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  1. - Top - End - #571
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Mokou and Keine are pretty awesome in this. I also really like Yukari and Ran so i vote for those as well.

  2. - Top - End - #572
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    This LP is delayed for a few days due to family holiday events and such. Also, gives more time to decide who to grind (and to do the grinding itself).

    I'll skip the grinding for the actual LP, and cut straight to Shinki when I return.

    (And then the bonus boss once I'm done with the main game.)
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo - Final Battle (Part 1)

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    Reimu: This is all that's left! You're going to pay in full for unlawfully occupying my house!

    Shinki: Ahh, so the barrier has fallen...You all certainly did well dealing with the others. So, do you remember me now, Reimu and Marisa?

    ......Hmph, who cares about that?

    Marisa: Uh, uhh...Ehehehe...Ah, no, gotta hold it together...I ain't gonna be fazed by the likes of you!

    I didn't do anything to you in the first place! Anyway, this time, I will be your opponent. Now come, visit my nostalgic world!

    BGM: Legendary Myth ~ Infinite Being ~ Sengoku Arr. ~

    Shinki raised her hand, and a large distortion in space appeared behind the girls. The distortion grew larger and larger, until it enveloped the entire area around them and changed their world entirely.

    W-What the...?


    Ehehe, as the goddess of the place, I welcome you to Makai.

    Hmph, powering yourself up by fighting in your home ground, huh? Fine, I'll just have to utterly defeat you then! This will finish everything!

    You sure can talk for a human. I'll have to teach you just what the goddess of Makai is capable of!


    Leaping directly into the final series of battles, Shinki comes at us with Yumeko, Chibi-Alice, and any two of their other allies. Everyone else is just as strong as they were back when they were guarding their own territories, but Shinki is a new beast altogether. Boasting solid (at least a 7 or better) stats in every category, she's got no real weaknesses to exploit. What stat deficiencies the rest of her allies have are made up for by the fact that they all support each other in handing out affinity buffs.


    My strategy for this fight is typically to have Suika go nuts with Pandemonium early and often. After maxing out her MEL stat normally, she can go up to 12 MEL with a Power Bracer equipped, then any additional bonuses that come from fielding her alongside Yukari. Pandemonium helps get around the fact that the squishier enemies (mostly Mai and Little Alice) almost never start at Close range, making them very hard to hit. They take only 200-300 damage from my best ranged attacks, but a single Pandemonium hit can nail them for 400-500 damage easily. Ideally, I try to get three uses out of Pandemonium per battle, hopefully for 3-4 hits each time.


    In order to win here, a lot of things have go to right. I have to start with good positions (i.e. Yumeko isn't at Close range to my mages), avoid getting stunned by Shinki's Bind Bullet special, hope that Mirror Doll and Cross Shot don't trigger often, and pray that Pandemonium hits the correct targets the correct number of times. Unfortunately, I start this fight with only 20% on the battle guage, which means I need an overwhelming victory for it to even register as a win towards making progress on the territory.

    **********

    Reimu: Now, there's no more defensive barriers to protect you! This is definitely the final battle! Prepare yourself!

    Shinki: ...It took you long enough, I was getting extremely bored. So you still haven't remembered who I am?


    ...That doesn't matter. If I have to remember you, that means it was in the past. And to always look forward is one of my principles.

    ...Words befitting of one who holds the future. Those who do not are left to have their names etched into the annals of time...And to make sure you don't forget me again, I'll etch my name into your memory through this battle!

    **********

    BGM: Legendary Myth ~ Infinite Being ~ Sengoku Arr. ~

    And here's an example of where even if one thing goes wrong, the entire operation could collapse. On this next battle, Yumeko started at Close range to Marisa, which means Marisa lost nearly 2/3rds of her total health right off the bat, followed shortly by a KO.


    Suika exceeded all expectations here, contributing over 50% of all the damage dealt in the battle. However, losing Marisa that early was a huge blow, and one that I could never quite recover from. Our battle counter hits 0 when we were at just 47% on the battle guage, with Shinki at a meager 30 HP left and Yumeko not far behind in health. Still, that was enough to deliver us a loss.



    I actually went ahead and leveled up more than 5 characters, since I can't really decide between the ones you guys suggested (plus it'd be interesting to mix it up a little). I see little need to list territories and stuff from now on. Suffice to say that we have enough Ouki to last a while.

    (For those who care, we're now on Day 101. But it's boring to note level grinding, so...)
    Last edited by Mirrinus; 2011-01-01 at 11:03 PM.
    Check out my Let's Plays: Sengoku Gensokyo (Complete!), Touhoumon (Complete!), and Labyrinth of Touhou
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  4. - Top - End - #574
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Those levels still seem quite frightening. Even with the grinding you did, they're still 2 or 3 levels higher than your (I'm assuming) all-star team, and that's not even counting the rest of the things stacked against you. I would suggest grinding more, but you've already been at it for quite a while...

    Got no choice but to tough it out, it seems. Or spend another day or two grinding, but that'd get boring pretty quick.

  5. - Top - End - #575
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    By grinding, do you mean massive development of territories and spending ouki on level points?

  6. - Top - End - #576
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Would grinding even work anymore? The Makai crew have gained almost as many level in the same time, and unlike them we'd have to deal with escalating Ouki costs and increasing Res thresholds.

    Knowing that Makai is L35-36 on day 101 now is actually useful, to me at least .
    Means that the autoleveling i suspected is untrue, as they are at L31-32 on day 128 for me (camped the Yakumo residence for quite a while. If i'm going to grind, might as well go all out. ) so my top team actually had a slight level advantage.

    Still got punted around by Shinki's team quite a bit. Also botched Suika's recruitment, probably by having the prison full at the time? No Yukari for me for that.
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    I'm pretty sure Makai's final levels are based more on your own team's levels (so they'll always outlevel you by about 3). My grinding wasn't so much leveling up everyone as it was getting everyone caught up with Yukari, who was initially ~5 levels higher than everyone else.
    Check out my Let's Plays: Sengoku Gensokyo (Complete!), Touhoumon (Complete!), and Labyrinth of Touhou
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Quote Originally Posted by Mirrinus View Post
    I'm pretty sure Makai's final levels are based more on your own team's levels (so they'll always outlevel you by about 3). My grinding wasn't so much leveling up everyone as it was getting everyone caught up with Yukari, who was initially ~5 levels higher than everyone else.
    I don't think so; I was in the same boat as Inc. in terms of levels. I spent a very long time (about 60 turns apparently) camped in front of the Yakumos, just farming experience and levels. I'm guessing you just went in underleveled since, as you said, Yukari was about 5 levels higher than everyone already.

    For reference, here are the numbers I had on turn 171 (waaaay too much time spent grinding, I know ):

    18 main units (levels 39 to 41), 7 side units for RES/NEG (level 3 to 19); power rating 30723
    VS
    Makai Goddess Army's named units (level 36), and generics (anywhere from the low 20's to the high 30's); power rating 21998

    Some of the generics for the MGA were outleveling Shinki at that point (171). I only scouted 2 defense battles, but I saw a Ghost or two at level 37.

    Also, after only two turns (173), some of the named units' levels shot up pretty quickly too. Louise for instance was 38, and Alice was 37. By turn 174, every (named) character was 37 or 38. I'm guessing they just gain levels extraordinarily quickly for some reason. So you're probably not going to catch up very well if you continue grinding; might as well just go with it now.

