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

(+) Yeah! (+)

Yeah, 7s was the first that came to mind for me too.

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The Mana Sword posted...

If were cheating, X-2 has the best prelude. Otherwise, Im partial to 7s.

X-2's is great, too! Not quite as good as X's but a close second.

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Yellow Streamer beated in Origami King!

That was probably the coolest dungeon but also the lamest boss, so I guess it cancels out!

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The entire chapter is worth it for the dance number.

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The Mana Sword posted...

The entire chapter is worth it for the dance number.

It was pretty great! I don't know why this game is so obsessed with big musical numbers, but I ain't complaining!

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Episode 59 complete!

Big decision by Al there.

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Man I remember liking it when I watched but I basically don't remember anything that happens in the final arc of FMA Brotherhood.
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xp1337 posted...

mustang op plz nerf

You're a bad person. >_>
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pyresword posted...

Man I remember liking it when I watched but I basically don't remember anything that happens in the final arc of FMA Brotherhood.

I can see why! It's incredibly dense, fast paced, and yet still covers like 15 episodes!

That's kinda my feeling about Star Wars Episode IX. So much happened so fast that I basically remember nothing about that movie.

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LeonhartFour posted...

If anyone else wants to participate, they are welcome to!

I might cheat and participate on days where I feel like I have an answer for the category but looking at it, some of those days (like this one lol) I don't really have one. >_>

Team Rocket Elite posted...

You're a bad person. >_>

lol

Believe it or not I wasn't referencing that. Though I did say that with the intention of revisiting it now to note that giving Mustang clap alchemy on top of how good he already was actually made him so OP they felt compelled to nerf him because otherwise it'd just be unfair. He also got so hosed there given he was forced into human transmutation unlike everyone else.

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Apparently Control is going to be a PS+ game next month

I know nothing about it other than a lot of people think it's good so maybe I should get it

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Day 2: Best Chocobo Theme
Final Fantasy VIII - Mods de Chocobo
https://youtu.be/8xErfUvB7NI

I feel like this one isn't particularly close for me.

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Does Vamo Alla Flamenco count as a Chocobo theme?

Especially the Black Mages version ohhh yaaa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4SSDXFB_90

Not a huge fan of any other (I like it in general, but don't love it), but Crazy Chocobo makes me smile the most <_<
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Vamo Alla Flamenco is a good (albeit distant) runner up if you count it. The chocobo theme is nice and pleasant most of the time (although the X-2 version is an audible abomination), but it's usually nothing special. I enjoy Crazy Chocobo just for the sheer absurdity of it.

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(FF14 SB normal raid series spoilers in the video; cant find one with just the music):

https://youtube.com/watch?v=LD3zHT10R8k

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I don't know what it is about sea exploration, but I'm enjoying traveling around the Great Sea in Origami King. It reminds me of the Pirates of the Caribbean world in KH3 and Skies of Arcadia (although that was the sky, it was designed to be like the sea!).

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Best Chocobo Theme
Final Fantasy VII Remake - Hip Hop de Chocobo
https://youtu.be/VL8wn7OUR20

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Dragon Ball Z Episode 53 complete!

Wow, I didn't expect Vegeta to actually lose that fight.

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Going to second Memories of Lightwaves (FFX-2)'s opening as "best prelude." If we're not cheating, FF4 has to take it. So much nostalgia for me there, and the big chords over the arpeggio are so cool. 7's is good too.

Best Chocobo Theme is FF13-2's Crazy Chocobo, sorry not sorry.
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dowolf posted...

Best Chocobo Theme is FF13-2's Crazy Chocobo, sorry not sorry.

no lies detected

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I feel like Crazy Chocobo has progressed from so bad it's good to so good it's good

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LeonhartFour posted...

Dragon Ball Z Episode 53 complete!

Wow, I didn't expect Vegeta to actually lose that fight.

early namek is pretty interesting!
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Honestly of the ones I know Aloha de Chocobo might be my favorite. Very chill and relaxing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfTQpeDzKp4

The FFX one is good also but mainly the version I really like is the orchestral arrangement and I'm not sure if that counts for this.
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It can be whatever version of the song you want it to be!

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The Expanse Season 5 Episode 9 complete!

Only one episode left, and it's setting up to be a good one! So much dramatic tension building up.

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Finished with season 1 of Attack on Titan

Now it's time for season 2, a.k.a. "Hey, you know all that cool stuff you wanted to know more about? Well, you ain't learnin' any of it here."

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although I did forget about the delightful absurdity of season 2's OP with the Beast Titan running alongside dinosaurs and flying whales until I watched it again just now

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dowolf posted...

Best Chocobo Theme is FF13-2's Crazy Chocobo, sorry not sorry.

Unironically this.

