With all side quests done, it’s time we beat up Maya. As we approach the gate, we see Valens’ Fortress appear in the sky. The seal has been broken, but there is unfinished business we need to tend to. We head to her tower and climb it. It has the same layout and mobs as it did for Rue. Oddly, no dialogue about the pumpkins from Mint. Did she overcome her fear? Nor is Trap Master around to lock us in, either. We reach the top and confront Maya. After a long argument, Maya tries to fight us. I find it strange that she’s not using the Book of Cosmos. Because of that, she goes down without any real fight. She turns us into a pumpkin, so there’s that, but she doesn’t capitalize on it. After a few hits, we manage to KO our little sister. And then she transforms! It turns out Maya isn’t Maya, but Mode Master. I knew something was fishy. She reveals she’s working for Doll Master and falls back to the prison.
There we see the real Maya and the Maya Impersonator. They’re doing that whole, “I’m the real Maya. Attack her. No, I’m the real one, so attack her.” thing. I don’t know if it matters, but I hit the fake (bottom) one. When asked how she knew, Mint says she took a wild guess. I was slightly upset that there was no cool detective mini-game to figure out who’s real, but, honestly, a wild guess is totally in character for Mint. I can dig it.
After we hit Mode, Trap Master, who we beat up earlier, shows up and says the two of them are done fighting. Mode gives Maya back the Book, and the princesses leave the tower. Mint takes Maya to Mel because people might be angry at Maya after her imposter called for a raid. It's also an act of petty revenge. Mint and I have a similar opinion on the Fancy One.
Back in Carona, Mint needs to find a way to reach the fortress. Before that, she and Rue have a discussion. Rue is ready to accept defeat and has lost hope. Mint reminds him that he’s fighting for Clare. He’s been doing this for her, for so long, and she believes in him. This re-inspires the lad, and he promises to keep fighting. The only place I can think to go for a ride is Rod. He informs us that his (not a) PinTO has the ability to fly! However, it needs more special fuel first. Our new task is to find five Cannon Orbs.
Klaus has one, which he gives us after he confesses how scared he is of the [relic]. He’s been hunting it for his whole life but is filled with trepidation at the last moment. He asks us to save his son, which only Mint and her eternal optimism and confidence can do.
Belle and Duke have one. They give it to us after they dig it out of the Hexagon, but only if we agree to save Rue.
Hobbs, the stat increase shop owner, has one. He’s selling it for 100 Million Gold. With a down payment of 5000G, we can promise Maya will pay the rest of it. Mint doesn’t bring this up with her sister, of course.
Mel has one, but only after we play with her mini-knuckles. Since Maya is there, we have one last sisterly discussion about giving up the hunt for the [relic[. Since it’s no longer just about world domination, Mint is unmoved. It's now personal. We also learn of the Dewprisom. I didn’t fully get it, but apparently, it controls the essence of nearly everything in the universe.
Before finding the last one, I take a walk to Raging Mountain. At the top, we see Rue turn into Walaf and beat us to the fortress. Then the dragon asks us a few things. Namely, if we can handle the power of the [relic]. He then tests us, and we have a proper fight. Spamming the lightning circle magic, I take him down with little issue. He grants us a new subcategory of magic. I forget what it’s called, but it allows Mint to heal, so I suggest everyone come here just for that. As we leave, Mel sneaks in behind us to talk with the ancient one. They agree that their time is over, and it is now our world. Whether we save it or destroy it is entirely up to us.
The last Cannon Orb is found after we talk to Belle at Rod’s camp. Duke is missing, and Mint thinks Belle is worried about him and using her aggressive behavior to hide it. Duke returns with a severely injured Rod. We learn that Walaf had a Cannon Orb and the Blade Master challenged him for it. Duke helped but was late showing up because his star costume took too long to put on. This meant that Rod got a targeted fire blast all to himself. Despite this, the two defeated the dragon and won the orb. Sadly, Rod is in no shape to fly. Rod says Duke, with his acts, should act like Rod and be the pilot. After some minor miscalculations, the team takes flight and reaches the fortress in only a mildly bumpy manner.
