MARREND'S PROFILE

Well, this is a surprise. Thanks for giving this old game a go!

The evolve mechanic goes through Common Events, so, even if I did allow the healing skill to be used out of combat, using it would tend to bring players to the map screen. I probably learned this while making Okiku, Star Apprentice, as this game borrows the evolving skill mechanic from that game. Anyway, it was either allow the awkwardness of being sent to the map screen after using the healing spell, set it up so that only the final evolution of the skill could be used out-of-combat (those don't call a Common Events), or make then consistent with the other skills, and just allow them in combat only.

I don't necessarily mind saving the request post, and keeping track of what all people are looking for. I don't assume to have, or know about, any game people might mention here, so, like, it's the least I can do towards this effort.

Last time, the Gnosis attacked the Woglinde, with KOS-MOS self-activating. Things seemed like they could be going downhill very very fast. Except when Shion actually met with KOS-MOS, who decided, at that point, to activate the Hilbert Effect, making the aliens vulnerable to attacks. Things started to look a little up, but, evacuation of the Woglinde was still in order for Shion and Allen.

There's no cut-scenes between the party, and it's destination, but there sure are at said destination. So, the executive officer of the Woglinde, Cherenkov (sorry for not name-dropping him earlier) is at a console, trying his best to purge the block that contained the Zohar in an attempt to get it to Margulis. However, his attempts to do have borne no fruit, because why would anything be that easy? Cue Shion running into the room, with Virgil and Allen firing off against advancing Gnosis. A Gnosis explodes, with KOS-MOS' figure advancing past the smoke unfazed, then moving to hold the line with her double Gatling guns, supporting Virgil and Allen.

Shion gets it into her head to pick up a spare rifle from a nearby rack and joins the fray maybe a few paces behind the line that the other three have made. Now, I'm not familiar with ship design, or military protocol. However, I can't help but to be at least somewhat suspicious that there's a random rack of rifles in the hangar. I could believe it if it was a barracks. Not that the barracks on the Woglinde is a location one can visit in the game, but, one can reasonably assume that one (or several) exists somewhere on this ship.

Still, while all this stuff is going on, the while Cherenkov is standing there, albeit from a safe-for-now distance, possibly in a combination of shock (Gnosis!) and awe (It's functional!). Then some Gnosis fall from above, landing just behind Shion's point of defense, and creating something of a pincer maneuver.

The amount of time Shion takes to properly respond to it's presence should have been enough time for it to have taken a sucker punch, maybe two, but, of course, Shion gets lucky, and she's allowed to back off, and take aim at this new threat. Virgil is the next to notice the new threat, and breaks off the front line to join Shion. As the advancing Gnosis on the front stops (at least for now), Allen and KOS-MOS direct their attention to their six, and the Gnosis that Shion and Virgil are holding off. The game switches to KOS-MOS' POV, as Virgil jumps, moves, and weaves, always directly in KOS-MOS' line of fire from her current position. Does she move position, and heroically save everyone?

Absolutely.

Positively.


Not.

She fires from her current position, her rounds cutting through Virgil, and, eventually, the Gnosis behind him. Shion goes to her knees...



...puking at the sight. She never expected this behavior. Or, maybe she should have expected it, but never expected to see it in person. Either way, Shion, after recovering enough to speak, asks if KOS-MOS understood what she just did. KOS-MOS flatly explains that her programming assigned her duty to protect Vector employees, and that military personnel do not fall under this category. The cut-scene goes further, because of course it does. Still, let me try to summarize this as best I can.

Make no mistake, KOS-MOS certainly could have moved to a different position. However, her combat algorithm concluded that standing her ground, and sacrificing Virgil, was an acceptable loss. That tactic did not, in any way, hinder her ability to protect the higher-priority targets of Vector employees. Who, in the context if this situational array, was [Allen, Shion]. Allen was pretty much right next to KOS-MOS, so, he wasn't in immediate danger. Shion was practically right in front of the thing, and thus, was in immediate danger. If Shion backed off, and Virgil move to where she was standing, that would also be acceptable insofar as Shion would be concerned. However, even if that thought/tactic had occurred to KOS-MOS, one gets the impression that she would not issue orders, or tactical advise. She is not designed for command, and she would only likely comment on tactics only if she was asked to do so.

