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"I hate it when he does that"
Okay, time for another FFXII entry!
I must admit I've been avoiding these a little bit, because I find transcribing stuff tedious and, although not a lot goes on in my life, sometimes lately I've just felt too gosh danged tired to write one out (the last month or so has not been fun energy or pain levels wise; I feel a bit better now, though).
It goes without saying that there are spoilers within!
~
So! Old Archades! I was stuck here forever because of Jules! I don't know about you guys, but I find his colour scheme camouflages him against the colour scheme of the area and when you have to talk to him the second time, I find he blends in too well.
I don't actually see the point of him, apart from maybe to inform us that Cid is Balthier's dad, although that point is more strongly made soon enough, so ??? (I mean, you can kind of piece it together from hints that are dropped (esp the scenes at the Phon Coast), but I suppose this is like the biggest thing in case you haven't got there yet?
Usually I help Beasley out with his missing money, but I did the moogles this time. This leads to someone running on screen yelling, "The moogles are rioting!" Which honestly I'm sad we didn't see.
Anyway, onto Archades itself. The matching game to get chops sucks bollocks. Some of it is super easy, and some of it is really hard and there's no middle ground (and also chasing around for chops is like the worse fetch quest. I suppose I should be grateful I'm not having to run the length of the world map to do it). I did once do all the matches to get the Super Special Chop™ but I'm also pretty sure I used a walkthrough, because there's no way I did that on my own.
ALSO! I went to Draklor and didn't get a game over fighting the Judges and Imperial Army! (Usually I do because I haven't levelled enough, but I think I must have been at about what the game expects this time).
So: Reddas.
I think there's a lot going on in his introductory scene where people know exactly who he is (and he knows who certain other individuals are), but nobody is saying anything. Which is kind of frustrating, but also avoids a lot of awkwardness? And, of course, sets up The Reveal later on.
Like I reckon Reddas and Balthier know each other visually, because they must have crossed paths in the past. And even if they hadn't because of Plot™, surely Reddas has done research on Cid past "this guy is messing about with nethecite," surely.
The fight versus Cid seemed to go easily. I tried not to cheat (i.e. use Quickenings), and took the Rooks out manually, which was a pain in the arse. Cid went down fairly easily after that, as Basch was doing about 2200HP per hit at that point. Because he's good at hitting things and killing them, which is one of the reasons I like him.
The following cutscenes confirm what we already suspected/knew: that Cid is Balthier's dad, which explains SO MUCH about a lot of things. And then he tells them he's off to Giruvegan, in case they feel like kicking his arse again.
Here in my notes is a note that I paid no attention to the cutscenes in Balfonheim, so please excuse me while I take a short trip to Youtube...
Okay, I'm back! (Did you miss me? ;) )
So basically we learn that Ondore and Reddas have been talking about Shit Going Down, and the both of them would like to avoid an all out war, but there's not a lot either of them can do. Also what's the betting Ondore knows who Reddas is?
AHHHHHH and Ondore helped Reddas get into Draklor! I have missed that every single time I've played this game before.
And there are hints here about who Reddas used to be (his reaction to Ondore asking for the Midlight Shard makes SO MUCH MORE SENSE with hindsight).
Also nethicite is totally lyrium, yeah? A stone that can give you amazing magical powers but basically fucks you up, right? (I wouldn't have even thought about this had I not just restarted Dragon Age II, but here we are. OH GOD ACTUALLY THIS TOTALLY MAKES SENSE. The team who worked on Dragon Age said they took a lot of inspiration from FFXII, which was to do with gameplay and interface but OMFG LYRIUM. It's fucking nethicite but without summons).
And then Vaan is desperate to go to Giruvegan because TREASURE! And Reddas thinks Cid is lying about, well, everything.
The route to Girguvegan is through the Feywood which, of course, means another gimmicky boss fight in the form of Raffelesia.
I decided to hoof it the entire way there for LP/EXP. I bought a couple of armour/weapon upgrades in Balfonheim. I didn't bother with the second level black magic, because I don't use it so what's the point in having it?
I misremembered there being a save point before the Feywood. The nearest one is at Eruyt Village, so I ended up saving at the start of Golmore Jungle.
I discovered an area of infinitely spawning skeleton enemies, which is probably really good for levelling, but I was tired and just wanted to save my game.
(On my way there, I saw an Entite for the first time ever in the Cerobi Steppe. I did not stop to make friends with it, as you can imagine).
Basically, everything in the Feywood tried to kill me, and almost flipping succeeded. I also forgot the Preying Mantises can use cannibalise and get stronger/acquire more levels so they are basically entite level strong, which didn't help me AT ALL.
