Part 24: SoM Theater: You Have a Twin?

It's a pretty universal truth that the more complicated you make a game, the more places you create where it can be broken or somehow messed with. Let's take a look at one of these, starting from where we were at the beginning of Update 2.



The key here is that you want to talk to Dyluck's squad until they leave, but not proceed along the normal path and enter the water palace. The game is dealing with two separate event flags here: 1 for sending Dyluck and his merry troupe on their way, 1 for talking to Jema at the Water Palace.



Since we haven't talked to Jema yet and tripped the second flag, the Goblins don't snatch us near the bridge and try to cook us.




At this point there's nothing to stop us from going to Pandora and continuing... except this guy. He's disabled by talking to Jema, since he leaves to come here first.



However, due to an oversight on somebody's part talking to Dyluck's crew has opened up the option in the Cannon Travel Service to Gaia's Navel. Screw that Jema guy, he can wait.



I'd like to take a moment to appreciate the detail here. When you use the Cannon Travel Service, it actually sends you to a spot on the overworld map corresponding with your destination.



From here, you can continue the game pretty much as normal. For the sake of upgrades, I'm going to be heading to Gaia's Navel.




While on this path I came across a couple of traps in chest, something that didn't show up in the first run through. They're a bit annoying, particularly the poison needle trap.



I should mention that without a second person and having no chance to upgrade armor this is a fairly dangerous route. Bring candy.



Watts is more than happy to upgrade our sword and start work on a kicking axe. We've also got enough cash to upgrade our armor, which will pay off handsomely.



Now that our sword has been upgraded we can level it up again and gain access to another charged attack. We're looking at about 50+ damage with this one, but it takes longer to charge.



The silly people of Pandora didn't bother to post more than one guard. We can pretty much walk in from the western entrance and do what we please.



The girl's deal with her dad is the same as before, but something's different...




Since we haven't met her before, she doesn't make the association and instead just pretty much shoves us out of the way and runs off.



Without her throwing a scene we can walk in on her father trying desperately to save the marriage negotiations that Sir Elman is conducting with this nobleman and his porker of a son.



Naturally enough, Elman blames himself for his wayward daughter. He's probably right, but it wasn't because she was raised by a man. It's because she was raised by a twit.



He's trying to look out for her best interests by marrying her to money, since evidently a soldier isn't good enough for his little girl.



At this point we can continue and talk to Jema and the king without Kid throwing a fit. I immediately went back to a save state after that, however, as I'm not sure what flags this might trigger.



Our next destination is the Haunted Forest, where the Riddler has been setting up stupid traps. At any rate, when we step into the teleporter to the left we get a different destination this time.

Mini-boss Battle: Werewolves

Werewolf Battle Video



Immediately upon entering the teleporter we hear a scream and are immediately thrust into a battle with two werewolves. This is more of a mini-boss battle than anything, but it's surprisingly tough. Part of the problem is that the enemies like to charge and that if they hit you, you're going down. They're fast enough to stunlock you and keep you trapped in a corner, too.




To make matters worse, they have a spell that increases their attack and can heal each other. The Lunar Boost does, however, lower their defense. It's a pretty good motivator not to hang back, as they heal about three times as much damage as you can do.




Once you beat them there's no explosion or fireworks. The girl immediately starts pushing us to go and rescue Dyluck.



You go, Boy! Tell her off!




Aww dammit, don't cave. Don't.. dammit.



Now that we've got our second party member, it's time to head back to the Water Palace.



Two party members means two people shown spinning out of the cannon. The amusing thing is that it means that they had to be packed in vertically. That can't be comfortable for the person on the bottom. Someone should depict this.



At any rate, once you get back to the Water Palace the scene plays out like normal.. to the extent that they completely ignore Kid's presence. If you completely avoid this and go fight Tropicalo you can seriously screw the game up here, as once you have a Spear Orb you can no longer get the Spear itself.



Now that we've visited Jema and talked to Dyluck and crew the goblins show up right on schedule. I put Kid up front to illustrate a point. Amusingly enough Boy tried to attack the goblins and got knocked back as a result.



Because Kid was the main character, she's now in the pot and the game doesn't know exactly what to do with Boy. He ends up running back and forth in front of the pot. If you have a second player plugged in you can evidently take control of him and run around pushing the goblins around.



All the lines are hard-scripted, so it doesn't care who you have in your party or in the pot. All lines are from Boy, which in some cases is quite funny.



After the goblins leave the scene plays out as normal with... Kid showing up to rescue herself and Boy from the goblins? You can't see it very well, but Kid is still in the pot along with Boy. He actually pretty much jumps in when Kid's double shows up.



Kid2 heaves both characters out of the pot and into a tree this time. It's pretty impressive, actually.



Kid2 runs off without giving her name and will never be heard from again. This ends our theater, as at this point the game will continue as usual.