AlterEgo 2009
Gameplay FAQ and walkthrough
Version 1.3
Author: Harleyquin
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Characters
2a. Hiiragi Nagare
2b. Kagurasaka Tsukine
2c. Shijou Shiki
2d. Minatsuki Ren
2e. Kudou Yumi
2f. Hiiragi Shizuru
2g. Fukahori Chiaki
2h. Tanagi Hinata
2i. Shiromine Iori
2j. Umisaki Maya
3. General tips
4. Chapter walkthrough
5. Acknowledgements and credits
6. Contact information
7. Version history
8. Legal notice
1. Introduction
Welcome to my guide on AlterEgo 2009. The game is a visual
novel/Tactical RPG hybrid released May 2009. You must be of
legal age in your locality to play this game as it has content
and scenes of a graphical nature which are not suitable for all
audiences.
I will assume that readers of this game have some basic
knowledge of Japanese, I'm not going to translate the manual
wholesale but I will highlight a few things which the manual
has helpfully provided to point readers in the right direction.
Players should also the download the version 20091029 patch
from the developer's website (URL helpfully provided at the
top menu) and install it before playing through the game since
the patch improves many of the gameplay mechanics in the RPG
phase and removes nearly all of the technical issues present in
the original build of the game. The cumulative patch weighs in
at roughly 300+Mbs so be prepared for a long wait depending on
your internet connection.
I'll use romanji to describe the various game concepts and
skills
, my Japanese standard isn't at professional translator
level but I do understand enough of the manual and the
storyline dialogue to provide a reasonable accurate reading.
The game can only be cleared completely if the
sister work Heliotrope is installed on the same computer,
otherwise one CG, some story dialogue and one secret stage
will not be available. For a more complete experience, playing
through the game once with the special stage unlocked and
once with it off will definitely unlock all story paths and
dialogue additions for those interested.
2. Characters
The storyline aside, all of the characters are designed with
different roles in mind in the RPG phase. Some characters are
good at bearing the brunt of the enemy offence, some have stats
which favour flanking the enemy and dealing damage, two
characters
provide ranged support but are utterly ineffective
when enemies close in past their minimum weapon range while
others are designed to support the party whilst providing an
offensive option when necessary. Looking at the character stats
at the start of a chapter and their progression during each
rank-up provides a very basic idea of what to expect. When the
progression isn't too clear cut, I'll give my own opinion as to
how the character is best used in the RPG phase.
All characters have at least 5 special abilities consisting of
a special physical attack, a special magic attack, two support
abilities and an attack which can only be activated when the
Majin is deployed. All special abilities have a fixed cost in
AP and SP so it pays to look at the table and your own
character stats when deciding on their use.
The different character Majins have varying adjustments to
statistics when they are activated depending on which level
(1-3) the player chooses. Any stat which shows less than 100%
means the corresponding total value for the statistic concerned
is lowered compared to pre-Majin. In general the Majin states
can be broadly described as:
Level 1: General combat, used when SP and HP regeneration
is required.
Level 2: Huge boost to 2-3 stats, all others are cut down
significantly.
Level 3: Blitz mode, most if not all stats increased but the
DP cost per phase means characters can at best maintain their
Majin for 3-4 phases maximum at lower ranks.
All characters are not assigned an element in their default
state, but activating their Majin tends to assign a specific
element (i.e. fire, ice etc.) to the character's attacks which
have varying effectiveness depending on the opponent's element.
Refer to the game manual or the in-game reference chart to see
the relationship between the elements, in general you should
try to exploit the opponent's elemental weaknesses whilst
avoiding your own being used by the enemy to inflict extra
damage. For reference, all characters without active Majins
and enemies start with the "Mu" element which deals standard
damage to all enemies except to those with the "Kami"
element.
2a. Hiiragi Nagare
The game's protagonist. Next heir to the Hiiragi clan.
Analysis: Nagare is built for offence and he can take a few
hits, his weaknesses are below-average AGI and terrible MDF
implying the occasional missed attack against boss
characters/opponents with high dodge. Nagare's halberd attacks
two squares directly ahead of him and the two frontal diagonals,
this is a double-edged sword making Nagare really good at
slaying regular enemies who group together but more difficult
to manage when he's helping the party to surround a boss.
Skill picks: Anything boosting PYS, DEF and MGC isn't bad. I
tend
to prioritise Nagare's development over all other
characters since you have to use him almost every chapter and
some battles are lost if he's defeated. Other skills to pick
would be the experience boosting skill, sokodikara and either
taibutsubouei or Kougeki 3. Don't give him skills which
boost MDF or EVA since he can't make full use of them, in
addition mood maker and Kouun aren't quite so useful on him
since he doesn't need increased criticals to be effective.
The skill awarded to him at rank B is a good fit. Assign
Meichuu (accuracy) skills in a new game early on to increase
the number of succesful attacks to compensate slightly for
his below-average AGI.
Special abilities:
Rank E: Senhou ressaku 800 base damage
Worth using occasionally for more damage compared to a regular
attack of equivalent AP, unfortunately it's not as accurate as
a regular attack allowing enemies to evade it for no damage
more often than not.
Rank D: Flare protection
A unit-based buff which renders chosen character immune to all
damage from a single magic-based attack. Nagare can use it on
himself where necessary but he has to be fairly close to party
members to apply the buff.
Rank C: Dire flame 800 base damage
Nagare's magic-based attack. All magic attacks have 100% chance
to hit but the damage modifiers are based on MGC and MDF.
Nagare's physical attacks are generally better than his magic
but it's a useful skill to have for attacking at range and for
frying gargoyles and hounds. Area of effect is a small cross.
Rank B: Resist
Nagare's other unit-based buff, characters in area of effect
gets increased damage resistance to fire and wind element
attacks for several phases. Usefulness depends on opponent.
Rank A: Enjinsenryuusou 2400 base damage (1900,500)
This attack is only useable when Nagare's Majin is active.
All Majin support attacks have 100% chance to hit with damage
depending on your PYS and MGC ratings. Nagare's version has
average damage but the big plus is the very long area of effect
(2nd only to Ren's). Use the Majin support attack to get boss
enemies to come to you and then let others surround the boss
when it closes onto melee range. Surviving enemies have
a certain chance of increased susceptibility to fire element
damage.
Majin characteristics:
E: Entei: Attacks now based on the fire element, look at
the in-game table to see the damage relationship between
elements.
D: Chousaisei: Stronger HP regeneration at start of player
phase at the expense of weaker SP regeneration.
C: Hangekisurumono: Against opponents of the same rank and
above, attacks do more damage.
B: Moesakarumono: Ice element attacks aside, Nagare takes less
damage from all other damage elements whilst the Majin is
active.
A: Mugentensei: Character stat adjustments while Majin is
active increased (Upper limit cap raised).
S: Tatakau mono: Majin possession increases total HP while
Majin remains active.
2b. Kagurasaka Tsukine
Nagare's friend since childhood. One of the 5 selectable
heroines.
