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VagueRant
May 24, 2012
Woah, I didn't realise quite how late this game came in the console cycle. With that voice acting, and those rough pre-rendered backgrounds, it's hard to think it came a year after Resident Evil 2 AND Metal Gear Solid. I figured it was a kind of early one cashing in on the RE1 buzz. Guess it's down to budget.

Super curious if the Nazca lines references will pay off in any serious way.

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Scintilla
Aug 24, 2010

I BEAT HIGHFORT
and all I got was this
jackass monkey

SSNeoman posted:

I know it's old hat to mock solving soup cans in these games, but seriously.

"No Dave you need the double-headed eagle block, not the wolf block"

"Are you loving serious Tim? Goddamn it this poo poo's heavy!"

There honestly aren't many truly egregious puzzles in the game. Most have at least a faint thread of logic and/or plausibility to them.


VagueRant posted:

Woah, I didn't realise quite how late this game came in the console cycle. With that voice acting, and those rough pre-rendered backgrounds, it's hard to think it came a year after Resident Evil 2 AND Metal Gear Solid. I figured it was a kind of early one cashing in on the RE1 buzz. Guess it's down to budget.

Super curious if the Nazca lines references will pay off in any serious way.

I have a sneaking suspicion that budgetary issues are a big factor is why this game is the way it is. There are a lot of CG cutscenes that must have cost a fair amount to produce.

Scintilla
Aug 24, 2010

I BEAT HIGHFORT
and all I got was this
jackass monkey
Update 07 - Flesh and Steel

Welcome back. Last time we gathered some tablets engraved with images of two-headed animals. Now it’s time to put them to use.







This door leads straight to where we need to go. It was locked when we tried to get through from the other side, but now we can unlock it for a shortcut.



We find ourselves back in the conference room.



Now that we’re back we can finally solve this puzzle.



Each of the four tablets belongs in one of the slots here. It’s not hard to discern which goes where, the order was shown when we used psychometry to read them in the fifth update. The order is snake, eagle, wolf, monkey.



Once all of the tablets have been placed a scene is triggered.





Rion hears a noise and turns around.









The huge decorative eagle splits in half, revealing a hidden doorway.



Examining the map after the scene ends reveals a whole new passageway has appeared. With this we can bypass the remaining locked door and explore the rest of the level.



The secret hallway is dark and lined with pipes - probably a repurposed maintenance corridor.











Things are fairly quiet until you go past the bend, where an armoured trooper lies in wait.



It’s tough but not impossible to run past him, which is what I do here. Even at Lv. 2 fighting troopers isn’t worth it, especially in such a narrow space.



The door is right around the corner anyway, so we can just forget about him forever.

Music: Galerians - Hospital Theme 3



Or maybe not, since the next room has three more of the bastards stomping around.



There’s some more Skip in here. I snag it even though Rion can’t go beyond Lv. 3, because reasons.





This door leads back into the lobby with the statue. Useful if you’ve forgotten anything.









The stairs lead to progress, but there’s an optional area we can explore before that.

Music: Galerians - Hospital Theme 2



We find ourselves in a room similar to the freezer from earlier.





There are some items in the corners, but what are those weird pods in the middle?



I have a bad feeling about this. Alright, let’s use psychometry to see what’s inside.



...I see that Dr. Lem has been cribbing research samples from Umbrella Corp. Let’s back away slowly and hope that-



*Sound of glass smashing*



Oh, goddamnit.



These red-skinned freaks are Arabesques. They’re similar to the Hunters from Resident Evil, only less dangerous since you can set them on fire with your mind.



They jump around a lot, sometimes to claw at you, sometimes to dodge your attacks.



They can also puke up puddles of acid which hurt you if you step in them.



Arabesques are also tough as nails. It takes two fully charged Lv. 2 Red blasts to take one down, and lighting them on fire doesn’t stun them like it does other enemies.



Still, enough damage and they keel over just like any other foe.







There’s just one room left unexplored.



A save point stands off to Rion’s right. It’s a very good idea to use it.





I take some brain ‘roids, then open the door.





This room is pretty big.



It’s also got a big metal ball in the middle.



Aha! A lift! Could this be our ticket out of here?





Unfortunately it’s locked down, and judging by the shadowy silhouette revealed by our reading only Dr. Lem can operate it.



Perhaps we can bypass it via this terminal. Examining it twice triggers a scene.



: PLEASE SPELL OUT YOUR NAME.



: R…I…O…N.





: THE FAMILY PROGRAM IS TOP SECRET. PLEASE GIVE THE PASSWORD.



: THE FAMILY PROGRAM IS TOP SECRET! ACCESS FORBIDDEN WITHOUT PASSWORD!



Rion concentrates, using his psychic powers to brute-force the password.



His efforts are partially successful, and the computer begins to divulge information. (The voice carries on in the background for the rest of the scene, but I’ll dump the text of it here as one giant lump.)

: FIRST NAME: RION. LAST NAME: STEINER. SEX: MALE. AGE: SIXTEEN. DATE OF BIRTH: 2506. FATHER: ALBERT STEINER. MOTHER: ELSA STEINER. ADDRESS: 287911A MICHAELANGELO CITY.





Unfortunately, it also distracts him enough for Dr. Lem to sneak up on him.



: You’re a natural, Rion. Just as I expected!

: Dr. Lem?



: I can’t believe how much you’ve progressed in only a month!

: Who am I? What is the Family Program?



: Rion, there are many things you are better off not knowing.



: This is Nalcon. You’ll short circuit if I inject you with it. You don’t want to die, do you? Return to the isolation ward!



: No!





Rion forces the Beeject away with his powers.

: R-Rion! Such strength…!





Lem is unable to hold on, and the Beeject goes flying.





That cane is a work of art and I want one.

: So be it! It’s the freeze chamber for you!



Rion is not impressed.



Not. One. Bit.



The scene fades out, and we are immediately thrust into Galerians’ first boss battle. I’d post the boss music, but it’s not on the OST.



Clinic Chief Lem doesn’t seem too bad at first. His only attack is to swipe at you clumsily with his cane, and while he can run he only really does so to catch up with you if you leave the screen he’s on.



