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Xander77
Apr 6, 2009

Fuck it then. For another pit sandwich and some 'tater salad, I'll post a few more.



Commander Keene posted:

The exact timing is a bit off; the Bolshevik Revolution that deposes the Tsar is a few years in the future, IIRC
I mean... it might be in the SH universe, but no Bolshevik revolution deposed the Czar in our world.

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Commander Keene
Dec 21, 2016

Faster than the others



Xander77 posted:

I mean... it might be in the SH universe, but no Bolshevik revolution deposed the Czar in our world.
Am I misremembering the name, then? I'm referring to the 1917 revolution.

Cardiovorax
Jun 5, 2011

I mean, if you're a successful actress and you go out of the house in a skirt and without underwear, knowing that paparazzi are just waiting for opportunities like this and that it has happened many times before, then there's really nobody you can blame for it but yourself.

Commander Keene posted:

Am I misremembering the name, then? I'm referring to the 1917 revolution.
There were two 1917 revolutions - the one that dethroned the Tsar, and then the Leninist Bolshevik revolution mere months later that got rid of the new provisional government.

Early 20th century Russia is kind of a clusterfuck.

The Dark Id
Aug 13, 2005

Why
you
know
I
LOVE
THIS SHIT !!!!
[citation needed]
Episode LXVI: Kawashima's Debrief


Music: Atmosphere - Blow Up




Back at it again at the seven days of side quests before the end of the world. Today's venture will take us back to the busiest block in all of France. You'd think the death of Alice's father, the revelation of Roger Bacon's true identity and Yuri the marriage counselor would be enough for Rouen, but no... we've got three more activities in town.



For this field trip we are going to need Zhuzhen and Margarete to be in the active party. Well, only Margarete is technically necessary but we need to air out this crusty old man or he's going to end up looking like Roger Bacon if we're not careful.


Music: But-Dad-Dead-Bed






We need to travel back to the three room inn next to the church and head into the only room downstairs. Sheesh, they don't even have a back room for the clerk at the desk to hang out when nobody is around, do they? Or a toilet for that matter. Poor guy is stuck on the eternal graveyard shift of Rouen.



This quest requires speaking to this creepy poo poo, Wanderer Meiyuan. Meiyuan is actually also hanging out in London as well as back in Prague and Bistritz. But we need to specifically talk to him here in Rouen to trigger this event. Don't ask me why. I guess it's the only place where Meiyuan isn't roaming the streets yearning for sex crimes.



Oh, it’s Yuri! And all the rest of you! This is perfect. I was just on my way to find you.
<shakes head> You were? What did I do to deserve that?
<stamps foot> Relax! I just wanted to deliver a letter I had for you. Meanie!
A letter?
<hands Yuri the letter> Here. It’s from Qiuhua in Shanghai!
From Qiuhua?
...
......
...Who?
Mr. Zhen's daughter?
Zhuzhen has a daughter?!
No, Zhen not Zhuzhen.
...
Yeah, still not ringing any bells.
Plain looking girl, early-20s. Frankly mediocre at playing a string instrument. Hung out at a seedy bar that used to be run by Wugui of Kowloon.
OH! OK... I remember the bar at least... Just lemme that letter. I thought everyone in Shanghai got vaporized after I tu—ergh... After that... unfortunate... incident...

Let’s see…



Life is tough, but my father and I are both doing well. How are you doing?
Sergeant Kato visited our house today. He wants to know where you are.
He realized we didn’t know, so we made small talk, and then he left.
It was a tragic story, one I didn’t want to write. But I feel I must let everyone know…



Music: Swindler - Shanghai Mood




Yes?
You puzzle me. Ignoring your order to return to Tokyo, so you can remain in this type of place…
N, no… I am interested in the forbidden magic that the adept, Dehuai, freed… I’ve been doing some research…
<laughs> Research? All you do is hang around me all the time, running errands.
I told you to go take lunch forty minutes ago and you've just been standing at attention staring at my desk the entire time.
N-no, I just… uh…

Kawashima walks out from behind her desk.



