page on 19/2/2020 at 12:12
Another grower, not for the faint of heart.
1. This is the mission you HAVE TO play if you like exploration. Not many OMs have a grand size of the Bonehoard, especially with that kind of complexity and variety. It takes time to even get there in the first place: entry areas are just a tiny fraction of the tomb and you have to navigate carefully to find the "meat". Burricks tunnels, underwater passages, sideway paths with not-too-obvious purpose, here you have it all. Even though the mission is extremely vertical, you can't hope to climb high enough to see whole level - it's possible to get a bit lost playing for the first time. It's worth noting that most corridors, ledges and puzzles lead you somewhere - you won't end up glaring at empty rooms too often. Loot, readables, more weapons, potions, not to mention eldritch artifacts that are required on Expert difficulty. So if you like exploring all the nooks and crannies, Bonehoard is your playground.
2. A bit weird mix of undead and burricks makes it a bit unsettling, if not frightening level. Zombies were introduced in Cragscleft, but here there are dozens of them - at least it feels this way. Bonehoard is a dark and mysterious tomb - you have to watch out for enemies and traps all the time and you'll never see another human in this unholy place. When I think of this level, I always hear the sad Quintus melody, wind blowing the enchanted horn for centuries, the hall of eerie statues (and what lies beyond); but most of all, I remember the feeling of loneliness. Not many levels cause such a strong emotional response. Not many levels come back to you in dreams!
3. Interiors are somewhat varied graphically - which is good - but I never liked the look of burrick tunnels. Not a problem anymore with EP or Necro on board; now I focus on chess tiles, stone spires, wooden beams and mouldy walls of Marad - they all add something to the experience.
4. Bonehoard is a tall task, in fact the most epic thing Garrett had done up to that point. Some citizens don't even believe that Horn of Quintus exists, not to mention investigating for themselves - and here we are, armed with rope arrows and couple flashbombs, going down the wicked necropolis. Only a few tried - Adolpho and then Felix crew - but they all failed. Getting to know some details of their journeys is a fascinating backstory, and iirc we don't all the pieces to put it together nicely. Reyling on their notes, rumors and old hearsays makes it even more exciting to me, especially that legends of Mystic's Heart and Soul turn out to be true. Bonehoard remains mysterious though - some halls crumbled a long time ago so nobody will learn all ancient secrets.
Despite its volume and dark subject matter, I'm always looking forward for another Bonehoard playthrough. It stands the test of time extraordinarily well - fitting, eh?
Grade: S
(Tiers: S / A / B / C / D / F)
Aemanyl on 20/2/2020 at 03:26
I agree with your analysis. The feeling of loneliness is particularly strong in Bonehoard.
Galaer on 21/2/2020 at 19:00
Beginning of this mission is good. I like zombies and traps and path is linear, so it's easier to explore. Burrick tunnels change that. These tunnels don't look good, they have many paths, so you can easily get lost Also fighting with burricks is very stressful and annoying. Later in catacombs is even worse. Ton of zombies right from the start and this place is even more complicated maze. Horn of Quintus melody starts too early, so it's easy to choose wrong path. Also I don't like it's melody. On the other hand I like vertical room with beams and magic bolts, room with death statues, throne with many traps and this demon face with deadly eyes.
But for me it's just too frustrating mission. I really don't like complicated mazes with monsters. That's why my score is low.
Grade: D.
page on 24/2/2020 at 08:17
I guess that non-violent approach would help you greatly. Fighting burricks is kinda frustrating so it's best to avoid it altogether. Same stuff with zombies. Actually, you can simply run past them if you don't feel like sneaking in a house of horrors... it works most of the time, just be careful in narrow corridors