is probably my all-time favorite scenario. While I do not think it has aged as well as some of Alcritas' other works, for its time, it was revolutionary. The scary part of this is that you can play through the scenario and not even scratch the surface of the rich, but hidden world inside.

 

Best

[ScenarioReview]

THE CREATOR

 

As a story, this is undoubtedly one of the best. As a game, there were a number of things that diminished the experience, the vast amounts of wandering and the tedious combat in particular. Still, very much worth playing. Good

[ScenarioReview]

DRAKEFYRE

 

A certain lack of direction set this scenario off, but it set a decent mood. I think that several of the farms were lacking in originality and effectiveness, but the scenario was still good.

 

Good

 

EDIT: After going through a lot of scenarios again, I must say: What was I thinking?

[ScenarioReview]

TERROR'S MARTYR

 

Excellent.

 

Definitely one of the top ten. Best

[ScenarioReview]

BOB THE IMPALER

 

Good

 

As a tragedy, undoubtedly the best made, and it contains some outstanding coding. However, I just never found it that enthralling and getting to the best bits of the storyline involves some pretty dull combat.

[ScenarioReview]

BIG WORDS

 

Hmm

 

A toughie. Let's go at this from the opposite end.

 

10 <--- Highest score

-1 for tedious combat

9

-.5 for overall nodework

8.5

+.8 for awesome storyline

+.2 for use of custom graphics

 

That comes to an actually entirely subjective 9.5 because while this scenario was badass, I still like OG&E better.

 

Best

[ScenarioReview]

DRIZZT

 

ihr seid verruekt!

 

Tedious combat? The only things I found mildly annoying were those giants and wyverns in the mountains, and there is way to pay your way around this. Nodes? The portal is a oft-copied thing of beauty.

 

Exploring the empty mage's tower, wondering exactly what happened there set the spooky mood for me, and it just got better as things went downhill for the poor valley. One of the best. Best

[ScenarioReview]

SARACHIM SEAFELLOW

 

*Negative* points for nodework??

 

Redemption is usually cited as one of the more technically sohpisticated scenarios out there, and the portal in McNemier's tower was highly innovative. Then again, that's got little to do with why this scenario is my favorite. Many sequences in many scenarios are exciting, and a few scenarios are consistently so, but A Forgotten Nightmare was the only one that I found really scary.

 

Best

[ScenarioReview]

BOOTS

 

Best

 

Tedious combat is the price of doing business with Alcritas' work. In every one of his large-scale efforts, there comes a point when its 1989-and-Nintendo all over again. But with Redemption, who cares? It takes the clunky Blades editor and spins an actual story with it -- not just a quest plot or a mystery or a make-piles-of-cash-and-save-the-universe career fantasy. The opening movements are great precisely because they "lack direction": the history of the place creeps over you slowly from the corners, out of the landscape and the furniture. And perhaps the node work only seems unremarkable because it is worked subtly into the story's fabric. I'd agree with Sarachim: a scenario that is one of the most technically sophisticated without feeling the least bit technical.

[ScenarioReview]

BRETT BIXLER

 

This is, IMO, Al's best, and a darn good scenario by my standards.

 

Best

[ScenarioReview]

Bruce Mitchell

 

Great. Very testing combat. Enthralling story. Perhaps a bit gruesome for some? The giant and wyvern combat is a bit tedious but very useful experience to handle the combat. Missed a healer. The Amulet of Doran is a trying quest - but worth it! I've read elsewhere people complaining of searching the Ancient Library - but after Falling Stars the Ancient Library is easy! Good

[ScenarioReview]

MILU K

 

Good

 

One of my favourite scenarios despite the Ancient Library...

 

[ScenarioReview]

DRAGYN BOB

 

Excellent scenario. I loved how the mood was carried out, especially in the dream thingummy. I loved this, but I'll have to take off .2 for the existence of the Ancient Library. Best

[ScenarioReview]

KHOTH

 

Best

 

A great scenario, with some very memorable things in it (like the dream sequence)

[ScenarioReview]

IXITXACHITL

 

A great scenario, even if it is all confusing. I guess that's the price we pay for not being as in-depth and complex as Alcitras smile.gif . On a side note, although the nodes were absolutely excellent - could the teleporter be any harder? To get it going I had to wade through massive, highly confusing mines and go off on what I thought was a side quest until I spotted a Crismon Ruby in some stalagmites, at which point the fog that is A Plot By Alcitras lifted and everything fell into place (albeit even more confusingly). Without the utterly EVIL stridor (or is it strider?) dungeon and its web-and -poison filled inhabitants, a 10. With it, unfortunately (although I hate to - points from an Alcitras scenario).

 

Best

[ScenarioReview]

ZIPPY THE PINHEAD

 

Best

 

Atmosphere is superbly done, and the dream sequences absolutely rock. Ending is excellent. The only thing that punctures the atmosphere is the Amulet of Doran quest (courtesy of the witch), which is completely optional.

