Part 83: Episode LXXXI: 21O

Episode LXXXI: 21O


Music: Fortress of Lies (Vocal)



Then they were dead this whole time... It’s going to take some time to roll back all of those baked in alien slaying one-liners we included with newer model androids.
Welcome to Earf!
If it bleeds, we can kill it.
<grumbles> Right... OK. This has to be kept confidential. Speak of it to no one.
Of course.
What should we do now, Commander?
Oh... umm... Hmm... Why don’t you two hmph... Hmmmmm... I don’t know... Hm... How about... the individual known as “Pascal” seems worth investigating. Yes, that’s right... Check that out and gain more intel.
You mean that freaky machine we ran into?
This order comes directly from the Council.
Really, it seems like you just thou—
You have your orders. Move out!
Understood.
......



We have our orders but we’re going to go ahead and ignore those for now. Check out that mini-map in the corner. There be a sidequest hanging out on the Bunker. I’m pretty sure that’s around where Operator 21O has her station. Let’s see what she wants while we’re in the area.



What am I doing? I am analyzing data.
Is this part of your current assignment?
No, it is merely a hobby.
Wait, really?
The world contains a vast amount of data. Coordinates. Network node readings. Photographic images. And so on. Analyzing this data can often lead to discovering new information. I spend my downtime seeking out such information.
That seems kind of boring. I mean, no offense.
It is more interesting than engaging in mindless banter.
Hey!
Still, there might be a way to make this chatter less mindless. There is a data terminal in the abandoned factory that I cannot access with our satellites. If you feel like helping, you can head over there and transfer the data to me.
<Happily agree to help.> <Grumble about what a pain that would be.>
Wonderful. I’ll send the coordinates at once. The terminal is kind of hard to find, so keep your eyes peeled.
I’ll let you know once I find it.
Please examine the abandoned factory at your earliest convenience.



So begins the Data Analysis Freak sidequest. Operator 6O spent all her down time looking at pictures of flowers and cute puppies. Operator 21O just falls down Wikipedia browsing pits for hours on end instead. I’ve been there... I suppose we can help her out next time we’re back on Earth.



Which will be in just a moment since there’s nothing else to be done in the Bunker. But before we go, we did receive a couple of emails we ought to browse while we’re on the high speed Bunker connection.



One of the emails is just Jackass trying to murder conduct scientific study with mackerels again. We’ll put that one in the trash given our knowledge of Route A. We also have an anonymous email with no subject and filled with a random series of letters. OK...



Hypothesis: The numbers may indicate coordinates. There are 3 locations: The desert, the flooded city, and the forest.
Sounds interesting. Mark ‘em on the map.
Affirmative.



This begins the Mysterious Letter sidequest. Which... isn’t really a sidequest. This is the game going “hey you bought the DLC, go to these locations to access it you dingus!” Spoilers: The DLC is behind those Apologetic Machine elevator doors we saw back in Route A. There’s a third one we didn’t see down in the Forest Zone we passed because it was around a way too high level enemy involved in a sidequest.



We will be covering the DLC eventually. It’s mostly gimmicky combat arenas. But there are story elements to it as well. However, this is not the day we’ll be checking that out. Let’s head back down groundside and get our bearings.


Music: Rays of Light (Quiet)





As you can, following the events in the Alien Mothership and the unlocking of Fast Travel, the game has decide to just dump ALL of the sidequests of Route B in our lap (as well as assorted ones we never got around to in Route A) in our lap at once. So we’ve got a ton of options open at this point.



However, 21O did come out ahead of the pack and gave us a sidequest before we even had time to explore other options. It’d frankly be rude to ignore her request in favor of some latecomers. So let’s head over to the world’s most densely inhabited Abandoned Factory.



There is something of note on the way. Tucked behind this (frankly looking great for being several millennia old) rusted truck is another electronically locked treasure chest. Hacking this produces a “Paper Attached to Vehicle.” Let’s take a look.



