Champions Online (White Out #2)

Sorry for the delays, all. I had a surprise early birthday gift from my wife's parents that just happened to be:

So, expect future updates to include my time in Tyria.

But we're here to talk about White Out, Issue 2! So let's roll!

The second issue begins with Sgt. Blair talking to me about his capture when another Sgt. Blair walks up. The two argue about who the real Blair is, when the imprisoned Blair points out that he was trapped here the entire time. Blair #2 shape shifts into a Roin'esh Commander (Super villain) and puts up a decent fight. Thankfully, Invulnerability shrugs off his attacks while I pump him full of mini-gun rounds and laser blasts.

As he falls, we get word to check in with Ice Station Alpha, which the storm has recently struck. They're aware of the incoming storm and alien threat, and a Steelhead officer was dispatched to secure the perimeter and find out who is actually who they say they are. As I approach, the storm becomes more furious and it becomes difficult to see.

Douglas McKenzie tells me I'm to interview the staff, and upon accepting, he gives me a paragraph or so describing each staff member. It's easy to see I need to pay attention to both this screen (and the next) and to what the staffers will say when I talk to them.

I head off to the first building, which's door is already surrounded by Roin'esh. Promising. I can't really see them until I stumble right on top of them, which is somewhat startling but fun. I take them out without too much trouble.

Once inside, the music changes to a very ominous tone. The environments are stunning. For a guy that looks like Samus Aran and happens to be fighting highly organic looking space aliens, I feel right at home.

I talk all the staffers, and find that of the six... Frank Steel's dialogue feels off. I radio McKenzie and... accidentally turn in the wrong person. I'm playing with an Xbox 360 controller at this point and totally hit the wrong button. Well, crap. I guess this person might be safer in prison, eh? Let's hope so. With no way to undo it, I head out toward building #2.

Exiting the building, I'm immediately ambushed by more Roin'esh. I take them out and cut across an open area toward building #2, but a super villain class mob spawns between the two. It's not a difficult fight, but it takes a bit to whittle his health away.

Building #2 is guarded by more Roin'esh and once inside, it looks even worse off than the first. Dead scientists dot the ground, appearing to have been cut down while feeling from Roin'esh. I press deeper into the complex.

I find even more dead scientists. After examining six, I realize only one of them had an ID. “Dr. Sheppard.” Making a mental note of that, I press into the final room and find two survivors.

Mr. Beckett and Sheppard. Both are scared witless, spouting non-sense. Except Dr. Sheppard should be dead. I radio McKenzie and inform him who the imposter is, correctly this time. More Roin'esh ambush my location, but I make short work of them and head towards building #3.

More ambushes await outside, but I take them down and enter building #3. The text tells me that nothing stirs within these walls. I locate the security station and find that someone has recently accessed secure information regarding Steelhead. I search a storage area next and find it empty. On to the final room.

Oh. My. God.

A lone soldier stands witless in front of a giant... thing... in the corner of this room. Once I speak with the soldier, several crates in the room shape-shift into Roin'esh. I take them out, and then begin setting fire to other crates and finally, the bio-mass.

As I head to the other room that appeared to be empty, the bio-masses death screams echo off the walls. Very cool. I enter the once empty room and begin setting things on fire, with random Roin'esh shape shifting ambushes to break up my interactions.

After clearing the room, I'm tasked to guard the exit from fleeing Roin'esh. It's simple – three waves come at me, two Roin'esh each, and in no time I'm done. I radio McKenzie to report my results, turning in the survivor. The security details being accessed, and him the lone survivor, make me question him. Better safe than sorry. I'm ordered to return to building 4, and head that way.

Surprisingly, no ambushes outside of building 3. They're waiting at me over at 4 though. Rinse, repeat. I enter building four and am amazed how it looks without everything being trashed.

There is even a mess-hall with some arcades at the back. Nice touch.

I talk to McKenzie, who informs me that an eccentric is outside next to the motor pool. I head that way, and find he has a strange device waiting that can apparently detect who is and isn't an alien invader.

His body was outed by the device, and is now coming my way. I take the fight to him, and it's a challenge. His BAM attack will strike me for about half of my health. I learn when to block and whittle him down, tapping the blaster attack as fast as I can between BAM strikes. He falls, and I some cool loot as well as a box of Questionite. I assume this wraps up White Out #2.

I head back into building 4 and find the staffers under guard broke free and have disoriented everyone gathered in the mess hall. Speaking to McKenzie ends issue #2 and begins the next chapter.

-@Epsicon