I appreciate it.
Huh?!
Now that Shanghai is under our control…
At least... the outskirts of it that weren't incinerated in the blast. And the parts of that didn't burn down afterward...
I’m just a loud, whimsical hound dog to the higher-ups. A replacement dog will be sent…
Commander… what are you talking about!? You’re still a hero of the Japanese people!

Kawashima turns to the window.



Y… yes?
I wonder what Yuri and the others are doing now…
Yes. They have been missing ever since the Shanghai Earthquake.
Ah yes, the "earthquake." Shocking Tokyo wouldn't accept a several hundred-meter angelic being as the cause of two-thirds of the city being leveled.
I hardly believe it myself. Or how we managed to survive despite being so close to the blast.
Now, Kato. We agreed to never discuss the details of our highly unlikely survival as part of the official cover story.
Y-yes, ma'am! As for Yuri and the others...

I haven’t heard anything more since.
I’m sure they’re traveling far, holding firmly to their convictions. No one to answer to… Just following their instincts…
Or they all perished in the blast. But... that's a far less enjoyable scenario.
Somewhere deep inside, I envy them.
<quickly steps forward> Lieutenant Colonel!
<turns around> Wh-why are you shouting all of a sudden, Sergeant?
Even you could do it, Lt. Colonel! Anyone can do it! As long as they truly desire it! There are no rules in life! Only the ones you make yourself! I want to live a life of no regrets! It may be difficult, but only you can change the way you live your life!
Kato…
<salutes> Lt. Colonel, I… I love you! I would follow you down whatever path you decide to take in life! I, Masaru Kato, will not leave anything to regret!

...
...
...D-did I say that last part out loud?!
Yeeeeeah.

AAAAHH!!



Kato runs to the nearest solid object and goes to town. It's a little bit strange Kato would share this part of the story with Qiuhua and likewise, she'd feel it important to include in a letter.

Kawashima walks up to the distraught Kato.



Y-You do...?
Mhm.
And... and the other stuff I blurted out...?
We will... discuss that another time...


Two Japanese soldiers march into the room.


Music: Army Mood




Lt. Colonel Kawashima! We’ve received an urgent wire from Tokyo! Please come to HQ immediately!
A wire from Tokyo? Is it from my father?
...
Okay. Let’s go.
<turns to Kawashima> Colonel…
It’s okay. I’ll be right back. Then we can finish this conversation.
Just... don't bang your head on anything else, OK?
Yes ma'am.

<walks up to soldier> Why are you shaking? Well, let’s go.

Kawashima and the two soldiers leave the office.



Maybe I should think about shopping for that cape to take my mind off thi—

Music: ENDS



That probably isn't something great to hear after your boss is suddenly taking away by MPs while doubting her position will last and also you confess your love to her. That's not the most fortuitous combination of events to all happen at once.

Kato rushes out of the office to find...



Welp. The Japanese Army is really harsh about its demotions.



Lieutenant Colonel!





Kato annihilates both soldiers with a shoulder-check powerful enough to instantly kill and despawn both of them as he rushes down to Lt. Colonel Kawashima's side. Savage.


Music: God Knows Bad News




<shakes her> Lieutenant Colonel!
Hahhh… It appears my father has deserted me…
Probably... should have been concerned he... hasn't contacted me in a... year...
We’ll get you help right away! Hang on!
I guess I… had it coming… The last gear… fitting…
The last gear...?! Lieutenant Colonel, I don't know what that means!
Kato… thanks… for… everything…

Kawashima slumps over dead.



And that's the last we see of Kawashima and Kato. At least until Shadow Hearts Covenant where Kato comes back as one of the more important characters in the game.


Music: But-Dad-Dead-Bed




Sergeant Kato will take Lt. Colonel Kawashima’s ashes back to Japan tomorrow.
Yuri, there are many rebel factions fighting in Shanghai against the Japanese army.
I hope nothing happens. I also hope you’ll come back to Shanghai soon.

From Qiuhua.

P.S. I’ve enclosed a scarf I knitted for you. Please pass it along to Zhuzhen.




