LogFAQs > #960835225

FYI: You guys can add me on Steam, which is BlueCrystalTear there also.

Right now, and this is rhetorical so please don't answer, I'm wondering since I haven't played Zestiria... is Artorius mentioned there? It's intriguing since I want to know how he's remembered by history (since Zesty is 1000+ years later), whether it's as the infallible hero he thinks he is or as the villain Velvet so badly wishes to kill. Food for thought! But I want to play this blind tbh.

I enter Vortigern to a skit where Eizen keeps saying he's the bad luck charm that caused us to arrive when the daemonblight was spreading. Velvet knows how to frame this optimistically: The bad guys will be disorganized, and Rokurou adds that a group of four can more quietly sneak through the chaos. At least as long as one of those four isn't Magilou, who would be telling stories about how dramatic her life is. WOE is me!

There's a battleship in the canal, which we need to sink. This place is beautiful. In the next room, Eizen says something rather inspirational to the guard: "If I'm not steering the wheel of my own life, then I'm not truly alive." He tortures the thug, who doesn't get the point - if he's a thug, he's following somebody else's ideals, not acting on his own. This costs him a finger - Eizen is ALSO someone you do not want to fuck with. I could rant about this for hours. I could rant about how every job I've had has considered me a cog without humanity nor an ability to make decisions. I could rant about how being me and making my own choices gets me in trouble, because people don't like that. But I will leave it there. You guys get it. I already like that theme here. It's early on and yet this may already be my second-favorite Tales, after Abyss (there's no topping that one jsyk).

Rokurou and Eizen LOVE each other's banter. They both like fighting and talking trash, so it's only natural that they'll be sharing stories over a pint. I beat up weak enemies - including a praetor who claims he studied under Rokurou's father. After he says, yes, he is a Rangetsu, Rokurou tells a story about a kitchen knife maker clan related to him, at least until they all killed each other. Fascinating. The ship is rigged to explode, so I go after the key. Why the ship first? So the gate wouldn't open to let it just sail out. I figured it'd be fine either way because JRPG so I did it the way I would (turns out I did it correctly). Also of note: Velvet just does NOT care about death at this point. #2, however, does, and he's still understanding what it means to live. Villain Teresa was really that abusive.

When I get back up top, I see the ship is tilting. A nice touch! I also like the close-quarters combat on the catwalks (what did that boulder I pushed do?). I get the key and a compass, and #2 starts to recognize his autonomy. His fascination with the compass is just like Laphi's - and, well, he's going on the adventure he wanted to. (I missed a sidequest of "checking the door" since I climbed onto the roof, thinking it was there and Velvet would bash the door in if I checked it, but I doubt this matters for later.) Velvet also tells #2 to rub sugar into the swollen wound to ease it. I don't buy that. Google says eating sugar makes inflammation worse. Whatever, here ya go:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UIB9Y4OFPs

This Mauritz silk sounds incredible: Durable, breathable, comfy, stretchy, AND sheen? Sign me up! The skits here have been good and are showing a budding chemistry. Sadly, it's not translating to Graces-level winquotes. These are... too standard, and #2 doesn't even have any. YET. Missed opportunity. Could've been hilarious.

I take care of both levers - clearing the area before the second, figuring it'd pull me out of the dungeon. After opening the Katz chest, I can't help but think... if I have hundreds of Katz souls, how many of these things are there? It's excessive, meow!

Boss ends up being on the roof: The thug Eizen clocked, who's actually a daemon. Funny how the Abbey uses daemons as much as they condemn them. Because he's an idiot, the kid has the compass out of his bag and the daemon takes it. I'm suddenly using a Mystic Arte on this but it gets ruined by some moron's desire to put a tutorial in the middle of the cinematic. Like do you understand what series this is? Anyway, I wipe the floor with this guy, and there's a cinematic where Velvet shouts "LAPHICET!" because he got knocked sideways when trying to get the compass back. Traumatic flashback, anyone? She wasn't going to let it happen again, and she succeeds this time. Suddenly, that's his name and the kid is shocked to actually be a person, not a number. It's wholesome. Magilou also quickly proves how much I missed her.

I wind up in Zekson, where Eizen shares information, some of which I know to be out of date, with his contact. I find this Katz with mini-games that are pretty... whatever. What's notable is the prize: This absolutely ridiculous "Normin" suit - apparently the name for furries in this world. I immediately equip it to Velvet and her winquotes are suddenly hysterical. You have this adorable... thing... that's a killing machine. I may equip these - I did do a full replay of Abyss where they all solely wore their Abyss Man costumes, and that was so hilarious I can't see myself playing Abyss any other way. But part of why it was so funny was because I already knew what their reactions looked like. And it's still kind of jarring to switch between the skits, where they're dressed typically, and a costume - something I know they FINALLY fixed in Arise.

What say you guys? Do I go with the fursuits for a while, or just go as-is?

I did stop after a little weapon-smithing, which was too much given the ridiculous amount of drops I'd gotten in Vortigern. So I should be able to max out what I have and what I'm going to use, including a few things I bought here that I didn't own and this Celcite Blade I found lyin' around.