There's a battle, and another cut-scene after this, showcasing KOS-MOS kicking more butt as the Gnosis steal the Zohar. However, eventually, Shion does get into an escape pod. Yes, she's still pissed at KOS-MOS, and her actions. However, marks the end of chapter 1.

I forgot there were end-of-chapter saves in this game. This does kinda seem like a good stopping point, but, like, let's just run this post across all of whatever is in Chapter 2, and do a chapter-per-post format going forward.

Anyway, onto cut-scene #24 (we're actually on #35, according to the cut-scene playlist), where a cargo freighter is passing into the vicinity of what remains of the Federation fleet. The player is introduced to the crew of this ship, as per the contingency endowment from the Department of Backstory. At the helm is Tony, and at navigation is Hammer. The captain will be name-dropped in due time.

At any rate, these guys are basically space scavengers. They roam the galaxy for trash, and sell said trash for whatever scraps of cash they are worth. What better source of their quarry could there be, if not the remains of a recent battle? Scans of the area pick up what appears to be a geocrystal (whatever the heck that is), but, in reality, it's something else. A corpse, floating in space. The captain shrugs it off, and asks Tony to bounce the object off, but, the two get into a small argument, and the thing gets stuck because of that.

The captain has the gall to blame Tony, but, like, I have to point out that the corpse was approaching the ship as they argued, and Tony had risen from his seat during the argument. One small problem, though. This corpse? It ain't dead. In fact...



...it's KOS-MOS. Everyone is spooked, though, the captain reasons that this... thing, whatever it is just outside their window, must be some kind of military android, or cyborg, or... something. Which is close enough to the truth. Either way, captain Matthews of the Elsa opens a comms channel, and makes up an excuse about picking up the SOS signal, and dropping by for a rescue operation, as they were in the area. This gets him some quizzical looks from his bridge crew, but, he silences them quickly enough. KOS-MOS is an android of brevity, and simply requests for them to get her to Second Miltia. This request is received with sarcasm, and disdain. They would very largely prefer to stay around for a bit longer, and traveling to Second Miltia would not be an inexpensive venture. KOS-MOS explains that any UMN fees incurred would be covered, but not necessarily by who. Perhaps because of that, Matthews isn't exactly trusting of her, but, a punch that cracks the window provides a rather compelling argument.

With KOS-MOS now on the bridge, the crew of the Elsa reluctantly starts on their journey, but Hammer picks up a transmission. It's Allen, sending out a distress call of his own. Except he forgets to turn the damn thing off, as he enters into a conversation with Shion. The two jabber with the Elsa crew listening in, and the baffled faces they make as Allen and Shion bicker say it all.

KOS-MOS pushes both captain and navigator aside, connecting to the channel. She flatly states that she's on her way to Second Milita, as per her orders from headquarters, and that her orders did not mention Allen and Shion. She also states that there is a 96% probability that a rescue vessel will arrive in the next 15 hours. Tony seemed relatively certain there would be a Federation convoy in three hours, but, hey, that absolutely falls within KOS-MOS' time-frame.

Shion goes a little unhinged here, and threatens to open the escape pod hatch unless KOS-MOS agrees to let them on board. KOS-MOS isn't phased by the threat. Shion presses the button, and red alert mode activates in the escape pod. This heralds the entrance of a fourth crew member, chaos. Yes, it's a lower-case "c", despite how it should probably be an upper-case "C". Don't ask me, ask Monolith. Anyway, we jump into KOS-MOS's POV, and her vision follows chaos as a portion of her HUD replays his entrance. We can clearly see chaos talking to captain Matthews, but, we don't hear what he's saying. When the game goes back to a third-person perspective, chaos is asking KOS-MOS "is that okay with you?" She says nothing, which is taken as an agreement to his suggestion. This basically leads to the Elsa to pick up the escape pod containing Allen and Shion, as well as Cherenkov, who's been hanging onto the escape pod probably since it launched.

