While I'll have to think about this one for a while because I'm just barely into Bowa Seko, I can recall enough detail to list some of my experiences from last years plays through.
Missions I like:
- PetroSahel has to top the list because of all the flammables - I like to sneak in from the northeast, take out the sniper on the first tank, and then make my way to his spot, from which I can use the MP5 to silently ignite the propane and acetylene tanks
- Driving the nitrous tanks to Sefapane - because I like to come into the dental clinic through the narrow passage from the west - I usually kill the mercs in an GLAT near the post office, and set it up in the narrow gap on the western side of the clinic. I don't lob grenades into the area because that might set off the big truck. Instead, I hurl a grenade relatively close and then do in the mercs as they investigate. Then it is lots of fun making my way into Sefapane in the truck, driving into the garage, and fighting with my buddy. However, in the past, I've run out of town on the road north and left my buddy to do his/her w@&k alone >:D
- The Dogon village - partly because I like sneaking in from the southeast, and partly because it looks like some of the actual pictures of the real Dogon village. Plus, it is fun to fly the glider out of there, and land near the safe house in the desert.
Missions I don't like:
- Mostly the ones near the southern end of Lake Segolo, particularly the brewery missions. For some reason I just don't like the road from Mike's heading west.
- The ending missions - they are a bit too linear for me and feel like the developers ran out of time and couldn't properly finish in an open world way.
most favourites:
OCG with your buddy flying over the site spraying some stuff that renders the place leafless.. I always loved to watch that plane fly by and watch the plants die :)
Arms dealer missions.. hehehe, rewarding in every aspect :-()
Assassination missions.. love to do those >:D
Barge mission. Something to look forward to, always a thrill, and it means unlocking Bowa Seco, new weapons to get, Mike's at the marina is my favourite place to return to.. :)
Blowing up the kiln in Dogon Village.. always very challenging and a lot of mercs to deal with >:D
least favourites:
Starting out. Useless attempt to survive, malaria or town mercs will get you.. waking up and having to do the tutorial yet again.. hehe
Same when you have to decide whether to help your buddies at Mike's or the priest in the church.. always the same useless fight and endless cutscene.
The oasis mission with the gold stash down that digging site. I hate that the ruckus already starts while you're trying to crawl out of the hole in the ground.. So hard to get a decent start, stay alive, and keep your rescue buddy alive as well.
Sepoko when you try to get the diamond case and the Jackal stomps your lights out. Kind of anticlimactic particularly because of the endless cutscene that follows.
In Lebowa, blowing up the train because I can't race down the rail track any more (easy way to go around the map) after the train remains as a massive obstacle
Sefapane, blowing up the garage because the town looks so much better without that smoldering ruin. I often skip that mission just to be able to enjoy yet another wipe-out of town mercs in an intact town ;)
Everything from the prison onwards, because it is linear, you can't go back, and the whole end bit is not really satisfactory or logical.
missions I forgot to mention:
missions I forgot to mention in favourites or least favourites.. LOL ^+-+
I pretty much agree with you guys. Here's some buddy side missions I like/dislike:
Like:
Michele's mission to get the case from the Railyard
If possible, I try to hold off on this one until I've unlocked the Dragunov. Once I have that, I go in along the track to the east of the Railyard and perch on the jutting spur of rock, which provides a panoramic view of the yard. First I take out the sniper on the rooftop, then proceed to drop as many mercs as possible. If any try to hide among the nearby rail cars, I flush them out with Molotovs. There are also a number of barrels and gas cylinders which can be targeted from the rock, which can help flush out more distant hiders. Finally I go in with a MAC-10 and finish off the survivors. I really like the layout of the Railyard.
Warren's mission to get the bag of dope from OCG
As with the main OCG mission, this is one of my favourite places in Leboa for a scrap. Lots of baddies and lots of ways around and through. Sometimes I go in from the river end, sometimes via the path to the south. Either way, there are good initial sniping spots on the way in. Snipe, relocate, snipe, relocate, repeat as many times as necessary. Lots of cover around the perimeter make this process eminently doable, but I always make sure I have a MAC or a PKM on hand in case I get swarmed.
