LogFAQs > #960479209

The opening AMV is clearly set in the distant past, and I immediately started wondering if it was going to be like Tales of Graces with a childhood arc. Thank goodness it wasnt. I have no idea whats going on other than daemons running afoul.

Adult Velvet says her undying passion is revenge on one man. Arthur, I presume?

We then go to when Velvet was 16 y/o. Her sister Celica, previously mentioned, had died during the Opening. At least this way Im not controlling an 8 y/o who moves awkwardly, though Velvets voice at this point is far more chipper than her adult selfs. Anyway, her little brother Laphicet is ailing and the medicine only keeps that illness at bay.

I naturally look around here a lot out of fear that I dont come back, because of that opening sequence. Celicas grave is outside, and the villagers talk about her quite a bit too. Its quite obvious that shes not truly dead. They wouldnt mention her this freaking much if she wasnt relevant later. Now, she may be dead dead, but her spirit may find a way back. Or she might have just been sent to the daemon dimension. I dont know at this point how exactly, but its blatant that shes coming back from the dead.

There are a few threads here as well, like Laphis friend wanting to play with him again and a few other things. Something tells me that these arent going to happen and that the town will be written off a second time. Or maybe Ive played too many JRPGs.

The villagers are bemoaning that they cant trade with the nearby city, Taliesin. Sounds like theyre looking for the Wright stuff. okay, Ill see myself out.

I buy another Apple Gel (geez, only 200 gald to start with?) and head into the woods to bring home the bacon. I dont quite understand this battle system yet because it feels just like button-mashing, even more so than prior Tales games, because all four buttons key artes, so you only use artes. At the very least this means theres no TP management to worry about, but it feels like combos are going to rack up no matter what. Well see what this becomes, but right now I couldnt tell you the difference between any of Velvets artes.

I also note that she has a sword but seems to use her feet and fists more. Against boars. Go figure. I rather liked the oinkleboars skit that made me smile.

The end area is the summoning circle from the opening scene, which is supposedly a terrestrial portal. I dont think thats hogwash given what I saw, but I can only theorize at this point what actually transpired that day. I backtrack and build up a bigger cache of pork and am then rushed by five other boars who are mad at me. Velvet thinks its because I killed their friends and family. It probably is. I kick the crap out of them - they're weaker than Bozoblins - and one of them turns out to be a daemon, which Arthur quickly dispatches because the writing wanted him to be there to do that. Convenience! That always happens, doesnt it?

Velvet is choked up about killing the boars friends and while I can understand that, Im not lame, Im not a joke, and Im not an alt. Bacon is bacon, and youre bringing it home. Best not to think about anything other than the tasty meat. Shes still learning.

I head back to the shop to find out that the medicine hasnt come in, probably because of daemons. Great. Just great. Also this Niko chick is kind of obnoxious, but she and Velvet seem to have a good thing going. I did like the Xillia 2 reference of Rollo, so thats something. (I stopped here and came back two days later).

I get back home its still there and Laphi hasnt exactly been listening. Velvet seems kind of overbearing. And then I go through a pointless sequence of cooking a meal for him. Curious as to why this didnt teach me any cooking mechanics, but whatever, its a short scene.

The next morning, Laphi isnt there, and Velvet, being overbearing and not realizing that more fresh air might actually do her brother some good, panics. The first lead is from the shopkeeper, who says that Laphi had copied a book to sell to him in exchange for something that wasnt the compass hed been drawing pictures of.

I find Laphi in the woods and Velvet caves to let him pick Princessia flowers for Celicas memorial. We go to do that and are attacked by a daemon. I cant damage this monster. Thinking were dead, Laphi gives Velvet a present: The comb from the shop. As it comes in to kill us Arthur magically saves the day. AGAIN. He always needs to be there, and hes being glorified. Theres a VERY good chance that the man Velvet has it out for in the cold open was indeed Arthur, and that Im supposed to think of this as a major twist. When the opening AMV showed him near the portal. What was he doing there?

Velvet wakes up and Laphi gives her the comb. Then Velvet wakes up again and thinks its gone all Inception on her ass, but nope still has the comb. Walking outside, shes met by a horde of daemons. Everyone in town is either dead or daemon that much is clear. I make my way through the town and the forest, only having to flee a battle once (couldnt avoid it) and end up at the cape again, where Artorius and Laphi are waiting. Laphi says RUN but its too late Artorius traps Velvet here and performs the same ritual in which he sacrificed Celica (that cross in the sky was so familiar). Just as I had expected, hes the Big Bad. Like hello? Could they have made it any more obvious? At least they gave this reveal far earlier than expected. I was thinking that theyd present it as a twist later on, but thankfully they realized that their audience would be wise enough to pick up all the telltale signs. Especially the Hey, Arturius, isnt he awesome? skit. (Why am I getting "Oh Benjamin, you so loyalty" vibes from that?)

I know Laphi survives, by the way, since I know the names of the party members. Well Velvet, Laphi, and Magilou immediately come to mind, so yeah. This is why I expect the same of Celica: Since Laphi's alive. PLEASE DO NOT SPOIL ME since that's about all I know,

Velvet suddenly has superpowers, where shes become part-daemon yet requires daemon souls to survive. I forget what Arturius called her, but he explained it. And then, the same daemons who were impenetrable before start going down easy. And, uh, yeah. That was boss... at least until Arturius points out the corpses of the villagers... including Niko, who's most likely dead. Good throwaway there - wasn't expecting her to die so quickly with that buildup being thrown out. Velvet is MAD. She is so attached to her baby brother that she's going to hold nothing back. Arturius makes short work of her and she ends up rotting in a prison cell for three years, feeding off daemons that were sent there.

Suddenly, Seres - who had picked up Laphi's comb from when Velvet had been restrained - comes down and says that she's Arturius's malark (what the hell is one of those anyway?) no longer. She also explains that the plan was to open up the portal and then close it again seven years later. Arturius is seeking fame, fortune, and immortality - typical JRPG villain stuff. He's living in the capital, being seen as the hero of the land. Velvet is one of few people who know he's actually the monster who caused the daemonblight in the first place.

At any rate, I begin my ascent up the tower and it's pretty quick that I get to arm myself. Some named sword that Velvet calls useless is in here, since it's too big for her. Velvet and Seres quickly take care of a guard, and Velvet gets dressed in some new duds.... CLEARLY she likes watermelon. CLEARLY.

And thats where I stopped for the night.
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