Part 40: CH40: Heat Ray

CH40: Heat Ray





So the game gives us a one-time free trip to the tunnel complex in Fendel, where we can go out an exit we previously didn't use to get to the heat ray.



Skit: Treading the Untrodden


: Let's try the little side road that cuts to the east from here. It's just to the right of the small shack.
: They call that the "Untrodden Snowfield." Much like Mt. Zavhert, the people of Fendel never go anywhere near it.
: This seems like another case of the Amarcians trying to keep people away from something.
: I know, right! I mean, how do you even know the field is snowy if you don't tread it?



: The Untrodden Snowfield was practically whited-out.






: Hey, are you all right?
: Come on! Hang in there!
Her head's burning up.
: That's enough! We can't keep going like this. I have to take you back.
: I'm okay.
The cold air feels nice.
I have to keep going.
I won't get better...unless I go to Fodra. ...Right?
This is all because I'm...I'm so different from everybody else.
: That's not true. You're no different than anybody else.
: That's right, Sophie.
: I'm so tired of...troubling everyone.
: Don't be absurd Sophie!
: It's no trouble.
: I...I can't... Everything's blurry. I can't see you...
: Sophie!
: We gotta fix that stupid cannon. Come on, let's get her to Fodra!





By the way, right near the place where you're supposed to go (it's on the left) there's a path you might not notice. It leads to a long-ish path which loops around and has a skit, discovery, and a few items.





Oh and while we were there Asbel got to show off his new move.








It's hard to capture in screenshots but Asbel is doing the standard anime "cut while running faster than the eye can see" thing.










This MA has a lot of hits. Incidentally that moon in the background is a little weird, since there doesn't seem to be a moon like that anywhere in the planetary system the game takes place in. I know it's nitpicking, but it bugs me.







Skit: Holding it Together


: Yep! Wind, water, and fire.
: But couldn't there be a fourth? Maybe ice, like this icedrop flower here?
In that case, we might not need to go to that Fodran city! There might still be a way to cure Sophie!
: Asbel, I hate to break it to you, but you're way out of your league with this stuff. Ice is just frozen water. There is no fourth.
: You sure?
: Promise. And it doesn't apply to just valkines, either. Those three types of eleth are the foundation of any cryas!
: I mean, life is based on those three, so I guess you could call whatever comprises life...well, if not the fourth eleth, then the zeroth eleth.
: Huh?
: But look, none of this has to do with anything.
: I know. Sorry I keep asking stupid questions.
: Just hold it together and stuff. If not, we'll never make it to Fodra.



: They had arrived.


: Once the cannon's up and running, we can control it with the machine in the seaside cavern.


: What is it?
: Mmm... Remember when I thought Fourier could help fly the shuttle?
Well, I kinda asked Poisson to ask her for me, but...
: She said no?
: Yeah. She's all holed up in her lab and won't come out. I guess she left a letter to explain everything. Anyway, I'm gonna have to rig the shuttle so I can control it myself while onboard.
: Can you do that?
: Sure, if we have enough time. ...Which we probably don't. But we'll worry about that later. Let's get inside so I can start mucking around.



Skit: The Will to Persevere


: Sophie's condition doesn't seem to be improving.
: Maybe we should take her to a doctor again.
: No way! If the Amarcians couldn't help her, I doubt some sawbones can either. The only way to save Sophie is to take her to Fodra.
: Yes, I agree.
: I'm sorry, everyone...for causing you...so much trouble... But I want to stay with you... Urgggh... I'm so sorry...
: We know, Sophie. But don't overdo it, okay? If it's too hard for you, we'll go back together.



Skit: Am Not. Am Too!

: Pascal, there's something I've been wanting to tell you.
: Yeah?
: Just because Fourier is angry, it doesn't necessarily mean that you did something wrong.
: Wait, are you consoling me?
: Do not misunderstand my intentions. I simply wanted to point it out.
: Thanks for trying to console me!
: I am not consoling you!
: You are totally consoling me!
: All right, fine. I am done talking.



DUNGEON VIDEO


This is another "dungeon mechanic I actually like" dungeon.


The gimmick is that you redirect the flow of Eleth through "Eleth Lines" using those rotatable arrow things.



