Apocalypse uses this opportunity to critique that agency. It’s no coincidence that at this point in the game the player can run off on a Challenge Quest and encounter demons up to twice their level. On both narrative and gameplay terms, the player has the freedom to get in over their head and be overwhelmed. When framed next to Flynn’s actions in this chapter, it solidifies a feeling of inadequacy toward Nanashi and themselves.
Chapter 2: The Laws Laid Down
Today is going to start with a lot of recruitment and a lot of fusion as we work our way through the first couple quests. There are a whopping 49 demons available to us right now out of Apocalypse's 413 total. Demon availability in Apocalypse is fairly skewed in alignment composition, at about a 3:2:1 ratio of Neutral:Chaos:Law demons. The lack of standard alignment gameplay means this thankfully isn't a huge issue.
First, the app store.
Fashionable woman: Tensions are running quite high, what with all the added Hunters out patrolling. It's times like these I need to be at my most fashionable--otherwise I'd just be depressed about it all.
Guard Hunter: Hey, kid. Heard things got a little rough out there for you. Glad you're still in one piece. You're alive for a reason, so don't run off and do anything dangerous.
Intelligent Hunter: I just found out that a friend of mine died in Kishi Park. We may be safe underground, but anything can happen outside...
Right now they have three sets of armor available for each armor type, Crimson, Blue, and Yellow. For Head armor they all give +6 HP and a net 4 bonus stats; +2 Ma +2 Lu for Crimson, +1 Ma +3 Lu for Blue, and +3 Ma +1 Lu for Yellow. For Upper Body all three give +11 HP and a single elemental resistance, Fire, Ice, or Electric based on their color. For Lower Body they all give +11 HP and +3 Ag with no other differences. And finally, Accessories only have the Red (+8 HP +8 MP) and Blue (+13 MP) Earrings available. A full outfit would run 4500 Macca exactly. (880 + 880 + 880 + 1860)
For weapons, we have the Unnamed Sword (67 power x1 hits) the classic Pixie Knife (45 x1~2 hits, inflicts Poison) Dies Irae (88 x1 hits, low hit%) and the Cursed Lance. (53 x1~3 hits, targets multiple enemies) The only gun available is the Ultra Rifle (56 x1) and the only bullets are Heavy Rounds. (23 base power) These are all marginal improvements in base power, with the Pixie Knife and Cursed Lance being the most appealing, but running a hefty 1460 and 2480 Macca, respectively.
So, what are we in the market for? I have my eyes on Yellow (Head) Blue/Yellow (Upper Body) any Lower Body item (+3 Ag) Blue Earring (+13 MP) and the Pixie Knife for a sum +17 HP +3 Ma +3 Ag +1 Lu and +Ice or Elec resistance. There's not much need to resist Fire because it doesn't have an associated status problem, while Ice and Elec both have Freeze and Paralysis respectively, and the Pixie Knife's added status makes it more desirable over the rest.
Shopkeeper: Next time, bring more money.
>>Go for it
Better not
Gentle-looking guard: You're Nikkari's cadets. I heard what happened. Lost a good man today...
>The guard seems sympathetic. Keep it up?
>>Continue
That's enough
Gentle-looking guard: Ah, so you want to collect demons and become Hunters to honor Nikkari. I see. ...That's pretty admirable. Okay, hurry up, then. And stay where I can see you!
Asahi: Thank you so, so much! That was pretty slick, Nanashi. Okay, let's go bag us some demons.
>The guard shakes his head, a smile tugging at his lips, and lets you pass.
Wood Mandrake - Law
A magical plant whose roots look like a human. There are male and female versions.
Mandrakes are a precious component in potions to heal sicknesses, but obtaining one is very hard. When pulled from the ground, they give a bloodcurdling scream, killing anyone unlucky enough to hear it.
Centaur: Thy visage has improved. *chuckle*... Good good.
>>"I'm satisfied."
"Let me think..."
Food Onmoraki - Neutral
A Japanese monster that takes the form of a bird with the face of a man and a sickening chirp. It can also spit fire.
Its true identity is a corpse that has not had a proper memorial service. It is said to appear before monks who neglect their duties.
>Asahi's phone suddenly receives a message.
Asahi: It's a message for Nikkari. Should I...Might as well open it, right?
>>Help the Hunters
Abandon them
Asahi: We're practically Hunters, now. We can handle this. Let's get to the Sky Tower!
>"[Rsc] ! Requesting Help" has been accepted.
Asahi: The Sky Tower's just outside Kinshi Park. Hurry!
Asahi's now joining us as a guest. We're hardly done here though; there's a lot more Macca to be made, and a lot more allies to recruit.
Night Fomorian - Chaos
Evil giants of Celtic lore. They are often depicted as goat- or horse-headed barbarians.They were led by Balor of the Evil Eye.They lived in Ireland since ancient times and three times quelled invasions from westerners.
Brawny man: It's every man or woman for themself, here. Only people with money and power have any influence. That Flynn, the so-called Liberator...I'm sure he got to where he is by buying his way to the top.
Hunter: That guy's stockpiling a whole lot of money. I wish he'd lend some to the cause.
