klatremus on 27/4/2024 at 15:29
Another excellent mission! Just finished my ghost run. I'll give this a 9 out of 10. It'll probably end up in my top 3-4 overall.
Pros:
- Tension; excellent buildup from the highwaymen camp and their readables, then progressively increased when descending into the unknown
- Sound design; subtle audio cues in key locations were cleverly implemented. Each area had a distinct audible feel as well, added to the atmosphere.
- Enemy variety; my favorite are the shadow thieves. Although I recognize they might have been used in other fan missions before, it was my first encounter with them. The rock monster was a close second.
- Finally a more puzzle based mission, although it's more exploration puzzles than using clues and items.
Cons:
- Lack of enemies. The new enemies are great, but I would've added a few more normal enemies in between, in order to increase difficulty. The briefing indicated you needed lots of weapons, but that isn't the case at all.
- Mission is much better on first playthrough. Since the fear-of-the-unknown aspect disappears once you've played it once, subsequent playthroughs lose a bit of the tension. My previous con would've maybe fixed this issue.
nicked on 28/4/2024 at 11:31
I think a lot of the atmosphere would be lost if there were more normal enemies. I love how desolate and sinister it all is.
Komag on 3/5/2024 at 01:55
Just finished this mission after almost four hours, very long! (in fact, it felt too long, sort of "lost its way", unfocused maybe, not a lot, but some). I didn't leave anything alive! Even that nasty cray thing, I just keep killing and killing it over and over until I managed to nudge it each time it died till it fell off the bridge into nothingness, haha! Then found the lever and got back up out of that area. I liked all the freaky new enemies, finding ways to destroy them with a fire arrow, a few broadheads, sword hits, mines, etc. I also liked the friendly water bugs! I missed around 900 loot, seems like I must have missed a lot, but I was just glad for it to be over, no interest in going back through to scour the place for more loot. It was a wild ride, very cool, 20% too long, great ending (I agree with everyone else, just felt so cathartic and relieving - I even went back into the hermits house to look out that window). Well done!
Komag on 3/5/2024 at 17:59
I lied! Today I went back in (from a save just before finishing yesterday), and followed the loot list hints to find several of the little secret rooms I had missed with high value loot in each, plus the two eye gems, found another 650 that way, satisfied.
anlat on 13/5/2024 at 01:19
This mission has its tense moments. I like how there's the "no killing humans" rule, but there's really no humans in this mission. And those fire and air mages!
This reminds me of "Broadsword of Shoel".
ShardofTruth on 18/5/2024 at 14:12
At first I didn't think I would like another Bonehoard mission but this one was so different from Death's Dominion (where I got lost constantly) and so atmospheric, it became my favorite mission in the campaign so far. I just wish there was to to read.