Level 8: Mars Processing Station

Helena: "Monsieur Parolles, you were born under a charitable star."
Parolles: "Under Mars, I."
Helena: "I especially think, under Mars."
Parolles: "Why under Man?"
Helena: "The wars hath so kept you under that you must needs be born under Mars."
Parolles: "When he was predominant."
Helena: "When he was retrograde, I think, rather."
Parolles: "Why think you so?"
Helena: "You go so much backward when you fight."

All's Well That Ends Well - Act I, Scene 1


Introduction:

Well, from the excerpt from Shakespeare, is that not how we would normally fight in Descent? Parolles was considered a coward. You will have to pretty much act like a coward and go backward often in this level if you want to make it out whole. As Parolles would say after the excerpt, "That's for advantage." It will prove to be your advantage.

This level contains your first plasma cannon and smart missile. You will meet a new breed of lifters: the Advanced Lifter and the Secondary Lifter, and yes, they are harder to destroy than a Medium Lifter. In addition, you will meet a Supervisory Robot for the first time...care to make PTMC's case with the mines with the supervisory robot?


Warnings:


Blue Key Room

At first glance, you will immediately think that this key is going to reduce your chances of getting out of the level alive. It seems like there is a Class 1 Driller guarding every door. You can't fire your homing missiles in time. What do you do?

The secret to this room is a cloaking device located nearby in a tower. Just grab the cloaking device and blast each driller with a homing missile, and then grab the key.

If you want to immediately attempt to get the yellow key, you may either head back to the opening room and access the two blue doors located there or you may head down the corridor to Trap Junction.

There is also an energy generator in this area.


Your First Smart Missile

This is the room where you can get your first Smart Missile. it is located en route to Trap Junction.

You will have to locate a sand-colored room full of Advanced Lifters and Spider Processing Robots and a energy generator. Destroy all robots and head down the dead-end corridor and destroy the Medium Hulk located there.

This "dead-end" corridor is not a dead-end corridor. There is a secret door which will lead you to the room with the Smart Missile.

But, watch out! This missile is guarded by two Class 1 Drillers!


Trap Junction

I call this area Trap Junction because it resembles a trap in plumbing applications and it is also a trap used for destroying you. I am devoting attention here because it contains a route to a blue door and it contains one of the two Plasma Cannons in this level.

When you enter, the three rooms indicated cannot be opened. You will have to physically enter the room before the doors will open. When you have crossed the "hole," all three doors will open. The room located inside the main room will release a great number of Secondary Lifters, which must be destroyed before attempting to grab the Plasma Cannon.

If the doors close when you attempt to grab the invulnerability or the Plasma Cannon, just reenter the room again.

There is also an invulnerability in this area if needed.

You may access the blue door by going down the hole in the floor.


Yellow Key Room

If you are entering via the blue doors in the opening room, you will face opposition almost immediately. The two shafts are guarded by a great amount of Secondary Lifters, Advanced Lifter, Class 1 Drones, and an occasional Class 1 Driller. You will have to destroy them all in order to go any further.

If you are entering via Trap Junction, you should face little opposition.

There is a Supervisory Robot in this area. You should destroy it since he will drop three shield powerups....

To get to the yellow key, you will have to locate a room with a robot generator. Keep going down the passageway and keep looking for a branching corridor. This is the corridor to the yellow key, which is guarded by a Super Hulk(grumble).

You will have to return to the room from where you obtained the blue key to access the yellow door.


Red Key Room

(Not another robot generator!)

After entering the yellow door, you will come to a fork. The left fork leads you to the hostage cell door.

The right fork leads you through a series of rooms leading to the red key. The first room is the one with the robot generator, which will immediately activate as soon as you enter the room, releasing Secondary Lifters. In addition, there are Medium Hulks guarding the perimeter of the robot generator. You will have to pass through this area by destroying as many enemies as possible.

Under the robot generator is another plasma cannon....Grab this cannon if you could not get the one in Trap Junction.

The next chamber is guarded by a Spider Processing Robot. Destroy it, and take the cloaking device indicated in the secret room.

The chamber with the red key is guarded by a Super Hulk. Since you have the cloaking device, just destroy the Super Hulk as quickly as possible and get the red key. Once you grab the key, go in a little further and the secret door indicated will open. Grab the shield and energy powerups, and head for the red door.


Reactor Room

Once you enter the red door, you wll be attacked by Spider Processing Units, Secondary Lifters, and a Super Hulk. Destroy them all before heading to the reactor.

The reactor room is extremely dim, so you may have a need to fire some flares to assist you in navigating the reactor room.

There is a cache of missiles as indicated on the map.

The reactor is guarded by two Medium Hulks and one Super Hulk. You should destroy them before attacking the reactor.

The reactor is located in a niche slightly covered by an overhang. You may have to use a combination of missiles and lasers with this reactor.


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