Part 21: Neo Arcadia Core: Copy X

Extra Stage Thoughts

I don't think I have much to add. Except that I love how the Pantheons in the first part are set up to be perfect pogo jumping points (which I actually learned from the trailer I saw for the Zero Collection, they knew it was cool), I still hate the wall tanks and the turtles and...well, I guess the shortcut is planned for a Hard Mode video which may well never happen, so I'll just tell you it has a full life and an extra life in it.

Boss Comments



He can change his element in any order and is invincible during the flash. This does not give him a changing weakness, however, just another attack mode. He also can charge up his shot, changing the Buster attack. I think his element swap is slightly based on the damage he takes, but I might just have had bad luck in trying to get him to do the fire charge attack.

Attacks

• Charge Kick: Copy X dashes forward on a ground with a shockwave accompanying him. It has a fixed distance and he's invincible during it. If you know the distance, you can wait just in front and deliver hurt once he stops, or you can immediately make him flinch out of the attack if you get the timing right just before he becomes invincible. Risky, though!
  
• Hyper Dash (I think?): The Ultimate Armor's signature move from X5 (X4, too?). He flies at Zero, also invincibly. Key thing to watch out for: Homes in if you're on the wall, does not home when you're on the ground; and by virtue of the animation for it, you can always dash under it. Copy X can continue this attack until he hits a wall, then he drops down and is open for attack, or shoot his current normal shot resp. charged if he's neutral, then fall in an arc. Predicting where he lands gives you a good opening to hit him.
  
• Buster shot (neutral normal): Three quick shots, best dodged by dash-jumping: wall-climbing leaves you a little open if he immediately Hyper Dashes at you.
  
• Plasma shot (neutral charged): A huge shot which is seriously easy to avoid, not a problem in the slightest. Don't get hit though, it hurts.
  
• Homing Spark (electric normal): He releases one or more small projectile(s) which trail Zero for half a room. Pretty dangerous, as they restrict your movement and thusly can corner you!
  
• Floor Bolts (electric charged): From his position, he releases hopping ball lightnings in each direction. Just climb the wall. Not a problem.
  
• Fire Wave (fire normal): A curving flamethrower attack, which is mostly problematic from the ground, as you might be tempted to jump into it. Just stay put, it's save if you're not too near (and you shouldn't be when he prepares to shoot).
  
• Inferno (fire charged): He releases a lot of fireballs that land in fixed positions from him. I find this hardest to avoid of the charge attacks, but also rare.
  
• Frost Ricochet (ice normal): A large bullets gets fired which splits in five when it hits the floor or a wall. Really dangerous, especially when fired onto the wall! Pick your position wisely for this.
  
• Ice Tornado (ice charged): Big ice storm extending from him towards the wall. Just climb it, but be ready to drop down immediately afterwards if he decides to Hyper Charge.
  
• Regeneration (EX Skill): Once per fight, he can recharge an entire health bar. Basically, the fight just takes longer.

What a great fight. As I said often enough, it's all about positioning. When he's going to jump where, how near you can stand, him dropping down right onto your sword, the distance you need to be in order to slash him out of an attack - it's very, very fun to toy with him. Can't really expand on this: No two fights will ever be the same, it's incredibly well-designed, fair all around and fun, fun, fun.




There are two pillars moving up and down to the sides of a platform bordered by bottomless pits. They are walls to climb with (non-instant death) spikes on top and bottom. As they move asynchronous, one will always be available to climb, one usually out of reach. It's pretty tough keeping track of which direction it's possible to escape to at the moment!

Attacks

• Ring Restrictor: He fires up a number of rings which will become more as the fight goes on. Depending on where Zero was standing when the ring gets fired, it'll land. This means that at the start, you can just stand still until the last one falls, then dash away; later on you have to move and never turn back if you want to consistently avoid it. The rings don't do damage but trap you, making you wriggle to escape. Don't ever get hit with this when on a pillar, you'll die instantly. Always initiates with this attack
  
• Laser Storm: Seraph X's hands glow for a bit, which is your cue to go to one side of the platform; then he starts firing a huge volley of shots, upon which you need to dash to the opposite side and best climb a pillar. Even better, start out on one pillar, switch to the platform, but that's very hard to plan in advance. It's hugely distracting visually and almost impossible to dodge without knowing that he always shoots it where you are as soon as it start, and that applies to both shot groups. I hate this attack, it comes out too quickly for my taste, especially when you're just in the middle of jumping somewhere and can't position yourself correctly.
  
• Laser Inferno: A non-damaging laser sweeps the platform, then it catches fire from the laser's point of origin. You need to hang out on the pillars for that, and the fire deals a lot of damage. Jumping boldly to hit the head makes this the best attack of his for you to get damage in.
  
• EX Skill: The spiky pillars you usually climb to avoid his attacks come in from both sides to attack you. Can be a very nasty surprise, but is consistent enough to dash under.

Ranking High

Not gonna happen unless you're seriously good at these bosses and far, far more consistent than me. And if that's the case, you don't need me to tell you tactics, do you?

• Neo Arcadia: _{This is seriously good. I love the beat, and how the melody starts getting more and more intricate as it progresses. A perfect track for the final level, heroic and tense, sadly enough it's constantly interrupted by the bad boss music.}
  
• X, The Legend: _{An extended version of what you normally hear between boss shutters, plays during the pre-battle cutscene. Okay for that.}
  
• Fake: _{Perfect title for the final fight against Seraph X. As for the music itself...I don't know. Too, don't know how to describe it...esoteric?...for my taste. The very cold atonal sounds during the first part don't do it for me. The background beat is fine, but other than that, not what I like to hear in a final boss battle (or anywhere else, really).}
  
• The End of Legend: _{Short desolate remix of (Copy) X's theme during his dying scene. Again, perfectly fine for setting the mood during the short dialogue bit.}
  
• For Endless Fight: _{The bittersweet epilogue. I like it. Its (great) base melody is a recurring theme, just slower and more melancholy!}
  
• Area of Zero (Main Theme of Zero): _{Not Aria? Anyway, it's the credit song. Still not exactly happy - fitting, really. I like the mood the ending sets, and the music compliments it nicely. Not a track I would listen to on repeat, though. Too minimalistic, ultimately.}