Part 30: Episode XXIX: Repairs

Episode XXIX: Repairs



YoRHa back at it again with the sidequests. We’re going to go back to the main plot in the next couple updates. Cool it. This is one of like two portions of the game that may as well have a big flashing “go fuck off and do some sidequests to get some level-ups ya dingus” sign flashing.


Music: Rays of Light (Quiet)



Today’s quest is one that’s actually kind of easy to miss if you’re not vigilant running around examining everything like an overly curious jackass. So about that destroyed Engels Goliath unit that’s taken residency in the City Ruins. There’s no quest marker for this initially. But if 2B happens to hop on top of the some destroyed roadway in front of Engles...



Hmm?
This machine is still alive.
So destroy it.
Maybe we should hold off. Its main drive has been trashed, so there’s no way it can attack us. And we might be able to learn something interesting if we study it.

You’re the nerd in this partnership here, 9S. If this gets us killed, this is entirely on you. So let’s examine this trashed Engels...



Why?
So we can learn more about the machines! Don’t you think it’s at least worth a shot?
If you say so.
Hmm... I’m going to need a pristine screw in order to finish the repairs.
We might be able to find one in the remains of other enemies.
Pod, search for the locations of relevant enemies.
Target location data obtained. Marking on map.



So begins the sidequest: Machine Examination 1. Never a good sign when a quest ends in a numeral... Oh well. What’s the worst that can happen? We fight another Engels? Pfft. We’ve trashed like three of them at this point in just gameplay segments. They’re no problem.



Pod marks the location of a newly spawned enemy likely location where machines carrying the necessary material can be found. It’s north of Jackass’s Desert Camp. Would have been nice to know that last time we were in the area. But what are you going to do?



The more data we have the better, right?


Music: Memories of Dust



If you say so, 9S. This is your dumbass experiment. Anyway, now hanging out in the Desert buffer zone is a Goliath Biped. We technically hadn’t seen the stock version of these guys yet, have we? They’re 100% exactly the same as their Façade Cosplay cousins.



So we’ll just skip past the formalities and trash this thing immediately. Any enemies spawned for a quest yield a guaranteed material drop necessary for the quest. That said, it’s entirely possible to have a drop fall into some awkward, impossible to reach place. In which case... umm... hopefully you’ve got a save nearby and can give that another shot...

It’s worth noting that these Goliath Biped boys are worth a TON of experience for this point in the game for not a whole lot of effort honestly. 2B blazes up two and a half levels during this quest’s course.



We can use this screw to repair that big machine.


Music: Rays of Light (Quiet)



I really like the visual of 9S just jamming this one really well cleaned, shiny screw somewhere into this five story tall mechanical monstrosity and the whole thing being good to go...



Especially since it took him the better part of an hour to jam the screw it just the right place...



I a......cal......gles 110......
I was manu......huma......
Request......ation of......stat......
This thing can talk?
It seems to be replaying some kind of data. Machines don’t have a conscious mind, you know.
......
I managed to pull some data out of its memory. It seems to be info on the factory where it was constructed. I’ll save it in a readable format.



And that concludes the first part of this quest. Somehow G has manifested itself from the ether. I’m not complaining.



...More importantly, we have some new lore to check in on. Completing this quest unlocks the Intel > Engel’s Memories. Let’s take a look.



Nothing too interesting here. But I dig the full title of this unit is “Engels Fortress Destroyer Transformable Combination Infantry”. Powerful title.



No, it seems there’s more. But I need additional parts to access the rest. Let’s see... Four pristine screws and one large gear should be enough to bridge the gap in its memory circuits.
Fair enough.
Target location data obtained. Marking on map.

So we jump immediately from Machine Examination 1 to Machine Examination 2...



Just how it was manufactured. Pretty boring, actually.
There’s still a lot about machines that we don’t understand. Gather as much data as you can, no matter how irrelevant it may seem.



Well, our work is cut out for us here. There are FOUR new locations on the map with machine lifeform piñatas containing more Pristine Screws.


Music: Rays of Light (Medium)



Like the previous materials, this once more involves destroying a Goliath Biped. Same level as last time. Same exact enemy. So let’s just skip ahead a bit, eh? The first one is in the stream just outside the Resistance Camp.



The second one was loitering outside the pylon tower on the northeastern edge of the city. He almost killed a moose during that battle. What a dick! I’m glad he’s dead.



The third one took up residence just south of Jackass’s Desert Camp. You know she would not have appreciated this idiot lumbering onto her turf. It’s probably for the best we were the ones to take it out...





And finally, certainly most annoyingly, was a Goliath Biped chilling in the sinkhole with those obnoxious ass worm boys swarming around being a nuisance. I love this game. Those are some of the most poorly designed enemies in anything I’ve played this year... Anyway!



Destroying all four of those Goliath Bipeds results in four Pristine Screws we can use to repair that trashed Engels. For science... Let’s head back and see what results from this thought experiment...


Music: Rays of Light (Quiet)



I like to imagine there is 53 minutes of 2B sighing deeply as 9S desperately combs every inch of Engels looking for places to insert these screws...





AWW BEANS!



I was manufactured in February of the human calendar year 11,934 A.D. My first deployment was in August of that same year. Requesting confirmation of current status.
This thing’s getting chattier.
Requesting confirmation of current status.
Um... well, you were defeated by us androids. That’s why you can’t move. At this point, you should probably just hand over any classified information in your possession.
Understood.



And with that Engels barfs out a mess of G and a not too shabby amount of EXP. That was... surprisingly easy.



More importantly, there’s more lore to be had. Let’s take a look...



If nothing, we’ve discovered the machines still retain a Platinum Games Combo and Points system even if our androids have cast that bullshit aside. That seems important... You think they go only up to S Rank or SSS Rank?



My mission has already been accomplished. My commander is absent. I have no orders to withhold classified information. But as a combat weapon. I do not possess a great deal of data. You should not expect much.
We’ll keep that in mind.



And thus... kinda... completes that quest. Not really. We’ve gotten all the mission rewards we can out of interacting with this surprisingly friendly Engels unit. But the quest itself remains active. As, well... If we try to depart...



That’s not quite what’s happening here.
Please visit me again.
Why?
Because I have nothing to do.
Are you trying to say you’re bored?



Yeah... So Engels is a machines don’t have higher functions sentient war machine without any further purpose and unable to move anywhere. Which... seems like a real shitty scene, if you think about it. This quest is weird in that it requires moving on in the game a few ticks to progress, though it has to be initiated here. We can get the next portion of it by buzzing off for a bit doing other things.



Like using all the cash we looted murdering all of those Goliath Bipeds to get the final Chip Capacity Upgrade! We don’t have anything spectacular new to slot in here that we haven’t already seen. But this is the biggest boon in the game overall. So it’s good we already have that maxed out.

Anyway, back to Engels 110-B...



I have nothing to do. Tell me a story.
What?
Er, there isn’t much we can tell you. Most of our data is classified.
A story of the past would be fine. Tell me about how this city used to be.
Well, I suppose we can try.
This city was once home to a great number of humans.
Numbers beyond counting?
Something like that. Don’t you remember driving them out of here?
Humans were already gone at the time of my manufacture. All I know is ruin. And androids.
Regardless, don’t expect us to forgive you for the sins of your people.
Machine lifeforms do not comprehend the concept of “sin.”
Let’s go, 2B.
Sounds good.



And that concludes our moral relativism with another robot species. We’ll have further melancholy chats with Engels 110-B in the future. But for now, back to YoRHa business...






Video: Episode 29 Highlight Reel





Goliath Biped Concept Art – Strong arm boy.