Part 63: Episode LIV: In Which We Hear the Last of the Weapon Stories
Episode LIV: In Which We Hear the Last of the Weapon Stories
We're almost there, folks. And guess what? This is the very last time we are ever going to hear Cavia weapons stories. No more cursed swords, self decapitations, child murder, sacrifices, assassinated kings, or grisly executions ever again. I think this is a Red Letter Day...
That said, it is also time for the last batch of Free Expedition missions in order to obtain those lousy weapons. So let's get started with that. The first new mission is the Grand Shrine interior, which is unlocked after the utterly pointless Chapter 10 is completed.
The Grand Shrine is now filled with Ghost Armor and Unknown KotS clones. Mostly the latter. The goal of the mission is to make it from the front gate where Nowe reminisced about Eris being on the rag for the first time up to Seere's office on the top floor. But, the weapon we want is located in the basement. There's not much to be said about the mission other than that. It's by far the most straightforward of the Extreme Free Expedition missions. So let's just jump to the weapon, hmm?
Drakengard 2 Weapon Stories posted:
HERO'S KNIFE
History:
A couple was elated by the news that they were to have a child. As this was their first, their friends held a feast the next day to celebrate. Many came to the party - among them, a prophet dressed in a richly embroidered clerical gown.
The prophet presented the couple with a short sword, and said, "This blade will make a master swordsman of the wielder. Use it to protect your children." When the husband grasped its hilt, he felt its power coursing through his boy, making him stronger. This was no ordinary sword.
"The child who will be born is a child of heaven. The child who will be born is child of man. Should the child bring disaster upon mankind, kill it with this sword." The couple's faces paled, and the husband raised the sword to strike the prophet, but he had already disappeared.
After the day of the feast, the wife unable to forget the prophet's words, grew ever more gloomy. The husband used the power of the sword to become a soldier and returned home ever more infrequently. Eventually, their child was born - or rather, a pair of twins was born: a beautiful boy and girl.
Description: A little hero's short sword.
Traits: Powerful if used at close range.
Magic: "Fafnir Wings" - A golden blade of light pierces enemies.
The observant among you might recognize this as Seere's weapon from Drakengard 1. Probably not though, as I think I used him in battle all of once. Anyhow, I guess we now know why Manah's mom hated her so much: No matter what the timeline, Balthasar is a total asshole...
Anyhow, upon completing Chapter 11 the last two Free Expedition missions open up. And good god, do they fucking SUCK!
The mission in the Ancient Tomb interior is fairly simple to complete. It is, however, a total bitch to find the hidden weapon here. Remember how the Ancient Tomb was a fairly linear set of identical corridors in the story mission here? Yeah, well now...
With no arrows to point the correct path particularly accurately (there's just one pointing toward the exit, which is 0 help) it is a goddamn labyrinth of dead ends, difficult to navigate rooms, confusing layouts, and total bullshit.
To obtain the hidden weapon here, we basically need to circle about aimlessly and hope we come upon a floating crystal down one of the dead ends. This will, in turn, open a gate down one of the other dead ends. Good luck finding where the hell that new opening is located. Oh, and when you find it there are more crystals and more newly opened paths. It is beyond confusing. Especially since there is no map. Oh...and there's an eleven minute time limit. Taking too long gets you a game over. For reference, it took me about 45 seconds just to find the way out of the first room... And I died because I literally could not find the exit of a giant square room...
Anyhow, you all get to pass by all that frustration and see the spoils of suffering...
Drakengard 2 Weapon Stories posted:
MONK'S RED STAFF
History:
Once, a high-ranking priest traveled to the western lands with three companions. He was to receive a sacred book.
On the way there, he performed acts of charity in the villages he passed through, and his companions cleansed the lands of monsters who threatened the people.
Slaying the monsters was the specialty of one of the priest's traveling companions. It was he who wielded this staff. In his skilful hands, it protected the priest and ensures their safe passage to the western land.
When the party arrived at their destination, the sacred book was placed in the priest's care as promised. With their quest at an end, the priest thanked his companions and honored each of them with a fitting "name".
Description: Kills enemies with blunt force.
Traits: Powerful, but not suited to magic use.
Magic: "Jotun Wings" - Engulfs enemies in a giant fireball.
"Meatsteak", "Goku", and "Quashamika" respectively.
Next up is the hardest damn mission in the entire game. This one takes us back into Manah's mind to fight a shit load of the undead. It's like someone over at Cavia looked at the Grand Shrine Courtyard gauntlet and went "meh...I think we can make this worse..."