I mean... I kinda figured her and the big chin guy died back when Shanghai was destroyed, but... Man... bummer...
Life is so ironic. Now, don’t you guys turn out like that, you hear!! …’Cause that would really make me cry!
<groans> Ya know, there's someone else I definitely WISH died in Shanghai...



Our ultimate reward for hearing about Kawashima and Kato's very bad day is our very first set of ultimate armor for one of our characters -- Zhuzhen in this case. The Coat of the Adept packs 76 Physical and 84 Special Defense along with halving all Fire and Water damage.



Tune in next time as our business concludes in France with some shenanigans in a church confessional and a man with a fake nose as Shadow Hearts' sidequests continue.

StandardVC10
Feb 6, 2007

This avatar now 50% more dark mode compliant
Shadow Hearts' version of the Imperial Japanese Army is somehow even more dysfunctional than its real-life counterpart. I'm impressed.

StandardVC10 fucked around with this message at 01:13 on Dec 11, 2018

OminousEdge
Apr 4, 2013
How does this girl not know the difference between a scarf and a freakin coat? Next thing you know she will bake some cupcakes and end up with like several wedding cakes.

Accordion Man
Nov 7, 2012


Buglord

StandardVC10 posted:

Shadow Hearts' version of the Imperial Japanese Army is somehow even more dysfunctional than its real-life counterpart. I'm impressed.
Shadows Hearts 1 and 2 both really wanted to express that Imperial Japan was awful. Hell, Imperial Japan is essentially the (Covenant spoilers) real main villain of Covenant.

Accordion Man fucked around with this message at 01:41 on Dec 11, 2018

FeyerbrandX
Oct 9, 2012

Dear guy who isn't basically like an uncle to me,
Some random colonialist pig died, a chin with a body hanging off of it professed his filthy love for her.
Please give the guy who I should have actually written to this scarf. sort of didn't know how to stop knitting so I made it into a cloak jacket thing instead.

PS Hope this rando creep actually somehow delivers this to you. Please pay him back by turning into that horrible thing that destroyed my hometown and sending him to the shadow realm.

XOXOXO Quina

RandomMagus
May 3, 2017

FeyerbrandX posted:

Dear guy who isn't basically like an uncle to me,
Some random colonialist pig died, a chin with a body hanging off of it professed his filthy love for her.
Please give the guy who I should have actually written to this scarf. sort of didn't know how to stop knitting so I made it into a cloak jacket thing instead.

PS Hope this rando creep actually somehow delivers this to you. Please pay him back by turning into that horrible thing that destroyed my hometown and sending him to the shadow realm.

XOXOXO Quina

Quina? You mean Qiuhua was secretly a quasi-Hawaiian chef monster this whole time, eh? Honestly, that isn't even that wild for this series at this point. A little off beat.

Kavak
Aug 23, 2009


Actually it's spelled Quinoa.

Malachite_Dragon
Mar 31, 2010

Weaving Merry Christmas magic
I hate that poo poo, it gets stuck in my teeth.

Shitenshi
Mar 12, 2013
Between Shanghai being tormented by Dehuai and his otherworldy goons, getting nuked by the Seraphic Radiance, and now being occupied by the Japanese, you'd think these people would want some peace for a change even if it's under an oppressive regime, but that's probably rarely worked well in real history.

Though if Yuri burned all the dick demons, I'm not sure if the native Chinese are screwed in terms of firepower or already morally better off than Dehuai could ever hope to be no matter what extremes they go towards to win their independence. Probably both.

Shitenshi fucked around with this message at 06:13 on Dec 11, 2018

TalkLittle
Jun 23, 2004

It's pronounced keen-wah. Think Squall and Rinoa.

amigolupus
Aug 25, 2017

Huh, I thought the segment would be more involved, like finding them still alive somehow and you have to do a fetch quest, or Margarete getting into a fight with Kawashima. But nope! It's just watch a flashback and get an ultimate armor, so that's pretty nice.

Also RIP Kawashima. You clearly wanted to be a party member, but the party didn't have room for more. :smith:

Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

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

Accordion Man posted:

Shadows Hearts 1 and 2 both really wanted to express that Imperial Japan was awful.

