Lurker > LeonhartFour

Okay, I'm going to break this one up into best regular dungeon theme and best final dungeon theme because why would you pick a regular dungeon theme otherwise!

Day 8: Best Dungeon Theme
Normal Dungeon Theme: Final Fantasy VI - Phantom Forest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tbZ_C7H_4k

Final Dungeon Theme: Final Fantasy V - In Search of Light
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23Af7oohc_E

Nailing down what actually does or doesn't count as a dungeon theme is kind of tricky. For regular dungeon themes, I stuck with the ones that are used repeatedly rather than single time use. Using that criteria, I think FFVI's wins, although I am fond of Find Your Way from FFVIII as well.

For final dungeon, it was honestly pretty close between In Search of Light and FFVII's final dungeon, Judgment Day. I just wanted to give FFV's OST some love because I think it's honestly one of the more underrated ones in the series.

Now if I could give a "cheating" answer, I would definitely roll with Final Fantasy XIII's The Sunleth Waterscape. It's probably technically not considered a dungeon, but XIII also doesn't really have dungeons and each area you visit is almost kind of a dungeon in a way. Either way, the song is just so darn good so I had to mention it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEEr1jnvFTw

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I like to knock Attack on Titan season 2 but Eren vs. the Armored Titan is a top tier moment for the show. Eren's anger reaches heretofore unseen levels and it's amazing.

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who could have foreseen this

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How many 2010 games were in GotD2? I don't feel like it was very many.

Most of these games will just be forgotten by the time 2030 rolls around unless they're considered classics.

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he's one of those characters who gets worse as time goes by

he seems really cool as a concept but then his actual character ends up kinda sucking once you know everything about him

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BK_Sheikah00 posted...

Cold Steel 4 - Act 1 - So old Class VII and Altina being in Alster and meeting this kids. When did that happen? Was there a drama CD or something?

It was indeed on a Cold Steel II drama CD.

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Oh right, Fullmetal Alchemist character inequality. Let's see here.

Mustang > Bradley > Hohenheim > Edward > Hawkeye > Greed > Alex > Scar > Alphonse > Lust > Hughes > Olivier > Ling > Barry the Chopper > Winry > Izumi > Gluttony > Kimblee > Sloth > May > Pride > Envy > Father

something like that, not ranking all the minor characters (except Barry because he's Barry the Chopper)

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The Trial of Courage proved to be quite daunting in Origami King

although it was annoying that you had to start all over each time you failed on the last one

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Compression of Time never plays on the world map. It's only ever Blue Fields, even on Disc 4. FFX is a tough one because it doesn't strictly have a world map, and those areas where Sprouting plays aren't dungeons or towns either. It's in a weird space in between the two. I'd allow it since it doesn't really qualify as anything else.

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Day 7: Best Overworld Theme
Final Fantasy VII - Main Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UARM4q7hHU

With no disrespect to Terra, Crossing Those Hills, or the fact that FFV has three darn good overworld themes on its own, this isn't even close. The entire song is a magnificent journey in and of itself, and that climax is unbeatable.

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Algus Sadalfas

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood complete! Good show. I'll probably put it on the second tier.

That was a nice "Where are they now?" epilogue. I'll try to do some sort of character inequality tomorrow.

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I guess it was cool, but it felt like a weird loophole that they never really even hinted at before then! I guess it's possible I missed it if they did though! I didn't realize the answer was to go the Persona 5 route, but I'll take it.

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I wouldn't bet on SFF happening there.

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Episode 63 complete!

You know, I'm not totally sure I get how all that actually worked, but I didn't expect this show to lean on the power of friendship so hard at the end.

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Technically the song doesn't actually even play in Besaid Village! Spira Unplugged plays inside the actual village.

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Mac Arrowny posted...

Besaid Island reigns eternal

only if it's the X-2 version

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yeah there's a reason why Brady couldn't get outta there fast enough

that's not a Super Bowl team even if he's still there

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Day 6: Best Town Theme
Final Fantasy VIII - Fisherman's Horizon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKTBDhT55ns

There can be no other. The orchestral version is especially great. I'll throw in a special mention for an underrated track, which is the New Bodhum theme from Final Fantasy XIII-2.

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Well, as long as the ED is good I won't skip it! I always watch the OP and ED for every show (which my wife finds annoying sometimes actually!).

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AxemRedRanger posted...

he also forget Street Fighter 2010

well I wouldn't count spinoffs like that anyway!

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Mr Lasastryke posted...

no, it doesn't. "one great scene redeems an entire movie" is nonsensical.

I mean RotJ doesn't need redeeming but I'd still watch it even if that were the only good scene because it is that good

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Oh yeah, Terra's another good one. I was only really counting "named" character themes, so I didn't include Beatrix there. Otherwise, I would've also included "My Mind" from FFVIII, which effectively functions as Rinoa's theme.

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Day 5: Best Character Theme
Final Fantasy VI - Celes's Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK8ZIWDLxgY

Specifically the orchestral version. I've always been charmed by the haunting beauty of this one, for whatever the reason. This is a loaded category. Honorable mentions to X-Death, Cyan, Locke, Kefka, Aerith, Cid, Ovelia, Yuna, Lightning, Snow, and maybe some others I forgot!

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https://twitter.com/AdamLefkoe/status/1355234085870956553

this is like me in 9th grade speech class

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Okay, as I'm re-watching Attack on Titan season 2, I'm trying to piece together what's happening here. Since there was no wall breach, I'm guessing Zeke snuck in at some point and started turning people in the outlying villages into Titans. And based on the reaction of Reiner, Bertolt, and Ymir when they see the Beast Titan, they weren't expecting Zeke to show up.

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nobody says that

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you're only as good as the company you keep they say

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I haven't tried re-watching Episode VII since I saw IX but I imagine I can still enjoy it in a vacuum.

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davidponte posted...

I'd rather rewatch 1 than TLJ solely just to hear Duel of the Fates..

you know you can listen to it without watching the movie right

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Episode I might be the most boring movie ever to exist until the lightsaber duel

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impossible unless Episodes I and II have ceased to exist

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TLJ is a top 3 Star Wars movie

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Episode 61 complete!

What a bizarre episode.

R.I.P. Bradley

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Good news for Packers fans, Pettine is gone

and it looks like the Rams are in serious talks to acquire Stafford

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banananor posted...

i can't decide whether that'd be awesome or terrible!

unspeakable levels of bad

the ghosts should be done now

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Cold Steel IV Act 3 continued.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More to come.

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

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

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

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

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

More later.

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just call it Final Fantasy VII Redo

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it currently has the same amount but there's plenty of time for that to change

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Mac Arrowny posted...

I don't quite get the multiple Sephiroths thing being a big deal since the original FF7 already did that.

I mean, not really. Sephiroth clones aren't actually different versions of Sephiroth. Certainly not in the same way Kingdom Hearts did with all the different versions of Xehanort.

pjbasis posted...

I mean this idea was explored in AC already. Imagine 13 yazoos snd woohoos or whatever

And they all combine to make Super Sephiroth!! Wait do I like this idea

you'd have to call him Safest Sephiroth

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

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how many Sephiroths do you think there will be by the end of Remake

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Day 3: Best Moogle Theme
Final Fantasy VI - Mog's Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjraVq2r6O0

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

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yeah I just skipped ahead to the end just to be sure but I think AoT mostly just does next episode previews after the ED

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

a woman after my own heart

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might as well hire a guy who worked with the worst passing offense in the league

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

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Finished with season 1 of Attack on Titan

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

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