Part 90: Shooting Star - Archimedes - Part 2

Archimedes 2





So Archimedes has no in-series mythology to go over, so let's talk a little bit about this game and its sequel. This game was the result of several delays (it was originally supposed to be released in mid-2015, ended up getting released in October 2016). extella's main character, Altera, was a very strange entity in her first game, Grand Order, which was released in July 2015 until a more concrete explanation for what her deal was more than a year after her first appearance. Even with the delays, however, there is quite a bit of cut content, most importantly, three characters were slated for appearance but never made the cut, for whatever reason: Francis Drake, Robin Hood, and Florence Nightingale.


The first two had been part of the EXTRA series since the start, so it's likely that Nasu just couldn't find a thing for them to do in time. Nightingale is a bit of a stranger story. She was originally supposed to be in CCC, and didn't make it. Then she was supposed to appear in this game, she did not get there, and had to settle for arriving in Grand Order as her debut appearance, about 8 months after the game's launch. I'm almost sure Altera As Nurse is supposed to be a reference to her.


Now, this brings us to the sequel to this title, extella link. Along with all of this game's playable cast, the old guard is joined by Lancelot (Berserker), Arjuna (Archer), Robin Hood (Archer), Darius III (Berserker), Gilles de Rais (Caster), Astolfo (Rider), Scathach (Lancer), Francis Drake (Rider), and the headliners, Charlemagne (Saber), and Karl der Große (Ruler), for a total of 26 playable Servants. In addition, the official word as far as I remember is that Link is the middle part of a trilogy of extella titles, so we might even have more to look forward to.


Extella Link substantially adds upon extella's gameplay, including more varied missions objectives, a completely revamped art style, and even online 4v4 multiplayer. As far as plot goes, it's kind of unclear at the moment, but it does involve a character introduced at the very end of this game, so that is all I'll say about that. Another thing plot-related is the middle entry in the series won't be written primarily by Kinoko Nasu, as this game was. Instead, it was written by (and I should emphasize the game has been completed and is just waiting for release, on June 7, and a winter release overseas) Yuuichirou Higashide, the main writer for Fate/apocrypha (2012-2014).


Oh yeah, and I played this stage on Very Hard. This turned out to be a very poor decision, as the enemy health difference between Hard and Very Hard is substantial, especially with a pretty weak unit like Archimedes. How Very Hard unlocks, I dunno. It unlocked while I was grinding out a few Free Battle sessions to level him up a bit. I'm sure it doesn't unlock before completing Golden Poem, though.







Archimedes stage 2


Though I am a Servant, I am not the same as those associated with the Moon Cell. I have reborn as the Umbral Star's Apostle. Thus, I will control you, White Titan of Tassili n'Ajjer. The independent weapon of mass destruction carried in the Ark of the Stars...the Anti-Cell.



Now is your time to awaken, Vanguard of the Umbral Star! Bring forth the might that shook the Earth 14,000 years ago! You are just another tool in my hand! Display your glory! Prove your worth to me in every way you can! *laugh* Rejoice! Trample these lands and the civilizations upon them. Hasten their inevitable fall!



So it's Sephyr again. Unfortunately, even after coming into contact with Velber's database and knowledge of what the Umbral Star is scheming didn't anticipate the giant monster going nuts, so we have to stop it. Well, your task is to defeat Sephyr, but Archy obviously has no intention of destroying it. We just need to put a leash on the sucker.

Well, the big problem here is that Archimedes is a dude who doesn't really direct damage very well. Everything except his S T attack is designed to hit a group of enemies, and S T doesn't deal heavy damage in a small area. Couple that with kind of being underpowered and Very Hard difficulty, and you have a Sephyr battle that goes on way too long. The battle alone lasted 25 minutes.



Even with a reduced battlefield, and a pretty slow dude, it's still pretty easy to anticipate and dodge all of Sephyr's attacks.




Well, he's not wrong about that I suppose.



Hoping to finish it off, I decided to use Archy's Noble Phantasm...

















Archimedes' Noble Phantasm is called Katoptron Katho Phlegon -Clustered straws,
burn out like the Moon-. It's based on the anecdote that Archimedes in life had designed a series of mirrors on Syracuse's beaches to incinerate invading Roman ships using powerful beams of light from the sun. Unfortunately, as is fairly well known, all attempts to recreate this supposed weapon have failed, and the more likely story is it probably just distracted and annoyed Roman sailors more than anything. As far as the Noble Phantasm goes, pretty self-explanatory. Basically a recreation of the sun bounces light around a bunch of mirror arrays, then shoots down and nukes the field. Simple, yet effective.



A few minutes after the above, I finally defeated it. Thank god it's over. That took maybe 15 minutes longer than I was happy with.









I initiated a sedation program before your full awakening. Though difficult, nothing exceeded my observations or expectations. You're my secret weapon, White Titan. You're formidable on SE.RA.PH, where even gods can take form under the right circumstances, but... As I thought, you're a destructive machine with no redeeming features. You would destroy all of the Moon Cell, and that would be problematic. First, we must wait for the proper time. Surely the Sovereign of SE.RA.PH will arrive soon, bearing the Regalia and its Royal Authority. We will need all the functions of the Regalia in order to guide Velber to the Milky Way, directing the Umbral Star on its 14,000 year orbit. And so, sleep for now, Sephyr, White Titan of Tassili n'Ajjer... The next time you awaken, you will meet the Sovereign. He or she who stands as both our adversary and our guiding light.