He’s also very weak to Red.



Two shots of Lv. 3 Red are enough to put him down. Attack Lv. 3 is absurdly lethal since it vastly decreases charge time.



Of course, that's only the first stage of the fight. The screen goes dark, and ominous clanking and mechanical sounds begin to play.



When the scene returns, we see that Lem has decided to turn into the Terminator.



Cyborg Lem is an rear end in a top hat. I’m not joking when I say he might even be the hardest boss in the game.



His basic attack is a flying shoulder tackle that cannot be interrupted, travels a tremendous distance and takes off about a fifth of Rion’s health. It also has a knockdown effect that leaves us wide open for more damage.





Cyborg Lem is totally immune to Red and cannot be knocked down even with a fully charged blast of Nalcon. He is very tough, has a huge amount of health and runs at the same speed Rion does.



After you deal some damage to him Lem will start to use a ground pound attack. It may be possible to interrupt Lem during the animation, but I’ve never managed it. As far as I know this attack cannot be avoided and will always hit for a small amount of damage.



The pound also stuns you for a second or two. You absolutely do not want Lem to catch you while you’re stunned.



If he does, this happens. He punches you twice, then slams you into the ground, taking off a large amount of health.



Occasionally Lem’s cybernetics will spaz out, giving you a brief window to attack or, more likely, run the hell away.



There’s no easy way to fight Lem directly. You can evade his charge by using the metal ball in the middle of the room as cover, and if you’re far enough away you’ll recover from any stuns before he reaches you. Try to deal as much damage as possible very quickly, before he inevitably drops your health below half and robs you of your extra attack levels. Even in the best case you’ll need all the Recovery Capsules and Skip tablets you’ve found so far to keep up with him.



Eventually, after a long, hard battle, Lem will go down. Many, many new players have trouble with him, and it’s not hard to see why - he’s basically the Tyrant from the first Resident Evil, only more aggressive and you don’t have a huge Magnum or rocket launcher to deal with him.

Fortunately, there something you can do that will absolutely trivialise Lem. Something so simple you probably won’t even think of doing it.



Go into the fight with a full AP bar, then Short out.



Guess what? Despite being a boss, Lem is not immune to having his head popped. He dies instantly, just like regular enemies!



Even his cyborg form kicks it, with a special death animation to boot! Given how hard he is normally, I think this was probably the way players were intended to win. Also, it makes his prior threat about overloading Rion with Nalcon totally empty.

Regardless of how you choose to fight him, examining Lem’s body after his death triggers a new scene.





Rion reaches down and pulls out Lem’s cybernetic eye.





The device scans it, and the elevator doors open.











Rion slumps against the wall, clearly exhausted by everything that’s happened.



: Heh heh heh…



A creepy-looking man giggles to himself as he watches Rion through the surveillance camera.



: I escaped from Michaelangelo Memorial Hospital, knowing nothing but my name.



: I found a picture of my family at the hospital, but just when their faces started looking familiar, the memories slipped away, as if I had never known them.



: What was I doing there?



: My mind was all cloudy, and I couldn’t remember a thing. I was all alone.







And there we have it! The first stage of the game is complete.

Michelangelo Memorial Hospital is a really neat starting area. It does a good job of ratcheting up the tension and creating a subtle sense of dread that grows heavier the further you progress. Enemy types are varied and force you to switch up your strategies, and while some of the puzzles are irritating there aren’t that many of them and none are massively obtuse. Lem is a tough boss, but that just makes figuring out how to gank him all the more satisfying.

Anyhow, that’s it for the first stage. See you next time, when we explore a creepy abandoned house in order to piece together more of Rion’s past.

Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

So, if you just go crazy you waste the incredibly hard first boss in a massive burst of psychic power?

How thematic.

FeyerbrandX
Oct 9, 2012

Scintilla posted:

: FIRST NAME: RION. LAST NAME: STEINER. SEX: MALE. AGE: SIXTEEN. DATE OF BIRTH: 2506. FATHER: ALBERT STEINER. MOTHER: ELSA STEINER. ADDRESS: 287911A MICHAELANGELO CITY.

I'm shocked his mom isn't Beatrix :v:

Also, love that the boss is trivialized by scanning the gently caress out of him twice.

Seraphic Neoman
Jul 19, 2011


You'd think someone, someone would figure out to use a hard enough glass to prevent their abominations against nature from escaping.

Section Z
Oct 1, 2008

Wait, this is the Moon.
How did I even get here?

Pillbug

SSNeoman posted:

You'd think someone, someone would figure out to use a hard enough glass to prevent their abominations against nature from escaping.

But then you can't show them off to prospective customers!

VagueRant
May 24, 2012

This IS adorable. Bit confused why the perfectly able rugby tacklin' robot was walking around with a cane and a limp though.

I guess the city outside the hospital is meant to be normal and populated but they couldn't show it for budget? Seems odd. I wonder how it'll transition into the next act.

Kaboom Dragoon
May 7, 2010

The greatest of feasts

When you see Lem, you think, okay, crazy rear end in a top hat scientist, one eye, walks with a cane, this should be pretty simple, right? And then, bam, Terminator. I'd assume he enjoys the 'wolf in sheep's clothing' aspect his disguise gives him: people think they're dealing with a kook, and next thing they know, they're dangling three foot off the ground by their nostrils.

Lunethex
Feb 4, 2013

Me llamo Sarah Brandolino, the eighth Castilian of this magnificent marriage.
Is there a chance you'll play the sequel after you finish this game? People deserve to see the nonsense that is Ash.

Scintilla
Aug 24, 2010

I BEAT HIGHFORT
and all I got was this
jackass monkey

Lunethex posted:

Is there a chance you'll play the sequel after you finish this game? People deserve to see the nonsense that is Ash.

I have actually not played the sequel. I will probably play through it at some point, but if I do LP it it'll be after Dragon Quarter, which I've been promising to do for ages.