Analysis: Tsukine isn't meant for the front lines, decent AGI
and MGC stats make her ideal for avoiding enemy attacks and
dealing damage from afar with her surprisingly strong magic
attack. Tsukine's real value is in support since she is the
only character who can heal the party back to pre-battle
status with her special ability. Her decent MOV and ATK values
from C rank onwards help to get her into position for a magic
attack or to assist badly-wounded allies whilst dealing some
physical damage of her own.
Skill picks: Play to her strengths, get AGI, EVA, MGC and MDF
boosters. Two possible approaches are either to increase her
effectiveness at inflicting critical attacks whilst evading
retaliatory damage or increase her magical capabilities for
a long-range combat support role. The ability she gets from
Rank B is nice (Critical hits calculate damage as if enemy
DEF was set to zero) which is helpful if she has to get up
close. Pair up Tsukine's Rank B skill with Kouun as well to
maximise critical chances. Tsukine's Rank A skill is
definitely worth assigning to her, although you may well have
picked it up in earlier chapters by the time she ranks up to A.
Special abilities:
Rank E: Kochougenmu 100 damage base.
Damage is poor, but the accompanying palsy effect and
reliability to hit make it useful when Tsukine is isolated and
needs to make space between herself and the opponent.
Rank D: Kuusoukaiten
The healing ability, chosen character is restored to pre-battle
status. All status ailments and positive buffs if any are
removed. For game balance reasons Tsukine cannot use this
ability on herself.
Rank C: Judgement 1100 base damage
The high base damage combined with a wide area of attack and
Tsukine's decent MGC stat each rank make for a useful attack
at range. If she's not needed for healing duties be sure to use
and abuse this attack as much as possible. An interesting trait
of this attack is that allies do not take friendly fire damage
so long as they don't have their Majin active when the attack
hits. This ability and Kuusoukaiten is a compelling argument
to assign Basuu no Chigai to Tsukine.
Rank B: Mashouheki
Selected ally takes less damage from enemy magic attacks,
however said ally's own magic attacks also do less damage to
the opponent. Take note which of your allies rely on
physical attacks more than magic-based ones (Iori, Maya) and
consider boosting them with the skill to offset their
weaker MDF stat.
Rank A: Koujingenmu 2000 base damage (1000,1000)
Compared to some of her allies, the damage on this attack isn't
that great for a single-target only attack. It only starts to
shine when Tsukine hits S rank, but when she does feel free to
use it with encirclement attacks. Apparently this attack has a
high chance of inflicting palsy on surviving enemies, although
it never seems to trigger often enough on strong enemies like
bosses. Note that Tsukine's Majin characteristics advise going
for critical hits for the fixed 2000 damage rather than invest
double-digit AP on an attack which may well deal less damage
overall if critical hits are factored in, boss characters with
immunity to critical hits are one of the few targets worth
using this attack on.
Majin characteristics:
E: Koutei: Light-based attacks
D: Maryokukyuushuu: Balanced HP and SP regeneration at the
start of the player phase.
C: Habatakumono: Enemy physical attacks at melee range are
less likely to hit.
B: Tamashii no kaihou: Once per stage, if character's HP reaches
zero when the Majin is active, character is restored to full
health but at the cost of DP points being reduced to zero.
A: Kirisakumono: If attacks inflict critical damage while the
Majin is active, damage inflicted is fixed at 2000.
S: Soutou no yaiba: Regular attacks while the Majin is active do
double the normal damage.
2c. Shijou Shiki
Nagare's senior and captain of the school kendo club. Another
selectable heroine.
Analysis: More capable of applying physical damage and taking
hits compared to Tsukine, her main advantages are relatively
high AP and a long reach. The lance she uses attack two squares
in front of her making her best suited for flanking attacks.
Her special attacks in general are well-rounded making her
fairly versatile on the battlefield.
Think of Shiki as a
weaker but more mobile version of Nagare with very strong
magic attacks.
Skill picks: Boost AGI, the special ability Shunpou increases
AGI so why not boost it more to increase chance to hit and
evasion? Skills boosting physical attack, the Konjou branch
of skills combined with the MDF skill earned free from
rank-up are good choices. Assigning Hunter to Shijou is
optional if players intend to utilise her longer attack
range to maximum effect. Another option is to increase her
offensive magic attacks so Basuu no Chigai, Maryoku Kougeki
and Maryoku Houshutsu might be worth a look.
Special abilities:
Rank E: Renya. Getsuei 800 base damage
Area of effect is three squares directly in front of Shijou,
damage and chance to hit are decent for a low-level special
ability.
Rank D: Shunpou
The personal AGI buff, the effect lasts for a few phases
before it must be recast.
Rank C: Storm fang 850 base damage
Roughly the same base damage as Renya, the area of
effect is a 5x5 square which is more generous than most of the
other magic attacks.
Rank B: Wind guard
Selected ally is granted protection from earth element attacks,
enemy chance to successfully attack buffed ally is reduced.
Rank A: Fuujinshissou. ressougeki 2350 base damage (1200,1150)
8-square line area of effect, slightly easier to use in
conjuction with other allies.
Majin characteristics:
E: Fuutei: Wind-based attacks
D: Maryokukyuushuu
C: Kakenukerumono: AP move cost reduced to 1 while Majin is
active, Shijou ignores all terrain and height differences while
moving (e.g. going up stairs still costs 1 AP).
B: Kyoudainaru chikara: Immune to curse while Majin is active.
A: Mugen Tensei
S: Kunrinsuru mono: Enemies of unfavourable elements to Shijou
inflict and receive regular rates of damage while the Majin is
active.
2d. Minatsuki Ren
Scion of one of the city's oldest families. Nagare's junior by
one year. Another selectable heroine.
Analysis: The anti-vehicle rifle Ren carries has a longer range
than a bow and arrow, however the minimum effective range is
also larger and Ren will shoot into any obstacles between
herself and the target (Patch 1.02 highlights the attack path).
Her physical offence and HP are better than the archer's but if
she's cornered and cannot find a better location to resume
shooting she will have to rely on her special attacks to
contribute.
Skill picks: If she's on the battlefield she should be far
enough away from opponents to shoot safely without the opponent
getting to her, therefore get PYS and MGC boosters, increased
criticals, increased AGI or hit accuracy as well as party skills
like mood maker and the experience booster if she's selected
often. If she's getting hit, you're either not deploying her
probably or the battlefield terrain and enemies available
aren't helpful for her style of combat. Consider getting MDF
boosts since it's likely opponents and bosses will still have
the range to attack her with magic-based attacks.
The skill she receives at rank A is a good skill to equip
as insurance in case she's ever targeted.
Special abilities:
Rank E: Armour breaker 200 base damage
The minimum range is slightly better than her regular attack,
however the base damage is fairly poor and maximum range is
shorter than normal attacks. It's generally quite reliable for
chance to hit though. The relatively cheap cost in SP is
helpful.
Rank E: Seimitsushageki
When Ren activates this ability on herself, her next attack
bypasses all obstacles in the bullet path to strike the target.