I appreciate this about them.

Ratoslov
Feb 15, 2012

Now prepare yourselves! You're the guests of honor at the Greatest Kung Fu Cannibal BBQ Ever!

Night10194 posted:

I appreciate this about them.

Yeah, Japanese videogames (understandably) don't talk about Imperial Japan much. I think the closest I've seen anywhere else is the Shin Megami Tensei Raidou Kuzunoha games, which are set in alternate universe 1930's Japan where the whole Imperial Japan Tries To Conquer The World thing never happened and Japan is quirky and idyllic. It kind of comes off as 'look how nice we could have been if we didn't gently caress everything up!', in a gentle sort of way. But Shadow Hearts' more direct approach is appreciated.

Glazius
Jul 22, 2007

Hail all those who are able,
any mouse can,
any mouse will,
but the Guard prevail.

Clapping Larry
Poor Kawashima. Couldn't stand up to the most powerful force on earth - the Cutscene Gun.

Neddy Seagoon
Oct 12, 2012

"Hi Everybody!"

Glazius posted:

Poor Kawashima. Couldn't stand up to the most powerful force on earth - the Cutscene Gun.

At least Kato knew she loved the greatest chin in the Imperial Japanese Army :unsmith:.

I assume they survived Shanghai because Kato shielded them from the blast wave by jutting out his chin at it.

OminousEdge
Apr 4, 2013
You know, funny thing about Kato's Chin is I never noticed it until the second game when it became MUCH more obvious.

Randomzx
Jul 26, 2007

StandardVC10 posted:

Shadow Hearts' version of the Imperial Japanese Army is somehow even more dysfunctional than its real-life counterpart. I'm impressed.

Well, internal conflicts and assassinations became increasingly more common as the time went on, because everybody had their own idea for direction Japan should be heading. Which is not really helped by the concept of Gekokujō.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gekokujo

Randomzx fucked around with this message at 08:49 on Dec 11, 2018

Cardiovorax
Jun 5, 2011

I mean, if you're a successful actress and you go out of the house in a skirt and without underwear, knowing that paparazzi are just waiting for opportunities like this and that it has happened many times before, then there's really nobody you can blame for it but yourself.
I didn't expect Japan, of all places, to institutionalize Klingon Promotion to the point of having a special word for it.

Randomzx
Jul 26, 2007
Its more a matter of lower ranked people in many organizations following their own agenda, ignoring orders, or doing their own 'purging' of people with idea that they are backed their own principle and duties. Basically renegades with high chances of public support in terms of the spirit.

Geostomp
Oct 22, 2008

Unite: MASH!!
~They've got the bad guys on the run!~

FeyerbrandX posted:

Dear guy who isn't basically like an uncle to me,
Some random colonialist pig died, a chin with a body hanging off of it professed his filthy love for her.
Please give the guy who I should have actually written to this scarf. sort of didn't know how to stop knitting so I made it into a cloak jacket thing instead.

PS Hope this rando creep actually somehow delivers this to you. Please pay him back by turning into that horrible thing that destroyed my hometown and sending him to the shadow realm.

XOXOXO Quina

I forget, did she even meet Kawashima? If she did, why did she care about her, again?

Also, yeah, they are really just glossing over the fact that most of Shanghai being vaporized by a giant demon, aren’t they?

Geostomp fucked around with this message at 04:36 on Dec 12, 2018

Cardiovorax
Jun 5, 2011

I mean, if you're a successful actress and you go out of the house in a skirt and without underwear, knowing that paparazzi are just waiting for opportunities like this and that it has happened many times before, then there's really nobody you can blame for it but yourself.

Geostomp posted:

I forget, did she even meet Kawashima? If she did, why did she care about her, again?

Also, yeah, they are really just glossing over the fact that most of Shanghai being vaporized by a giant demon, aren’t they?
Quihua's letter even calls it "that big earthquake," so I guess nobody noticed the hell-angel throwing around fireballs. Maybe the result ended up being more like that great Chicaco earthquake, and that city is clearly still around.

McDragon
Sep 11, 2007

There,see, that's why the Emigre Document is evil. It's a frickin' skull.

