Lia's BK tweets archive - 2020-10-16: Rodolfo's Mansion, finishing Sadal Suud

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:01 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

Alright. We’ve blown up some rocks, slaughtered half of the local wildlife, ran some town errands, gone back to kill more wildlife so we can bribe a no-good kid and sneak into the Governor’s mansion and save the princes- *checks notes* I meant DO A MURDER.
Onwards!

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:02 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

Goal for today is to finish Sadal Suud, the first island. Depending on how fast that goes I might start Diadem and finally meet the plot’s punching bag? We’ll see!

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:16 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

Getting rightfully dunked on by the local kids.

A kid saying they can recognize you because you were described as “looking pretty violent and not too bright”.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:20 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

You’re told to “not tell any grown-ups” about the secret passage, which... We’ll get into the JRPG Age Thing later I think, once we’ve got more of the Punching Bag’s background.
‘Cause half of the main cast is supposedly 18 or so and that’s both weird and unavoidable.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:22 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

Short version which I’ll expand on later is:
- A lot of the backstory is absurd for people so young;
- Behavior and (lack of) emotional intelligence would be weird in someone older.
So putting those characters at the liminal space of childhood and adulthood is vital.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:23 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

The actual interesting and “””ethical””” thing to do would be to delve into the behavioral consequences of trauma and/or neurodivergence but that’s probably asking a bit much.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:28 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

Of course you get the advanced combat tutorial from a child who looks younger than 10, why wouldn’t you.
Is it a JRPG thing to have whip-smart kids who put all the adults to shame?

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:43 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

The Imperial Background Music shows up real early, I didn’t recall it played in the mansion. But because I’m a fake fan who doesn’t know the track listing by heart, you’ll get a link later. Classic Ominous Marching Stuff with a bunch of brass and the like.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:44 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

It doesn’t become obvious until you get the Obligatory Imperial Traitor in your party (spoilers I guess) or reach the Empire itself, but the brass instruments are used more literally than usual for this specific Evil Empire.
We’ll get back to that, too.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:49 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

Woops forgot to watch the health bar. Didn’t remember what brand of game over this was, and it’s “back to main menu, load latest save”. Better here than way later!

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:53 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

Anyhow the mansion’s crawling with these Standard Issue Evil Imperial Soldiers.
Yep, they got guns, we’ve got ourselves some standard Mostly Fantasy With More Modern Building And The Bad Guys Have Machines.
(So far, I’m told BKO complexifies the topic a bunch)

Combat screen, showing an enemy soldier with a helmet, heavy kit and a gun.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:55 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

The actual root cause of this defeat is that I’m being such a slowpoke that my bananas rotted and I was out of my best healing item.
Hashtag just Baten Kaitos things

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:08 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

One major annoyance in this game is that the barks (that’s Gamedev Jargon for those voice snippets that play, typically during combat) are both quite distinct and very few. Kingdom Hearts is especially infamous for that very problem.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:09 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

The odds of hearing “IS THAT ALL YOU GOT” from Kalas on every. single. attack. that you defend against are high and it gets old after about minus five seconds.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:39 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

Kalas might be dead-set on MURDER more than rescue, but he does say “we need to save her” when running into a locked door through which he can hear a woman complaining.
So we go fetch the well-hidden key...

A key larger than Kalas’ head is conspicuously on the edge of a table, highlighted by a glowing particle effect and with an exclamation mark icon to add to it all.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:43 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

OBVIOUSLY this is when the Governor and his henchman come in to have a conveniently info-rich conversation.
Mostly it’s tone, serves as building up the Empire as bad news some more, clearly saying they’re up to something, etc.

Governor Rodolfo: “Crossing the Emperor alone is asking for certain death.”

Rodolfo’s Man: “I do hope nothing terrible is about to happen.”

