Part 62: Episode LX: Lunch Break

Episode LX: Lunch Break



I had no idea such a vast space existed beneath the abandoned factory! I need to return and investigate as soon as possible. When I do, perhaps you’d be willing to join me?
No thanks.
......
I’m heading back to the Resistance camp. What about you?
Oh, I’ll probably wander back to the village. I have plenty on my plate there.
I see.



And with that, Pascal zooms off into the sky and leaves us to our devices in this, the final chapter of NieR: Automata. If it doesn’t feel remotely like the end of the game should be coming up soon, that’s because it isn’t. We will get what the game considers a main ending. The actual, normal speed version of the game’s credits will play. We will be dumped back at the title screen. But it will be far from the end of NieR: Automata. The first couple of main endings in the game are more the conclusion of acts to the game than an actual conclusion to the narrative.

What we will be coming up on is the NieR 1’s equivalent of say... Jack of Hearts attacking the Village and Yonah getting kidnapped by the Shadowlord. Kinda... Not really but ehh... This game is weird. But that’s getting ahead of ourselves. As soon as Pascal fades into the clouds above, 2B receives a radio communication.



Say again? I’m not receiving.
Scanning for interference.
*static* ...The machines...! *static* Requesting... backup... *static* forces in range...! *static* Please we c...
*call drops*
Let’s move.


New Music: Shade (Quiet)



None of that sounded particularly great. I wonder if it has anything to do with Eve vowing to murder everyone and becoming infected with some manner of Cult of the Watchers branded skin disease and Red Eyes. Nah... Since when did the machines ever act on anything quickly? I mean other than the death cult that started and imploded within the span of 2-3 days.



That Access Point back in the Resistance Camp is still busted from earlier. So we’ll have to leg it back into town. As we approach the City Ruins proper, we can see the machines air dropping a few units ahead. This actually happens regularly, usually as the result of a sidequest being triggered. If 2B is ever quick enough in entering an area where new enemies spawn, they’ll actually show them being dropped and not just manifesting out of the ether. It’s a neat little detail (even if the airdropping machines phase into nothingness as they fly away...)



The machines ahead are just basic Stubby Boys. Though a few of ‘em do have torn up faces and all of them are far more aggressive than usual. Their aggro range seems way the heck higher than usual. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say the machines seem downright pissed.



Additionally, the machines have gained a new ability. They can now charge up and release a small AOE energy burst that’s surprisingly damaging, especially coming from a basic Stubby unit. One hit takes off a good fifth of 2B’s total energy. But otherwise, the Stubbies remain largely the same.



Moving on... err... Holy shit. Is that mini-map reading right? That’s a LOT of enemy units in the area. Or moose... It doesn’t really differentiate well. Regardless, there must be something off. That can’t be right.



...Oh. No. Is that mini-map reading was correct. The City Ruins is absolutely FLOODED with extremely aggressive machines. And more are being air-dropped in as we speak. I think we might have a problem on our hands.



Cause unknown.
Try contacting the Bunker via laser relay system.
Affirmative.





2B is free to get her murder on out in the City Ruin fields. But it’s a futile effort. More enemies are being dropped in than 2B has the ability to kill. It’s a losing proposition. Good place to grind though, if we felt like we needed a few more levels.





We don’t thanks to all those sidequests. So let’s just ignore all of these machines with a bone to pick against androids and hurry on to the Resistance Camp. The urgency of that garbled message seems somewhat more apparent now.





The area surrounding the Resistance Camp is suffering the same machine lifeform influx of visitors as the central field. But still... it’s mostly a bunch of Stubby boys. The Resistance can hold their own against a bunch of Stubbies, right? They’re like the least threatening dudes on the planet. Their main form of locomotion is bunny hopping.



Somebody help me!
Get out of here now!



Welp. The place is on fire and androids are fleeing for their lives. That’s not a great start... That’s not a great start at all. I cannot believe the machines finally located the Resistance’s hideout behind a building with a couple tarps in front of it. Clever bastards...



Yeah... Yep, this doesn’t look like it is going great for the androids. Guys, maybe next time you should... I dunno... Put up a gate to your secret base? Or maybe hang out in a building so machines cannot just air drop on the middle of your ba—



Ergh...? Excuse me, are you all...



Are they... eating them!?



Welp. This escalated quickly. Wait... since when did the machines have mouths? You mean there were mouths and teeth under those dome heads...? Were they always there or is that new? Regardless... Why?! Why would you give them teeth?!



...Right. So, umm...



NOOOOOOOOOPE! Not doing this. We’re out!



2B, they’re eating androids. You’re not getting paid enough to deal with flesh eating trashcan boys.



Fuck this noise! We’re out. Good luck with whatever all this is...



Ten years later, 2B would find herself hunted by both machine lifeforms and YoRHa assassins—a life she seemed to enjoy more than her previous one.





See ya all in NiER 3: Anglermata.






Video: Episode 60 Highlight Reel (You should watch this.)





Yes, they’ve always had teeth and a horrific endoskeleton under that cute outer shell. Why do they have teeth? Hmm... I dunno. Probably has nothing to do with the initial invasion where they were repelled by an army of clone magic grinning orb boys...