Mission: Seeking Priceless Items > ESP Development Project > P’s Precognition Lv. 1 (1/6)
-At least the game is giving a little bit more or an interesting backstory for sending me to this cave to fight monsters. Shinra is trying to develop ESP (!!!) and needs a component from this cave.
-The combat here is kind of a relief given the unnecessarily difficult missions I took on last time. It’s like going to school, taking a massive final exam, and then getting just a small chapter quiz a few weeks later. Just by virtue of comparison, you think: “I got this.”
-Btw, I know it seems like I mention a lot of little details. And I do! But I definitely omit lots of stuff. If I were to mention every little materia or item I pick up, it might get…
…repetitive.
These monsters aren’t even all that easy. The Ahrimans cast Thundaga, and the EvilGargoyles cast Firaga. But they’re so much more manageable.
-Reward is… ooh! A “Black Cowl,” an accessory which sets my AP cap at 9,999. I don’t need it now, but if I ever find an AP ability I want to spam, this will enable it.
---
Mission: Seeking Priceless Items > ESP Development Project > P’s Precognition Lv. 2 (2/6)
-I wonder if P is someone I’ve met before.
-Back fighting the super-high HP Demons this time.
-Super close call as some of the lizard-types I found here stun-locked me.
So much stun.
Equipped an anti-Stun accessory after the fight.
-Got a “Snow Armlet” to absorb ice attacks. Nice.
-The next mission in the campaign is “Very Hard.” Lesson learned last session. I’ll hold off.
---
Mission: Zack, the Materia Hunter > To Hell and Back > EM Hell in the Building (1/6)
-Some building that Shinra wants to use has a weird EM field in it, and Zack has to go investigate.
-Lol – got a cool Tseng DMW cinematic of him working with Zack, and Zack being impatient.
-I was hoping this mission would involve some pulsing EM field to deal with, or ANY new mechanic really, but no. Just the same hallways I’ve fought in a million times before.
-The reward was a “Stop Blade” materia. Could definitely see that being useful.
---
Mission: Zack, the Materia Hunter > To Hell and Back > EM Hell on the Island (2/6)
-I get a critical hit when I attack the backside of a monster, but some of the mechs make it hard to tell.
New game: “Find the Butt!”
-This may be the first time I’ve gotten to summon Odin. It looks incredible.
Getting ready to charge down the mountainside.
-Got a “Status Ward” materia at the end. The description of this materia is fascinating, and reminds me of a support materia from FFVII’s base game whose name I can’t remember.
Basically, it seems like when I equip Status Ward, I get protected from being hit by the effects cause by other equipped materia. I think this means that if I equip Status Ward, Blizzara, and Firaga, then I’ll be immune to enemies casting Blizzara or Firaga. Not sure if I’ll be immune to other spells in those trees (e.g. Blizzaga or Fira), but I’ll assume not.
---
Mission: Zack, the Materia Hunter > To Hell and Back > EM Hell in the Wasteland (3/6)
-EM field disrupting Shinra activities in a wasteland and blah blah blah.
-The boss is a purple Dorky Face called a “Nightmare.” Is the game implying that this Dorky Face is the source of the EM? Or just fighting through it so that the Shinra folks can clear the EM? Why am I even thinking about this?
-“Elemental Strike” is the reward. Similar to “Status Ward,” but instead of protecting against attacks of my other materia, it adds my other materia’s effects to my attacks. That sounds… incredibly powerful.
---
Mission: Zack, the Materia Hunter > To Hell and Back > EM Hell in the Mines (4/6)
-I’ll bet you a dollar you can guess the premise of this story by looking at the title. Wait – TWO dollars.
-Being able to click through summon animations is a huge plus to Crisis Core from FFVII’s base game. I’m not sure why they didn’t give the same option to limit break animations.
-The Chocobo Wheel never fails to bring a smile to my face.
-Got a “Twisted Headband” from a treasure chest which would grant “Endure” while equipped.
Non-rhetorical question for y’all: what does the Endure status actually do?
---
Mission: Zack, the Materia Hunter > To Hell and Back > EM Hell in the Plains (5/6)
- WHAT COULD THIS MISSION POSSIBLY BE ABOUT
A new and shocking development! Right?
-…and I got killed by an Ostrich. Not a super death ostrich (Titanis) but the tier below it, Pachyornis.
-AND DIED AGAIN FUCK THE OSTRICHES IN THIS GAME FUCK THEM
-oh hell no
-the boss is a pair of Titanises.
-Breathe, Coldrun. You can do this.
-Ok. Dodge, dodge, dodge. Aerith gives me a crucial buffer zone with a big heal (have I mentioned yet how much I love that Aerith’s limit break can heal me ABOVE my normal health cap?). I keep up my dodges and running around the enemies’ backsides, moving away before their massive damage peck gets off.
-…aaaand…… YES!
---
Mission: Zack, the Materia Hunter > To Hell and Back > EM Hell in the Caverns (6/6)
-Let’s finish this campaign off right. It’s “Hard,” not “Very Hard.’
-Got the “Steal” materia from a treasure chest. Fun!
-Dead. Boundfat bounced me.
-Dead again. Same thing.
-FUCKING DEAD AGAIN.
Run, Zack! (Spoilers: he did not run fast enough.)
I try to run away from their attacks but it seems like dodging is the only way to successfully do it.
-New strategy. I keep trying to run around them to get critical hits in, and keep getting caught. Stop getting cute. Instead, I’ll just go at their face and stun-lock them with hits. Let’s see if that works.
-It does. It’s a bit harrowing because I hit the Boundfat just as I see it charging up its terrifying belly bounce, but it works as long as I don’t get interrupted.
-SUCCESS HAHAHA YES!! Final boss was a pack of three Thunderbirds and two Boundfats. For my troubles, I got the reward of a “Hell Thundaga” materia.
---
Next time: continuing to work through the missions Shinra has given me. So. Many. Missions. And all this while, Aerith is gardening in the background.