  9. - Top - End - #579
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo - Final Battle (Part 2)

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    Marisa: ...To be honest, I really didn't want to face ya.

    Shinki: My, does that mean you remember me?

    Nah, not quite...It's the opposite actually. When I look at y'all, a reaaaally bad memory seems to want to awaken inside me.


    Hmm...I guess that must be bad, huh? Speaking of which, you've changed a bit.In the old days, you used to be like, you know...

    Uwahhhhhhh! Stooooooop!!

    W-what's the fuss!? You really were cute back then.

    Don't say another word! I'll shoot if you do! I'll even shoot if you don't!

    It seems to be quite traumatic for you...Hehe, in that case, I'll make sure that sensation inside you fully awakens in this battle!

    **********

    BGM: Legendary Illusion ~ Infinite Being ~ Sengoku Arr. ~

    Here is a battle that didn't go as planned, yet still turned out for the best. In some cases, luck is the best weapon on your side.

    Yumeko and Louise score early hits on Suika before she gets a turn for Pandemonium, thus making it no longer worth the bulky 12 counter cost. However, Shinki spends her turns spamming Bind Bullet, which eats away quickly at their own team's battle counter. As luck would have it, it ends up stunning Suika and Mokou for the entire match, which was fine as they both took serious damage and could contribute little offense anyway. By skipping their turns, we actually managed to save on our own battle counter.


    By the time the Makai residents ran out on their battle counter, our group still had about 18 left to go. This gave us lots of uninterrupted shots on our opponents, which allowed us to score some easy KO's to sneak in a sound victory at the end.



    **********

    Shinki: Ehh, you're...?

    Alice: ...!

    ...No, it couldn't be. But strange things do happen. I know someone who possesses a spirit just like you.

    Funnily enough, I was thinking something similar.


    My children from Makai I created...And the dwellers of the new Gensokyo...I'm sure this was just one of the many possibilities.

    ...I am myself. Nothing more, nothing less. That's all there is to it.

    You're strong. If that girl possessed your strength too...Anyway, let's begin. Show me the future you hold in your hands!

    **********

    BGM: Legendary Illusion ~ Infinite Being ~ Sengoku Arr. ~

    And this is a fight that goes by the book. Pandemonium on Mai and Young Alice, ranged attacks on Yumeko and Yuki, and saving Shinki for last (dodging a potentially nasty Bind Bullet in the process).


    Keeping Yumeko, Chibi Alice, Yuki, and Mai alive with mere slivers of health, we're able to run down Makai's battle counter until the very end, giving us the points for their demise while minimizing the number of turns that Shinki gets. This lucky execution of strategy grants us the largest margin of victory yet.


    (Hey, I consider 72 to be a lot against this bunch.)


    I'm busy tomorrow night, so expect the exciting conclusion on Tuesday! Yay!
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  10. - Top - End - #580
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Quote Originally Posted by Mirrinus View Post
    I'm pretty sure Makai's final levels are based more on your own team's levels (so they'll always outlevel you by about 3). My grinding wasn't so much leveling up everyone as it was getting everyone caught up with Yukari, who was initially ~5 levels higher than everyone else.
    Quote Originally Posted by EifieFlare View Post
    I don't think so; I was in the same boat as Inc. in terms of levels. I spent a very long time (about 60 turns apparently) camped in front of the Yakumos, just farming experience and levels. I'm guessing you just went in underleveled since, as you said, Yukari was about 5 levels higher than everyone already.
    Hmm, well here's my party for reference. I didn't grind much near the end (I don't really have that much tolerance for heavy grinding), but earlier in the game (after taking over the right side of the map) I spent a lot of turns just stocking up on Ouki so I could buy out the shop.

    At Turn 127, when I had Makai down to their last territory, I had Yukari at level 33, 17 units from levels 24-31, 3 units from levels 21-23, and 4 stragglers from levels 14-17 with a total power level of 25097.
    VS
    Makai Army with named units from Levels 33-35 and a power rating of 20909.

    I think I beat them relatively easily at these levels but then I ran into a wall at the final final boss so I took some necessary turns to grind.


    At Turn 142, right before I took them down to 0, I had Yukari at level 37 and 6 units at levels 32-35 (Yuyuko, Eiki, Aya, Suika, Reimu, Marisa), with the rest of the units unchanged. Total power level of 26196.
    Meanwhile, the Makai Army powerleveled, with named units at 37-38 () and a total power level of 23175.

    It was a little harder to take them down at those levels, but I did it eventually. And the final boss still caused me trouble. Suika and the rest of my main team died almost instantly after taking down 2 helpers and about 500 hp (which was instantly healed!), Koakuma not soon after along with my Pressure generic, and eventually the only reason I won was because Yukari consistently hit for about 20-100 damage every turn (while activating Yakumo Frays to counter the boss's buffs), while the boss (who must have healed over 1k total) kept wailing on a Level 17 Meiling who healed herself every turn while another generic kept pumping Rally and I suicided all my other units on attack (yay for Flandre). A 30 minute plus battle for me, ugh.
    Last edited by conquer987; 2011-01-03 at 01:30 AM.

  11. - Top - End - #581
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo - Final Battle (Finale)

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    BGM: Legends

    Yuuka: My, how have you been?

    Shinki: Hm? You're...that's right, you were here too.

    Why wouldn't I be? Weren't you complaining about Reimu and the rest earlier?


    ...You kept your memories at least, I see. Reimu and the others had completely forgotten...

    They're mere humans after all, they shouldn't be compared to me.

    ...I suppose. I am a bit glad, at least, that I've finally met someone who knows who we are.

    The era of the old world is over. You should stay in the shadows and enjoy your remaining years, don't you think?

    I don't. That's why we came here. Don't you feel the need to complain as well?

    Not at all. I believe that old world's fate as it is will lead to the most peaceful situation. Now, as members of the old world, we should reminisce, mm?

    ...Indeed. Let's see if you're still as strong as you were back then!

    **********

    BGM: Legendary Illusion ~ Infinite Being ~ Sengoku Arr. ~

    Yeah, I know I'm not using Yuuka, but I wanted to include that for completion's sake.


    This was a really close battle, but we manage to barely squeeze out a lead as our battle counter runs down, then a final Pandemonium ensures that Makai won't be able to recover back their lead without killing one of ours. Which, thankfully, does not happen.



    **********

    Shinki: No way...We've loooost!

    The residents of the "old world"...the Shinki-led Makai group had abruptly appeared and attacked, but even they could not stand up to Reimu's army, and their leader was down on her knees.

    Reimu: ...This should really be the end. There won't be any other weirdos coming from strange worlds anymore, will there?

    Marisa: That'd be right outta a B-grade movie...This's a real big relief for me too. Now I don't hafta deal with that funny feeling in my head anymore.

    Sara: Oooh...Lady Shinki...!

    Louise: We have been such failures...

    Yuki: Wahhhhhh! I'm sorry, Lady Shinki!

    Mai: ...I'm sorry.

    Yumeko: ...I have nothing but regret.


    ...Don't worry about it everyone, you all did very well. I definitely did not expect you all to be able to beat me, the goddess of Makai, though. Very well, I shall now explain our motives...

    Alright, that wraps it up. Good job, everyone~.

    I'm totally exhausted. But hey, an occasion like this calls for a huge party!

    Yuyuko: My, that sounds nice. We will definitely attend!

    Youmu: Lady Yuyuko, not again...

    Remilia: Sakuya, go back and begin preparations at once.

