Panzer Dragoon Orta - Strategy Guide (Page 01)
Below are the cheat codes, hints and help for Panzer Dragoon Orta - Strategy Guide (Page 01).
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A Comprehensive Walkthrough/FAQ by Thuyker
Version 1.4
E-mail: Thuyker AT aol DOT com
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===============================================================================
Table of Contents
===============================================================================
1. Introduction
2. FAQ
3. Gameplay Basics
A. Game Controls
B. Dragon Morph Forms
C. Leveling Up
D. General Strategies
4. Walkthrough
A. Episode 1: City in the Storm
B. Episode 2: Altered Genos
C. Episode 3: The Fallen Ground
D. Episode 4: Gigantic Fleet
E. Episode 5: Eternal Glacies
F. Episode 6: Legacy
G. Episode 7: Forbidden Memories
H. Episode 8: Imperial City
I. Episode 9: Showdown
J. Episode 10: The End of Destiny
5. Sub-Scenarios
I. Scenarios (Iva's)
A. Epeisodion 1: Death of my Father
B. Epeisodion 2: Imperial Military School
C. Epeisodion 3: Loneliness
D. Epeisodion 4: Friends
E. Epeisodion 5: Village of the Seekers
F. Epeisodion 6: Vengeance
G. Epeisodion 7: Inescapable Fate
II. Missions
A. Mission 1: A Shot in the Dark
B. Mission 2: The Fury of Mobo
C. Mission 3: Enemy Attack!
D. Mission 4: Quick Shooter 1
E. Mission 5: Quick Shooter 2
6. Glossary
7. Guide Information
A. Version History
B. Email information
C. Credits
D. Legal Stuff
===============================================================================
1. Introduction
===============================================================================
Released in January of 2003, Panzer Dragoon Orta certainly did not set any
records for game sales. Then again, noone really expected it to; Panzer
Dragoon games, and rail shooters in general, are widely regarded as niche
games. Games that appeal more to the "hardcore," rather than the mainstream.
Nonetheless, I decided to give the game a chance, and I discovered that this
game is simply one of the best I have ever played. Months after it was
released, I find myself spending more time with it than I do with other, more
recent games.
Panzer Dragoon Orta simply does everything well, in regards to graphics, sound,
and most importantly, gameplay. It provides such a wonderful gaming experience
that it would be a shame for any gamer to miss it, whether they are "hardcore"
or "casual" when it comes to gaming. Having said that, I sincerely hope that
my walkthrough is a helpful source of information for any Panzer Dragoon fan.
Good luck!
===============================================================================
2. Frequently Asked Questions
===============================================================================
Q: What kind of game is Panzer Dragoon Orta?
A: It's a rail shooter. In other words, your path is, for the most part,
controlled automatically. While you can move your dragon around the screen,
you will still be moving towards a certain destination. One of the things
that makes Orta really stand out, however, is the ability to choose between
different pathways (although they still eventually lead to the same goal)
throughout the game.
---
Q: Wouldn't this be a better game if you could fly wherever you wanted?
A: In my opinion, no. While the definition of "rail shooter" sounds somewhat
limiting, the gameplay simply works. It provides non-stop action and a
gaming experience that is unmatched. A great deal of strategy is needed to
do well in this game, and with everything that is going on at once, pure
freedom would most likely result in only confusion and frustration. If you
still insist on pure flying freedom, however, you'll be able to do a little
of this in the sub-scenarios.
---
Q: What dragon form is the best?
A: There really is no one best form - it really just depends on your style of
play. In fact, the game will even categorize your style, depending on what
forms you use most (a "Specialist," for example, uses the Heavy and/or Glide
Wing more then 50% of the time). Each form has advantages and disadvantages,
as explained in further detail below.
---
Q: When should I use a certain dragon form?
A: I personally switch forms quite often, depending on the situation. For
example, I use the Heavy Wing almost exclusively during boss battles, with a
little bit of Glide Wing thrown in when I need some defensive capability.