Kenichi Sato is the current CEO and President of PlatinumGames. Yosuke Saito is one of the producers of NieR: Automata. All I could find about Maihama is a train station in Urayasu which is also home to the Tokyo Disney Resort. Not sure what that has to do with anything though...




Music: Wretched Weaponry (Instrumental)



Anyway, off we go to the Abandoned Factory. We’ve already seen absolutely everything this area has to offer back in Route A. This quest is just another bout of running a good distance through the same exact area again until we reach our goal.



Enemies this go around are at least competitively leveled versions of the jerks we saw in Route A instead of Level 1-3 jobbers. Still the same exact enemy placement though, so nothing to see here. 9S does have some commentary as we make our way through the factory...



I wonder what it used to be like?
Accessing historical records... Analysis: This location was once used for weapons production and experimentation.
No kidding? What kind of weapons?
Humanoid combat robots. Common examples include the P-22 and P-33 models.
Human-shaped weapons, huh? Wonder if they worked like flight units.
Unknown. No image-based information exists.



Of all the things to get most heavily referenced in a sequel to NieR, it was not the goofy ass looking P-33 robot boss from the Junk Heap I expected to be out in front. Then again, I suppose the twins being androids out of nowhere and robots in general being the main core of a sequel wasn’t expected either.





Remember that shortcut we opened in that semi-hidden alcove back in Route A (there’s a switch with a drawbridge beyond this)? That’s where we need to head for this sidequest as there’s now an accessible panel in the middle of the room. But first we’ve got to deal with a small mob of shield wielding medium biped machines. But we’ve done that dozens of times already. C’mon machines. It’s like y’all aren’t even trying. I know 9S can mind jack and make you commit suicide at will or make your heads explode with his mind and such. But this is sad.



Now I just have to send it to her.
Alert: Poor reception in this area is preventing data upload. Proposal: Unit 9S should move to an area with better reception.
Got it.



As with most frikkin’ sidequests that involve slumming in the Abandoned Factory again, we need to wander all the way out to progress the quest further. No enemies along the way. It’s just running back the way we came for a couple minutes.

Music: ENDS



Pod, upload that data to Operator 21O.
Affirmative.



This is 9S.
I received the data you sent. It’s... fascinating. It appears to be the journal of a human who once worked in the factory.
What, like a diary?
Yes. According to this, the man worked long hours on an almost daily basis. He says, and I quote, “They are working me like a machine.” Working like a machine to build a machine? Humans truly were strange creatures.
Sounds like it.
I’ll send your reward later.
Wait, I can get rewarded for doing this?
I didn’t say you would not get a reward.
Noooooo, but...
<disconnects>
H-Hey! Don’t disconnect me!
Report: Mail notification received from access point.



Like the similar questline with Operator 6O, we need to go hit up the nearest Access Point and check our email to complete this quest.





It is three Ikea furniture instruction booklets which are classified as ancient human puzzles. Well, thanks 21O. It’s the thought that counts.



That concludes the Data Analysis Freak sidequest. However, we’re not quite done yet. There’s a follow-up sidequest involving 21O. However, to actually trigger it we need to move to another zone. The exterior of the Abandoned Factory is technically counted as the City Ruins still. However, teleporting anywhere with fast travel counts as swapping zones, even if it’s within the same region. So...




Music: Peaceful Sleep



...We’ll just pop on over to the Resistance Camp again and mosey on out in tiny bit beyond its borders to trigger a call from 21O.



I’m here.
I’ve sent you a new data-retrieval request. Please read it. Over. <disconnects>
Hey, wait just a... She didn’t even give me a chance to turn her down this time!



And thus we’re immediately thrust into Data Analysis Freak 2. We need to go hit up the Access Point for further instructions. So let’s just double back and do that now.






I guess I was wrong about not going back to the Desert Housing anytime soon. I thought this quest came later. Guess not. I can confidently say that this is the very last time we ever have to set foot in this region for the remainder of the game.