Pity about Smuggler Boss

StandardVC10
Feb 6, 2007

This avatar now 50% more dark mode compliant

amigolupus posted:

Huh, I thought the segment would be more involved, like finding them still alive somehow and you have to do a fetch quest, or Margarete getting into a fight with Kawashima. But nope! It's just watch a flashback and get an ultimate armor, so that's pretty nice.

Also RIP Kawashima. You clearly wanted to be a party member, but the party didn't have room for more. :smith:

Yeah this bit kind of feels like there's some cut content or rewrites going on and it was perhaps intended to be more substantial earlier in development.

TheGreatEvilKing
Mar 28, 2016





I would have bet (and lost) actual money that Kawashima was going to be a party member.

This is why I don't gamble.

Cardiovorax
Jun 5, 2011

I mean, if you're a successful actress and you go out of the house in a skirt and without underwear, knowing that paparazzi are just waiting for opportunities like this and that it has happened many times before, then there's really nobody you can blame for it but yourself.
It should've been obvious, really. Her outfit isn't nearly silly enough for a proper JRPG protagonist. Both her pants legs are the same length, for crying out loud!

Geostomp
Oct 22, 2008

Unite: MASH!!
~They've got the bad guys on the run!~

Cardiovorax posted:

It should've been obvious, really. Her outfit isn't nearly silly enough for a proper JRPG protagonist. Both her pants legs are the same length, for crying out loud!

If anything, Kato seems like he’d join. His outfit is similarly boring, but his gigantic chin would make up for it. He could even the the Earth member. He’d be both more suited to the role and more memorable than Keith.

The Dark Id
Aug 13, 2005

Why
you
know
I
LOVE
THIS SHIT !!!!
[citation needed]
Episode LXVII: Margarete's Confession


Music: But-Dad-Dead-Bed




We never have to talk to Meiyuan again for any plot-relevant reasons. Shame about the literally everything else in that last session. Anyway, we do have one more article of interest before we depart from Rouen forever.



The only points in all of France that ever have anything going on in the Shadow Hearts universe is that nameless hotel and this church across the street. Thankfully, thanks to the multiple break-ins the party has committed to the back door, the church caretakers have just given up on locking the place down and we're free to waltz right in. If we have Margarete in our active party, which we do, we're immediately greeted with...

Zhuzhen (or whoever else we took as the third wheel) walks up to the church altar with Margarete and Yuri following close behind.



I don't know if that's entirely accurate.
Yah. What about like creepy cults worshipping weird tentacle face giant green dudes or guys out the in desert praising the sun or junk?
<sigh> I'm not getting into a theology debate with you numbskulls.

Maybe I'll chant a few nembutsus myself.
<nods and starts praying>
<turns to Yuri> Hey sonny boy. Mind if we talk? Over there.


Margarete and Yuri shuffle into the confessional back room.



Go in there, like that other time. I know all about it. Right, Father Yuri?

Don't worry, I don't need any marriage advice.
Oh... that...
You have some weird hobbies, sonny boy.
...How'd you find out about that?
Did you forget the part where I was literally a spy for my day job?
Yeah... kinda...

<rubs neck> Does anyone else know about that... whole thing?
Of course not. What kinda spy would I be if I spilled EVERYONE's secrets?
OK.
Don't worry, sonny boy. I won't tell anyone you and Alice were getting all lovey-dovey either.
......

<motions to confessional> Hurry up!

Yuri enters the confessional.



?
Umm...


:siren: Click here for video! :siren:
(It's Margarete's only voice acted scene.)


Music: Trip or Treat




Father, would you listen to me for just a few minutes?



The world today seems to be heading toward disaster. No. No... I’m not talking about Albert. The countries known as "The Powers" are pouring massive sums of
money into building up their militaries, like children vying for the biggest collection of toys. Hmph...



And you know, at first I thought I would just use Yuri and the others. I thought I could use their remarkable powers to benefit our nation. Yes... just like the Japanese army was trying to do.