The Raffelesia fight was a crapshoot, as usual, although it only took me two goes to do it, so yay? The second time was a lot of hacking and slashing because its gimmick is that it drains your MP and MP heal items are rare! (I guess Osmose exists, but I don't know for sure, and it's probably not worth using in that fight if it does).
To Girguvegan!
I was going to leave this for the next post, but I think the next post should be the Pharos + End Game, because after this, that's all that's really left.
The Daedalus fight took three goes, plus cheating via Quickening chains (but isn't that what they're meant for?)
ALSO HOLY FUCK ENTITE! I do usually see one in Giruvegan, but I never normally see this many per game unless I go looking for them (because some only come out in specific weather conditions).
I must've got a game over, but neglected to mention it, probably down to Behemoths rather than entites. Those things are my nemesis, as I've noted before, and not just in this Final Fantasy. At least they don't cast Meteor, I guess.
The Great Crystal is confusing because you don't have a map, as such, and therefore it's easy to run around in circles and get lost. Which is precisely what I did, at least twice.
The fight against Shemhazai was easy enough, and she went down to a seventeen hit Quickening chain, which is about my best score on those.
And then, of course, Ashe gets an entire cutscene to herself and the Occuria, where they tell her about the Pharos, because obviously Cid already knew, but wasn't sharing.
Because Reddas was right, and Cid was bullshitting, and this whole trip was a wild goose chase! (Well, kind of; it's here where the Occuria make it clear they want Ashe to be their physical presence, and where we find out that Venat is working against the other Occuria).
Presumably it was them giving her the visions of Rasler? I always thought for some reason that it was Venat, but likely not?
There must have also been a cutscene with Larsa and Vayne, because I made a note that says Larsa is such a little ball of trusting. And also that "may you attain all that is your due" is essentially saying, "I hope you get what you deserve," and how that isn't always a good thing.
Apparently, I also discovered the second entrance to the Henne Mines, and almost got my arse kicked by level 64 Abysteels. LOVELY.
I think this is as good a place as any to leave this, so hopefully it won't be almost two months before what may well be the final update! (The final update! It's only taken me five years to get here...)
<--- Mosphoran Highwaste to Sochen Cave Palace | The Pharos to the End --->
I must admit I've been avoiding these a little bit, because I find transcribing stuff tedious and, although not a lot goes on in my life, sometimes lately I've just felt too gosh danged tired to write one out (the last month or so has not been fun energy or pain levels wise; I feel a bit better now, though).
It goes without saying that there are spoilers within!
~
So! Old Archades! I was stuck here forever because of Jules! I don't know about you guys, but I find his colour scheme camouflages him against the colour scheme of the area and when you have to talk to him the second time, I find he blends in too well.
I don't actually see the point of him, apart from maybe to inform us that Cid is Balthier's dad, although that point is more strongly made soon enough, so ??? (I mean, you can kind of piece it together from hints that are dropped (esp the scenes at the Phon Coast), but I suppose this is like the biggest thing in case you haven't got there yet?
Usually I help Beasley out with his missing money, but I did the moogles this time. This leads to someone running on screen yelling, "The moogles are rioting!" Which honestly I'm sad we didn't see.
Anyway, onto Archades itself. The matching game to get chops sucks bollocks. Some of it is super easy, and some of it is really hard and there's no middle ground (and also chasing around for chops is like the worse fetch quest. I suppose I should be grateful I'm not having to run the length of the world map to do it). I did once do all the matches to get the Super Special Chop™ but I'm also pretty sure I used a walkthrough, because there's no way I did that on my own.
ALSO! I went to Draklor and didn't get a game over fighting the Judges and Imperial Army! (Usually I do because I haven't levelled enough, but I think I must have been at about what the game expects this time).
So: Reddas.
I think there's a lot going on in his introductory scene where people know exactly who he is (and he knows who certain other individuals are), but nobody is saying anything. Which is kind of frustrating, but also avoids a lot of awkwardness? And, of course, sets up The Reveal later on.
Like I reckon Reddas and Balthier know each other visually, because they must have crossed paths in the past. And even if they hadn't because of Plot™, surely Reddas has done research on Cid past "this guy is messing about with nethecite," surely.
The fight versus Cid seemed to go easily. I tried not to cheat (i.e. use Quickenings), and took the Rooks out manually, which was a pain in the arse. Cid went down fairly easily after that, as Basch was doing about 2200HP per hit at that point. Because he's good at hitting things and killing them, which is one of the reasons I like him.