Other timess, there are large numbers of enemies that are easily-killed;
thus, the extra power of the Heavy Wing is not needed, and the Base or Glide
Wing would suit the situation better. Having said that, it is absolutely
possible to go through the game using a single, favorite form, although this
would make things more difficult.
---
Q: What are the differences between the Easy, Normal, and Hard difficulties?
A: There are quite a few differences. As you progress to harder difficulties,
you'll find that enemies are oftentimes tougher, most notably the bosses.
Not only can they take more damage, but they often fire more projectiles,
forcing you to be on the defensive a greater percentage of the time. Also,
you'll notice, especially on Hard difficulty, that your health does not
regenerate completely from Episode to Episode, as it does in Easy.
Fortunately, the number of enemies you face, and the patterns they appear
in, do not change.
---
Q: I need help with (Boss' name here). How do I defeat it?
A: I describe strategies for each of the game's bosses (and mini-bosses) in
the walkthrough below. Of course, feel free to try different things. Note,
however, that in many battles, certain strategies are a must to succeed,
i.e. boosting to get into position. Also, try checking out the Boss FAQ by
"Lord Alan."
---
Q: I want to unlock everything in Pandora's Box, and I know that playing for
20 hours will do that. Can I just pause the game during an Episode and
leave it there?
A: First off, let me say that it is much more rewarding (and enjoyable) to
actually play for the whole 20 hours. Anyway, simply pausing the game
during an Episode will not work. SPOILER WARNING: However, leaving the
game running during Mission 3 in Pandora's Box will, as it repeats itself
over and over even without your input. I really suggest you not do this,
however!
===============================================================================
3. Game Basics
===============================================================================
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
= 3A. Game Controls =
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-(A) Button-
Hold down while moving your targeting reticle over enemies to lock-on your
lasers (if in Base or Heavy Wing form). Repeatedly tap to fire Orta's
manual weapon.
-(X) Button-
Boost to move your dragon into position and/or ram enemies.
-(B) Button-
Slow down your dragon to move into position, etc.
-(Y) Button-
Change to the next morph form (from Base Wing to Heavy Wing to Glide Wing
and back around).
-(Black) and (White) Buttons-
Launch berserk attack (if the meter is full).
-(Start) Button-
Pause the game, bring up the game menu.
-Left Trigger-
Turn your view 90 degrees to the left.
-Right Trigger-
Turn your view 90 degrees to the right.
-Left Trigger + Right Trigger (at same time)-
Rotate your view 180 degrees.
-Left Thumbstick-
Move your targeting reticle and the dragon.
-Right Thumbstick-
Push in to launch a berserk attack (if the meter is full).
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
= 3B. Dragon Morph Forms =
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
There are three morph forms that your dragon can take the shape of: the Glide
Wing, the Base Wing, and the Heavy Wing. Each has its own strengths and
weaknesses, and you'll find that each will have its uses, depending on the
situation.
+------------
- Base Wing -
------------+
This is the most all-around form, offering a good balance between attack
capabilities and defensive abilities. It can lock-on to quite a few more
targets at once than the Heavy Wing, yet it does not do as much damage with
each shot. It also has the ability to boost and/or slow down twice in a row
with a full glide gauge, and Orta's manual weapon fires quicker than it does
with the Heavy Wing. Finally, the berserk attack lets loose a countless
number of lasers that can absolutely decimate any swarms of smaller enemies
on screen.
+-------------
- Heavy Wing -
-------------+
While the Heavy Wing cannot lock-on to nearly as many enemies as the Base
Wing (at Level 1, it has a maximum of 3, compared to 8 for the Base Wing),
it does far more damage per laser shot. Obviously, this is the form to use
when there are only a small number of durable, powerful enemies on screen -
not when there are swarms of weaker enemies. This is especially evident
when using the berserk attack. The berserk must be manually aimed, and so
it is not effective on large numbers of enemies, it does massive damage to
a select few targets (i.e. most bosses). The Heavy Wing's defensive
capabilities are the weakest of the three forms: not only does Orta's manual
weapon fire slower, but the dragon does not have the ability to boost or
slow down. Fortunately, you can quickly switch to the Glide Wing to better
defend yourself.