I got all the legendary gear but didn't feel like grinding for the stats. If late game Rue is any indication of difficulty, I should be more than okay.
We see Prima, who says the same stuff but gives us the last subcategory of magic, and enter the fray. The dungeon has the same layout, so I’ll skip to the end. As we reach the gate, we see Puppet Master squeeze the life out of Rue. To pay off the debt to Belle and save our friend, we beat PM up. He dies with little fanfare or revelation. He is strictly an antagonist in Mint's world. Mint drags Rue into the Dewprisom room since she does want him to get his wish. Here we meet Valens.
Because Mint is such a disrespectful human, he tries to kill her. He possesses the body of Rue, and we start the fight. It happens exactly the same as it does in Rue’s story, but instead of hitting Clare, we beat up Rue. After the battle, the spirit of Clare kicks Valens out of Rue’s body. Maya shows up, and Valens combines with the Dewprisom. It’s explained that they form new light. I think they're starting to lose the plot now. Maya gives us the Book of Cosmos’ power, which unlocks the final category for Mint, Gold Magic. It only has one spell, but it's the only way to defeat the final boss.
It’s functionally the same boss but, instead of pressing triangle to block then attack, Mint casts the new spell. The spell absorbs the damage when pressed. Releasing the button after it fires at you will return the absorbed damage back to Valens. Do this five times, and you beat the game. Mint is melancholic that the Dewprisom is gone but comes-to when the dungeon breaks apart. Duke shows up to carry the still unconscious Rue out. The team begins to run out until Mint collapses of exhaustion. She used up all her energy fighting the wannabe god. Mays stays behind to defend her sister until she regains her strength, while Duke and Rue (and Prima) make it back outside. Belle takes Rod’s place and regrets they can’t stay around until the sisters reach the exit.
After fighting off enemies, the Book of Cosmos begins to regain its power given to Mint. After Maya acts like her sister, thus proofing they are related, the Book comes to life, and Maya teleports them out.
Three days later, Rue wakes up Mint. Or, maybe more apropos, she wakes up just in time on her own. Rue says he stopped by to say farewell since he’s leaving ASAP. They promise to go [relic] hunting again, as neither of them got their wish. Rue leaves for good and is nowhere in town. At least Mint hung around for a little in Rue’s story. Everyone else says their same goodbyes until we reach Maya. In the hotel, Gramps is relieved to see us alive. Then he guilt trips us into coming home bu wishing he was dead. Reluctantly. Mint agrees, and the scene cuts to Mint and Maya, now on a ship back to East Kingdom. They talk about the kingdom, their father, and their future. They have more sisterly squabbles, yet this one feels a lot less serious and more good-natured as the credits roll!
But what’s this? A sub ending? If you beat the game with both characters, you unlock the secret ending. It seems to indicate Rue’s ending is the canonical one. Maya is seen with Rue waking up another doll, who is a blue color swamp of Prima. The new guy wonders about his existence if he’s not going to revive Valens. Rue says that he’s alive, so he can do whatever he wants. We then swamp to Mint, who’s being scolded by Gramps for wanting to eat. He says guests have arrived, and the guests are Prima and Rod. Rod starts eating while Prima gives Mint a note from Klaus.
We then swamp back to Rue, with Clare and new guy Ruean, and they hear a chaotic knocking on their door. It’s Mint! The note from Klaus is him saying he’s found a New [relic] in the Ephlesia Ruins in the desert. Rue asks Clare if he can go, and she says yes. The two of them walk out to find a grave marker to Doll Master and march on to their next adventure!
And that’s Threads of Fate. You can continue with what appears to be New Game Plus, but I think I did everything I could. Threads of Fate was a fun game, not perfect, but worth a good play. It’s short, fun, has enough plot twists to keep the story interesting, and makes me yearn for more. Final thoughts tomorrow...
Fun fact, as I finished editing this, a song off my enditing playlist was a tune from Threads of Fate. So I guess you could say that the last...thread of fate!
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