Target may still be missed depending on initial hit
probability (i.e. anything less than 100%). The ability stays
active even if Ren does not attack again during the activation
phase.
Rank D: Jouka
Removes negative status effects affecting an ally.
Rank C: Mirage blast 800 base damage
Ren's magic attack only hits one target. Good for a targeted
strike, bad if you really need to damage lots of enemies
quickly in the phase.
Rank B: None.
Rank A: Starlight calamity 1800 base damage (800,1000)
Insane range and a ridiculous area of effect, this attack
along with Nagare's support attack can fry most regular
enemies and damage boss enemies somewhat long before they
get into attack range.
Majin characteristics
E: Koutei
D: Maryokukyuushuu
C: None
B: Hangekisurumono
A: Shinsounarushashu: Chance to hit increased 200% when Majin
is active, in addition Yuujou skill comes into effect.
S: Tatakau mono
2e. Kudou Yumi
World history teacher at Nagare's school and squad leader.
Another selectable heroine.
Analysis: The stealthy assassin-type character, relies
primarily on her cloak ability to move behind enemy lines and
strike at enemies from the rear. The new patch changed her
invisibility ability to last several phases instead of
disappearing the instant she attacked making her far more
useful for slaying back-row shooters and destroying
reinforcement slabs. Her regular attack is capable of
attacking squares diagonally of her location, a useful ability
for sneak attacks and encircling boss enemies. Her
attacks are most damaging from the rear and with the help of
criticals, despite her high agility it is not a good idea
to attract too much unwanted attention since her HP pool
won't take more than a couple of solid hits. Her huge
movement range at higher ranks allows her to get behind
enemy lines quickly while her comparatively lower
minimum ATK values from rank-C onwards make her the best
candidate for destroying stone slabs.
Skill picks: Increasing AGI and EVA are a top priority, her DEF
and MDF aren't high enough to boost properly so evade/avoid
attacks whereever possible. The rank C and rank A skills
available when she ranks up are custom-made for her combat
style. The experience boosting skill is a nice choice
since she's helpful for virtually all battles faced.
Hanyousei (Mobility) should be assigned early on to take
advantage of her high movement and maximise her assassin role.
The combination of Kouun with her Majin Rank B characteristic
is enough to trigger critical hits on almost every regular
hit, a very exploitable feature especially towards the
end of the game.
Special abilities:
Rank E: Kagerou 100 base damage
Very low base damage, if the special attack is activated from
the opponent's rear damage is increased somewhat. Generally not
an attack worth using.
Rank D: Kehaishadan
The invisibility buff. With the new patch the ability lasts for
ten phases. Opponents who are attacked while invisible will
retaliate if capable of doing so. Although the enemy cannot
target Yumi directly with normal and special attacks during the
enemy phase, area of effect magic or special attacks remain
effective if she's inside the area of effect.
Rank C: Mana burn 500 base damage
Yumi's magic attack. It has the typical cross-shaped area of
effect like most magic attacks. The lower base damage is
compensated by the chance to inflict sleep status on surviving
enemies.
Rank B: Yami no koromo
Yumi's ally buff. Yumi or selected character is better able to
evade enemy attacks. This ability uses up a lot of AP so
prudent application is recommended.
Rank A: Shiro 2000 base damage (800,1200)
This only affects one target so feel free to let Yumi take part
in boss encirclement. However she can't attack diagonally with
the support attack. This attack has the same problem as
Tsukine's since Yumi will want to trigger critical damage by
spamming regular attacks at A-rank rather than invest a
comparatively large amount of AP for this attack. Even more so
when considering the Majin ability acquired at rank B.
Majin characteristics:
E: Antei: Darkness-based attacks
D: Maryokukyuushuu
C: Kirisakumono
B: Kyouran no chi: Critical attack chance is greatly increased
while Majin is active.
A: Shinobumono: Yumi suffers a maximum of 1000 damage per attack
when the Majin is active.
S: Mugentensei
2f. Hiiragi Shizuru
Nagare's elder sister, art teacher at Nagare's school. The final
selectable heroine.
Analysis: Looking at her MOV stat and progression, it's obvious
Shizuru is best deployed as a tank to occupy enemy attention
whilst other characters get round to killing. Her defensive use
doesn't preclude her from attacking as her special abilities
deal more base damage than everyone else, the main problem
is getting her to the frontlines in time together with her
colleagues.
Skill picks: Raise her DEF and MDF. MGC can be increased
depending on her reliance on the magic attack. Give her
iatsu, kamae and the counter special abilities to increase her
effectiveness. Defender is a great choice which supports her
combat role. The skill earned at Rank B is another good fit for
Shizuru as it reduces her MOV cost by 1 allowing her to keep
up reasonably well with the rest of the team, the reduced
chance of criticals won't matter much since she hits hard
enough anyway when ranked up.
Special abilities:
Rank E: Chishougeki 900 base damage
The most damaging of the team's basic E rank SP attacks,
this has the added chance of inflicting the Palsy status effect
on surviving enemies.
Rank D: Yuuwaku
Shizuru can use her feminine wiles to goad an opponent
anywhere on the battlefield to attack her during the opponent
phase.
If the opponent is attacked anytime while the ability is in
effect the opponent's AI is reset to normal. One of the best
uses of this ability is to keep a boss's attention on Shizuru
away from more damaging but less durable allies during boss
encirclement.
Rank C: Prison gravity 2000 base damage
Shizuru's magic attack is extremely damaging and helpful for
attacking at range when Shizuru is unable to get into melee
position. Surviving enemies will have their AGI reduced.
Rank B: Senzai Kyouka
All allies within the area of effect have their PYS stat
increased. The slightly odd area of effect makes it difficult
to fully exploit for the entire party.
Rank A: Fuujindankuuken 4000 base damage
Highest base damage of the Majin support attacks, the area of
effect is a 3x3 square so it's not great for surrounding a boss
enemy with buddies.
Majin characteristics:
E: Butei: Attacks from all elements do reduced damage
to Shizuru when the Majin is active. The rank S characteristic
does not cancel out this effect.
D: Maryokukyuushuu
C: JuuseiKaihou: Immunity to status effects when active,
existing status effects before Majin possession will remain
active.
B: Tamashii no Kaihou
A: Teiou no Ketsumyaku: All active allies participating in the
battle when the Majin is activated have their stats
increased by 10%. HP, SP, AP, DP, ATK and MOV are NOT
increased.
S: Kunrinsuru mono
2g. Fukahori Chiaki
Transfer student to Nagare's school. Appears in the
Hatena-developed sister work Heliotrope.
Analysis: His stats are generally well-rounded with average HP,
I tend to use him as a utility character to lock opponents in
place to dictate the pace of battle. His DEF and MDF are above
average so it's possible to use him defensively to absorb enemy
attacks to some extent. I've found his best use is
from the special abilities he has. The scythe he wields
attacks all 3 squares facing him (i.e. similar to Nagare but
just the line) so use him for preemptive strikes to wear
down opponents.
Skill picks: Quite versatile depending on the player's usage.
