Outside the Fort
-“Heightened emotions have altered the DMW!” Curiouser and curiouser. I’ll assume that this is positive, and will give me better DMW rolls.
-Awesome opening fight!
There were like 6-7 Wutai soldiers on the ground and four on the battlements of the wall. Used my sword on the ground soldiers and had to use fire to take out the wall soldiers, all while dodging attacks. This combat system has grown on me super quickly.
-Angeal calls to say that Wutai keeps a large monster for “anti-SOLDIER purposes.” Boss foreshadow!
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Assault on Fort Tamblin
-My main goal here is to defeat as many enemies here before entering the central area. Time to explore. With murder.
-Secret tunnel! (Avatar fans now with the song in your head: you’re welcome.)
-So that modulating phase seems to be limit break-ish. A massive special attack.
-Zack’s AP bar is flashing with “Break!” Not sure how to use that. Maybe it means that if I had an ability that used AP, it’d be super awesome.
-LOL – the Wutai sergeant is monologuing about how this will be Wutai’s final stand if necessary, no surrender. To the death! All while I kick his buddies’ asses behind his back.
AND THEN HE RETREATS WHEN HE NOTICES XD XD XD
-That was amazing. Not just the dialogue, but the gameplay! I had a long hallway in front of me, with soldiers pulling their Axe-Guns on me from all the way down said hallway.
The game gave me the choice to charge or find another way. I found another way, and explored further in the fortress. I uncovered a secret wall that let me sneak up behind those gunners and take them out.
-Can’t get over this music. It’s astoundingly good.
-I can dodge fire spells! I have to time it just right, as the fireball is on its way to me already. If I dodge too early, it homes in towards me. If I dodge too late… well, it hits me.
-Another major positive about this mission: it’s not an endless barrage of random encounters. There’s a star meter above me, and every time I win an encounter a star fills. There are only as many encounters in Fort Tamblin as there are stars.
That means I get to explore freely, without feeling like I’m slogging or grinding. It’s SO FREEING.
-Here we go. Moving to the center of the fort. Boss time probably.
-LOOK AT THIS PLACE! It’s so beautifully designed!
-Modulated phase again and got three sevens. Leveled me up to level 7.
Non-rhetorical question for y’all: is that level-up totally random? Like, can I happen to get three sevens in a row a bunch of times and then have a long drought before I level up again? Or is it somehow tied to the enemies I kill?
-I’m curious if I’ll meet Godo or Yuffie. I have to imagine I will. More likely Godo than Yuffie, but maybe kid-Yuffie.
-Got a newsletter describing failed peacetalks with Wutai.
-Found a statue of Leviathan, Wutai’s guardian deity.
-The “Crescent,” Wutai special forces, descends to attack. They claim Shinra’s ravaging the land, and Zack replies that he thought they were just trying to bust in and harvest mako to make everyone’s lives better.
Zack reminds me SO MUCH of early season Korra.
-Shit’s getting real.
Not sure he ever thought of it like that, from the Wutai perspective. They want Zack to join their cause!
-Zack’s not biting. Mako makes people’s lives better, etc. “I chose to server Shinra. Whatever happens, I have to stand by that decision.” At least he’s loyal – though I expect this is just an initial seed of doubt that won’t end here.
-Zack defeats the three Crescent elites, but leaves their captain alive. Seems like something that could come back to bite him.
-A voice from inside the building (temple?): “One, avoid unnecessary training. Two, protect Wutai at all costs. Three, ugly Shinra SOLDIER dudes must be punished!” lol wtf
-HAHAHAHAHAH HI YUFFIE
YOU ARE STILL THE BEST
-She’s just a kid here, playing around. Probably like 8-9 years old.
Pretend punches him, and Zack pretends to fall down.
YUFFIE: “There! That’ll teach you. Once again, I’ve brought peace to Wutai.” Then she runs away at full sprint, arms spread like an airplane. I’m dying.
-I get to the building, the Arena. Something above my screen says “Zone Information,” but I don’t know how to activate it to tell me more about the zone.
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Arena
-Too quiet.
-OH SHIT TWO AXE-WIELDING MONSTERS DROP DOWN
-They hit seriously hard. “Vajradhara Wu” is the name of one, but didn’t catch the other’s name.
-I FOUND A THING! I FOUND A THING! They hit hard, but slow, and apparently if I run around behind them, my hits are critical.
-Lots of dancing to their backs, hitting, and running away before their slow slams hit me.
-Victory!
-Aaargh! I have to get out and have five minutes until detonation. I hate hate hate HATE timers.
-CRISPY CRAP ANOTHER BIG DUDE DROPPED DOWN, swinging a ginormous mace. I don’t kill him though. I mean, Zack kills him instantly with a big slash, but not a boss fight. Ah well.
-LOL NM
-He got up and whapped Zack across the room. The monster moves in to finish the job on Zack, but Angeal saves him at the last second.
-....dammit. I have five minutes to escape. Hate timers.
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Outside the Fort
-…wait. Wait. Did this game…
-YES. IT DID. It skipped the panicked five minute escape straight to where they’re outside the fort. Bless this a thousand times.
-Lazard meets us out here, praising Zack.
-They move off to meet Sephiroth.
Zack’s starstruck by the prospect. XD
-Then… ambushed! The others moved away, and Zack gets ambushed by three Wutai-looking soldiers, “???”
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Next time: fighting off the ambush.