But the more I watched that... reckless Yuri in action, the more ashamed I started to feel. I mean, Yuri really isn’t thinking about anything. He’s not thinking of a
national interest or of politics or of money or of... anything he has to gain or lose.



He just sees that girl... And he sees all the forces lined up against her and so... he protects her, nothing more. Just like some comic book hero, you know? But I’m a little jealous... I mean, the really important things in life aren’t about profit and gain, right?



I think... maybe I’ll start searching for those things too. The truth is, I’d really like to search for them together with him, but… Oh, forget I said that! Thanks for listening to all my silly talk!


Music: But-Dad-Dead-Bed




It makes me so excited...
Did I jump the gun going with Alice...? Shoot.
All better now! Here, this is for you.

A tiny box was slid into the small window.

Bye-bye now!




Yeah, not sure you needed to get that intent to use Yuri and his collection of arcane weirdoes for your own ends off your chest when you acted on it literally ZERO times, Margarete. You're the least backstabby spy character I can think of, to be honest. But you do you, lady. For listening to Margarete's confession we receive an accessory that halves Water elemental damage. Well, I suppose if we ever encounter another major Water elemental enemy in the game we'll have to slip that on someone. Checking notes here, other than a few nasty random battle enemies in bonus dungeons... we don't actually face any significant Water elemental threats. Oh well, it's the thought that counts.

Yuri and Margarete return to the central room of the church.



<big poo poo-eating grin> Oh, don't worry about it. We just had a friendly chat in a small, dark room.
<points to Yuri> Hey, what's the matter? Your face is red.
<shakes head>It's n-nothing!
Ahha ha ha...
<looks at Margarete>
So... that's it? Let's go already!!
I've had enough of Sunday school.
How do you know what Sunday school is? You weren't familiar with one of the largest religions in the world a month ago.
Alice taught me about it.
<laughs> Yeah, I bet she did! Private session and everything.

Am I missing something...?
Yeah! I gotta pee! BYE!




Yuri is OUT!




That boy ain't right...
He's fine.


Zhuzhen runs out after Yuri.



<laughs> Ha! Oh well!



Now that all that mess in the church has concluded and we've seen Margarete's confession, there is one final point of interest before we leave Rouen forever. Remember this guy in the alley -- Hook-nose Robin/Lottery Member No. 06? Well if we talk to him now...



I told you last time, guy. I'm not big on noses.
...Can I touch it? O-of course not... like! He... hehehehe.
Yeah... I VERY MUCH did not ask to touch the fake nose of some weirdo in a back alley. Gonna go now, champ...
Hehe... like not so fast!

<becomes Lottery Member No. 02> Tee hee hee! Like, you got a Lottery Ticket...? You, like, wanna play?
How are you, like, two Lottery Member ranks?
I like dunno... I like don't make the rules. Hee hee. So you like wanna play?

Sure, I'll, like, play.



There's a new Lottery Wheel available with a fresh suite of prizes. It's a very fast wheel with mostly tiny Hit Areas. There's nothing special beyond that. We've seen most of the items available here. But the Yellow prize is unique. We can blow a Lottery Ticket on one of those to take a gander.



I didn't know Caesars had their bones ground into playing dice. That's a historical fact that eluded me. As for this item, this is a consumable item (that can only be used in battle) which has a chance of tripling the strength of one to three allies (aka the whole active party.) It also has a chance to just completely fail to do anything. We will never use item. I feel like a full two-thirds of the consumable item inventory in Shadow Hearts is poo poo nobody would ever use unless out of curiosity.



Anyway, we can grab any of the bottom three prizes in this Lottery. But what we actually want is the 10 Gauge. Obtaining that results in one final scene in Rouen.



Tee hee hee! I'm, like, giving you a prize. <hands Yuri the 10 Gauge>
...

Fake-nose Man starts walking away as Margarete wanders over.



Glad to see you're doing so well, Margarete...



He's... your father...? He has a fake nose on...
Like a really bad fake nose. And he kept asking if I want to feel it up...
Yeah, he does that...

<turns to Yuri> Cute, isn't he? Thinks he's in disguise wearing that thing.
<shakes head disapprovingly>
Is he... a spy too?
Oh God no! He's in accounting. He just likes to pretend he's part of my spy network.
...
...Maybe I should think about shuffling the party again.