+-------------
- Glide Wing -
-------------+
The Glide Wing is easily the quickest and most maneuverable of the three
morph forms. While it does not have the ability to lock-on to any enemies,
the manual weapon fires at an extrememly high rate. This makes it an ideal
form to use when you need to shoot down incoming projectiles, or for very
weak targets. In addition, the Glide Wing has the ability to boost and/or
slow down three times in a row with a full glide gauge. The berserk attack
is similar to that of the Base Wing in that it does not have to be aimed.
While it does not do as much damage, it has the added benefit of actually
healing your dragon! I haven't quite confirmed this, but it seems that you
gain more health if you destroy a greater number of enemies with the berserk
attack. For instance, if you use it on a swarm of Purnam, you'll gain quite
a bit of health back, as they are all easily killed by it. Use it on a
boss, however, and you don't seem to gain much health back.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
= 3C. Leveling Up =
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Leveling up in Panzer Dragoon Orta is rather simple. Each of the above morph
forms starts out at Level 1, and can reach a maximum of Level 5. Each requires
a certain number of "gene bases" before it gains a level; they all level up
independently of one another. For instance, if your Base Wing collects two
gene bases, it'll reach Level 2, but the other two forms remain at Level 1.
At Level 1, a form needs to collect 2 gene bases to level-up.
At Level 2, a form needs to collect 4 gene bases to level-up.
At Level 3, a form needs to collect 6 gene bases to level-up.
At Level 4, a form needs to collect 8 gene bases to level-up.
So where do you get these gene bases? Some people tend to think of gene bases
as "experience points," which is somewhat wrong. You collect gene bases by
destroying a particular enemy (or sometimes, a particular group of enemies) -
NOT by killing a certain number of enemies. In other words, you could kill
several dozen enemies in a particular battle, but if you miss just the one that
is carrying the gene base, you're out of luck. Conversely, you could not kill
a single enemy except for the one that is carrying the gene base, and still get
it.
Anyways, I make an effort to describe every location of gene base-carrying
enemies in the walkthrough below. If you're interested solely in these gene
base locations and none of the walkthrough stuff, however, please see my in-
depth Gene Base Location FAQ/Guide instead.
So, what are the advantages to leveling up? Cosmetically, the Glide and Heavy
Wings change their appearance dramatically, although the Base Wing retains the
same appearance throughout the game. More importantly, however, the dragon
forms become immensely more powerful in terms of combat effectiveness, in
addition to its increased life gauge. But in what ways?
+------------
- Base Wing -
------------+
At Level 1, the Base Wing can lock on to a maximum of 8 targets, and gains
an extra lock-on per level, for a maximum of 12 targets at Level 5. At
Level 1, the berserk attack lasts for about 3 seconds, and reaches a maximum
of about six seconds at Level 5.
+-------------
- Heavy Wing -
-------------+
At Level 1, the Heavy Wing can lock on to a maximum of 3 targets, and gains
an extra lock-on every two levels. For example, it can lock-on to 4 targets
at Level 3, and a maximum of 5 targets at Level 5. At Level 1, the berserk
attack lasts for about 3 seconds, and reaches a maximum of about six seconds
at Level 5.
+-------------
- Glide Wing -
-------------+
The Glide Wing can't lock-on to any targets of course, but the rate at which
its gun fires increases dramatically as levels are gained. As with the
other two forms, berserk attack length increases from about 3 seconds at
Level 1 to about 6 seconds at Level 5. In addition, the boost attack seems
to do more damage to enemies at higher levels, although I haven't confirmed
this.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
= 3D. General Strategies =
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
For the most part, lock-on to as many enemies as possible. First, this gives
you a bigger score bonus: for example, you get more points for destroying a
group of eight enemies all at once than you do if you destroy half of them
with one shot, and the other half with a second shot. Perhaps more crucial,
especially on harder difficulties, however, is that you'll end up taking less
damage in the long run. The quicker you take down your enemies, the less
chance they have to take shots at you. On the other hand, don't spend TOO much
time trying to lock-on to as many targets as possible.
