Introduction to the Full-Length Free RPG "World Peace & Peace"

This is a full-length RPG created using RPG Maker 2000 (VALUE version).
The dark storyline and the pretentious dialogue of the characters are fascinating.
The combat system is distinctive, and both the story and gameplay are enjoyable.
It has a dark atmosphere, so I think it might not appeal to everyone, but it was a very rewarding game.
In my case, I lowered the battle difficulty midway through, and it took me about 53 hours to complete the game.

Game Overview

This RPG is characterized by its decadent atmosphere and dark storyline.
The difficulty level is on the higher side, but you can change the difficulty of battles whenever you want, so I don't think you'll get stuck because it's too difficult.
The game progresses by entering towns and dungeons from the field map and clearing them through battles.

There may be long event scenes in the middle where you simply read text.
However, the story progresses in small, divided chapters, which gives it a good pace.
The dungeons are filled with various puzzles and gimmicks, designed to keep players engaged and entertained.

The combat and growth systems employ a somewhat unique approach, which I will explain in a later section.

The synopsis is as follows:
The story is set in a world where humans and witches are at war, and the witch Tres is the protagonist.
Because Tres also sells medicines and other items to humans, she is considered an oddball in the world of witches.
Amidst all this, the story begins when she receives a summons from Bulharista, the top figure in the witch world.
The playable character often changes along the way, and the various connections between the characters are one of the highlights of the game.

A distinctive system

This game employs several distinctive systems.
This design incorporates features to keep players engaged and prevent them from getting bored.

ICS system

This system allows you to customize your characters using ICS points (shared within the party), which can be obtained through battles and treasure chests.
There are three main ways to use your points.

The first is skill acquisition.
The primary use of points is to teach characters skills.
Since skills have various effects, deciding which ones to teach your character is a difficult decision.

The second use is to obtain a card.
The protagonist, Tres, has a combat command called "Curse Talisman".
This involves drawing five cards randomly from your hand, then drawing another set of cards of your choice, and trying to make a hand similar to poker.
Depending on the role you play, you can either inflict damage on enemies or heal your allies.
You can obtain cards to use with this talisman.
If you don't have a sufficient number of cards, you'll mostly draw blank cards, making it difficult to form a winning hand.
Since the initial results aren't very reliable, I think it's fine to prioritize this area low.

The third use is to acquire irregularities.
Irregularities are things that help generate progression in the Progression Battle (described later).
Each time it's your turn to act, the Irregulars you possess will be randomly presented to you.
Generating many progressions leads to an increase in the number of actions you can take and an increase in damage dealt to enemies, and if you can chain together up to the maximum of five, you will also receive an experience point bonus.
Acquiring irregular items that are easy to meet the conditions for early on is a shortcut to making battles easier.

Progression Battle

Now, I would say that the Progression Battle is the most common combat method in this work.
In Progression Battles, a percentage is displayed when you choose an action, and you can take another action that many times according to that probability.

For example, if you select "Fire Dance" in the image, you will see a 65% display on the right side of the screen.
This means that if you perform this action, there is a 65% chance that a progression will occur.

If you have acquired an Irregularity, the probability of taking the suggested action when it's your turn is increased accordingly.
Progressions can be linked up to five times, and the more they are linked, the greater the effect of the action.
However, if the same character acts repeatedly or attempts to perform the same action, the progression rate will decrease.
It's important to have as many different characters as possible perform different actions to connect the progression.
Furthermore, when the progression reaches its maximum, there is a bonus where the experience points and money gained from that battle are tripled, so it's something you should actively aim for.

Simulation Battle

Depending on the story's progression, there are also simulation battles.
It's a system where you move your allies like pieces on a board, attacking enemies, similar to a simulation RPG.
There is an action value called AP, which is consumed when you move or attack.
The system is similar to Square's SRPG "Front Mission."
Once everyone has taken their action and ended their turn, it becomes the enemy's turn.
This is a part that requires strategic thinking, as it can be made easier to clear depending on your tactics and strategies.

Action Battle

There are also parts that resemble action games, where the player controls a character to progress through the game.
The system is similar to Secret of Mana.
You'll use three types of attacks: wide-range slashes, narrow-range but powerful thrusts, and ranged attacks with a knife, although its ammunition is limited.
Your character's stats consist of HP and stamina, and your stamina decreases each time you attack.
Since your attack power is halved when your health reaches zero, it's not a good idea to keep attacking blindly.
Regarding attacks, since the gauge resets to zero after each attack, it's difficult to inflict significant damage unless you wait until the gauge has filled up to a certain extent before attacking.

Several ways to help players who are not good at action sequences can complete the game.
For example, before attempting a challenge, you can set which healing items to bring with you, so bringing more items will lower the difficulty.
However, this will result in a lower score upon completion, but that's unavoidable.

Dungeon skip function

In this game, the dungeons are quite large, and many of the puzzles and traps are complex.
To help those who get discouraged and give up, there's a feature that allows you to skip dungeons.
I think this is a helpful system for people who are stuck and can't progress, or for those who just want to follow the story.

Review (contains spoilers)

It took a very long time.
However, the story was meticulously crafted right from the beginning, and as a result, I was completely drawn into it.
While I found the combat and dungeons somewhat challenging, the compelling story kept me hooked and motivated me to continue playing.
The inclusion of simulation battles and action battles at regular intervals was a nice touch, as it provided a refreshing change of pace.

