Odin Sphere Leifdrasir

[Squire Grooktook]

One could always do self imposed challenges. No damage runs, etc.

[Skykid]

One could always do self imposed challenges. No damage runs, etc.

I'm at the end of chapter 3 now. Just went for Hard from the get go, and no regrets there. I can imagine Normal being too pedestrian as in previous VW games.

I'm hitting a lot of S-Rank clears without trying too hard, so it's certainly not heavily challenging, but damn it's fun! I love VW games, they're so gorgeous. The combat (and general system) is massively overhauled from the original OS, it's all beautifully streamlined.

Wasn't sure where to leave this, but since I asked a ton of questions about Leifdrasir, I figured here would make sense:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016- ... aro-onishi

I interviewed Vanillaware's Kentaro Onishi and talked a lot about Trap Gunner too! I think you guys might find it interesting.

Fantastic interview the Erion war mode sounded brilliant shame it wasn't in the game .

Yeah, a lot of interesting stuff hit the cutting room floor! There's a sad story about that interview that I'm hoping to make into a happy story later. There could have been so many more questions.

[ZellSF]

Done with chapters 5 and 6 now.

Chapter 5 surprisingly actually had a somewhat increase in difficulty, I died several times. Mostly to airships and Wagner.

Chapter 6 however... I remember grinding to get enough stuff for these boss fights in the original game, here I felt like I could do them without items if I really tried.

Anyone still thinking about it really needs to buy this game.

[Skykid]

Done with chapters 5 and 6 now.

Chapter 5 surprisingly actually had a somewhat increase in difficulty, I died several times. Mostly to airships and Wagner.

Chapter 5 was sudden. Playing on hard, I pretty much never died up to the stage 5 midboss - but then he took me out several times. I don't know if that's because I went in guns blazing as usual without bothering to watch his attacks in quest for an S rank, or whether I needed a little more grinding and food based levelling (which I did and then returned).

The thing is when I did finally beat him it was over before I knew it. Just dropped a level 3 whirlwhind after a dizzy and it drank his second bar into nothing combined with attacks. Also the block and then bash move is pretty damaging.

Funnily enough the end of stage boss was a breeze comparatively.

Chapter 6 seems a little more tough, definitely going to need to grind around a bit before taking on the midboss here.

[Squire Grooktook]

I've been playing on hard, and I'm only a few chapters in on Gwendolyn (just started a day or two ago, and still super busy), but so far I'm finding the difficulty fair and satisfying by playing without using items during battles (only restoring in "rest areas" and such). Too early in to say if that works for the whole game, but so far I can't complain at all with this playstyle.

[Skykid]

Too early in to say if that works for the whole game, but so far I can't complain at all with this playstyle.

It works until Chapter 5's bosses in my experience. Keep in mind you need to do some levelling via cooking and fruit growing or you may find that it get more difficult earlier on, but generally I didn't find I needed to do much of anything else until the aforementioned juncture.

The midboss on stage 6 is brilliant. A sexy mushroom (no spoiler).

[ZellSF]

Done with chapters 5 and 6 now.

Chapter 5 surprisingly actually had a somewhat increase in difficulty, I died several times. Mostly to airships and Wagner.

Chapter 5 was sudden. Playing on hard, I pretty much never died up to the stage 5 midboss - but then he took me out several times. I don't know if that's because I went in guns blazing as usual without bothering to watch his attacks in quest for an S rank, or whether I needed a little more grinding and food based levelling (which I did and then returned).

The thing is when I did finally beat him it was over before I knew it. Just dropped a level 3 whirlwhind after a dizzy and it drank his second bar into nothing combined with attacks. Also the block and then bash move is pretty damaging.

Funnily enough the end of stage boss was a breeze comparatively.

Chapter 6 seems a little more tough, definitely going to need to grind around a bit before taking on the midboss here.

Oh I meant books, not chapters. As in, Velvet's story is a increase in difficulty.

I've been playing on hard, and I'm only a few chapters in on Gwendolyn (just started a day or two ago, and still super busy), but so far I'm finding the difficulty fair and satisfying by playing without using items during battles (only restoring in "rest areas" and such). Too early in to say if that works for the whole game, but so far I can't complain at all with this playstyle.