As such, the combat includes:
- Eight Ghost Armors. Easy one at a time. Trouble in a pair. A goddamn nightmare anything over that. Oh and like one decent hit from one of 'em will take down nearly half a health bar...
- 20 Undead Knights. On Extreme, these guys spam their invincibility frames power attack like it's going out of style. One hit from that will take out a third of a character's health bar. Oh and good luck blocking. Two hits of that in succession will break just about anyone's guard and there will almost always be a third skeletal asshole to come in with a third attack that will land.
- A dozen Undead Knights and 6 Ghost Armors. Double the fun of the downside of both those two previous battles. But hey, it's not over yet!
Remember, this stage had three phases. Spooky Watchers mosh pit area has the party face like fucking 40 Unknown KotS clones. Again, they love to spam their invincible frames super attacks and it hurts like hell. But, even then they can just stun lock a party member with successive stabs to annihilate a health bar. And, if you make it through all that...
Ha! Fuck YOU! Fight forty more of 'em! This battle had me eat through my entire stock of Full HP/MP Heal for the Entire Party supplies and I still barely made it past it. After like six attempts.
Meh... Here's the reward... The final weapon of Drakengard 2:
Drakengard 2 Weapon Stories posted:
MOONFIRE
History:
The sword made of marble emits a fierce chill and quietly awaits its owner.
The legend told that the marble sword could freeze even its owner's age. It continues to wait patiently.
The marble sword continued to wait. So long it waited - long enough to freeze time.
The sword had waited for so long that surely even the warmth of human blood could not awaken it now. The only thing what could be said for sure is that the frozen face of its wielder would be reflected in its blade.
Description: A sleeping sword.
Traits: Powerful, with guard-breaking abilities, but difficult to master.
Magic: "Sonic Burst" - Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition is getting a PC release? Huh... Spiffy.
And our final reward is...an upper range sword that barely levels and has a lame story... And also there's literally no missions left to use it in...
UUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH...
Welp...while I was poking around for info online for this terrible game, I discovered there are actually a handful of dummied out weapons that are only accessible via a cheating device like a Codebreaker or Gameshark or the like. They've got weapon stories and everything. And since I hate myself enough to 100% document everything in Drakengard 2 like a lunatic, I might as well show 'em off as well... Maybe we'll get a better final story out of the mix...
Drakengard 2 Weapon Stories posted:
SEALAXE: CALAMITOUS RHYTHM
History:
A master blacksmith, embittered by the god's maltreatment of the world, vowed to forge a weapon with which to destroy them.
The power of the seal negates the power of the gods, and the seal derives its power from the goddess... So the blacksmith sealed the power of the goddess into his creation.
She was a legendary goddess who held the seeds within her body and saved mankind from ruin.
Sealed inside was time, the conqueror of space and all dimensions.
Description: A legendary axe made by a master blacksmith.
Traits: Very powerful.
Magic: "Sonic Burst" - Stand tall and shake the heavens!!
Yeah... We already got that axe... For Urick. This one is equipped on Nowe. I think one of the programmers just fucked up placing the weapon in inventories and dummied it out, instead of removing it. It's fully functional in-game. Strangely, it has different stats from the genuine article. Nowe's version of the axe is significantly crappier. Oh well... Next up we have...
Drakengard 2 Weapon Stories posted:
WRITHEHEART
History:
Once, there lived a girl, fair and pure. Born into a life of poverty, she was sent to work as a maid in the home of a noble family. There, she was treated like an animal. After months of hard labor and abuse, her mind and body began to fail her.
The only one who treated the girl with any kindness was her lord's youngest son. He comforted her, and soon they began an illicit affair. The doting girl lived for the short midnight meetings, alone with her lover
Late one evening, she made her way to the meeting place at the usual time and found her love waiting for her. But he was not alone. With him were all of his brothers and sisters. Smiling like demons, they encircled her and forced her to the ground. She lost consciousness when she caught sight of the cruel grin on her lover's face...
The next morning, the girl limped back to the mansion. In her hands she held a beautiful sword. When she caught sight of her lover, she lunged for him without a word, and pierced his and her own heart. Steeped in their life blood, the fatal weapon took up the scorned girl's bitter hatred and had been cursed ever since.
Description: A cursed sword with a girl's love sealed within.
Traits: Average in all areas.
Magic: "Sonic Burst" - Gotta go fast.