Regarding the story itself, I'm glad it ended with a glimmer of hope.
The beginning and middle of the story were mostly gloomy, damp, and dark, but the latter half gradually became more positive.
The story contains a lot of inner monologue from the characters, which may be contributing to its heavy atmosphere.
I felt that the way various relationships connected and how the plot points were resolved from the middle of the story onward was very brilliant.
Some people might find the conversation difficult to understand or that it uses too many roundabout expressions.
I certainly felt that way too, but I think it's something that depends on the person.
Sometimes, even when different characters were conversing, it felt like the creators were forcing them to express the same opinion (for example, one character would use a sophisticated analogy, and the other character would immediately understand it and respond accordingly).

I feel the game's difficulty level is a bit on the high side.
You'll struggle unless you make full use of the game's unique progression system.
However, since there are many ways to help you, I don't think you'll get stuck because it's too difficult.
If the Progression Battle is too difficult, you can just switch to VERY EASY and follow the story.
The dungeon puzzles were quite difficult, but there's a dungeon skip function, so I think it's within acceptable limits.
In the dungeon, enemies respawn after you move to a different area, so getting lost inevitably leads to a lot of battles, which was a bit stressful.
The fact that it's easy to escape is a saving grace.

Below, I will write my impressions of each character.
The order is arbitrary.

・Trace
My first impression of her was that she was a melancholic and always irritable woman.
Despite being harsh towards Houki, he was very kind to Karasu and Leena, and I thought his favoritism was terrible.
He was dependent on Leeds, which gave off a somewhat pathological impression, and that's where Tejiphone took advantage of him.
However, once the purpose of this journey became clear—revenge against Seis—the story picked up pace, which I enjoyed.
Ultimately, things calmed down to the point where Seis even said "thank you," which left me with a positive impression.

・Broom
At first, he gave the impression of being a rebellious child, but gradually he became an unwavering partner who worried about Tres more than anyone else.
During that period, Torres was consumed by revenge, so it was touching to see him remain unrewarded.
I think he was a good partner.

Crow
At first, I thought he was a very polite guy, but it gradually became clear that he was a dangerous type.
The creepiness started to become apparent early on, around the time he peeked at them bathing.
I think it remained an unsettling presence right up until the very end, keeping players feeling uneasy.
Even among the many characters in this work who speak in a roundabout way, this character is the most roundabout of them all.
In battle, he was a reliable attacker.

・Leuven
He gives the impression of being a highly capable individual with strong leadership and judgment skills, as well as high combat ability.
He was a person who certainly deserved to be called a hero.
Personally, I see him as a very human, classic hero.
In simulation battles, he was an indispensable presence as the ace.

Franz
While there are similarities between his role and that of Leuven, Franz is more prone to emotional outbursts, which allows for a portrayal of his immaturity and naivety.
I think that left room for depicting their growth.
I'm glad I had people like Leuven and Albert around me who guided me correctly.

Albert
He performed quite well in the knife throwing section of the simulation.
It's a relationship that's like a counterpart to Albert's.
I was worried that I might overhear Yifa and the pigeon's conversation and be taken advantage of because of jealousy, but thankfully that didn't happen.

・Seis
At first, I didn't know what kind of role I would be playing, but it turned out to be a hero-like position.
His inner thoughts are often depicted to the point of being almost like a trace, and I think he is undoubtedly one of the main characters.
Although he adopts the taciturn, swordsman-like tone of a character midway through, his true personality occasionally slips through, giving him a sense of vulnerability.
Finally, after defeating the crow with his wooden sword, when Tres said "thank you," I felt like he was finally saved.

・Pigeon/Jif
Jiff's character portrait doesn't appear until quite late in the game, but he was younger than I expected.
The relationship between Seis and me is gradually becoming closer, which is nice.
Since he said he had seen the world destroyed many times, does that mean that after several repetitions, the world has finally arrived at the present state?

Eefa
This person has connections to various factions, including Ziff, Albert, Torres, Tesiphone, and Connolly.
Does this mean they were selling bombs and weapons that they had pulled out of the wasteland and collected?
I still don't quite understand why Tejiphone bought the bomb.

・Bulhalista
He was consistently the strongest and most formidable antagonist from the very beginning.
The enemy possessed undeniable strength and brutality, making the feeling of defeat all the more rewarding.
The only real difference between him and Frieza from Dragon Ball is his appearance, I suppose.
Their speaking styles and personalities are that similar.

Magenta
He was a dark horse who seemed stronger than Bullhalista, but in the end he was just a punching bag all along, a sad character.
It's understandable that Seis felt sorry for him.
However, since most of the events in this story wouldn't have happened without her, there's no doubt that she was a major culprit.
She was less of an ice witch and more of a verbal witch, with a wide range of words coming out of her mouth.

・ Marmeladwa
She's a more level-headed (or perhaps more calm?) woman than Ivan.
Once he formed an alliance with Seis, he became a strangely likable character.
However, it was brutally killed by a crow in the end, and I felt sorry for it.

·crow
He's the clownish character of this film, consistently engaging in irritating words and actions from beginning to end.
He was an infuriating presence, but in the sense that he did whatever he wanted until the very end, he might be considered a true winner.
It was unclear whether the person speaking was the same person each time, or if it was a different person each time, making them somewhat unsettling.

・Reeds/Kiki
If you were to draw a character relationship chart for the story, I think this character should probably be placed at the center.
She has many connections, and the impression you get from her is completely different from the beginning to the end.
Since Kiki's appearance, she has risen to become an even more central figure, as she is the only one who can stand up to Bullharista.
I quite like characters like Kiki who possess both humanity and ruthlessness.

Connolly
They deserve immense praise just for strengthening the equipment in the simulation battles.
After Kiki is gone, will he ever fall in love with someone else again?
It doesn't seem like her feelings for Seis are romantic.
This character might be the one who uses the most sexual words in this work.