Part of it is that I'm not really fond of the other Chocobo themes across the series, but honestly Crazy Chocobo is just so absurd it loops around to amazing.

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my wife instantly hated the season 2 ED and wouldn't even let it finish

a woman after my own heart

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Did any of the season 2 episodes have post-credits scenes? I don't remember if they did but that might be something to watch out for so you don't accidentally skip something.
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yeah I just skipped ahead to the end just to be sure but I think AoT mostly just does next episode previews after the ED

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There might be one somewhere? I know Season 3 had one at the end of the first half... some part of me thinks S2 might have had one too, but idk for sure.

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The Expanse S5E9 watched

I feel like Drummer's plotline is leading up to her going full Punished Drummer and somehow taking down Inaros... or maybe just getting her and and her whole crew killed but I hope not because Drummer is the best. I kind of wish we had more Avasarala because I always find her scenes great but I also feel like that might be her season end because it would wrap up her plotline with her retaking power (and having to clean up other people's war crimes) for next season. Not sure if I'm supposed to get what Naomi's idea at the end was. Another idea of a message she can send out with the automated transmission? Since she made another mark on the wall I'm leaning that way since it appeared to be a place-keeping measure for her.

Guess I'll have to wait for the season finale to find out.

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So I've been playing through Persona 5 Royal recently, and just got a little past the final boss from the base game. Gotta say I like the changes I've seen. There's some stuff I don't remember too well, but Palaces felt like less of a slog, aside from the Okumura fight which was actually terrible. Having a lot fewer "let's just go to sleep" nights was great and I was able to max every Confidant before storming Shido's palace, so props for that. (Ironically, the biggest stretch of "go to sleep" nights was when Morgana went AWOL, but hey.) I was also really happy to see the revised Christmas (Eve) scenes. The new Akechi confidant was pretty cool and definitely made me appreciate him a bit more - kinda figured the plot would change to have him survive but didn't actually expect him to turn himself in instead of Joker. Kasumi is way too nice and Maruki is clearly a villain but I'm interested to see where they go in the new content.

Makoto is still the best but that was unlikely to change

edit: oh yeah I forgot to mention the outings with the Twins - they were pretty silly and didn't beat going on dates with Elizabeth, but I enjoyed them, especially the Leblanc one. to think the secret to Sojiro's curry was adding the pieces of a god

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The new content in P5 Royal is so good. Among the peak across P3-5. get hype.

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Eventually I'll play Royal

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If Royal gets a PC release, I might pick it up. But I can't justify rebuying the game for the same console.
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Yeah, basically the same boat. Not really interested in playing P5 again not on new game +, and with Royal on PC I'd get to download an existing save for it at least.
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Day 3: Best Moogle Theme
Final Fantasy VI - Mog's Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjraVq2r6O0

I feel like most people will roll with Good King Moggle Mog here (and for good reason, it's great!), but I've always been partial to this one.

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Yeah, FF14 takes that one for me.

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...moogle themes are a thing?
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They're not that common! It's a weird choice for a day because there are only like 5 of them.

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Anyway, I've finally got some time this week to play Cold Steel IV Act 3, so let's do it!

All right, we're still exploring the Courageous II. We're on the 2nd floor now. On the deck, Patrick tries to make his move on Elise before Rean steps in with his sister complex. Emma is hanging out with Dorothee and Munk. Now I can play Pom Party against Emma, aw yeah. I very nearly lost but then I somehow set off a chain reaction that got me up to 999 CP, and then I took down Emma in one shot. Definitely my most thrilling victory of the game so far! Fie and Gaius are hanging out with Vivi and Linde, while Sara and Toval are having a chat. Oh hey, Jingo and Becky are here, too. That's a pleasant surprise! Looks like Ada and Fritz are here, too. Last up is the 1st floor, which is basically the hold for the Panzer Soldats and the workshop. Looks like Mint and Kenneth are down here. Then Alisa is talking with Ferris and Gwyn, who's having a hard time believing that his daughter and, uh, former son-in-law are capable of acting like that.

And with that out of the way, we're ready to head to the Luna Shrine. It's got a strange glow to it, similar to the old schoolhouse at the end of CS1. Crow gives a great self-aware line when Emma mentions the reflecting pool: "Who doesn't love a conveniently omniscient magical artifact?" Rean summons Valimar with the Sword of the End so that all of Class VII can really be there, which was a nice little touch. When we reach the altar, there's an open portal with the symbol we've seen in the eyes of the Ironbloods. Emma says this crest was used by the witches and the Gnomes until about 900 years ago, but the Hexen Clan doesn't remember its meaning or uses anymore.