That's more like it. Abuse, betrayal, murder-suicides. That's the Cavia I know...
Drakengard 2 Weapon Stories posted:
POISONTONGUE
History:
Long ago there was a vast kingdom surrounded with water and enclosed by mighty walls. Blessed with the gift of water, the people lived a life of happiness. An altar to the water goddess stood at the center of the kingdom. On it laid an axe, which radiated a calm blue light. Legends told that the goddess used the axe to slay the demon king of drought.
Beyond its walls, other nations schemed to steal the prosperous kingdom's wealth. Under the command of their king, the citizens fought bravely, but the peace-loving people of the water kingdom were no match for the invaders. Soon, their mighty walls lay in ruins and the war was on their doorstep.
When the flames of war reached the water goddess's altar, the axe came to life. Floating above its resting place, its blade gave off a blinding flash of light. The next moment, a tidal wave washed over the invading armies and continued past the kingdom's borders, drowning the land of the enemy.
Having served its purpose, the axe lost its luster and the waters subsided. Now, the ancient weapon looked as drained and lifeless as the desert.
Description: An axe with no use.
Traits: Unlikely to yield the desired results...
Magic: "Voice of the Guilty" - Objection!
Man, the Water Tribe just doesn't fuck around. This weapon just seems to have a placeholder generic axe model, not the one in the status screen. Anyhow, one last one for the road!
Drakengard 2 Weapon Stories posted:
WIDOW'S DEATH
History:
Neustria's King Chilperich I ended the long confrontation with Astracia by agreeing to the marriage of his second son, Alfonstein, to Fonpadel, the third daughter of Sigibert I, king of Austracia.
All was peaceful between Neustria and Austracia until Sigibert I's heir Almabar, missing since his tour of the Western Gothic land of Aunatras, returned to claim the throne.
Almabar killed his mother, Brunhilda, then confronted King Chilperich's widow, Fredegunde, who had planned to assassinate him, and claimed that Fonpadel and Alsonstein's marriage was illegitimate. He then declared war against Fredegunde's eldest son, King Clotair II of Neustria.
The battle began in the northern Austracian land of Vyomar. Almabar led his Austracian army to victory over the Neustrians. Fredegunde was captured at the castle, and executed by the same axe used to behead Brunhilde.
Description: Fredegunde's spear.
Traits: Not very powerful, but...
Magic: "Bloody Vortex" - Darkness overwhelms enemies.
Oh... Well that clears everything up... I think that does well for the final weapon story from Cavia. Sure... Sure, why not?
And that is it, folks! 100% Weapon Completion! You hear that, Cavia?! You ain't got SHIT on me!!
Since I would like to get all this unlockable junk out of the way in this update, let us briefly skip ahead and see what rewards completing Drakengard 2 on Extreme Difficulty with 100% Weapon Completion yields! This should at least be fun... Right?
...
Right...?
The first reward is 300,000 Gold for the war chest. This now serves absolutely no use, as I am never touching this game again after this LP and there is nothing left for me to blow it on, even if I did...
Next, we get Nowe's Super Orb. Predictably enough, this changes our dimwitted hero into...
New Breed Nowe. This is just Metrosexual Nowe with a blue tint and a dopey laser wing...glyph...thing duct taped to his back. It offers no benefits other than that.
And last in the costume changes department, we have the "Nice-guy Orb". This will alter Urick's appearance. Manah is apparently too cool for any alternate costumes, despite the fact she has like 2-3 red dress concept sketches in the artbook.
So, what does Nice-guy Urick entail? Well, remember how when you 100% completed Drakengard 1, you could swap out Angelus for a fighter jet? Well, Drakengard 2 decided to match that. Here, we get to swap out Urick for...
That random ginger weapons shop NPC that Nowe stripped in front of after leaving the Knights of the Seal... Yeah... Yeah, I think that is a good summary of Drakengard 2 in general
Oh yeah, one last bonus. This is the sole unlockable for obtaining 100% weapon completion during the course of all three playthroughs. It's fairly well hidden. The game will not even inform it is unlocked. But, completing the game on Extreme Difficulty with all 67 weapons will open up...
...The ability to re-battle any boss in the game. On a difficulty level even higher than Extreme. In a game that had exactly one fun boss battle and it's not even fun anymore when the boss can 1-shot you... Motherfuuuu-
Drakengard 2 Early Concept Art
Nowe Early Concept Art
Lieutenants Early Concept Art