Power Station Zeta
Mission Type:
Author:
Post Date:
Download:
Rick Schmidt
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...
Level Review
Basics
Reviewer:
Overall Score:
Date Reviewed:
Emambu
81 / 100
Unknown
Design:
Dynamics:
Experience:
78 / 100
82 / 100
83 / 100
First Impressions
Although at heart this is just another blow-up-the-base-level, the idea of going after the hardware that contributes to the Dark Trooper's strength- rather than the DT's themselves- is unique. More importantly it grabbed my attention, especially since the author had a great opportunity to lead the player into how these things are actually created.
Review Screenshot 1
Review Screenshot 2
Design / Visuals
Outside areas, architecturally speaking, were done really well. Rocky cliffs, tunnels, and ledges decorated the landscape, creating some incredible scenes. You'll need your map turned on as you play this because it's easy to get lost in the beginning. Inside the base itself, architecture started to slide. The base is nothing more than a three level rectangle, with three or four circles (depending on which floor you're on) that span each floor. That's about it except for the three side rooms which that are located on the main and lower floors. Furthermore, the side rooms are boxy, which follow the boxy design of the base. The circles are a nice touch, but it doesn't help the level overall. Texturing was disappointing in that the author used the same textures over and over. The outside scenes can be excused since there's really nothing you can do about that. In fact, I thought the outside areas were textured nicely, although part of that has to do with the excellent architecture. The base, however, is mainly white and gray with almost no variation. This makes for dull play, and when coupled with the boxy architecture, it really hurts the level.
Dynamics / Interactivity
The base had a lot of stormtroopers, but most of them were placed thoughtfully. There were a little too many in the upper level for my liking since there wasn't much of a purpose to them being there. Where the enemies were placed well, was during the outside portions of the level. Grans and Probe droids make up the majority, with a few Gammoreans thrown in for good measure. Most of them were placed in strategic positions: Behind a rock formation, underneath a precipice, and lurking around in tunnels. It made the game a lot more challenging without decreasing the fun. It's a shame that the author couldn't think of good positions for the stormtroopers. They just mill around in certain spots, which is something that doesn't seem too imperial. One thing I have to protest about is the Phase Three DT at the end. I can understand the fact that there were a few Phase One's and I can even understand the Phase Two since this is a DT facility. However, there was no point to the Phase Three. The level was tough enough without it, and it ruined some of the aforementioned compliments about the level. Item Placement was one of the few consistently good things throughout the level. Ammo and shield caches were well hidden, but not impossible to find. However, you will need to watch your ammo supply. I ran out during some of the more intense fights, despite my conservative playing. Enhancements helped the level along with only one exception. As an added exception the author mixed around with the logics of certain enemies. For example he mixed a stormtrooper logic with a Trandoshan logic. In other words, some stormtroopers fire Concussion rifles. While this isn't too bad, the author went further and combined a Gammorean with a Kell Dragon. It's surprising, yet very annoying to see a Gammorean leap at you from 10 feet away. I wish the author hadn't done that since it wasn't done in a believable sense. Other then that, the enhancements were great. My favorite was the TIE Interceptor VUE, which is immediately followed by several tense seconds of dialogue between Kyle and Jan.
Playing Experience / Atmosphere
The exterior parts of the level had an abundance of detail, which lead to the realistic setup of the rocky areas. There was some good use of detail in the Imperial base as well with terminals, a bar, and several puzzles which were well thought out. Where the level slips is with the realism of the base. For one thing, I didn't think that it was properly set up like a base. It just seemed to me that too much of the base was devoted to the reactor. The base is supposed to be a chip energizing base. If this is true, then let's see some conveyor belts with the chips on them, or let's see the chips in the process of being energized. I also noticed that Central Ops, or a place where the bases main functions are controlled, is missing. Why is the water control room, which apparently regulates the flow of water into the turbine, only accessible by swimming upstream or crawling through an underpass? Overall, the base didn't come across as a base. Instead, it seemed to be more like a giant reactor. Despite these problems, the level is still fun and has a high replay value. Part of this is due to the fact that the beginning is exciting and challenging. There's a lot of tense atmosphere as you progress through the level, and some of the firefights around the rock formations are truly spectacular. Lag isn't much of an issue, and the level is bug-free, which means you won't have to worry about crashes when you're playing (I applaud the author for using beta testers in his level).
Review Screenshot 3
Review Screenshot 4
Final Thoughts
It has its share of downsides, but you may want to take a look at this level anyway. It's not perfect, but it is fun to play if you have some spare time.
Design:
Dynamics:
Experience:
78 / 100
82 / 100
83 / 100
Overall:
81