Part 7: Mine Road MEGATHREAD!

I'm a bit dissapointed that trying to eat this stuff just gets you an "I'm not putting my lips on that." Sierra wouldn't have let me down like that.



We take some of the fertilizer. Ben just sticks it in his pocket, I guess.

Checkin' out the truck.
Ben: Looks like Emmet dropped a load here.

Taking out the tire iron, we use it for it's intended purpose. With the tires loosened, we can use our handy kick command...



To do this.

What a mess

With all that done, we head out on the open road.



You have a limited ability to steer out here (You can move left and right) and you click to take an exit to the Mine Road or stop at certain locations. We'll get to that. First, we head as far as we can.



No way to get across yet. Let's read signs!



Top left picture: "Professor Schmetterling's experimental flying suit."

Bottom left:"This is the last picture ever taken of Professor Schmetterling"

Small plaque:"NOTICE: Jumping over Poyahoga Gorge, although tempting, is highly illegal and dangerous. We recommend the recently constructed Poyahoga Gorge Bridge, for trans-gorge travel. Drive safely!"

Top-middle:"One of the gorge's many casualties."

Top-right:"Ricky Myran's infamous gorge jump."

The big plaque:"Tightrope walkers, hang gliders, human canonballs... Many have tried to cross the mighty Poyahoga Gorge...and many have failed. Except for Ricky Myran, the flying torch, who jumped the gorge on a 'stock' Corley Motorcycle. It was later uncovered that he had modified his Corley with a pre-regulation, destroyer-class, solid-fuel recoil booster, and an automotive hover lift. Myran said he would gladly replicate the jump to clear his name, but his special ramp was stolen by a mysterious, truck-hikacking motorcycle gang."

Ben: Hmmm... Recoil booster and a hover lift, eh? Thanks for the tip, Rick. You're right, though. I'll need that ramp.

Ok, now to do something that Ben could not possibly know to do if he did not have the omnipotent power of an adventure game player. We drive all the way back to the ranch.



And get the attention of these jerks.

Nestor: Ha ha ha! Look at him run!





They crash because Nestor keeps turning the wheel wildly even though there are no turns for ages and he should know it.



Bolus: Boss! It ws Nestor's fault!

I actually agree with him, there.

Ripburger: Get in quick. I have a plan. We're going to lure the Corley remnant out of hiding, with a bike.

Nestor: Boss, she already has a bike.

R: Yes, but this one, she worked on with her father. It's an emotional thing; don't try to understand. Now, hurry!

With those jerks gone, we do the sensible thing: Loot. And kick the car for a chuckle.



Using the tire iron, we force the car open and yoink the hover lift. One down- we need fuel for the booster and that ramp. Time to hit the mine road.



As before, you don't have to control steering or anything, just avoid hitting any big boulders. You drive down this road until you find someone, then you fight them. Win or lose, afterwords you continue on in the loop. The first biker we meet, however, is... different.





Father Torque: Hey, Ben! How's my gang doin'?
I notice he has the same initials as the game itself. Just a thought.

Ben: Eh... That's a long story. What are you doing out here?

F: Well, retirement's pretty boring, Ben. So, I thought I'd come out to the Old Mine Road and look for trouble!

B: You're picking fights?

F: That's what the Old Mine Road's for, son.

B: Father Torque, I need your help. The gang's in jail and the law--

F: Ben, I'm not the leader of the Polecats anymore. You are. Can't you see I'm on permanent vacation?

B: Any fighting tips, Torque?

F: Aw, Ben... Who's tougher than you?

B: Nobody, but those Rottwheelers are uglier.

F: They're none too bright, either. I'm sure you can handle it.

B: The Vultures are quick, and they're nuts!

F: The ones with those boosters are hard to whip... Just remember, Ben, it's not about muscle... It's about TIMING!

B: What's up with those Cavefish, man?

F: Watch out, Ben--They're not out here for sport. They hijack big rigs. It's part of their religion. Don't get in their way: They're blind, cold-hearted killers.

B: How do the Cavefish ride if they're blind?

