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| Bellflower replays SOA! | |
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| Topic Started: Apr 3 2009, 08:49 PM (98 Views) | |
| Bellflower | Apr 3 2009, 08:49 PM Post #1 |
Shotgun Hero!
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I can't believe it's been so long since I played the game, so... I've started it over again and intend to complete it start to finish and do absolutely everything. It'll be good to refresh the world of Arcadia in my head, anyway, to make be a better RPer here. Up to Ixa'Taka so far (just reached it), and it's amazing how LOA has coloured my experience in playing this and filled it out for me. I can imagine all of our characters going about their lives on the islands quite easily. Going to keep a log of my thoughts and opinions here, just because I can! ;D This first post will be a short one because I've already been through seven/eight hours and can't remember every detail. XD I shouldn't need to say this but I know there are some people RPing here who haven't played the game, so, SPOILERS BELOW! - I love the opening part. Just had to say that. It's wonderfully done and Alfonso still cracks me up. - The soundtrack to this game is gorgeous. Randomly, I love the boss battle music. Really going to have to get this on my iPod again. - Vyse is a brilliant lead character. It's wonderful in the world of RP to have a lead male who is cheerful, optimistic and doesn't have a tragic backstory. He's the sort of guy you'd love to be friends with. His speech before rescuing his father and the crew of the Albatross is truly inspiring. - Lower Valua is so heartbreaking to go through. This game has an extremely dark story to it, really, and this place is a perfect example. When you talk to the people there and hear what they have to say... ;_; A famous example is the little girl with the chalk. Knowing what will happen later makes it even more upsetting. - The red gigas is such an odd-looking creation. Anyone else think this? I also find it difficult to believe how that thing can be a real threat when it can't fly and therefore can't leave the island it is on. It won't come close to any civilisation (I don't think this particular island would have any villages/cities or anything else on it, though we know the game world must be filled with loads that we don't actually see) unless someone actually finds some way of carting it out, which I doubt. ^^; - Belleza. ;_; - Drachma is awesome. End of story. - I am so glad I remembered to get Aika's Delta Shield SP move as early as possible. Without it, getting through South Ocean is an absolute pain. Remember the Graver monster? This thing comes equipped with the Eternum Spell (an instant killer) and if you happen to come across a bunch of them without being able to protect yourself from magic they can take you out in one turn. If I could run away from them it would be fine, but if you so much as run away once you can't get Vyse's final title. - Nabbed all available discoveries it was possible to get up to this point (I think). I came across the Comma Stone without even looking for it, which is a big plus. Moving discoveries are a pain, and I know they only get more difficult to locate later on. |
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| BearOfGlacia | Apr 3 2009, 10:09 PM Post #2 |
Viking
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I had started replaying it again but I deleted the file after I'd finished Shrine Island because I wanted to do some retro-gaming and have been a little burned out on SoA lately. But with Colaya and now you playing through again I guess I'll start over and keep going this time. |
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| Bellflower | Apr 5 2009, 06:17 PM Post #3 |
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Shotgun Hero!