 

In one sentence: Play this scenario. You won't regret it.

[ScenarioReview]

SHYGUY

 

Good

 

This atmospheric tale drips with intrigue and mystery. Though, I didn't care much for the general flow of the scenario. Too much time is spent wandering aimlessly through huge mazes, hacking your way through endless armies of monsters. And I never quite knew what I was supposed to be doing. The player is left in the dark too often. Some might give points for this. I found it annoying.

 

And I don't know about you, but wandering through a massive maze, searching nearly EVERY square for something of interest (Ancient Library) is not my idea of entertainment. Yes, it's optional, but it should still be more fun than watching grass grow.

 

Lot's to uncover for those with patience. Well done, just not one of my favorites.

[ScenarioReview]

MAGOICOCHEA

 

Best

[ScenarioReview]

THURYL

 

Good

[ScenarioReview]

ROSYCAT

 

Good

[ScenarioReview]

ARACHNID

 

Best

 

An EXCELLENT scenario. Easily one of the best.

[ScenarioReview]

CORWIN

 

BEST ALCRITAS YOU ARE THE BEST!!!!

 

This was the second scenario I ever played and it really saved BOE for me. Plot is gripping. I liked the fights, challenging but not to the point of being frustrating. The only thing I din't really like (I.e. only reason it isnt a 10) is that the library was a pain in the ass.

 

P.s. Does anyone know what the 4 books that the bridge troll asks you for are?(I could swear they are real books)

[ScenarioReview]

ALEC KYRAS

 

This scenario terrified me.

 

It was not Alcritas's best work, to be certain, but it was certainly second best; a solid bit of everything that made his work awesome.

 

Redemption was the high-water mark of the Blades of Exile community, and I have always feared that in rating it I will merely be rating BoE's salad days. But I have already given Alcritas's other masterwork the highest rating possible - and it may well have been the beginning of the end. So without hesitation, I award the only Blades work to give me nightmares Best

[ScenarioReview]

(Unknown)

 

Best

 

Wow, this scenario deserves the Richard Matheson award for sheer creepiness. The world that gradually decays as you sleep, the dreamscapes, Andrus's insanity, even the Stridors... It all kind of melds together into a half-completed portrait of something very disturbing indeed. The plot here is, IMHO, worthy of a novel.

[ScenarioReview]

SIMMIC

 

Redemption has one very powerful strong point (well, of course, everything in Redemption is a strong point, but this one is particularly good): atmosphere.

 

Redemption has achieved a good atmosphere better than any other scenario. Redemption’s atmosphere is a masterpiece, like the rest of Redemption. It has one of the most mysterious, foreboding, and even gruesome atmosphere I have ever encountered. and it’s a lot better than some movies I’ve seen.

 

How was this atmosphere achieved? I can make a pretty good guess. A lot of hard work and a VERY good mastery of the scenario editor. As I wouldn’t want to spoil it for anybody, I won’t describe any particular part.

 

But on to other aspects. The storyline is strong throughout and shows no failings or weak points; despite the fact that many towns you may visit won’t add in the slightest to the plot, this is, in some ways, a good thing. They all have something to do, or a reward to get.

 

Like many of Alcritas’ scenarios — in fact, all of them as far as I’m aware — this one, too, ends in tragedy. A nice change from the usual thank-you and good-bye you get at the end of many scenarios!

 

Although Redemption is not at all combat-oriented, you do have to do some. And this is a minor failing in Redemption: any major combats you must perform are quite frequently laborious. I’m no sure, but I don’t believe anyone likes to slog it out against a 600 (or even 1000?) hp boss-monster who repeatedly hammers you and heals himself. Sometimes, but rarely, the monsters are illogical — a Ratmaster casts spells??

 

However, I must commend Alcritas for designing the Wizards’ Bazaar — that must have been very difficult and time-consuming. However, it seems to be balanced up by the Damp Cavern — a town which, unlike all the others, seems to have absolutely no purpose. This, however, was a one-off.

 

At least one special node is extremely well-executed — the portal in McNemier’s tower is a singular masterpiece of a special node. It must have taken a very long time to make. Once again, I congratulate Alcritas for designing that!

 

And, last but not least, the realism of Redemption is almost perfect (except for the Ratmaster!). All of this balanced up, the odds are well in favour of Redemption.

 

Redemption is designed for High level parties and is rated R.

 

My score — Best (I am forgiving of some difficulties if everything else is good...)

[ScenarioReview]

WILD KARRDE SMUGGLER

 

This scenario was good, but didn't leave me feeling like I'd played a truly wonderful scenario.

Nonetheless, the teleportation crystal combinations and the scroll machine, etc... were quite neat.

 

Good