Introduction
Deadly Shadows is...different. No denying it; it was developed by a different company with a different engine several years after The Metal Age. Let me start with a list of what I consider improvements over the last two games:
- Garrett now keeps his money between levels (
), instead abiding by a sensible item limit.
- Garrett's footsteps are much quieter but guards hear him just as well, making both seem less incompetent.
- Backstabs and blackjackings can only be done when facing an enemy's back, and neither can be performed on an alerted enemy until he calms down.
- The lean-forward exploit has been replaced by the wall-press exploit.
- The AI has been upgraded again.
- Fire and gas arrows arc like the other arrows.
- Rope arrows are gone.
- Flash bombs have stopped blinding Garrett again.
- Garrett exists and can see himself, even in first person mode.
- Garrett can explore the City between missions, and it operates halfway between the old-style hub world and the new-style sandbox city.
On the other hand, Deadly Shadows has a few problems, as well. Depending on your personal opinions, you might add half of what I call improvements to the negative list, along with complaints like, "The Pagans don't sound right," "Garrett looks like a puppet in the low-quality cinematics," "The mission cinematics are gone," "Garrett's controls are weird and rubbery," "Why does hair glow in the dark," and "Garrett can kill guards on Expert now (although a Garrett-style pacifist run is still quite possible)."
These are all quite valid concerns, but what I believe most people take issue with, what I believe is Deadly Shadows' cardinal sin, are the level sizes. Deadly Shadows was developed for simultaneous release on the original XBox, which notoriously suffered from low RAM and thus games for it had to have tiny level sizes. While this was bad for many games, for people who had loved and played levels like "Life of the Party" and "Sabotage at Soulforge," the dinky areas of Deadly Shadows was unforgivable. Heck, if every free-roaming area of the City in Deadly Shadows were combined into one, the total volume might still fit into Soulforge Cathedral.
Still, there is plenty of fun yet to be had, and Deadly Shadows does a good job of sticking with the plot and feel of the first two games.
Enough talk; time to hide in Deadly Shadows.
Youtube playlist
Objectives
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Map
Objectives
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Map Page 2
The portcullis
Benwick's note
A cousin's warning Page 2
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Cook's journal Page 2
Modified objectives
Elanor's letter Page 2
Elizabeth's journal Page 2
Ember's journal Page 2
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Map
City map
Wicket's journal
Henry and the Hag Page 2
Lady E's note
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Map
Closed?!
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Quarantine
Work Voucher
The stonecutter's journal Page 2
A shopping list Page 2
Objectives
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Map Page 2
Woodbine's memo
Singreen's warning
Woodbine's warning
Additional objective
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Ritual of the Root Page 2
The daughter's journal
Record of the owner Page 2 Page 3
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Poor Bob
Crime report (South Quarter) Page 2
Crime report (Stonemarket)
Objectives
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Map
The Condemned Man Page 2
Father and Son Page 2
Greidus' burden
Extra objective
The Glory of Saint Edgar Page 2
Book list
Pagan's fate
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
The blessing
Stamped gear?!
Next extra objective
A reward for constant service
On icons and effigies Page 2
A warning against softness
Stop stamping!
The Compendium vol. 112 Page 2
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
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Council notice Page 2
Rafe's journal Page 2
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Hammerite warning Page 2 Page 3
A map, you say?
A historian's troubles Page 2
The Acolyte Ritual Page 2
Re: Caduca Page 2
Sentients Page 2
Re: Keeper Rafe Page 2
A Terrible Storm Page 2
The Matter of Garrett Page 2 Page 3
Dover's journal Page 2
Council meeting 47 Page 2 Page 3
The Pagan Situation Page 2
On Enforcers Page 2
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Map
Pagan warning Page 2 Page 3
Plant a tree, save a life
Get the damn tree!
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Timmy and Bill
The City Chronicle Page 2
The metal whale
Objectives
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Map
Clicks of history Page 2 Page 3
A crown, you say?
A battle horn, you say?
Glowing diamonds, you say?
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Lines of succession Page 2
Rafe's final journal Page 2 Page 3
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Dock stats
Objectives
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Depository inventory
Blaine's pains
Prison roster Page 2
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Ship manifest Page 2
Captain's log
Objectives
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Map
Standish's journal Page 2
Curtis's journal
Cargo receipt
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Clams n' Noodles
Moira's request
Extra objective
An old log Page 2
Moira's will
Blip (Polsy) only
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Caduca's hidden notes
Objectives
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Map Page 2
Debole's journal Page 2
Work harder
Repair log Page 2
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Worthless gold!
Please don't flip all the switches Page 2
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Map
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Hauknor's Diary Page 2
A Friend's advice
C. Brackit and Sons has standards Page 2
A Friend's rendezvous
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Zombies!
Graveyard troubles Page 2
Holy water on demand
A note from C
Objectives
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Map Page 2
The Third Dawn
The sealed doors
The Deadly Shadows Page 2
The Imbris Analects
The untoward glyphs
The Bafford Chronicles
The Journal of Artemis Page 2
The Keeper Ring
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
The extra copies
Orland's journal Page 2 Page 3
The unsigned note
Ogilvy's Treatise Page 2
The Compiled Lexicography Page 2
The last objective
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Map
The job Page 2
Necromancer's journal Page 2
Old Quarter Crime Report
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Manfool saps
The Big Museum Heist Master Plan (by Ma)
Ma packed sandwiches
Jimmy the
Note: if you have headphones, use them.
Objective
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Map
Her diary 1
Case No. 6
Case No. 7 Page 2
Lobotomies for fun and profit
Gold teeth Page 2
Her diary 2
Heat Therapy Page 2
New objectives
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Patient Register Page 2 Page 3
Gravecourt Red
Her diary 3
Another death today
The Ranker Lobotomy
Her diary 4
Additional objectives
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Incident report Page 2
Yet another objective
They just keep coming
Goddamn now what
Case No. 1 Page 2
Case No. 2 Page 2
Case No. 3 Page 2
This video is the whole level, completely uncut and unedited.
Blip (Polsy) only because I figure folks who want to watch an hour-long video will want to download it.
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
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Monsters in the deep
Casualty report
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The Glyph of heynow Page 2
Chronicles of Daegar Page 2
The Letters of Diocen Page 2 Page 3
Gripes
Notes Page 2
Journal Page 2 Page 3
The Writings of Albrech Page 2
The Quest Page 2
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Objectives
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Map
Welcome!
Security systems Page 2
It's a fake! Page 2
Comments Page 2
The Cyclopean Magistrate Statue Page 2
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"Thief-proof," eh? Page 2 Page 3
Missing monocle
Lost and found
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Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
So this last video needs some explaining. The footage is from an alternate run where I tried to stir up as much chaos as I could. The music is "The Hut on Fowl's Legs (Baba Yaga)," by the same guy who composed "Night on Bald Mountain." However, since "Baba Yaga" is joined at the hip to the next piece, "The Great Gate of Kiev," I decided to play the latter over the end cutscene and part of the credits. For the record, I did not alter the timing on either the audio or the cutscene. You'll understand why I need to say that once you watch the video.
Mortal Sword sure loves complaining, but thanks for the image.