Mother Part #19 - Explosionface Helps Me Not Be Lost

Part 19: Explosionface Helps Me Not Be Lost

Update Nineteen: Explosionface Helps Me Not Be Lost

Welcome back. Last time, on Mother, we found the town of Easter and learned how to teleport. Today, we're going to be making our way to the town of Valentine, but we've gotta get through a swamp first, so let's rock.

Before we go too far, Explosionface gave me a map of this place when I asked him for directions. I'm including this map at the beginning, as a thumbnail, as it's pretty friggin' huge.

All in all, this place isn't too bad, just very twisty and turny. It's a touch confusing at times and encounters are on in full force, including some new enemies.

This bridge leads to the swamp and has the final child we're going to to talk to.

I'm glad we don't have to fight the child, as I'd feel bad beating his brains in with a boomerang.

This is another spot where there's not a lot to say about what's going on. It's just going through a featureless swamp.

Hell, it's barely even a swamp. It's just some rivers and a path. Swamps are usually gross and shit, but this is just some blue water and green grass.

These bridges connect the bits of land and let you get through the swamp; there's a few that lead to dead end, but they aren't very big dead ends, so you can see where you went wrong pretty much immediately.

Here's a quick shot to show where we are; we've gotta go east and south to reach Valentine.

So, let's get back to it.

To break up the tedium here, let's have a new enemy type appear!

These guys have 120 HP and hit pretty damned hard.

Those two shots are just about the only things you need to know about these guys.

And really, this is a pretty good summary of the swamp. Ask anyone who's played this game. The swamp is boring. It's not even very difficult, even though there are new enemies with some nasty abilities.

Here we go. Something semi-interesting.

Y'know how some enemies are just kinda "there" in a game? Like, they're not super interesting or do anything fantastic, but they certainly exist in the game?

Omega Saucers are pretty much those enemies. This fight actually started with two of these guys, but I only showed one. I don't know why I told you that.

Merry gained herself a level, too, which is always nice.

I learned a new appreciation for Merry going through this swamp.

It comes from PSI Freeze Gamma.

Y'know how I told you that it lowers an enemy's HP to critical levels?

I don't think I've found an enemy that it doesn't work on yet.

Hell, it apparently even worked on the Dragon from Magicant. I don't know how many bosses it works on, but if it works on any of them, sweet Jesus, Merry, you're terrifying.

As a lot of fights that I do that have two or more enemies have Leo decimating one of the enemies, while Merry and Champ kill the other with a Freeze Gamma/Champ weakly throwing a Boomerang combo.

It took me far too long to find a way to make Champ not suck, but there's also something in the next town that will help with that.

This next encounter gave me some strange flashbacks.

And possibly some future nightmares.

Mooks have 102 HP to their name and they are assholes.

Brainshock is actually pretty damned scary in this game, especially if it hits Merry. I had a Freeze Gamma queued up here. Champ got hit by it, so at least it wasn't someone important.

Leo gains himself a level.

There is one good thing in this swamp. If not for that thing, I don't know if I would have even shown you the swamp.

So, yeah, you guys enjoying the thread? Or are you ready for it to be done, because Mother is actually kind of a boring game?

Wait just a second before telling me that I suck; I have a robo-lady to defeat.

Jane here has 123 HP and is actually a touch dangerous.

Not only can she drop your HP to critical levels, but she can also cut off your PSI for the fight, leaving you to rely on items to heal.

All in all, maybe if she had a friend, Jane might be intimidating. As it stands, by herself, I didn't see much to cause concern.

Anyways, updates are probably going to be coming a touch more frequently than my original update schedule, as I'm pretty ready to be done with this thread.

Doesn't it look like I'm lost? I'm not, really.

Some of you might be calling bullshit on me not being lost, but for once, I kind of know where I'm going.

However, this house makes the swamp worthwhile for me.

First, we get to meet Champ's father. These two have a bit in common.

