Part 18: Episode XVI: In Which We Fail to Understand How a Dam Works
Episode XVI: In Which We Fail to Understand How a Dam Works
Despite being so impoverish and oppressed that babies are dying in the streets, the Village of Sand manages to have a fully functional super market for all your smithy, medical, and fashion accessory needs. We're a bit low on funds for the top shelf item weapon in this famine stricken community. But, the other two are reasonably priced. Let's give a little bit back to the community, shall we?
Drakengard 2 Weapon Stories posted:
INJUSTICE
History:
Generations of heroes carried this sword as the symbol of freedom. To carry this sword, and to win acclaim as heroes, they had to shed much blood.
With this sword in hand, the heroes invaded foreign lands in the name of freedom. Their soldiers looted the lands and many innocent people died.
The sword was later stolen by a bandit and sold to a warmongering general. Subsequently, he too invaded neighboring kingdoms is the name of freedom, his soldiers looted the lands, and many innocent people died.
After each war, the sword changed hands. To this day, no one could find a hero wielding in the name of freedom.
Description: Helps realize a simple belief.
Traits: Excels at linear-sweep attacks.
Magic: "Sonic Burst" - Unleashes inner energy and revitalizes the wielder's body.
Psst. Nowe...I think the weapon is trying to tell you something with that story...
Drakengard 2 Weapon Stories posted:
PHILOSOPHER'S STAFF
History:
The magician had no friend. It was not that he disliked people - quite the contrary - nor was he a bad person to be around ( though he could be a little pedantic), yet anyone who met him seemed to hurry away as soon as they could. The poor man was at a loss to understand why.
One day, the magician was struck by a mysterious illness. Fever high, heart pounding, limbs shaking, he could hardly walk. He tried casting spells, but when they didn't help, he took up his favorite staff and headed for the medicine man.
After a trying journey, he explained his conditions to the medicine man. "The various symptoms afflicting my corporeal form are quite beyond the treatment of a layman unversed in the science of diagnosis - even one so familiar with the arcane -" But before he could finish, the medicine man muttered something about being busy and fled.
Having failed to obtain any medicine, the magician's conditions worsened and he died. If only he's realized that knowledge was not for flaunting, but for sharing in words that everyone could understand... If only he's been aware of this simple truth... perhaps he wouldn't have died of food poisoning.
Description: A staff that embodies knowledge.
Traits: Not many attack variations, but its magic makes up for this.
Magic: "Scarlet Wings" - A fireball shoots into the sky and rains down death.
Bwahahaha! That's more like it. Alright, thanks for the laugh. Let's get on with the next mission, mmm?
Verse 6: The Gates - Music: Vein of Grief
"Get out of our way."
"Ha. You must be the rebels we're after! I'm going to enjoy this!"I'm not!
"I heard that the guardian of this district is the only female lieutenant."
"The guardian of Hallowed Water is called Hanch." "Oh, you know her?" "Someone told me a couple weeks ago."
"Told...you? How long did you say you were in the Knights of the Seal?"
"Ummm... About five years or so? I forget." "And you just learned about the lieutenants...?" "Yes." "I see..."
So I hope you like running down Murder Meters because there's like six of them in this stage. Knights seem to rise out of the gravel, drop out of the sky, and materialize from the ether each time one is depleted.
The mission is separated between several gates that the knights will diligently raise after their comrades are defeated in order to let
If you want any indication of how much of an endless meat grinder this mission proves to be, check out the 372 hit combo I managed to rack up. During a single Murder Meter... I zoned out so much I didn't even noticed it'd gotten so high until I looked at the recording.
About half way through the mission, the impoverish villagers will all don hooded green raincoats and take up arms against the Knights of the Seal. They all spawn by the first gate, at which point every nearby knight should be taking a dirt nap thanks to our party. And since their AI is so poor they'll probably never bother seeking out opponents on the other half of the map. They pretty much just stand there yelling the occasional battle cry and hoping for the best. I wonder what these guys are going to do when the goblin hordes come marching in from the valley and the KotS defending the district are all gone... Bah! Thinking ahead? Who needs it!
"I want peace and equality for all. That is why I fight."
"Raaaargghg!" "What about the knights?"
"What about them?" "You have something to believe in. I envy you..." "Then why do you fight, Nowe?" <shrug>
After running down a couple of additional Murder Meters, another gate opens up to let in more reinforcements. Nowe has the bright idea of charging the gate to head off the soldiers' back-up at the pass.
Upon doing so, the gates immediately slam shut and fifty knights phase into existence out of thin air to surround the now trapped rebel villagers. Sucks to be those five guys.