F: Well, they're only blind because they wear those special goggles to shield their sensitive cave-dwelling eyes. Special sensors in the goggles pick up the dots in the road, and other large objects and landmarks to help them navigate. Kind of trippy, huh?

B: You know any way around Poyahoga Gorge?

F: Around it? It's miles and miles long, Ben! What's the matter? Don't like bridges?

B: It blew up.

F: Ooooh! Sorry I missed that! Well... You could jump it, like Ricky Myran. Cavefish got his ramp in their hideout, you know.

B: Where is the Cavefish hideout, exactly?

F: Somewhere on this road. The entrance is totally invisible, unless you got those weird Cavefish specs.

Can't talk any more, Ben! Eatin' too many bugs!

B: Well, take it easy, Father.

F: Give 'em Hell, Polecat.

Well, that was a lot to read. Sadly, you won't see Father Torque on the mine road any more after this, but don't worry. He'll be back before the end of the game.




Now then... the mine road. I already explained the fighting in my last reply (Summary: clickclickclickclick) But I didn't explain the weapons. At first, you have just your fists and feet. Feet being slower but stronger, and almost completely useless. Those are naturally pretty weak, so you also have that tire iron at this point. It's slow too, but pretty strong. You get more as you beat bikers. Speaking of which...

THE OPPONENTS!
Not in the order I met them, so you'll notice I have a few weapons I haven't mentioned yet equipped.



This moron again. You know, the guy Ben beat soundly way back at the beginning? For some reason he still thinks he's hot stuff. Difficulty: Wuss



Has a chain, making him slighty tougher than that other guy. Still easy to take down, at which point you get his chain. The chain can be lost if used on certain people, in which case you need to get another one.



Token girl. Her most notable feature is her scream when you knock her off her bike.



This guy is slightly different from the other Rottwheeler in appearance. He also has a skull-mace, which is a powered-up chain. It, too, can break. Other than his rebel alliance tatoo, he's not a very interesting enemy, but...



YEAH!



This guy jets off soon after you start the "fight." Use the chain on him, however, and he finds his bike gone without him.



So naturally we steal his fuel.




This is, I think, a woman. It has a chainsaw, either way, which is insta-lose for you if you get hit. Luckily, this biker is highly vulnerable to having fertilizer thrown in its face. Do that and you win yourself a chainsaw.



Deadly weapons!



The last Rottwheeler has a 2x4. It's incredibly strong. Only the chainsaw can reasonably stand against him.



This is our man. The cavefish will not attack directly, but coming close to him means he uses an oil slick to make you fall. He's so close to the ground that only the 2x4 can reach him. You also need to wait until you go over some bumpy ground, at which point he sits up a bit. You can also force him to the side of the road to beat him, but then you get a cutscene of him blowing up his bike and you don't get to keep the specs. The idea is that you need to actually KO him with the 2x4.



SUCCESS!



Use the right mouse button to slip them on and wait until you see the indicator flash "cave", then left click.



You're in!



You can have Ben throw a rock at the base, which shows you that it has a forcefield around it, of all things. Luckily, the ramp in sitting outside, so we hitch it to the bike and ride.



Those jerks give chase, though.



Cavefish 1: And who was he?

Cavefish 2: My brothers, we have been visited by a spirit... the spirit of Ricky Myran, come to reclaim his ramp!

1: Why did he leave it here?

2: He can't use it, because he is a spirit. He is only expressing his anger, which we must honor. Oh, Angry Spirit of Ricky Myran, we honor your rage! But, for now, the ramp must go back.

Ben then comes out of hiding as they leave. Time for a scheme.



This time we use the ramp to scrape a few of those dots off the road. Remember how the Cavefish use those dots to navigate?



WOOPS!



Ben throws his Cavefish specs into the abyss.

All right, I've modified my bike enough.









Ben clears the gap in style. After that little detour, we are off.







...Holy ground.

Next: Bunnies where you would not expect bunnies to be.
We're getting near to the end, but we still have a ways to go.

Bonus!
Jumping the gorge: Here