Review: The Landing

The original review, of a less finished release in which the third map was incomplete, based on the old review schema:

Here is a piece from the story:
"You watched on the bridge view screen as the torpedoes flew towards your ship... then as the ship began to break itself apart, you fled to your escape pod. But as the pod left the ship, it was clipped by a piece of flying debris and you began to spin out of control towards the planet's surface...
With a *crash* you land in a small night-time valley. Time to explore, and hopefully find a way off this ball of rock you've landed on."

Well the first level, you exit your ship after a small earthquake and explosions, (which are you crashing I assume). There is a small Nali hut, and a canyon trail, from there you read a Nali's diary and enter a archive of caves. There is alot of free exploration in this level, you could beat it quickly, but there are some other routes you can explore, and a few translator messages setting the scene. Combat mostly consists of gasbags, mantas, and tentacles. There is health and ammo spread threw out the level, but I felt it could have been more spread out. There is also a few puzzles, which I liked, then as you walk to the exit of the cave, a door closes behind you and the next level loads.

In the second level, you are set in a Nali town, where you first talk to a nali living outside the village who tell you that, the Krall have taken over the town. Scripted sequences and a good atmosphere set the scene, I thought the music, sounds, and the sky really helped set a dreary, moist atmosphere. After accomplishing what you must, a nali sends you off on a boat towards an island. I thought this map could have had a bit more detail, I thought the houses looked kind of plain.

Now we come to the third level, and my personal favourite (even tho it is not finished). This map has an awsome atmosphere, on the boat you approach a large mercenary structure, as the music comes it gives you a kind of happy feeling (don't ask me why..). The music and sounds set a wicked atmosphere, and with this structure looming above you the foreshadowing is amazing, you know you will get in there some how. The stroy of the island is indulged apon, you finding it used to be a dwelling for the Nali to dwell in peace, but now some creature or species has taken over (the merc's). I really liked this map, and it would have been better finished, all-though it wasn't, :\.

All in all, the map has simple, but atmospheric architecture, average lighting, and well chosen music, sounds, skies, and translator events, and textures, although I didn't really like some of the texturing in the caves, but that's my personal opinion on that texture set itself.

I think d/ling this set of maps would be a healthy choice for your hard drive :). I think you will enjoy it.