Something went wrong. Try again later

Mento

Check out Mentonomicon dot Blogspot dot com for a ginormous inventory of all my Giant Bomb blogz.

4969 551638 219 909
Forum Posts Wiki Points Following Followers

Mento's Alternative to E3 2016: Day 0: The Real Day 0 This Time

By Mento 0 Comments

Hey all, and welcome to the continuing playthrough of the final Squaresoft-developed SNES game: 1996's Rudra no Hihou. For those just joining us, be sure to check back with the other Day 0 entry (yeah my bad, dates are hard) for all the necessary set-up and explanation for why I'm playing a decades old JRPG when there's E3 conferences to watch and jokes about weed to be made.

When we last left our monoculous hero soldier Vbomb, he'd just been beaten around by the member of a legendary ancient race. Naturally for a Square game, there's a whole bunch of towers and crystals and imminent end of the world scenarios to be concerned about, and it appears our prologue days are over. That also means there's more walking over tutorial monsters and bosses either...

Before we resume with the LP, however, I feel like I need to take a moment to explain how the game's magic works, because there's a lot to clarify there. It's not overly complex in terms of how simple it is for the player to grasp, but it is complex system that Square was tinkering around with and apparently dropped for later games. Essentially, spells are known as "Mantras" in Rudra no Hihou, and operate as "magic words" that the player can create between battles via the "Enscribe" menu. It's as simple as choosing a blank space, writing any word you wish using the virtual keyboard that usually only pops up when naming characters, and being told what the spell effect is and how MP it costs to cast once it's done. However, there's a set of rules governing what mantras do what that the player slowly gleans over time, including a whole affix system that increases the strength or adds special effects to mantras if you add specific prefixes and suffixes to what you already have.

I'll get into more detail with the screenshots, because it'll be easier to explain the specifics with visual aids, but the spells are rooted in an etymological system that rewards both experimentation and going out of your way to pick up tips in-game from books or NPCs. Most words will produce weak spells with high MP cost, which are completely useless, while the ones you find in the world will tend to be more reliable. That doesn't mean that you won't come across something like Metroid's JUSTIN BAILEY if you search long enough. Infinite monkeys on infinite typewriters, and all that. It's a really cool and versatile magic system, and it sort of makes me wish that I picked a more magically-inclined hero for my first scenario so I could put it through its paces. Still, Vbomb's party might be getting a magic-user very soon...

Part 3: Ture Ducking

Last time, on Rudragged Kicking & Screaming: A routine patrol leads to a fight on top of a giant tower with a giant man which didn't end as predictably as you might think, as Vbomb takes a gemstone to the eye and his compatriots fall to their doom. As introductions go, it's an inauspicious one.

