Arc Name: Why so Serious?
By @Bruce Wayne
Arc Id: 452266
After seeing that arc title and global handle, can you blame me for actually trying it?
Unfortunately, it's rubbish. Broken objectives. I fight Carnies, until I bump into friendly carnies holding Vickie the Chickie hostage, who is hostile but I can't attack. No story what so ever. Contact's opening dialogue: "Time to take the circus to the Carnies." His answer after I accept? "Thank you for helping me, it means more than you know".
Im then randomly thrown in a crypt that leads to a cave to find four papers (which generate no clues) and defeat Jack. I complete the four papers objective and mission complete! No Jack to defeat at all!
It's only two missions so I'm gonna complete it. Oh, and the pop up text says "Now that the clown is defeated, the world can continue as we know it."
But... I didn't defeat a clown!
Start the second mission... Yeah, this arc's not worthy any more typing at all. The only worth this arc has is to show how bad AE can be.
Sounds harsh, but it's in "Final" status, and supposedly is thus finished.
1 starred.
Classic Boss Battles
By @O.Children
Arc ID: 452528
Description: "Here are your classic boss battles! Can you defeat them all?"
Apparently, a classic boss battle consists of fighting a level 10 Infected boss, that spawns an ambush.
1 star.
So after the previous 2, decided to go to the -bottom- of the pile for my next arc.
The Fink
By: @NoOneHome
Arc Id: 133154
Level range 5-40.
Mission 1: It's a straightforward find the bombs, beat the boss map. Had an elite boss at the end so not sure how friendly it'd be to level 5. No glaring Typos, no missing descriptions, and the clues paint the story well. Was a defeat all, but the map was small enough I didnt mind.
Mission 2: Bank Map: Second verse, same as the first! Different location and different dialogue, but pretty much the same as the first mission minus an collectables or defeat all.
Mission 3: Ship map, Timed. Different boss, and the story starts to come together a bit.
Mission 4: Warehouse map, kinda small. Original boss returns, not really a problem at this point.
Pros: Fairly well polished, not terribly difficult, but it does have an EB in each mission (Which Im guessing scales to AV on teams). Nothing that wasn't able to be handled by an inspiration loadout.
Cons: It's unfortunately kind of generic and anticlimactic. Still, after the previous two, it was a fresh change of pace.
This arc was published on 4/30/2009, so the fact it had no plays and was well enough done that I didn't feel like I had wasted my time makes me wonder if there are any other hidden gems in the mix.
So after this initial run, I've decided on some guidelines for this for future plays.
Rule 1: The arc has to have less than 10 plays and not have a rating.
Rule 2: The arc has to be listed as final.
Rule 3: The arc has to have been posted for at least one month.
That means, if you have an arc that meets these requirements, you can post it in this thread for a review. I realize that's not a really open window, but the goal of this thread is going to basically be treasure hunting through dead arcs for anything worth noting.
The purpose of this thread is going to be to slog through the AE and dig up arcs that have been published, but not rated, for whatever reason, and then play them and rate them!
First Arc:
Stop the Wrestlers!
@Mask of the 8th
Arc ID: 452075
Publish Date: 9/23/10
4 mission arc.
First off: Statesman is my contact? Really? Yeah, this one's slipping into non-canon obviously.
Mission 1: Abandoned Office map. Custom group for enemies, and a -lot- of variety in the looks and powers of the random minions. Unfortunately, 98% of the humor of this arc, I can already tell, is going to be lost on people that have never watched wrestling or hate it. Final Boss is a play on Sgt Slaughter called Sgt Butcher
Mission 2: Bank Map: Same custom group, this time taking on "Sandy Ravage". Straightforward go forward and kill the boss mission. Sandy Ravage references beef jerky. Yay.
Mission 3: Steel Canyon Tram map. This one almost broke me from finishing the arc. One of the required objectives had stealth so I didn't see it until I broke down and just started trying to clear the arc, and then it popped into view with a "HEHEHEHEHE" and well, it sorta creeped me out! But fitting for the character it was parodying. Other notables are "Mr. Rio" and "The Piz". Piz actually had a line that made me LOL, but it would be lost on anyone who's unfamiliar with the source.
Mission 4: Office Map. Same custom group, final mission. Ultima Warrior, John Senior, etc. I have to admit to chuckling at "Corner" the rated PG superstar. John Senior is an ancient old man Thugs/Kinetics MM. At one point in the fight he starts screaming "Stop moving so fast, I can't SEE YOU!" He'll be an AV in teams scarily enough. Got two allies that Im guessing are either alts or friends of the Mission maker.
Final Thoughts: I don't know if I should be saddened or relieved that there was no Hulk Hogan parody. I rated it 4 stars in game, which is probably a bit high, but there were no glaring typos, I didnt die the entire arc but was challenged at points, and hey, I got the wrestling references and jokes. I feel like for anyone that wouldn't, this would be a 1-2 star arc at best, because it lives and dies by this theme.