Rodolfo: “Everything should be back to normal soon enough.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:44 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

The only actually useful thing in there is that the Goldoba - that’s the freshly revealed name of the battleship - is leaving soon, taking Kalas’ mark with it.
Worry not, this is a videogame, “hurry” is relative. LUDONARRATIVE DISSONANCE

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:47 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

We then go to open some locked doors and rescue Xelha. Meemai is very happy and Kalas disappointed that the mascot was only using him to reunite with their true love.
Best Xelha portrait BTW.

Xelha on the floor in a room that Kalas just entered. Meemai goes squeak.

Xelha is now standing after being freed and healing herself. Kalas: “Meemai! Let me guess - the only reason you came with me was to save Xelha.”

Xelha giggling as her portrait shows a miniaturized Meemai in her hood.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:48 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

Besides that, more “What the hell was that shining magnus thing” and “No time to explain, we need to go take it back!”
Yet here I am in the mansion’s kitchen waiting for yogurt to turn into cheese so I can complete sidequests in one go. LUDONARRATI- *gets dragged away*

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:53 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

And since I’m waiting, a quick sidenote that Rodolfo is the first fat character we meet, and he’s characterized as cowardly, kinda gross, only cranky about having to murder a young woman because it’s an inconvenience, etc.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:54 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

The main cast is all slender, the generic NPCs are thin, the Good NPCs are primarily thin.
I’ll dive deeper into the queercoding of villains way later, but fatness being associated exclusively with villains is also common AND very bad.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:56 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

Doesn’t make the game evil, as always. It’s just an important thing to keep in mind, because consuming media critically is important.
Fatness is often painted as a moral failing in itself, as a sign of a corrupt soul, or played for laughs. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:05 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

I was wondering how the game was going to force you to rescue Xelha, the answer is “utterly ridiculous and convenient mechanism blocking the roof”.
Sure, whatever, seems logical in a MANSION.

Xelha saying she saw the lock be opened when she was brought in.

Xelha explaining that the two statues blocking the path with their swords each have a switch and that pressing them at the same time will unlock things.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:16 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

We are, of course, dramatically too late but not so much that our terrific duo can’t deploy their wings and jump onto the Goldoba.
The wings thing is WEIRD honestly, at least in this entry it ends up super gimmicky.

The flowery roof with a dock, a giant ornate ship leaving.

Kalas and Xelha jump up towards the ship, wings deployed, with a trail of Magical Sparkles.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:19 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

Convenient jumps in a couple places, and the whole “wings reflect your heart so 1) Kalas is Wrong for having only one 2) the Empire is fucky for using machines instead of the wings they suppress / remove / don’t have due to being monsters.
Again I’ve heard BKO goes into it more.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:24 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

SHOWDOWN TIME.
(No I don’t know why Giacomo has a six-pack window on that outfit)

Giacomo: “So it was you, after all... I’m surprised to see you alive.”

Kalas: “This is for my grandfather, and for Fee... You’re goin’ down, Giacomo, for good!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:26 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

And I’ll be here a while because I’m trying to batch level ups AND one of my healing items turns just as the fight starts. Gaaaaaah.
This jerk can attack two times in a row, and has a rather heavy-hitting finisher, it’s the first somewhat tricky fight.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:27 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

It does let you try bossfights again after going through the menu to adjust your deck, nice!

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:36 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

I dislike how Guardian Spirits spells, which appear randomly in your hand preferably with a number that’ll screw up your combo, are so heavy-hitting and give you a decent shot at winning by sheer luck.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:40 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

This battle is also your first encounter with what is either your favorite battle music or an insult upon your ears.
I still find it obnoxious but I hate it less these days.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_B64f48ewdo

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:41 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

Last time I played this, I was maaaaybe considering not hating metal if it came with enough symphonic in it.
Current me is probably nearing three digit repeats on DMC5’s Devil Trigger single and making peace with having garbage taste. So this goes down better.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:45 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

FINE I’LL GO LEVEL UP OH MY GOD

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:47 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

Yeah I guess having 2.5 times as much health will help

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:51 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

The problem is this thing, which hits for 30 in Dark, which at that point you have no means for guarding against.
Damage is split by element, 50 extra physical defense will do nothing against elemental damage!