---
Become very comfortable with morphing. Oftentimes, it is absolutely necessary
to quickly switch forms in order to kill certain enemies. For instance, you
may be facing large groups of weaker enemies, so use your Base Wing. But if
a lone, more durable enemy flies in, you may have to switch to your Heavy Wing
to do enough damage to destroy it before it gets away.
---
Know when to boost or slow down. Oftentimes, you simply don't have enough time
to lock-on to a group of enemies with your lasers. A well-timed boost may
destroy them before they get away. Other times, boosting is absolutely crucial
to avoid getting hit by certain attacks, especially during boss battles. And
finally, some enemies are invulnerable from certain angles: you'll need to
speed up or slow down accordingly to get into a position where you can target
their weak spots.
---
Don't forget about your manual weapon! Not only is it extremely effective
when used to shoot down incoming projectiles, it does extra damage. Don't
simply lock-on with lasers, wait for them to hit, and then lock-on again.
Instead, start firing with your manual weapon as soon as you let your lasers
fly, then lock-on again. Every extra bit of damage you do counts.
---
Keep a close watch on your radar. As soon as you see radar contacts, turn to
face the threat (unless they are approaching so rapidly that they will likely
overtake and pass you). The sooner you start attacking, the more likely you
will be able to destroy all of the enemies.
---
Conserve your berserk attacks. Don't use them as soon as your meter fills up;
rather, wait for a situation where using such a powerful attack would be more
efficient.
===============================================================================
4. Walkthrough
===============================================================================
The following walkthrough was written while playing through the game on Hard
Difficulty. I'll often say which direction you should be facing, in reference
to a clock face. For example, 12 o'clock would be facing forward, 3 o'clock
facing right, etc. Also, make sure to read the general strategies above.
There are certain things that you should always be doing, even if I don't
mention it below. For instance, when I say to lock-on and fire lasers, you
should always be using your manual weapon as the lasers fire, before you can
lock on again. Finally, while I will make recommendations in regards to what
morph form you should be in or what pathway you should take, feel free to use
whatever you are most comfortable with or go wherever you choose. Have fun!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
= A) Episode 1: City in the Storm =
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
You'll start off facing backwards, in Base Wing form, with four Battleship
Bhout and two Dragonmares immediately present. Take out the initial group of
Bhout, as well as a second group that drops in behind and to your right (if you
are still facing backwards). Shortly thereafter, another group of four Bhout
quickly move from your front to your rear, and slightly below you. Destroy
them, another group of three that fall in behind you, and then quickly destroy
four that come from a gap in the canyon wall, at 9 o'clock. One of the four
that just emerged is a Carrier Bhout, and drops your first gene base. Directly
in front of you will be a Hovertank Dahra - destroy it and two more just a
little further behind it. Use your manual weaponry to destroy any missiles
they might have launched at you. Now, you should be flying over a gap again,
where three additional Bhout will be flying in front and below you. Also note,
there will be many times where a dragonmare will be in your general vicinity.
While they mostly do their own thing, and while you can't kill them quite yet,
it doesn't hurt to shoot them if there's no other enemies on screen, as every
hit you score builds up your berserk meter, which you'll want filled up soon.
Anyways, back to the walkthrough. Face backwards, as two Bhout and six
Hovertank Dahra will pull in behind you. Destroy them, as well as an
additional pair of Bhout that drop in, quickly. Now, keep a close eye out for
another four Bhout that rapidly move from your rear to your front. Try to take
them all out, especially the Carrier Bhout (it has green markings). Do so, and
you'll receive another gene base. Hopefully, you'll have leveled up one form
of your choice now. Still facing forward, destroy three more Dahra and Bhout.
Eight Battleship Bhout move in behind you, but keep facing forward; they'll
soon pass you and be in front. At the same time, another group should be in
view if you're facing forward, moving from the left to right. One of the ships
that came in from behind is a Carrier Bhout - destroy it for another gene base.