After we enter the portal, we're in the Luna Sanctuary, which reminds me a lot of the final area of the old schoolhouse. Celine is automatically transformed into her human form, and Roselia is in her adult form now because this is a place that reveals the truth. Actually, she hints that this isn't even her "true" form just yet, but the energy of this place lets her maintain her adult form without any trouble. In the reflecting pool, we'll fid the Empire's hidden past along with the secrets held in the Black Records. Naturally, we have to complete a trial first.

With that, Vita appears and says she's the opening act for the trial, along with a special guest. My guess is that it's Grianos, but we'll find out soon enough! Now it's time to pick our party. Emma, Celine, and Jusis are required for this part, and then the randomizer gives us Laura, Alisa, Fie, and Gaius, not bad. Turns out to be a lucky draw since there's a Trial Chest for Emma and Alisa, too! This was the most annoying one so far since it could inflict a lot of status effects and cast reflect on itself, but thankfully, I just bought the Oberon Master Quartz, which gives 90% immunity to all status effects, so once I redid the fight with that on both girls, it went down pretty easily!

More later.

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CS4 really following the CS2 formula to the letter huh. Here I am in Old Agria Road, the song is a banger and then when I reach what I thought would be a biss arena, it's a shrine just like CS2.

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Episode 60 complete!

Well, this is quite the predicament.

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Let's play some more Cold Steel IV Act 3!

Back to the Luna Sanctuary. At the end of the first area, Vita is waiting for us. She says she's busy with Operation Mille Mirage and fending off the other Anguis on her trail, but it's worth it for a glimpse at the reflecting pool. She's also decided to continue the research of Isola, Emma's mom, which was investigating the Rivalries and the purpose of the Hexen Clan. This was what initially led to Vita meeting the Grandmaster. She also mentions she's doing this for Grianos and vaguely says the reflecting pool served another purpose 800 years ago, but we'll have to ask Roselia about that. Vita is the first of two opponents in our path. She's not hard at all, but it was cool to see her S-Craft. The implication seems to be that Aurelia is the next opponent, so that's something to look forward to.

Sure enough, when we reach the end of the second section, Aurelia stands in our way. She radiates a golden aura and says this is what gave her the nickname "The Golden Rakshasa," not her swordsmanship. She's not too bad either since she essentially telegraphs when she's going to use her S-Craft, so Jusis having Platinum Shield proves invaluable here since it's super powerful if you actually let it hit you. Before she takes off, she warns there's still one trial left, probably Roselia herself, I'd guess.

And so it is. The reflecting pool is right behind her, properly named the Spectral Moon Mirror. Gaius immediately recognizes it as an artifact, and Altina says it bears a resemblance to the Bell of Crossbell in its aura. Roselia says it's one of many such artifacts and lists the Tetracyclic Towers, the Recluse Cube, and the Black Records, as well as Olivert's Sonorous Seashell. Roselia says this mirror works in tandem with the Black Records and is connected to the Spirit Shrines. It was also the source of all the visions we experienced at the shrines when we visited them. The mirror rarely manifests its power, but this is an exceptional time.

Before the fight begins, Musse calls Roselia the ancestor of the vampires, but she says that's slander and doesn't fully explain who she is, although there's a little truth to it in terms of her vitality. She bares her fangs at us, quite literally, before transforming into a Holy Beast, which was the origin of Celine and Grianos. She's the Holy Beast of Fire, the Burning Sphinx, who fused with the Kin of Fire's elder to prevent a calamity. She looks more like a werewolf than a vampire now! Gaius says the church thought the Holy Beast of Fire had disappeared long ago, but this would explain why!

Then Roselia tells us that the original bearer of her name disappeared 900 years ago, likely because of the Gnomes' betrayal. The Roselia we know was originally a familiar, but when the original Roselia died, the mirror gave her a part of her memories and her mission. Since even Roselia cannot predict what will come in the days ahead, she dubs Celine her successor should something happen to her. She doesn't intend to die by any means. This is just a precaution.

This is a really fun fight. Roselia has the first S-Craft that's just a plain sentence in its title. "I have decided to bring about the end." Although she has a lot of HP, she never really threatens to kill me. After the fight, I like how the Holy Beast of Earth's name gets redacted when Roselia mentions it, kinda like how Rean's was at the beginning.

More to come.

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Cold steel 4 is a long video game

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Cold Steel IV Act 3 continued.

Now we get a full glimpse of the truth. We begin with Xeno and Leo mourning Rutger's death. Black Alberich approaches them with a proposition to bring him back to life. When Rutger returns, he realizes this was all just a ploy by Alberich to make him pilot the Palatinate Knight. I don't know why Rutger had to die first, but that does seem to be the implication here.

