Part 17: Tu ne peux pas avoir ton gâteau et le manger en même temps.

âteau et le manger en même temps.



Indeed we are, useless Valet. Park my airship, while you're at it?

Valet tells us that they acquired information from Scrap A.





Napoleon: This Tetron tells you what to do?

Gateau: I'll tell you. Look at this Tetron.











Gateau: This ship is leaving soon. I'll continue research where people can't see it. Napoleon, after we leave here I will rebuild your memory. You will be my Assistant.

Napoleon: I'm a Robot. I can't refuse you. I'll prepare for departure.



And yet, the bitter irony of it is the fact that Gateau is still going to use this for evil. The Chief tells us that the film was shot in the Engine Room of the Fortress, its nerve center. Because of this, they're developing a secret weapon.



Such a... what, exactly?



As soon as the Chief leaves, visit him in the lab and the secret weapon is ready to go.



If the red, yellow, and blue jars are arranged in order, the engine will stop. So Dexter, I need this. There are no materials for a ship on Choco. You have a spaceship, I've heard, and you've been inside the Fortress.



Not like we have a choice, we are a jRPG hero.



Three identical blue-haired men appear and are excited that we're going instead of them. I wish I didn't.



Before we leave, Tira stops us. Where she was arrested, there's a computer that requires a special password. She gives it to us, which is handy.







Going through cyberspace for a brief trip we end up in a new area of the Fortress with an assload of enemies.



We find a prison, where Mint is locked up.

Mint: You're reliable, not like some people we know.



Kotetsu: Soldiers were all around, but the rescue worked!



You kind of volunteered.



Blackmore and some Hackers show up, but I doubt they'll do anything to us.



Or not?



I fucking saved your ass, you pumpkin-headed fuck.



You're also foolishly heading into every situation possible.



Just kidding!

Blackmore: I thought I'd take over the world, but I failed. In the end I wanted to get the ruler in trouble. I'll tell you the Blue Password, you need it to get into the back of the Fortress. I'm going. Going where? The wind has no destination.

Blackmore leaves us forevermore, as a fucking hipster.



Behind the only blue door nearby, we head across an invisible conveyor belt to some more enemies.



Other color Pixies show up here, and they're just big douches, blocking your attacks a lot and being very damaging. Luckily, Gato's Blow 3 Level 9 can take them out with ease, and from afar.



Trip lasers return, as annoying as before.



One jar down.



Two jars down.



Finally, back in the first room we could enter in the trip-laser room, we set up all three jars.



One fortress' engine: nuked.



Heading all the way south from there, there's a door that we ignored earlier when we first met Kotetsu, which we will now enter. It basically takes you to the second floor elevator.



On the fourth floor, Berets, which are now humans instead of robots, lurk around. Take them out with melee weapons or Blow 3. I really feel like it's underused in most Robotrek playthroughs; it nails most every enemy with high RUN or Sword4/Blade4 resistance.



He's not a normal kid, you know? He has Rask's blood in his veins.



Gateau: Hey, it's ok. You can't oppose me, I'm your designer. I order you to do it! … What happened? Do it now!

Napoleon: Gateau... no, Gateau! I am not who I was before! Choco's scientists rebuilt me... now I can ignore your orders! This Fortress will be destroyed. Give up! What else is there to do?







Oh boy, that's really gonna impede our journey. Like we can't just jump it.



Napoleon: I heard you were coming, so I followed you. Hey, this is no time to get sentimental. If you can cross this you can follow Gateau... if there's only you, I can throw you across.





Napoleon: Dexter, you really look like Rask... being with you was like being with him. You must believe in your own creations, and use them well. Don't make the mistake of being like Gateau.



Boy Genius has no nemesis that he cannot foil.





Gateau: Understand this machine? Inside, Tetron are built in. Tetron only shows the future, but this machine is different. When it's finished, I'll rule time. Then I'll be rid of you forever!



Gateau's first form isn't a big problem; Gateau himself can be damaging, but you can use RUN commands with Axe 3 or Blade 4 and do some respectable damage. Or just keep using Blade 4 to knock out the Soldiers.



His main attack is shooting out... something, hidden in a flash of light. It can do a critical of 100 damage or do nothing, and you'll frequently get back attacks on him.



If you're underleveled, or lucky, the first-form Gateau drops 100 Megs, so I'm stocking up using the Portable Machine.



Go into the machine! I'll show you something.



It's useless to stop you. Going out on your own unsettled you, but now you've found your way.



Of course.



As if this game wasn't batshit enough.



Mother: Dear... he can't see anything yet.

Akihabara: Right, but I have to name this child.

Mother: What are you talking about... I know what you think.

Akihabara: You're right... Dexter... how's that?

Mother: Dexter is a great name. Good.. Dexter, a present from your father.

Akihabara: Be healthy, we will always watch over you.



