Board 8 > SaveEstelle & LeonhartFour in New Houses: Playoff Edition [SELF]

(+) Yeah! (+)

Read through Sand Land and Jaco the Galactic Patrolman. Both were cute one volume Toriyama manga; I'd recommend either (particularly Jaco).

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AoT S4E5 watched: Did Eren just have Falco bring Reiner to him to psychologically toy and torment him (and Falco) for a good 15 minutes and make him think maybe there was a chance of forgiveness before going, "Just kidding, I'm going to kill absolutely everyone you ever knew."

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Day 13: Best Ending Theme
Final Fantasy X - Ending Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm_72ifnYxs

This one is just so full of emotion for me because I can picture the ending in my head in time with the music. I'm a big fan of Melodies of Life from FFIX, too, but nothing gives me chills while I listen to it like when the music climaxes during THAT moment (you know what I mean if you've played the game).

Also special honorable mention to Staff Roll from Final Fantasy VII because I never hear anyone talk about it and it's really good!


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Im not really huge on any of the ending themes, honestly. FF7 staff roll is decent thought.

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For Ending Theme, it's Final Fantasy Type-0 - Zero for me and none of the others even come close.

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maybe one of these days I'll actually play Type-0

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Love FFVI's ending theme. Don't care about the others too much. FFX's is good, but I like the other versions of it better.
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I own Type-0. Bought it super cheap on a sale from a store that went bankrupt years back. Haven't played it yet.

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ctesjbuvf posted...

I own Type-0. Bought it super cheap on a sale from a store that went bankrupt years back. Haven't played it yet.

I bought it new and still haven't played it!

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Tell me if you do at some point, it might be good motivation!

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I'd like to do some sort of FF binge to introduce my wife to some of the games. I need to get back to FFX, but I got sidetracked by Cold Steel IV!

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I played like an hour and then there was a death scene where someone talked really slowly for ten minutes as they died and it was so bad and I stopped playing.
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I'll begin FFVIII remastered tomorrow, that'll be the next FF for me.

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this super bowl sucks

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yep

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I feel like this wasn't supposed to happen

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the bills would be doing better

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Probably. That offensive line was a bigger problem than I anticipated, although Mahomes is still doing crazy stuff back there. His receivers just aren't coming down with them like they normally do.

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Yeah I think Mahomes has been playing pretty well all things considering, its just everyone else around him failing.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWBsDaFWyTE

looks pretty good

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Cold Steel 4 Act 1 complete!

That ending was almost "Juna, on your left". But we need Rean back first.

Very well played with Bleublanc. Didn"'t see it coming at all.

Also I brought Alisa and Emma and really curious how it works out with other characters. However Emma's Brave Order was so OP against all bosses this chapter, so I'm very glad I had her.

my one disappointment though was no Estelle/Josette banter

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Green Streamer beated in Origami King! Definitely the most intense boss fight of the game so far, although I feel like the game was trying to get me to avoid fighting it that way!

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Day 14: Best Mini-Game Theme
Final Fantasy VII Remake - The Most Muscular
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz2cpo6_6Y0

First of all, what a fantastic track name. I've been mulling this one over since yesterday trying to figure out what my answer to this is because I can't recall many mini-game themes I've ever really liked a lot. My first thought was the FFX blitzball theme, and then I thought of the FFVII battle arena theme. But then I remembered this song from Remake, and I was sold.

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Triple Triad theme

iconic

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The Mana Sword posted...

Triple Triad theme

iconic

Ive heard way too much of that lately trying to finish my TT collection in FFXIV...!

only like 25 cards to go!

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Vamo Alla Flamenco again
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As much as I love Triple Triad, the theme has never done anything for me.

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I think its catchy and I love how weird the instrument choices are

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It's definitely catchy and quirky, but it's not something I'd ever listen to when I'm not playing Triple Triad.

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Dragon Ball Z Episode 57 complete!

Vegeta wins

FATALITY

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Day 15: Best In-Game Arrangement
Final Fantasy X - Someday the Dream Will End/A Fleeting Dream
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AABvUTUTdcw

I'm assuming "in-game arrangement" just means "song that actually plays in a game" as opposed to remixes, piano collections, orchestral arrangements, etc. So if you were to ask me what my favorite FF song is, this is what I'd say. This is the climax of one of my favorite games ever, the culmination of what you've been playing the whole game for, and this song just sets the mood for it perfectly. I don't know what my actual favorite song in the series is because there are just so many worthy of it, but this was the first one that came to mind.

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I assume it means an alternative version of an existing song that's actually in a game? So like FF7R stuff would count? Or the new FFX soundtrack?
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Well, there's a day for best remastered song, so I don't think it's that. Based on the following days being piano, orchestral, and remastered songs, I'm assuming it just means a song that plays in the game.

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Cold Steel 4 - Fragments . we've been so worried about Towa and Alfin and such and they've been hanging out at the palace? I feel bamboozled

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All right, let's play some Cold Steel IV Act 3!