    Sakuya: Yes, Milady. The courtyard shall be the venue, I take it?

    Luna: Yes! We can sneak in without hesitation this time!

    Sunny: And what would you do after you sneak in!?

    Star: Let's just attend normally, shall we?

    Shinki: Uh, as I was saying, I'll explain...

    Lunasa: ...It's starting to sound like a wonderful gathering.

    Wriggle: The Scarlet Devil Mansion, huh...*shiver* I'm usually too scared to get anywhere near it...

    Komachi: Whoa, this looks like it's going to be a lot of fun. I bet there'll be a lot of great sake too~.

    Eiki: Komachi, you are being too gluttonous.

    From the exhilaration of it all finally ending, and the excitement of the coming party, no one was listening to what Shinki was saying. Everyone ignoring her was slowly making her more and more agitated.

    Shinki: Wait wait, what's al this about~!? I was just going to tell you all the details about why we started attacking!

    Reimu: Does anyone really care about that?

    Yeah, you already told us that you all got angry cuz we ignored you anyway.


    T-That's true...So you shouldn't be ignoring me at the end either~!

    ...Excuse me, everyone. Would you mind listening to what Lady Shinki has to say? I promise it will not take up too much of your time...

    ...Is she really a goddess? Fine fine, we'll listen, so go ahead and explain yourselves.

    Hehehe, since you want to know so badly, I suppose I'll be gracious and tell you. We...

    I'll be headin' back then.

    Ah, me too.

    ......I'm sorry.

    Honesty always works the best. It isn't a reason you should be so haughty about anyway, right?

    It's all your fault, you know. Once I found out you all were having so much fun, who wouldn't want to join in!?

    ...Fun?

    Yukari: My, I'm honoured.

    It was more trouble than it was worth!

    ...At first, we thought that after the winner of Gensokyo was decided, they would attack Makai...But it seems no one ever had that intention.

    Well yeah, all of us forgot...I mean, didn't know about Makai in the first place.

    We thought that at this rate, we'll be completely forgotten. Even though Gensokyo existed here once...No one recognizing us is the same as us not existing. As ruler of Makai, I could not accept that to be the case. So, for the future of my precious children, that's why...

    That's why you came here and made such a big fuss, huh?


    ...Uh huh. I figured that if you all had forgotten or didn't know about us, we'll just teach you again. If we made you remember us, we would still exist.

    Yuki: I...Lady Shinki...

    Sara: You went so far for our sake...I feel so blessed!

    Well, I can accept your reason for doing this. But why couldn't you have gone about it more normally!?

    Eh, well...That would be kinda boring. Right, li'l Yumeko?

    Please do not get me involved.

    I needed us to make an appearance with a huge impact, so you all wouldn't forget us so easily again. And besides, it was all really fun!

    ...You don't care much 'bout how much it bothers others, huh?

    And you lost anyway.

    Ugh...It's fine, this whole venture was never about winning or losing.

    ???: We haven't lost yet!

    Huh!?

    The voice made everyone turn to it. It was the smaller Alice that everyone had forgotten about...But she held a certain grimoire in her hand, and an unnatural and eerie aura surrounded her.

    What the heck? We were about to end it so nicely too.

    ...!? Lady Shinki, that's...!

    Li'l Alice, no! Don't use that book...!


    EX Alice: We...No, Lady Shinki will never lose against the likes of you! ...I can still fight...As long as I have this book!

    As she flipped the pages of her precious grimoire, containing untold amounts of magical power, the girl began to absorb all the power within her body. The whimsical mood disappeared in a flash.

    Patchouli: What power...How could one simple book hold so much power!?

    Alice: (The feeling's coming back again...This is dangerous, but it's still trying to tell me something...!)

    Hey, what the heck is that book? This magic power is far from normal!

    It's a magical grimoire with the secrets of the Ultimate Magic written within...Li'l Alice wasn't supposed to be able to handle it!

    I can't always be a kid anymore. I must learn to master this book and use it...! Yes, use it to destroy everyone!

    Hey, save the exposition for later! She's comin' for us!

    Good grief, all these troublesome matters just keep coming...But this must be...no, this DEFINITELY is the final battle! Now, let's give it all we've got!

    **********

    BGM: The Grimoire of Alice ~ Sengoku Arr. ~

    And here it is: the final boss. I don't know about you guys, but I was both surprised and totally stoked to discover who it is when I first played this myself.


    EX Alice is backed up by four mooks, named after the card suites (just like her stage in Mystic Square). Each has a different role. Club is a tank, with better defenses and Cover to protect its allies. Heart is the healer, who will spam Healing Light every turn. Spade has the highest attack power, and will liberally use Charge to inflict even more damage. Finally, Diamond will cast Cheer to buff itself and its allies.


    Our strategy, on the other hand, was to rely on Suika for most of our damage output. With no battle counter cost to worry about, Pandemonium becomes the most damaging move anyone could do. Eirin backs her up as the main healer to keep her in shape despite the heavy recoil damage from Pandemonium. That is, until EX Alice managed to eliminate both Eirin and Suika at once with her Ultimate Magic.


    Of course, we eliminate the card suites first, but not before they've left their toll on the battle. Not only did Diamond cast some buffs on EX Alice, but she buffed her own stats even further with her special, Ultimate Magic. This spell can do all sorts of things. I've seen at least six: it can cause heavy damage to all characters, or heavy damage + stun to a single target, or drain HP from one target, or heal her own HP, or cause mass enemy debuffs or ally buffs. Despite her status as the final boss and her intimidating HP, EX Alice doesn't really have fantastic defenses. However, once she gets buffed, she starts taking only 20-40 damage from most attacks. Given that she can recover 300-500 HP with some of her Ultimate Magic spells, that turns this battle into a painfully long war of attrition. And that's exactly what happens here.


    Eventually, the battle came down to just throwing wave after wave of our own men girls at the boss. Whenever a character falls in battle here, another random member of our army will take their place. With each character dealing only 30-80 damage before going down (if that), we had to throw quite a few people before EX Alice would go down. However, Yuuka's mass attack buff helped what few characters remained do some respectable damage towards the end, and Keine's massive defenses kept her alive (and dealing consistant damage) throughout the entire battle.

    After an excrutiatingly long battle, EX Alice finally goes down.



    **********

    EX Alice: Agh...Ugh...No...No way...!?

    The power of the grimoire of Ultimate Magic running through Alice was truly terrifying. The entire group barely managed to beat it together, and was left exhausted from it...But it was not all over yet.

    Reimu: *gasp* *pant*...This is ridiculous...!

    Marisa: It ain't called "Ultimate" for nothin'...!


    It's not over yet! I haven't lost yet!

    No way, she still has so much power left...?

    BGM: Black Tortoise ~The Seven Northern Mansions~

    Alice stood up again, and magical energy began to gather around her. But it was not from Alice...it was from the grimoire itself. It was clear that the grimoire now had its own will.

    ...The other Alice...The one from Gensokyo, jumped in front of her.


    Alice: Stop! Throw that book away!

    As if...! Who would listen to an order like that...!

    (What can I say to make her stop...If I don't figure it out soon, she'll...!)

    I can still fight, see all this magic power I...Eh?

    Oh crap...!

    Eek...Why can't I control this power...!?

    Alice fell back exhausted, just like Reimu's group. But the grimoire continued to release a seemingly limitless amount of energy. It was reaching critical mass and enveloping its master as it went berserk.