If you've been able to build up your beserk meter, get ready to use it - it'll
definitely make killing the next group of enemies much easier. A dragonmare
will appear from the right, but keep your eye out for eight Bhout that come
in at 12 o'clock, diving down from a higher altitude. If you can, take them
all out at once. A total of 16(!) Bhout will now appear: four from the rear,
the others moving from one side of the screen to the other (if you're facing
forward). This would be an excellent time to use your berserk, but if your
meter isn't full, don't worry about it. Just make sure to take out the Carrier
Bhout, which will be in a group of ships moving from left to right in front and
slightly below you - it drops another gene base. As soon as you're almost
right above the ground again, look slightly to the left. You should see four
Seeker Search Lights: one higher up on the wall, and the other three among some
rocks on the ground. Take out the last one for another gene base.
Two dragonmares should be in front of you at this point, but they'll quickly
speed away. Soon, however, another will appear to your front, and take a few
shots at you, while another that appears behind you does the same. Again, you
can't kill them quite yet, but use them to try and build up your berserk meter.
Once you enter the large, mechanical structure, you'll be facing backwards.
Keep doing so, as five Bhout will appear behind you. Another three follow
soon thereafter. After getting rid of them, face forward, and destroy another
two. Now might be a good time to switch to your Glide Wing, as you'll have to
avoid a few obstacles. You'll come upon a large, turning gear which will cause
some damage if you run into it. Move to the bottom left corner of the small
crevice below you, and maybe even use your manual gun to destroy the teeth of
the first one. Once you're past it, move to the bottom right to avoid the
second gear. There'll be two more gears - you should know what to do by now.
Once you're past the four gears, switch back to your Base Wing. Three Bhout
will quickly appear from behind, but don't turn around; they'll quickly
accelerate past to your front. Now, face backwards, and take out another three
that appear. Now, on to the Episode's Boss Battle:
-Short Cutscene-
+--------------------------------
- BOSS: Assault Carrier Vermana -
--------------------------------+
You start off at the Vermana's front. I like to use the Heavy Wing
primarily, but of course, feel free whatever form you're most comfortable
with. Destroy the two emplacements on the right, and the three on the
left. If you have a berserk available, now would be a good time to use it.
Otherwise, keep locking on to the emplacements and firing, but use your
manual weapon when missiles are fired at you. If you're not comfortable
with your hand weapon, you can always quickly switch to your Glide Wing,
take out the missiles rapidly, and then switch back.
Once you've destroyed the emplacements, you'll move to the right (towards
the Vermana's left). Quickly destroy the three round targets in the back,
and then turn to your left. Continue locking on and firing at as many
targets as you can. Three Battleship Bhout will soon drop - destroy them
and go back to targeting the ship. Shortly thereafter, you'll move under
the Vermana to it's other side, before moving above and to the rear. Here,
you can target the ship's hull, as well as a pair of gun emplacements, on
each side of the hull. I'd recommend ignoring the emplacements, and
instead focusing on the hull with your heavy wing. Simply shoot down the
missiles fired at you like you did at the start of the battle, and continue
battering the hull. Use a berserk if you can.
Soon, you'll move back down to the Vermana's level and then above and to
its right. Continue attacking it, and five homing mines will then be
released. There are several tactics you can try. One is to switch to the
Glide Wing, destroy as many as you can (you should be able to take out all
five if you're quick enough), and then continue attacking. Another thing
you can try is to continue to attack the Vermana until the last possible
moment, switch to Glide Wing, and then boost out of the way. If you time
it right, the initial boost will help you avoid the first few, and when
your dragon automatically moves back into position, you'll avoid the rest.
Time it wrong, of course, and it's a different story.
Soon enough, you'll move back to the ship's rear - continue attacking it.
By now, you should have another berserk, which will quickly take down the
rest of the Vermana's health. The above strategy usually gets me a time
in the mid 2:00 range, which qualifies for an S rank. Congratulations!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
= B) Episode 2: Altered Genos =
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
This Episode starts off with Orta flying through a canyon, just above a river.