We're back with some svelte screenshots. The last ones were x3, but they felt a bit blown out in retrospect. The game's text is harder to make out at smaller sizes, though, so we're at a x2 compromise here. Anyway, Foxy's just been standing in our home all the time we've been recovering, despite our brother looking after us. Someone's thirsty.
We're back with some svelte screenshots. The last ones were x3, but they felt a bit blown out in retrospect. The game's text is harder to make out at smaller sizes, though, so we're at a x2 compromise here. Anyway, Foxy's just been standing in our home all the time we've been recovering, despite our brother looking after us. Someone's thirsty.
Now that we have access to the stores, we can check to see what looks good for our two-person team. This screen is very much like FFVI's and Chrono Trigger's: characters laugh maniacally if they're allowed to use the presently highlighted equipment. That's reassuring. At any rate, we have most of the best stuff already and can't afford more regardless.
Now that we have access to the stores, we can check to see what looks good for our two-person team. This screen is very much like FFVI's and Chrono Trigger's: characters laugh maniacally if they're allowed to use the presently highlighted equipment. That's reassuring. At any rate, we have most of the best stuff already and can't afford more regardless.
Our first task after waking up, which is to say everyone's doing whatever Vbomb wants, is to go look for his fallen buddies in the Tower of Giants. We won't be warping directly to the top this time, so this will act as our first dungeon. Better get prepared.
Our first task after waking up, which is to say everyone's doing whatever Vbomb wants, is to go look for his fallen buddies in the Tower of Giants. We won't be warping directly to the top this time, so this will act as our first dungeon. Better get prepared.
Let's take the mantra system out for a spin, what say? Naturally, I'm going to be as high-brow about this as possible. This type of lingual alchemy business is an academic science, after all.
Let's take the mantra system out for a spin, what say? Naturally, I'm going to be as high-brow about this as possible. This type of lingual alchemy business is an academic science, after all.
Most spells in the game have spell effects. Like a fireball for fire magic, and so on. When you just get a giant word like this, that usually means your made-up mantra sucks. Butt here does a small amount of void (non-elemental) damage, but the MP cost isn't worth the damage output.
Most spells in the game have spell effects. Like a fireball for fire magic, and so on. When you just get a giant word like this, that usually means your made-up mantra sucks. Butt here does a small amount of void (non-elemental) damage, but the MP cost isn't worth the damage output.
You can see on this list of experiments (hey, it's E3) that the spells that don't follow the rules tend to cost a lot of MP and are kinda shitty. Ig/Igna and Lef/Lafna adroitly demonstrate how the game's affix system works: while IG is a single-target fire-based spell and LEF is a single-target heal, by adding
You can see on this list of experiments (hey, it's E3) that the spells that don't follow the rules tend to cost a lot of MP and are kinda shitty. Ig/Igna and Lef/Lafna adroitly demonstrate how the game's affix system works: while IG is a single-target fire-based spell and LEF is a single-target heal, by adding "NA" to the end you make those spells apply to every enemy (or every ally). In that sense, the game is building on earlier magic systems like Final Fantasy's where "Fire" becomes "Fira" and then "Firaga", or Shin Megami Tensei where single-target spells become multi-target when you add "Ma-" to the front, like Zio/Mazio. With Rudra no Hihou, you can cast the strongest spells off the bat - you just have to know the words, and that means a lot of searching around for hints.
The tower is one of those dungeons where you have a lot of floors but they're each fairly small and the puzzles tend to involve falling from one floor into areas on lower floors that would otherwise be inaccessible. There's no falling damage, fortunately. That was always the worst part of these multi-floor puzzles in Legend of Grimrock.
The tower is one of those dungeons where you have a lot of floors but they're each fairly small and the puzzles tend to involve falling from one floor into areas on lower floors that would otherwise be inaccessible. There's no falling damage, fortunately. That was always the worst part of these multi-floor puzzles in Legend of Grimrock.
We also discover that the jade, which is one of the eponymous Treasures of the Rudras, allows us to open specific colored chests. Yep, including the ones back in the castle's jail. I think this is so you can go through areas with different characters and get stuff exclusive to them. For instance, this chest had a particular piece of equipment for a future character.
We also discover that the jade, which is one of the eponymous Treasures of the Rudras, allows us to open specific colored chests. Yep, including the ones back in the castle's jail. I think this is so you can go through areas with different characters and get stuff exclusive to them. For instance, this chest had a particular piece of equipment for a future character.
Huey's ring. Just need Dewey's bracelet and Louie's tiara to complete the set.
Huey's ring. Just need Dewey's bracelet and Louie's tiara to complete the set.