    Let go of that book, now!

    I...I don't wanna...!

    Why are you so stubbo...Argh!

    The uncontrollable magic energy flew in all directions. The overflowing power then seized Alice, and lifted her into the air slowly...A small hole started to open in the space nearby.

    Shinki: That hole...!? No! That hole was opened by this crazy power! Who knows where it'll lead to!?


    Eh...N-No...!? Why can't I move my hand away from the book...!?

    Hey, can't ya do anything!?

    Patchouli: That's asking far too much. I can't generate magic power to counter that thing so quickly...!

    Ugh, my charms aren't working at all either!

    No...No...Noooo...! Someone save me...!

    Alice whispered as her body inched closer and closer to the hole. The grimoire was emitting a magical wall that prevented anyone from getting close to her, or even destroying the wall itself. The only way to counter the power from the grimoire was to throw an equally large amount of power at it. But even the slightest mistake in judgment could cost Alice her life.

    Everyone was starting to give up...then...


    I have to...stop her...!

    Wha!? It's dangerous, don't go in there...W-What the!?

    Why...? Why isn't that wall doing anything?

    Ya think I know!?

    Alice had dived right into the swirl of energy. If it was anyone else, they would've been repelled...but the magical energy provided no resistance against her at all, and easily let her through to the center. It was as if the magical energy had decided to let her in...It was as if Alice instinctively knew that the magical energy would let her in.

    Y-You...

    ...It's going to be all right.

    Alice touched the grimoire, and the raging magical energy lost its force. The energy started to return to the grimoire. All the energy disappeared inside the book. It then closed istelf, never to be opened again.

    Alice floated slowly to the ground, into the arms of the other Alice. She then placed her onto the floor. There were no longer any traces of the magical energy within her.


    Are you all right? ...And how were you able to just waltz into the middle of that tempest anyway?

    Hmm...All I can say is, I don't really know. And I get the feeling that we shouldn't be delving any deeper than that.

    I agree. I've got things in my memories that're better off left alone too.

    ...I'm pretty sure that you're talking about something entirely different.

    Yuuka: She's right, though. It'll cause a time paradox! Just kidding.

    Wah! Don't interrupt us like that!

    My my, such an impolite reaction, don't you think? Anyway...It's time to watch over the emotional reunion.

    Yuuka winked, then turned to look at where Shinki was standing over the tiny Alice. The entire area was surrounded by silence.


    BGM: Roll Back ~ From Now

    Young Alice: L-Lady Shinki...?

    Shinki: Li'l Alice...

    ...!

    Shinki opened up the palm of her right hand and slowly brought it to the air. Alice closed her eyes in fear of what she thought was to come...but it never came. Instead, Shinki's hands entwined around her back, and pulled her body close. A feeling of warmth enveloped Alice. Alice slowly opened her eyes to reveal Shinki's face right in front of her.

    ...I wanted to be strict and scold you...But I just can't.

    Lady Shinki, why...?

    It wouldn't change anything if I did, right? I don't know how you got that book...But you shouldn't do things like that.

    B-But...I thought that if I left it at that, then we'd have lost...I thought that if I didn't protect you, then you wouldn't look after me anymore...

    Hehe...Thank you. But you didn't have to think so hard over it...It was never a battle where our lives were on the line, after all.

    But you took care of all of us, so it's our duty to...

    No, it's not.

    Eh...?

    Shinki released Alice from her embrace, then put her hands onto her frail shoulders. Alice's clear and bright eyes shown right back at her.

    Sara, Louise, and Li'l Yumeko can take care of themselves now...But you, li'l Yuki and li'l Mai all still need my care and protection.

    But then we don't have any reason to exist...!

    ...Li'l Alice, I'll really get angry if you keep repeating that. I don't need some silly reason for that. Because...Because you're all my precious children.

    ...! ...I-I'm sorry...I'm so sorry, Lady Shinki!

    The dam that held back Alice's tears finally broke, and Shinki gently held her close. Shinki then slowly stood up and turned to face Reimu's group.

    ...Now then, it's about time we head back. Thanks for all your hard work, everyone.

    Sara: No, this was nothing!

    Louise: It was fun, shall we come back sometime?

    Yuki: Boo, you're mean and stupid, Alice!

    Mai: ......Agreed.

    Yumeko: Lady Shinki, the preparations required to return to Makai are complete. We may leave at any time.

    As excellent as I expected, li'l Yumeko.

    ...You're going back, huh?


    Yeah, we can't leave Makai empty for too long...I'm its goddess, after all.

    Come back anytime ya want...Er, actually, you'll make me remember bad things again, so try not to come back too often.

    Hehe. We'll win next time...Alright everyone, we're going home! ...Reimu, Marisa, Yuuka, and everyone else...And you, Ms. Possibility. Thank you very much for saving li'l Alice just now. Okay, let's go! Don't forget us this time~!

    (...! She smiled at me...)

    Shinki waved in the air, and a bend to Makai appeared, just like when they showed up. Once the last person when through it, it disappeared into thin air.

    ...It's all over...Though it feels like the best parts were already taken by a certain someone else.

    Well, best 'ta give the others some of the spotlight too.


    Yukari: And that brings the curtain down on Yukari Yakumo's war game. Did you all have fun?

    Gah, don't pop up out of nowhere! And this all happened because of you! Stop doing these kind of things already!

    Oh~? I thought it was very popular and highly praised. It was so interesting and enjoyable, wasn't it?

    ...Enjoyable for you, maybe. I'd rather have had some youkai start an incident.

    Yukari, ya got more important things to think about. Hope ya didn't think I'd forget!

    My, what are you talking about?

    Don't act dumb! Ya know what it is, now grant my wish like ya promised!

    ...You're still hung up on that, huh? Well, I suppose a promise is a promise...What do you want?

    'Course it is. What I wish for...It ain't so major, but...I want permission to be able to sneak in to every single place!

    ...Uh.

    ...What?

    I'm the #1 collector of rare items in Gensokyo after all. And I'm sure there's even more rare stuff hidden somewhere in Gensokyo! The SDM, Voile, Hakugyokurou, Eientei...These are the ones that come to mind immediately. There's definitely rare items there, and in other places! Thus! In order to search for and appropriate those items...I want to be allowed to sneak in to those kinds of places.

    ...Ah, may I ask a question? It's not like they're strangers to you, so why not just go there normally rather than "sneak" in?

    Ya don't get it, ya don't get it at all! Treasures that just fall into your lap ain't no different from normal valuables! Ya need to overcome barriers, persevere through hardships, and finally take it with your own two hands...That's when its worth shoots up like crazy!

    Is this what one would call "Missing the Forest for the Trees"?

    That doesn't matter. Ya heard my wish, so grant it already.

    Remilia: Denied.

    Patchouli: I feel the exact same as Remi.

    Yuyuko: I don't really care either way, but I suppose Youmu may have something to say about that.

    Youmu: Lady Yuyuko, we can't let intruders in so easily! I will slice all trespassers into pieces!

    Kaguya: It's fine if you want to drop by...But stealing is a step too far, so I shall have to deny it as well.

    Hey Yukari, what happened to my wish!?

    I did say I would "fulfill it to the best of my capabilities". If it involves getting other people's permission, that's a different matter altogether.

    W-Whaaa!? Then that's totally meaningless! ...Ahh, why did I fight so hard all this while for...

    Geez...Does it really matter? You always sneak into their places already anyway. If you're allowed to, then all those "hardships" disappear too.

