Full Review of the Pinnacle Station(EDIT: Now with some pictures.)First, I'll be spoiling the DLC for everyone BUT... Since there's not much of a storyline in it, so I can freely expose everything since you won't be missing much.
First of the design of the Station. Hats off to BioWare that at least it's not another cut and paste station. The space station itself looks interesting and I like the overview of the planet. Not only it looks good but also it definately feels so spacy... I'm concidering re-doing my background for my latest fan art.
I've notice that Shepard seemed so relaxed in this DLC. "My" Shepard seems to be smiling a lot and a little cocky than usual. Maybe she loves video games/VR. I don't know... but at least they fixed up the smiling expression in this one. Taking away the "Uncanny Valley" syndrome, at least I don't freak out much when Shepard did that facial expression. (eg: during a conversation with Ashley.) Still... it's scares the crap outta me to see her smile though for some reason. I blame the creepy experiance in the main game... good lord! And the Uncanny Valley... take that BioWare!
Anyway, the DLC itself. Basic the storyline goes that Admiral Ahern have given Shepard invitation to the Pinnacle Station for training. The station itself used to be a stealthy Turian Patrol outpost during the Krogan Rebellion Wars but it was retro fitted into a virtual trainning facility. Yes that's right a station that is holographic stimulation arcade for the pestigeous millitant counril races. So after introductions, you'll start up the stimulation sessions.
There are 4 modes to choose from. Survival, Hunt, Time Trial and Capture.
Survival - What is says on the tin. You have to survive from the incomming wave of mobs before you're exusted.
Time Trial - Kill all the mobs as quick as possible
Hunt - Kill the mobs (can I call them mooks please? It's sounds so much fun) as much as possible within the limited time. Every kill you make, you'll get a couple of extra seconds added into the time limit. One of the most fustrating modes. I'll tell you why later on.
Capture - capture all the points as fast as possible. The most piss easy mode EVER. I'm dead serious.
So it sounded like a typical FPS mini-game modes. You know like capture the flag (capture mode), etc. Understandably that BioWare wants to add a DLC that is more combat orientated and less much of a storyline, so I'll try not to be too critical about this. However, with Ahern's commentary on your progress in the session... I cannot help almost mistaken myself that I'm play UT3.... I'm serious. I suppose it's not a bad thing if you take away the hype and all.
One of the glaring faults I see is the optimsing the difficulty for that certain level and point of the game progression. I think the QA team have rushed this, I've swear. When I've first rushed into the game after I've got my Spectre status (on my new adapt Shepard), I've have a hard time beating the mooks due to the lack of special abilities during that level and crap weapons and armour (lol at the Banshee IV model -_-). While BdtS is short, but the optimising is carefully well done, while the station is a little unbalance to my liking. Before you'll yell at me for being such a crap player, let me tell you that I can play through the whole game with my eyes closed on
Insanity mode. I know every nook and canny with this game. So I have the right to complain about this. Speaking of insanity mode...
The Hunt Mode... due to the ridiculous hardening scaling in insanity... it's recomended that you should down scale the difficulty down to at least hardcore. Or to make life easier and not to be fustrated too much... veteran the very least if you're in the stage where your best weapon is katana model stage and you've just finished first main mission and finished the luna assignment. The mooks in these modes are more harden than your avarage idiotic mook that you come across to in 'real world'. As in the ME world.
While I've enjoyed the survival mode, the capture mode is kinda piss easy and dare I say... dull.
Overall the modes are quite mixed but imo the survival mode is definately one of my favourites. Bit of a guilty pleasure really. Yes, after you finished the main objective in the DLC, you can comeback to it every time. So it's plus that this DLC doesn't permately finished off itself... unlike the end game
So if you're feeling crabby, it's a good place to blow off some steam.
So let's continue on the DLC progression shall we. The main objective of the DLC is to be no. 1 on top of the stations' tally boards. Once you beat the shit out of all the competitors, Ahern will appoach you and give you the special stage that he's been working on for quite some time. In other words, Shepard is the first Beta tester for the level... literualy. So what is this stage you ask? Basicly it's a reactment to Ahern's critical mission that shaped his millitary career in the first place... The First Contact Wars. That's right, you're going to play a stimulation that is based on that history. Yes! Also to put the stakes higher... he decided to offer a wager by turning off the safeties off and putting the stage onto the highest difficulty... yes... you can die in an actual VR. Best part is Shepard so damn cocky she's willing to place bets on it. So what's the bet? Well if Shepard wins, he gives her his retirement home that is set in a small hamlet on a red planet 'paradice'. And what is Shepard betting the stakes in exchange should she lose... her life. ;D
I know, Commander Shepard is hardcore to the balls... even if she's a girl but still... after that session stakes... I could have mistaken her for taking too much testerone pills if it weren't for the fact when I've last checked... she still looks girly and is still curvy enough that Kaidan stuttered to his geeky embarassment.
Anyways... a word of warning before you get into the last level... save first and be prepared, as this is a one way street you're heading into... and it doesn't make the stage look easy. when you go in, either take Ashley or Wrex as the first piroity for the party selection... the othesr tend to die too fast due to armour and lack of defensive abilities at that lelvel at the time, especially Kaidan... Seriously... guess that's the only time it make him look weak and helpless at times... didn't helped the fact that Shepard is merely a adapt... A GIRLY ADAPT. -_-
Due to the stage where Shepard doesn't have the best of the best gear (Savant, Spectre grade weapons, etc.) I've switched off to Veteran to play it on the safe side. A couple of advice when getting into the stage: After you clear out of the guards... do not take the data. Instead activate the turrents and keep the main gate closed... it will make the session a lot easier. Once you take the data... guess what happens? The turians mooks will start swarming the place non-stop. So the objective of the sernario is that take the data and defend yourself againist bloody turian mooks until the evac team arrives... which you have to hold out in 5 mins. Funny enough... apart from Kaidan passing out alot, I've began to feel for Shepard since... she's a War Hero... I can imagine the sheer fustration of being the last man... errr sorry... last woman standing.
After you beat the level, Ahern will congratualte you and gives you the keys to his apartment as the deal. (Don't worry about it, he prefers to work on combat gaming stimulations over being an old crook that swings around in his rocking chair. In other words, he takes it like a man enough that he prefers to die in his duties as a 'game deisigner'. Kudos to him.)
About this apartment. Sure the planet is a red desert that is close to the aussie desert and the colony is small but damn... the apartment is very homely... if you can ignore the metalic doors. My gripe about the apart though is the colour scheme is brown.. again.
Developers, WILL YOU STOP USING BROWN, IT'S GETTING ON MY NERVES!
Anyways, I like the interior design and at least we know where Shepard is hanging out while she takes a break from her duties. This apartment is the place where you can refill your granades and medigel. Also you can order some weapons from your personal computer. Not a bad prize to be honest. I do wish the developers allow you to wind down, relax and let Shepard take a drink at some finest space Coronas in her apartment and do other fun stuff at the apartment.
Well... I finished it... I say to say overall is so-so. If you take away all the hype and fuss that surrounded the DLC... it's not a bad addon. A bit rushed but it's enjoyable enough that you want to come back and fight the modes again if the mood strikes. Despite the unbalcing issues, it's still a mindless shoot-em-up fun, so it's worth to get the DLC if you have some GS to burn or if you have the PC version, get a copy off from your friends. IF you don't get the DLC, you'll won't be missing much.
scoring is hard since I'm kinda torned. Glaring faults, yes... fun... lots of it.... well in my gut feeling
6 intact bones out of 10 broken bones where Dr. Chakwas complains about soldiers being too rash.