Flight Caladrius - Law
A mysterious bird that can tell the severity of one's illness as well as heal the sickness itself. A Caladrius draws illnesses into itself with its beak and flies away, healing the sick.But if the sickness is too advanced, the bird will refuse even to look at the sufferer. It is thought to be a plover or wagtail, but the only certain detail is that it is pure white.
Foul Slime - Chaos
The byproduct of a failed summoning.Devoid of its original powers, it's trapped in an incomplete gel form. Its journey from the Atziluth world to the Assiah world was incomplete in some way.
Spirit Legion - Chaos
The spirit who said, "For we are many," in scripture. A conglomeration of evil spirits that experienced similar pains.
The evil spirits see other spirits suffering similar troubles as part of themselves. As they gather, the boundary between the self and others breaks down, and they truly become one entity. The name comes from the Roman military term for an army unit of 3,000 to 6,000 men.
Jirae Sudama - Neutral
A spirit of rivers and mountains in Japanese lore. Over long periods of time, they dwell in trees and rocks. They are not evil, but they watch over the mountains and appear as humans or supernatural wonders to warn people.
Fairy Goblin - NeutralNow that we have one of every demon in the area, it's time to get fusing!
A representative of the faeries, but compared to others of its kind such as elves, it is much more bestial and mischievous.
They try to drag those who can see them to their homes. They are also often used as familiars.
I imagine Mido is the future self of anyone that actually finishes the Pokédex. Or maybe just Eirikr.
The Cathedral of Shadows in all its incarnations remains one of my favorite recurring elements. Until very recently, no matter what Megaten game you would be playing, it would in some form contain the Cathedral--whether as the Velvet Room, the GUMP, or Victor's Laboratory. The lack of a Cathedral is one thing that I feel drives #FE away from the Megaten essence. It's otherwise been the glue keeping the franchise cohesive.
Fairy Nadja - Neutral
A mysterious fairy girl with green eyes and brown skin, wearing a short, white dress and a bone necklace.Her name comes from the young woman who appears in the eponymous novel by Andre Breton. Her name may come from the Russian word for hope, "Nadezda," or the English/French name stemming from it, "Nadia," but there is no definitive answer.
Ghost Strigoii - Chaos
A common vampire found in Romania that are also called "dead vampires." They commonly have red hair, blue eyes, and two hearts.Those who commit suicide, witches, criminals, and perjurers make good Strigoii after death.
Foul Jack the Ripper - ChaosDuring all this I grabbed Expand Stock 1 and 2, and eventually 3 for 5 AP each. There are a lot of different needs during this part of the game all clamoring for app-based solutions, but your capacity to stock and fuse numerous demons is always your primary path toward greater power.
A serial killer who terrorized London in the 19th century.He killed prostitute after prostitute in the slums of London, then mutilated their bodies. The media was quick to cover the murders, and the case was the talk of the town. Scotland Yard came up with a few suspects after a thorough investigation, but the case went unsolved. This unusual case still piques the imagination today, with aspiring detectives coming up with their own theories. Whether or not this Jack is the culprit remains a mystery. Perhaps the image of the murderer conjured up this demon.
Raptor Fuxi - Law
An ominous bird of Chinese lore. Its name is derived from the sound it makes when it cries. Note it has no relation to Fu Xi the emperor/god, which is spelled differently in Chinese.It appears in the Xishan Jing chapter of the book Shan Hai Jing. It has the body of a rooster and the head of a human with a cockscomb and pointed ears. The appearance of a Fuxi is a bad omen, a sign that war is about to break out.
Yoma Vodyanik - Law
A water creature of Slavic lore. He drowns humans and sometimes makes them his slaves.With his Rusalka wife, he lives at the bottom of lakes. He catches and eats people who venture near the water. He appears as a merman or frogman, but is said to be able to change his shape to human.
Jirae Dwarf - NeutralAt this point in the game we actually have access to a couple different duplicate race demons for the purposes of making Elements. For Yoma we have Centaur (Compendium summon) and Vodyanik, for Fairy we have Goblin and Nadja, and for Jirae we have Sudama and Dwarf. We can't fuse Fouls together, so no Dark fusion for us.
A small spirit of Norse lore. The original spelling is Dvergar.They live below the ground and are skilled craftsmen, good at sculpture and architecture. They are excellent blacksmiths as well and create many weapons for the gods.
Beast Kabuso - Neutral
A demon of Ishikawa prefecture that takes the form a kitten and is said to often bewitch people.
Because it has a wide-ended tail and lives in aquatic regions, it is thought to be a type of kappa. It loves to fool people with illusions that cause them to wrestle with boulders and tree roots, or it may transform into a beautiful woman to seduce them. When a Kabuso tries to pull a prank, it will follow its victim while talking incessantly.
Beware, should this happen to you.
Wilder Porewit - Neutral
A beast that breathes fire, causing havoc in towns and in the mountains. Fires with unknown causes are said to be this creature's work.When fires occur out of nowhere today, they are written off as spontaneous combustions, but in older itmes they were said to be caused by the anger of the Porewit. Whenever a fire like that occurred, the pople would immediately go to Porewit's altar and sacrifice cows and sheep. They must never laugh about it, for if they did, the fire would spread to their houses as well.