·hash
Since he appeared in a white outfit, to be honest, I only have the impression that he's a good person.
Considering what Ophelia had done in the past, it was certainly not good, but perhaps she was able to atone for it.
I couldn't help but shed tears at the very end.

・Kral
Due to a strange complicity with Hash, we stayed together until the very end.
I was very surprised when their true identities were revealed, as I hadn't expected it.

Strategy Notes (Contains Spoilers)

Basic combat strategy

The basic principle of a progression battle is to generate as much progression as possible.
If you end a battle with MAX progression occurring, your experience points will be tripled.
Therefore, the important thing is to make acquiring irregularities that are likely to cause progression your primary goal.

To keep the progression going, you must not defeat any enemies along the way.
Since defeating an enemy will end the progression, try to spread your attacks across multiple targets.
However, if you acquire the "Defeat an Enemy" irregularity, a 100% progression will occur, so the trick is to keep one enemy that can be defeated in one hit and chain together attacks.
Also, be aware that if the same character performs actions consecutively or repeats the same actions, the progression rate will decrease.
Useful irregularities include normal attacks > using magic/special abilities > defending = waiting = taking a defensive stance.
Ideally, you'd want to achieve 80% in this area as early as possible.

The rate at which magic and special abilities progress varies depending on the type.
For Tres, resistance-type skills have a high progression rate, so it's a good idea to acquire them as transitional skills.
A broom is useful as a bridge between paralysis.

Ultimately, wouldn't the strongest strategy be to chain together as many Progressions as possible and then attack with the Broom Reconquista?
Reconquista deals damage to a random target 5 to 8 times.
If there is only one enemy, it is possible to inflict a massive amount of damage.

In this game, you can adjust the difficulty of battles, so if you get stuck, I think it's faster to simply lower the difficulty to EASY or VERY EASY.

The following is a walkthrough of each chapter.
Please understand that these are just rough notes of things that caught my attention.

Chapter 1: Witch Trace

Northern Swamp
If Tres, who has high attack power, uses a normal attack, it's generally fine.
We don't need to think too deeply about combat yet; we can manage somehow.

Chapter 2: Broom

・Bulhalista Cave
The early-game dungeons have surprisingly complex structures, and the enemies are stronger, making the difficulty level increase dramatically.
Teach Broom the special skill "First Aid" to ensure you have a means of healing.
During battle, actively aiming for progression by having Houki heal after Tres's attacks will improve damage efficiency.
Just one level increase makes battles considerably easier.

Once you light fires on all the walls, you'll be able to cross the bridge.

Chapter 3: Crows

Crow Forest
Tres's equipment, the Stiletto, can be obtained from a treasure chest, so you don't need to buy it in town.
As the number of enemies increases, having area-of-effect magic like Tress's Fire Dance will make things much easier.
However, since Tres's MP isn't very high, I think his main attack strategy will be his normal attacks.
Therefore, it is effective to advance the irregularity of normal attacks.

The three boss crows have high attack power and cause progression, so it's important to heal quickly.
The third member, the crow, has high attack power, so I want to use him as an attacker.

The next boss, Flutage, won't be scary if you fight him as advised.
Prioritize having the party members attack in the opposite direction from the boss they are facing.
If a progression occurs, you can have the members behind continue attacking.
If you've been targeted, have that member take action and "defend" against you.
While defending makes progression less likely, not defending will result in taking massive damage, so prioritize defense.

Chapter 4: The Call of the Inferno

Tower of Condemnation and Rebirth
In the hall filled with stone statues, there is a sign that reads, "Find the deviation."
If you look closely, you'll notice that among the many stone statues, there's one that's holding a weapon in its other hand.
If you carry it to the designated floor, the path will open up.

The three brooms are troublesome because of their halation effect, which reduces everyone's HP to 1.
Having Broom acquire the ability to heal everyone will give you some peace of mind.

In the battle against Rota on the top floor, you will struggle unless you make the most of the progression.
Their HP isn't very high, so we'll aim for a quick battle and reduce the number of enemies.
If you can defeat each of the companions in one or two turns, the last one to be defeated is Rota.
Rota uses powerful magic attacks, so heal yourself quickly if you take damage.
If they use moves like Twister, you'll need to heal the entire party as well.
If you have the chance, aim for MAX Progression.
The experience point bonus from boss battles is really nice.

Chapter 5: Experimental Report

Here is a report on a creepy rat experiment.
The meaning will become clear as the story progresses.

Chapter 6: Crossing the Mountains

- The remote village of Mist
You can purchase the latest equipment from a traveling merchant located south of Torres's house.
Let's get our equipment ready.
In the village of Mist, you can get hints on how to get over Mount Lamentation (it's a good idea to follow the red plants).

- Mount of Lamentation (first half)
There are no complex gimmicks.
After examining the two rocks at the very back, you will be sent back to Mist Village.
After obtaining gunpowder from the shop in Mist Village, you can destroy the rocks by examining them again.

Chapter 7 Hospital City

- Mount of Lamentation (second half)
The cave's structure was complex, and it was incredibly difficult to navigate.
The layout wasn't just flat, but also layered, and there were many similar landscapes, so I ended up wandering around for quite a long time.
Thanks to that, I was able to gain a lot of experience points and other things.

- Royal capital Enferma
After visiting the locked house in the upper left corner of the western district of the castle town, I spoke to the man standing on the hill in the eastern district, and then returned to the central district to advance the event.
There may be other procedures.
After that, the event will progress, and then let's go to the inn.