A mix of offensive and defensive skills works quite well,
giving him the 3 resistance skills against melee, ranged and
magic goes a long way to making up for his average HP.
Taimabouei in particular is granted upon rank-up to rank B.
Chiaki's magic is stronger than his physical attacks so
prioritise skill allocation appropriately. Iatsu is handy
if he's employed as a distraction to keep opponents occupied.
Special abilities
Rank E: Dark revelatory 300 base damage
To date I've used this special ability the most in Chiaki's
repertoire. The damage isn't spectacular but the chance to
inflict sleep on the unlucky opponent allows the team to get
into position for encirclement or concentrate on finishing off
other opponents while the sleeping enemy is out of commission.
I don't think it's possible to keep an opponent immobilised by
constantly abusing this ability, so far the first attack almost
always inflicts sleep status while consecutive uses merely do
damage and invite retaliation from the targeted enemy.
Rank D: Kageshimari
An opponent bound by this ability is unable to move during the
enemy phase. Primarily handy for keeping dangerous regular
enemies in place whilst the fodder is dealt with allowing the
team to surround the survivor later. Using this on boss
characters is also helpful but it will not stop them from
attacking team members in range or using magic attacks. The
effect is cancelled if any attack is made against a bound enemy.
Rank C: Spiral breeze 1000 base damage
Above-average damage, small area of effect. Surviving opponents
may have their AGI reduced.
Rank B: Hyoujinkaikou
Generates an iceberg occupying one grid square to block the
opponent's path.
This has tactical advantages since the iceberg must be destroyed
first before a grid square can be reoccupied. The iceberg gains
HP and special abilities as Chiaki gains ranks. The iceberg
disappears 10 phases after it was set.
Rank A: Hyousouzoueijin 2450 base damage (950, 1300)
2x3 area of effect makes it difficult to use in conjunction with
encirclement tactics, however the damage isn't bad so send
Chiaki out on his own to maximise its utility. Surviving
opponents are likely to have their AGI reduced.
Majin characteristics:
E: Hyoutei: Ice-based attacks
D: Maryokukyuushuu
C: None
B: Hyousousurubourei: When Majin is active, character is
granted the skills ansatsusha and hisatsunokokoroe. Learn to
combine this characteristic with his Rank E and D special
abilities for more backstabbing attacks. This is especially
important once the S-rank characteristic below comes into play.
A: Shinobumono
S: Kyouran no chi
2h. Tanagi Hinata
Shijou Shiki's best friend. National-level archer.
Analysis: The team's archer, her regular attack along with Ren's
is the only way of slaying gargoyles short of using magic
attacks (Patch 1.2 onwards). Although her shooting range is much
shorter than Ren's she is able to arc her arrows over obstacles
to reach her target. Her stats are generally weaker than Ren's
so it's more difficult to keep her within shooting range whilst
keeping the enemy's attention occupied on other team members.
Skill picks: Increase her PYS and MGC stats to take advantage of
her ranged prowess. Hinata's one of the best candidates for the
mood maker skill. She earns taibutsubouei at rank-B which
is a better replacement for DEF boosts. Use her rank D
personal buff to keep out of trouble and reduce the need for
defensive skills.
Special abilities:
Rank E: Shitenchi 300 base damage
The damage isn't much, but the high chance of a DEF reduction
allows subsequent physical attacks from allies to inflict more
damage. The attack also inflicts the curse status on damaged
opponents, however this is rarely seen when the target is a boss
character.
Rank D: Kenshin
This buff is applicable to party members and Hinata herself,
the majority of character stats are boosted accordingly.
Hinata must be very close to her allies to bestow the buff. The
effect is similar to Chizuru's rank A Majin special ability.
Rank D: Shinobiashi
Personal buff, when active Hinata is less likely to be targeted
by enemies. This is not as effective as Yumi's invisibility, if
Hinata is the only valid target within range she WILL be
attacked.
Rank C: Gaia seal 700 base damage
This magic attack has one of the strangest effective ranges,
although the area of effect is extremely wide. This inflicts the
same status effects as Shitenchi but with higher damage and
probability. Unfortunately the patch made it such that curse
status effects on bosses aren't permanent unlike those suffered
by the player so regular casting is required to lock out the
Boss character's Majin. In addition to Shitenchi's effects,
there's a chance that affected enemies
have their DEF reduced and an even smaller one that sleep
status is inflicted.
Rank B: None
Rank A: Shitenkyuugetsu 2000 base damage (800,1200)
Cross-shaped area of effect with a nice range, just be careful
not to hit your allies. It seems to be a buffed up version of
her C rank magic attack with the same chance to inflict
reduced DEF and Curse.
Majin characteristics
E: Dotei: Earth-based attacks
D: Maryokukyuushuu
C: None
B: Daishichikan: When the Majin is active, the character's
evasion chance is greatly increased. In addition, character
is immune to criticals.
A: Shinobumono
S: Shinsounarushashu
2i. Shiromine Iori
Nagare's friend, rival and senior in school. Member of the
boxing club.
Analysis: Iori along with Shizuru are the team's designated tank
characters. Iori in particular has the highest HP pool of all
characters at each rank and very strong stats all round.
Unlike Shizuru, Iori has a regular MOV stat allowing him to get
to the front lines quickly. His special abilities also reflect
his tendency to reach the battle first before his team-mates and
his emphasis on physical power and defence.
Skill picks: Any skill increasing PYS and DEF are fine, give
Iori iatsu, Counter Level 3 and the hunter skill to maximise
his effectiveness as an offensive tank.
Special abilities:
Rank E: Lava break 600 base damage
Iori gets his magic attack early compared to most allies. The
plus side is the wide area of effect centred on Iori and no
risk of "friendly fire" damage, the flip side is the relatively
low base damage and Iori's inherently poor MGC stat resulting
in disappointing damage values when used further on. Use of
this ability is strongly encouraged during the 1st few stages
Iori is active in since damage remains respectable relative
to enemy stats and HP.
Rank D: Shugosha
Similar to Shijou Shiki's AGI booster, only this effect
increases Iori's already considerable DEF value. The duration
is shorter than Shiki's Shunpou so only use it before
receiving attacks from extremely strong foes.
Rank C: Kassenshou 8000(!) base damage
Don't let the ridiculous damage value fool you, as the special
description states Iori sacrifices virtually all accuracy in
attack in favour of massive power and force behind the hit.
Bosses in particular will almost always see a 0% chance to hit
if this special ability is selected. Combined with Maya's
rank D ability (see below), players will likely get more
mileage out of the skill.
Rank B: Seimei no honoo
Targeted ally regenerates HP at the cost of Iori's HP being
drained at a similar rate. Effect lasts until Iori's HP is
reduced to 1. This is a useful "healing" ability of sorts as it
takes advantage of Iori's huge HP pool, use this in conjunction
with Tsukine's Kuusoukaiten.
Rank A: Haoubakuretsushou 3000 base damage
2nd highest support attack damage behind Chizuru's. On the plus
side Iori seldom uses SP-based special attacks so he should
have plenty of opportunities to let rip. The comparatively low
AP cost of this move is also useful, encirclement tactics
against boss enemies will likely revolve using Iori's support
attack to massively drain target HP.