Next cut-scene, Shion and Allen thanking the captain for taking them on. Matthews admits that, if it were up to him, he'd just leave them there. However, he can't turn down a request from chaos. There's some back-and-forth between Shion and KOS-MOS before the scene ends, and the next one starts right up. This time, it's Cherenkov, asking to be dropped off an Senir. The Department of Backstory provides that it's along the route to Second Mitila, throwing in a bit of flavor/details about the route. As for the fee, the captain says it best.

Matthews: Today just ain't my day, and getting greedy now won't do me any good. I'll just put it on the tab.

At this point, the Elsa is... attacked? By remnant Gnosis!? Oh, crap. KOS-MOS has left to get back into her maintenance pod, and it appears as if this Gnosis does not have the Hilbert Effect active. Though, I can't say for sure how long it's supposed to last, or how long it's been since it's activation. Only Cherenkov is armed, albeit with a pistol, and, of course, it does absolutely nothing. The thing grabs the commander, and the process of becoming a salt pile starts. Matthews calls over to chaos, who nods, then moves over to the thing. An arm hammers down, ready to strike with tremendous force. Then, chaos reaches out, palm forward, and it... just... stops. A pause, chaos beaming a smile, then he touches it, and it dissipates into the aether. Another quip from the captain.

Matthews: Well, that's what I meant when I said he looks out for us.

There's a bit more here, but, there is absolutely no explanation about how the hell chaos is able to do what he does. It is, however, absolutely funded by a joint venture of the Department of Character Development and the Department of Backstory.

chaos: There are those that draw well, and those who run fast. Hammer's navigational skills are top-notch, and his knowledge of the Net is vast. Tony's helmsmanship skills are unrivaled. No one can even come close. Or so he claims. The captain, well, no one holds a greater amount of debt that the captain.
Matthews: Ah, yes. Hey, wait a second!
chaos: I believe everyone has at least one skill that they excel in over all others. It's something that defines who they are. Shion, what is it that defines you?

Hey, that "which something you do well defines you" thing sounds awfully familiar? Anyway, the cut-scene goes for a bit longer on matters that have no particular relevance, other than more fluff. However, it's a fairly major one, so, here's the cut-scene in full.



Eventually, a cut to an entirely different location altogether. A voice reports on KOS-MOS' recent activities to a man named Wilhelm. As the report proceeds, the camera pans, revealing a red-cloaked figure. The scene continues, with Wilhelm making observations about KOS-MOS' prime directive, and that the data for the Rhine Maiden is complete. Guy sounds like a one-man Gazel Ministry, with all the stuff coming out of his mouth. Most especially...

Wilhelm: All phenomena are moving forward, as specified by this Compass of Order.

...this line. When the cut-scene ends, so does the chapter. So, congratulations, we've just had an entire chapter that had absolutely zero gameplay! Really, Monolith, good on you for learning on the past mistakes, and what players hated the most about Disk 2 of Xenogears! XD

I'm going to keep score on this point, out of morbid curiosity. So, for reference purposes, our score is 1 chapter of no gameplage versus 1 chapter with. How will next chapter fair in this regard? Tune in next time, to the Xenosaga Episode 1 LP!

Last time, the start-up tests for KOS-MOS went a little crazy/weird, but, the Vector team on the Woglinde managed to put together the A-7 report that was due today. Not that the executive officer on board was particularly pleased that there was no actual field data represented in the report, and chewed Shion out for that. However, he's not the one in charge of this operation either. The captain was certainly more understanding, and gave Shion the rest of the day off.

After getting off the comms with her estranged brother, Shion decides to take a catnap. Well, technically speaking, the player has an opportunity to free-roam on board the Woglinde, but, outside of going back to the VR dungeon to fight more things, there really isn't a heck of a lot to actually do. So! Rest it is, engaging the cut-scene machine!

Shion has another dream of the Elly-lookalike in monochrome. I'm pretty sure she's in the same area as before, and, again, no words are spoken. There's still some kind of understanding between the two. At some point, the game moves out of Shion's dream as we see her tossing and turning as the ghost of Elly-wannabe looks on. A few camera pans across the ship, it's lighting dimmed, largely suggesting nighttime. Or, you know, as close as one can get in deep space. Allan enters the Vector lab with a cup of coffee, a skeleton crew burning the midnight oil, as it were.