Jaki Gremlin - Neutral
A mischievous sprite that likes to wreak havoc on machines and tools.It is said that during World War II, Gremlins were found when examining plane failures. They are troublesome creatures but are known to be useful at times.Gremlisn were said to have helped Franklin's proof of lightning as electricity.
Element Erthys - Neutral
An earth elemental, or one of the four basic elements in energy form. Erthys is composed of "dryness" and "cold" essences, the basic components of destruction.
Brute Bilwis - Chaos
A creature said to appear in German grain fields. It comes at night and damages crops.It is tall and emaciated with an ugly face. Scythes are tied to its toes, and by walking through fields with them on, it mows down the grain. Bilwis appears on Walpurgisnacht, or before sunrise on Pentecost.
Lady Pele - Chaos
The Hawaiin volcano goddess. When angered, she sends lava over the people.It was she who dug the opening of Kilauea and rules the deities there. It is said she warns islanders of pending eruptions.
Grab Onmoraki one more time to fuse with Erthys to get Mamedanuki.
Food Mamedanuki - Neutral
A male raccoon that specializes in enchanting people.
It has massive genitals, about 12 feet squared, which it uses to fool people. It sometimes covers itself in them and transforms; at other times it uses them as an umbrella. In the sake breweries of Nada, Japan, they say you can't make good liquor if there's no Mamedanuki around.
Femme Linean Sidhe - Chaos
A beautiful faerie of Irish lore whose name means "faerie mistress." She drains the life of her lovers in return for granting them artistic inspiration.
Fairy Pixie - Neutral
A small faerie found in southwest Britain. It is cheerful and likes to play pranks.Their physical appearance changes from region to region, but their personality is always cheerful and prank-loving. One common prank they pull is to cause humans to travel in circles. However, they also help farmers and are generally considered good faeries.
This all puts us at 5% Compendium completion. The only fusion of our level that we're missing is Zhun Tun She, which can only reasonably be fused using a Centaur. (Currently non-recruitable.)
>>Go for it
This is a bad idea
Grim-faced guard: Come back when you've got permission from your superiors.
>It doesn't seem like he's going to budge. What should you do?
>>Show him the request for help
Force your way through
Give up
>You tell Asahi to let the guard read the message sent to Nikkari's phone
Asahi: Oh, right! Here, look at this--it's a request for help. A Hunter's in danger!
Grim-faced guard: Holy shit, this is from Skins! How'd you get your hands on this? Most Hunters are busy helping Flynn. Barely anyone left to handle this...
...Okay, I'll let you through. Just don't get yourselves killed.
>The guard lets you pass.
Asahi: Thank you. Let's go!
>You and Asahi head to Kinshi Park.
Fallen Decarabia - Chaos
One of the 72 demons of the Goetia, this odd demon appears to be a pentacle. Keeper of minerals and herbal lore, Decarabia is said to lend one his bird-formed familiars.
Drake Zhu Tun She - Chaos
A monster snake said to be sighted around the Song dynasty.
It is about three feet long, has four legs, is covered in fur, and squeals like a pig. Because there is no animal that remotely fits the description, it is believed to be a completely unknown creature.
>Dagda scoffs.
>You place your hand on Asahi's shoulder and remind her that you need to hurry.
Asahi: You're right. Can't let more Hunters die! Let's go, Nanashi.
It's interesting that Apocalypse calls out the idea of dwelling on the past, when Shin Megami Tensei IV's entire rhetoric was derived from it as the successor to Shin Megami Tensei and II--in general defiance of Nocturne. Everything from the archaic alignment system down to the 1/256 Fiend superbosses was designed to ape a lost golden age. It was Megaten's Digimon Adventure tri. or Pokémon Go, years before either franchise would jump on board with those. As usual, Megaten stands at the forefront, questioning whether all this was really a good idea or not.
Avian Hamsa - Law
The sacred white goose that Brahma rides in Hindu lore.The sight of pure white flying the winter skies symbolizes the efforts of the Brahmins trying to obtain Brahma's knowledge. It is said that is why Hamsa became Brahma's steed.
Food Katakirauwa - Neutral
A creature of Amami Oshima lore that appears as a one-eared pig with no shadow.They are said to appear alone or in groups in front of people walking at night, and if it runs between a person's legs, that person will die. If you run into one, cross your legs to keep it from passing through.
Spirit Garrote - Neutral
An execution device that has become an evil spirit. Victims would be tied to a stake and a rope or iron collar was placed around their neck. The rope or collar as then tightened with a wheel. The tension of the rope would constrict the victims' necks to the point of asphyxiation. Using the iron collar, it would also break their neck.
Punks from street gangs who become demons. They commit various crimes, such as vandalism and robbery. It is believed the word "hooligan" came form a fictitious family name in a song that was popular around the late 1800s/early 1900s among Irish immigrants in England. In modern days, "hooligans" commonly refers to soccer fans who cause riots.