Chapter 8: Words in the Darkness

Fighting thugs isn't that difficult, except you can't use your special abilities.

・Underground space
This dungeon is full of puzzles and mini-games involving moving walls.
By completing each of them, you will obtain a total of five research lab keys.
You can proceed without collecting it, as it will be used in a later chapter (Chapter 36).

The three Verdes that appear when you hit the floor will revive if you don't defeat them all at once, so be careful.
Area-of-effect magic attacks are practically essential.

The clues to solving the mystery are as follows:
I've added my own annotations to any parts that might be misunderstood.
For those who don't understand or don't want to think about it, I've written the answer below the memo.
Beware of spoilers.

Chapter 9: Cold Rain and Cold Reality

・Common cemetery
There's only one enemy, Silvestre, but there are various types of them.
The troublesome ones are the ones that use poison.
When poisoned, you will take poison damage every time a progression occurs, so be sure to have a way to cure the status ailment.

Chapter 10 Judgment

The film only depicts the trial of the painter "J".
This scene is only from the event.

Chapter 11 It's not a dream, is it?

The playable character changes, as if a new chapter is beginning.
The battle format will also change, so forget about the battles you've fought so far and get used to the new combat system.
As explained, you should avoid ending your turn while still adjacent to an enemy unit.
It's important to always leave enough AP to create distance and end your turn by moving away.

Chapter 12 Goodbye

With the playable character reverting to Trace, combat returns to normal.
It's a good idea to save your game frequently whenever you come across a save point.
You might find yourself in combat at an unexpected moment.
The battle against Arve will be the first time in a while that we'll be fighting as a trio.
It's quite tough, but that makes it easier to aim for the bonus.

- Cave on a sheer cliff
This map involves using breathing grass to dive underwater.
Perhaps because of the time limit, the dungeon isn't particularly complex.
Along the way, if you examine the small, bubble-like things that are slightly erupting from the ground, the obstacles will move, allowing you to proceed.
They are small and easy to miss, so be careful.
If you're not confident about the time, I think it's okay to run away from the battle.
However, there are battles you cannot escape.

Chapter 13: An Unprecedented Sense of Happiness in Life

Like Robita from Phoenix, the brooms begin to rebel and develop their own will.

- The Devil's House (Mansion on a Deserted Island)
The word you need to enter in the area immediately to the right of the entrance can be found on the bookshelves inside the mansion.
In other words, "TIME LOGIC" and "EGG HEART".
After entering the information, you will receive the Owl Key.

You can obtain firewood in the basement at the back of the area immediately to the left of the entrance.
This firewood is used in the fireplace in the room you enter using the Owl Key, located in the passage to the right of the save point.
You'll use the fireplace later to burn the "cursed document" that you acquire.

Also, in the area where the four flowers in the foreground are displayed, place the flowers you obtained in another location (the left corridor past the save point, through the rightmost door).
You can obtain the goat key.

In the areas on the left and right where the save points are located, switch the five levers symmetrically on the left and right.
I think any shape is fine as long as it's symmetrical.
You will obtain the Wolf Key if you answer correctly.

Take an empty glass, pour wine into it in the basement, and place it back in the original room. After the battle, you will receive the Snake Key.
The iron gate leading to the basement is released with a lever.
After reading the book in the room accessed with the snake key, you can proceed by entering the save point.

Collect four Moon Fragments and open the treasure chest to obtain "Lily's Card," which can be used with the cursed talisman.
If you have fewer than four items, your rank will decrease accordingly.

The ultimate goal is to "burn the cursed document."
Once you achieve this, you will be able to proceed from above the save point at the very back of the central area.

Chapter 14: When World History Ends

This chapter could be considered a climax.
After going through the hidden passage in the devil's house, you'll exit through the right-hand exit by pulling the lever.

- Fortified City of Rebellion
Talking to the woman who is passed out drunk in the bar will advance the event.
After the event, you will be faced with two mandatory battles against Rota and his group in quick succession, so be careful.
A save point will appear after that.
The event progresses as you explore the left and right areas of the town and return to the center.

Chapter 15: The Jealousy of Twelve People

This chapter is a continuation of Chapter 10 and consists solely of events.
J probably refers to the painter Ziff White.

Chapter 16: In a Cracked World

- A nameless abandoned village
You can shop inside the building.
Make sure you have the best equipment available.
However, the crow's "Gae Bulg" can be obtained from a treasure chest on the muddy path.

Muddy road
The cave has a mechanism that activates when you enter through a different entrance.
Explore every corner of the eastern part of the map.
The enemies are tougher, and you'll encounter more and more formidable opponents.
There are areas where you cannot perform normal attacks or magic attacks.

Chapter 17: Deep in the Forest - The Gap Between Worlds

The connections between people are revealed one after another, and the story becomes increasingly interesting.
The story has entered a new phase, and I'm curious to see what will happen next.

・Cursed Sea
The map is dark and hard to see, but you can progress by following the skeletons.

Chapter 18: Transformation

- Cursed Sea (Miasma Area)
It's dark and hard to see, and it also drains your HP and MP at regular intervals.
Ultimately, you'll end up at the top of the map, but you'll be led in a winding, varied path.
If there doesn't seem to be a way forward, go back a little and carefully search for a way out.
I spent quite a bit of time here.
After encountering the boss blocking the way to the save point, if you return to the dead end, you will fight Absard.
After fighting in two such locations, I proceeded to the save point again and encountered three Absards in battle.

Chapter 19: The Land of Silence and Silence

- The ancient city of Batajar
Entering the tavern will trigger an event.

