So last time we ended with the local Knight of Cerebus showing up and giving the plot a big case of whiplash. This time, after a quick seen at Dealer HQ where King announces that he now has enough data on Megaman for whatever he's planning, we open in Echo Ridge with Geo and his three remaining friends. Bud and Zack are deep in the pits over what happened to their leader (though the way they express their sorrow makes them come off like battered wives) and in Zack's case grief eventually leads to anger as he tries to lash out at Geo for not being able to save everyone this time. In an effort to keep everyone from falling apart Geo says that, in spite of the fact that he watched her get blown apart, he doesn't believe she's really, truly dead because their Brotherbands, Team, and Purpose haven't changed and indeed we're still registered as Team Holiday Pals and all members are still intact according to the Hunter. This actually makes a bit more sense than when Luna insisted the same thing in the last game because here her Hunter was pretty clearly destroyed along with the rest of her.
Omega speaks up, saying that while saying that's nice, does he even have a plan? Geo says that they should find Ace and see if he can somehow help them. They don't know where Ace is though, but Geo figures that there's someone else that they can see to help them with that: Aaron Boreal. Well why not? Speaking with Hope has her mention that she recently ran into Boreal at Spica Mall and he said something about heading to Alohaha. Before we can leave however, she cottons on that this has something to do with Luna's “disappearance” (all of the Echo Ridge NPCs refer to her as missing, but I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt and assume that that's how the incident was broken to them; Missing White Woman Syndrome and all that) and tries to dissuade him from getting involved, admitting that she's scared to lose him too. Geo gives her the false reassurance that he's going to leave things up to the Satella Police and now we're free to leave.
Echo Ridge Job 4: Hide Seek
Guess what this quest will entail, I triple-dog-dare you. Finding the boy within one minute (there's a timer and everything) earns us an HP Memory 20. He was in the condominium pool.
Echo Ridge Job 5: Jax Dubelz
Speaking of the condominium, this fellow's been trying to visit his twin brother who lives there, but the memo he has won't activate the comm at the door. Well that's because he was reading the apartment number upside down (it's 196)! We can form a Brotherband with the client afterward.
WBG Studios Job 1: Onda Sette
This staff member's looking for a tropical location to film at and a nice building to use as a backdrop. She gives us a camera to take pictures to show her, so it's off to Alohaha. We can take a picture of Alohaha Castle from the marketplace's central plaza, and then returning to the scene of the crime at the beach and getting on top of an outcropping of rock sticking out of the water allows us to take a picture of the beach. Whenever Geo enters the beach, no matter what part of the game it is, he'll always change into his swim trunks during the screen transition. Moonlighting as a photographer allows us to form a Brotherband with the client. I now have 480 Link Power; it took me literally all of Star Force 2 to get that much!
Now, on with the story. Returning to Alohaha for the first time triggers a brief scene where Omega claims that he felt someone watching them and he warns Geo to be careful, which he finds pretty funny coming from him. Then the screen fades to black and a voice says that Megaman's power will be his...
Inside Alohaha Castle are a whole bunch of commandos and at the environmental system Geo and his friends find Boreal examining it. They tell him what's going on and how they thought WAZA or even he could help them out. Boreal's mood turns grave and he says he has something to show them. He manipulates the system's console and much to Geo's surprise Strong materializes at the console as he did before. But Strong is silent, and Boreal explains that while he was repairing the system he came across what was left of Strong's data, but this isn't the same Strong that they knew. While most of his data was torn to pieces and scattered all about some of it was destroyed outright, but since Strong is a program he could simply use backup data to compensate, something that he obviously cannot do with Luna, being made of flesh and blood.
However, there is someone else who may be able to help, he says: Dr. Goodall, the head of the Satella Police's science department and one of the world's most brilliant scientists. There's a quick fade-to-black scene of Ace sending Geo the passcode to allow him into WAZA HQ, and then once that's settled Boreal calls Geo aside to warn him about the growing amount of Noise and the effects it could have on him. Geo tells him not to worry since he has the Ace Program, but Boreal still warns him to be careful since Noise may be able to accumulate within EM beings. Sonia calls over that the Satella Police are here to take them to WAZA, and before they depart Boreal tells them that there is always hope as long as you don't give up.
While this plotline from what I currently remember of the game doesn't really add a whole lot to the story (we finally get to visit WAZA sure, but Luna didn't need to die to accomplish that) other than giving you something to do between boss fights I do like how it showcases Geo's growth. When he faced similar events in the previous two games he would fall apart and run away from facing his problems, but here he's the one who's stepping up and trying to rally his friends together. It ties nicely into his character arc of becoming a better person, living up to his father, and than finally surpassing him.