Skit: Hometown Hero


: Are you nervous?
: You could say that. When I think about what's ahead of us, my hands start to shake and my knees go weak.
But, Captain Malik, it looks like I'm not the only one.
: How's that?
: You missed a spot shaving. Right over there. ...It makes me think you have worries of your own.
: Very observant. I confess, I've been on edge ever since Asbel and the rest of you saved me in Fendel.
Now I have to live up to the expectations of everyone waiting for me back home.
: Hee hee. They say it's bad luck to bring up your hometown. That's what people talk about when they think they're going to die.
: I refuse to die until Fendel is back on its feet.



Here's the entry for that discovery, which helps it make a tiny bit more sense.






Oh and Cheria shows off her new Mystic Arte too.










Only one hit, but it's a big one.


It also heals quite a bit, as you'll notice by everyone being at max HP (which is why their HP numbers are green).



Skit: Bonus Goal


: What brought this up?
: They create tons of advanced technology, scatter it in ruins around the world, and yet we know nothing about them. Doesn't that seem strange to you?
: No, not at all. The origin of the Amarcians is totally a main focus of my research! ...Did I forget to mention that?
: Wait, really?
: Yep! And based on all the goodies I found in the Archive of Wisdom, I'm pretty much certain the Amarcians came here from Fodra!
: No way.
: Yeah, so there must be a way to get there. And when we arrive, I bet we'll discover a civilization that's totally prospered and thrived and stuff!
: Uh, if that's the case, how come they haven't shown up to help out with any of this stuff? I hope it's not because they're total dicks.
: So saving Sophie...isn't your goal at all?
: Well, that's a bonus!
: Seriously?







This isn't really any kind of puzzle at all, you just rotate them until they go the right way. I wish they'd do more with this mechanic... shut up



Skit: Not Exactly Our Forte


: Yeah?
: Just a hunch. This place is laid out like the other Amarcian ruins I've seen.
: Control units and such aren't exactly our forte. This one's up to you, Pascal.
: Leave it to me! I'm on this like white on rice!



: You might be surprised by this, but there was a giant mechanical thing the party had to fight.


Aaaaand there's the dungeon boss. He's got no fanfare or anything, but does have a trophy. The trophy is for beating him in sixty seconds, but we won't be getting that.



Because it's time.



No cutscene or anything, it's like a random encounter.




His primary attack at first is a big uppercut.


And his other main attack is a whole bunch of forward punches. He's hitting pretty hard.


Blocking helps a lot though.


I don't have any problem with getting damage in on him.


After you damage him for a bit this starts to happen.


The guns rotate out from the center while firing.


And the rockets target everything further away.




Those guns have a really wide sweep.


I think this attack has a minimum range of some kind, I'm right in front of it without getting hit several times.


He also does the arm-sweep the Fendel tanks did way back earlier this year.




You really don't want your melee to be wiped out here. Ranged is where most of the damage is coming from. It's a big game of keep-away.


There's also this, where he fires up a whole bunch of beams, and they rain down in area.


Really poor accuracy though.


He also starts firing mortar-arc shots from his back cannons and his front guns.


Whoops Asbel almost missed out on the XP there.


Asbel's already a bit lower since he was benched for Kurt and the grinding I did for that.





: Maybe it'll work now that there's nothing in the way.
: Lemme just boink boink here for a second. Let's see....
: Y'okay! I think we're up and running! We should be able to control it from the machine in the seaside cavern now.
: We're almost there, Sophie. We'll be at Fodra before you know it. You just need to wait a little longer.
: If our business is finished here, I suggest we return to the shuttle as soon as possible.





It turns out that wasn't a completely fair test of Chaos, since I had the super-armors on by mistake. I hadn't taken them off after the Richard fight I guess.



: Unfortunately things were starting to get out of hand.


: Sophie?
: Something's coming!






Even with Chaos and no uber-armors, it's still a joke fight.


I'm pretty sure I could buy at least one sword that's better than that for him.


These guys cast the health-drain spell Richard had, although theirs doesn't have a name.


Too bad there's no Trophy for beating them in under 30 seconds.



: The reach of those monsters has grown long indeed.
: I think Sophie was trying to warn us.
: Time is short. We must make for the seaside cavern as soon as possible.



Skit: It's a Secret to Everybody
I saw what you did here, translators.


: Then when we face them again, the team should include you, Cheria, and myself. That would be most efficient.
: Okay, but... Let's just keep that a secret between the three of us.
: Why?
: Because I don't want to hurt the others' feelings!
: Look, it doesn't have to be the three of us all the time. We can change things up as the situation demands.
This is actually important sort of. Right now Malik and Pascal have absolutely no Nova attacks, so if we put in both of them we'd end up with a party that hit fewer weaknesses than it otherwise could.