At the top of the castle, we somehow fall through the floor and end up in a room with this fellow. Ture's a giant like Surt, but he's far less hostile to us. In fact, Surt left him chained up in here, and Ture's eager to track him down. He thinks Surt has the Giants' Rudra, you see. I guess he doesn't look people in the eyes too often (which is understandable when you're a few feet taller).
At the top of the castle, we somehow fall through the floor and end up in a room with this fellow. Ture's a giant like Surt, but he's far less hostile to us. In fact, Surt left him chained up in here, and Ture's eager to track him down. He thinks Surt has the Giants' Rudra, you see. I guess he doesn't look people in the eyes too often (which is understandable when you're a few feet taller).
Ture's a badass, fortunately. Not only is he a fairly powerful melee character, but he's also got a wellspring for MP with which to cast healing spells. I think he's meant to be a monk or a priest type, but it's more fair to say his class is just
Ture's a badass, fortunately. Not only is he a fairly powerful melee character, but he's also got a wellspring for MP with which to cast healing spells. I think he's meant to be a monk or a priest type, but it's more fair to say his class is just "giant".
Anyway, all the noise from breaking through the roof woke up grampa here, who shifts himself out of the giant fossil and jumps down the hole after us.
Anyway, all the noise from breaking through the roof woke up grampa here, who shifts himself out of the giant fossil and jumps down the hole after us.
So apparently this is one of the Rudras. As in, the destruction deities that regularly cause the end of the world. It's great that we're fighting one this early on, huh? Well, actually, the guy's kind of a pushover. This fight mostly involves wailing on him and healing whenever anyone drops below 35HP. The rest of the bosses will not be as easy.
So apparently this is one of the Rudras. As in, the destruction deities that regularly cause the end of the world. It's great that we're fighting one this early on, huh? Well, actually, the guy's kind of a pushover. This fight mostly involves wailing on him and healing whenever anyone drops below 35HP. The rest of the bosses will not be as easy.
Abilijerk's fury subsides, and he returns to the rock from whence he came. You know, I expected more from the god that destroyed the Giants. Taller, maybe.
Abilijerk's fury subsides, and he returns to the rock from whence he came. You know, I expected more from the god that destroyed the Giants. Taller, maybe.
This happens sometimes. Chests will buff up your stats (I couldn't tell if it was permanent) and then gives you a hint for a spell that will raise them again in battle. Only twenty-six possibilities, right? Well, no. The real spell here is BRACKEEM, which... I dunno, maybe it was a localization issue.
This happens sometimes. Chests will buff up your stats (I couldn't tell if it was permanent) and then gives you a hint for a spell that will raise them again in battle. Only twenty-six possibilities, right? Well, no. The real spell here is BRACKEEM, which... I dunno, maybe it was a localization issue.
After walking back to the town of Vad (not Vod, my bad), the time of day shifts to night. If you recall, the game has a ticking clock that counts down to the end of the world. Time passes after story events occur, moving the plot along without putting the player in jeopardy if they spent a whole in-game week grinding for the next boss. I could've spent a thousand hours in that tower, but it wouldn't have shifted to night until I'd left with Ture.
After walking back to the town of Vad (not Vod, my bad), the time of day shifts to night. If you recall, the game has a ticking clock that counts down to the end of the world. Time passes after story events occur, moving the plot along without putting the player in jeopardy if they spent a whole in-game week grinding for the next boss. I could've spent a thousand hours in that tower, but it wouldn't have shifted to night until I'd left with Ture.
Getting some cocktails at the bar. Recognize the odd way the game is parsing that name? That means it's a Mantra.
Getting some cocktails at the bar. Recognize the odd way the game is parsing that name? That means it's a Mantra.
Specifically, it teaches us some elements: AQU for water, NIHI for void, TEO for wind and TOU for lightning. It also taught us
Specifically, it teaches us some elements: AQU for water, NIHI for void, TEO for wind and TOU for lightning. It also taught us "LUS", which is a suffix that increases a spell's power. FART, you might be surprised to learn, is also wind-based.
As for that chest back in the jail? Sadly, it's just an Alarum, an inexpensive item that works the same way as a Phoenix Down. Still, saves us a few hundred Ragu.
As for that chest back in the jail? Sadly, it's just an Alarum, an inexpensive item that works the same way as a Phoenix Down. Still, saves us a few hundred Ragu.
Anyway, the only thing anyone's ever talked about since we started is this damn Tower of the Valiant contest. There's all sorts of weird events afoot, but Vbomb will be damned if he won't be allowed to hit things in a officially sanctioned capacity. Next time on Vbomb's Ventures: Compulsory Arena Fights!
Anyway, the only thing anyone's ever talked about since we started is this damn Tower of the Valiant contest. There's all sorts of weird events afoot, but Vbomb will be damned if he won't be allowed to hit things in a officially sanctioned capacity. Next time on Vbomb's Ventures: Compulsory Arena Fights!

