If you're so kind, I'll take a few minutes to be honest here:
Grimoire is released, yes, at last. Is it what was promised? No. Is it anything else than that chinese dish you crave for after a bender and that, although rather bland and cheap, satisfies your hunger nonetheless? Yes, it is. But it's just that.
On the other hand, I want to, to some extent, salute Cleve for his work, as flawed as it is, since it was still a one man's job.
And not any man. A guy who's pure narcissistic, self-absored nature allowed him to transcend the actual facts. He was just one step removed from a daily physical gang-bang by an angry mob of post-apocalyptic nihilists. He survived that, and managed to hold the line, the hype, and, in one way or another, his (hideously deformed [editor's note]) golden baby alive and kicking.
A single man was capable of entertaining thousands, in one way or an other, for 20+ fucking years, with nothing more than an outdated blobber that barely fitted the inital 1997 release.
And I do deeply respect that.
YET, for all the crap that went with it, and how, however amusing he was, he acted, as far as gamedesign is concerned, I'll paraphrase the saying of some early american slaver patriot toward one of their perceived traitors:
Benedict "Cleveland" Arnold, if captured? We'll bury the leg with military honours, then we'll hang the rest.