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You should, Bear. I forgot how much I adored the game. It outclasses most other RPGs I've played, easily. - Ixa'Taka! A beautiful area. It's nice to imagine how gorgeous those forests must be, how lush and verdant. Certainly as much of a paradise as Isapa says it is. - I hate the mines, but I really like De Loco. He's awesome as the 'insane genius' character, and he and Alfonso make an amusing double act. - The acts of violence and enslavement committed by the Valuans in the lands of the green moon really reveal just how much they desire power. Such cruelty is unsettling, and you can understand why the Ixa'Takans react as they first do towards Vyse and co. - City of Rixis. It has some of the most beautiful music in the game. The image of a city 'frozen in time' is worked out perfectly, too, and while I am not fond of the some of the monsters here, it's probably one of my favourite dungeons. - De Loco, second battle, reveals the prototype Moonstone Cannon, dubbed Test Cannon here. Oddly, though, his regular attacks did more damage to the Little Jack! - Grendel, the green giant, is a well-designed gigas compared to the last one. He looks intimidating and more 'alive' the Recumen. I had no problems knocking him down, though. I suppose in LOA time he's still lying motionless in that cavern? - Found the mysterious rings discovery! A key point to our own Zivilyn theories. I do wonder if the makers of SOA did have a second game in mind related to the lost black continent themselves. - Gordo! "I'M DONE FOR!" Absolute pushover as far as bounty battles go (I took him out with two Cutlass Furies after his chefs were down and wasn't even Increm'd at the time) but he reveals a few interesting things to us. One, that there IS chicken in Arcadia and they can be found in Valua at least, and two, there are also starfish. Yeah, I took notice of these words. XD - After finding the Great Seal in Valua (and also the Ancient Palace, home of a certain character in LOA), we get a touching and important scene with Drachma that reveals his backstory to us and the motivation for his chase of Rhaknam. The moment where he opens up to Vyse is significant in revealing just how much he's come to trust the young pirate, likely because of the similarities between him and his son. The use of feathers in interesting. They are often used as a symbol of freedom, but they're shut in a box... - Then comes the fog. A ship battle and then we say goodbye to Drachma, at least for a while. I actually find this bit somewhat heartbreaking. 'Goodbye.' ;_; - Shipwrecked! This means I'm close to the Gilder and Clara bits now. |
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| Colaya | Apr 6 2009, 01:28 AM Post #4 |
EXAMPLE
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Meh. Koketa's are better tasting anyway... "Looks tasty! Looks tasty!" |
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| Bellflower | Apr 6 2009, 08:00 PM Post #5 |
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Shotgun Hero!
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I'm just glad that Canace has more food she can eat, hating the taste of fish as she does. Me, I love white-flesh fish. Tasty. <3 - I like the shipwrecked bit. You really do feel the isolation that Vyse himself must be feeling, but like him you simply can't worry that he'll be there for a long time. He never once imagines that he won't be found, or won't escape, even when he finds poor ol' Gonzales's bones. - Meeting Gilder! He's hilarious. A proper pirate dandy, one who sweeps the women off their feet but is deeply intelligent and cunning as well. His opening line involving 'five more minutes Lola' cracked me up, and if you look at the insides of his ship you'll see all sorts of 'interesting' art as well as some kickass looking guns on the wall. - Then there's Clara, the nicest stalker you'll ever meet! She's certainly persistant, you have to give her that much. Her ship has got to be one of the most horrifying I have ever seen, though. Too much pink and and too many hearts everywhere! No wonder Gilder goes to such desperate measure to escape her all the time. - Daccat's Island is another one of those dungeons that I really don't like, but it's an interesting gimmick and certainly gives you a good sense of how great a sense of humour the legendary pirate had. - The Nasrad in flames scene is another upsetting one. Ramirez ordering it to be 'burnt down to the ground' despite it being possible to capture the city without deaths reveals just what lengths he will go to in order to protect the path he has chosen. Truly has lost his way in the world. Thousands of people must have died because of that choice he made. The sense of strength you get from him is incredible; his entrance amongst the fire is beautifully done. - The breakout from the fortress (second time) introduces us to Vigoro, who attempts to 'get intimate' with Aika and after getting a beating from her, Vyse and Gilder, seems to first develop his 'crush' on her. - We learn that Ramirez is doing everything for Galcian. Deeper reasons for this aren't revealed until sometime later in the game now. - Again and again we see how people easily place their faith in and follow Vyse. Fina expected him to come and rescue her this time around. - Enrique! We now get the companionship of the Prince of Valua, and ownership of the vessel for the rest of the game; the Delphinus. This ship is easily the most powerful in Arcadia's game world (perhaps barring one which we meet much, much later on) and is equipped with the