Majin characteristics:
E: Entei
D: Chousaisei
C: Moesakarumono
B: Juuseikaihou
A: Tamashii no kaihou
S: Tatakau mono
2j. Umisaki Maya
Ren's best friend, one year Nagare's junior.
"Little sister" complex.
Analysis: The first thing that stands out in Maya's initial
stats is the PYS value, a girl carrying a sword almost as tall
as she is deals out more damage than the rest of her team-mates
on equivalent ranks. The PYS value aside Maya's stats are the
weakest in the entire team, therefore her role on the
battlefield is very specialised. Send her to the
back of an occupied opponent and kill quickly. If any enemy
latches on to her she's likely dead unless her skill slots have
been appropriately equipped to help her survive slightly longer.
Get her up to S rank and you've got the archetypal
"glass cannon".
Skill picks: Two choices to make, either go all out and raise
Maya's PYS stat to astronomical levels for incredible damage or
round her out with one or two defensive skills whilst keeping
her offence-oriented. Raise AGI instead of DEF. The 3 must-have
skills in Maya's skill arsenal should be Kougeki 3,
Senshi no Akashi and Attacker. All skills earned free with her
rank-ups should definitely be assigned to her, upgrade to
superior versions of the same skill branch if possible. One of
the first candidates to consider assigning the skill which
increases both accuracy and evasion chances.
Special abilities:
Rank E: Ichi no tachi: Hien 500 base damage
Low damage and the attack only attacks one unit within
the effective range. However this IS a magic attack and it
could be useful against gargoyles and heavily wounded enemies
to finish them off at a fraction of the SP cost of most special
abilities. Assuming an enemy survives the attack, there's
the chance DEF is reduced. Although available from the outset,
in practice Maya only has enough SP to use the skill from
rank D onwards.
Rank D: Iai no kokoroe
An expensive support ability in terms of AP and SP, this is
supposed to allow the buffed ally's next regular attack to
always strike the opponent, however it doesn't work like it
should if the target has the Majin Daishichikan characteristic.
Rank C: Ni no tachi: Zantetsu 1000 base damage
Prior to version 1.02 this attack was considered long range
allowing for quick kills from a safe distance, now it's been
fixed and has the same range as a melee attack. Regardless
the base damage is above average for a physical special attack
even against bosses because the attack ignores the enemy's
defence value.
Rank B: Tsuyuharai
Personal buff, when active all ranged damage against Maya is
reduced. Use it before running a gauntlet of Gargoyles and
Gregories.
Rank A: San no tachi: Hyakkaryouran 2900 base damage (2800,100)
3rd highest base Majin support attack damage behind Chizuru
and Iori. Get her up close and let rip.
Majin characteristics:
E: Dotei
D: Maryokukyuushuu
C: None
B: Juuseikaihou
A: Daishichikan
S: Reitetsu naru mono: Complete immunity to all status effects
and stat decreases except curse. In practice, this ability
is made somewhat redundant by the Rank B characteristic.
3. General tips
Veteran tactical RPG enthusiasts will likely find the game too
easy compared to most, but for players new to the genre
the tips below should help.
- Read the manual, it has a list of helpful hints to consider on
the last page.
- If you don't understand enough of the manual, some things I've
learnt from my first playthrough
a) Let the opponent come to you rather than the other way round,
the closer the enemy is to you, the less AP you expend moving
into attack position. Enemies are less capable of using their
special attacks if most of their AP was spent getting into
position.
b) Gargoyles, Gregories and magic spheres have powerful ranged
attacks. Gargoyles can only be harmed via ranged or magic
attacks, Gregories' special attack inflicts curse on
characters with their Majin activated while the magic sphere
from rank D onwards has an 800 base damage magic attack which
has absurd maximum range and no minimum range.
c) All characters should achieve rank C at the very minimum,
by the end of the game Nagare and at least two other characters
should be S-rank. Low-rank characters at later stages are
a liability with their inability to damage opponents and
high possibility of receiving ludicrous damage from enemy
attacks.
d) Don't play your characters out of position, the game places
an emphasis on teamwork to achieve the objectives.
e) The boss characters have noticeably higher HP than your team
at the same rank, normally characters have no chance against
them 1-on-1, especially since the boss characters have huge DP
pools allowing them to unleash and maintain their Majin for far
longer than the player's team. If you don't make use of
teamwork and the character's special abilities, defeat is more
or less assured.
f) Check the objectives carefully, some battles only require
you to defeat the boss to progress to the next stage while
others require you to clear the map of all enemies
(stone slabs included).
g) On the subject of stone slabs, these summon forth a fixed
number of enemies after a certain interval. The enemies
summoned forth are finite so players cannot milk XP
indefinitely off a single map. However it is not advisable to
overestimate your team's capabilities and simply sit back and
wait for the reinforcements to come, some slabs have a nasty
habit of summoning tougher regular monsters at unmanageable
quantities particularly at later chapters. Managed well, the
game becomes so much easier with the additional XP earned from
summoned opponents.
h) You can check the status of all enemies in the game, the
same way you do so for your own team. Use this to check out
the special abilities of regular enemies and bosses and to
estimate their effective ranges.
i) It's normally a good idea to leave a few unused AP points
for characters within enemy range, that way you avoid
damage either through evasion or reduce damage taken through
blocking. Characters with the Counter branch of skills can
also put them to good use with spare AP during the enemy
phase.
j) The Majin is an integral part of the game, aside from the
statistical boost the regeneration offered allows characters
focusing on special abilities to recover enough SP to reuse
useful special abilities. Bear in mind that the DP cost for
maintenance is per phase, including the enemy phase. HP and
SP regeneration is only registered at the start of the player
phase. If the Majin is deactivated before the end of the player
phase, the character spends no DP points on Majin maintenance.
3. Chapter walkthrough
All stage walkthroughs completed. Once you've completed
the game at least once, the game allows you to save the status
of your developed characters and attained skills and allows a
replay of the storyline using the upgraded characters. Obviously
if you've made it that far then the walkthrough is really
unnecessary since S-rank characters from the start make the
game so much easier.
20091029 patch note: Another patch was released shortly after
I finished the game. In addition to fixing a few stability
problems with Vista machines, completed games now have a
choice of difficulty levels to provide more challenge for
levelled characters. Difficulty levels start from Normal,
Hard, Hell and NoFuture. If you think your S rank
party is hard enough, trying the toughest level should
provide a decent enough challenge as all regular
and boss opponents start at S-rank. Despite the
massive increase in difficulty level, XP earned from
defeated opponents remains the same regardless of
difficulty level chosen.
There are 14 chapters in the storyline, I'll number my
walkthrough accordingly from 1-14. Small letters denote
multiple battles within the same chapter. Roman numerals denote
a different battle depending on visual novel choices. A
reminder that the special stage is only accessible if a new
game is started with Heliotrope installed on the same PC, if
an older save game file was loaded after Heliotrope was
installed the extra dialogue, CG and special battle will NOT
be available.
