Wandersong Part #31

Part 31: The Seals

Update 29.5 - The Seals

MUSIC: Mountaintop

After making it through that cave, we're finally at the top of the mountain. It's supremely cold and Bard is even trying to keep warm. The cold can't stop us from reaching the nexus point and trying to find the Overseer though, we must press on.

It's still following us... not just that, but... did it seem... familiar to anyone else? Maybe it's just my imagination... it's moved on, and so should we.

Awww

This adorable creature is called a Sky Seal, and is what the track above is named for. It seems really tired right now, however...

Hmm, there are other Sky Seals floating around this crystal thing, and seem to be much happier and healthier than the other seal.

Let's take a crystal from this large pile and bring it to the Seal and see how it likes it.

Awww! It was just hungry!

I love that you can pet almost every animal in this game. This game was made to appeal specifically to me, and I love it to death.

Since we've fed the seal, it will now let us ride on its back! As the seal can fly (???) this means we can reach higher platforms thanks to our new buddy!

However, the seal can't go for that long before needing to rest and get another bite to eat.

We're going to be using the seal a lot in the coming area. This poor guy doesn't know what it volunteered for

Almost every part of this new area has a nook or cranny with a crystal pile for us to feed our Sky Seal with. I'm not going to show them all, as it would end up padding this, already long, update. But if you see a tired seal, then a happy seal, that's why.

We could also take the left side up instead of the right, as this area is also fond of giving multiple path ways through. There isn't a right way through this area, and no more secrets left to find. It's just a matter of getting to the top of this mountain and getting that song piece as quickly as we can.

Most of the time, areas we can reach from one platform will have these lines tied to them to make things easier. It's still best to jump on the seal at the last possible moment to make sure there's enough time to reach the other side.

For both of these, it's important to prioritize getting across over gaining altitude. It can be tempting to try and give yourself a bit of wiggle room in case of failure, but flying upwards uses the seal's strength just as much as flying horizontally.

When Bard enters a cave or area that is protected from the blizzard, he goes back to his default sprite. It's a super small detail, but is kept up pretty consistently throughout the area.

Hmm, we could make that.

We actually barely made it and had to do a "yoshi" to our poor sky seal...

Though, it can fly. So it's not as tragic as it would be if it were an actual yoshi

We're getting higher and higher, but we've still got some ways to go to reach the top.

The blizzard in this area is incredibly bad, and forces Bard to walk at a snail's pace. The biggest sign yet that we're close to the top.

The fast paced winds aren't permanent, however. When they let up, Bard can go back to normal speeds and jumps, when the winds pick up however, Bard will move slow and his jumps won't go as far or high.

This also applies to our seal buddy, who will struggle to make it to that platform when the winds are strong.

We have to make sure to go at the very end of the windcurrent, going too long after that may mean the winds get too strong and we aren't able to make it all the way across.

If the wind does pick up before you make it across, you can still keep going, but the seal goes much slower against the current. You aren't pushed back or anything so long as you keep pushing against it... which uses up the poor seal's strength.

Here's where the blizzard makes things more interesting. We can't reach across this area through our jumping, but if we wait till the winds become fierce, it pushes us across easily.

There's a crystal pile on the other side of this pathway... but it's across this gap that has incredibly fierce winds. However, the winds alternate between one direction and the other. So to get across, we have to ride across the wind current whichever way it goes.

It's both really fun and really nerve wracking to make this jump.

With our seal fed, it can now make this journey upwards.

Just like before, we're at a spot where the winds alternate between going fast one direction, then the other. To get across, we'll have to time our Seal to go with the wind.

Again, the winds are constantly alternating between one direction and the other and need to be timed to make these jumps. The wind alternates really quickly, like every 2 seconds, so time is of the essence.

When we arrive here, we're in a poor position. The wind is constantly against us and never alternates. We have to manage to ride the Sky Seal across this path, while flying into the wind. It's, obviously, not impossible, but we absolutely have to prioritize flying horizontally and not flying vertically. The seal doesn't have enough strength to make it across and fly higher.

We barely make it and continue the trek.

Our seal is completely depleted, so that means we have to make this incredibly tiny jump across and boy does that feel intimidating.

Not gonna lie, I was sucking air that entire jump. As someone who is not a fan of heights, I can't imagine what it would be like to try and make a jump like that in real life.

We've finally made it to the end of this area...

And arrived at the peak of the mountain! We've just got a little ways to go until we reach the nexus point...

MUSIC: The Beast

...Yeah we're screwed.

We've got control back, so let's try and run away as quick as we-

...So much for that plan!!

The Beast is making its way over to us, we've got to hurry and break the wires on this bubble before it gets to us!

Our seal buddy...

We've really gotta hurry and try and help it too!!

MUSIC: Audrey

Pretty good entrance, right? What do you think? Too much?

I...can't believe I'm gonna say this but... I'm glad you're here.

Looks like you're in a real pickle here. Lost on a mountain... Giant monster... Really calls for a Hero, don't you think?

Wow, you're really no fun this time. I guess that's fine!

We uh, may have accidentally escaped the bubble, then got pushed back by the blizzard. So Bard isn't here for this cutscene anymore

Let's make this fast, shall we? I'd say it's finally time... to unleash my secret weapon!