The following cutscenes confirm what we already suspected/knew: that Cid is Balthier's dad, which explains SO MUCH about a lot of things. And then he tells them he's off to Giruvegan, in case they feel like kicking his arse again.
Here in my notes is a note that I paid no attention to the cutscenes in Balfonheim, so please excuse me while I take a short trip to Youtube...
Okay, I'm back! (Did you miss me? ;) )
So basically we learn that Ondore and Reddas have been talking about Shit Going Down, and the both of them would like to avoid an all out war, but there's not a lot either of them can do. Also what's the betting Ondore knows who Reddas is?
AHHHHHH and Ondore helped Reddas get into Draklor! I have missed that every single time I've played this game before.
And there are hints here about who Reddas used to be (his reaction to Ondore asking for the Midlight Shard makes SO MUCH MORE SENSE with hindsight).
Also nethicite is totally lyrium, yeah? A stone that can give you amazing magical powers but basically fucks you up, right? (I wouldn't have even thought about this had I not just restarted Dragon Age II, but here we are. OH GOD ACTUALLY THIS TOTALLY MAKES SENSE. The team who worked on Dragon Age said they took a lot of inspiration from FFXII, which was to do with gameplay and interface but OMFG LYRIUM. It's fucking nethicite but without summons).
And then Vaan is desperate to go to Giruvegan because TREASURE! And Reddas thinks Cid is lying about, well, everything.
The route to Girguvegan is through the Feywood which, of course, means another gimmicky boss fight in the form of Raffelesia.
I decided to hoof it the entire way there for LP/EXP. I bought a couple of armour/weapon upgrades in Balfonheim. I didn't bother with the second level black magic, because I don't use it so what's the point in having it?
I misremembered there being a save point before the Feywood. The nearest one is at Eruyt Village, so I ended up saving at the start of Golmore Jungle.
I discovered an area of infinitely spawning skeleton enemies, which is probably really good for levelling, but I was tired and just wanted to save my game.
(On my way there, I saw an Entite for the first time ever in the Cerobi Steppe. I did not stop to make friends with it, as you can imagine).
Basically, everything in the Feywood tried to kill me, and almost flipping succeeded. I also forgot the Preying Mantises can use cannibalise and get stronger/acquire more levels so they are basically entite level strong, which didn't help me AT ALL.
The Raffelesia fight was a crapshoot, as usual, although it only took me two goes to do it, so yay? The second time was a lot of hacking and slashing because its gimmick is that it drains your MP and MP heal items are rare! (I guess Osmose exists, but I don't know for sure, and it's probably not worth using in that fight if it does).
To Girguvegan!
I was going to leave this for the next post, but I think the next post should be the Pharos + End Game, because after this, that's all that's really left.
The Daedalus fight took three goes, plus cheating via Quickening chains (but isn't that what they're meant for?)
ALSO HOLY FUCK ENTITE! I do usually see one in Giruvegan, but I never normally see this many per game unless I go looking for them (because some only come out in specific weather conditions).
I must've got a game over, but neglected to mention it, probably down to Behemoths rather than entites. Those things are my nemesis, as I've noted before, and not just in this Final Fantasy. At least they don't cast Meteor, I guess.
The Great Crystal is confusing because you don't have a map, as such, and therefore it's easy to run around in circles and get lost. Which is precisely what I did, at least twice.
The fight against Shemhazai was easy enough, and she went down to a seventeen hit Quickening chain, which is about my best score on those.
And then, of course, Ashe gets an entire cutscene to herself and the Occuria, where they tell her about the Pharos, because obviously Cid already knew, but wasn't sharing.
Because Reddas was right, and Cid was bullshitting, and this whole trip was a wild goose chase! (Well, kind of; it's here where the Occuria make it clear they want Ashe to be their physical presence, and where we find out that Venat is working against the other Occuria).
Presumably it was them giving her the visions of Rasler? I always thought for some reason that it was Venat, but likely not?
There must have also been a cutscene with Larsa and Vayne, because I made a note that says Larsa is such a little ball of trusting. And also that "may you attain all that is your due" is essentially saying, "I hope you get what you deserve," and how that isn't always a good thing.
Apparently, I also discovered the second entrance to the Henne Mines, and almost got my arse kicked by level 64 Abysteels. LOVELY.
I think this is as good a place as any to leave this, so hopefully it won't be almost two months before what may well be the final update! (The final update! It's only taken me five years to get here...)
<--- Mosphoran Highwaste to Sochen Cave Palace | The Pharos to the End --->
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Like I say, I wouldn't have even thought about it if I hadn't been thinking about how the lyrium idol affects Bartrand and then watched that cutscene with Ondore and Reddas, and that was what got me thinking.