The Watercrown
Feb 10, 2014

We Shall Become Gods

We Shall Become Gods

WE SHALL ALL DIE AND BECOME AS GODS
I recently got a copy of Ash (and Silent HIll 3), but I'm holding off on playing it till after this LP, and if there's going to be a break for Dragon Quarter before your LP of it, all the better. The PAL version of DQ seems like it got the usual European Extreme difficulty shenanigans.

I'm a bit surprised there's also not been much focus on how this game is set 5 centuries in the future, contrary to just about every other horror you could care to mention. They really did a lot to make this game something different to the competition.

EagerSleeper
Feb 3, 2010

by R. Guyovich

VagueRant posted:


This IS adorable. Bit confused why the perfectly able rugby tacklin' robot was walking around with a cane and a limp though.

I don't even have a limp, but that cane is so delightful, I can't blame Lem at all for making up some excuse just to use it.

Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

The Watercrown posted:

I recently got a copy of Ash (and Silent HIll 3), but I'm holding off on playing it till after this LP, and if there's going to be a break for Dragon Quarter before your LP of it, all the better. The PAL version of DQ seems like it got the usual European Extreme difficulty shenanigans.

I'm a bit surprised there's also not been much focus on how this game is set 5 centuries in the future, contrary to just about every other horror you could care to mention. They really did a lot to make this game something different to the competition.

I rented Ash once when I was younger, thinking it was some JRPG thing. It was batshit insane. Completely, totally batshit insane. I never got that far in it.

Scintilla
Aug 24, 2010

I BEAT HIGHFORT
and all I got was this
jackass monkey
Update 08: Homecoming

Welcome back. Last time we escaped Michelangelo Memorial Hospital, killing Clinic Chief Lem in the process. The good doctor took the secrets of Rion’s circumstances to the grave with him, but that doesn’t mean our protagonist is going to give up.









Using the documents he found in the hospital and a few faded memories, Rion has managed to track down the Steiner family home. What secrets lurk inside its manorial façade? Let’s find out.



We begin outside the house. Everything is quiet - there are no enemies around, and the only sounds are ambient noise. The front door is right ahead, so let's get a move on and see what's inside.





…Of course, it’s not going to be that easy.



Psychometry gives us a glimpse of the foyer, but that doesn’t help us much.



According to the map there are two other doors we can go through, one to the left of the house and one to the right.







The left door is a gate that leads to a play area with a bench and set of swings.



Rion’s parents were very irresponsible and have left experimental brain chemicals just lying around all over the place.





Psychometry confirms that he did! It also confirms that he had a playmate, although one has to wonder about the bandages around her head…



There’s also a small stone storehouse at the back.





It’s locked, and reading the door reveals that the key is near some kind of workstation.



There’s nothing we can do about that now, so let’s go back and explore the right hand side of the grounds.







We get a brief in-game scene as soon as we step through the gate.





Rion automatically examines the ground by the pond, noting that there are tire tracks leading into the water.



We can confirm this by examining the pond itself.



A psychometric reading reveals a strange room with a snooker table, jukebox and minibar. Strange - what does that have to do with the pond?



The image isn’t very helpful, so let’s have a look in the garage where the tracks are coming from.





Examining the shelves yields a Recovery Capsule, absolutely vital if you fought Lem the hard way.



There’s also a conspicuous car that looks like it stumbled in from the Fallout franchise.





Inside we find a key to the back door. Excellent - now we can explore the house.





We can also read the car for a brief memory, and our first truly good look at Rion’s parents. It seems Rion and his family went out in this car fairly regularly.





There’s nothing else to do in the back yard, so let’s get down to business and crack open the back door.





So far, so good. But as soon as we go inside…





…a whole bunch of uninvited guests show up. I suppose it’s not surprising; Lem was clearly not the only person involved in all this, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Rion would immediately head home after escaping the hospital.

Music: Galerians - Manor Theme 1



Still, we've made it inside. Now to see what we can find in here.



The Steiner Manor isn’t particularly big. It’s much smaller than the hospital, but it has a bit more backtracking to make up for it.



Moving forwards reveals that we’re in the dining room, with the huge double doors to our left leading into the main foyer.





Unfortunately it looks like someone has smashed up the locks and ripped off the doorknob, so we can’t get through just yet.



Reading the broken door reveals an image of a bar - perhaps the same bar we saw in our reading of the pond.





There’s a small kitchen unit behind the table.



You can never have too many healing items.





The fridge can’t be opened, but reading it gives us another image of Rion’s mother.





Exiting through the red doors leads to this corridor.





The southernmost door leads to a small antechamber with a sink in it.





There’s nothing obviously important in here, but we can read the sink for a quick snapshot of Rion’s mother. She looks concerned about something…







Music: Galerians - Manor Theme 2



The other door leads to a proper bathroom.





The Resident Evil vibes are strong with this one.









Fortunately draining the tub does not result in us being attacked by a festering waterlogged zombie, although it does reveal the key we need to progress - if only we could reach the foyer.









The third and final door leads to a short corridor linking the northern and southern halves of the first floor.

Music: Galerians - Manor Battle





Rounding the next corner thrusts us into this stage’s first hostile encounter - the Enhanced Rabbit.



Aside from the snazzy suit and dapper hat, Enhanced Rabbits also possess limited psychic abilities. Their purple energy shots are weaker than Rion’s Nalcon, but they come out quickly and are difficult to dodge in the cramped confines of the corridor.



Enhanced Rabbits are reasonably tough, taking three shots of Nalcon or two blasts of Red to put down. They’re less aggressive than the riot guards from the previous stage, and none of their attacks can knock you down, but if one of them catches you by surprise you’ll probably take a hit.





The turquoise doors lead into some kind of sitting room. Of immediate interest is the object on the settee to Rion’s right.





It’s a vaguely creepy painting. Might as well take it with us I guess!



It’s not the only important picture here, either. Examining the photographs on the mantelpiece triggers a memory



: It’s the same picture I found in the hospital’s computer! That’s me in the middle…





Rion turns around, distracted by a glowing light.





The light of memory.



: What’s wrong, Rion? Having trouble sleeping?



A slightly younger, collar-less Rion replies.

: I feel uneasy, but I don’t know why. It’s as if something really bad is about to happen.





