Ink & Dust does NOT get better than ANiR 2: Discovery, oh boy it does not. Despite all the visual splendor, great scripts, lots of custom stuff added, and a huge area to play, it all falls flat... because of the gameplay, again. DrK really did his trilogy a disservice, by opting for the most excruciating, frustrating, annoying, slog-ish and time consuming way to do a huge "Compound" type of mission.

Item hunt. ITEM. HUNT. INSANE ITEM HUNT. Multiple keys, multiple REQUIRED items to make some stuff to progress, loads of backtracking, huge areas to explore that feel like you're running around in circles, foggy objectives (short audio cue that you can't even understand which guy we're talking about is my favourite, and it's a required one to even start doing anything you're actually supposed to).

The best part is... I haven't found a map. See, a huge, 2-parts Compound, with multiple levels, rooms, and passages. No map. Is there even one? I don't believe so. And this... is absolutely insane, and absurd. To do this to your own huge-ass Compound mission, is just... I don't know. Whole trilogy by DrK, was this really supposed to be a depressing chore to play? Because it is. My God, just because of the sheer size of this level, it's even worse than ANiR 1. And that one... is some f-ed up shiet already.

Imagine rummaging around the whole level for nearly an hour, because you haven't found two ingredients to make the two remaining keys. And you keep going, keep going... until you find it, in one place you've already looked, but it's something that looks just like some food, in the kitchen. No loot there, no nothing. Just your normal kitchen. Nope, the 2 remaining required items are there. Not in the second storage room in the Basement, the very last room I was able to find locked, and was able to unlock it - nope, it's empty there. Nope, nope, nope, mort flesh and a human eye will be just laying around in the freaking kitchen, near the food.

I begged for mercy and some enlightenment, just so this mission finally freakin' ended. And that's the most damning thing I could say about something Thief-related. It was one of the most soul-sucking, nerve-racking experiences I've had when it comes to Thief series, and that includes The Lost City fiasco (awful), and Thieves Guild (garbage). It's literally the same level of "fun" - null. Gameplay-wise I rate this mission, and this whole trilogy while I'm at it (Discovery definitely on top), as garbage. It's the complete opposite of fun. It's 'praying to God it finally ends and you can move on with your game/your life' level of un-fun.

It's only so far your visual prowess, atmosphere, and story can take you - while the single most important thing in a game, the gameplay, is a... meh, there is no need to push this any further.

Atmosphere - great
Visuals - absolutely great
Story - very much quality, captivating, and lore-heavy. A good ending to the trilogy
Level Design - visually great, functionally abysmal and incomprehensible, especially without a god damn map
Gameplay/Objectives - utter garbage

Overall rating 6,5/10, the lowest of the trilogy. No halves on Thief Guild tho, hence that "weak" 7/10.