Banora – Apple Orchard
-We touch down in Banora. The music is this mix of what sounds like it might be classical Chinese music and hard rock.
-This isn’t just Genesis’s hometown, but Angeal’s as well. They grew up together. The plot thickens.
-No townspeople are around, but a couple of the Wutai ambushers pop up.
-Zack has to “retrieve or destroy” some stolen weapons.
-Kunsel sends me an interesting email mid-mission, that apparently Banora just produces apples… and yet, Shinra subsidizes the village heavily. Something’s fishy.
-Deeper in the village, Zack meets a local apple vendor. And by “local apple vendor,” I mean “war machine of death.” Two of the unknown soldiers we keep seeing attack first, and Zack dispatches them easily.
-LOL WTF
THE MACHINE SHOT A SHELL AT ZACK WHICH HE SLICED IN HALF.
This game is like a ridiculous, “Kung Fury” style action movie and I love it. XD
“Guard Spider.”
-Not too tough, as I get the sense I’ve overleveled this place. That’s ok.
-Zack unmasks the attackers, and they’re more Genesis copies.
-Tseng confirms that there was stolen Shinra technology that allows a person’s trait’s and abilities to be implanted into anyone or anything. (This is especially surreal for me because I’m rewatching “Dollhouse.”)
ZACK: “SOLDIER and monsters… we’re the same?” Throwaway line or more seeds of doubt? You be the judge.
-I get to explore the village square before moving on. Got an X-Potion, found a poster advertising some tasty apple juice. Also confirms that there’s an “apple factory” (HMMM) nearby, past the housing.
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Banora – Residential
-We find Genesis’s home. His father was wealthy – and Zack recalls that it must’ve been Genesis’s family that owned the apple tree Angeal never stole from.
-hahahah – Tseng goes to check a gravestone. Zack says that sounds like a dirty job, but Tseng adds how much better paid he is than Zack, and Zack’s jealous.
Little bits like that really differentiate this game. This isn’t about someone on a mission from God trying to save the world. (At least not yet.) It’s about people doing a job in a corporation.
-House-by-house check to find Angeal’s home. Some doors are empty, some have vicious attack dogs. None, thankfully, turn into Trap Doors from the FFIV Sealed Cave.
-Found Angeal’s house. A woman is inside.
-OH MY GOD IT’S CANON – ZACK IS A PUPPY. This is amazing.
-She’s his mother. Doesn’t know where Angeal is, but Genesis came by with clones and killed lots of townspeople a while back.
-Genesis seems to be like the Sephiroth of this game.
Started off reasonably good, turned evil at some point.
-Angeal stopped by here earlier, but left his sword and left. It’s pretty sad to see the Buster Sword just sitting there.
ANGEAL’S MOTHER: “Don’t worry. Genesis cannot harm me.” Why not? What makes you so sure? I feel like she’s not telling us something.
-Zack finds some pictures of Angeal, his family, and his sword.
-Angeal’s family took on a lot of debt to get the Buster Sword made, but his father died before it could be paid off. I love the flavor text we’re getting here, but not sure if it’s just flavor or opens up new options. Probably a bit of each.
-Some Genesis Clones went into the factory near the town. Have to meet up with Tseng there.
-There are some glowy green spots on the ground near these houses, but when I check them out, I just get the message to check back later. Hm.
-Strange email from Lazard about the importance of respect to avoid “ill blood.”
Now you know we got baaaad blooood.
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Banora – Factory
-Meeting with Tseng at the clifftop. That grave he investigated had Genesis’ parents. Ugh. Fuck Genesis.
-Tseng wants to take down Angeal and Genesis, while Zack wants to reason with Angeal and try to get both him and Genesis back with Shinra.
-….oh god. That’s kind of heartbreaking. Sephiroth wanted Zack on the mission because he’d try to help Sephiroth’s friends, and Sephiroth didn’t want to come on this mission himself because he knew it might result in him having to kill both Genesis and Angeal. His friends.
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Next time: breaking into the factory.
