Critical Role: Episode 58 and 59 Review
By: I.Am.No.Man
Critical Role Review: Episode 58 A Cycle of Vengeance
[arve url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRBzpiPccOs&list=PL7atuZxmT954bCkC062rKwXTvJtcqFB8i&index=64" /]
Summary: Vax faces Hotis, the rakshasa, who he previously killed as a contract killing for the Slayer’s Take. Hotis has returned with a vendetta and a ninja army. Vax perfects the art of falling, Pike shows more than she intends, Grog would like to rage.
Why To Watch: There’s ninja assassins, Hotis back from the dead and burning with vengeance, and a surprising amount of nudity. The fight scenes are amazing. There’s some close calls and tense moments when Vox Machina, dressed only in their night gowns, face deadly, poison-wielding assassins. Gilmore and Kashaw make a gory appearance.
MVP of the Session: Pike, for a freaking awesome 7th level Flame Strike against Hotis.
Highlights:
Vax vs. Rakshasa (12:03)
Ninjas! (17:20)
Scanlan to the Rescue (51:30)
How do you want to do this? (1:34:25)
Where is Gilmore? (1:47:38)
Kashaw 1 Ninja 0 (1:53:30)
The dead speak (2:05:20)
Raven Queen’s Armor (2:12:30)
Scanlan’s Marriage Proposal (3:05:39)
Vex’ahlia vs the Chicken (3:19:00)
The Fey Wilds (3:38:00)
Lowlights:
While the first half of the episode is amazing, the second half really loses its momentum. After returning from the mid episode break at 2:34:14, nothing really interesting happens.
Ashley Johnson has to leave Critical Role for a few months to film Blindside so Vox Machina say their long goodbyes to Pike. Seriously long goodbyes. Each person has their own private moment with her which really eats up the last half of the episode.
Technical Difficulties: The sound and video cut out briefly around 3:28:50 during the outro for the episode.
Episode 59: The Feywild
[arve url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_jwMsIv1oc&index=65&list=PL7atuZxmT954bCkC062rKwXTvJtcqFB8i" /]
Summary: Vox Machina explore the Feywild in search of another Vestige of Divergence. Grog reconnects with an old flame, Vex makes a new hairy friend, Percy is quite charmed. The half-elven twins, Vex and Vax begrudgingly return to their father’s home in the city of Syngorn.
Why to Watch: This is a fairly lighthearted episode with a lot of comedic character role play and some new, memorable NPC’s. Grog’s interactions with Nala, the nymph in the lake, are priceless. Garmili, the satyr, is as irreverent and slippery as you’d hope from a fey creature. Percy has a couple of awkward, but endearing mishaps that drive some interesting character development.
Highlights:
Keyleth and the flowers: (22:45)
Percy’s eagle eyes (26:22)
Grog’s attempts at love (36:00)
Pike Returns (39:55)
Vex’s curiosity (56:00)
Trinket speaks (1:14:54)
Garmili the satyr (1:27:00)
Garmili’s book full of dickbutts (1:34:30)
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (2:26:50)
Vex’s insecurity (2:30:05)
A portrait full of dickbutts (2:35:50)
Lowlights:
Role Playing: Marisha’s role playing as Keyleth really struggles for me this episode. She loses her character several times and ends up playing a rather whiny, stubborn child than a half elven princess. Everyone else has some great moments together and Vex, Percy and even Trinket the bear show some wonderful character development.
Video Quailty: Liam O’Brian skypes in for this session so his sound and video quality are a bit sub-par and difficult to hear.
Review:
[yasr_multiset setid=14]
There is a little bit of everything in these two episodes. A Cycle of Vengeance has some intense action/fight scenes and story lines. There is so much satisfaction in the edge-of-your-seat opening fight scene after last week’s cliffhanger. Gilmore and Kashaw’s cameos are perfectly epic and bloody. The Feywild has humor and heart and some great role playing. Grog’s interaction with Nala the nymph is role playing at its best. Matt’s role play of Garmili lends the light tone that this episode needed to keep things moving. Vex’ahlia’s moment with Trinket is adorable and will make you wish all pets could talk.
Next Week on Critical Role: Geek and Sundry bring Critical Role to the stage for their first ever Live episode! Will Vox Machina find what they seek in Syngorn?