Then there's a sinister voice saying that someone's soul belongs to him. Turns out he's speaking to Dreichels on his deathbed, and he is unimpressed. Apparently, it's the spirit of a Divine Knight (or maybe even the Great One?) tempting Dreichels to abandon Valimar to pilot him instead. Or maybe it's the embodiment (or disembodiment?) of the Curse. As Lianne Sandlot arrives, it disappears, swearing that his soul will never escape from him. At this point, she'd already died and been revived, which is why she still looks so young compared to Dreichels.

Then we apparently get Georg's backstory and how he got the lame last name of Nome. He'd been hypnotized so his real memories were replaced with fake ones when he left the Workshop, so he basically became Liquid Ocelot. He was in a similar situation to Joshua in Sky FC. He insists there was nothing sentimental in reviving Crow, sparing Angelica, or giving the crew of the Courageous a chance to escape.

Oh hey, now it's baby Rean. Osborne claims to be quite the ladies' man and I guess we're to assume that's where Rean gets it from. Then we cut to Lianna observing them from afar. I guess we're to infer that Osborne is the reincarnated soul of Dreichels? Maybe he passed that on to Rean when he gave him his heart because they don't seem to be much alike! I guess that would explain why Rean was chosen to pilot Valimar. Although I guess it could also be that darkness from before. It looks like this fear is what motivated Arianrhod to join Ouroboros.

Then we cut to a conversation between Alisa's parents. Then we get some inner monologue from Franz as not-Alberich, wondering what's been wrong with him lately. I guess he was hypnotized with fake memories, too? He's going over his designs for the Panzer Soldat as he struggles with his thoughts. Then that creepy voice says that he's already claimed the king and all that remains is his steward. Who was Dreichels' steward originally? Was it Roland Vander? Anyway, this coincides with Sharon showing up to collect his research reports for Professor Novartis. Black Alberich calls himself a servant of the Great One, so I guess that's what that voice is.

Then we get Osborne recalling the early days of his life. Sounds like he was adopted by the Baron of Ymir when his parents died in an avalanche, and he attended Thors Military Academy. I guess this would explain why he's close friends with Rean's adoptive father. After Osborne married, he began hearing that creepy voice, too. Man, this feels like the Wheel of Time and he's the Dragon Reborn! Or I guess the Lion Reborn in this case. Oh, it sounds like Lechter's father is the one who killed Osborne' wife. I know he was kinda responsible for Hamel under the influence of the Curse, but did we know that, too? Looks like Osborne made a deal with the devil in order to save Rean's life. Or it's just the Ebon Knight, and it's evil, too, like the Vermillion Knight or something. I dunno!

That's the last vision. Roselia says the being that possessed Alisa's father achieved immortality through a different means than her own. It forms a symbiotic relationship with descendants of the Gnomes it deems worthy. I guess he wasn't always a bad guy then. They call Arianrhod a saint, but I mean, she's working with Ouroboros, regardless of her motives. I guess she's like Commander Shepard working with Cerberus or something then! But Jusis says this explains why the Emperor supported Osborne so thoroughly. I didn't realize reincarnation was a thing in the Trails universe. I'm trying to think if there was another example before this.

Now Roselia's angry that Dreichels and Lianne never came to her for help, but she also blames herself for not seeing it sooner. Even she doesn't know much about the Ebon Knight. It didn't appear in the War of the Lions or the Dark Dragon's appearance 900 years ago, but it may have been manipulating them behind the scenes. The Ebon Knight is what's been driving the Gnomes ever since their split with the Hexen Clan. Alisa wonders if it's trying to bring back the Great One or actually become the Great One by winning the Rivalries.

Rean's about to be possessed by the Curse over learning all this stuff, but suddenly Valimar appears and speaks. The Curse has loosened its grip on him somewhat so he can speak in this different dimension, but he still can't speak in "normal" reality, it seems. Valimar says it wasn't just the Ebon Knight's fault all this happened. It wouldn't have been possible without mankind's own weakness. He says they must grasp this truth if they hope to prevail in the Rivalries. This dimension also allows Millium to speak to them. She says that she wanted to say that she protected everyone and saved the day, but she didn't realize all the grief it would cause them.

Valimar says that the Ebon Knight's power is beyond all the other Divine Knights, but it's not enough for him just to defeat all the others. He requires a worthy opponent. As such, he expects the Ebon Knight to wait until there's only one Divine Knight left standing, but this also mean that the Ebon Knight could be defeated by that one Divine Knight. It's a Catch-22 of sorts. They hope they'll be able to recruit Arianrhod and Rutger to their cause during the Rivalries, but I personally kinda doubt it!

Whew, that was a lot! That's all for tonight.

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LeonhartFour posted...

Roselia has the first S-Craft that's just a plain sentence in its title. "I have decided to bring about the end."

wow. the complete gilbert disrespect on display right now

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xp1337 posted...

wow. the complete gilbert disrespect on display right now

That's barely an S-Craft!

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