I'm not sure if he knows Leo's dad or whatever, but Champ's dad asks us if we chose the right name earlier.

For now, I said yes, as I think we have a good name.

But, if you wish to change the name, BOLD A VOTE. As in Earthbound, let's keep it tasteful.

Anywho, let's head into this house.

PIPPI

Some of you might remember Pippi from the beginning of the game, from when we rescued her. Last we knew, we left her back with her mom in Mother's Day...

Oh, Pippi, you little scamp.

Pippi, how long have you been gone from home? D-Does your mother know you're not dead?

Despite my questions, I have no choice but to stay the night. Free heals are free heals, and Pippi can handle herself.

This little path here nearly caught me off-guard, as it looks like it leads to nothing.

But it leads to something, and right now, I'd like you to meet Caroline and the Atomic Robot. The Atomic Robot might look a bit familiar.

I cannot find Caroline's HP value, and I can't find the Atomic Robot's either.

But, it's around 100 HP. And the Atomic Robot, as they will in Earthbound, explodes when killed.

However, as there is no rolling HP meter in this game, these guys suck far more than they do in Earthbound. On the other hand, you don't have to save them for last, but I never saw them replenish a fuel supply or anything, so I don't think they're as big of dicks as they are in Earthbound.

We're almost done here, I swear. Pippi's place is a good 75% marker, I think, so if you reach there, just keep on truckin'.

It was at this point that I started skipping more frames than usual when taking shots, so some of these might seem disjointed.

Throughout this, I'm watching the Vicas LP of Super Mario 64, where he plays with his feet.

Like, I'm fucking horrid at Super Mario 64, and seeing this man do shit with his feet I can't do with my hands, I feel bad.

Still, if you need an LP to watch or just have going for noise, Vicas made an excellent LP, with good commentary.

This fight was a couple more Mooks.

I only mentioned it because Merry gained a level. And plus, I'm also done plugging Vicas' LP.

What, don't judge me for it. I've seen it happen in the VLPs, so I thought it'd be okay to do it in a SSLP.

Though, that probably counts as name-dropping, and now I look like a douche.

Explosionface, I already know what you were thinking. Shut the fuck up. Thanks for the map, though.

We're pretty much out of the swamp now, too.

We've just gotta head north now for a bit.

Still in danger, though. Starmen are nothing new, but the Death Barbot is.

They've got 93 HP at max, and this is just about the best thing to happen when they appear in a fight. They've got PK Beam Gamma, and they are more than willing to use it. Regular Barbots can use it, too, but I've seen that once. I've seen it at least four times from these guys, and I've only fought like, two of them.

But, Leo gains a level from the affair, so I don't quite hate him as much as I could.

Here's the map again, just to show you how far we've come.

Also, look at how fucking far Pippi is from Mother's Day. Jesus Christ, how I wish she was in my party instead of Champ, as she did that shit on her own.

With this bridge crossed, we're out of the swamp. But, we're not done with this update yet.

Because, fuck! Seagulls!

They only have 100 HP, but they got some good attack power and always appear in groups.

Their defense is good, too, as Leo can't crush their souls in one shot.

Champ levels up, but he's still not that great. But, there is something in the Valentine that is going to boost his awesome potential to Leo-like levels, so there is hope.

And by this sign, we just gotta go west.

So let's roll.

Now, here, I had a chance to head off the path.

Fuck it, I'm a rebel.

What the fuck is that guy to our right wearing? It looks like suspenders, but now I'm imagining him as a clown.

...What the fuck kind of name for a mountain is Holy Loly? Firefox doesn't even recognize Loly as a word!

We'll be going there, though, and those of you who have played this game before know it by a different name, and may or may not be frothing at the mouth at the name change.

As for me, I'm still confused at the decision to name it "Holy Loly". Fan translation and all, but seriously, guy, fuck you. That's a terrible name and you should be dick-slapped for thinking it sounded good.