Sangre Plains
In the battle against Mataron and the two broom users, the glare from the glare is dangerous.
It is necessary to have a system in place to quickly recover after use.
After that, there will be a series of matches, which will be the first time in a while.
Aim for MAX progression and earn a good income.

Ivan and Marmeladova are formidable opponents.
Before they launch a coordinated attack, you'll need to solidify your defenses by guarding properly.

Misanttropia
There will be a battle once you enter the store.
The event will follow.

- Magic Ice Cave
This is a cave where you have to warm yourself by a campfire to prevent your body temperature from dropping as you make your way through.
Since it doesn't decrease during combat, it's easier than being underwater.
There are three fire crystals, and they're in fairly easy-to-find locations, so it's not difficult.
If you clear the game without your body temperature ever dropping below 32.0 degrees Celsius, you will receive Eckhart's card at the save point.

The boss crab primarily uses single-target attacks, but be careful as it has extremely high attack and defense power.

- The Nightmare Village of Duda
Event only.

Chapter 20: The Nonsense of Twelve

This chapter is a continuation of Chapter 15 and consists solely of events.
This can be inferred to be the meeting of Franz and Albert.

Chapter 21: And to the Farthest Reaches

The playable character changes to Luven, and the game becomes a simulation battle.
I found that equipping gear that prioritizes AP made battles much easier.
The enemy at the very back uses area-of-effect magic, so try to keep your allies away from it.

In the village battle, split into two groups and focus your attacks on one enemy per turn to defeat them.
The approaching enemy doesn't have much AP, so instead of approaching them, let's wait while preparing.

When fighting on the battlefield, try to avoid fighting in narrow passages and engage in battles with two or more people.
The battlefield on the far right, where only Hash and Kral are present, can be managed if you increase your defenses and Hash can withstand a frontal attack.
The right to heal up to three times might be better used to heal your own units rather than NPC soldiers.

Chapter 22 The Punishment Received: The Sin of Birth

This section will discuss "Seis Conrad," a character who was only mentioned by name and never spoken of.
This work often recounts motifs from famous tragedies, and in Seis's case, the influence of works such as Romeo and Juliet and Crime and Punishment could be felt.

- The trash can of absurdity
It's a strange village with an uncomfortable atmosphere.
There are many similar landscapes, so be careful not to get lost.

- The graveyard of buried stones
This is an action RPG where you control Seis.
The feeling I got was reminiscent of Secret of Mana 2 on the Super Famicom (I've only ever played Secret of Mana 2).
You don't need to bring any items or knives beforehand, as you can find plenty of them to pick up, so you don't need to worry too much.
If it's too difficult, you can always try again.

Slashing attacks have a wide range but deal relatively little damage, while thrusting attacks deal high damage but have a narrower range.
I feel that slashing attacks are better in open spaces, while thrusting attacks are better in confined spaces.

The log, an important item, is used to cross the river near the entrance.
The flame is used for the extinguished candle on the wall.
If you drop all the stone statues into the holes, they will become enemies that can be defeated on the floor below.
Once you defeat all of them, the statue in the treasure room will disappear, and you'll be able to enter.
There are various tasks involved, but if you find them troublesome, you can use the dungeon skip function.
There are many bosses, but if you fight carefully, you shouldn't have too much trouble.
It was my first attempt, but by carefully employing hit-and-run tactics, I was able to handle the combat.
I was able to obtain topaz at rank A.

Chapter 23 Coffee beans

Dead bean field
Similar-looking landscapes often belong to different areas, so you have to be careful not to get lost.
Many enemies appear that are difficult to hit, including purple enemies that jump around.
It's important to focus on slashing attacks rather than thrusts, and to ignore the enemy and move on once you've staggered them.
It was quite difficult.
I obtained "Dimension" by clearing the stage with a rank of C.

Chapter 24: Eyes That Are Too Transparent

The story offers fragmented glimpses into Magenta's past, and possibly Torres's past as well.
This walking graphic with a smile is somehow cute.

The Gate of the Unknowable and Poetry
My weapons have been upgraded, but the enemies have also become stronger, so relatively speaking, I'm still struggling about as much as before.
This dungeon is longer and more complex than any we've seen before.
Just when you think you've finally made it to the end, you're sent back to the starting point, so it's quite a challenging dungeon.
There are many situations where a large number of enemies appear, so it's best to bring plenty of items to avoid taking unnecessary risks.
I felt that this dungeon itself would be difficult to clear for people who aren't good at action games, so if it's really tough, you might want to use the dungeon skip function.

The boss can be destroyed by continuously attacking the stone statue below it, and once that is destroyed, it will become vulnerable to damage.
I obtained a safety ring at rank B.

Chapter 25 The End of the Beginning, The Beginning of the End

Between clarity and discontinuity
It's a linear dungeon with no puzzles to solve.
The game is primarily combat-based, and the dungeons aren't particularly long.
The flying bats can inflict status ailments like confusion, so it might be a good idea to bring some items to counter status effects.
Other muddy enemies are tough, but their linear movements make them easier to fight.
You can obtain amethyst at rank A.

Chapter 26: Blood That Does Not Flow

The story then includes flashbacks about Tres's past, which hasn't been discussed much before.
Reese's adoptive parents might be the parents of the witch who didn't take in Torres.
Furthermore, the crow might also be Ivan and Marmeladova's child.

- The trash can of absurdity
It's pretty much a straight road, so you shouldn't get lost.
A battle against Seis and his group awaits you further inside.
Since it has high HP, a long battle is inevitable.

Chapter 27 Experimental Report

The phrase, "They are given a large amount of food at a set time," sticks in my mind.