Rion’s mother looks forlorn, as if she knows something he doesn’t.





We return to the present, and the recollection ends. Judging by what's happened, I'd say Rion's prediction was depressingly accurate.



There’s one more thing to do here, then we can move on.



The back shelves contain a vial of Red. Useful!



We’ve two more rooms to explore down this corridor.







The red doors lead to the bar, which we’ve seen a couple of times before thanks to our readings.



The jukebox doesn’t work. No jaunty tunes for us. :(





Two balls are missing from the snooker table. Fortunately, we can read the table twice to get both of their locations.



The first is some kind of computer room or study.



The second is…the pond? Come to think of it, it does look like something might be down there…



Another major item of interest is behind the bar.





The doorknob! Now we can access the second floor!







There are some other collectibles here we can grab before leaving.







The last room to explore in this area contains this stage’s only save point.







Anyway, let’s head back. We have a whole new floor to explore, and-



Goddamn! :stare:



So, I bet you guys were expecting enemies to burst in through the windows, Resident Evil-style? Nope! Galerians has them bust in through the goddamn ceiling.





It’s not that big of a deal, though. We burn him and move on-





Now that was just rude.





Our guests suitably chastened, we can now move on back to the dining room.





An in-game scene plays as soon as we step inside. Rion walks towards the kitchen unit…









Images flash across the screen, and Rion clutches his head in pain as another memory begins to surface.



Rion slowly approaches the fridge…





He opens the door…





Oh.



Oh dear. :stare:



: Aaaaaaaaaahhhh!!







Well, RIP Rion’s mother! Someone murdered her, stuffed a clock in her mouth, then left her body in the fridge for past Rion to find. But who did it? And why? Perhaps we’ll find some answers next time, when we explore the second floor of the manor.

VagueRant
May 24, 2012
Kinda cool that you're safe for so long exploring the mansion. But man, the pre renders there look REALLY muddy and generic. Not exactly Resident Evil Remake dripping with atmopshere. (Gotta love the way the pool table is obviously polygonal and will almost certainly move to reveal something!)

Totally didn't catch the clock in the mouth, I was like "That's an unusual teeth texture!"

I bet whatever we find in the pool will be disappointing, but I am on tenterhooks.

Section Z
Oct 1, 2008

Wait, this is the Moon.
How did I even get here?

Pillbug
I have no idea why the phrase-

Stage B-
Your House

Made me laugh so hard.

Must have been the spooky music leading up to YOUR HOUSE :unsmigghh:

Seraphic Neoman
Jul 19, 2011


"IT'S OKAY RION! THIS CLOCK THAT WAS SHOVED INTO HER MOUTH WILL BE USEFUL FOR SOME BULLSHIT PUZZLE YOU'LL THANK ME LATER"

Rockopolis
Dec 21, 2012

I MAKE FUN OF QUEER STORYGAMES BECAUSE I HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO WITH MY LIFE THAN MAKE OTHER PEOPLE CRY

I can't understand these kinds of games, and not getting it bugs me almost as much as me being weird
At least establishing a time of death will be easy.

Scintilla
Aug 24, 2010

I BEAT HIGHFORT
and all I got was this
jackass monkey

SSNeoman posted:

"IT'S OKAY RION! THIS CLOCK THAT WAS SHOVED INTO HER MOUTH WILL BE USEFUL FOR SOME BULLSHIT PUZZLE YOU'LL THANK ME LATER"


Rockopolis posted:

At least establishing a time of death will be easy.

Funnily enough the clock and the time are actually semi-relevant to the plot, although not in any immediate sense.

Scintilla
Aug 24, 2010

I BEAT HIGHFORT
and all I got was this
jackass monkey
Update 09: A Crooked House

Welcome back. Last time we experienced a rather nasty flashback showing the death of Rion’s mother, who appears to have choked to death on a clock. One might say that she…ran out of time. :c00lbert:

Music: Galerians - Manor Theme 1



Why indeed? Perhaps we’ll find some answers upstairs.





With the doorknob in hand we can repair the door to the foyer.

Music: Galerians - Manor Theme 3



Two Enhanced Rabbits strike as soon as we enter.





It’s a tough fight, since their attacks tend to sync up and prevent you from getting the charge wheel up to full.



The foyer is pretty big, so you have room to dodge, but since the projectiles are invisible and tank controls are awful chances are you’ll still take a lot of hits.



In a twist of fate the Enhanced Rabbits become victims of their own success, as their constant attacks cause us to Short.



The results are predictably messy.







After healing up we are free to open the front door, giving us a shortcut back outside.







The upper floor is similar to the first, two main sections divided by a single corridor.





Our key unlocks the door.



Once again, we find ourselves under attack as soon as we set foot inside, although this time the game is merciful enough to give us a scripted event letting us know there’s an Enhanced Rabbit offscreen.



He’s alone, and therefore not nearly as difficult to take down.







The first room we come across is a small study. We’re free to move, but as soon as we do…









Rion has another seizure, and another vision forces its way into his mind.



: Pascalle. Suspicious men in black coats have been lurking around my house lately.



: Well…then we can’t keep them together.



: That’s exactly what I was thinking.





The scene shifts to a young Rion playing with toys. He looks up, distracted by something.



: We have to separate them. I’ll take Lilia away from here.



: Thank you. For everything.

: I’ll contact you once Lilia is safely hidden.



Pascalle leaves, and the cutscene ends. We gain a few answers, but more questions. Rion’s family was being watched by nefarious forces, and by Pascalle’s reaction it appears both had at least some idea of what was going on. The implication seems to be that Lilia was Rion’s childhood friend, and that she is a central figure in whatever Pascalle and Dr. Steiner were doing.





There’s a key on the table in here, just barely visible against the pre-rendered background.





I wound up missing this key on my first playthrough, which caused some frustration down the line.





There are also some consumables to pick up before we leave.





This door leads to the connecting corridor, but we still have business here.







This is the library. As expected, it’s full of books.





Checking this particular shelf yields a new document.









Viewers with good memories will remember that this book was mentioned earlier, in the newspaper article we found at the hospital. It appears to be describing improvements in computer learning, some of which involve the use of biological components.