    Nah, everyone's been gettin' more cautious lately. If I can't sneak in anymore...I'll be in real trouble...

    Well, that settles Marisa's wish. What about you, Reimu?

    Eh, me...? I...

    A wish...She hadn't actually thought of what she'd wish for. The Reimu from before, and the Reimu standing here now wouldn't be able to answer that question...But it would be for very different reasons.


    ...C'mon, let's get ready for the party. We have to get it done before the sun sets.

    What's that supposed to mean~?

    Meiling: Ah, so we're having one after all. I'll head back first and start preparing!

    Sakuya: Ah, I shall go as well.

    Cirno: I've seen that mansion from far away a lot of times, but I've never actually went there.

    Daiyousei: Cirno, let's eat a lot of tasty food~!

    Rumia: Yeah, I'm hungry~!

    Letty: ...I suppose I can stay awake a little while longer.

    Lyrica: A party is a perfect place for our music! We'll send goosebumps down your arms~!

    Mystia: I'll sing with all my heart!

    Tewi: I'll collect admission fees~.

    Reisen: ...All of you should stop that.

    Yes yes, anyway, let's get a move on~! ...What? You've been grinning to yourself for awhile now.

    Yukari: ...Ehehehe. It's a secret~.

    Can't you actually smile without making others suspicious for once? ...Whatever, we're heading off first!

    Hey, wait up...!

    Reimu flew off into the sky. She saw no one in front of her, but she did not need to turn back and look. There would be people around her, looking towards her, and following after her. That was something she now knew...She would no longer live alone. Instead, she would live for herself and for everyone else. She did not know how to phrase her feelings in words...But surely, in the not-too-distant future, she would learn.

    The Hakurei shrine maiden, Reimu Hakurei, the protector of Gensokyo, simply smiled quitely to herself.


    End Credits Theme: In the True Mind



    **********

    Yukari was drifting over the Hakurei Shrine. From her position, she could see Reimu sweeping the shrine grounds as usual. The atmosphere was quiet, showing no hint of the ruckus that occurred just a while ago. Yukari looked down on that scene, fully satisfied. Beside her was another figure, looking at Yukari with a similarly-satisfied expression.[/i]

    Suika: ......Heh heh.

    Yukari: You've been staring at me for quite a while now. Do I have sake on my face?

    Even if you did, I don't need it. I'm...I'm just glad that it all turned out well.

    ...Yes, and it's all thanks to your strength. Were you really okay with that unpleasant duty I gave you?

    Ahaha, you were worried about that, Yukari? It's fine, fine! Oni used to be like that in the old days after all.

    Hehe...Still, thank you.

    Well...It's still a bit too much to expect her to change immediately. But it's definitely happening, however slow it is. You were watching then, right?

    Oops, I was found out? I wanted to convey to her the importance of her friends and allies. The ones that would always stand beside her.


    Back when youkai and humans got along much worse, the Hakurei had to be solitary and aloof. The blood grew thicker with each generation, weakening their hearts...But that era is no more. I started this entire game all to teach Reimu about the concept of friends and allies.


    Hey, wait a sec...What about all that stuff about incidents?

    That's inclusive of my original intent. If Reimu's heart remained as weak as it was, if a truly major incident occurred...She would surely make a mistake.

    Well, I'm sure she has an idea of what the right thing would be now. I'd be really mad if she didn't, anyway.

    Ahaha, indeed...Now, it's time for us to stop being busybodies and keeping an eye on her all the time. Let's just watch over her every so often now.

    Right, I'll go over to the shrine for a drink then~. Call me if anything happens!

    Suika waved goodbye and flew towards the Hakurei Shrine, leaving Yukari to take one last glance at Reimu. Yukari caught her just in time to see her raising her head to greet her guest.

    Reimu: What, you're here again?

    Marisa: Of course, it's like my daily routine. Am I interferin' with anything?

    ...Nah, you aren't. Take a seat and relax for a bit. I'll go make some tea.

    As ya wish...You're bein' real weird, though. Did ya eat somethin' bad?

    ...who knows.

    Weirdo...Hm, looks like we've got another guest.

    Good grief, why does everyone always gather around here? ...Ah well, guess I'll go greet them!

    BGM: Roll Back ~ From Now

    ...Gazing at the usual sky, feeling the usual wind, with her usual friends beside her...Friends as far as she could see, all of them looking towards the path to tomorrow...

    "Their" journey had just begun.




    THE END


    And there you have it! I hope you've enjoyed reading through this fun (and remarkably text-heavy) Touhou fan game. I personally loved the ending to this game, both for the battles and the plot.

    That's it for the main game...but there's still one last challenge left to tend to. Expect one last epilogue chapter soon.
    Last edited by Mirrinus; 2011-01-05 at 03:50 AM.
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Much better than my play-through. I had no clue as to what to do to get the extra dialogue and other stuff.
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Mirrinus, you seem to have used the picture where Shinki says "T-That's true...So you shouldn't be ignoring me at the end either~!" twice.

    Hooray, it's finally over but not really! Seeing as I haven't gotten to the bonus boss before, that part should be interesting. I agree with you on how nice the ending is, but then again I really liked the character interactions and portrayals in this game anyway.

    I personally wasn't too surprised when Alice came out as the final boss. I was wondering where she got off to, since she was the only person to not say anything after Makai's loss, but I was honestly only expecting a cutscene or something. As for the fight itself, I luckily only experienced the HP and debuff-related aspects of Ultimate Magic, and the card mooks didn't do anything, so I didn't know the fight could be that annoying.

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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    And seeing the ending reminded me of why this portrayal of Alice is the best one i have ever seen. She honestly seems like a more developed character than either of the main characters do and more of a sympathetic one too.

    Now i look forward to seeing who the bonus boss is and what she does. Should be interesting.

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    Although Yuka said that she was kidding about something causing a time paradox, the time paradox already occurred once Young Alice and Alice met each other.

    As for the bonus boss, it might be either Mima or Yumemi. Because the final boss is a reference to Mystic Square and its extra stage, I think a different set of characters from the PC-98 games might make an appearance, but I'm not sure how a time paradox with Marisa will have an impact.
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Quote Originally Posted by Assassin89 View Post
    Although Yuka said that she was kidding about something causing a time paradox, the time paradox already occurred once Young Alice and Alice met each other.
    I thought that was one of the funniest scenes. Come on: everyone was thinking it, but Yuuka flat-out said it.

    Also, was I the only one who thought that Shinki's speech about why Makai attacked felt like a meta reference directed at Windows Touhou players? I mean, she's basically telling the player: "Hey, you guys probably don't even remember us, but we're here to remind you!"
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    Quote Originally Posted by Assassin89 View Post
    As for the bonus boss, it might be either Mima or Yumemi. Because the final boss is a reference to Mystic Square and its extra stage, I think a different set of characters from the PC-98 games might make an appearance, but I'm not sure how a time paradox with Marisa will have an impact.
    Mima's a freelancer unit that's recruitable at any time in the main story. So, I'm guessing it's probably not her.

    She was actually part of my main team, although she was typically behind in levels...

    Spoiler
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    Last edited by EifieFlare; 2011-01-05 at 04:47 PM.

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    Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo - Epilogue

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    ...One month had passed. The quiet days made the chaos that descended upon Gensokyo seem like a distant memory. Some were enjoying the peace; others were wallowing in the boredom.