Chapter 28: Into the Misty Valley

The bonus items you obtained in Seis's story can be acquired at the beginning of this chapter.

We'll head north, through the "town," and make our way towards the misty valley.
You can buy items from slimes in a house in an unnamed, abandoned village located along a side road.

• Valley of Mist
At the very back, you will fight Ivan and Marmeladova.

Chapter 29: Life Flashing Before Your Eyes and Ghosts; Eternity and Duty (Punishment)

・"City"”
The map has a similar feel to Benedicta Tears from "Seraphic Blue" or Chronopolis from "Chrono Cross."
You need to remember the connections between the doors as you proceed.
Pushing the protrusion on the wall reveals a door, beyond which you'll find a place to place four fragments of memory.

After the event with the pigeons at the very back, you face a boss battle against the blind maids.
If you're not careful, they'll come crashing down on you with attacks like a half-sword that halves your HP followed by a fruit knife.
Attacks from opponents who have chained together a series of progressions are particularly powerful and dangerous.
Make sure you have solid countermeasures against physical attacks.

Chapter 30: Feeling from afar

The story of Leuven's past is told.
I believe Hash and Kral were scientists who were researching the disease that afflicted Enferma.
They probably conducted the experiments using mice.

- Headquarters of the religious organization
You can obtain the key by defeating the enemy that appears in the leftmost of the four doors lined up immediately upon entering.
Use that key to open the door in the second room from the left and proceed.

The clock room will be open from 1 to 12 o'clock.
In each timed section, you clear the stage by reaching the magic circle at the very back.
It's a pretty simple mechanism.

The mystery of 9 o'clock is that the order from top right to bottom left is spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
Note that all the stone statues must be facing the center.

There are quite a few traumatic scenes, such as the scene where Tres says, "Ah, ah...!"
Magenta is tough with high defense and HP, so actively generate progression to aim for damage bonuses.
Even if you defeat them in battle, they are often portrayed as being overwhelmed in the story, and this is one such example.

Chapter 31: A Bouquet for You

·"forest"”
The message on the sign reads as follows:

If you examine the stone statues in the order they appear in the text, the spikes on the floor will disappear, and you will be able to proceed.
The option to press the switch will only appear when you examine the next statue you need to investigate.
Therefore, there's no need to start over even if you're unsure of the order.
You can eventually complete the game just by walking around and examining the four statues.

Chapter 32: The Power of Words - A Girl Who Scribbles Her Thoughts

Event only.
We learn fragments about Leeds's past.

Chapter 33 Like Twin Trees

The past of Eefa and Connolly is revealed.
The scene then shifts to Tres and his group.

- The ancient city of Batajar
It may look like a cluttered map, but in reality, it's mostly a linear path with obstacles and such.
A battle with Kiki awaits you at the very end.

Chapter 34: The Battle of Rebellion

- Fortified City of Rebellion
Talk to everyone in the castle.
This is a climax in the story, as various misunderstandings from the past are resolved.
Finally, I return to my room, talk to Kiki, and look for Reuven.

After that, a battle takes place in the city.
Be careful, as there are instances where you take damage and a battle begins if you try to search inside the house.
Since many enemies use the instant-death spell Undead, equipping accessories that prevent instant death will reduce the chances of accidental death.
The second half brings a series of battles, culminating in the silent appearance of Rota's broom.
The fact that there's no formal speech makes it even more understated and cool.

After defeating Rota, the game switches to Reuven, and the simulation part begins.
As Leuven advised, there is no need to attack anyone other than Anra and Mainyu.
However, unless you separate the minions from the boss, you won't be able to withstand the fierce attacks.
First, try to gather as many enemies as possible in the bottom right or bottom left corner of the screen.
Then, one or two members take on the role of luring the enemy's minions, while the other members focus their attacks on one of the bosses at a time.
Once you've defeated one, regroup and then concentrate your attacks on the other.
In this situation, even if there are minions nearby, you should be able to overwhelm them and defeat the boss.
All members were equipped with a balanced set of Enhance Sword, Saint Armor, and Brave Ring.
Initially, the decoy role focused on defense and the attackers focused on offense, but the attackers also took a lot of damage, so I realized that everyone needed a certain level of defensive capability.

Chapter 35: A Blue Mental Landscape

The story of the crow's past is told in detail at the beginning.

・Cursed Sea
In the area called "Go Against the Flow of Time," if you move in a counter-clockwise direction, drawing a circle (or square) starting from midnight, a boss will appear and stairs will emerge.
The boss Flutage R, like the non-R type that appeared early in the game, cannot be damaged much unless the members behind it attack.

You can proceed through the cave at the bottom of the stairs after obtaining the Water Boots.
By collapsing the walls in the cave, you can pass through areas where toxic gas is leaking from the ground above.
In the left area, although it's a little hard to see, there are stairs leading to the basement.
After obtaining the Water Boots, you'll be able to eliminate the toxic gas there as well, allowing you to pass through the area on the surface.

Further inside, after the boss battle, you can obtain a battle axe that can destroy obstacles.
After clearing the obstacles in the lower right area and proceeding further, you'll encounter a boss battle.
The boss, "him," primarily uses powerful physical attacks and is extremely tough.

Chapter 36: A Haunting Past - Melted Oil Painting

When you try to leave Rebellion, an event will progress and you will head to Enferma.

- Royal capital Enferma
You can explore the ship located to the left of the castle's main gate.
After obtaining the warehouse key on the ship, use it in the building outside the ship.
Obtain the neutralizing agent from the building outside.
After that, neutralize the toxic gas in the area to the right of the capital city and proceed further in.
After watching the event in the innermost area, we return to Rebellion.