I find it amusing to imagine my guy driving back to Mike's high a a kite on khat :-()
Andre's mission to get the "trophy" from Weelegol Village
Any excuse to go to Weelegol! Another snipe fest, this time from the rock outcrop to the NW. Nice high location from which to plug some barrels and get a nice blaze going among the village's wooden buildings, and drive the mercs into the open to be picked off. The distant rocket guy can also be tagged from up there. Once in the village, just need to ensure that nobody mans the mounted grenade launcher, as that can put a serious dent in the day. As with the Railyard, I really like the layout of this place.
Dislike:
Andre's mission to get the briefcase from the pumphouse
I simply hate that part of the map, especially that clairvoyant clown with the mortar. As was discussed in another thread, it seems that if the mortar guy manages to smoke-mark you in that region, it can eliminate your capacity for stealth for the rest of the game. Discussion here:
http://openworldgames.org/owg/forums/index.php?topic=1670.0 (http://openworldgames.org/owg/forums/index.php?topic=1670.0)
Plus Andre's snide "What took you so long?" after getting back to Mike's makes me want to put his briefcase someplace where he'll always be able to find it >:D
Michele's mission to off the two drug dealers
Warren's mission to blow up the fuel at Shwasana
Josip's mission to bump off the shonky used-car salesman
Just dull, "place-filler" missions that are too easy to accomplish once you know how.
These were the buddies' side missions that initially sprang to my mind.
Leboa-Sako region I have two favorites:
PetroSahel: I usualy approach it from the south further down hill from where the hang glider is to find a spot on top of some flat rocks with a clear view, first I get the merc on top of the fuel tank, then all the fuel drums and gas cilinders, once the whole place is of fire the rest of the mercs is running around trying to dodge flying cilinders and flames not knowing where the shooting is coming from then it's easy picking them off one by one. :-D
North Railyard: I also go along the track on the eastern side and find a spot amongst the rocks on the left. The rooftop sniper has to go first, depending on which mission i'm on will determine my next move, also lots of fuel drums and gas cilinders to confuse the mercs........... ;D
Bowa-Seko region I also have two favourites:
Dogon Village: I sneak in from the north eastern side hugging the mountain on the right untill entering the village, sneaking past the drum with the fire in and just ahead is one of the adobe huts with a carved out ladder agains the one wall, everytime I do this I can actually sneak up to this hut and only when I start climbing the ladder do the spot me but making it to the roof top with out a problem, first the merch with the mortar has to be taken out otherwise things can get hot on that rooftop, from there on it's a cat and mouse game.... :-D
Post Office: It's easy to approach from the west hugging the mountain, fairly close to the buildings is a ledge from where I can take out the two fuel tanks just to get the ball rolling.
My least favourites?? can only think of one. The ending mission, the developers must have run out of steam and ideas, the same thing happened with FarCry 1........... :'( :'(
By the way, nexor, congrats on making top gunner (100 posts) :-X -- I hadn't noticed the last time, but now I have ;D
Indeed - another Top gunner :-X
Shucks guys, you shouldn't have...... :-[ :-[
Thanks guys, just what I needed to make me feel better :) I don't know when this IP problem's going to be solved, hope this coming week.........thanks again guys.
Oh and by the way, my apologies to both you PZ and Art for doubting you :-[ you guys are really true friends and yet another reason why it's so great to be part of OWG, I salute you!!
No worries, nexor - you've been a valuable member of our organization for a long time, and it is certainly not your fault that your provider is having difficulties with some of their IPs. :-X - keeping fingers crossed that the problem is resolved soon.
Besides, you're the only regularly posting member we have from the theme country of one of our favorite games, and we're thrilled to have your perspectives ;)
PS: your FC2 favorites are among mine as well :-X
nexor, chillax ;D :-X