Flying alongside several Wormriders, your first radar contact comes in the form
of eight butterfly-like Purnam. Lock onto and destroy all of them, just as you
are passing underneath the first archway. As you approach the next archway
after the first set of Purnam, nine more will emerge. Destroy them quickly, as
well as another group of nine that appear right after you destroy them. An
alternative to locking onto them with your base wing is to boost through them;
not only is this easier, but it gives you a higher score.
Just as you fly over another archway, you should catch sight of eight Golegs
on the left wall. Destroy them with two rounds of Base Wing lock-ons, using
your manual weapon to destroy any acid balls they might launch at you. After
doing so, quickly destroy four Yarva that appear behind you and pass to your
front. 16 Purnam will then appear - 8 each from the left and right sides of
the wall in front of you. Another well-timed boost will make short work of
most, if not all, of them. Finish off any leftovers with your lasers, and
continue to face forward.
As you approach a large archway, you'll see four Goleg drop down from it.
Destroy them as you did before, facing backwards to get your second round of
shots in. If you're using the Heavy Wing, only one round of lasers is
necessary. Facing backwards as you pass under the arch, take out any acid
balls they fire, as well as six Yarva that fall in behind you. Face forward
again, and destroy another six Goleg hanging from another archway. Then,
another six Yarva attack from behind.
Very shortly thereafter, you'll pass another archway, with eight Goleg hanging
from it, and a lone on on the right wall (if you're facing forward). Take them
all out, especially the one on the wall, as that one drops a gene base. The
Wormriders and a Yondo-Worm will now make their appearance.
You now have your first pathway choice of the game. At the river junction,
the Yondo-Worm will turn left, while the Wormriders turn right. Turning left
will put you on Pathway B, while turning right will put you on Pathway A.
You're free to decide which you route you will take, of course, but I would
strongly recommend turning right, as this route provides a chance at another
gene base. Skip down to whatever Pathway you chose...
+----------------
- BA) Pathway A -
----------------+
Immediately after making the right turn, you'll see four Rokpur jumping out
of the water. Target them quickly, as you only have two chances at them.
Now, as you gain some altitude, four Yarva and a Carrier Yarva pass you.
Destroy them, especially the Carrier Yarva, as it drops a gene base. Turn
to your right, and you'll see a large herd of Baturn running on the ground.
If you've built up your berserk meter, go ahead and use your Base Wing's
berserk attack to destroy them all. Otherwise, lock-on to as many as you
can as quickly as you can. As the river meets up again, you'll be back on
the main pathway.
+----------------
- BB) Pathway B -
----------------+
After you turn left, continue firing lasers at the Yondo-Worm as it leaps
in and out of the water, in order to build up your berserk meter. Watch
out for the large bridge in front of you, as running into it will damage
you. Just as you pass underneath it, three Yarva fly into your front view
from the left side - quickly destroy them and any acid balls they might
have launched.
Fly over the next bridge, and another three Yarva will repeat the same
pattern, except that they come in from the right side this time. Then, as
you pass underneath the next bridge, another three Yarva come in from the
left side. Your dragon will then make a slight right turn, during which
another group of three Yarva drop down in front of you.
After taking care of the Yarva, move slightly to the left, to avoid a large
rock on the right side of the river. As you pass it, another three Yarva
drop down from above and slightly to the left. Quickly destroy them, then
move to the right side of the river to avoid another rock. As you pass
this one, another three Yarva drop down right in front of you. Take care
of them in the same manner as before.
Another rock on the right side, and another three Yarva from above and to
the left. After you kill this group, your dragon makes another small right
turn. As soon as you come out of the turn, move up and to the left, to
avoid another collision with the scenery. A final group of three Yarva
appears in front and slightly to the left of you. Kill them, then move to
the right to avoid another rock.
As soon as you pass this last rock, the Yondo-Worm comes back into view.
Go ahead and fire at it, even though you can't do any damage to it yet.
You'll have to avoid one final rock, by moving to the left and down. Once
you've passed it, the Wormriders will come back into view, and you all
follow the Yondo-Worm to the left, rejoining the main pathway.