- Underground of the Royal Capital Enferma
Once the events in Rebellion are over, you will head back to Enferma.
In the underground area, the playable character is replaced by a veil, and a simulation battle takes place.
It's not that difficult if you don't try to collect the treasure chests.
Since attack power isn't necessary, it's advantageous to equip gear that prioritizes AP and defense.

The operation then switches to tracing.
The key to the research lab that we obtained in Chapter 7 will finally come in handy.
Starting from the left room, you will obtain the following items: Alhambra Leaf, Divine Elixir, Aranjuez Seed, Eagle Feather (an accessory that greatly increases attack power), and Vishna Card.
If you go further in, the boss, Che, will appear.

After the event, the true identities of Hash and Kral will be revealed.
One fact was as expected, while the other was completely unexpected.
In the battle against Tejiphone, you cannot inflict damage by attacking from the front.
Attack with members other than those directly in front.

Chapter 37: The Power of Words - A Long-Awaited Reunion, Reviving Feelings

This chapter consists solely of interlude monologues.

Chapter 38: The Sister and the Lamb

• Large Cavity
The playable character will change to Seis.
It's a simple map, so it's not too difficult.
After exiting the dungeon, you will encounter wild dogs in battle.
Maintaining distance and focusing on slashing attacks will keep you safe.
Even the leaders won't have much trouble if you can figure out their movement patterns.

• Village of Ream
Event only.

Chapter 39: Despair Rather Than Hope

・ Mt. Seirei
In the ice area, the frozen status effect is troublesome, so proceed while avoiding contact with enemies.
If you get entangled with multiple enemies, you risk being frozen repeatedly and taking continuous damage.
If you have plenty of knives, it might be better to fight primarily with them.

The area with flames isn't too difficult, as long as you're careful of the white floor.
The flames the boss emits will disappear if you run away for a certain amount of time.

The dirt area contains four puzzles packed into a single map.
The goddess statues ignite when the two statues are placed facing each other.
To arrange the two animal statues, simply place them facing each other and then put a diamond in the center.
Also, defeat all the tough knights that appear from the magic circle.

Finally, if you examine this wall, a switch will appear, allowing you to proceed.
The boss isn't that strong, but the wall keeps closing in and there's a time limit.
As the area narrows, the enemies' range of movement decreases, so use thrusts to defeat them in the later stages.

In the windy areas, you can move forward by placing tiles as stoppers where the wind threatens to blow you away.
If you think about where to stop to move forward while you're carrying it, it's not that difficult.
The boss maintains a position that's neither too close nor too far, making it difficult to attack. Fighting near corners or edges will make the fight a little easier.

You can obtain Pastelion (Tres's weapon) by clearing the stage with a rank of A.
Pastelion can also be obtained from treasure chests later on.

Chapter 40: The Hideaway Diary

• Village of Ream
You will be helping villagers in three different buildings.
Position yourself as far to the side as possible and try to intercept the enemy without being surrounded.

・Forest of White Bones
This is a challenging mission where you must eliminate all enemies in the area within the time limit.
At the point where you have to move rocks, it becomes a little easier if you use the rocks to make it difficult for the enemies to move.
In the next area, where ghosts appear when you approach the skeletons, fight while staying away from the bones.
If you don't get close, the ghost won't appear, so you can fight calmly.

Chapter 41: The Girl with the Magic Lantern

Despite everything, Marmeladwa always listens to what I say, which makes her seem like a tsundere character.

・Sky Corridor
If you're not aiming to obtain the fragments of the life flashing before your eyes, this dungeon isn't that difficult.
I found the dark areas quite challenging.
Touching the red ball results in instant death, so frequent saving is essential.
Having an automatic resurrection item provides a little peace of mind.

After that, there will be a long event.
The title "World Peace & Peace" is also addressed.

Chapter 42: The Power of Words - Suddenly Remembering the Past

This is probably a flashback to Gretel's future.
This suggests that Seis's actions will continue for many years to come.

Chapter 43 Reunion

We'll head west through the swamps of Rebellion, across a narrow bridge in a remote area, and towards the forest cabin.
In simulation battles, enemy magic attacks are fierce, so equip yourself with gear that prioritizes magic defense.
Kiki's healing skill, "Saint Curtain," is useful, but note that it doesn't heal Kiki herself.

・Dimensional space
First, we'll start by sealing the crystal stone.
The map is dark and hard to see, but let's proceed while carefully observing it.
Each of them is protected by their boss.
The boss, Cloud of Darkness (likely written in half-width characters due to character limit), has its attack methods, which correspond to the sealed crystal stones, sealed.
When your opponent tries to use an attack method that is sealed, they waste a turn, giving you a significant advantage in battle.

Chapter 44: A Warm Embrace, a Cold Kiss

“We pass through the "town" and an unnamed abandoned village, heading towards the port.

- Forbidden Land
This is the action part in Seis.
Going off the path results in an instant game over, so careful control is required.
Fortunately, the enemies only have simple movements, so let's proceed while keeping our path clear and avoiding contact.
If you come into contact with an enemy, you'll be knocked back and fall immediately.
Other than that, there's nothing particularly difficult.

- Crystal Tower
There are no difficult traps, and I think you'll be able to reach the save point smoothly.
There are many useful pieces of equipment in the treasure chests along the way, so be sure to collect them all.

The match against Bullhalista is a back-to-back game.
After defeating the first form, you will face a gigantic second form in a consecutive battle.