1) Clear the map of all enemies, player loses if either Nagare
or Shizuru is defeated.
This introduces the tactical RPG gameplay mechanics, both our
team members start at rank E and have no skills to equip. Their
positions are also fixed. If you've downloaded the 1.2 patch
the battle tutorial accessible from the top menu gives a brief
walkthrough on the controls. Readers who don't understand the
big picture can simply read my general tips above for a rough
outline on how to proceed.
Points to note:
a) The toughest opponent here is a rank-D scorpion, fortunately
it's rather stupid and will happily walk behind its lesser
brethren to attack. This makes it a good target for the rank E
special attacks as well as Nagare's ability to hit more than
one opponent at once using regular attacks.
b) You really shouldn't need to use your Majin here, but if you
do take note all it does is adjust your character stats and
change your attack element.
2a) Clear the map of enemies, player loses if either Nagare or
Shizuru is defeated.
Another easy stage, take note of the Noah's ark items which can
be broken to earn skill items for your characters. Otherwise
just take it easy and let your enemies come to you.
Points to note:
a) Toughest opponent is still the rank-D scorpion, but there
are more of them.
b) Be sure to break every Noah's ark you see, the items stored
within are not earned automatically at the end of the stage.
2b) Defeat Shima, player loses if entire team is defeated.
1st boss battle. Shima is just like your characters, only more
durable and at a higher rank. If you haven't bothered using the
Majin or special attacks before, you'll have to now if you want
to progress. The art of encircling a strong opponent should also
be practiced here.
Arachne enemies have a special attack which inflicts poison and
cannot be evaded. Try not to get too close to them when
they have full AP.
Points to note:
a) Shima won't attack you straight away, so pick off the
surrounding regular enemies before focusing your attention on
him.
b) Grab the Noah's ark to the right of your starting area after
clearing out the surrounding enemies.
c) If you lose Hinata to the gargoyles, you'll likely have no
means of killing them. Fortunately they don't hit your other
characters quite as hard so they should prove to be no more
than a nuisance when taking on Shima.
3) Clear the map of enemies, player loses if entire team is
defeated.
First stage introducing the stone slabs, stages like these are
actually the game's way of providing more experience for your
characters since you can "farm" the slabs for enemies and their
XP if you manage your characters carefully. Slabs take 10
damage per attack regardless of attack type, on very rare
occasions 11 damage is inflicted due to a possible
bug/miscalculation with the damage modifiers.
Do not maintain an active Majin near the Gregories, their
special attack can curse characters and cancel Majin possession.
Hounds have a special attack which reduces your stats.
High AGI also makes them difficult to hit so use C-rank
magic attacks if necessary.
Points to note:
a) There are two Noah's Ark items on the map, the one in the
back row can be reached with rank D Yumi using her cloak
ability.
b) Destroy the top slab as soon as possible if the party cannot
farm two slabs at once, the remaining slab is easier to manage
for farming since enemies spawn on the two squares below
the slab for easy containment.
4a) Survive to phase 15 or defeat Shima. Player loses if
Nagare is defeated.
Losing on this map allows the storyline to progress, but my
strategy is to try and achieve the mission objective. This is
the 1st of the time-limit stages where you have to try and
kill as many enemies as possible to milk experience. Nagare
at rank D should have enough time to kill all enemies blocking
his path and destroy the slab before picking up the Noah's ark.
Points to note:
1) Don't bother killing Shima, you don't stand a chance right
now 1-on-1. Be careful not to blunder into range of his magic
attack.
2) The one variable that determines whether or not the map is
doable quickly is how lucky Nagare is with the initial
hound enemy. If it falls quickly, then the slab and Noah's
Ark can be destroyed and claimed respectively by phase 13.
A safe tactic is to restrict Nagare's attacks to the minimum
AP required each time until the hound falls. Alternatively
Nagare's rank C magic attack (if he's got that far) solves
the problem and saves time.
4b) Defeat Shima. Player loses if entire team is defeated.
You get three new characters to choose from, so you can swap
off team members depending on your needs. Use Yumi to pick up
the Noah's ark near Shima.
Points to note:
1) Be sure to cut off the enemy reinforcements coming down the
corridor. Iori backed up with another character should do
nicely.
2) The new Atlas enemy has lots of HP and damage, but
high-agility characters have a very good chance to dodge their
regular attack. Their special attack inflicts sleep status so
kill it quickly before it gets too dangerous.
3) Shima has the special skill letting him do more damage to
Nagare in combat, if possible let Iori or Shizuru take the
hits and then use Nagare to flank.
Depending on the player's choice in the visual novel, you'll
either get 5i or 5ii as the chapter battle. 5i is the battle
encountered if the top option in the visual novel mode is
selected just before the battle itself, 5ii for the bottom
option. Characters selectable in the party change according
to the option selected.
5i) Clear the map of enemies, player loses if ??? is defeated.
No need to rank up ???, since you'll be wasting points just to
increase HP and movement. Interestingly enough Rank C ??? is
awarded Kokou assuming you like using the skill. Both Ren and
??? start out of position from the rest of your party so either
move Ren and ??? closer to the main team position or use her
to shoot down any enemies nearby while reinforcements move
up to help.
Points to note:
1) There are two Noah's ark items in this map, be sure not to
forget them.
2) If you're farming slabs, the right slab is easier to
surround. If you're feeling confident, you can leave both slabs
and farm enemies until the slabs run dry. You need 4 characters
for the top slab and one for the bottom to seal off the enemy
escape routes.
5ii) Clear the map of enemies, player loses if ??? is defeated.
Same
map, but your starting position is different (where the 2nd
item was) and the number of enemies and composition is slightly
different.
Points to note:
1) If you're farming slabs, the top right slab is easier to
manage.
2) Take down the top left slab ASAP if you can't farm two slabs
at once, do not take on the two Atlas enemies at once since
few characters have the HP to survive a few lucky hits.
6a) Survive to phase 15, player loses if any team member is
defeated or if Shima is defeated.
Another timed mission, as before kill as many enemies as you
can before phase 15.
Points to note:
1) Shima won't go after you proactively so try and pick off the
regular enemies as fast as you can. He will make a move from
phase 12 onwards regardless of distance between him and the
rest of your party.
2) To ensure the gargoyles come to you, get a character who can
attack them with magic close enough to the building they're on.
They'll come down on their own making it easier for you to
finish them off. The other way is to get a C-rank Shiki
close enough to centre her wind fang magic attack on the
high platform the gargoyles are on.
3) This chapter introduces the infamous magic spheres,
the magic attack they inflict is 800 damage base so you'll have
to be careful to prevent weak characters from coming under
fire.
4) Deploy your strongest and fastest team available, leave
the single slab alone until phase 13 where it can be destroyed
for additional XP. If players farmed slabs for enemies on
earlier chapters, the enemies summoned forth on this stage
should be very manageable with C-rank characters.
6b) Defeat Shima, player loses if entire team is defeated.
