This posting is about the ending of Unreal 2 so if you have not finished it yet or have not played the game yet then please ignore. This is a spoiler!
Wow, this is a really good game! It took me about a week to play this game on easy level – about 2 – 4 hours each evening. There were one or two minor bugs in it but nothing serious. I can’t put fault on this game except one thing…why did the ending have to be so sad? Especially when I realised that Aida died, I thought that really stinks, that sucks. Why did she have to die? She was my favourite. She was a star in the game. She really made the game for me. That’s one part of the game that I really hated, when Aida died. I felt that was a bit callous. It didn’t go down well in the game at all. WHY DID THEY KILL THE CREW???!!! That really sucked badly!
When the Atlantis took the final hit and exploded I thought NO!!!! I had little motivation to carry on with the game and I was glad that the game ended quickly. I mean why bother? I was just too depressed to continue playing the game a second time on a harder level since now I know what happens to those loveable characters. On the back of the game box is says ‘Today an outcast, Tomorrow a hero’. But tomorrow never came. The last thing I felt was that I was a hero at the end of the game. In fact I felt as if I screwed up, I failed to save my friends, the most important objective in the game. Why didn’t I (Dalton) listen to Aida when she kept warning me that there was something suspicious about collecting the artefacts. I assume that is why just after you wasted Hawkins the game gives you the option of saying ‘Bastard!’ to the artefacts before you go and find the escape pod. Before the last mission to collect the final artefact Aida pointed out that something terrible would happen. Aida appears to be the only one with any brains – she was suspicious of authority and willing to ask questions. Dalton wasn’t that bright. Considering what happen to him in the passed and how the military ripped him up with arse paper because he stood up and did what was right, the game never explained why he was so obsessed with getting back into the military again. Finally at the end there I am in the escape pod on the road to the ‘ass end of nowhere’. But at least Aida, Isaak and Ne’Ban were real Heros.
I did like the ending sequence however. I thought that was quite moving and touching that they wanted to say their last goodbyes. And although they didn’t say it they were basically saying that they loved you and how much you meant to them in their own lives. Thanks to you they found peace in their own lives and Aida was able to forgive herself about the past. Those last words from Aida: ‘…you said that I had to choose someone to trust. I choose you. Goodbye.’ This is just too sad… This can’t be the end it just can’t. Somebody tell me that this is just a cliffhanger and that the Heros in the game (Aida, Isaak and Ne’Ban) turn up alive in a blockbuster sequel?
I liked the sudden twists in the game at the end when everything goes pear-shaped. And when you realise it was bastard Hawkins and his lackeys who shot down the Atlantis. BUT DID THE DEVELOPERS HAD TO KILL THE CREW???!!!! I really hated that bit. It sucked badly.
I really liked the character interaction in the game including Aida trying to come to terms with her suppressed feelings. Aida, having the stiff upper lip but was quite sensitive underneath. And the tension between Isaak and Aida. I liked the idea of going on board the Atlantis between missions since it broke up the game a little to get to know that crew a bit more, instead of always running around fighting. It added content to the game. Along with the main plot you were finding out about the character’s own emotional problems.
Aida - All those responsible for creating the crew did a really good, especially with Aida. I thought she was fantastic. Her physical appreance, her hairstyle, her looks, and her facial expressions continually changing in her eyes, etc, and the way she looked at you. Those involved in creating her did an excellent job. It is clear that a lot of effort and creativity went into creating Aida and building her personality and her sense of uniqueness. The lady who did the voice acting for Aida did a good I thought. I liked her voice including during the missions which was comical in places. ‘…move your ass Dalton, move it!’ Aida was almost like a real person to me. And that’s why it was so sad when she and the others died. That stinks, that really sucks! Aida and the others were like real friends. I am not embarrassed to admit that I did cry some when Aida died.
Isaak – This guy was just SO COOL!! I loved this guy’s accent. Whoever did the voice acting for him did an excellent job.
Ne’Ban – Quite funny and sweet I thought and witty.
Then at the end the storytellers decided to kill them. WHY??? WHY KILL OFF THE HEROS IN THE GAME? That made no sense to me and is the one bit of the game I hated. If there is a plan to be a sequel, and it follows on from where Unreal 2 left it, then how will they replace those delightful characters, will they be able to create a character as good as Aida. I really am going to miss her. Bring her back in the sequel. Apart from what happen to the crew in the end I thought this was an excellent game, full of action and humorous in places, loved the NPC interaction with the crew and during the missions.
And now some food for thought…You are meant to assume at the end that everyone (expect yourself) dies. But did they?
The game ending is very open and you are left feeling ‘But what if?’ Since the game does not give any real evidence that they were on board the Atlantis when it exploded. You only assume so. What am I talking about? I saw the Atlantis blow up in front of my own eyes. But when you are fulfilling the objective to secure the area before the Atlantis comes to pick you up and you have finished with the first wave of the Skaarj, you hear Aida mentions that they are under attack and they receive their first hit and Ne’Ban mentions that they can’t take another hit, etc. After this you are engaged with the second wave of the Skaarj, when you have finished this you hear Aida saying: ‘…he’s making another pass…brace for impact’ They receive there second hit. After this the movie clip kicks in, then Aida says: ‘…we’re still here…but one more hit…John stand by for burst transmission…” This is the last you hear from Aida. Then the movie clip shows another scene when Dalton and the others are looking up at the sky looking for the Atlantis. Then it comes in approaching the landing pad trying not to be hit. Then for a couple of seconds it stays still up in the sky and receives the third hit which shoots it down. My point is that from the time when Aida sends you the burst transmission up to the point when the Atlantis is destroyed there is radio silence from the crew. This is a good 20 seconds or more, I think. Why is that? Is it just my imagination? Did the developers just not bother? Or is there a reason why there was no communication from the crew? Considering that Aida was speaking often to you when they were being attacked why was there no further communication from her after she sent the transmission such as: ‘John did you receive the burst transmission?’ or ‘John we’re not going to make it, save yourself.’ And for her voice to be cut short as the Atlantis exploded. This would give confirmation that the crew were still on board the Atlantis when it was destroyed! But there was only silence. Just a thought. Second, why is it you were told that a search and rescue was done but nothing was found? OK, the ship exploded, what evidence do you expect to find. But they could have easily have said that they found the bodies in the wreckage.
Who knows maybe Aida has some smart trick and they jumped ship just before it exploded. They made their heartfelt good byes when you were up in the tower long before they got attacked and they knew that their chances were slim. The ending was very sad and in truth it sucked. But perhaps it was also a sensational cliffhanger.
Can I smell Unreal 3 in the air? If Epic and Legend decide to do another Unreal and it follows on from where Unreal 2 left off. One of the things that I would want to find out is what happened to the crew? And preferably that they (especially Aida) turn up alive. I wonder what other people think.