Part 4: Vbomb's Dubious Mastery of Time Management

Last time, on How Rude-ra: We join Vbomb as he heads to the all-important tournament, but he also some investigation leads to follow regarding the mysterious Giants and that giant rock that got stuck in his eye. Can Vbomb find time to balance the two, all the while raising three precocious kids in downtown San Francisco with the help of his eccentric brother-in-law and best friend? "Whatever happened to Seiken Densetsu 3? The milkman, the paperboy, and Treasure Hunter G..."

Danelf, for reference's sake, is at the northmost part of this continent. Vad, Cryunne Castle and the Tower of Giants are all down the left there. We've yet to visit the rest.
Danelf, for reference's sake, is at the northmost part of this continent. Vad, Cryunne Castle and the Tower of Giants are all down the left there. We've yet to visit the rest.
Anyway, we have to take a convoluted walk through the coliseum to reach the first of three battles that comprise the
Anyway, we have to take a convoluted walk through the coliseum to reach the first of three battles that comprise the "Tower of the Valiant." So it's really more of a figurative tower.
I didn't take a shot of these guys, but they were cool ninjas with sword whips and I feel bad about missing them. They were also hard as balls - the set up for this contest was taking two of them mano-a-mano in consecutive bouts with just Vbomb, or taking all three on at once with all three of my party. I opted for the latter, because of Ture's heals, but it was a close-run thing. Burned through a few Alarums too.
I didn't take a shot of these guys, but they were cool ninjas with sword whips and I feel bad about missing them. They were also hard as balls - the set up for this contest was taking two of them mano-a-mano in consecutive bouts with just Vbomb, or taking all three on at once with all three of my party. I opted for the latter, because of Ture's heals, but it was a close-run thing. Burned through a few Alarums too.
Surprisingly, the sun comes out after the first battle is complete. It makes a significant difference to how the outside world looks too: until now, there's been a dense cloud cover of smog. The game harps on about the pollution a lot, by the by. It was apparently caused a long time ago in some messed up Industrial Revolution that didn't go anywhere, and the world's been suffering ever since.
Surprisingly, the sun comes out after the first battle is complete. It makes a significant difference to how the outside world looks too: until now, there's been a dense cloud cover of smog. The game harps on about the pollution a lot, by the by. It was apparently caused a long time ago in some messed up Industrial Revolution that didn't go anywhere, and the world's been suffering ever since.
I thought this might be the ominous arrival of some sort of Death Gaze boss, but apparently this mass is pollution-eating butterflies. I'm still going to be on my guard, I think.
I thought this might be the ominous arrival of some sort of Death Gaze boss, but apparently this mass is pollution-eating butterflies. I'm still going to be on my guard, I think.
Anyway, almost apropos of nothing, Doug sends us to an island to meet an
Anyway, almost apropos of nothing, Doug sends us to an island to meet an "expert" there. We have some time until the next bout, so we borrow this old man's boat and sail over.
This map probably looks as familiar to you as it does to me. I'm sure this was part of Frog's part of Chrono Trigger. It's a network of caves, but not a particularly confusing one.
This map probably looks as familiar to you as it does to me. I'm sure this was part of Frog's part of Chrono Trigger. It's a network of caves, but not a particularly confusing one.
Cool. Thanks for stopping by, you guys. (It's actually concealing a switch, which opens the door we need to pass through. The game's just making fun of us, I suspect.)
Cool. Thanks for stopping by, you guys. (It's actually concealing a switch, which opens the door we need to pass through. The game's just making fun of us, I suspect.)
While on this island, Mantra Peak, you occasionally meet these little jiang shi guys. They cast two mantras on you - this one, Eerirog, is a fire spell with an additional burn effect that causes recurring damage. And yes, you can enscribe it and start using it against the same enemies.
While on this island, Mantra Peak, you occasionally meet these little jiang shi guys. They cast two mantras on you - this one, Eerirog, is a fire spell with an additional burn effect that causes recurring damage. And yes, you can enscribe it and start using it against the same enemies.
I'm not sure the geography of Mantra Peak makes a whole lot of sense. Maybe they're supposed to be magical cliffs, like the ones in the movie Highlander?
I'm not sure the geography of Mantra Peak makes a whole lot of sense. Maybe they're supposed to be magical cliffs, like the ones in the movie Highlander?
