Part 56: Episode LIII: But of Course the Creepy Mansion has an Underground Laboratory!

Episode LIII: But of Course the Creepy Mansion has an Underground Laboratory!


Look, I'm telling you we're going the right direction!
"I cannot believe you are so gullible as to believe that...man..."
Hey, that guy seemed legit. Besides, what else do we have to do?
"Perhaps were we not wandering off on some fool's errand to retrieve a wayward slab of iron, I could think of something."
That was a top notch instrument of war, dragon! And that prick was said he saw it somewhere in this direction. If you don't wanna follow me then fine!
"Oh? Do I have a choice in the matter now?"
Har har.
"What makes you believe some stranger's guidance?"
Hey, that guy was cool. Anyone that can have a good laugh about that story of when I punted a severed head to knock a dude on horseback straight off into a rack of spears is okay in my book.
"Did you even get his name?"
Ergh... I dunno... Tim? Terry? Something like that... I'm terrible with names. Hell I barely remember yours, dragon. What was it...? Like Angela or something?
"Angelus."
Yea yeah... That's it! Anyway, that was the first person we've seen floating around here. It's as good a lead as any to go find my missing junk.
"He also said he saw my tail grafted onto a broadsword."
Maybe your tail DID get grafted onto a broadsword? Ever thought of that?!
"My tail is right where it always has been."
Yeah... Ghost tails don't count, dragon!
"Indeed..."
Come on... I think he said it was off this way...


Welp that is it for the Village at present. Let's go visit Emil in his creepy monochrome manor, shall we?

Music: Hills of Radiant Wind (Plains Music)




As I said earlier, the Fields outside of the Village are utterly overrun with Shades these days. On a cloudy day in Part 1, you'd maybe run into a dozen between here and Seafront. Now you'll need to wade through about fifty plus just to make it down the same path. But, while we're slaughtering some Shades, let's go take a gander at spear combat, hmmm?


Spears' basic combo is rather limited. It is just three short forward jabs. It only hits enemies directly in front of Nier and each strike can only be moved slightly to the left or right of the last jab. But, when using spears you won't be using the standard combo too much.


This is because the spears' charge attack is the single most broken melee ability in the entire game. Tapping Triangle/Y just once will instantly cause Nier to do a forward lunging thrust attack. This attack:

• Moves twice as fast as Nier running full tilt.
  
• Fires off instantaneously, even in mid standard combo.
  
• Has a HUGE hitbox that is roughly twice as wide as Nier on each side.
  
• Will hit every single enemy in front of Nier.
  
• Will knock most enemies off their feet.
  
• Will guard break shielding enemies.
  
• Has invincible frames during the beginning of the dash.
  
• Can be followed up with another charge attack less than a second after the first.
  
• Nier doesn't even have to be facing in the desired direction to use it. Just press the control stick in the direction you want things to die and mash the button and he'll instantly charge in that direction immediately next strike.
  
• Is generally extremely powerful.
  

And that's basically why spears are incredibly useful. You can just spam the charge attack over and over until everything is very, very dead with minimal fuss.


Furthermore, if the charge strike is done while in mid-air, Nier will do a downward diving attack. This has mostly the same properties as the ground version. However, the animation for the attack can be canceled out with a backwards evade flip and immediately followed up with a ground charge thrust.

This means if there are any armored enemies, you can just do the one-two punch of dive-bomb + backflip + ground charge for a nearly guaranteed guardbreak to enemy knocked to the floor.


That said, I find spears really boring to use. Yeah, they're effective as hell. But, spamming the same move over and over isn't particularly satisfying if you ask me. All three weapon types have their places where they shine. But, for normal combat I mostly stick to two-handed equipment.


"They seem to have developed some manner of bodily protection. It seems these creatures, too, follow the prescripts of evolution."
"Well, if I can't knock it off, I'll just have to crush 'em."


That's enough dilly-dallying about with long phallic poles. Let's see what the return visit to Emil's manor has to offer our duo.


I do believe this is the last time we will ever see Sebastian. He just kind of vanishes from the story after this point. Very mysterious.

Weiss and Nier travel to Emil's room...

Music: Haunted Manor Ambience


"Hey there, Emil. How goes the search for a cure?"
"Nothing yet. But I did find this..."

Underground Research Record 1

Aha! That is what the first visit to Emil's little survival horror mansion was missing: Files! Hmm... It's dated 2026. It looks like we are getting to a bit of pre-civilization collapse intrigue, eh?


"You think this room will let you harness the ability to control all forms of magic. Correct?
"Actually...yeah. Or even if it doesn't, something there might point us in the right direction."
"Sounds like a plan."
"There's an entrance in the courtyard. It's not far."
"All right. Let's go find it."

Emil now rejoins the party for the next leg of the journey. Funny...that kid looks like he hasn't aged a day since we last saw him...


"I can use it to cure my eyes."
"It would also allow us to free Kainé from her petrified condition."
"Wow, Weiss. I didn't think you cared."
<sigh> "Perhaps this tome is getting a bit sappy in his old age!"

The trio travel to the courtyard...


Yup. Just somewhere right alongside the petrified house guests with expressions twisted in agony... Best not to ask what went down there...




Hmph... A fountain in a courtyard possessing a switch to a secret underground research facility, eh? I am truly shocked that no emblem fetching was involved in the proceedings.


"If someone bothered to attach a warning to this room, I doubt they will appreciate us forcing our way inside."
"Ngh...!"
"Emil? What is it?"
"Nothing. ...It's nothing. I'm fine."

The trio proceeds into the mansion underground...


Folks...I think this is gonna be a bit more than a 'hidden room'... Just a hunch...






Spear Combat Demo


Haunted Manor Revisit Highlights