+---------------
- Main Pathway -
---------------+
Back on the main path, take some shots at the Yondo-Worm, just to start
building up your berserk meter again. In the next area, you'll be in a large
tunnel-like area. Use either the Base Wing or Glide Wing here. On a ledge to
the left, you'll see two Shams and two hives - quickly destroy them and look to
a ledge just past the previous one, but on the right. Destroy another pair of
Shams and hives as soon as possible, as you'll then make a steep dive. During
your dive, you'll see four Yarva circling in front of you. Destroy them for
another gene base.
Once you've pulled out of the dive, quickly destroy four more Shams and their
hives, before going into a second steep dive. Once again, four Yarva will be
circling in front of you, and destroying them and a second group of four yields
another gene base. As you pull out of the dive, get ready to destroy four more
Shams and hives on the left, and another two of each on the right. Unless you
are extremely quick at locking-on, boosting might make destroying them a little
easier. Be quick, as you don't have much time before automatically moving to
the next area.
+-------------------------
- MINI-BOSS: Yondo-Worms -
-------------------------+
You'll start off facing backwards. Switch to your Heavy Wing, and continue
firing your homing lasers as quickly as possible. The Yondo-Worms will
each fire several acid balls at you, which you should take down with your
manual weapon. After a little while, you'll see both Yondo-Worms leap up
and close in on you - quickly switch to your Glide Wing and boost forward,
before they dive into you. After avoiding the collision, switch back to
your Heavy Wing and fire more lasers. The worms will them pass you to your
front.
Quickly face forward, firing with your manual weapon, as they fire more
acid balls as they pass you. After doing so, they move back to your rear,
so you should continue attacking them in the same manner as before. You
may want to use a berserk if you have on ready, but it's not necessary,
especially since this battle isn't timed. Of course, by the time the battle
is over, you'll probably have built it up all the way again. Anyways, once
they've passed you a second time (be ready for more acid balls!), they move
back to your rear, and then split and move in separate directions. If
you've been hitting them quickly enough, one should soon be dead, while the
other moves back and forth among the sides. It'll then be back at your
rear, where you should then finish it off. Once you've done so, you
automatically move into the next area.
As soon as you're in, turn slightly to the left and lock on to the Morli with
your Heavy Wing. You can't lock on if the waterfalls are directly in between
you, so try to target it before the waterfall gets in your way. Note, however,
that you can still FIRE through the waterfalls - you just can't target through
them. Anyways, take out the Morli as quickly as possible...before you've done
so, however, a group of eight Yarva will appear towards your front, and move to
the left. Quickly take them out, and go back to the Morli. Once you've killed
it, continue facing towards the left.
Six Yarva will appear from that direction - quickly take them out, as well as
another group of six that appear at 12 o'clock. At the same time, five more
Morli should now be on screen, all to your left. Attack them as quickly as
possible, using the Heavy Wing. Shortly thereafter, a much larger Yondo-Morli
should then rise into view. Hopefully, you've been able to build up your
berserk meter again. If you have, use it on the newest enemy, as destroying it
will give you another gene base. Once it's dead, continue attacking the other
Morli. Be aware, however, that they leave the screen before the Yondo-Morli
does, and that the time you have to kill everything is very limited. After a
little while, you automatically move into the next area, where you face:
+----------------
- BOSS: Ikrakav -
----------------+
You'll start off at the Ikrakav's front. Switch to your Glide Wing, and
slow down twice, to move to its rear. A white flower-like object should
now be visible - switch back to your Heavy Wing, and target it. After just
a little while, the Ikrakav will leave the river and fly up into the air.
Continue attacking it with your Heavy Wing's lasers, but if it turns
around, switch back to your Glide Wing and boost twice, to get back into
position. Also, keep an eye on the Ikrakav's large sacs...about this time,
a purple one should be swelling up to your right. Get ready to use your
manual weapon, as the sac bursts and lets loose a huge amount of acid
balls. A second purple sac, also to the right, will also start swelling up
and let loose more acid balls when it bursts.