Except, we simply cannot let those useless NPCs perish and thus a time limit countdown begins. Yup. If those five villagers are killed off screen, then Nowe and Manah are just going to give up the fight, turn themselves in, and be executed. What's the point of going on with the rebellion if Villager, Old Man, Guard, Villager C, and Hooded Young Man don't make it?
This part is doubly annoying as we're pitted up against several extremely spaced out, fireball spamming mages alongside the oversized shielded knights. Both can take a sizable amount of time to take out if the AI decides to be difficult with the knights' unblockable attacks (in which they go invincible for the whole 5 second animation.) Besides...why would killing all of these jerks even make the gate re-open in the first place? Come on, that is not how traps work!
After that silliness, the gates re-open and the party has to double back and take out all the KotS that ambushed the villagers. It's worth noting that there is no penalty if all the helper NPCs perish at this point. They died honorably for their cause on screen, and that makes all the difference in the world.
"But the river still won't flow. The key holds back the water. It must be destroyed. We have to go to the Shrine of Hallowed Water."Verse 7: The Aqua Fortress - Music: Breakthrough
"Yes. A system that allows innocent children to die cannot be right. If there's a chance we can change things, then we have to try." "Alright. Then let's get going. The knights will be waiting up ahead. Don't let your guard down."
"I'm glad we're asking for my opinion on this matter."
Who's up for more endless grinding?! We're now assaulting the "Aqua Fortress". Which is clearly just a big dam. Destroying the district key will apparently restore the flow of water to the poor people of the Village of Sand. Except...no. There's a fucking dam stopping up the river. Not a magic seal. Unless Legna can bust down a solidly built stone structure, which I am fairly sure he cannot given all the fireballs that hit it while trying to take out those pesky cannons around, then this is going to accomplish exactly jack and shit. There is also another massive flaw in this plan. Observe the map of the area...
The Village of Sand is built right over the cliff face of where the river flows. Presumably, in some manner of dried up lake bed. Breaking the dam will, in fact, destroy the entire village. Luckily, Manah and Nowe seem to be oblivious to the function of the dam, so they just skip past that to take out the district key and everything will be a-okay in their eyes.
The rest of this stage just consists of killing about a dozen mages hanging out sightseeing along the dam's edge. After that, a few more pop up across the way at the entrance to the district key shrine. It is all wildly interesting, I assure you.
Click to view cutscene.
"It must be the sacred vial that serves as the key for the Hallowed Water district. All the water of this land is sealed up inside." "What about all the water outside by the fortress wall thing?" "What about it?"
"So if we smash it, then the waters will be released?"
"Stop right there!" "It's the guardian."
"Oooh, deary me. It seems I'm just in time. In any case, I heard Lord Nowe has thrown his lot in with the traitors. Tsk tsk tsk. That won't do at all. Time for your punishment, child."
"I-I'll pass, thanks..." "Oooh. But I insist, dear. Come, auntie Hanch will make it all better."
"My father told me to stay away from strange women..." "Oh, but surely you know all about Lady Hanch. Come now, don't be shy."
"I need an adult!"
Hah. Yeah, nice try lady. Like we're falling for that one. Alright, Manah. Throw a fireball at the water dais and let's blow this po-
Music: Formidable Enemy
OH GOD DAMMIT, NOWE!! How are you this stupid?! HOW?! It's not even funny anymore! Did you miss the part where all the lieutenants had pact beasts? This is a water themed guardian. You actually went outside to the bridge over a giant reservoir?! What is fucking wrong with you?!
"Look at me. I'm just a poor little woman. Yes, yes, I'm an ugly little woman. What harm can I possibly do?" "Umm...then why did you want to come out here? I'm confused." "Oh, just hold steady for a bit, sweetheart. All will become clear in time. By the way..."
"It was you, wasn't it!? You poisoned the general's water at Gismor's request!" "Teehee. Hahaha. Yes, yes! Isn't General Gismor an obedient little soldier!? But don't tell anyone else. It's a SECRET! Shh! It's a secret!"
"It was you! You plotted to kill Oror...and me!? Damn you, you witch!" "Oh, lookie look! Lord Nowe put two and two together ever so quickly. My, what a bright boy! Very good. Very, very good. I think you deserve a PRESENT! A bit of fun from all this terrible rebel business. What do you say?" "Well..."
"O-on second thought I umm....I think I'm gonna head back inside. Is...that okay?" "I'm afraid it's a bit late for that, Lord Nowe. It would be most very rude." "Dang..."
Lady Hanch Intro
Music: Breakthrough
Lieutenant Hanch Illustration - Anybody got a towel?