: This level is a quick break from the story and an excuse to have some fun
: just running around blowing sh*t up. It's one of the few extermination
: missions in M2. Some have guessed that this level was stolen from the
: defunct Marathon 20/10 Secnario Pack, since it shares several
: characteristics with several levels from the previous game.
: When you beam in, there is an assimilated civilian in the northeast position.
: Head east to get into the "home base" room, which has every
: utility a Marine could ever need: Terminal, health, oxygen, pattern
: buffer. The terminal gives some more information about the Assimilated
: Civilians. "Watch for friendly fire"... Should have said that to
: the Bobs :P
: When killing large groups of sims, be careful because their physics have been
: changed somewhat since Marathon 1. In M1, when they detonate their damage
: is inflicted on the very first frame of animation, at the exact moment of
: their death. This is calculated in the same frame that they died, so
: killing a group of sims results in them all going off at once. However, in
: Marathon 2, the explosion was moved to the second frame of animation, when
: they begin to burst. One side effect of this is that M1 sims explode at
: the exact spot they were killed every time, but if an M2 sim is killed
: with significant force it will be hurled through the air, land somewhere
: else, and then explode. So, when killing groups, be prepared to dodge
: dangerous corpses hurled in your direction by their exploding comrades.
: What is the meaning of the mysterious underground room full of assimilated
: civilians and monsters? I believe it was meant to be a makeshift prison,
: into which all captive Pfhor and discovered Sims were herded when the Bobs
: took over this facility. The Sims would have to be captured through
: trickery rather than combat; since they are capable of living among humans
: they must be able to suppress detonation when required and the humans
: could capture them without letting them know that their secret's out, much
: like the sting operations real-life police often use to serve warrants
: (for example, Homer's "boat lottery" on a certain Simpsons
: episode). The two brown (security) Bobs outside the room on a ledge would
: have been serving as guards, they have a clear field of fire across the
: only way in or out of the room. (I'm ignoring the fact that the monsters
: teleport in; this may have been a mistake or a deliberate inconsistency
: meant to make the room more exciting.)
: Near the end, in the room where the Shotgun is found, there are two switches
: hidden in the walls of the hallway. One of these drops a crushing platform
: on the monsters, one crushes the Bobs. Hit them both :P If you're playing
: co-op, this room actually has three shotguns, and there's an M-75 with
: ammo in the south dark room earlier in the level.
: The exit terminal reveals more information about the mysterious AI, which is
: now named Thoth.
And don't forget the secret Invicibility Powerup behind the shield powerup at the start. Try and reach it. :-)
Cheers
Hamish