A golden beam surrounding by black circles hits Kalas.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:52 PM · Oct 16, 2020 Permalink

As for batch level ups, it’s because apparently the randomization of stats is per-leveling-up-instance, not per-level, so you get better (permanent!) stats by doing larger batches.
Randomizing stats in such a long game is meh to begin with and this is worse.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:17 AM · Oct 17, 2020 Permalink

Eventually Giacomo has enough - amazingly we are not killing the big bad just yet, funny of that works - and yeets our characters straight off the ship. By some miracle the battleship was close enough for us to land (not fly down) on the roof again.
CONVENIENT

The same golden beam surrounded by black circles shoves Kalas and Xelha off the ship, as Kalas goes “Argh!!”.

Our two heroes back on the flowery roof, Kalas: “No! Get back here, Giacomo!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:21 AM · Oct 17, 2020 Permalink

A glorious display of Gamecube-era character animations follows. Xelha’s run is, er, a thing. Tipping over the apple cart makes the whole thing clearly goofy, at least!

Imperial soldiers chasing after Kalas and Xelha as they run out of the mansion.

Imperial soldiers tripping on spilled apples as Kalas escapes the city.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:31 AM · Oct 17, 2020 Permalink

They then, er, go back the other way to go have a chat in the kids’ hideout, logic be damned.
Xelha does a bunch of exposition and makes her goals clear: Emperor bad, evil god bad, saving the world good.
Kalas once again plays ignorant about this whole “Malpercio” thing.

Xelha: “Emperor Geldoblame seems to be trying to revive an ancient, cursed power.”

Xelha: “They say his powers will cause the world’s destruction.”

Xelha: “I managed to steal a pendant which seems very important to them, and then I fled...”

Xelha: “I must uncover the emperor’s plot and put an end to his ambitions.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:33 AM · Oct 17, 2020 Permalink

After her impassioned speech, she asks Kalas for help. Kalas, being a JRPG hero, obviously volunt- naaaaah, kidding, he doesn’t give a toss.
His beef is with Giacomo, not the whole Empire, what are you, a masochist or something?

Kalas: “If you want someone to die a glorious death with you, look somewhere else.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:35 AM · Oct 17, 2020 Permalink

And so we start the plot thread of “Xelha goes to save the world and Kalas ends up dragged along because they’re going in the same direction for now”.

Xelha: “You’re leaving the island, right? The only way out is to take a liner to Diadem, the Land of the Clouds.”

Xelha: “We’ll be taking the same ship, so we might as well stick together, at least for now.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:39 AM · Oct 17, 2020 Permalink

Because we’re in a rush with Imperials after us, we OF COURSE go back to Cebalrai to get dunked on by NPCs some more.
This is what I mean when I say this game is tropey as hell but does interesting things with clichés!

A random female-coded NPC: “Oh, I see the young girl is okay. A brave young man saves the life of a beloved girlfriend... How romantic!”

Kalas, looking shocked: “What? No no no, you’ve got it all wrong. It’s nothing like that...”

Kalas: “We just happened to be in the same place at the same time, that’s all.”

Xelha, looking amused: “Well, Kalas, thanks for ‘just happening’ to be there for me. *snicker* Let’s get going.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:42 AM · Oct 17, 2020 Permalink

And finally, we claim the most cursed magnus in the entire game, the bane of the 100% speedrun, or ANY 100% run really, the... shampoo.
This thing takes 336 hours to turn into another card. That’s active, non-menuing time. “Try it for two weeks” indeed.

Inventory screen, focused on the Shampoo magnus. The description says to try it for two weeks.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:44 AM · Oct 17, 2020 Permalink

And on that epic piece of Baten Kaitos What The Fuck, we close off for today.
Next time, we hop onto a sky turtle, go to the magical land of clouds and knights, meet The Plot’s Main Punching Bag and get our third playable character.