    The shrine maiden of the Hakurei Shrine, Reimu Hakurei, started to recall the events of the incident as she was sweeping the shrine grounds, as if it happened just yesterday. She looked back on the events nostalgically.


    Reimu: ......Whew.

    Marisa: .........

    .........*sigh*

    Hey hey, why do ya look like all your happiness ran away?

    Marisa was lying at the porch and looking up at the sky, when she finally asked about Reimu's constant sighing.


    Oh shush, there will always be times of happiness and times of sorrow. My happiness has ran off, and now I'm just waiting for it to come back.

    Ya should stock up on your happiness for these rainy days then...Why do ya look so unhappy anyway? Nothing's been happenin'. It's the peaceful days you dreamed of.

    Well, yes...

    Marisa's comment made Reimu pause, and she leaned on her broom and looked up at the sky as well. The whiteness of the sky was an omen for the forthcoming autumn and winter.

    It's just that...now that it's over, it feels kind of weird. Like a sort of lonely feeling.

    Seriously? After how unmotivated ya were throughout the whole thing?

    Since when? Well, it's true that I wanted to get it over with quickly...After all, we were more or less pushed into it by force.

    I've had my fill of that too...In the end, it was all for nothin'. Ah-ah, if only I got somethin' worthy outta it.

    Ever since then, the surveillance all over Gensokyo had increased tremendously, forcing Marisa to retreat more often than before. Her wish hadn't come true; in fact, it got even worse.

    It's the same for me. After all that fuss, it just ended like that and...

    ???: You gained nothing, correct? Dear me.

    They looked at the direction of the sudden and weary voice to find Shikieiki walking towards them solemnly. She was probably the one person that they least wanted to see.

    ...What do you want?

    Eiki: That is quite an offensive way to speak to someone who is your senior.

    Well yeah, but I figured you're off-duty, since you came here to visit.

    My work does not give me this free time that you are imagining.

    ...Then why are you here?

    Uh, I've got some things I gotta do...so, uh...

    Ah, I have heard that you are not only telling lies, but engaging in compulsive thievery recently. Perhaps I need to teach you another...

    Ahh, I'm fine, really, don't worry 'bout me!


    ...In any case, that is not why I am here today. You believe that you have gained nothing from that experience. However, that is most certainly untrue.

    Trying to rerail the topic, huh? Even if you say that it's untrue, it's not very convincing by itself.

    Do you not have any good memories of the incident?

    ...Well, I can't say I don't. But more importantly...

    Reimu did not know what she really felt deep inside...So she purposely turned away, aimed for a certain point in the air, and fired one of her symbolic anti-demon needles in that direction.

    ???: Yeeeeeeeeouch!

    The needle became stuck in the air with a dull sound accompanied by a shriek of pain that echoed around the grounds. A few seconds later, a crack appeared in the sky, and a figure emerged from it.

    Yukari: How violent...You could've ruined my clothes, you know...I've said this before, haven't I?

    Probably, since you're always eavesdropping on other people's conversations.

    Hm...You could say it's my hobby.

    Good grief...You may have your everyday behavior, but since we have important business today, you could try to be more dignified.

    ...There's definitely something going on.

    Reimu kept her guard up. The Yama coming for a lecture may not be unusual, but with Yukari added to the mix...Reimu knew that this couldn't possibly be something she would like.

    Yes, we dropped by today in order to give you your final test.

    ...Huh? A test? And final? When were all the others?

    Now, that's not important.

    Yes it is!

    ...Reimu, you are the shrine maiden that inherited the power of the Hakurei. And I believe you are aware of what the meaning of that name entails.

    Ahh, now that you mention it...


    (flashback)

    Suika: You are...Hakurei. Your duty is to protect the barrier that preserves Gensokyo. On the surface, that means you can't let yourself be influenced by others. And that's natural. The Great Hakurei Barrier is the lifeline of Gensokyo. If its custodian got too close to someone, others would find it unsettling. In short, what you think has been your own will, has actually all been the will of the Hakurei blood that flows within you.

    (end flashback)

    Suika said something like that, if I remember correctly.

    We would like to see you become the Hakurei that ends and overcomes the duties of the older generations to bring forth a new era. That is our final test.

    Hm...I still don't really get it. If you want me to become someone like that, how can I show you all that I already am that person?

    Shikieiki answered Reimu's question by revealing her personal mirror. The mirror showed Reimu's reflection without any abnormalities.


    This is called the "Cleansed Crystal Mirror". It reveals the past of whoever it is reflected on...And it is not just something that can only be seen. Reimu, I will not force you to do this...But if you are prepared, use the power you have gained to defeat the Hakurei of the past.

    Hold on a second. So you want me to take this test or whatever, fine, but...What exactly do I have to do? Fight and defeat something?

    Mmhmm. I should let you know that you don't really get anything for winning, and it's game over if you lose, so be careful~.

    What are you talking about?

    I suggest you ignore her. Now, what shall it be? I will entrust this final decision to you.

    I still don't really get it, but I hate running away...So I'll do it.

    Are you sure? Very well. Stare deeply into this mirror.

    Eiki brought the mirror to her chest and pointed it towards Reimu. The mirror showed Reimu's reflection normally for a while, but the mirror suddenly flashed a bright white light which pierced right through Reimu.

    Ugh...What the!?

    The light that shined on Reimu formed a long and narrow shadow. The shadow continued to extend, and a certain portion of it was separated from the actual shadow. The separate part slowly rose, taking the form of a person.

    ...When the shadow eventually became a complete person, the light from the mirror vanished, leaving the single person standing there.


    Whoa, another Reimu!?

    Oh, you were still around?

    I was hidin'...But this ain't the time for such questions!


    ...This may look exactly like Reimu to you, but it is actually the one known as the Hakurei. The guard that has protected Gensokyo for generations.

    ...So this is the thing that had been manipulating my actions and thoughts up to now?

    You may think of it as the will of the Hakurei that operated deep in your subconscious. The generations of existance has given its will a corporeal form.

    So I need to defeat it, right?

    Yes. With the thoughts of all the allies that you have built up and the great power of your heart, I am sure that you will win.

    ...You may be the will of the Hakurei or Gensokyo. However, what I know is that I am myself. I have my feelings, my thoughts, and things that I want to do. Carrying the Hakurei name means nothing to that, and I will prove that right now...Let's go!

    **********

    (Unfortunately, the game's soundtrack that I have does not include this battle's theme for some reason. It's suppose to be a remix of "Maiden's Capriccio ~ Dream Battle", and is unlocked as track #42 of the Extra menu once the battle is cleared.)

    And so we begin the longest and most difficult battle in the entire game. Like previous boss battles, your fallen characters will be replaced by a randomly selected member of your army. Choose wisely who you start with, though, as you must try to keep as many characters alive as you can before the bloodbath that is the last few phases of the battle. As for me, I bust out my secret weapon: Koakuma.


    Koakuma's Cute Trickster ability lets her randomly rearrange the order of turns. This normally isn't worth the battle counter cost, but in boss battles where counter cost is irrelevant, it can be an enormous boon. For best effect, I pumped as much SPD into her as I could manage: I raised SPD for every one of her affection bonuses, gave her all the SPD pills I could get, and topped it off with a Hurricane Wing for another +2 to SPD. This allows Koakuma to pass her turn over and over again until she gets to go just before the boss, giving me the best chance at messing with the boss's turn.