"Notice: Temporary Closure"
"The Hunter Association Road and Traffic Management Division."
Roads to the west and south side are both blocked off by these notices.
Like in IV, when encountering a demon that's already in your stock or party, you can get the entire enemy party to leave by Scouting them. They'll also sometimes give you minor items, and/or Macca equivalent to a full Expert Fundraiser session. (In this case about 220~250 Macca and either a Patra Stone or Life Stone.) In terms of money efficiency though, multiple Shibaboo Fundraiser sessions will always top this.
Spirit Dybbuk - Chaos
An evil spirit in Jewish lore. They are said to possess people. Unable to gain a new body, it searches for humans to attach to. Once driven away, the lost soul may return oteh earth with a new body, or may be cast into Hell.
Wilder Chagrin - Neutral
An evil spirit of Romani folklore.It is also called Chagrino or Harginn.It is thought to be a combination of several religions and cultures of nations, absorbed as the Romani moved from place to place. The Chagrin appears as a yellow hedgehog, and seeing ti is a sign of an upcoming disaster.
Vermin Mothman - Neutral
A cryptid sighted in West Virginia from the 1960s to the 1980s.It has red, shining eyes and was known for the finlike appendages on the sides of its body. It's said to walk on two feet and fly without moving its appendages. It can keenly sense blood to track its source and feed on it. Eyewitnesses say that a UFO was sighted when Mothman appeared, so some believe that it is actually an alien.
Hunter on mission: This is oppression!
Hunter reinforcement: What should we do? There's no negotiating with this thing!
Hunter on mission: We can't just leave 'im here!
Hold back
We're not gonna be anything but "filth" in the angels' eyes anytime soon, and abandoning fellow Hunters is like putting a mark on yourself.
Asahi: Yeah, can't just stand by and do nothing! Let's go!
>Asahi steps between the Hunters and angels.
Hunter on mission: Who're you?
Asahi: Hunters, like you.
Hunter reinforcement: You don't look very strong, but right now we can get all the help we can get.
Sky tower guard angel (Angel): Lord Merkabah's orders are absolute. Those who do not comply must be killed.
Asahi: Let's prove we can hold our own!
We get 337 XP and a Hama Stone for this.
Asahi: Alright! We can do this!
Sky Tower guard angel (Power): Allow me to explain.
>The angel speaks with Aniel.
Aniel: I see...Mere humans defy the laws laid down by our Lord's own messengers? Unclean Ones, I shall dispose of you in His honor. Your lives shall serve as recompense for your sins.
Aniel sends out a lightning strike that came too fast to capture.
This attack nails Lenean Sidhe for 1296 damage. Aniel has a Wind weakness, but we're not really in a position to take advantage of it. My "strategy" in this fight is to take advantage of the AI; Aniel prioritizes killing allies and demons over the main character, meaning with our full 12-demon stock we can just keep swapping them in to stall and get in chip damage.
>Asahi falls to her knees, a look of resignation spread across her face.
Asahi: Demons...Angels...Why is it always like this...? This is bad...What should we do?
>What will you say?
>You grit your teeth and stare down your enemies.
Girl's voice: He's right...We have to keep fighting.
>Someone joins the fray.
>Aniel battles with Flynn and Isabeau.
Flynn: I'm going!
>Aniel battles with Flynn and Isabeau.
Isabeau: How's this!?
I'll discuss this at length further on, but thus far Apocalypse is structurally sound. Our first boss is against a representative of Lucifer's Chaos, and our second is representative of Merkabah's Law.
Hunter on mission: Our Liberator! The angels don't stand a chance against the likes of him.
Asahi: Who's that woman with him? She's amazing...I can't believe someone so cool even exists!
>Flynn's friend tends to the wounded.
>Flynn and Isabeau lend their shoulders to support the weight of one Hunter.
Isabeau: Would you two mind lending us a hand?
>Will you help them carry the wounded?
>>Of course
Too tired
>You help carry the wounded Hunters back to Kinshicho.
>>Talk to Boss
Asahi's dad: Being a Hunter isn't a joke, Asahi, or a fun little game. It's dangerous business!
Isabeau: 'Tis true. They charged to the defense of their comrades without a second thought.
Flynn: It's people like them that give me hope for humanity.
Isabeau: We would have never made it in time if not for them. One can only imagine how many lives they saved today.
Asahi's dad: My kids helped you...?
Flynn: You should be very proud of them.
Asahi's dad: I...
...
You said you've recruited your own demons?
Asahi: Yes. We're not kids anymore. We can fight.
Asahi's dad: And this is what you want, too, Nanashi? To be a Hunter?
>>"That's right."
"Eh, not really."
Well, I'd personally prefer "Devil Summoner," but I'll take it. Note that Flynn in this sequence behaves much more like a man in his twenties than a late teenager. Having such a young hero can work for a player that's forming their identity within the game world, but when that character becomes someone seen from an exterior perspective who suddenly has to be afforded respect and deference, the resulting persona is jarringly mature.
Asahi's dad: Guess there's no use fightin' it...
...
Come on now...Get it together...Okay, as of now, you're both Hunters.