It’s not immediately obvious, but there’s something else of note in here.



The decorations flanking the window seem a bit too conspicuous.





Naturally, these are part of a puzzle. We’ll be back here later once we have the means to solve it.







This is the corridor to the northern side of the manor. It’s got a hole in it from when the Enhanced Rabbit busted in through the ceiling last update.



Walking up to it lets us glimpse a mysterious figure moving around down below. Another Rabbit? Or someone more sinister?





Whoever it is, we better get a move on. The hole is too big to inch around, so we have to jump.





Even then, Rion barely makes it. We have to mash the X button to climb up, a fact that the game never actually tells you. Failing to do so means falling down to the ground floor and have to go all the way back up.





The northern half of the manor is quiet, at least for the time being.





The first room we come to is Rion’s old room. There’s some nice, relaxing music for this room, but like Lem’s boss theme it’s not on the OST.



They also seem a bit too babyish for a boy of sixteen, but who am I to judge?





Also, why are there brain ‘roids in here? Is there something Rion wasn’t telling his parents?



For our next scene we need to use our psychometry on the bed.



: Albert! Rion’s fever won’t break!

: Don’t worry. It’ll break by morning.



: I hope so. I’m so sorry, Rion. Won’t you find it in your heart to forgive us?



: I couldn’t find another safe place to hide it. If it fell into Dorothy’s hands… Doctor Pascalle also agreed that there is no other way.



: I’m so sorry, Rion. Humankind’s future is in your hands.



: Rion…please, forgive us for doing this to you.



Suddenly the memory shifts, revealing itself to be a dream Rion had in the past.







Suddenly, an Enhanced Rabbit bursts in!





Rion, however, is nowhere to be found.



Well now, that was revealing. Rion’s parents apparently hid something inside his head, something so precious they were willing to drill into their only son’s skull to keep it secret. They also mention Dorothy, the central computer system that controls everything in Michelangelo city. The plot is rapidly thickening, and we’re not even halfway through the stage yet.



One question with more immediate value is how Rion managed to disappear when the Rabbit came knocking.



The answer can be found here, with this vaguely square-shaped bright spot on the wall.



If we hang the ‘Metamorphosis’ picture here…



A section of the floor by the bed lifts up, revealing a hidden trapdoor! Where does it lead, you ask?





Why, back down to the ground floor sitting room. It’s a nice shortcut, and makes sense given how paranoid Rion’s family seem to have been.



Anyway, let’s move on.





The upstairs bathroom is utterly empty and devoid of anything interesting.





There is a balcony that overlooks the back yard.



We can take in the view, but there’s not really anything else to do out here.





There are two rooms left to explore, the bedroom on the right and a smaller room at the end of the hall. We’ll try the bedroom first since we’ve got the key for it.



The bedroom has a nice, relaxing theme to it. It’s a nice change from the grim, foreboding tunes playing through the rest of the manor. Unfortunately it is also absent from the OST.



Searching the chest of drawers yields a Recovery Capsule.





There’s also a note on the dresser.





A haunting letter from Rion’s mother. What does she mean when she talks about an activation system? Whatever it is, it seems to have left her wracked with guilt.



Perhaps it even strained her relationship with Rion’s father, considering they appear to sleep in separate beds. Regardless, there’s something on the bedside table we need to look at.



A round hole, huh? Just like the one in the library. Let’s see what our psychometry tells us.



The downstairs sink? We checked there before, but perhaps we missed something.





Before we go back, though, let’s check out the final room on this floor.



Looks like a simple storage room, but take just one step forwards…





Rion begins to freak out again, and we see yet another fragment of the past.





Past Rion slowly walks towards the camera, entranced by something on the ground.



That something being his father’s corpse.



: Aaaaaaaahhh!!





Oh dear. It seems both Rion’s parents met with terrible fates. Whatever the Steiner family were mixed up in was not conductive to any of their long term health. Perhaps whatever is in the jewellery box will give us a clue as to what they were up to, but we’ll have to wait until the next update to find out.

Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

I really need to know at what point 'We need to keep it safe' triggered 'We need to take whatever it is, drill it into our kids' heads, and then also still keep them at home like normal where we know we're being watched.'

VagueRant
May 24, 2012
Are any of the drug items actually visible or are you just supposed to run into every shelf/desk/corner/surface you can find mashing X to get them?

Lunethex
Feb 4, 2013

Me llamo Sarah Brandolino, the eighth Castilian of this magnificent marriage.
Almost always the latter.

Scintilla
Aug 24, 2010

I BEAT HIGHFORT
and all I got was this
jackass monkey

VagueRant posted:

Are any of the drug items actually visible or are you just supposed to run into every shelf/desk/corner/surface you can find mashing X to get them?

Key items are usually visible. Consumables never are.

Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

Scintilla posted:

Key items are usually visible. Consumables never are.

WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS GAME DESIGNER.

Seraphic Neoman
Jul 19, 2011


Night10194 posted:

WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS GAME DESIGNER.

Rubbing your face against every surface is gameplay content.

EagerSleeper
Feb 3, 2010

by R. Guyovich

Night10194 posted:

WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS GAME DESIGNER.

They're trying to help you develop your own psychic skills.

Neddy Seagoon
Oct 12, 2012

"Hi Everybody!"

Scintilla posted:

Update 08: Homecoming

Rounding the next corner thrusts us into this stage’s first hostile encounter - the Enhanced Rabbit.



Aside from the snazzy suit and dapper hat, Enhanced Rabbits also possess limited psychic abilities. Their purple energy shots are weaker than Rion’s Nalcon, but they come out quickly and are difficult to dodge in the cramped confines of the corridor.


Scintilla, Enhanced Rabbits are clearly challenging Rion to a jazzy dance battle and he can't step to their fly moves :colbert:.

Scintilla
Aug 24, 2010

I BEAT HIGHFORT
and all I got was this
jackass monkey
Update 10: Cruel Inheritance

Welcome back. Last time we uncovered a bit more about the Steiner family, culminating in a vision of Rion discovering his father’s corpse. Things are looking grim, but we can’t afford to dally.