Now you get to kill Shima properly. His back row has 2 stone
slabs and 2 floating spheres so take them out accordingly.
1) There are still 2 gargoyles on the structure on the left of
the map, get them down the same way as before or
ignore them if you're trying to finish things quickly.
2) Don't let the enemies on the right and left of your starting
area flank you.
3) If players feel inclined, equipping Nagare with the
ice-resistance skill can prove useful since Shima's Majin
is ice-based meaning both Nagare and Iori are at an disadvantage
in terms of damage inflicted and damage received when their
own Majins are activated against Shima's.
7) Escape to the designated 6 squares or defeat Shunga. Player
loses if any team member is defeated.
A look at Shunga's stats should tell you that the wisest course
of action is to run, you still have fight your way through a
few regular enemies to the exit.
Points to note:
1) Shunga's range of awareness is within your starting position,
so first thing would be to run away. I pick the right fork for
my escape path.
2) Although it doesn't seem like it, you can farm this chapter
for experience. If Yumi has a decent rank she can stay hidden
long enough to kill the floating sphere reinforcements from the
slabs. So long as you destroy the slabs before Yumi's SP runs
out you'll have sufficient time to kill the regular enemies on
the other fork.
3) Shunga will actively hunt you down from phase 16 onwards,
when that happens get your team to the escape area (highlighted
by 6 circles).
8) Clear the map of enemies. Player loses if entire team is
defeated.
The fences completely block all ranged attacks, there
is a gap at the top where reinforcements from the top slab can
descend to lower ground.
Points to note:
1) Kill the spheres near the lower slab quickly, then destroy
the slab or assign 2-3 characters for guard duty if farming.
Both slabs on this map summon scorpions only (albeit at higher</pre><pre id="faqspan-2">
ranks than before) so this is a good opportunity to
gain some much needed XP for later chapters.
2) There's a Noah's Ark item at the top left corner. Rotate
the camera with your view centred on the tower and it should
be visible.
9) Defeat Roka. Player loses if entire team is defeated.
There are two floating spheres on the bottom left and one on
the top right not far from your starting position. Recommend
Nagare shield entire team with Flare protection before starting
off.
Points to note:
1) The entire party does not necessarily need shielding if party
members can take hits from magic attacks or stay out of sight.
2) Use Yumi to take out the 2 spheres on the bottom left,
afterwards take out the slab behind Roka before you're
overwhelmed.
3) Roka is much stronger than Shima ever was, try and keep him
cursed to stop him from deploying his Majin. If Nagare is still
using the ice-resistance skill, remove it before the battle
and equip something more suitable.
4) The "staircase" in the middle provides a height advantage
provided the team stays at the top. Do not equip the skill that
ignores height differences if you want the height advantage to
count.
10a) Clear the map of enemies or get your team to the designated
area. Player loses if any team member is defeated.
By this point your squard should be strong enough to clear the
map, clearing the map is also worth more experience which you
definitely need for the next 2 stages.
Points to note:
1) The two Noah's ark items on this stage are not reachable via
melee, you will need to use either of the ranged characters or
magic attacks to claim the items. The item on the upper right
in particular is ONLY damageable with a magic attack.
2) Kill the floating spheres before approaching the main
welcoming party in the centre.
3) For first time players, the slab can be farmed but some
care should be taken since reinforcements include Gregories
and Gargoyles at B rank. One successful tactic I've used
is to keep my party 6 squares away from the summoning point
and let the enemies attack the characters most capable of
evading/blocking damage. Using this strategy, weaker/lower-rank
characters should stay as far away as possible from the slab,
preferably at the extreme edges of the goal area.
10b) Defeat both Roka and Shion, or the entire team escapes to
the designated area. Player loses if any team member is
defeated.
Taking on one boss character is bad enough, but two of them at
once is seriously hard without a strong party. It is possible
to escape whilst clearing most of the map of enemies, but once
the pair start chasing you in earnest escape to the bottom
right is the wisest course if the party isn't up to defeating
the pair. If the party includes at least one A-rank character,
the challenge is killing as many enemies as possible before
time runs out and the two bosses are defeated via Majin
support attacks.
Points to note:
1) One stone slab is on the top right, next to the
gargoyle. The other slab is just after the left leg where the
regular enemies are placed. If players are in a hurry to
finish the map, smashing both slabs quickly should be
doable before Roka and Shion make their move. For players
looking to gain XP, it's a bit difficult farming the slab
while keeping both of the bosses off your back but not an
impossible task.
2) It's easier escaping from the right fork, then you can make
your way to the left taking out the guards for more experience.
3) Roka and Shion will make a move around phase 14, either get
ready to escape or clear the map of fodder before engaging the
pair.
11a) Survive to phase 21 or clear the map of enemies. Player
loses if the enemy reaches the marked areas.
This mission and the following are IMO the hardest in the game,
you have to be well versed with your team's capabilities and
play them according to their roles. Be especially careful
which characters chosen finish 11i.
Points to note:
1) Your main worry here is stopping the enemy from reaching
the designated no-go areas, there is a natural bottleneck
further up the corridor from your starting position but you
need characters who can take hits to keep the corridor sealed
off.
2) Roka and Shion will attack you around phase 10 or
thereabouts, they move very quickly and hit hard so be ready
for them.
3) If you're just aiming to survive to phase 21, be sure to
deploy character Majin's early and maintain them for as long as
possible. You should be safe from curse attacks by Gregories
after the 1st wave of enemy reinforcements is slain, last
wave of Gregory reinforcements shows up just before phase 21.
11b) Defeat Shunga, player loses if Nagare is defeated.
Now you have to defeat Shunga, fortunately unlike your own
A-rank characters, Shunga doesn't have a Majin support attack.
That doesn't make him a pushover though as his magic attack
inflicts curse.
Points to note:
1) The stone slabs first summon an arachne, scorpion and
gregory, subsequent reinforcements include gargoyles which you
can ill afford to kill using magic.
2) The gargoyles are high-ranked and have plenty of HP. Try your
best to kill them before they get the chance to use their
powerful ranged attacks on you. High-rank Gargoyles (and
Gregories) have the "Guard break" skill that prevents
characters from reducing damage incurred through the defend
option, use high-HP/highly agile characters to absorb/evade
the ranged damage.
3) As before, the floating spheres near Shunga must be taken
down before you can engage Shunga.
4) If possible, keep Shunga cursed. You really don't want to
take him on when his Majin is activated. Shielding most party
members with Nagare's Flare protection is recommended before
facing Shunga.
12a) Clear the map of enemies. Player loses if entire team is
defeated.
The good news is players no longer have to worry about enemy
reinforcements in this chapter, the bad news is the new
enemy introduced here is incredibly durable, hits like a
freight train and is nearly impervious to normal attacks from
characters who are not yet A or S rank. Those who have played
and completed Heliotrope should recognize the new enemy.
Points to note:
1) One of the Noah's Ark items is on top of a platform, it's
reachable for any character with the mobility skill item to
melee. Otherwise you'll have to destroy it with a magic attack.