<turns down the alley> ...Thanks, Dad.



Our prize to trigger that scene was the 10 Gauge -- the ultimate weapon for Margarete. It's a sawed-off barrel Winchester Model 1887 aka that sick swing-cock shotgun from Terminator 2. This weapon provides +79 Physical and +75 Special Attack and solidifies Margarete as the second strongest physical fighter via the power of Gun. In any event, that concludes any reason we have to visit Rouen, France. Tune in next time as our Apocalypse Tour of Europe takes us back to Prague for Alice Elliot to play with some dolls as Shadow Hearts continues!






Video: Margarete's Confession
(You should probably watch this. It's 95% of Margarete's spoken dialog. Just ignore the part where's it's clearly Alice's VA just not doing a British accent.)

Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

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

Margarete never betrayed Yuri because she saw him punch the head off like six guys in their first scene together, and she isn't dumb.

Besides, pretty sure it's in the national interest of her employers to not have the world get exploded by Spacegod.

amigolupus
Aug 25, 2017

The Dark Id posted:

Yeah, not sure you needed to get that intent to use Yuri and his collection of arcane weirdoes for your own ends off your chest when you acted on it literally ZERO times, Margarete. You're the least backstabby spy character I can think of, to be honest.

Mata Hari being a terrible spy is just being on-brand for her. :v:

And I guess now we know Margarete's dad is the one who threw that metal pan on Albert Simon's head back in the last boss fight.

Geostomp
Oct 22, 2008

Unite: MASH!!
~They've got the bad guys on the run!~

Night10194 posted:

Margarete never betrayed Yuri because she saw him punch the head off like six guys in their first scene together, and she isn't dumb.

Besides, pretty sure it's in the national interest of her employers to not have the world get exploded by Spacegod.

Kawashima and Kato were similarly helpful despite it all. Facing supernatural horrors with a party of superpowered freaks kind of puts regular espionage in perspective.

Shitenshi
Mar 12, 2013
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

FeyerbrandX
Oct 9, 2012

The Dark Id posted:

I feel like a full two-thirds of the consumable item inventory in Shadow Hearts is poo poo nobody would ever use unless out of curiosity.

That's videogame logic in general for a lot of things honestly. "Cast a spell, use an item, see what it looks like, and move on if it isn't pretty enough or makes big enough numbers explode out of a jerk."

Schwartzcough
Aug 12, 2009

Don't tease the Octopus, kids!
A fair number of the items may be worth using if you could, I dunno, buy them. But when it seems like there are a million unique or nearly-unique items, that require a successful judgement ring to work, you run into the double whammy of:
1) RPG hoarders syndrome, so nobody wants to use up their only copy of this item!
2) the fear you'll just gently caress up the judgement ring you've never used before and waste your turn.

Hwurmp
May 20, 2005

Cosmic Star Heroine did it right when they made items usable once per battle.

NGDBSS
Dec 30, 2009






Really Pants posted:

Cosmic Star Heroine did it right when they made items usable once per battle.
Cosmic Star Heroine does a lot of things that turn-based RPGs could stand to pay attention to, frankly. Everything is balanced on a per-encounter basis, if not shorter, so if you feel like making that alpha strike you totally can. And yet the ability and hyper systems usually keep you from constantly spamming the same thing over and over, so you're constantly playing around with the momentum of combat in the way that FF13 wanted to do before kinda falling flat.

Sterski
Jun 30, 2014
Well gently caress anyone who decided to name Yuri something else I guess.

I don't know why I bother giving these people accents in my head when their one voiced scene is going to ruin it.

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I dont know
Aug 9, 2003

That Guy here...

Sterski posted:

Well gently caress anyone who decided to name Yuri something else I guess.

I don't know why I bother giving these people accents in my head when their one voiced scene is going to ruin it.

And you know, at first I thought I would just use The Star Player of the Zanarkand Abes and the others. I thought I could use their remarkable powers to benefit our nation. Yes... just like the Japanese army was trying to do.

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