I'm actually planning to play Terranigma next once I'm back from hiatus. I'm hoping that game's good!

OcamposMoon Plays Illusion of Gaia

Part 85: Journey's End (4) (TW: mention of slavery in ciphered text)

Post-credits scene time!


There's Will in the hallway!

The bell rings...


The PA tells the dismissing students to be careful when crossing the street...

Here come Will's friends!


I listen to the South Cape tune for a bit before turning the game off...

Here's the map of the Tower of Babel, and some additional information from a fansite regarding Illusion of Gaia, and the differences between the Japanese and official English translations of this game.

I admit I peeked into some spoilers in that site a bit before facing the final boss in this game, most notably, nobhg gur frperg qhatrba gung V pbhyq unir tbar vagb vs V unq pbyyrpgrq nyy svsgl Erq Wrjryf. Gur obff gurer vf onfvpnyyl gur svefg obff sebz Fbhy Oynmre, naq V jva abguvat vs V svavfu gung qhatrba. Nabgure fubpxvat gjvfg, V sbhaq bhg, gubhtu, jnf gung gur Wrjryre jnf gur pnhfr sbe gur fynirel va-havirefr.

I was expecting the game to be short, but maybe because I wrote a lot, put this off at some points, and took plenty of screencaps that it turned out longer than I had expected...

For anyone reading my liveblogs, thank you again, for sticking around till the end! I've said this before, but it really means a whole lot!

I'm going to go on hiatus for these playthroughs because of a lot of offline stuff happening, and I seriously need a break after all of this writing. Plus, I'm wanting to catch up with other games that I have on my backlog (looking at you, Zelda, Vesperia, and Octopath Traveler). I'll probably pop in from time-to-time, if possible, but for now, I'm signing off. See you later, and thank you for everything, guys!

OcamposMoon Plays Illusion of Gaia

Part 85: Journey's End (3)

There’s the plane, and Neil!


Along with Grandpa and Grandma...

And the King and Queen, and Lance's father, and the Vampires...

There's Ishtar painting an Angel...


Luke also makes an appearance, and Neil's parents too, the old men in Euro, and the villagers too, and the merchant and his Kruk...

Along with the Jackal! *hisses*

They run to the Tower of Babel...


They're now in space...


Hello, Hamlet!


You're welcome, game.

(more)

OcamposMoon Plays Illusion of Gaia

Part 85: Journey's End (2)

Lilly turns from a dandelion into a girl, and follows the rest of the duo...


Lilly and Kara are gone...

There's Gaia in between the statues...


Will now does his attack animations and walks south...now the English staff credits appear...

Kara comes back again...


They look at the sunset, wind blowing at their hair, and fish flopping...

They see the letter from the bottle again...

They're now at Freejia with Lilly, Erik, and Lance in tow.


Will plays the flute to make Lance remember again...

Kara and Will are now in the desert.

(more)

OcamposMoon Plays Illusion of Gaia

Part 85: Journey's End (1)

Credits roll...


Lance and Erik join Will. Seth too.



I applaud when Moto Hagio's name showed up...and Seth tries to keep up with Erik and Lance, but can't...


Erik and Lance eventually fall behind.


Kara enters the view, jumping up and down, then following Will.

(more)

OcamposMoon Plays Illusion of Gaia

Part 84: Earth (4)

Will turns into Shadow and descends down to the Earth...

There's the Earth now!


Will: "The Earth's look had changed, but, glowing in the sky, it was as beautiful as ever. Buildings replaced the forests, rivers became roads, but the villages held only smiling faces. But the Earth was the only one that looked sad."


Will: "Tomorrow morning, Kara and I will start our new lives."

OcamposMoon Plays Illusion of Gaia

Part 84: Earth (3)

Will asks his parents one question.


Olman: "When I lost my body, I started seeing everything. The past. The future. Humanity's progress. Maybe people would call this kind of body a spirit."
Shira: "Now you and Kara can become ordinary children again. Don't be afraid."

Kara asks her question.


I hope not...

Olman: "Yes...the world is changing. Humanity and history, have started down a new path. You two thought nothing of it when you met each other in South Cape. But when the Earth needed the Light and Dark Knights, you met again unexpectedly. Let's look at the world before the power of the comet is extinguished."

Will's mother delivers her parting words to the two...


The souls leave Will and Kara...

Kara asks Will to show his face, his hair, nose, mouth, everything, to her so she won't forget him...

Will comes closer, his eyes shut.


Will: "No matter how long it takes. Hundreds of years...thousand of years...I will come to you."


:(

Will: "Close your eyes..."


I'm going to miss these two...

(more)

OcamposMoon Plays Illusion of Gaia

Part 84: Earth (2)

Someone also talks to us. Is it Lilly, or Gaia? Or is it...


Another soul descends, it's Will's mother!

Shira: "Our Earth. A mother with millions of children. I'm sure you think about us sometimes, and Kara often thinks about her parents. The Earth is the same way. She gets lonely if her children forget about her."

Olman asks Will and Kara what it looks like looking at the Earth from space.


Aside: In the original translation, iirc, Kara compared looking at Earth from the comet as feeling similar to being God.

Will wishes he could show this view of Earth to his friends...and everyone else...I know the feeling, Will.

Olman: "Someday, people will build ships to travel the universe." He's right, Will.

Olman: "Then, they will see this green Earth with their own eyes. See how lonely the Earth looks, just like the two of you."

He now tells Will to "look carefully at [his] map of the world."

Whoa, what!?

The old map fades away...


...as the landmasses fade in and out to different spots!

Is that a magic map of sorts?

The map settles into our version of Earth!


Will: "Somehow the land has taken on a strange shape."
Olman: "That's the new world."
Kara: "New world?"
Olman: "The path of evolution, changed by the comet, has continued until now. The Earth, too, has a life. It, too, has evolved and changed shape. Now that the comet has no influence on the world, it's returned to its original condition."

(more)

OcamposMoon Plays Illusion of Gaia

Part 84: Earth (1)

Now it's Will and Kara staring down at their planet...


Kara: "What's happened to the comet...That glowing green planet?"

Olman's soul appears again...

Olman: "The evil star has flown off to the other side of the universe..."

He asks Will a question that I already know the answer to.


It's beautiful.

Will knows the answer to that question too.

Olman: "Doesn't [Earth] look like a desert oasis?"

Kara's amazed at seeing Earth, but also points out something about Earth too.


It does.

(more)

OcamposMoon Plays Illusion of Gaia

Part 83: Dark Gaia (2)

Realizing that Shadow can sink into the floor, I decide to have one more go at the boss.

It's an hour before midnight for this part of the session...

Let's hope I finish this game here and now...

I have Will talk to his father's soul and to all of the souls once more. We miss you, Seth and Hamlet...

The souls gather around Will and I have Will fuse with Kara again...

Shadow ascends to the comet...

And now, take two!

I double-check to see if Aura is equipped. It is.

This time, I have Shadow sink to escape the boss's attacks!

The second boss is much more easier thanks to the Aura!

I have Shadow hold his ground and use Aura to prevent the entity from aiming true!

We did it!!!

The fireworks begin to show, as the face of the evil entity begins to melt...

Everything fades to white...