Asahi: R-really?
Asahi's dad: You can thank Flynn and Isabeau's glowing recommendation.
Asahi: Awesome!
Asahi's dad: I still expect you to keep an eye on Asahi for me, Nanashi. I'm counting on you.
Asahi: What's that supposed to mean?
Asahi's dad: ...
>Asahi's dad looks wistful.
Asahi: We finally did it, Nanashi! We are bona fide Hunters!
>You and Asahi stand before Asahi's dad.
Asahi's dad: I'll use your new phones for registration. Let me have a look at them.
>You and Asahi hand your smartphones over.
Asahi's dad: Gotta jot down the serial numbers. You still wanna go by Touya, Nanashi?
"On second thought..."
>>"Yup, keepin' that!"
Asahi's dad: I'll register you under that, then. And what about you, Asahi?
Asahi: It's finally time! I've been thinking about my Hunter name since I was five. Not sure which one to pick, though. What do you think, Nanashi?
>Asahi looks at you pleadingly.
Our options are Valkyrie, Black Rose, Jeanne, Ten-ryu, D, and Pascal. So a pretty okay World War II film, character from that one franchise that took all your money in the early 2000s, yet another manga allusion that SMT doesn't need, Master Cuterly's offbrand katana, something nobody wants, or a dog. I think the choice is obvious.
>>Pascal
Asahi: That's it! Though...does that sound like a dog's name to you? It's kind of strange.
>Your suggestion doesn't seem to jive with her.
Asahi: Nanashi...?
>Asahi looks at you pleadingly.
>>Black Rose
Asahi: Hmm...Nope, thumbs down.
>Asahi shoots down your suggestion.
Asahi: Hurry, Nanashi!
>Asahi is rushing you to pick a name.
>>Jeanne
Asahi: Hmm...It definitely sounds cool, but I'm not sure it works for me.
>Asahi rejects the name for whatever reason.
>Asahi stares at her phone, groaning.
Asahi's dad: This is going to take a while, Nanashi. Have something to eat while you wait.
>Asahi's dad passes you a plate of fried chicken.
>...
>...Time drags on.
>Asahi pouts like a dejected child.
Asahi's dad: Alright then, all set. Here.
>You and Asahi take your phones back.
Asahi's dad: I took care of the new settings for you. Be sure to test them out. You're both Hunters now. Won't be long till you get quests from the Association. It's dangerous out there, especially for Hunters. Try to stay in one piece.
Asahi: You got it, Boss.
>Asahi beams with satisfaction.
Flynn: Yes, shortly. Thank you for the supplies.
Isabeau: Give our regards to the wounded.
Asahi's dad: Of course. Hey--you two got somethin' to say to the people who saved your butts?
Asahi: Thank you, Miss Isabeau.
Isaeau: "Miss"...? Thank you, Asahi. I hope we meet again.
Asahi: Me too!
>Asahi smiles, looking quite pleased.
Asahi's dad: I wish there were more we, the people of Tokyo, could do to help you, Flynn, Just know we're behind you, 100 percent. When you're ready to end this, let me know. I'll send you some of my best to aid you.
Flynn: You have my thanks. We're off to Ginza to see Masakado. We'll meet up with you after that.
>"[Otr] plz stop fight" has been accepted.
Asahi: Alright then. Let's do this! First quest as Hunters. Should be a breeze!
It is a joke, and it's a joke on the player; they know who Nozomi is.
>The green thing disappeared somewhere.
>You've received a new Challenge Quest.
>You've received a new Challenge Quest.
Hunter (female): We survived thanks to Flynn. He's our Liberator. I want to be a strong person like him. That's why I'm a Hunter.
Hunter (center): I wonder what the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado is like. I'm interested in how Gauntlets are constructed. Though, this isn't the time or place to ask...
New bartender: Congratulations on b-becoming official Hunters...I-I'm going to work hard to graduate from being an apprentice into a real bartender.
>>"Nope."
Green-colored thing: LIAR! You just answered my question!
>Navarre forces his way into your party.
Navarre: Hmph...It looks like this girl is blind to my majesty!
Asahi: Never mind. We need to meet the client in Ueno. That means going through Kinshi Park.
At this point we get access to the expanded partner system. Of our partners, only one can be set as an ally at a time. While Asahi was healing-focused with basic Dia and Patra off of her Pixie, Navarre is Buff-oriented and starts with both Tarukaja and Makakaja. Evidently dying did teach him an important lesson or two.
Hunter-worshipping boy: Hunters are so cool...I'm going to do awesome things as a Hunter. My mom might try to stop me, but it's no use!
Chatty woman: What...? You guys became Hunters!? It's all happening so quickly. What shall I do? Maybe I should make something to celebrate.
Intelligent Hunter: Ah, so you've become Hunters too...It's a dangerous job. I'm worried about you. Congratulations, though.
Brawny Man: If you put in a request, the Hunter Association will get you anything you want. That's the power of money. Money makes the world go round, after all.
Hunter: That guy's pretty tough on us, but he does pay well. As long as it doesn't interfere with my Hunter duties, though, I guess I don't mind.
