Part 56: Episode XXXVIII: In Which Things Have Changed...

Episode XXXVIII: In Which Things Have Changed...



Music: Iniquitus

Hey remember how I made a meta-game joke and ran with it in Drakengard 1 even before NIER being an offshoot sequel to the fucked up joke final ending and rolling with it existed about the game running on a weird timey-whimey loop...? Yeah... So... I swear I had no part in the writing of Drakengard 3!

Our mysterious friend Accord, whom if you didn't put it together was the girl at the very end of Ending A's post credits scene, will still be doing narration duties. But the Murder Roadtrip framing is being retired for... Well... I'll let her explain...



Divergence: Branch B.



In the flow of post-Cataclysm history, if a unique set of conditions known as "singularities" come together, splits occur in time, resulting in the multiple-world divergence phenomenon.

Umm... okay. So... bit of backstory not really given other than loading screens here: "The Cataclysm" was an event that happened in 856 AD (a 144 years prior to the events of the murder roadtrip of Drakengard 3.) There was a massive earthquake that occurred on the Reverse Iberian Peninsula (read: Notspain) that fucked up a lot of shit and the Cathedral City appeared out of nowhere and with it magic, dragons, monsters, and literally everything that made Drakengard's setting Drakengard.

With it came also an excuse for a bunch of anachronistic shit in a medieval fantasy Europe setting like airships and assorted future technology. Everything discovered from The Cataclysm/The Cathedral City is considered to be from "The Old World" and being some crazy ancient bullshit. The Cataclysm's source is never being explained beyond... ehh... that looks a lot like modern Tokyo over in Notspain and NIER is still a game in this series even if it doesn't have the "Drakengard" name directly and...

Anyway more exposition!



It is now April the 1st, 1000 A.D. 28 days since the singularity known as Zero resumed activity.



The first anomaly occurred when Zero encountered the old man known as Octa... And the forest they were expected to enter manifested in a different form...



Soooooooo... Things are going to get weird from here on out. Spoilers. We're now in an alternate timeline. Everything you remember from before? STOP when it comes to Octa showing up! It hasn't happened here!

Don't panic! I've made a nice little chart for what you need to know! Check it fools:



Five and Four are dead and... uhh... Cent is here now defecting alongside Octa. Sure... Why not?! Fuck it! Let's roll!



So we're in camp now. It's half way through Chapter 3ish. The whole disciple team is on Team Zero this time around. Mikhail has recently leveled up to his second form following the death of Four. Cent is here for some reason... We'll get to him last to progress the mission. Let's see how the rest of the team is holding up.

Let's start with Decadus. He's usually sensible...



Are you hurt, my lady?
No, this stupid forest made my period come early.
Nnnnnngggghhhough...
...Dito's right. You are a freak.
.....
H-Here, my lady. Have all the cloth you want.

Well that was a bit much information. So... Dito how are you doing?!



Urrrgh...
I know, right? This place blows chunks.
Yes, but the discomfort is somehow... ooooh... exhilarating...
Yeah, whatever, freak.
.....
I vote we ditch this place ASAP.

Kay... moving on... Octa, what's your take? You are from here after all! Maybe! I'm not sure where the birds came from actually...



The forest up ahead used to be far more lush and verdant than this. Something has happened since last I visited. I can feel it!
You can "feel" it? <sigh> Goodness, what a load of superstitious nonsense. I, of course, reject such mystic foolishness in favor of science. Proof! Theories! Experimentation! This is the way of the world! Buuut I probably shouldn't expect you Neanderthals to understand any of that.
Cram it, professor.
Lady Zero, if I may? We should avoid mingling in this fog for long.

Cent what are you even doing here?! Let's check in on Mikhail before seeing what's up...



You seem awfully pleased about that.
I'm just excited to meet one of your sisters!
Well, I'm excited to kill her.
Aw, come on!
.....
I just hope we get to eat before fighting. I'm useless on an empty tummy!

Alright then. Let's see what Cent is doing with having the Drakengard Verdelet thing of being in the cast out of nowhere despite that fucking up the timeline.



Two? Two-two-twooo... Yeah, sorry. Don't know her.
You mean you... forgot her?
Pfft. How can I forget a person I've never met?
.....
I'm pretty sure I'd remember a silly name like "Two."

All right, guys. Time to go.
You want me to butt roll ahead, Zero?
It's "patrol," dummy! Not "butt roll!"
That's what I said! That's totally what I said!
You know, I keep waiting for him to get smarter, but... it's juuuuust not happening. How 'bout it , Cent? Wanna add some biting wit to the situation?
.....
...Aw, come on. Gimme something. Anything!
Hmm? ...What?
Oh, so NOW you decide to be normal? Pffft. Forget it. You're useless.








Video: Branch B Opening