Part 9

Very sorry about the lack of updates over the last couple of days. I had some things to do before spring break, and spring break happens to be two weeks earlier than I thought it was. Anyways...

Where I last left off, I learned of what happened in Youngtown- all of the adults were taken away. I also got Teleport, which works in a similar way to Teleport alpha in Earthbound- it needs a running start, and if you run into anything,



The really nifty thing about Teleport is that it works in Magicant, allowing me to leave without using the caves!

I continue on to Ellay. This path has the same enemies as the desert does. with a few differences. Then again, I may not have encountered everything I could have there. The new things I found include...



These little guys are more scared of us than we are of them. They have a high defense and dodge rate, and run away frequently. I didn't even manage to kill one.


I'm pretty sure these use PK Beam a and r, which can be a pain. Actually, pretty much everything at this point can use PK Beam r, so the Franklin Badge is quite helpful now.


More PK Beam r. They also have PSI Shield, so killing these guys quickly is in everyone's best interest.


I finally got a chance to defeat these. They use Hypnosis, and have a very high defense. This area is where Peter's stat increasing and decreasing PSI starts to become necessary.


High defense and offense, but no PSI, so they aren't much of a big deal.


These can poison people and call for help, but otherwise are weak. They don't really fit the area very well.

After a bit of traveling, having to warp back after being beaten up and leveling a bit, I make it to a house. After checking the trashcan and being met with a "?" like another occurrance, I talk to it.





Somehow I must have missed something, but that's no big deal.





What a wonderful father! Still, I can see the resemblance, what with the hiding in the trashcan and all...

I go inside, and meet...




Nifty! Although it is a little disturbing; being followed all the way from home by a little girl, with all sorts of aliens and robots around...

I move on. Little more than a few steps away, Daisy bites it. Again. One trip to Magicant later, I realize that there is something else here that I have to do. Peter has to be at least level 25 in order to do this, though being a higher level is helpful.

Back into the caves, you may remember something here.




This guy may well be the only real "Boss" in this game. Sure, there are other unique enemies that are stronger than others in the area, but this guy is leagues above anything that we have faced yet. He has high defense, PK Fire B that does about 50 damage to all characters unless you use Psi Shield, and his attack does over 50 AFTER using defense up. Using Offense Up is very helpful, though using Defense Down is ineffective. After a long, difficult battle, I talk to the Dragon again.





Nifty! Only 2 to go.

I get back to where I was, and give it another shot. Eventually, as I approach the town, the enemies change again...


These things are pretty easy, but still tougher than the tigers, gorillas, and other animals I fought at the zoo that SHOULD be stronger than these.



In either of these situations, Defence and Offence up abilities are crucial. High defense, high offense enemies, we are now in an area that each random encounter is harder than most of the "boss" encounters we had earlier. It only gets worse from here.

Eventually, I finally make it to Ellay.



There are quite a few of these here. They aren't random encounters, but if you talk to a lot of the people here, you will end up in this fight.

I find a theater here, and someone standing in front of it.



Uh oh...



I do so, though now that I think about it, I might not have had to. Though I DO need to get into the theater in order to continue.



Damages must not have been that bad, though. Stupid baseball bats can cost 5 times as much...

I go inside...



Well crap. I talk to one of the people outside...





Ugh. Just more and more money I need to spend. I go to the department store to get money. But while I'm there, I look to see what they have.




Being much cheaper, I buy the ticket here. Now that I think about it, I don't think there is any RPG that screws you over as much as this one does.

We go back to the theater, where pedos go to spend time.



Not creepy in the least buddy. But, as we have been learning recently, women can be pedophiles too.



For now, I say no.



Jesus. Anyway, I keep talking around...



It's my claim to star-dom!



A quick note- here I had to stop using Tomato's patch for the next few screens here, as the game would freeze if I tried to use it. As a result, the text will look different for a while.

Well, another video, though the other ones I posted don't seem to be seeing much traffic...

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qL66pjJ1KY[url]

After our gig...