The Eastern Kingdom of Mikado DDS background is a normal bonus for transferring data from SMTIV. It's the only background exclusive to the transfer.
>You got StreetPass data from ヒロシ, who received save data bonuses!
>By exchanging StreetPass data with a veteran player, you gained 40 App Points!
>The demon attached to the Fusion-type card returned from their StreetPass trip.
The important thing skill-wise is that Centaur gained Hard Worker, a passive which causes him to gain more EXP after battles.
Centaur: A souvenir from a different world for the amount of worshippers I have knows no bounds.
We get a St Incense (Small) and Revival Bead.
Here's a link to my first ten DDS cards, and a look at the most interesting one I found;
With our incredibly-inflated count of App Points I buy Demon Skill +1 for 30 AP, expanding our fusion options significantly.
Night Sandman - ChaosI should show these profiles to my school's department of folklore. They'd probably go nuts over SMT.
A faerie from rural Germany, rumored to put people to sleep using the magic sand he carried in his bag. If a victim resisted, he would sit on their eyelids to force them to sleep.
For bad children who still wouldn't sleep, he would scoop their eyes out.
Megami Fortuna - Law
The Roman goddess of luck, she turns the Wheel of Fortune.She is believed to have originally been a fertility goddess. Her Greek counterpart is Tyche.
Yoma Agathion - Chaos
A familiar with no physical body that only appears during the day.There is no consensus on the appearance of an Agathion: it can resemble a human, bird, or animal. They are usually sealed away in bottles or pots, but can also be sealed in rings or talismans. The term Agathion is also used as a general term for familiars.
>Asahi is looking at you expectantly.
>You have no idea what she's talking about.
Asahi: C'mon, you know what I mean. That app! It beeps and sends all these scanny squares.
>Asahi's silly explanation gives you a better idea of what she's talking about.
no I'm ready to chat up a Caladrius for fusion
I wonder if my guardian angel's also become as corrupt as I. Maybe we can be filth together.Divine Angel - Law
Ninth of the nine orders of angels. They are the closest in nature to humans. They watch over individuals and warn those who stray from the path.
Asahi: Whenever we come across an ally who died in the line of duty, we have to report it. We copy their phone data, and then send the info back to the Hunter Association.
>Asahi claps her hands and pays respect to your fallen comrade.
Asahi: After we send the report, we're allowed to claim any unused AP they have. Only thing we can do is push ourselves harder as Hunters, to honor their memory.
If I die, whoever discovers my body gets my remaining Wii Points and Nintendo cash.
>>Yes
Sending data...
>You receive 3 AP.
>>Yes
>You received Paragon's Earring x1.
>You received Bead x4.
>You received Balm of Rising x2.
>You received Gold Death Mask x1.
>You received 20-Point Card x1.
>You received Heavenly Grimoire x1.
This is where transferring save data really pays off. After we got our smartphones back, our inbox opened up, acting like a journal of sorts with messages from the characters (mostly Asahi) recapping what's happened. But in this case we have one very special message, because I cleared the Neutral route on IV. The Paragon's Earring is an overall upgrade over our Blue Earring, granting 3 less MP but +3 to every base stat. Being functionally equivalent to 2.5 levels is pretty great.
The Death Mask is a cash item, worth 10000 Macca. The Heavy Grimoire gives enough XP for a single level-up, making it more useful the higher level you are when you use it.
Ghost Preta - Chaos
Known as gaki in Japanese, they are ghoulish demons of Buddhist lore. Greedy humans cast into the preta realm become these. Their hunger is unrelenting and their suffering continues until they are reincarnated.
Beast Kaso - Neutral
A rat said to live in fire in ancient Chinese lore.The fur of these creatures is said to never burn in fire. In the Japanese story "Taketori Monogatari," Princess Kaguya asks one of her suitors to obtain a robe made from the fur.
Wood Shan Xiao - Law
A tree spirit living in the mountains of China. They are also believed to be demons that attack humans.
It is very tall and has a face the color of a gourd, with large teeth growing out of a giant mouth. Some legends say it is one-legged. It is also said to be powerful, with a grip that can punch holes in doors.
Jirae Hua Po - Neutral
A tree spirit of Chinese lore who dwells in trees used for hangings.She is smaller than a human, and cannot speak, but her voice is said to be as clear as a bird's song.
Genma Tam Lin - Neutral
A faerie knight from Scotland. As a member of the Seelie Court, he is charged with protecting Carterhaugh. He was originally a child from the area, but after his kidnapping by the faeries at age nine, he took up their ways.
>>Deliver
>>Deliver
New bartender: I-I'll hold on to Mamedanuki Skin x3, then.
New bartender: D-Don't worry. I'll d-deliver it.
The Mamedanuki quest requires you to hunt down red overworld encounters in Kinshi Park. The battles themselves are otherwise indistinguishable from regular Mamedanuki fights.
Dragon Makara - ChaosI set Makara as my new DDS demon before connecting to the internet again.