Music: Memories of Dust (Vocal)





This quest is pretty short and simple. We just need to collect three items that have spawned in the area. There’s a few lingering desert machines hanging out in the area but it’s not necessary to engage with any combat to complete this quest. All of the items are right around the area fire escape where we picked up the Fang of the Twins weapon way back early in Route A. That building ahead to the left of center that’s washed out by bloom is where that weapon was obtained.



The first is in some rubble of a collapsed building the left of where we pilfered Fang of the Twins. What have we got here...?



What’s this? Says “ledger” on it... Oh well, more junk for the Operator!



The second item is by a rusted out road sign a bit further in. Just beyond this is where we had to fight the mob of machines saying androids were scary, ending in the one Desert Goliath Biped. Here we have...



A shoe, hm? Must’ve belonged to a child. I’d say this counts as a remnant of mankind.



The final item is directly across the street from the Fang of the Twins chest, hidden between two short ruined walls. I definitely didn’t run in circles for ten minutes getting annoyed I couldn’t find this one the first time I played the game. No sir. Lastly, we have...



Is this... a toy? I guess the Operator would be interested in this.

I’m disappointed there isn’t a Beepy toy available anywhere. As soon as we obtain the third item, 9S calls up 21O to update her on the quest progress.



Broken toys... Dirty ledgers... Small shoes... Pod, take a photo of this junk and send it to Operator 21O.
Affirmative.



Hellooooooo, Operator! How can I help you?
I’ve received your data.
Great. Does it seem useful?
That depends on what I do with it.
Oh. All right.
It IS, however, fascinating. I was aware that humans used to live in groups... But I did not know they coexisted in such a wide variety of ways. I’m sure you’re aware that most humans subsisted in small familial units?
Er... familial?
A family is a group of people that share a connection by blood or social custom.
......
If androids had a similar system of families...
......
Operator? Are you there?
I’ve said too much. I must return to my duties. <disconnects>
...Aaaand she disconnected me.

Rude. But 21O calls back after a few seconds...


Music: Vague Hope



I’ve sent mail with a reward. Please read it. ...And 9S? Thank you. <disconnects>
Man, she disconnected me AGAIN! Well, if she’s thanking me, I guess it must have gone okay. Er, right?
Purpose of question unknown.



To top off this quest we need to return to an Access Point and check out one last email from 21O. Let’s take a look at the message and our reward.





Much like 6O’s sidequest, fulfilling 21O’s task showers up with a ton of junk including a new Pod Program and weapon. Unfortunately, neither are particularly as good as 6O’s bounty. But we’ll take it.



The Type-4O Blade is a Large Sword companion piece to the Type-4O Sword and Type-4O fist. It also the same upgrade augmentations of Stun-Up and the Energy Charge electricity elemental attack at maximum level. Maybe this one will actually have a weapon history story...


Guys, c’mon. Do NOT try to science magic into swords. That’s multiple levels of experimentation that will fuck you over. Have some common sense! Sheesh!





Before we wrap up, let’s take a look at Pod Program A110: Slow. Boy I never found a remote use for this one. As the name implies, this Pod Program slows down time... only within a small targeted area for like... 5 seconds. With a semi-hefty 12-15 second cooldown time.





At Level 3 charge, Slow’s radius massively increases and... that’s it. It’s still only five seconds of making all machines within range move like molasses with a 22-25 second cooldown time. There’s plug-in chips that serve the same exact function as this without wasting a Pod Program slot. Maybe there’s some hot tech I’m unaware of that puts this to use. But I found Slow useless as all hell.



Thanks anyway, 9S’s mom Operator. Try not to go loopy and Frankenstein together a family out of a lobotomized Scanner unit like that one Resistance weirdo. That didn’t end so hot. Regardless, tune in next time as the cascade of NieR: Automata sidequests continues!






Video: Episode 81 Highlight Reel





Operator 21O Render – Do those communicator veils give the operators augmented smelling senses too?