Part 20: A minute of chillaxation
Chapter 20 - A minute of chillaxationSo, we're out.
The first thing you need to know about being out of Midgar is the world map music, which incidentally is the main theme of FFVII.
It helps you chill.
Something seems wrong, my copy of FF7 seems to have rejected models from Full Throttle.
This is the Custom Sweeper.
I think the Sweeper is a really cool enemy that I definitely don't mind fighting a hundred times.
The Custom Sweeper is a great encounter for two reasons:
The first is that Custom Sweepers cast this spell called Matra Magic, which is a bunch of missiles flying straight into your party. Matra Magic looks cools and deals a lot of damage, but that's not the main point.
The main point is that Matra Magic is the first [Enemy Skill] you can learn in the game.
Matra Magic is a "Tier 1.5" spell in the sense that it deals more damage than any spell we have right now (even Bio), doesn't have a huge mana cost and what is best - it automatically attacks everyone in the enemy party, no need for an All Materia (specially because All only allows as many [All] attacks as the materia level.
Matra Magic once learned becomes the knife which you use to breeze through enemies while giggling.
But there's something else.
The Atomic Scissors.
This is a weapon for Barret that is the same Tier as Hardedge and Striking Staff (32 damage). The one thing about it is that it's not Long-Range - as you can see it's not a firearm.
WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Look at that damage, I mean, seriously, look at it. And without using Limits!
This is Kalm, the city we're supposed to be. I'm really tempted to join in, but before there is something that must be done.
I swear, my eyes were already used to the Rainbowpuke CMYK Printer Test. This is quite a shock.
Don't worry, we will be changing the colors again.
Kalm has a sweet, soft music. Everyone goes to the inn but of course we decide to explore the town a bit.
Just wait until you grow fat and play videogames all day.
Being geek is kinda pop now so you can't afford to be a lazy fat bastard.
Please do not take that as a suggestion to buy swords on eBay and practice Kenjutsu.
I wonder how people imagine I look like though, and how big you imagine my neckbeard to be.
Interesting piece of gossip here. Shinra is expanding the reactors to nearby towns, and monsters start appearing.
I don't know about other countries but there's a law in Brazil that allows anyone to freely visit the kitchen of any restaurant or similar establishment at will to make sure that the place is clean. Said places also need to put a board stating that "our kitchen is open to visitation" to make sure you know that.
Name in different color? Sounds like a place we have to go to!
Sounds like something we'll have to investigate now that our team has free time.
Rumors that Shinra is the one responsible for the monsters around the mines, I suppose. We gotta help spread that.
So yeah, Kalm is the standard J-RPG town, only this time in 3D. We can freely explore the very few houses in it.
The place has this bizarre architecture and is surrounded by a wall like a medieval city.
We refill our Hypers but we buy some Tranquilizers too. We're gonna need it.
I'll not deny that the city has a very warm and fuzzy feeling about it.
The Materia Shop has two new Materia for us - Earth and Heal.
Earth allows us to use Quake. Quake is a "Tier 1.5" spell (same
damage as Matra Magic) which is good but inferior to Matra Magic in every way - it can't hit flying enemies and only targets one enemy.
Still, it's the best single-target spell we have until Bolt 2/Fire 2/Ice 2.
Heal gives us spells to take care of status ailment effects. I don't think I've ever used it, but who knows?
They sell "Mythril" weapons, which makes sense since the workers used to work at a Mythril Mine.
Unfortunately they're all vastly inferior to the shit we stole.
Oh snap, this is what we've been looking for.
We find this upstairs.
It's a Long Range weapon with the icon of a gun, but Barret can't equip it - nor anyone else we have, really.
The Peacemaker has 38 Att which is also more than what we have at hand, though not by much. The interesting thing about it is that it's the first weapon we have with a DOUBLE Materia Growth, which means that Materia put in it level up twice as fast (which is still too damn slow).
There's nothing we can do about it right now, though, we don't know anyone who can use it.
"Sources" are very special items for a reason - a Source will increase permanently by one point an attribute of the character of your choice.
This old man keeps the poor dog locked. Really, what the hell?
Kalm is also the typical stealfest that is featured in J-RPGs. You go uninvited into everyone's house and steal their stuff like there's no tomorrow. I'm sure we'll find a way to open this one eventually.
But seriously, who the hell talks like that? I bet the Turks installed the Reactor and threatened them to cut the power if they don't advertise the company to tourists.
Even Cloud can see straight through the bullshit.
Things are now disappearing and dying around the town because of the Mako Reactor.
Man I don't know about you, but I'd find damn depressing to see nature literally running away from your small town and everything turning into a wasteland.
There's a rumor that if you smash X in front of that clock you get unlimited gil in the Japanese version, but I could never find a trustable source to confirm or deny that.
Back to the inn, where we're supposed to be.
And that's it for today. Cloud's promised to clarify some of the plot points back in the HQ, and everyone's been wanting to know what the fuck too.
Next Time!
Plot Exposition! Flashbacks! Flashbacks! Flashbacks! Flashbacks!
Awesome Music we've listened to in this Update:
Main Theme - The music that plays on the world map. Very chilling.
Ahead on Our Way - The music that plays on Kalm. Also very, very chill.
Main Theme played live - The main theme played in the Tour de Japon, I really recommend it.
I tried to look for a good shot of Kalm from Dirge but that game fails even when it comes down to that.