A holy creature that carries the gods on its back in Hindu lore. It lives in rivers and lakes.It is a type of fish said to have the qualities of crocodiles, hippopotami, elephants, and Naga. In the Da Tang Xiyu Ji, a Buddhist record of the western world, it is the size of a mountain and its eyes shine like the sun.
>Dragon Makara randomly fused with some demon...
Hah! DDS evidently ignores level requirements, as I'm level 13 when he joins. He comes back with a Megido Stone and Amrita Shower. (!)
Avatar Shiisaa - NeutralThis Shiisaa as a whole is really powerful for this point in the game, coming with Mazan and Sukunda.
A holy beast said to protect houses from evil and grant them fortune.It looks similar to Shinto guardian dogs, but is actually modeled after a lion. There are many stories about it in Ryukyu lore.
Raptor Moh Shuvuu - Law
Meaning "evil bird," it's the ghost of a young girl who died without knowing love in Buryat folklore.She seduces travelers, only to crack their heads open and suck out their brains with her beak.
Element Aeros - Neutral
This low-level wind elemental controls one of the four prime elements that compose the world. It is a fusion of "heat" and "moist" essences, forming the basis for an exponential energy increase.
Fairy Napaea - Neutral
Nymphs of Greek lore said to live in wooded valleys.They are beautiful young maidens wearing graceful garments, long hair, and a gold ring on their heads as they sing and dance. They are worshipped as providers who make flowers bloom, watch over livestock, assist with hunts, and heal illnesses, among other things. They can also attack the wicked at times. Those who drink from the springs of Napaea are given the gift of prophecy.
Said Special Fusion is a tad out of our reach, as she requires us to be level 22.
Fallen Melchom - ChaosIn my experience Melchom is ironically more amicable than real paymasters.
The paymaster of Hell. He is often depicted with a wallet.It is not known exactly what his duties are as the comptroller of the chamberlains, but it is certain that he is the one handing out the paychecks to the public workers of Hell.
Brute Oni - Chaos
An evil monster of Japanese lore known for its hideous visage and brute strength. They plunder and loot villages, massacring the townspeople with their iron clubs.They have a horn on their heads, red skin, long claws, and razor-sharp teeth.
Hang back
Dagda: Still, I'll drag you back to the land of the living. You've no choice but to obey me, anyhow. Now, kid...
>Dagda reaches out to you.
>Will you let Dagda revive you?
>>Return to life
Stay in the underworld
Dagda: Heh...Let's go, Touya.
This is the first time a corpse has been "hidden," on top of a platform in Central Way. In a bit of black humor, jumping up on the platform is a great way to escape pursuing demons.
Asahi: Oh! Are you Nozomi, our client?
Client: Huh? Oh, uh, yeah--that's me! Questgiver Nozomi.
>There's something off about this woman, but Asahi plays it cool.
Asahi: Right. Well. Let's get down to business. Gimme the deets--the who, what, where...I mean, the only thing your request says is that we need to stop a fight.
Nozomi?: Yeah, in the Fairy Forest!
Asahi: The Fairy Forest? Never heard of that. This is a place in Tokyo?
Nozomi?: Yeah! You can get to the Fairy Forest using a Terminal.
Asahi: A Terminal? But you can only travel to places you've already registered at...And we've never been to the Fairy Forest, so using a Terminal wouldn't work for us.
Nozomi?: No problem! We can use Nozomi's smartphone! I borrowed it from Nozomi.
Asahi: Uh, so...You're going to take us there?
Nozomi?: I'm not Nozom--I meeeaaan...Yes! I'm Nozomi. Nozomi is me.
In audio Nozomi?'s personality is conveyed through a higher pitch of voice. The text as it's written still accounts for the player potentially disabling the vocal track, or being deaf, but "There's something off about this woman" is being a little direct.
Asahi: ...
>Asahi narrows her eyes and peers at the woman.
Nozomi?: ANYway...About that quest! Nozo--I'M in trouble!
Asahi: Right. Well. This is more than a little suspicious. What do you think, Nanashi?
>What do you want to do?
>>Help her out
Walk away from this hot mess
Nozomi?: You'll help? Wow, thank you so much!
Asahi: Haha, well, don't thank us just yet. Haven't even gotten started!
Nozomi?: Let's head over to the Terminal, then. Ueno's Terminal Room is at the far end of the underground district.
Lewd Hunter: You fought shoulder-to-shoulder with Flynn? I'm so jealous...I'd like to come with Flynn, even just once.
Ashura-kai man: I feel like the Ashura-kai's losing its influence these days. This whole war, the angels and the demons, it's all starting to really get on my nerves.
The Hunter Association track for Apocalypse is less rowdy than IV's. Both are really driven by the background noise in-game, which is sadly absent from the soundtrack.
Bartender: Tired, huh? Then I've got just the thing for you. It's a famously addicting croquette from that Niku-no-something store...Imitation, of course. I'll share some with you for 100 Macca. How about it?
>>Eagerly accept it
Politely decline
 |
| Original image posted by Tokiya Diary. |
>>Talk
Hunter (center): Have you heard of the Fairy Forest? I've only heard rumors about it, myself...I heard there are no fearsome demons or humans there. It's a bunch of fairies living peacefully. I don't know if it's true or not, and I don't even know where it is.
