Sugar Shack 04 Mission Review The Chessman A Pawn in the Game
It seems like ages ago, before I even had a beta account, that I used to read Tyndal’s comments about places and personages in MegaCity. I felt ravenous, reading and sifting them for insight about the game. One of the most mysterious and evocative was The Chessman. She spoke of his chess pieces reflecting the play of forces in the Matrix itself, and I wondered what wisdom or insight he would share. Or how I might be able to study his pieces on the board and try to predict future events therefrom.
Well, so far, it has not worked out this way. Just another Exile Contact with five good mishes. But when you visit him in Tabor Park, he talks a good line and his mishes are straightforward. And all were within a short distance of his perpetually deadlocked board, so they’re worth your time. None took me more than about 400 meters from him. No mind-tricks or double-crosses here, and even on Hard setting, most were in a single location.
Mish 01: First Move:
What could be easier? Break into a warehouse or office building, and steal three little objects (a file, a disk, and some papers). It’s a single location, and you do not have to even take the good any place. Just get them, leave. And you’re done! Very straightforward. The target of this, the Chotte Brothers, doers not appear in any other Chessman mishes.
Mish 02: The Pawn
Things become much more serious in this second mish. The Chessman tasks you with assassinating an operative who has outlives his usefulness. This mish is also straightforward: A single location, with two guards, and the target. The Chessman purrs his appreciation when you are done, and whispers, “someday you may be a master”; I love it when eh talks that way!
Mish 03: En Passant
The Chessman ratchets up his expectations this time, and directs you to wipe out a redpill team at his safehouse. This leads to a single very tough fight with five or six bunched up enemies, including a physician who keeps buffing the one you’re attacking. Absent a hacker, this will be a tough fight; be sure to bring some friends, or some tactics boosters, or all three. That’s all there is to it! And at the end, your client compliments you: “You are a superb player. Unpredictable, but dependable.”
Mish 04: The Countermove
This mish breaks the chain of increasing difficulty, and includes two assassination targets and a few computers to search for information in a single location. Nothing unusual here, except for the fact that this has two locations, and is a move not against the Chotte brothers, but against The Collector, who we have encountered in previous missions. The Chessman’s satisfied parting words are: “Nice move, Sugaree. This is a game I will enjoy continuing with you”
Mish 05: Return the King
In this last Chessman mission, an old friend, The Sculptress, has made a new chess set which has been stolen; you need to find the waylaid courier, retrieve the package, and kill the guys who took it. Finally you deliver the pieces to a contact. In all, you travel to three locales; there is no indication that some other exile, such as The Collector, might be behind this. After your success with this quite simple mission, the Chessman’s final words to you are: “You’re a real player, Sugaree, thanks”. Good enough!
This last one could have been better with some explanation of the special properties of the chess set and exactly what use the Chessman planned to make of them. And at the end, the Chessman could have made some Oracular pronouncements about your future in the game to show you his power and the power of the pieces. This would have added to the appeal of this Exile and his missions.
So, The Chessman’s five missions are very straightforward and very bug-free. Even low-level players should be able to succeed with these, and should be sure to try them soon.