This is the Sage, Zora. Getting some strong Matoya vibes, and not just because she's a hermit witch in a Squaresoft game that took a lot of effort to find. She gives us a few cryptic hints about our missing friends, the missing Captain Taurus (who is the guy who mentored Vbomb,went missing and now I'm hoping to supplant his role with this tournament) and the guy Ture is looking for, an old man named Ramyleth. Zora directs us to the island nation of Ompross and tells us to beat it. You know, as sage hermits tend to do.
This is the Sage, Zora. Getting some strong Matoya vibes, and not just because she's a hermit witch in a Squaresoft game that took a lot of effort to find. She gives us a few cryptic hints about our missing friends, the missing Captain Taurus (who is the guy who mentored Vbomb,went missing and now I'm hoping to supplant his role with this tournament) and the guy Ture is looking for, an old man named Ramyleth. Zora directs us to the island nation of Ompross and tells us to beat it. You know, as sage hermits tend to do.
Walking into one of the back rooms, I find a literal portal to Hell. I decide to not check behind the other door.
Walking into one of the back rooms, I find a literal portal to Hell. I decide to not check behind the other door.
Before I can go to Ompressa, I have to travel back to Danelf for the second round of the tournament. This time, I can choose between having weapons or Mantras. The idea here is that the Mantras have a lot more versatility, but given that Vbomb and Foxy have a handful of MP each, I figured weapons are probably the way to go. I suspect that other parties might find their way into this tournament, and for them the Mantras will make more sense.
Before I can go to Ompressa, I have to travel back to Danelf for the second round of the tournament. This time, I can choose between having weapons or Mantras. The idea here is that the Mantras have a lot more versatility, but given that Vbomb and Foxy have a handful of MP each, I figured weapons are probably the way to go. I suspect that other parties might find their way into this tournament, and for them the Mantras will make more sense.
Like before, these rapier ladies are extremely difficult, and have a lot more HP than the last lot. I burn through a few more Alarums (they summon these adorable angels) but once one of these enemies has fallen, the battle becomes a whole lot more manageable. I shudder to think what kind of Mantra nukes these gals were packing.
Like before, these rapier ladies are extremely difficult, and have a lot more HP than the last lot. I burn through a few more Alarums (they summon these adorable angels) but once one of these enemies has fallen, the battle becomes a whole lot more manageable. I shudder to think what kind of Mantra nukes these gals were packing.
After a brief boat ride to Ompressa, I'm... exploring another mountain on an island. I'm not sure Rudra's level designers have really got their heart in this. They're probably mumbling under the breath about how much cooler is must be to work in the Final Fantasy VII studio.
After a brief boat ride to Ompressa, I'm... exploring another mountain on an island. I'm not sure Rudra's level designers have really got their heart in this. They're probably mumbling under the breath about how much cooler is must be to work in the Final Fantasy VII studio.
No! Bad dog, bad!
No! Bad dog, bad!
If you're wondering, BALNA is absolutely a spell I can use. It makes this big symbol appear and then all the enemies take minimal void damage. I suspect it's not one of the
If you're wondering, BALNA is absolutely a spell I can use. It makes this big symbol appear and then all the enemies take minimal void damage. I suspect it's not one of the "accepted" Mantras, even though it ends with "NA".
After a lot of climbing up Mt. Delphi, I finally reach this tower. It took a while to get here, so I'm a little concerned I might run out of supplies, but here goes.
After a lot of climbing up Mt. Delphi, I finally reach this tower. It took a while to get here, so I'm a little concerned I might run out of supplies, but here goes.
Aw crap. Did I come out without my keys again? Did I leave them at the bar? All right, hang tight folks, I have to figure this out. Back to Ompressa to talk to all the NPCs again...
Aw crap. Did I come out without my keys again? Did I leave them at the bar? All right, hang tight folks, I have to figure this out. Back to Ompressa to talk to all the NPCs again...

That's going to have to be it for today. Tomorrow, I'll figure out where this tower key is and work my way back up the mountain. Maybe I'll find another angry god of destruction to fight at the top. There's also the mysterious third round of the Tower of the Valiant (which really didn't need to be called "Tower of" anything, given how many actual towers there are to confuse it with) with an opponent no-one's ever seen before, the whereabouts of the various missing knights from Cryunne Castle, and we may even get around to figuring out what the deal is with all this pollution and where Surt might've bounced off to. Answers possibly to come tomorrow, with Mento's Alternative to E3 Day 1. See you then!

Day 0A: Parts 1 & 2Day 0B: Parts 3 & 4Day 1: Parts 5 & 6
Day 2: Parts 7 & 8Day 3: Parts 9, 10, 11 & Finale
Start the Conversation
Load Comments