2) The AI for the new enemies is smarter than what you'd expect,
3-4 enemies near your starting area will charge you immediately
from the 1st enemy phase onwards.
3) Majin support attacks are generally the best method of
draining the considerable health of the new enemies.
4) The terrain here isn't completely straightforward, some paths
are blocked off by debris so you have to circumvent it. On the
plus side, there are many natural bottlenecks for players to
take advantage of. Chiaki's rank B ability (assuming players
have ranked up that far) comes in handy on this map.
12 special) Clear the map of enemies. Player loses if Yuzuka is
defeated.
The developer's way of saying thank you for having both Heliotrope and this
game installed on the same PC. Using Yuzuka and her Punisher for one stage may
be a gimmick, however the base XP earned and items obtained from this stage are
the real benefits. Unlocking and clearing this stage is enough to buy an S-rank
for one more character than otherwise possible with AlterEgo installed on its
own.
1) The park map is small so enemies are placed within charge range of
the starting area, use long-range and magic attacks where appropriate to
soften up the initial assault.
2) Yuzuka is strong offensively but her starting position is in range of
at least one enemy. Even with her concentration ability, she doesn't have the
stats to safely evade attacks nor the HP to absorb more than one successful
attack. Recommend fall back to a position roughly in line with the
rest of the party and shoot from there. Her minimum range is similar to
Hinata's but with slightly longer maximum shooting range. There is no risk of
friendly fire but keep a clear line of sight for shots. Liberal use of
her Buster Cannon special ability (2500 base damage!) helps speed up kills.
3) Two Noah's Ark items in plain sight, don't forget about them. The map's
small enough for Yumi to claim both undetected while the first casting of
Kehaishadan remains in effect.
12b) Clear the map of enemies. Player loses if either Roka or
Shion is defeated.
Don't bother assigning skills to the pair, they're strong
enough on their own with their Majins activated from the start.
Unless players dawdle too much, it's extremely unlikely they'll
ever run out of DP before the other team members arrive to help
finish the job.
Points to note:
1) Two of your starting squares are on the top ledge, you could
try assigning either a tank character like Shizuru or a
high-dodge character to the outer ledge and Hinata on the inner
ledge. This way your assigned distraction blocks/evades damage
from one side only and Hinata can shoot over the companion's
head against the other two enemies which will likely queue up
nearby to attack. If Hinata is used, the rank D buff comes in
handy. Enemies are also susceptible to curse assuming damage
can be inflicted with her rank E and C attacks.
2) Get Roka and Shion to the "staircase" so that they can only
be attacked from one direction. If they are not surrounded they
have no chance of dying since their Majin regeneration and HP
pools make them nearly unkillable.
Roka is similar to Shiki/Chiaki with good magic attacks while
Shion plays similarly like a high-rank Tsukine and Yumi.
13) Defeat Shion. Player loses if entire team is defeated.
Some old friends are back for one final fling with your team,
by this point your team should have 2-3 members who are
S-rank which should help matters.
Points to note:
1) The lone stone slab on this map does not summon enemies
right away, however the enemies it does summon are A-rank
monsters from the past 2 chapters which are difficult to
kill without S-rank characters. It is possible to prolong
the battle with Shion until the last of the S-rank
reinforcements comes through (Phase 50+ thereabouts) however
the deployed party must be strong enough to evade/withstand
Shion's persistent attacks and slay reinforcements quickly
until the slab runs dry. It's worthwhile since XP upwards of
the secret stage can be earned which is an additional S-rank
promotion for any B-rank character.
2) Shion has been upgraded since your last encounter, but she
won't last long if you have S-rank characters with their
support attacks. Bear in mind that she has high agility and
equipped evasion skills so a lot of regular attacks will
simply miss. She's much easier to kill if she's not allowed
to activate her Majin (characteristics include immunity to
criticals and curse) but still doable with 2 S-rank
characters in the player's party. Advise evading her physical
attacks rather than defending against them.
3) At phase 8, all of the regular enemies will charge the
team en-masse. Enemies will charge first if they're provoked.
14a) Defeat Roka. Player loses if entire team is defeated.
Not many regular enemies here, but you do have an S-rank boss
to worry about.
Points to note:
1) Finish off the regular enemies quickly and then focus your
attention on Roka.
2) Let Roka come to you rather than the other way round, his
starting position is too high for most of your attacks to
connect. Don't fight him on the staircase unless you have
the appropriate skills ignoring height differences.
3) If possible, don't let Roka activate his Majin at all
during combat. At S-rank his Majin is at full power and
some of the characteristics make the battle much tougher
than it needs to be (e.g. immunity to ranged attacks,
damage absorption, immunity to curse etc.)
4) Ignore the crystals for now, you'll be tending to them
in the next stage.
14b) Defeat Nemo and destroy all power stones. Player loses if
Nagare is defeated.
For a final boss, Nemo has surprisingly poor AI and scripting
in version 1.2. Don't underestimate his special abilities.
Points to note:
1) The green circles on the grid are 2-way teleporters, move a
character on to them and they'll be transported to the
upper platforms where an Atlas enemy guarding a power stone
is located.
2) The power stones located away from the main platforms can
only be destroyed by ranged or magic attacks.
3) Nemo may be rank A, but his stats are beyond S-rank.
In particular all attacks with the exception of Majin support
attacks can be retaliated against regardless of distance.
5. Acknowledgements and credits
Thanks to Kiss and Reactor for developing and publishing the
game.
The game manual for the game concept explanation.
Anyone out there who bothered to read this.
http://desertrain.sakura.ne.jp/kouryaku/2009/kiss_alterego/index.html:
Finally found a webpage with a detailed listing of all technical
info in the game, it's completely in Japanese but matching
the kana in game to the website should not be too difficult.
The only caveat is that the webpage is valid for the 1.1
version and has info on skills that I've not seen at all
in the game.
6. Contact information
If you have anything constructive to contribute such as errors
I've made or corrections to some of the names I've assigned,
email me at snookercue84[ampersand]hotmail[dot]com. Your email
should be titled "Alterego 2009" or it will be ignored and
deleted. Spam and other irrelevant emails will be deleted.
I won't entertain any questions regarding technical problems
running the game.
7. Version history
1.0: FAQ started. All character properties and stage
walkthroughs complete.
1.1: Corrected errors with some special moves. Added two
missing special move names, minor corrections.
1.2: Added note on new difficulty levels with latest
patch installed.
1.3: Reviewed and revised some Romanji names. Added a few
more tips. Once I've got around to installing Heliotrope,
I can provide more info on using Yuzuka.
1.4: Finished secret stage walkthrough. Added link to
website with technical info. Miscellaneous additions.
8. Legal notice
This guide may not be reproduced under any circumstances except
for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site
or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written
permission. Use of this guide on any other web site not listed
or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and
a violation of copyright.
All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are
owned by their respective trademark and copyright holders.
This FAQ is copyrighted by Feng Liangju 2011
www.gamefaqs.com is the only website authorised to display this
FAQ.