    This battle is an absolute marathon. With many different phases to plow through, it's unlike any other battle in the game. Keeping characters alive will be a hard task. With a bit of luck, Koakuma can handle much of the burden, but I'm also using a generic unit with Healing Light to keep the rest of my attackers healed. Why am I not using Eirin? Well, you'll see...

    During the first phase of the battle, the boss will trade normal attacks with your party. Her attack power is staggeringly high; it's enough to OHKO most characters without significantly above-average DEF or WIS. Keeping important characters like Koakuma at Medium range to avoid getting killed is crucial. Once the boss drops below 6,666 HP, she'll automatically recover back up to 6,666 HP and declare her first spellcard.


    For every 1,111 HP she loses, the boss will declare a new spellcard and start spamming that special. First up is Evil Sealing Circle, a group attack that hits for about 400-500 damage to each of my characters. While the damage isn't too threatening, it does come with about a 50% chance of stunning each character, which can seriously cripple your team and leave you helpless while the boss casts it over and over again. As planned, I use Koakuma to minimize the number of turns the boss gets to wreak me, and our remaining three attackers get enough turns to slowly hammer the boss's HP down to below 5,555 HP.


    Next up is Duplex Barrier, a much stronger single-target spell that also carries a high chance to stun the target. Thankfully, the fact that it hits only one person at a time means that my dedicated healer is able to keep up with the damage it inflicts. This one is typically the easiest phase to deal with, as the attack isn't quite as strong as the boss's normal attack, so it won't be one-shotting everyone left and right. It gives you plenty of opportunities to heal up, mess around with Koakuma, and even wait for the stun effects to wear off. At 4,444 HP, the boss will declare her 3rd spellcard.


    In case you're wondering why the screen is shifted over, it's because the screen shakes erratically every time the boss declares a new spellcard, and I'm having difficulty capturing the images. Anyway...

    The 3rd spellcard, Fantasy Seal, is actually two separate attacks that the boss will alternate between. Fantasy Seal -Spread- is a dangerous multi-target attack that will hit your party for about 800-900 damage each and debuff everyone's stats at the same time. Fantasy Seal -Concentrate-, on the other hand, is an extra-strong single-target spell that may or may not debuff (I don't know because the target typically doesn't survive for me to find out). In my experience, the boss will always start with Fantasy Seal - Spread, and I was able to drop her to 3,333 HP before her second turn thanks to Koakuma, so I only had to suffer the mass damage + debuff move instead of also losing someone. With that, we move on to the 4th spellcard.


    This is perhaps the most bizarre phase the boss has. On each of her turns, the boss will declare the Fantasy Seal spellcard, but nothing will seem to happen. However, at the beginning of each of your character's turns, there's a chance that they will get hit with an attack from out of nowhere for about 700-800 damage. The chance for this to happen starts off at about 20-25% after this phase first starts, but will increase significantly each time the boss re-declares the spellcard until it reaches 100%. This is a phase that you will want to end as soon as possible, because anyone who dies gets replaced by someone new who starts at Medium distance. Given one turn to change positions before attacking, that costs you about 1500 HP before you can make your first attack if you're unlucky (unless you both approach and melee attack, but the boss's counterattack can do 4-digit damage). This is also the part where I typically lose Koakuma, as her high speed leads to many turns and damage triggers. However she and the rest of the gang miraculously survive here and move on to the next phase. (Yes, this is my best run ever thus far.)


    At 2,222 HP, the boss will declare Fantasy Seal -Blink-. This is an attack with an exceptionally low delay, allowing the boss to cast it multiple times in between the average character's turns. The attack doesn't deal that much damage (about 200-400?), but it does hit the entire party. The worst thing about it, though, is that it completely scrambles each character's distance, usually putting your ranged attackers up close and vice versa. The best characters to use here would be ones that can ignore distance to some degree with their specials, such as Suika, Youmu, and Aya. Or, alternatively, you can luck out like me and delay the boss's turns so often with Koakuma that she only gets to cast it once before dropping down to 1,111 HP.


    And here is typically where the proverbial fecal matter hits the air cooling unit. While the boss is declaring her 6th spellcard, Fantasy Heaven, none of your characters are ever given a turn (game-wise, every character is stunned and the boss's attack has pretty much no delay). Fantasy Heaven is a multi-target attack that does somewhat variable damage (seems to go from 300-1,000 depending on the character, but can vary widely even with the same character). Since your characters can't act, you can't help but sit there and be destroyed by the onslaught (even abilities like Resurrection won't active here). Each time the boss casts Fantasy Heaven, though, she loses 185 HP. After six consecutive declarations, she'd have lost 1,110 HP and you'd have lost pretty much your entire team. I still can't believe Keine survived this phase with 14 HP remaining; I've never seen any character survive all six hits prior to this.

    With the boss at 1 HP now, you'd think you've got this even with a fresh random party, right? Oh, so very wrong.


    Now things get really serious with the 7th spellcard, Illusion of Absolute Order. The boss bumps herself back up to 1,500 HP, then buffs all her stats to max. Meanwhile, you're still going to have to figure out what to do with a completely random party that's starting at rather disadvantageous distances. Of course, this being the most awesome run ever, I was blessed with some extraordinary options here. Okay, so a level 9 Wriggle isn't intimidating anyone (not sure why I haven't dismissed her yet on this playthrough), but the two generics and Eirin were just what I wanted to see. One generic had Rally to buff up my entire team's stats, and the other had...


    Aw yeah, the best buff removal spell in the game. Stripping the boss of her buffs will usually double the damage she takes from your attacks (although her attacks are often OHKOs even without the buffs on). Lastly, Eirin got to take her turn before the boss, which let her heal Keine back up to full health. The reason why I wanted Eirin for my healer is because her healing spell's formula is not based on her own HP (unlike Healing Light/Prayer), and I needed her to be able to heal others even when she herself was at low health. As long as she remained at Medium distance, there was little chance of her getting KO'd, although she'll probably remain at low health for the entire time.

    With these abilities on our side, we're prepared to match the boss on a much more even playing field. Oh yeah, I still haven't even explained what this spellcard does...


    At the beginning of every one of your character's turns, a random detrimental effect will trigger. That character can have one of their stats drop down to 1, or have attacks or specials sealed off, or have their distance either scrambled or frozen, or lose half of their HP, or even just have their turn skipped entirely. During this entire sequence, the boss will be using regular attacks again, and they seem even stronger than they were at the beginning (although that may be because of all the debuffs flying around; another reason why Eirin's special's drawback doesn't matter as much in the long run). Expect a lot of OHKOs there, even to your stronger characters.


    But you know what's awesome? Resurrection triggering no less than FOUR times in this battle. Sure, Mokou was taking close to 1,500 damage in counterattack damage each time she attacked, but getting a clean bill of health each time she died allowed her to do some major damage all on her own. At full health her melee attack hit for about 200 damage, and with only 1,500 HP to fight through, that's quite a contribution.

    Eventually, as some characters fell and more took their place, we managed to wear the boss down. The final blow was struck by Yukari with an advancing melee attack, which did 59 damage in return for her taking a counterattack for over 3,000 damage due to her DEF getting debuffed to 1. Of course, that didn't matter, because the boss was out of HP and-

    Oh, yeah. Of course.


    Eight phases later, and the boss STILL has one last trick up her sleeve. This final spellcard, Flawless Heavenly Victory, not only heals her for 2,400 HP, but it also follows up with an attack that hits all of your characters down to exactly 1 HP.

    But just when all hope seems lost...