There’s nothing else in this room that will offer us any clues. The only place left is the downstairs sink.







The secret escape hatch gives us a convenient shortcut downstairs. But when we approach the door…





Rion has yet another seizure.



: This is a new ring we had made. Your father has one just like it.



: Isn’t it beautiful? But remember - it’s a secret.

: Okay!



: You’re such a good boy, Rion.



A ring with a flat, disk-like top? Interesting. I think I know what we might be able to use that for.











After a bit more backtracking we find ourselves back in the sink room.





Rion freaks out as soon as we take a step. You know the drill by now.





Rion’s mother desperately tugs on her ring, eventually getting it off.



Suddenly, the door bursts open behind her!



: No! Go away!





She surreptitiously drops the ring down the plughole.





: Aaaaaahh!!





So, Elsa managed to drop her ring down the sink before being killed.



A normal person wouldn’t be able to reach it, but then again, Rion isn’t a normal person.





Using our psychic powers, we can retrieve the ring from the manor’s piping.



With the ring in our possession it’s time to return to the bedroom.







Slot the ring into the hole, and…





Inside is another ring, this one shaped like a square.



It is at this point that I, and probably many other people who played this game without a guide, make a mistake.



As a player your first instinct is going to be to go to back to the library.



Seems logical, right? I mean, it’s fairly obvious that the square and round rings fit into the square and round holes on the walls.







Okay, so, fairly simple, we just have to go to our inventory and-



Um. Where is Rion’s mother’s ring?







If you answered, ‘Still lodged in the jewellery box back in the bedroom’, you’re absolutely right. Unlike literally every other key or key-like item in the game, Rion does not automatically put his mother’s ring back in his inventory after it’s been used. You have to manually examine the box again to get it back. There is no indication whatsoever that you have to do this, and since I had forgotten it happens I had to run all the way back to retrieve it.



I wasted so much time running around that the AP bar is now completely full.



Taking the ring out again causes two Rabbits to spawn in the corridor.



Shorting would take them out easily, but it’s better to just run away since we won’t be coming back to this part of the manor again.



Rabbits also invade the southern corridor as well. Dealing with these guys is a higher priority.



Alright. Now wait for it…



There we go.





Right! Let’s solve this stupid puzzle.









Place the rings into the slots, and…



The conspicuously polygonal bookshelf slides back, revealing a hidden door!



The secret room is now open and revealed on our map.





It appears to be some sort of computer room.



A conspicuous workstation lies at the end, complete with projectors. Examining it triggers a lengthy and quite revealing scene.



: My dear son Rion. If you ever get this message, your mother and I have probably already been killed.



: But before you start mourning our deaths, there is something you must do.



: Seven years ago, Dr. Pascalle, a friend of mine, completed a next-generation computer names Dorothy.



: Dorothy was a revolutionary computer, with the ability to make its own decisions and repair itself. Under her own power Dorothy grew completely new cellular circuits, enabling her to abandon her old system kernel.



: Her growth continued smoothly, and before long she was controlling her senior computers, and rose to the status of Michelangelo city’s mother computer.



: That was when Dorothy’s insanity began. She began to wonder why such an inferior system such as humankind should not be wiped out, and why she could not kill people, even though people kill each other.



: So I told her about the existence of God.

This can only end well. :unsmigghh:



: I told her that God was the master of creation. God created humankind, and our fate is in His hands. No one can deny this.



: In Dorothy’s case, her creator was humankind. In other words, Dorothy’s God was humankind. She must obey the fate we decide for her.



: It appeared Dorothy accepted this and began serving humankind again. However, she secretly began simulating God’s existence over and over again until she reached her final solution. That solution…was the Family Program.



: Dorothy placed the city’s memorial hospital under her control, and then began genetic experiments on humans.



: She wanted to create a race of humans with psychic powers and absolute loyalty to her. She called them…



:…Galerians. And she was their God and creator.





: Dorothy was trying to create her own world, with herself as God. The Family Program was a ritual for her to become God.



: However, Dr. Pascalle and I had a backup plan in case Dorothy went out of control. In Lilia’s mind we hid a virus program that could destroy Dorothy - and in your mind, we hid the program for activating that virus. That was five years ago.



: Dorothy fears the virus program more than anything else. Only you can retrieve the virus program from Lilia’s mind.



: My dear son…the future of our race…is in your hands.



: You must save humankind.



…Well. That was a scene and a half, and I’m not sure how I feel about it. You spend the first part of the game being slowly drip-fed bits of the plot, only to have the entire backstory dumped on you in a single scene halfway through the second stage. It feels awkward, and I think it might have been better to have Rion uncover the mystery a bit more organically.

In any event, after all that information it’s fairly clear what happened. Dorothy must have found out about the virus program, or perhaps discovered that Rion’s father was snooping on her and knew what she was trying to do. The backup plan to shut her down failed due to Dorothy striking first. Rion’s parents died during the attack, and while Rion himself evaded the attackers for a time he was eventually captured and taken to Michelangelo hospital. It seems likely that Dorothy ordered Dr. Lem to experiment on Rion in order to find out more about the virus program, and this led to him developing psychic abilities.

There are still a few things left to consider. Rion’s family are accounted for, but where is Dr. Pascalle? More to the point, where is Lilia? To destroy Dorothy we need the virus program, but Rion doesn’t have it - only the means to activate it. Lilia has the actual virus, but while Rion hears her voice in his head, she can’t hear him. We need some way to talk back to her, some means to make the channel work both ways.



Before we leave this place there’s something on the desk we need to pick up.



Remember the snooker table downstairs? Here’s one of the balls that was missing from it. If you recall, Rion’s psycometry indicated the second is somewhere near the pond.







The path to the pond is free of enemies.









This is where the vision told us to look. Examining the area won’t help, however. We need to do something a bit more…drastic.







: Rrrrrrraaaargh!!



The surface of the pond bubbles and shifts as Rion dredges something up from the depths.







It’s a car! Not entirely unexpected, given the tire marks.



What is unexpected is the driver.



: Dr. Pascalle?





Shocked, Rion loses control and drops the car heavily.