ridiculously powerful Moonstone Cannon, itself said to have the power of a gigas! Enrique himself proves to be the likeable and noble prince he seemed to be when we got the short scenes of him earlier. This is a true born ruler, brought into the world to protect and fight for his people and that which is right. I adore him, in case you couldn't tell. XD - After breaking out, we say goodbye to Gilder as he makes his escape before Clara can find him, the poor fella! Before he leaves he mentions again how people follow and place their faith in Vyse and also passes on some advice. Enrique is now the fourth member of our party, and he'll remain that way for most of the remainder of the game. His second SP move, Justice Shield, will become almost a necessity in some battles, especially the more difficult Bounty Hunts. I'm looking at you, Lord Zivilyn Bane. - We head to Crescent Island and meet two old guys who will A) power up the Delphinus to enable it to pass through sky rifts and B) start making a base. At this point you need to have 100,000 gold altogether and if you don't have it, you need to go earn it. I was about 10,000 off, so... I headed back to North Ocean and Ixa'Taka. This is important one for one reason: Domingo. This is the guy who also finds discoveries, and if you don't pick him up as soon as possible to join your crew you will risk him finding more later. You need 30 discoveries found for him to come along with you, and as luck would have it, I had that and more! - Poor Enrique and his air-sickness! I sometimes get sea-sickness myself, so I know how he feels. (I still love going on ships, though...) - After a hunt round and gathering a few more crew members (including the frankly awesome Polly), it's back to Crescent Island, a night's sleep and a ship that has now opened up a lot more areas for me to explore! Next destination is Esperanza, but first... - Bounty Hunt: Rupee and Barta! In SOA, waiting to take out a bounty hunt is not necessarily a good thing. The game will adjust the levels of your opponents to match yours, so few battles against these guys are easy. Didn't find this one too hard, though. As characters. this pair are kinda loveable. Rupee definitely needs a hug: he just wants to weave carpets, Barta!  - Esperanza is a really, really depressing city. The people here have completely given up on life and just sit around 'waiting to die,' as Don puts it. Vyse gives them a speech before the armada turn up and he gets to go out and give them a show, just to prove how right he is. Giving up after one defeat should not sap your will to live! - Enrique's resolution and strength of will are put firmly on show in this part, as he, Vyse and co have to battle Gregorio. Gregorio is one of the Valuan admirals and loved as an uncle by the young prince, but that does not phase him. Gregorio himself is seen to be a likeable and almost gentle giant, who really does not want to see unnecessary death and is desperate to take the Prince alive. - This ship battle against Gregorio's Auriga (sp?) is amazing. The tactic of running his ship straight into the other one is totally tough and awesome. Got to respect this guy. |
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| Bellflower | Apr 6 2009, 10:27 PM Post #6 |
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Shotgun Hero!
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- The Black Rift, one of the biggest mysteries of the game. Much of the flora within seems to have become much bigger and maybe altered form thanks to the effects of the rift. Some of the fauna has witnessed these effects as well, and become different. It's beautifully done and very interesting. As it IS such a mystery we're left to come to our own conclusions. I am certain it was left as is to provide a plot for a future game, but for now, we can examine it ourselves. - The bit was Robinson is another sad moment. He's been stuck there, alone, for years and years. Good to see him back with his wife. ;_; - The main 'pockets' of the Black Rift contains huge black moonstones. Finding the black moonstone discovery in this area tells you about the rumours of a lost black moon. At the bottom of the pocket we see waves of coloured energy flowing upwards. As part of our own Zivilyn theory, underneath this area is where we find the continent of Zivilyos, but who knows what it means in the gameverse? - Overall, it seems there was a lot of land in the Zivilyn area, judging by what we see here. - The music is truly beautiful. In certain parts of the rift an almost mystical score plays. Totally fits the idea of a long-lost, buried land being beneath these thick, dark rifts. - Some of the land actually pulses with energy! it looks so strange! - Anguila... is a strange creature, alright. Not too fond of the thing at all, constantly hiding away from attacks. |
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| Colaya | Apr 7 2009, 01:11 AM Post #7 |
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EXAMPLE
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On the topic of the Dark Rift... If you go back in with the Delphinus and have Illchymus in your crew, go to the bridge and talk to him, he'll talk more about the rumored Black Moon.... Can't really remember what he says right now though.... -.- |
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| Nex Terren | Apr 7 2009, 04:55 PM Post #8 |
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q_q Remind me which person this is? Also, epic detail, Lisa. Keep it coming. This is really fun to read. |
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