You have shitty friends, dude.




This isn't so much a fight, as I can't use PSI, only Peter can attack and neither of us has a weapon, resulting in each of us doing 5 damage to the other. After about three rounds of uselessness...






"Dark Lord killed my parents?! Blast it! BLAAAAAAST IIIIIITTT!!!"

Ahem. I agree to these terms.






And with that, Rodrigo kicks Rowlf out of the party, and takes his place. This is a good thing, as Rodrigo is fucking BUILT. I go to Magicant and get some equipment for him. Compare.




So yeah. He has no PSI, but he doesn't really need it.

But before I do this and prepare for my trip to the mountain where certain death and pain awaits, I need a drink.



What kind of man would turn THAT request down?!





And he proceeds to lead us out of the bar, and into the police station. Also, while being escorted, you CAN press "B" to run, just as if you were in control of your character.





It works the same as if you stay at the inn. Hell, you even hear the "inn" music.



"I will never try to drown the pain of being attacked by aliens with alcohol ever again."



That's perfectly rea...













Yep. The police stole my weapon, and are offering to sell it back to me for the same price I could have bought it for. Fortunately, since I recently got Rowlf an airsoft gun, and gave Rodrigo a sword I found in Magicant, I just gave Peter Rowlf's old boomerang.

After that, we start heading for the mountains.



So, here, we have a place right before the caves I go through to get to Mt. Itoi. Here, I can get healed for free. Nice to have.




And here, we have it. One of the worst places in the game, though not as bad as the Duncan Factory in my opinion. Of course, the enemies here are pretty much impossible to beat unless you know what you are doing. There are only two types of enemies here...



These guys have an absurdly high defense, plenty of multi-target PSI attacks, and all sorts of other nasty things. I hate them so much. Fortunately, you only fight one of these at a time.



You can face 1-3 of these in any battle. They are pretty much like Starmen, only stronger. This place would have been an absolute nightmare without Rodrigo. Even with him, it was a pain. To make matters worse, the best weapons you can get are here. I never found Daisy's, but Rodrigo's Katana was in the first room, and Peter's Hank's Bat was right before the exit.

Eventually, after a couple of tries...



And here is the exit. Things only get worse from here.


I had to return to Magicant because of these. They can do 100 damage to a single character.



Not so bad as the bears, but I think these have PK Beam B, which can do 90 damage to a character.



Last of the enemies I encountered here, these guys can turn people to stone, and have, once again, a painfully high defense. Still, this part isn't TOO long, and eventually...





He restores your life, but not your PSI. Still, there is also a phone, which is very nice. I try going to the door...




... Wait, what?!



There is no alternative.



Video two and final for the day...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG2BwEPjn10 / Backup

Peter naturally said yes, being the smooth operator that he is and all.

After our little cutscene, we are brought back to cold, harsh reality, as we stare death in the face...



When you see this type of enemy, you are pretty much fucked.



At least this game doesn't give you the impression that you can win. After three rounds of being turned into paste...






He takes us into the tank, and drives off.

Well, that could have worked out better, but at least no one was hurt.



Oh.




Oh god




And once again, Rowlf is back with us. However, no we have to go back to Itoh, and this time, we don't have Rodrigo's muscle to pull us through it.



At this time, in Magicant, the Bard finally agrees to sing his song...



Why do you cry, oh Cupid Doll?
The canary has a sad call.
Monkey sings and piano plays with none at post.
Maybe there is a ghost?
Desert cactus so alone,
every night plays his sad, sad tone.
The dragon sleeps and the note remains.
Eve's last song has no refrains.
On the Mountain named Itoi,
you must climb high, young boy.
See the XX stone for the last tone,
Then do not leave Queen Mary alone!
La la lullaby...
Strange lullaby...
Bye bye bye...
Good-bye...
It's a nice song, isn't it?

Much like with Earthbound, this is the "in case you didn't find some of the melodies, here they all are" plot device. We are right at the end, so I might finish this up by the end of tomorrow.