Bartender: Hey, you're that new recruit. How's it feel to be a Hunter? Collecting demons and demon fusion are important to a Hunter. Try out a lot of things.
Wide-eyed man: Flynn is truly amazing. He brought the future back to humanity. He's working hard for Tokyo even though he's from above the Ceiling.
Bartender: Here's hoping we both see each other alive again.
For Lower Body it's again an issue of 27 HP versus 33, this time with Bare Chest giving +4 Ag and Marine giving +5. I'm walking away with White Marine for the color palette, as it's interchangable to the other Lower Body Marine options.
For Head, we have Bare Chest (+3 Ma +3 Lu) BC Purple (+2 Ma +4 Lu) BC Orange (+4 Ma +2 Lu) Blue Marine (+4 Ma +4 Lu) White Marine (+2 Ma +6 Lu) and Navy Marine. (+6 Ma +2 Lu) I don't need to think twice about that, you don't get debilitating returns til a stat hits 200, so I'm walking out with a Navy Marine. The accessories are unchanged so we don't care about them. Paragon's Earring will carry us a while.
For weapons, we have the Athame (67 power x1~2 hits, Phys) Nihil (101 power x1 hits, Phys, inflict Panic) and Ninja Sword. (79 power x1~2 hits, Phys) Nihil is the most obvious upgrade over the Pixie Knife, but the lack of multihit on it makes the weapon unappealing. For guns we've got the Smart Bazooka, which at 36 BP is inferior to the SOCOM by 2 points but hits multiple enemies up to four times total. The other gun available is the Serren Auto, which always hits all enemies once and has a base power of 46. There's a huge variety of bullets, most importantly Sleep and Toxic Rounds, as well as elemental bullets for Fire, Ice, Elec, and Force.
>Beast Kaso randomly fused with some demon...
We get a Slicer Knife (90 BP x1~2 hits, Phys) and Ma Incense.
Calm woman and child: Flynn's got everyone in Tokyo riled up. I understand how they feel, but I think they're overdoing it a bit. Of course, I say that, but I still expect him to bring peace to the city.
Hunter man: Terminals are located in all the major underground districts and important places. Naturally, there's one here, too. Thanks to Flynn, their use has become more common as of late. I'm still too scared to use 'em, though.
Fragile-looking man: Flynn has brought us as ray of hope...He really is our Liberator. I'm actually starting to believe there will be a tomorrow.
Dagda: This is...taking too long. How 'bout I just do it for you, kid?
System voice: Entering search mode..Scanning...Link established. Terminal successfully added. You may now travel between registered Terminals..
>Dada manipulates your smartphone so that Ueno Terminal registers automatically.
Asahi: Remember, you can only transfer to Terminals you've already registered. And you can only register new Terminals in person. Good thing Dad already registered Kinshicho Terminal for us.
Navarre: A device that only takes you places you've already been? Not exactly adventurous.
Nozomi?: Here, use Nozomi's phone--I mean, MY phone--to get us to the Fairy Forest.
>"Nozomi" hands you Nozomi's Smartphone.
Asahi: Are you...giving this to us?
Nozomi?: You can't HAVE it. It's Nozomi's. Give it back later.
Asahi: Right...Of course.
Nozomi?: Okay then, select "Yoyogi"!
>You access the Terminal using Nozomi's Smartphone.
We'll hold off on that so it won't be frontended by so much fusion. Thus far Apocalypse's narrative is pretty well knit. The first component of the opening hours introduces the player to Chaos and the position of Lucifer's forces in Tokyo's politics; the second to Law and the position of Merkabah's faction. In both instances the player is pitted against invincible opponents and requires external aid to overcome them, via Dagda and Flynn both representing a form of Neutral. (Dagda as a manipulator and Flynn as a leader, both opposed to Lucifer and Merkabah alike, if Dagda's "godslayer" talk is any indication.) The Fairy Forest segment is being pretty clearly articulated as the Neutral equivalent to these first two scenes, with (the real) Nozomi presumably being equivocal to Flynn and Dagda, and another boss to Adramelech and Aniel.
This second chapter reinforces Flynn's superhuman role in the narrative by providing a direct gameplay comparison between Nanashi and Flynn. It's also a reminder of something that the player really can't get back--Flynn's story has been told, and their time as him was a transient experience that won't be reclaimed. That lucid moment of drawing Masakado's katana for the first time is long past. The scene with Flynn arguing Nanashi and Asahi's case in the Hunter Association HQ is a reversal from the player's perspective, with Flynn validating the player's role rather than vice-versa. Perhaps this would be a more poignant idea in a subfranchise like Persona 3, where the self is the center of the cosmos, but in IV it works to frame Flynn as a larger-than-life messiah and the player as a bit character in his world. The question then is what will be done with this impossibly powerful savior now that he's been established.
Next time: New assets!
This is pretty interesting to read. It makes me consider Apocalypse from different perspectives than I had initially. Are you planning to continue this?
ReplyDeleteHey so are you gonna continue with this series?
ReplyDelete