Another fade to black later and we're outside WAZA, a rather formidable-looking structure built into the side of a mountain. In fact, the artbook states that it's located on top of Mt. Fuji/Belenus, meaning that it's at the same site that Nebula's headquarters used to be. We really are coming full circle aren't we? There's a very large open space in between the Wave Liner station (which we can't use at the moment – Police Wizards won't let anyone through who doesn't have permission) and before we go inside taking to the wave roads allows us to access the Cyber Core of a lone satellite dish on a cliff that's labeled “Mr. Hertz Square.” Unlike in Star Force 2, whenever you save a Hertz in battle instead of getting an ability from them afterward they're whisked off here and we can purchase abilities from a giant King Hertz using the ones we've saved as a sort of currency:
- HP + 50 (120 LP) – 1 Hertz
- HP + 50 (110 LP) – 2 Hertzes
- HP + 50 (100 LP) – 4 Hertzes
- HP + 100 (220 LP) – 2 Hertzes
- Float Shoes (300 LP) – 12 Hertzes
- Reflect (260 LP) – 4 Hertzes
- No Flash (300 LP) – 8 Hertzes
- No Gravity (500 LP) – 9 Hertzes
- No Bubble (800 LP) – 7 Hertzes
- Mega Class + 1 (440 LP) – 12 Hertzes
The “No-” abilities protect you from status effects like blind and heavy-gee. Back out on the wave road there's a new WE inside a PMW called Paralyze Wing which adds a paralyzing effect to the Charge Shot. It's attack and charge rate are decent, but it's speed's really low so I don't bother with it.
Pulsing out, we go up to the front gate and use the passcode to open it. Ace walks up to the group and has them register their fingerprints so that they can come and go as they please. He warns them though, that there's a lot of sensitive information inside, so they better not leak anything for if they do...he'll get in a ton of trouble with his boss. After the humans go inside Lyra remarks that Acid seems cool...and special, like she and Omega. Omega simply scoffs at the idea of a man-made Wizard being comparable to him.
Inside Ace explains that the Satella Police headquarters are up the short flight of stairs past the reception counter and down the left-hand hall while the WAZA command center can be reached via elevator. The Satella Police aren't ready to receive us yet do he suggests checking out the observation room as some of its staff used to know Kelvin. To his right is a monitor with a Noise Wave containing a Search Eye, and up the stairs is a familiar face already: Tom Dubius
◊, Boreal's coworker from AMAKEN. Tom's doing a lot better now since his Mr. Decaf days, and he's here at WAZA to help his boss out. Also, he's reconstructed the FM-ian Cygnus to serve as his Wizard, and he can even Wave Change himself now!
Now here's something odd: Tom says his Transcode is 020, which is the highest in the game. So it stands to reason that there are at least that many people registered by the Satella Police. The thing is, the game never accounts for that number. We eventually learn the identities of Nos. 001, 002, and 011 and apparently Gemini Spark was originally going to be in the game as 010 so I'll assume that he's registered, and then we also assume that guys like Cancer Bubble and Kung-Foo Kid are included in the database too. And then maybe some of the Star Force 2 characters like the Shaman rebuilt their UMAs but that still leaves a few empty slots, and nothing seems to indicate that Jack and Tia are registered because if they were recent events wouldn't have happened, and I doubt Crown Thunder's in there either since his host can't use a terminal to Wave Change because he's a ghost! Maybe if there had been a fourth game we would've seen some of these other Wave Changers but as-is their identities remain a mystery.
Anyway, Tom says that he wants to use his power to help others and asks if Geo'll help him train. Of course we will!
Cygnus Wing
◊
HP: 700
Element: Normal
Attacks:
- Cygnus Feather – Cygnus Wing fires several razor-sharp feathers at Geo for 10 damage per hit.
- Dancing Swan – Cygnus Wing twirls down one column and up another for 50 damage.
- Migratory Bird – Three Cygnets appear on the field and fly forward, dealing 30 damage on contact. White ones will fly away when hit by an attack.
The speed of his attacks have been slightly tweaked (Cygnus Feather is much faster than it was in the first game, while Dancing Swan is slower) and Migratory Bird has been given an overhaul in that it has a new variant where the Cygnets come out randomly. But he's not really any more difficult that he was before. He's still fast though, so shrinking the field is a good strategy.
Winning gives us the Cygnus Wing card, which has him perform Dancing Swan.
We can rechallenge Tom to fight Cygnus Wing V2 right away, but unfortunately not Cygnus Wing V3. For some reason optional, challenge bosses don't reach the third tier in this game, instead they're added to the random encounter pool like the story bosses. Cygnus Wing V3 is apparently found on Astro Wave 1 and Spica Mall.