Still traveling around the continent looking for new content. We can finally get back into Ordis for the first time in forever. Here, we trigger our final sidequest of the chapter with Kaela. They've tracked down the missing Hercules members through her brother Cody. They're apparently planning to carry out some major operation the day before the war officially begins. We need either Emma or Gaius to cure the affected members, but thankfully, they're both already in the party, so that's good! The game still tells me to re-arrange my party, so I guess I'll randomize again! This time, we get Rean/Emma/Musse/Elliot/Jusis/Randy. Eh, good enough!

Once we beat the Hercules guys, Emma concludes that they aren't nighttouched like before, but now they're in a state of trance. Rean wonders who did this to them, and concludes that the team leader is the most likely suspect (bet it's Cody). When we reach the end, we see Cody trying to talk some sense into the rest of them. The captain summons a demon to fight us. Once we beat him, we're able to get things back to normal, but I guess this isn't the last we'll see of Kaela since she still has another profile entry to fill out!

I decide to check out the field exercise camp to see what they're setting up. Oh hey, it's the Merkabah. Looks like Rosine and Bridget are helping with repairs. Not sure if there's anything else I'm supposed to notice!

More later.

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Dragon Ball Z Episode 58 complete!

Vegeta literally got outsmarted by Gohan. One step forward, two steps back with this guy!

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Gohan is crafty for a six-year-old

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did give him a lovetap tho
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New topic: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/79287125

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All right, think I finished up everything I wanted to in Utawarerumono MoD's postgame so I'm ready to move on to Mask of Truth either later tonight or else tomorrow.

Postgame was pretty fun. To keep my purely-for-vanity no KOs run going I had to actually put in a fair deal of thinking and actually kind of take advantage of some battle mechanics I otherwise ignored during the story.

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Oh, right, I posted it in the new topic while commenting on the poll but under the "best song" interpretation for today I went with FFXIV: Shadowbringers - Who Brings Shadow with HMs and such in the new topic if you really care about my thoughts. >_>

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Okay, back to Cold Steel IV Act 3!

We get word of a giant fish on Auros Coastal Road, so we're off to catch it. Naturally, it's no match for me! And then I head to the field exercise camp on the Sutherland Highway, and I realize this is the one they were talking about in Leeves, not the other one, whoops! Looks like Kenneth and Annabelle have been coordinating efforts to use the Derfflinger and the Arc Royale to interfere with the army's movements. In Saint-Arkh, we can see a scene with Marquis Hyarms having a meeting with Lucy Seiland.

And with all that out of the way, it's finally time to make some headway with the main plot again! We're off to the Draco Shrine. However, Rean senses that there's nothing here, and Rutger's voice out of nowhere confirms it. A random pillar of light appears out of nowhere, and Rutger tells us the subspace inside the shrine got transported away. Don't know how that's possible, but all right. Then Schmidt, Sharon, Irina, and Georg show up on those projector screens, too. They say they set up a barrier around the subspace because Alberich doesn't want the Rivalries starting just yet. Rutger says he's game for starting early if we can find a way past the barrier though. Irina openly invites us to infiltrate their airship so we can lower the barrier. Sharon and Georg say they'll be waiting for us if we do, while Schmidt says he ain't about that life.

We head back to the Courageous II to figure out our plan of attack. Olivert says it's similar to the barrier that appeared over Crossbell that Dieter Crois set up in his bid for the territory's independence. Even without the Sept-Terrion, Duvalie thinks the Aions combined with Mariabell's powers could create a similar type of barrier. Then we learn the subspace of the shrine was moved to Hamel. Crow volunteers to pilot Ordine alongside the Courageous II to provide us the opening we need to board the enemy airship.

Now it's time to choose our party. Alisa, Angelica, Sara, and Musse all insist on coming along. Fie says she's not up to bat quite yet, so I guess she'll be tagging along once we tackle the shrine proper. This time, we can have eight party members instead of the usual six. The randomizer gives us Jusis, Tita, and Duvalie for the other three. Works for me!

Oh hey, it's Theresia and Emily on the enemy airship. I forgot we hadn't seen them up to now! I like how they label Emily as "brown-haired officer" even though her hair looks very pink! Anyway, we fight our way through the interior of the ship until we run into the aforementioned Theresia and Emily. Gotta say, I wasn't expecting to have to fight them despite seeing them earlier! This turns into a two-on-two duel with Angelica and Alisa. Not sure how I feel about this considering I haven't been using Angelica at all! Fortunately, it's still an easy fight.

That's all for tonight.

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A rare day off for me, so let's play some more Cold Steel IV Act 3!

We continue to push through the Gargantua until we reach the core. Naturally, the big four are waiting for us. Georg sounds like it was a genius bit of foresight to realize the Courageous was just a diversion to get us inside, but like, duh. Rean asks Schmidt why he is siding with them, although if he hasn't figured out that he's just an amoral scientist by now, I don't know what to tell you, man! He says this was a good chance to evaluate the works of his first and third disciples, namely Alberich and Georg. Then Alisa asks her mother how she could help Alberich, and she just spouts a bunch of legal jargon before handing it off to Sharon. Then Gwyn shows up to rip Schmidt, Irina, and Sharon a new one.