You're supposed to be able to finish the game without ever being hit, so that is viable, but very difficult. Avoiding using items in battle is a very severe handicap.

[Aisha]

I finished this last week and thoroughly enjoyed it, regardless of the difficulty and whatever else. It felt like the developers put a lot of care into the game and I appreciated that. Clearing the game unlocks two new difficulties, but I haven't had the desire to take a look at them yet; I think one of them is a mode where your maximum HP is set between 100-200 and can't be increased at all.

Velvet and Cornelius ended up being my favorite characters to play, while Oswald was my least favorite. He was still enjoyable once I warmed up to him, but I thought his normal mode controls weren't as fluid, while his berserk mode was simply too fast for me to accurately position him and land blows.

This game motivated me to buy Muramasa Rebirth, so I'm going through that now. Gorgeous game, although the enemies seem relentlessly aggressive so I'm getting my ass handed to me every step of the way.

[Skykid]

Oh I meant books, not chapters. As in, Velvet's story is a increase in difficulty.

You mean you didn't die during Gwendolyn's book at all? On hard?

I must be playing it wrong. I was level deficient for sure on Chapter 5's mid boss, but I'm also way too reckless because I know time is a factor in S Ranks.

I should probably apply more strategy.

You're supposed to be able to finish the game without ever being hit.

That might be possible, but damn hard. The RNG enemy attacks can get busy when it's a big mix up, even if you're herding them around the screen.

[iconoclast]

I was underleveled through most of Gwendolyn's book as well. I didn't realize how important eating was for experience so I never bothered with it. Make sure you spend your coins at the Pooka village in between worlds and cook with the pig chef when you get the chance.

[Skykid]

I was underleveled through most of Gwendolyn's book as well. I didn't realize how important eating was for experience so I never bothered with it. Make sure you spend your coins at the Pooka village in between worlds and cook with the pig chef when you get the chance.

Ah right. I have been skipping the Pooka pretty much... entirely. I thought you needed to obtain the recipe to get better foodstuffs, so I never really go there. I'll change my ways, appreciate the tip!

[ZellSF]

Oh I meant books, not chapters. As in, Velvet's story is a increase in difficulty.

You mean you didn't die during Gwendolyn's book at all? On hard?

3 or 4 times maybe.

Book 1: somewhat challenging
Book 2: could probably do blindfolded
Book 3: not challenging, but needs more active management
Book 4: not challenging, but likes Book 3 requires a bit more active management
Book 5: somewhat challenging
Book 6: somehow even easier than Book 2.

Books 1,3,4 and 5 were improvements on Odin Sphere, but Book 2 and 6 really made me miss the original.

[Skykid]

I was underleveled through most of Gwendolyn's book as well. I didn't realize how important eating was for experience so I never bothered with it. Make sure you spend your coins at the Pooka village in between worlds and cook with the pig chef when you get the chance.

Ah right. I have been skipping the Pooka pretty much... entirely. I thought you needed to obtain the recipe to get better foodstuffs, so I never really go there. I'll change my ways, appreciate the tip!

This tip basically broke the game for me.

I went to pookasville after serious neglect, discovered I had a wad of unused cash, blew it all on the most expensive dishes and ended up so overpowered the game stopped fighting back.

When I was under-levelled I was actually exercising skill and discretion to get my "S" Ranks and avoid death. Things including actually paying attention to attack patterns, using skills like block and sheild bash counters, as well as being pragmatic with POW use and exercising as many mix up chains as possible.

After the food levelling I "S" Ranked everything without even trying. The Gundnir is so powerful it halves a boss's bar and the first time I ever used a Restore potion for PP was on the finale just so I could punish her with it twice.

Personally I'm not quite sure Vanillaware totally got the balance right. I would expect on Hard for the game to require some kind of pattern avoidance; but if your gorging for levels it seems kind of pointless to try too hard.

I started Cornelius's story and it's damn boring. It probably isn't a good idea to put chapter 1 in the Netherworld since that's the last place you were with Gwendolyn.

If I bother to play through his story I at least know how to manage the game correctly (eat in restaurants basically) but I'm not sure if I want that.

Where's the extra hard difficulty setting?

[Strider77]

Where's the extra hard difficulty setting?

It was probably eaten...