Chapter 45: Countdown

We'll head through the western wetlands towards the forest cabin and then towards the grassland.
Once you enter the grassland, head west, then north, and you'll come out near the village of Mist.
If you stop by Leeds' shop in the village of Mist, you can see a small event.
Similarly, an event will also occur at Tres's house.

Tower of Condemnation and Rebirth
Since I've already cleared this map, I don't need to solve any puzzles or anything like that.
You might want to use the dungeon skip function.
On the rooftop, you'll face off against Rota's broom.
It has high defense and high HP.
Catastrophe will reduce your MP to zero, so use Kiki's support or items to restore it.

Chapter 46 I'm so glad I met you

・Mirage City
The initial goal is to collect seeds scattered throughout the town, plant them in orchards, and then collect key items obtained from them.
As you can tell from the town names, there are also maps that pay homage to Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI.
In FF6, you can find Mogtan's Amulet in the place where Celes was held captive (but you cannot obtain it).
This is a clever little detail that will make anyone familiar with well-known glitches smirk.

(Places where Omega might appear)

Each time you advance to a deeper area, you can connect the orchard to a warp point, so it shouldn't be too much trouble to return.
No matter what order you proceed in, it will ultimately converge on placing the black picture book.
If you go outside with the black picture book open, it will lead you to the space ahead.

Chapter 47: The Power of Words - With Gratitude on a Breezy Morning

Text only.

Final Chapter: Holding Hands

The simulation battle will begin.
Since we are surrounded, let's concentrate our forces on one side and fight.
Metal Hitman is always (mostly?) in a guard state, so use Connolly's psychic waves to break his guard before attacking.
Time Logic and Egg Heart's support is troublesome, but you probably can't damage either of them until you've defeated the other enemies.
Let's leave those for later and focus our attacks on the surrounding enemies, taking them down one by one.
Kiki will stay near the center of the party so that she can heal everyone with Saint Curtain.
Since Albert and Hato can attack from a distance, I'll position myself a little further back to provide support.
Eggheart's Resurrectia has considerable healing power, so be careful, as you might not be able to clear the stage unless you have a member with a decent amount of attack power remaining.

The next action sequence for Seis consists of simply repeatedly thrusting.
Once you've filled up about three gauge bars, it's okay to attack.
You don't need to fill it up to the maximum.

After that, you will fight Placiada in a Progression Battle.

·"castle"”
As expected of the final dungeon, the map is large and there are various traps and mechanisms.
The passage at the back doesn't connect to the passage at the front, and it's more like a branching network, so it might still be relatively easy to explore.
For now, it's important to visit all the accessible locations in order and make sure you don't forget where the mechanisms were unlocked.
Here are a few things I noticed while playing through the game.

You can obtain a rope in the back of the lower left area.
You can find a total of six of them in various locations, but you should find them naturally if you search thoroughly.
I think we can move forward if we have at least three.

There's a room where you have to press a switch at the right time to stop the moving floor.
After creating a pathway, you can pull the lever to drain the water from the waterway area.
After you've pulled the waterway, you can find items like Loewe's Key.

In the next room, accessed using Loewe's key, you'll have to manipulate a fiery floor while avoiding snakes.
I didn't quite understand the mechanics, but I managed to clear it by just randomly manipulating the controls and moving clockwise around the room.
Finally, perform a few operations in the bottom right corner to remove the barrier on the stairs.
In the subsequent battle against Garm, normal attacks are not an option.

After obtaining the Löwe key, operate the lever again to fill the waterway with water once more.
I felt that it's easy to overlook the fact that you have to reset the mechanism once you've activated it.
In another location, you'll encounter a place you can't proceed to unless the water level is high.
After that, you'll face the boss, Rizopas, at the end of the series of battles.

Once you defeat a total of three bosses, you will be able to proceed to the deepest part of the dungeon.

Last floor
The final save point is located at the end of the straight path.
After the event, there will be a simulation battle.

Since you're being attacked from both above and below, first concentrate your forces on one side and take them down.
The group below can be wiped out in one fell swoop by repeatedly using Prominence from the pigeon's initial position, so it's recommended to take them down from below.
In that case, it will be more effective to use magic after strengthening your mental power with Iifa.

The three dragons shown above are quite powerful.
I don't really want to deal with them both at the same time, but it's also difficult to separate them.
It's best to chip away at its health with Albert's knife throws, which are specialized for offense, and then surround and attack it when it charges towards you.
If they maintain a guard state, use Connolly to break their guard before engaging in combat.

Jörmungandr uses powerful magic over a wide area, but it's not scary if you keep everyone within Kiki's healing range during the fight.
However, Kiki herself cannot recover, so be careful of her remaining HP.
If one of the Jörmungandrs is defeated, the other will revive it with "Arise" on the next turn (with half its HP).
Therefore, you need to defeat both of them in the same turn, so reduce their HP to the absolute minimum before you can defeat them.
If you leave yourself with too little HP, the enemy will recover a small amount of HP with their guard, so it's best to leave yourself with around 300-400 HP.

After the battle, the game will transition directly into an action battle.
Destroying four crystals will allow you to damage the dragon.
The flames that crystals emit will disappear if you keep running away for a certain amount of time, but it's quite difficult to keep running away.
Be careful, as different flame colors can cause status ailments such as confusion, freezing, or being locked.
There is a time limit, but since you have plenty of items, it probably won't be too difficult to clear.

After an event, the battle against Magenta will begin.
Before the battle, you will set the support details for Kiki and Hato.
It is divided into the right hand, the left hand, and the main body.

After defeating the boss, you finally reach the ending.
The ending is also quite long.