Then Alberich shows up to make a mockery of this family reunion. He says their grand plan is to get the nWo back together, but he doesn't say whether it's the original or the Wolfpack. Important distinction I'm sure will be discussed later. He seems giddy at the prospect of sending the world back to the Dark Ages and replacing the church with science. Alberich says they'd be better custodians of the world than the Septian Church and that they would serve "the one true god," although he fails to specify who or what he means.

However, Alisa calls Alberich out on merely being a puppet of the Ebon Knight, so she realizes the Reinford Group really has nothing to gain from this. Irina is still speaking legalese by saying she signed off on allowing them to test products and devices, not end the world. She's seriously one of the most annoying characters in the series to interact with because she won't ever give a straight answer. Then for some reason, Schmidt calls out Georg for his lack of conviction as a member of the Gnomes. Apparently, he thinks he's stagnated as a disciple.

Now it's time for the fight. Sharon's HP is already half depleted before she even gets a turn, and I wasn't even trying that hard! It's always nice when the boss advertises it's about to use their S-Craft by hulking up so I can just have Jusis use Platinum Shield! They both go down in no time at all, although we have to pretend the party is winded as usual. Schmidt is disappointed in Georg's lack of conviction, and Angelica has probably her first cool moment of the game. Then Towa and Crow pop in for good measure to pile on him. Sharon applauds Alisa's ability and resolve, regretting that her contract ever had to end. Then Irina finally does something good and says that Franz's return was the condition for their contract to end, but listening to Alberich indicates to her that he never really came back at all. Therefore, Sharon can remain under their employment if she so chooses

Alberich is not amused and dumps his capstone project on us. It's not an Aion, but the ultimate Zauber Soldat, called the Leviathan. These models are autonomous robots with no power output limit. That means it's time for Valimar and Musse's Panzer Soldat. This fight is actually kinda tough because its regular attacks hit twice, but we eventually take it down. For some reason, it turns on Irina and Schmidt after the fight, but Sharon and George conveniently knock it back into the barrier generator and destroy it. Schmidt takes this opportunity to brutally criticize Alberich's work and says that Franz's work surpassed his by far. Alberich yields the day's victory to us, but not before firing George on the way out.

Alisa welcomes Sharon back into the family. I kept waiting for the moment when her text name changes from Kreuger to Sharon, and it does not disappoint. George decides the only way out for him now is suicide, but Angelica gets to him before he can pull the trigger. Angelica says he can't bow out before he makes up for his mistakes. Crow kindly reminds us that he was a friggin' terrorist once upon a time, but he's learned to carry the weight of his own conscience. Musse plays the long game and says that his knowledge and experience as a Gnome would be valuable to them. Much like Sharon, his name changes from Copper Georg to just George once again.

Sharon and Schmidt stay with us, while Irina, Gwyn, and George go their own ways. When we get back on the Courageous, Sharon is thankfully back in her maid uniform. Now it's time for the second Rivalry. Fie, Ash, and Gaius insist on tagging along this time, and we have to bring along Crow, too, of course. We've got a party of eight again, so the randomizer gives us Machias, Juna, and Kurt. We can only make a side trip to Parm at this point if we want to go anywhere else besides the shrine. As I wander around the ship, I come across Gaius, Randy, and Juna talking about "Father Wazy," which is still weird to see written out! Gaius says he's a model citizen when he's in Arteria, which seems even harder to imagine! Randy even waxes nostalgic about the Anniversary Festival race, which is cool.

With that, we're ready to head to Hamel and tackle the shrine. The entrance to the shrine is right behind the memorial stone where Loewe's sword is stuck into the ground. If the Luna Shrine was a water temple, the Draco Sanctuary is a wind temple, so I guess it's fitting Gaius is here! Rean suspects we'll have to "set the stage" first, which basically means we'll have to beat Rutger, Xeno, and Leo in regular combat first before the Rivalry officially can happen.

But that'll have to wait until later.

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LeonhartFour posted...

Then for some reason, Schmidt calls out Georg for his lack of conviction as a member of the Gnomes. Apparently, he thinks he's stagnated as a disciple.

Only Schmidt could characterize George's inability to ruthlessly murder Olivier, Toval, and Victor in cold blood with as a character defect.

I really liked the Gargantua's dungeon/battle theme as well.

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Yeah, I'd say it was probably the best dungeon in the game so far, but CS4 in general has really simplified its dungeon layouts.

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Oh man, Sonic 2 (the movie, that is) just announced for an April 2022 release date. The first movie was surprisingly decent, so I'm actually kinda looking forward to it!

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I still need to watch that

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will user LeonhartFour finally finish Trails of Cold Steel IV in the next topic

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stay tuned to find out!

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