Avernum 3-16: Finished!

So I finally finished! Super fun game. This might just be the best Avernum yet! And as I recall, I didn't like the original version of this game as much as the others. But this had lots of variety and a bunch of stuff added so that it was constantly interesting (except for the Golem factory, which actually is optional just because it's so difficult).

At the endgame we get to go back to the caves, and that's absolutely fitting for Avernum. First, we have to get through the barrier to it:

The Great Walls

After fighting our way through this Vahnatai enclosure, we emerge, TA DA! into the caves! Wheee!

Battle won, here's the entrance

At last! Home! (sort of)

And we battle our way through this area, learning just a bit from an unsuspected ally, until we reach the final dome of the great Vahnatai mage, Rentar-Ihrno. 

See the blue dome at the end

The battles here really aren't all that tough, but we do get to go exploring and pick up lots more loot. I do not know why I bother to pick up loot when I know I'm at the endgame. There is no place to sell it or spend the cash. Just habit. It's fun. (It's greed.)

But finally we find stairways that get us into the basement. There, we have to focus four beams onto the crystal. Fortunately, there are no movable mirrors involved, only switches.

All done!

That done, it's back upstairs for the final battle. Frankly, I didn't find even the final battle all that difficult. The main goal is just to get one character through to the control panel.

Not really that tough to break through

Once we reach the control panel, we just have to decide which buttons to push. It's not immediately apparent when we've got it right, but eventually, it works.

Hint: one's wrong. That gives solvable options.

I finally got it. Did not look it up. And when you've got it, you just sit back and watch the final spectacular sequence:

Destruction!

Rewards!

But here's a very nice touch. Jeff Vogel, at the end of the game, thanks us for playing! That's sweet and appreciated.

And it's a nice ending too!

Don't forget to look at your medals! I finally got the "home" medal. I had assumed that it was for buying Hawke's Manse during the game, but nope, it's for finding a new home for Avernites. And then, we also get a nice hero medal.

Almost filled in!

I got the medal for completing the game on the "normal" setting. If I want the other two, I would have to do it on "hard" and then, apparently, on "torment." 

I know I can't win on torment. However, I did get through an Avadon game on hard. 

I think I just might try it!

Thanks for following my adventures with Avernum 3!