This jolts open the door, revealing the missing 9-ball in the late Dr. Pascalle’s grip.



Well, I suppose that clears up what happened to Dr. Pascalle, although one has to wonder why he was here considering he had supposedly taken his daughter into hiding. Perhaps he discovered that Dorothy was planning an attack and came to warn Rion’s family, only to get caught up in it himself and get killed whilst trying to escape. Either way, he has the 9-ball, which we need.





With both balls in hand (hurr) it’s time to return to the games room. There are no enemies or anything interesting along the way, so I’ll cut out the backtracking.







Place the balls on the table, and…



The whole thing moves back, revealing a hidden staircase leading downwards.



What could possibly be downstairs? A testing area? A secret lab? Don't worry, we'll be finding out next time in the final update of the second stage.

VagueRant
May 24, 2012
Man, that infodump is a bit disappointing. Like Dorothy has barely been set up in the story by this point. Just namedropped (optionally?) a few times. I think part of the problem was the lack of insight into the actual city. I'm still confused about whether it was supposed to be totally normal outside of that hospital and Rion just had to blend in with crowds and figure out public transport and somehow work his way through a bustling civilisation to get to this mansion in the middle of nowhere...I'm sure it's budget related, but that seems like a good opportunity for reminding us of the evil robot overlord watching over everyone.

The idea of teaching an AI about God and it leading to some hilariously horrific consequences is such a neat little sci-fi concept too!

Also weird that they coloured in the plughole so it looks like the ring rises through solid concrete.

Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

Why in God's name would you think teaching an AI that's started to ask disturbing questions like 'Why *can't* I kill people anyway?' about omnipotence is a good idea!? :psyduck:

Seraphic Neoman
Jul 19, 2011


There comes a time when taking a computer offline should really be the number one approach, no matter how painful it initially seems to society.

When you have a problem with the AI creating genetically engineered psi-soldiers, poo poo has officially gone too far

Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

SSNeoman posted:

There comes a time when taking a computer offline should really be the number one approach, no matter how painful it initially seems to society.

When you have a problem with the AI creating genetically engineered psi-soldiers, poo poo has officially gone too far

I mean I suspect the problem is they couldn't take the self-replicating machine with control over their entire city's automated systems off-line and worried that trying to do so would lead to it retaliating.

Why the solution was to hide the VIRUS PROGRAM in kids and not just, you know, upload the thing immediately I couldn't tell you.

EagerSleeper
Feb 3, 2010

by R. Guyovich
I've been meaning to post this for a while now, but I actually like the plot dump that we've been given. It helps deepen the mystery and atmosphere for me to hear that there's a self-developing AI that's stumbled upon getting rid of humans to solve the world's problems with no one programming it to have any murderous tendancies beforehand. And then that AI is told to try and understand the human concept of God. It's just fun to see how the hell an AI is going to try and follow the faulty logic given to it, and try and create it's own eden on Earth by creating an army of psychic modified bioexperiments. It gives the story unique character, and I appreciate that.

Scintilla
Aug 24, 2010

I BEAT HIGHFORT
and all I got was this
jackass monkey

EagerSleeper posted:

I've been meaning to post this for a while now, but I actually like the plot dump that we've been given. It helps deepen the mystery and atmosphere for me to hear that there's a self-developing AI that's stumbled upon getting rid of humans to solve the world's problems with no one programming it to have any murderous tendancies beforehand. And then that AI is told to try and understand the human concept of God. It's just fun to see how the hell an AI is going to try and follow the faulty logic given to it, and try and create it's own eden on Earth by creating an army of psychic modified bioexperiments. It gives the story unique character, and I appreciate that.

Oh, I have no problem with the actual plot, simply the method that was chosen to reveal it. Secret pre-recorded messages are cool and good in mystery games, but cramming the entire plot into one just feels clumsy.

Scintilla
Aug 24, 2010

I BEAT HIGHFORT
and all I got was this
jackass monkey
Update 11: The Bird Man

Welcome back. Last time we uncovered the true reasons behind the events that have dogged Rion since the game began. Now it’s time to head down into the manor’s hidden basement, and uncover the final secrets of this damned household.





The basement is dark at first.



Trying to examine anything while the lights are off just gives this message. Thankfully, turning them on isn’t too hard.





Press the switch under the green light and hey, everything’s lit up.



The only collectible here is some Red on the desk.



That chair…it kind of looks like the equipment we saw at the hospital.



Sure enough, it has a similar purpose.



Reading the chair gives us this lovely image. Whatever the actual process was, it definitely looks painful.





Anyway, enough beating around the bush. The diary on the desk is what we’re really after.













Pascalle’s diary doesn’t tell us much that we didn’t already know, although it does confirm that Dorothy was keeping tabs on him as well. The mention of a child is disturbing, however, since it could very well have been one of the Galerians we’ve heard about.





More importantly, the diary contains the key to the shed, the one place in the manor that we have yet to explore. Taking it triggers a new cutscene.



: Heh heh heh… I’m tired of waiting.



: Who’re you?



: Heh heh heh heh… Me?



: Why, I’m the bird man.



: Was it you who killed my family?!



: No, it wasn’t me. Nope.





Birdman becomes intangible and fades away, reappearing behind Rion.

: It was my little brother.



: They died while he was rummaging through their minds. It must have hurt… Heh. Your head must ache too.



: You better tell me how to contact Lilia!



Rion refuses. Vehemently.

: Gah! drat you!



: You stubborn fool…



Birdman vanishes again, leaving Rion alone.



We regain control back in the basement, with Birdman driven off and the key to the shed in our possession. Now we just need to get there and hope it contains something that’ll let us return Lilia’s calls.

Music: Galerians - Birdman



: Heh, heh…





However, it’s not that simple. Birdman has some kind of invisibility / intangibility power that lets him chase us all through the manor.



He usually appears right in Rion’s path. Touching him deals damage, but he’s fairly slow and one shot of Nalcon will get rid of him for a while.









Once you’re outside Birdman stops harassing you. From there on it’s an easy ride to the shed.





Alright, here we are. The one place we haven’t explored.