    Reimu mounts an epic comeback with her own spellcard declaration. In one swift move, she fully revives and restores all of her allies, while simultaneously delivering the finishing blow to the embodiment of the Hakurei bloodline itself.


    With that, the most epic battle in the game comes to an end.

    **********

    BGM: Quiet Morning ~ Tranquility

    The "Hakurei" that Reimu's group defeated dispersed into particles and was swallowed up by the Cleansed Crystal Mirror. The area became silent again, as if nothing had actually happened.

    Reimu: Whew...It's kind of difficult to have to fight yourself.

    Eiki: .........

    Yukari: .........

    W-What's going on? Why are you two looking at me so strangely?

    ...Ah, please excuse me. To be perfectly honest, I was shocked that you had actually won.

    ...You were the one who got me to do this in the firstplace.


    The person you were before surely would not have been able to win. It seems you have grown far beyond our imagination.

    We can safely leave Gensokyo to you now, Ms. Hakurei shrine maiden.

    Even if you say that, I'm betting you have no plans on retiring.

    ...If you had not changed at all, then things would have had to be settled between you and me. Although I can't say it won't happen in the future either.

    You're always so whimsical, then you decide to get serious now? We don't know what will happen in the future anyway. Just take it as it is now.

    ...Heh, perhaps I am the one being irresolute this time, mm?

    Those who will decide the future of Gensokyo can be none other than the two of you. It fill sme with hope. Well then, I shall see you all another day.

    Eiki bowed deeply to Reimu with a beaming smile brighter than the sun, and silently left after. Reimu could no longer feel her usual coldness and dignity, but instead felt a strange warmth.

    ...I hope that it will be a long time before I see you, I'm afraid.

    I'll be heading home as well...My work is all done, how wonderful~!

    Your work, huh?


    Someone has to fulfill the duty of focusing everyone's power as one. I've accomplished that, and now it's your turn. See you again~!

    Yukari left the same way she came, through a gap in the air. The ability to easily move anywhere is truly something to be envied.

    My...duty, huh? Hey Marisa, what do you think my duty is?

    Marisa: Huh? You're askin' me?

    Who else could I be asking?


    You'll find out eventually, won't ya? Keep everythin' as it is, stay the way ya are. If ya do the things ya think ya should do, I'm sure it'll turn out alright.

    ...Yeah, it's not like me to get caught up in silly things! Thanks, Marisa.

    .........

    What's wrong?

    Well, you showin' gratitude for such a simple thing feels oddly creepy.

    ...You get no food with your rice today.

    Sorry!

    The protection of the Great Hakurei Barrier and the resolution of incidents had been the Hakurei's duty for generations. Reimu had followed that without question. But to Eiki and Yukari, that could not continue. Reimu had now begun to think of herself, her way of life, and her relationship with the others. She now had a mind that did not belong to the "Hakurei" bloodline, but to the person named "Reimu" instead.

    THE END


    ...And that's a wrap. I hope this last chapter has been suitably epic for you all. I know I was pumping my fist in the air when I first played this battle.

    For those curious on how to unlock it, you have to beat the game on either Hard or Lunatic difficulty. I believe you also need to clear Reimu's story as you do it (Marisa's isn't required; I actually forgot to clear it on this particular run). After clearing on Hard/Lunatic, open up the last save file you had from when you were down to just capturing the Hakurei Shrine, and a new event will appear in your special events list.
    Last edited by Mirrinus; 2011-01-07 at 02:58 AM.
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Oof, wow. That was indeed a tough Extra battle. Thanks for the Play Through!
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Okay, from Reimu's comeback spellcard on?

    Kinda hard not to grin, or maybe that's just me Very, very nice ending, anyway. I do think this has the best plot of all the fanmade games, possibly because it actually tries. A perfect example of the potential in a somewhat serious (but non-grimdark) story.

    Congratulations on winning, by the way That fight looks ridiculous.

    So, uh... what's Marisa's story? And on a related note, what next?
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    ...Wow. That sounded like one hell of a bonus boss. I'm surprised this was apparently your best run of it, but good job. I'm also surprised that you could get such high levels in such a short time.

    I haven't done the event myself yet, but from hearing just the name I was expecting more of something like Reimu fighting the PC-98 version of herself. At least some part of my guess was right...

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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Quote Originally Posted by EifieFlare View Post
    ...Wow. That sounded like one hell of a bonus boss. I'm surprised this was apparently your best run of it, but good job. I'm also surprised that you could get such high levels in such a short time.
    Actually, I just used another file I had that was already up to level 80+. Hence why there's all those generics (and why Wriggle is at a lower level, lol).
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Has anyone ever had Wriggle over L15 at most anyway ?
    And having the 'true final boss theme' at track #42 is strangely appropriate.

    Phase 1 seems more like a coin toss than anything to consistently overcome with strategy though, "O hai, i just went first and stunned everyone! And will keep on stunnin'." Or is there a guaranteed start order for the battle?

    Good LP. What's next?
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Great work, have been nice reading through.

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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    That was excellent playthrough, but I am not sure if that so called manifestation actually exists. It's more likely just a character from this game specifically.
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Now that was an epic fight and quite a fitting conclusion to Reimu's story as well. I must admit that i hadn't seen it coming, even if it wasn't that surprising a bonus boss all told. Also nice to see someone taking a serious angle on Gensokyo without going all grimdark or veering off into their own crazy world. I've seen it a few times before and it always reveals the amount of dramatic potential actually inherent in these characters, so it's a shame we don't see it more often.

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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Here's a video of the final fight I found on Youtube, complete with BGM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KHwGYgXd3U

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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Quote Originally Posted by Terraoblivion View Post
    Also nice to see someone taking a serious angle on Gensokyo without going all grimdark or veering off into their own crazy world. I've seen it a few times before and it always reveals the amount of dramatic potential actually inherent in these characters, so it's a shame we don't see it more often.
    Good to know I'm not the only one who thinks this
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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    I've actually started playing this on my own, about to take control of the human village, and I'm pretty sure that's where I'm going to start failing since more than one army will be attacking me at a time :P

    I may have missed this, but how do you get hard/lunatic mode? is it something you unlock after beating normal? I might have to try that out after actually learning how to play the game. The extent of my knowledge so far is, "put characters with high melee/defense in close range, characters with high range at far range, and blow stuff up."

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    Default Re: Conquering the Fantasy Kitchen Sink - Let's Play Sengoku Gensokyo!

    Quote Originally Posted by Eliirae View Post
    I've actually started playing this on my own, about to take control of the human village, and I'm pretty sure that's where I'm going to start failing since more than one army will be attacking me at a time :P

    I may have missed this, but how do you get hard/lunatic mode? is it something you unlock after beating normal? I might have to try that out after actually learning how to play the game. The extent of my knowledge so far is, "put characters with high melee/defense in close range, characters with high range at far range, and blow stuff up."
    Have you gone after the Higan team yet? If you're worried about having to fight on multiple fronts, you might want to get rid of them first to cut down on armies a bit. But even then, the number of attacks per turn isn't all that threatening. Since you're already on the offensive against at least one army, and there will rarely (if at all) be 3 or more attacking you at the same time, dealing with defenses isn't as big of a problem as it sounds.

    I think Hard and Lunatic are unlocked after clearing the game on Normal, along with the Extra and National modes. Of course, I might be wrong, since I didn't really pay attention to that. I don't think there's any real difference, except that everyone starts out at higher levels.

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