Although I was disappointed with how Legend developed Unreal II, and I am fond of what they did in the one and only mission pack for Unreal 1, Return to Na Pali. Overall, I admired their level design (even though some maps were originally in the cut Beta), the new enemies, the story they were going for, and the mood. It felt like they were almost channeling a bit of SiN into its design (and one of Legend’s employee’s did work on SiN and Wheel of Time), and almost a bit of Half-Life. In fact, one of the level designers was trying to go for more realistic or moderate level design, because he thought the level design in Unreal was too, well, unrealistic. (Confusing, I know). Although I liked their approach, there are things which still disappointed me:
*All the cutscenes were just narration over the view of one of the levels. I wanted to see the people who saved the heroine (or hero), and have interactions with them and explore the ship. Seeing the protagonist in action through cutscene (the his/her body, not the escape ship) would have been nice, like the heroes of Mysteries of the Sith or the two Quake mission packs. (Yes, we do see the protagonist briefly when she was getting betrayed in cutscene, but there was still no effort).
*The narration didn’t feel like that of a prisoner. The prisoner lingo found in the Vortex Riker longs is missing. I did like how the narrator was expressing apprehension from encountering the Scaarj again, but since Legend started out as an adventure game company, the character’s development is below their standards.
*The human enemies, though interesting, were brief. Also, they lacked movement variety. All they do is glide and shoot. I would have opted for having the humans fight like a combination of Unreal’s bots and Half-Life’s soldiers, and disregard the cumbersome armor they’re wearing. Missed opportunity. Encountering these guys throughout Na Pali’s natural terrain, trying to flank and snipe you would have been fun. Another borrowing of Half-Life would have the soldiers fight the Scaarj, and you sneaking past while they’re busy.
*Last boss was cheap. Another Warlord? Except this time, he lurks underneath a floor of a stable with lava, two crucified Nali, and platform with no means of escape if you fall in? It’s as bad as having Quake II’s last boss be the last again in Reckoning, or having two Cerberuses be the last bosses in Cryptic Passage for Blood 1. This mission needed a new boss, not a repeat. The giant spider was a big boss, but he was too easy to kill. Kind of like how the giant gasbag was way too easy a boss to kill.
*Lack of unique new weapons. The addition of the rocket launcher and grenade launcher were interesting, but they’re firing ability was shorter than the eightball. Okay, they were perhaps more powerful, and I liked the heatseeking ability of the rocket launcher, but more new weapons. The CAR might’ve benefitted from a grenade launch function. Legend could’ve taken some tips from the added weapons in other expansion packs. UT98 was way more inspired in its additional weapons.
*Another mission pack would’ve been nice. After reading Leo’s post on the canceled expansion, I wished that another company could’ve tried to develop it.
In conclusion, what Return to Na Pali needed was: new bosses, better implementation of human enemies, newer weapons, better narrative, better cutscenes, more interactivity and immersion, and more Unreal effort. It could use a reimagining, or at least redesigned levels and fan made additions.
*All the cutscenes were just narration over the view of one of the levels. I wanted to see the people who saved the heroine (or hero), and have interactions with them and explore the ship. Seeing the protagonist in action through cutscene (the his/her body, not the escape ship) would have been nice, like the heroes of Mysteries of the Sith or the two Quake mission packs. (Yes, we do see the protagonist briefly when she was getting betrayed in cutscene, but there was still no effort).
*The narration didn’t feel like that of a prisoner. The prisoner lingo found in the Vortex Riker longs is missing. I did like how the narrator was expressing apprehension from encountering the Scaarj again, but since Legend started out as an adventure game company, the character’s development is below their standards.
*The human enemies, though interesting, were brief. Also, they lacked movement variety. All they do is glide and shoot. I would have opted for having the humans fight like a combination of Unreal’s bots and Half-Life’s soldiers, and disregard the cumbersome armor they’re wearing. Missed opportunity. Encountering these guys throughout Na Pali’s natural terrain, trying to flank and snipe you would have been fun. Another borrowing of Half-Life would have the soldiers fight the Scaarj, and you sneaking past while they’re busy.
*Last boss was cheap. Another Warlord? Except this time, he lurks underneath a floor of a stable with lava, two crucified Nali, and platform with no means of escape if you fall in? It’s as bad as having Quake II’s last boss be the last again in Reckoning, or having two Cerberuses be the last bosses in Cryptic Passage for Blood 1. This mission needed a new boss, not a repeat. The giant spider was a big boss, but he was too easy to kill. Kind of like how the giant gasbag was way too easy a boss to kill.
*Lack of unique new weapons. The addition of the rocket launcher and grenade launcher were interesting, but they’re firing ability was shorter than the eightball. Okay, they were perhaps more powerful, and I liked the heatseeking ability of the rocket launcher, but more new weapons. The CAR might’ve benefitted from a grenade launch function. Legend could’ve taken some tips from the added weapons in other expansion packs. UT98 was way more inspired in its additional weapons.
*Another mission pack would’ve been nice. After reading Leo’s post on the canceled expansion, I wished that another company could’ve tried to develop it.
In conclusion, what Return to Na Pali needed was: new bosses, better implementation of human enemies, newer weapons, better narrative, better cutscenes, more interactivity and immersion, and more Unreal effort. It could use a reimagining, or at least redesigned levels and fan made additions.