The Ikrakav should soon turn around again - slow down twice to move back
into position. Also, keep an eye out for another swelling sac. This time,
however, it's a blue sac, which releases six Yarva that circle the Ikrakav
once before making a kamikaze run at you. Use your Heavy Wing's berserk
on the flower if you can. The Ikrakav will probably turn again, releasing
another purple sac of acid balls. Continue doing what you've been doing,
boosting and slowing down as necessary to get into position. After another
two acid ball sacs burst (making a total of three since the blue one
burst), another blue one will start to fill up. Again, just keep doing
what you've been doing, and the Ikrakav should fall really soon. The above
strategy usually gets me a time of about 1:45, which once again, is good
enough for another S ranking. Congratulations!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
= C) Episode 3: The Fallen Ground =
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
As soon as the Episode starts, look slightly to the left and high up into the
air. While it does not appear on your radar, there should be a lone Seba
flying up high - quickly destroy it for a gene base. Seba take two Base Wing
lasers (or one Heavy Wing laser) to destroy. Anyways, as soon as you've killed
the lone Seba, get ready" a total of about 30 Seba will start popping up out of
the ground in front of you, at various distances - some right in front of you,
some further away. Not all at once, fortunately, but enough that they can be
quite a nuisance. Use either the Heavy or Base Wing to destroy all of them as
soon as possible. After the short cutscene...
+-----------------------------------
- MINI-BOSS: Mobo and 3 Wormriders -
-----------------------------------+
Mobo and the Wormriders will quickly pass to your front, and then
immediately turn left, to circle you in a counter-clockwise direction. Use
your Heavy Wing to fire lasers at them as they circle. After a little
while, you'll hear Mobo say that he's going to use a smoke bomb. Continue
firing, but get ready to use your manual weapon to destroy the bombs he
and the Wormriders launch at you. They're relatively harder to shoot down
than the acid balls you're probably used to, so if you're having a little
trouble shooting them down (there are six launched in this first salvo),
try switching to the Glide Wing to intercept them easily.
The four will now be circling you in the opposite direction: clockwise.
Once they're back at your 12 o'clock position, they'll launch six more
smoke bombs - be ready for them. After you've shot the bombs down, the
Wormriders will move back to your rear, where you should continue firing
Heavy Wing lasers at them. They'll then close the distance between you,
still remaining at your rear, and then each will fire several purple acid
balls at you. These are easy enough to take down without having to switch
back to a Glide Wing. After a second round of purple acid balls, they'll
pass over you and start circling again, in a counter-clockwise direction.
Mobo will notice that you're a little tougher than he expected. Continue
punishing him as they circle, and they should decide to stop their attack
in no time at all. Switch to either your Glide Wing or Base Wing before
you move on to the next area.
Immediately, you'll see three Kuru, as you start into a dive. Target them all
with your Base Wing (if that's what you're using), making the top-most, middle
one a priority, as that one is only in view for a little while. As you turn
left, you'll see another three Kuru, one behind the other. Use either your
lasers or a well-timed boost to destroy all of them.
As soon as you're past the last of the three Kuru mentioned above, you'll make
a small right turn. You'll initially only see one Kuru, but don't be fooled -
there are two others that move out to either side. Destroy all three of them,
before your dragon makes another right turn. You'll encounter two more trios
of Kuru side-by-side. Don't let the last three Kuru take too much of your
attention - above them is a Seba just sitting there. Destroy it for another
gene base. Remember - they take two Base Wing lasers, or one Heavy Wing laser,
to destroy.
Once you've collected your gene base, you'll start a steep dive. Switch to
your Glide Wing, if you haven't already, and as you level out at the bottom of
your dive and make a quick right, three Kuru will be present, arranged in a
vertical row (on top of each other). Destroy them quickly, and as you start
to make another dive, be ready for several more groups of Kuru. If you'd like,
boost through the groups of three, and use your Base Wing to target the group
of five. You'll them level out shortly thereafter, and move on to the next
area.
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