Apparently, the executive officer also gave Allan a piece of his mind earlier today. Of course, that guy has inside information about their situation, and has all the more reason to be nervous, if he wasn't relaying that emotion before. Meanwhile, the Vector staff are completely in the dark, and are going about things at their own pace.

Cut back to the bridge. Now out of the asteroid field, the captain orders a gate-jump. Things move normally until an alarm sounds. They take some time trying to figure out what the hell is causing it. The alarm gets louder as screens pop up in front of the captain's chair. Loading screens. Oh no. It can't be! Is it an error of type: yea shall be as gods!?


Close! It's KOS-MOS. Cut back to the Vector labs, where it's on full red alert. Red lighting, horns blaring drums beating, and everything. The system is starting up on it's own, the countdown has already been activated. Cut back to Shion, who's wakes up as her portable console flickers in activation to the situation. She takes a gander, and finds the countdown has started. Which should be impossible. KOS-MOS should only be able to activate by keying in her authorization code entry. Any possibility of self-activation was disabled during an earlier incident, which involved the death of Kevin.

After failing to contact Allen (comms are limited due to the emergency situation), Shion leaves her room in a hurry. Now, there's set of bulkheads that, if open, would provide a faster way to get to the deck where Vector's lab is located. Of course, they close just as Shion leaves her room. So, she's gotta take the long way around. Of course she does. Then, an alarm blares. Oh, great! What else can go wrong today?

The answer to that is "just about everything". Which means we cut back to the bridge, as the crew make report upon report. Sorry if I'm jumping around quickly here, as this is quite the cut-scene...


...but, the main point to get across here, that "they" are here. The Gnosis. Being the space opera that Xenosaga is, these are the Adversarial AliensTM of the setting, and are virtually impervious to small arms. Hell, most weapons, in general. They also have the ability to convert people into salt piles, when it strikes their fancy to do so. Mostly, though, they just kill anybody that gets in their way.


Player gains control of Shion for a small bit until she inevitably gets engaged in combat. The things don't take any damage from her attacks, and the battle aborts before the Gnosis get any turns. After moving past the bridge elevator, dodging Gnosis as she does, there's a cut back to the Vector labs. KOS-MOS starting up in Auto Mode is definitely not a thing that should be happening, and is a brief point of discussion before an attempt is made to contact Shion. The regular channels are full as discussed earlier, so they try the emergency line. Which turns out to be her personal cell phone, or approximate equivalent thereof, which she left in the lab. It was on the seat of her console in the lab, whereas the data disk Allen had to return to her was on the console, itself. Out of sight, out of mind, indeed.

Then, the power goes out. Complete darkness and silence. Then, a glow from KOS-MOS' pod. It opens, with KOS-MOS rising from it. The researchers recoil in fear. Maybe because they think she'll strike at them, or maybe because this entire situation is entirely unexpected, and what she's about to do next is completely unknown. The game switches POV to KOS-MOS as she scans the immediate area before her, then directs her scans to Shion, then the Zohar in the storage bay. Her visor lifts, and takes steps forwards, with the researchers still coiling in fear as she does.


Cut back to Shion, and back to regular gameplay. After another screen of Gnosis evading, we have Shion arrive at the AGWS hangar, though there is a solder to speak to before hand. What all for? The Vaporizer plug-in. This doohickey allows players to press Square on the field map to destroy various map objects. This function generally translates to a puzzle-solving mechanic, but, it can be used to find items every so often. After some more running away bravely from the Gnosis, comes yet another cut-scene. This time, the POV is Virgil and his squad, who has set up a barricade in a corridor. Virgil's scanner is picking up some nearby movement. Probably Gnosis. He motions to the other AGWS units in the detail to get into position, and they wait until the object rounds the corner before the detail fires off a clip or two. The object in question is Shion, and by some crazy miracle, none of the bullets hit her. Which is, like...


...how? How is that even remotely possible? After a no-so-pleasant exchange between the chief engineer and the lieutenant, another blip pops up, and this time, it actually is Gnosis. Except they've set up a pincer maneuver attacking from the walls, since, well, physical objects basically mean nothing to them. But wait! There's more! For the low, low, price of $39.95 (how can it be any less than this?) you can get them to infect an AGWS unit!


