MA Review: MA101681 - Through Rose-Tinted Glasses

MA101681 - Through Rose-Tinted Glasses
For the illiterate: Excellent entertainment despite an unrealistic initial premise! Rated: 78% Entertainment Value

Well, today sees myself and my lab assistant at a loose end so we decided to see what "illustrious writer" has bestowed his gifts upon us, their unsuspecting public. So, @Leese would have me looking "Through Rose-Tinted Glasses"? Not truly my colour, but let us see what unfolds...

A fictional tale, the hologram resolved into an elderly lady by the name of Elspeth Wallace wearing said-titular glasses. One can only assume that she is blinded by them as she was under the mistaken delusion that I was Manticore... never the one to ruin a good narrative, nor to disappoint the lady I played along.

It seems she wanted to retrieve some baubles that President Marchand had secreted in some caves prior to his assassination. While the period of history (pre-Arachnos) holds little interest for me, I dutifully had my lab assistant access the Datastream with me to watch the scene play out.

It would seem that Arachnos were likewise searching the tunnels which were infested by those vile Arachnoid creatures. Baubles were an apt description for all that we found - jewellery and not much else. Of course, the fact someone else had been rummaging was... curious. And the Arachnoid King? Yes. Well.

Going back to Ms Wallace, it would appear that one of the rings belonged to her. The sight of it loosened her tongue enough to let slip that she had a list of locations that Marchand had stashed his valuables. She pointed out the one location that he had told her she was never to forget.

On arrival, it appeared that all the Arachnoids in this cave had been purged and Arachnos troops had taken up resident. Working our way past them we finally discovered something truly intriguing - an elderly computer. Alas, the security was tight enough that even I and my vast intellect could not breach it onsite but it did identify itself as Project Ragnarok. A palpable plot hook!

It is here that the story picks up a-pace as I decide to no longer pursue the myriad of baubles a frightened man may have stowed away for a rainy day but rather to investigate the presence of a system named after a mythical apocalypse. I love a good doomsday weapon, more so if its attached to a better robot!

After some prompting, the witless Elspeth revealed that Marchand kept journals that Arachnos had long since seized. This sees you going into an Arachnos compound to reclaim the fragments. Dr Darkespark had some minor issues in this mission when facing the compounds' Archivist (likely due to her lack of Aegis shielding - if I don't let her fight on her own on occasion, she'll never learn effective control of her nanobot technologies) but otherwise it was a profitable rampage. The journals reveal the Ragnarok system is a serious of large explosive devices, keyed to Marchand's DNA, designed as a "last resort" for early Arachnos invading the Etoille Isles. Seems that Longbow were also onsite, perhaps likewise looking for the information?

Ms Wallace, upon return, told us that her son (the spitting image of Marchand) has been targeted by Arachnos for kidnapping. It would appear that a scion of Marchand was indeed available for activation of Ragnarok. Unfortunately, on arrival I found that not only was it Arachnos that was after him, but my own Research and Development division - Black Scorpion was in attendance. After a heated debate between myself and the big lug he "agreed" to let me continue the investigation.

There was an interesting snippet overheard from one of the Longbow agents who were likewise trying to rescue Philip - it seems that my arrival was expected. Could it be the wily old lady was actually playing both sides of the fence and was not as near-sighted as she wants to appear...

Regardless, extraction of the Wallace kid was simple and next up it was back to the Project's Computer Cave to activate the device. It would seem that tales of me "impersonating" Manticore had reached the man himself and he came along with a cadre of Longbow to stop me. With a lack of any level of shielding (for delusional fool puts too much technology into his weaponry, and not enough into defensive output - an elementary mistake!) he fell faster than Ernesto.

The Arachnos Team Leader was pitiful and I let Dr Darkespark deal with him while I investigated the computer. Unfortunately, it seems that the network connection from this terminal has been severed though probing of the machines memory banks revealed other terminal locations. Something for another day.

Finally returning to Elspeth to taunt her? Gloat? I'm not sure why we returned at this point. Especially since only now does she take off her paint-covered glasses and actually see who is standing before her. No wily old lady here, alas.

MZ's Conclusion: Excellent premise for a tale though since that doomsday project doesn't exist in the real world, I may just have to create it officially. In Paragon City. What? You think I want to destroy the Etoille Isles? Are you mad?!