Why do you want to see the future? This invention is not good for people.

Gateau: You're not greedy, Rask, why don't you use it?? If you know the future you can be a hero. If you throw the Tetron away, I can use it. What do you think, Rask?

Rask: Gateau, what are you thinking... ?



Cookie: There are Tetron all over here on this planet? Researchers can come here from Choco.



Tetron would be that way on this planet, but I wanted to come here... there's a dream here. Choco has no dreams. No matter how long, I'll keep looking.

Cookie: That's not the only reason. I'll explain it on Choco. But I won't forget about Tetron and you.



they too will fade and be forgotten. I thought inventions would exceed human power. Tetron gave me opportunity. So I got the power to control time. Now I'll control the fate of humans. It's easy to erase you with my own hand... This is a sign to Rask, maker of the Tetron!

Robotrek Tunes – Gateau, the Master of Time



The final battle, with a... whatever the fuck that is. This would be a difficult fight, but most of his attacks can miss with maxed Speed. It's best to stick with Sword or Blade 4 since his up-close attack can hurt; although melee weapons might land criticals, it's not worth the damage.



So the background changes during the fight; different things happen when it does. Under an icy background, he'll send ice chunks at you. With a city exploding, bombs are dropped. Eruption scenery, lava attacks, and finally war scenery he just sends a bunch of soldiers at you to do damage.



I'll try and screenshot all the backgrounds.





Most of his attacks aren't too fun to screenshot, but they can all do quite a bit of damage. The bombs during city explosion can confuse you, however.



The exception is this one, which is kinda goofy looking. Honestly, since I don't like fighting up close, it's only fitting that Megaman with his Blade 4 is my main offense here. Most of the final form's attacks miss with maxed-out Speed, so make sure you have that. Literally just spammed three-hit Blade 4 RUN commands and won the day.



Robotrek Tunes – Quiet Victory

The Tetron begins to show images, from unspecified times... perhaps the past, present, and future?



Nagisa: I'm all right, Doctor. Dexter's doing well. Doctor, you're biased.

Akihabara: No, not like that!... but, anyway, let's go!



Mint: You don't have to go. I smell a scoop! I've got to go!

Kotetsu: Who's spaceship do you think you're using?!

Mint: What a whiner!! Hurry, or we'll lose the scoop!

Kotetsu: … what a woman! What is the smell of a scoop?!



So Dexter walks on aimlessly through the void.



But returns outside of the machine, as the Fortress is falling apart.



What? Did you get the Hacker's boss? I'm impressed! You can do anything if you try. I thought you were unreliable.





Kotetsu: … Are you really a reporter?



Gateau got a power that people can't handle... The user gives life to an invention. Used well, it does good. Misused, it does evil. Tetron is a puzzle between the mind of the maker and the mind of the user.





Kotetsu stays behind briefly.



But is dragged away anyway.

Nagisa: It's best to leave it alone, it's been laid to rest.

He fell into a deep, deep sleep.





The spaceship returns to Ear--- Quintenix, and the world is saved.



Robotrek Tunes – Staff Roll



That about wraps things up for this LP. Who knows what I'll do next? I think I need a break, the quality of my LPs have been on a decline.



Wtf squids?



Ah, a Halloween party!



We see some other random shots – Carl with his parents, Akihabara and Nagisa at the party, etc.





Of course, Count Prinky makes the best Halloweens.



That random robot and Mamurana, for whatever reason.



The village of repetitive tasks is restored to life, which is... well, I don't really have an opinion on it.



The three clones, once again chasing after things.



And the mice in the Base are now... uh, valued I guess.



Hacker students, who invented a way to turn themselves into Minicoms.



Hacker Christmas!



The snowmen now look less creepy as fuck.



“where the fuck are we”

“who cares this shit is trippy”



MUST. FEED. BUGBUG



Blackmore, Dr. Einst, and other assholes end up getting chased by angry birds



Kotetsu and Mint, the unlikely pair.



The spaceship flies upward, then goes out of control and flies off directionless and aimless.



I guess Gateau is okay, so maybe you CAN have your cake and eat it too.





Robotrek isn't the greatest game, but it's definitely obvious that it directly inspired Pokemon, and we all know how big that is today.

Robotrek suffers from a rather silly plot that just becomes up-ended by its translation halfway through, as well as just being totally confusing by shoehorning time travel into the story. The gameplay is great for the first half, but once you craft Sword 4, or Blade 4, or Axe 3, there's nothing else to really use anymore. You've basically found a way to be constantly ready for any encounter. On top of that, your Robots are more or less going to be the exact same at the end of the game unless you really want to hinder yourself; their innate passives do not make for big differentiation.

It's still a fun little game, just pretty average in most respects; the same could be said for most of Enix's projects in the NES/SNES age, so it fits in neatly with them.

Thanks for reading.