Well. This certainly make things more complicated than they already were. The player is given brief control to Shion before going back to cut-scene mode, this time, on the bridge. Weapons systems are down to 20%, and AGWS losses exceed 70%. Which certainly doesn't sound like a winning battle. If only this fleet launched with the specs it was supposed to launch with, maybe they would have a small prayer. With what they have, it just seems like whatever they are doing is just to delay the inevitable.

Next up is the executive officer, having a meeting with Vanderkam at the storage hanger. The priority for the executive officer is to get the Zohar to the man he was talking to over comms, Margulis, no matter what the cost. Even if it means his own life. Margulis' name was dropped earlier, but, I kinda skipped over it at the time. However, it's one we'll be hearing a non-zero number of times going forward. However, this is the last we'll see of Vanderkam. So it goes.

Next up, we're back to Virgil's unit, who's somehow still holding their line after all this time. What's more surprising is that Shion's still there because... reasons? I'm not sure. Whatever happened to wanting to find KOS-MOS and Allen? Like, I get that a part of her is worried about the Realian solders, and is empathetic to them. Yet, how does that help them fight in a situation like this?

Either way, one of the Gnosis fires off quite a blast, which sends Shion to the ground, her mini-console landing maybe a foot further off. The only sound that can be heard is the sound of smoke that's rising from the blast. The only people left is Shion and Virgil. Another group of Gnosis approaches slowly, as Virgil tries to figure out what he can do to stop them. He notices a Realian soldier twitching, and this gives him an idea. Though, I'm not exactly sure why he needs Shion's mini-console to perform this plan. The cut-scene takes it's time, with Virgil on his own soapbox about it, which is ironic for a guy that distastes people on soapboxes. However, to summarize it succulency, his plan is to use Shion's mini-console to order the Realian soldiers by remote, and to use their self-destruct code to defeat the wave on oncoming Gnosis. I'll throw a bit of commentary about the cut-scene into a hide-tag.



Anyway, the cut-scene isn't just Virgil mouthing off. Though, what makes it all the more worse is that he doesn't even get them all. There's still a few stragglers left, and one of them gets to Shion. Her life flashes before her eyes as her consciousness fades, entirely expecting to die, with a vision of Elly-wannabe standing before her.

Yet, something gets the attention of the Gnosis, and the girl. A blue laser fires from behind a wall, the hand that was once strangling/choking Shion lets go. The wall cracks, then crumbles, to reveal...


...KOS-MOS!? She first gives the thing a kick, then spawns a pistol to fire off a few shots. The enemy staggers, but, is mostly unfazed. At least until KOS-MOS actually pulls off the very thing that's been throwing issues and errors all over the place.


The Hilbert Effect. I'm sure the game has some mumbo-jumbo in regards to this device/system, but, the end result is that, once affected by the Hilbert Effect, the Gnosis can't phase through walls, and can be effected by small arms, or other conventional means. KOS-MOS proceeds to trash some enemies before spawning a pair of machine guns, and rips a clip in the general direction of the Gnosis retreating position. Yes, you read that right! Retreating!

Except the infected AGWS from before decides to drop on by, and the game actually lets me enter combat with this one. It goes down pretty quick, then another cut-scene before the game puts me in control with Shion again. The basic path that the game would have us travel hasn't actually changed, even if the goal (escaping the ship from the hangar) has.

This route has us pass by on the other side of the bulkhead that closed off on Shion. It can be opened manually on this side, and in so doing, Shion makes a quip about how things would have been easier on her if they were open previously. I get her frustration, but, please, Shion, realize exactly how lucky you are to simply be alive right now? Darigaaz.

Though, by opening the bulkheads, one gains access to Shion's quarters, and the save point therein. Which, yeah, let's use it, and take a break. KOS-MOS will certainly help, but, what will all happen on the way to the hangar? Find out next time on the Xenosaga Episode 1 LP!

Maybe we should let kentona take a gander at this description? That's how a certain game got it's memorable name. Though, considering some of the winners of the "Best Title" Misao in the last five or so years (which includes the aforementioned certain game!), people like really long titles in general.