Let’s see what’s inside.





The shed is dark and dirty, but it contains some items of interest.



A vial of Nalcon, for one.



A dose of Skip, for another. This is the only Skip in the level, unless the player carries some over from the previous stage.



To advance the plot we need to examine the pile of junk at the back. Rion will note that there is an old doll on top.





The doll belongs to Lilia. You can see her holding it in nearly all the previous cutscenes of her.



With the doll in hand we can leave. Using the Skip we just picked up is a very good idea, for reasons that are probably very clear by now. Leaving triggers the penultimate cutscene of the stage.



: Rion…



: They’re looking for me… I’m scared…





: Don’t worry, I’m coming. I’ll get there before they do.





The scene suddenly shifts to a dark, grimy room. A girl lies on the couch, unmoving.



: Who’s that?! Rion?!



: Yes, it’s me, Lilia! I’m sorry - I don’t remember you very well.

: Rion… What did they do to you…?

: I don’t know. But don’t worry. I’ll protect you.



: *Sobs*

: Why are you crying?

: It’s just as papa said. He said that you’d come for me.



: And he said that until then, I must continue sending telepathic messages to my doll until I contacted you!

: Lilia…where are you?





: The Babylon Hotel, in Michelangelo City.

: I’ll be there soon.

: Hurry, Rion!



Well, you have to hand it to Dr. Pascalle - the man certainly had a lot of faith that Rion would find Lilia’s doll locked away in the shed. Or maybe it was meant to be somewhere else but Dorothy’s attack screwed up whatever plans he had for it. Either way, we now have two-way communication with Lilia, and even know where she is!



Too bad Birdman’s here to ruin our fun.

: Argh! That hurt!



Rion whirls around, but Birdman teleports behind him.

: You better tell me where Lilia is! Your memory’s coming back, isn’t it?



: So, you’ve been watching me.



: Heh heh heh… Ever since you escaped from the hospital.



: Rrgh!





Birdman pummels Rion with Nalcon.





Rion takes it like a champ, then hits back twice as hard.

: Heh… Heh… I think I’m gonna short-circuit!





: I’ve never enjoyed anything this much! Ha ha ha ha!!

Music: Galerians - Birdman



Without further ado, we are thrust into a boss battle against Birdman.



Birdman is tough, but not nearly as bad as Lem. His initial attack pattern is simple. He’ll teleport around a bit, occasionally attacking, other times chaining his teleports to fake you out.



Birdman initially attacks by pointing, shouting ‘Bang!’ and loosing a blast of Nalcon, which in his case is invisible. At this stage it’s not too hard to dodge, and so long as you keep moving he’s very unlikely to land a hit.





This is a good thing as Birdman is only really vulnerable while he’s attacking or about to attack. Both Red and Nalcon are effective against him, the latter moreso than the former, although it does take him longer to shrug off the flames. A good strategy is to go to one of the corners, charge up an attack and then hold it until Birdman teleports in.



After taking enough damage Birdman shakes things up. He becomes more aggressive, and also gains a new trick to counter the aforementioned strategy. Now if you try to charge up while he’s in the middle of teleporting he’ll appear behind you and blast you while you’re helpless. Irritating!



Amusingly, if you and Birdman attack at the same time you’ll both go flying in what I can only imagine as a psychic cross-counter.



After taking even more damage Birdman really takes the gloves off. Now every time he teleports two mirror images of him also pop up.



Only one is the real Birdman, but they all attack and all of them can damage you. They all attack at slightly different times too, meaning they can easily wind up stunlocking you.



There is a trick to figuring out which clone to attack. One of the clones always teleports in slightly ahead of the other two, and that one is always the real Birdman. Peg him a few times and the fight will enter its final phase.



Birdman stops using his clones and goes back to attacking by himself. This naturally makes him easier to deal with, but there’s a twist.



In this phase Birdman gains a new attack where he splits into three and carpet bombs the area with Nalcon. This attack has a huge radius and can only be avoided by immediately dashing to the edges of the area.



Another important detail is that unlike with Lem there is no way to cheese this fight. Shorting does not affect Birdman at all, because he is a Galerian and his brain is made of sterner stuff.





Birdman is a fairly tough boss, but he’s not invincible and will eventually go down for good.





Birdman falls to his knees, unable to continue fighting.



: Ugh…am I…gonna die?



: *Cough* *Cough*





: You…better be…careful…

: Careful? Of what?

: Why…yourself…of course…



And with that, Birdman dies.



: Lilia had continually called for me, through her ragged old doll that was left in the shed.



: In her mind was hidden the virus program for destroying the insane computer, and in mine, the system for accessing it.



: My parents are dead, and today I killed a man I had just met. What a nightmare this day has been.











: The day isn’t even over, and I still don’t know what the future will bring.





And that’s the end of the stage, and also the first disk! There are two more disks to go, although each contains only a single stage. The manor is a much better level than I remember it being, although the plot dump from Rion’s father still feels a little clumsy. We’re done with it now, though, so join me next time when we visit the Babylon Hotel.

VagueRant
May 24, 2012
Huh, Birdman sure is a lot less...birdlike than I expected from reading the name in Playstation The Official Magazine all those years ago. Probably linked to the nazca line art we saw in the hospital section?

The manor section definitely had a lot of interesting ideas going for it, anyway. I'm curious - assuming you had to reload a save if you game over - would you have to run from the saveroom past the attacking Birdman in the halls, outside to the shed and sit through an unskippable (?) cutscene every time you retried this fight?

VagueRant fucked around with this message at 22:23 on Nov 6, 2016

Scintilla
Aug 24, 2010

I BEAT HIGHFORT
and all I got was this
jackass monkey

VagueRant posted:

I'm curious - assuming you had to reload a save if you game over - would you have to run from the saveroom past the attacking Birdman in the halls, outside to the shed and sit through an unskippable (?) cutscene every time you retried this fight?

You can skip cutscenes in this game, but yes, you would have to run all the way back.

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Seraphic Neoman
Jul 19, 2011


I can't get over the combination of the anime hair and the goofy CG overalls. It's like looking at an amature computer CG horror project.

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