Taking to the wave roads we can access a desk's Cyber Core for 1500z and there's a Merchant Hertz selling Sub Cards nearby:
- Large Energy – 200z
- Dyna Energy – 800z
- Cloaker – 500z
- Search Eye – 3000z
We can talk to everyone upstairs in the observation room and indeed a few of the staff members recognize Geo as Kelvin's son and one of them gives us the second folder of the game. Examining a globe display nets us an HP Memory 10 and up on the wave road within a BMW is the WAZA Key item, which will allow us to open a number of the locked Cyber Cores. Not all of them though, there's another key needed for some of them. Down on the first floor we can use it to access another monitor Cyber Core for a + Spread Shot ability and a Recovery 80.
By now Ace has sent us an email saying that he's ready to receive us, so once we pass by a few consoles and reach a meeting space the next cutscene starts up. Ace starts off by explaining to the assembled kids what exactly Dealer is, including the identity of their leader. It seems that Star Force's society is finally starting to realize the same thing that Battle Network's did, namely the fact that as cyber technology becomes more advanced and convenient for people, so does the ease at creating large-scale acts of cyberterrorism. Ace compliments Geo for being able to do battle with Jack but says that Joker is someone that he wouldn't be able to handle at the moment. Uh, really now? Here a voice asks Ace if he's really sure that Joker joined Dealer and a diminutive old woman joins the meeting. Ace tells everyone that this is Dr. Goodall.
One of her quirks is to hand out nicknames, and Omega immediately gets saddled with the nickname “Meggers” though he at least takes some solace in that Acid has the girly “Acidina.” Ace however, she calls by his first name, Arthur. It's never revealed what the C stands for but in my headcanon it's Clarke like the author. After all of the introductions are done the topic swings back to Luna's predicament and here Goodall simply shakes her head. Even she is not sure that she can be saved, but she says that she'll do all that she can. The first step is to repair Luna's Hunter and Wizard and – wait what? I thought that was destroyed too? Well whatever the source of Luna's magical Hunter is, it's going to take Goodall some time to restore it so in the meantime Ace suggests that we head back to the command center to help out with a small problem they're having.
Talking to one of the scientists informs us that the problem is within the large info monitor downstairs. So back inside it we go and after I get lost inside its Cyber Core a few times we reach an overworld virus and delete it. Back to the meeting area, where we see that Goodall has managed to restore Vogue. Vogue tells everyone that Joker's attack essentially digitized Luna and scattered her data all around Alohaha like what happened to Strong. Geo and his friends are vastly heartened by the news, but Ace is still cautious because, like Boreal said, they won't be able to substitute backup data for anything that's missing. Zack and Bud start getting depressed again at the news that it'll take a miracle for this to succeed, but Vogue insists that a miracle is already happening, as their enduring Purpose is still keeping Luna's data tied to this world.
The series's hero theme starts up, marking the return of everyone's resolve and Goodall has Acid join Geo in his search as his analytical abilities are unrivaled. Ace is reluctant to part with him but in the face of everyone's appeals, including Acid's, he relents. Geo and Goodall then become Brothers and we all form a new Team: Team Life 4 Luna. On Acid's suggestion only Geo's going to Alohaha while the others cool their heels at WAZA though. Well if it prevents any more datafication...
After all of this the scene switches to a very agitated Jack at the Dealer base. In a flashback we that his sister is undertaking the mission to destroy WAZA with King's new weapon alone and Jack reacting very negatively to that, saying that it's too much for her to do alone. Tia tells him not to talk back to her and says that all of his recent agitation and disrespect he showed to King in the scene at the start of this update that I glossed over is precisely why he isn't coming with her on this mission. He's not in the right state of mind at the moment and their wish won't be fulfilled as long as he's like that. Despite Corvus trying to calm Jack down in the present, he's set to blow...
Virus Listing
- Ku'i
- These viruses are immobile, cube-shaped statues. When Geo steps into their column they will rise into the air and then crash down, cracking random panels and causing rubble to fall on the field.
- Stream Cancero
- Like their boss cousin Cancer Bubble, these crab viruses scuttle back and forth on one row and shoot bubbles at Geo.
- Smiles
- These viruses are coins that will move to an adjacent panel whenever struck. They attack by spinning on their edges (blocking attacks in the process) and raining coins down on one of Geo's panels. It would've been neat if they were Money Spiders, but they're not.
- Shuri Ken
- These shuriken viruses spin up and down the field's left and right columns, for some reason avoiding the middle one entirely.
Soundtrack
- Wounds Won't Heal
- Another sadness theme to add to the lot.
- WAZA HQ
- Funny hearing such a bright, hopeful tune playing in the same location that Regal once used as a base.
Comments
