Part 56: Episode 5: Behind the Scenes

We need a new page guys this one is getting overstuffed. BIG update today! I know you all feel neglected but no worries. I'll actually be throwing down 2 worlds per Riku-Update from now on since the worlds themselves are covered in 2-3 screens... Enjoy!

Episode 5: Behind the Scenes


Riku's Diary, Excerpt 2
Mood: Troubled
Traverse Town... A lot happened here before. This was where I first met Sora after what happened on Destiny Island. It's different than before, all alleys and pathways. I looked for the inn, the main square and the shops but they were gone. Don't know what I expected to find there anyways... There's no one in these memory worlds but me.


My deck changed when I woke up here. It's small and looks weak but it's still more than enough to deal with the local Heartless. I'm not fighting much, just getting through this place as fast as possible. These things aren't real, and aren't worth my time unless they get in my way.


The enemy cards have been pretty useful, I have to admit. The shadow card boosts my card values for 2 reloads, (All of 10 whole attacks with this deck... if I use it right.) I had a defender card in Hollow Bastion but it seems to have dissapeared. Oh well, the defense boost was useless anyways. The one that's really been helping me out is Dragon Maleficent. It ups my attack power a lot for the next 30 swings. The instructions on the back said it would increase the time it took to recharge my deck but it hasn't affected me, must be broken. I wasn't sure using Maleficent's power was the right thing to do at first but after the fight with Ansem I've just stopped caring. I have to decide what to do about the Darkness Ansem 'tempered'.
-END


See the new counter under Riku's portrait? Getting hit gives you 1 point, and breaking a card gives you the difference in points (Break a 1 with a 9 gives you 8 points.)


When that count hits 30, you do a backflip, yell and enter Dark Mode. While in Dark Mode Riku can sleight, and hits harder and is generally a lot stronger. He lacks a solid air combo though, which can make fighting enemies that fly more difficult. Once you enter dark mode your counter serves another function. everytime you lose a card break (the enemy has the break your card,) you lose points, and every time you get hit you lose points. When your counter hits 0, you lose Dark Mode and have to build up the meter again. The 'In dark mode' counter begins at a whopping 2, and you can put points into it when you level to give yourself 2 more Dark Mode points per levelup. I like to pump this number to 20 by the end of the game, but keep AP maxed first.


Riku has a three sleights in Dark Mode, first is Dark Firaga, you shoot a tracking fireball. Moderate damage and quite nice. The others can't be done with this severely anemic deck (Ok one can but I have a better shot of it later in the update so PATIENCE.)


Opening the lone Gold door of the level gives us our boss. No plot, no talking. I don't think Riku's ever even seen this thing before.

Kicked it's ass anyways. Dark mode, Dark Break and Dark Firaga, along with MM Miracle(3 mickeys) featured.


Hurrah. Now Riku will be using his enemy cards because they are usually there to make up for a severe deficiency his deck will throw at me. You get one level specific enemy card per area, (which you lose after leaving the area,) and you get to keep all the boss cards you've collected so far. This one gives me Wide Attack, meaning my attack range is... wider. Makes mowing down large groups more efficient.


"Hay guys, I beat the zone and I'm in the white corridor where'd everybody go? "


"No one else has that exact aroma of hair gel, angst, and darkness!"



"How could he have escaped?"

He fell through a plot hole.


Oh no they're trying to throw logic at it.


Your boss smells like hair gel, angst, and darkness? Actually that sounds about right.


"One with ties to both the Keyblade and the powers of darkness...
This merits further research."

You know, if Riku hadn't been such a Darkness embracing fuck-up in the first game, it's very likely he would have been the Keyblade Master. He's more qualified than Sora in almost every single way. His heart was too weak though, and that's the one thing Sora had on him all along.



Stop with the terrible half logic! I'm going to kill you! Oh... Nevermind.


Take this sentence whatever way you feel most comfortable.



"By now that dog Marluxia is already using Namine' to meddle with Sora's heart."

Yes he's throwing tutorials at Sora as we speak. You know what? Riku and Sora are both in memory-land Traverse Town right now.


"No one tells me anything! "


"If he gets Sora, then we need only acquire Riku.
If he truly is like the Superior then we will be untouchable!"

But Sora's kicked Riku's ass lots of times... Vexen this plan is flawed.


Riku's Diary, Excerpt 3
Mood: Disgusted
Monstro. Last time I was here I kidnapped a puppet and made Sora run through a whale's guts for about an hour. While funny at the time, it was pretty lame I guess. There's not much to say about this place. It's squishy, smells, and full of Heartless. I'm glad there's no one here.


At least my deck is a lot more useful this time around. I'm not sure what the pattern means... 7541,7541,7641,7641. If I focus maybe I can affect the deck when I enter a new place. I'll have to try that. The new enemy card for this area is a ghost, it adds a Drain effect to my sword for a few swings. It's a good way to heal without having to call on His Majesty all the time. I've been worried about him too. He says he's alright but something tells me he's still trapped behind the door. I don't know what got ME out let alone how to help him but if I see anything I'll have to try. All I can do for now is get past this whale.
-END


Here's Riku's second sleight, Dark Break. Riku jumps into the air and pogo's on top of monster's heads. Moderate damage and tracks well, very useful.


Oh yeah, had to fight this thing again.

It's still a huge pain in the ass because of the constant acid damage and how it's attack pattern works, you can't really break it for dark mode. So just fight it and try to stay in the air. Riku in his normal outfit has a very good air combo so stick with that when possible.


"Oh boy a person! You're the first person I saw since I woke up here!"



Oh yes, we've already been warned that we're only gonna meet evil bastards here. Glad you remembered that Riku.



"He is Ansem and he is not-- which is to say he is nobody."

Everyone who's played Kingdom Hearts 2 just rolled their eyes so hard they popped out and wobbled away.


Everyone else should be having this reaction.


"As do I.
And for that matter--"
Ah hah hah. That's right.
We have much in common.



Do we get a fancy hat?


"But darkness is my enemy!
And you are, too, for making everything around here reek of it!"


DARKNESS BATTLE GO!


Look it's Vexen. He's just the same as before, and he's even easier with Riku's massively overpowered white corridor deck. you can't examine it but it's all 6-9's with a pack of 0's at the back. Perfection. The key to beating Vexen quickly is to charge up your Dark Mode as fast as possible and then spam him to death with sleights.

Yes it's really that easy.


Oh ho ho... What's this? A deck with 3 9's in it?



D-D-D-DARK AURA!


Of course we didn't kill him. He has other people to creep out and annoy yet.


"All you needed was the right provocation."



"You have my thanks, Riku!"

Vexen warps out, leaving Riku alone to ponder what the hell just happened.

Tune in for all Riku, all the time, in-

Episode 6: Entrances And Exits