Part 114: Episode CX: Shut Up

Episode CX: Shut Up



That was a bummer of a time for 9S. There are more sidequest we could go do right now but ehh... we’re in the neighborhood and I doubt 9S would be too into doing menial tasks for subpar pay around now. So let’s head into the nearby Forest Zone and...


Music: Forest Kingdom (Quiet)







Boy, who added the Nintendo 64 levels of fog in here? Is 9S gonna pick up a Cerebral Bore around here somewhere? I’d be OK with that...



Affirmative. Said unit appears to be delivering something to the giant facility. Hypothesis: This facility may be designed to transport some kind of resource.
What’s the resource it’s transporting?
Unknown.
For what purpose?
Unknown.



Well, I guess that just means 9S will have to investigate. The locals, however, have some other ideas...



My k-k-kiiing... <bzzt> My king... <interference>
Reeveng-ge... <bzzt> Revenge...



The Forest Kingdom survivors seem to be somewhat pissed about the androids assassinating their kings. They’ve also shifted from patrolling units to setting up guerilla ambushes jumping out of bushes and trees. Other than being less armored than usual, there’s little difference to ‘em.



Huh? Fog?
Analysis: The fog is actually steam emitted by a large enemy structural unit.
Steam? For what purpose?
Unknown.

Pod, your analysis algorithms of late need some work. As we run deeper into the forest towards the Resource Unit, 9S hits another ambush by the Forest Kingdom guerillas.



I’ll... <bzzt> I’ll kill you!
“I’ll kill you?” ...Heh. That’s my line.





9S, I know you’re down a ruinous path of revenge and hatred for all machines. But don’t try cool guy one liners. You still look like someone who has recently been shoved into a locker. Even if you fully backed that up and murdered everyone in about 20 seconds.





The Resource Unit is found in the central part of the Forest Zone in the ravine dividing the area. As we approach it, the entire tower lights up and several huge slots open up on its sides. Nothing is ever easy...





Great... Now how are we going to get into this dumb thing. 9S, you didn’t crash that last flight unit you had, did you? Is that just parked somewhere? Maybe you could go ge—



...Oh. There’s an easily accessed entrance with an unlocked elevator leading into the tower right by the bridge. Some defense system.



I can’t read it.
Analysis: Writing is an ancient language known as Angelic. It reads “meat box.”
Oooo-kay then.



Music: ENDS



Well, I guess we now have our chapter title’s context. Nothing left to do but jump into the elevator and head into the Meat Box.





Turns out the interior is... just kinda The Citadel from the end of Half-Life 2 with some nice texture mods and shaders. I’m OK with that. Meat Box reminds me of the Meat Circus from the end of Psychonauts and that is a shitty area you do not to be reminded of in any context.



Analysis: Many useless parts unrelated to machine lifeform functionality detected. The reason for using said parts is unknown.
There’s no meaning to anything they do.



Oh I dunno, 9S. It clearly looks like the machines constructed this room for a fight arena. I think think I saw Heihachi Mishima parry a missile into some poor random redshirt soldier here in Tekken 7. And look... here come the jobbers right now!


Music: Alien Manifestation (Instrumental)



Y-Y-Your... Majesty...
R-Revenge... reveeeeenge...



Revenge? 9S is all about that lately! You guys will be fast friends. Or finished fast. I forget how that works...



So the Meat Box Resource Unit is just a grinder of arena fights. The first floor is against a pair of Medium-Biped Forest Kingdom spearmen, followed up by a half dozen Stubbies and finally two Small Biped axe men and a mounted unit. Not a big deal at all.





As soon as 9S has trashed all challengers on the floor, an elevator arrives on the opposite side of the room and whisks us off to the next level.







Floor #2 is home to a very brisk fight against a single Medium Biped axeman of the Forest Kingdom followed by two generic Sphere Type machines, also going with the Astaroth weapon of choice.







Can’t stop now. On to the third floor. Here we find...



...A power outage. That’s probably less than ideal when in a floating tower only accessible by elevators. Also...



Pain pain paaaaaaaaaain...
I do not... want to die...


Music: Alien Manifestation (Vocal)



Machines can’t feel pain.





I should hope not. Especially when a rush of Suicide Machines rush in and immediate get blown to bits. That’d be real messed up to give those machines pain receptors. Though... it might explain the screaming. Best not to think about it. Moving right along!





There’s nothing in this next floor. There’s a couple of entirely unremarkable common weapon upgrade materials. Huh. 9S got seeded in the Meat Box tournament! Onto the next level!





Welcome to the penultimate round. You see those three circles? They all begin spinning in opposite directions. The central and outer perimeter begin rotating counter-clockwise while the white center circle goes clockwise. Also our new contenders enter.



Don’t kill! Don’t kill!
This cannot continue.
Revenge! Revenge!
He deserves... protection.
You will be reborn... Majesty.



This cannot continue.
Oww! So much pain!
Stooop! Stop!
No kill! No kill!
Dooon’t want to dieeee!



Now shut up... shut up, SHUT UP!



SHUT UUUUPPPP!



They do eventually shut up. After 9S has murdered them all. Welp. Only one floor remains.



Music: ENDS



Machine parts...
Speculation: Perhaps these are raw materials from the structure itself. Possibly useful for creating weapons.
Weapons, eh?





The last of the Forest Kingdom’s defenders show up to defend the Meat Box Core found on the top floor here. It goes poorly for them... After 9S is finished taking out the last of the Resource Unit’s defense system, the core itself begins speaking.



Help... Please... Help... me...



Help... me... Help me. Help me. Help me.



Prepare energy.
Help me.
Close-range firing mode.
Help me.
Maximum output.
Help me.
9S...
Fire.
Help m—







And that’s that taken care of... Pods are very powerful, if you haven’t been reminded in a while. Especially during cutscenes.





For wrecking the Resource Unit’s core, we receive the first a three keycards to unlock The Tower itself.



Also, the game silently adds this Archive to our records right after we destroy that core. Yoko Taro child murder brand still going strong.



Now that we’ve murdered a baby sorted out this issue, all we have to do is take the elevator back down and dep—



Kiiiiiiii... ll... What did... we ever do... Kill... me... Kill...



Kill... me! Do it!



Kill... me! Do it!



Kill me, coward! Kill me!



Kill me! Kill me! Kill me!



Kill m—
AAAAAH!



And that concludes Chapter 13: Meat Box. Tune in next as we check back in on A2 and enter probably the most overall upbeat chapter of Route C. For a tiny while... Eventually... It’s titled “Despair.” NieR: Automata continues...






Video: Episode 110 Highlight Reel (You should probably watch this. If just for 9S losing his shit towards the end.)





Forest Recovery Unit Concept Art – Disappointing lack of meat inside. Area is still lousy with boars. I wanted some bacon!