You Can Play Six or Seven Games, or Just One! Let's Play Live-A-Live!

LoakaMossi · February 16, 2017, 12:56am

No, but I’m having a hard time thinking about how long each chapter actually is. I know that Wrestler is really short, and I’m pretty sure Cowboy and Kung Fu are shorter as well. Mecha is about the same, but will probably have more updates because it has a more dense plot. And I can’t pin down the actual length of Ninja and Sci-Fi. They’re probably shorter to actually play, but they might have more updates because of the way they work.

I can never pin down how long this game actually is because of its chapter structure.

And @Unpronounceable that’s a good way to interpret Zaki as well. I just think it’s crazy that his character can even have alternate interpretations because it’s so by the numbers in so many respects.

LoakaMossi · February 16, 2017, 5:06pm

Voting’s closed, and the Kung Fu chapter is next! I’ll start working on the update tomorrow. As for names, we have the Jostar, the Matrix, or the Wrong master so far. Feel free to suggest more names!

Bearpigman · February 16, 2017, 5:15pm

I dunno how many spaces we have for naming, but I’ve always been partial to Punchabunch for any fist fighters in games

LoakaMossi · February 16, 2017, 5:17pm

Sorry, six character limit. I forgot to mention that, whoops. Would you accept shortening the name to Puncha? Or would you rather try a completely different name?

Bearpigman · February 16, 2017, 5:24pm

Puncha works for me!

LoakaMossi · February 17, 2017, 10:34pm

Kung Fu was a front-runner for both polls, so I think you’re all a little eager to see it. So let’s go!

Legacies

The Ancient Master Descends From The Mountain

The style’s original name was Xin Shan Quan, which translates to “Soul of the Mountain Kung Fu.” Puncha Kung Fu is much more to the point.

The Bird Flies In The Sky, The Fish Swims In The River

The Puncha master gets a much more dignified introduction than Bonk.

Unfortunately, we still catch him at a low point.

: Before my time comes to an end, I must entrust to one of strong body, and of strong mind…

And we have our first mission: find some pupils to teach.

But first, we raid all of our cabinets and pots for equipment and healing items.

Here’s a look at the Puncha Master’s stats. He’s level ten, but age has lowered all of his stats aside from IQ. He also can’t level up, so those base stats are never going to change.

Here’s a few establishing shots; we’re one screen down from the mountain’s peak. All of the locations mentioned on that second sign are important; we’ll be visiting all of them.

The Bamboo forest is our first destination.

War In China
The tigers that are roaming about here provide a good chance to show off our Puncha-style! We have seven techniques to demonstrate.

First up is Long Hu Liang PoWan (“Together, the Dragon and Tiger shatter your wrist”). It deals damage based on the user’s Pw stat, and debuffs a whole bunch of stats. The flavor text says it’s “Vs. Fists,” so I’m assuming it debuffs stats that are useful for punching.

Next is Monkey Fist. According to the technique list, it’s an anti-sword technique which is why using it moves you away from the enemy. It deals damage based on speed.

And the last one I’ll demonstrate on this tiger is Squirrel Kick. It’s the only move beside the counter that has range, and it has a chance of paralyzing the enemy. It’s an anti-rod technique, so it’s used for a fast approach and a fast retreat. It also uses the speed stat.

It looks like the tigers aren’t the only things hunting us in the forest.

After stalking us for multiple screens, the bandit finally confronts us.

: You really shoulda known better, gramps!

Now this seems like a potential student. So let’s give her some money and hopefully she’ll let us talk with her.

…Well that didn’t work.

Might as well check out the rest of the forest while we’re here.

It looks like another dojo. It seems more prestigious than our Puncha dojo…

But we’re not welcome here.

Anyways, let’s go back and handle that mugging differently. That event can fire any time you leave and enter the forest, so you don’t have to worry about missing out.

: I’m broke.
: What’d you say!?

: Hah, you trying to shoot for sympathy just 'cuz you’re older’n some of the trees here?

War in China

Li is our first potential pupil, but she won’t join without a fight. This gives me a chance to show off another move.

Bai Li Dao Yi Bu Jiao (“Fifty miles begins with a single step”) is an anti-leg tech, so it paralyzes enemies. It deals damage based on health.

It’s hard to lose to an opponent that can’t move.

: You old bastad, you beat me! What the hell…
: My, but you should be ashamed of yourself, little one. However, your technique shows promise… Why not learn Kung Fu and give yourself a new lease on life?

: But… you still… Argh, damnit, I’m pissed! Alright, gramps, I’m game! I’ll learn from you. But don’t expect any loyalty or anything like that!! I’ll kick your ass someday!!

: Heheheh… If you say so, little one.

: Don’t call me that!! My name, Li Kuugo, carries much honor!

: Alright, alright. Don’t be so angry. Smiles suit you better.

: Hmph! You talk too much, gramps. Come on, let’s get out of here.

On the way out, we grab a few of these.

They’ll be useful for the next stop.

The Ancient Master Descends from the Mountains

Wong Town is dealing with a blight at the moment. There are six fallen villagers here.

Four of them will give you items if you give them a healing herb. One of them isn’t sick, just hungry. He’ll take any food item, but they won’t give you anything in return.

This lady, on the other hand, will advance the plot.

Huh, two muggings in one day. What are the odds?

I try to follow him, but I get stopped by this guy.

Thankfully, we can still hear what’s going on.

: Okay…
: What, is this it? You ain’t gonna make a profit stealing from the poor!
: …
: Well, go on! Get lost!

: What’d you say!?
: I-I did what you wanted because you scared me, b-b-but… I-it’s wrong! I c-c-c-can’t do it anymore! You even made me m-mug my g-g-grandma!

: N-No! I-I don’t want to be a loser…!!
: You were born a loser, monkeybrain! Now get lost!

OK, we need a pupil with that kind of chutzpah.

War in China

: What’s your problem you great geezer!?
: You believe yourself to be stronger than this boy, is that correct?
: … Well, duh!
: I beg to differ. You are much weaker than he.
: The hell are you talking about? I’m the Tiger King, and this kid’s just a spindly pile of bones!

These guys are a joke. Any of our Puncha techniques could take them out in a heartbeat.

This is Lion Hand, a disruptive technique. It pushes the enemy back and stops them from charging their techniques. The tech list says it “reqs Luck,” but luck isn’t a stat in the game so I have no idea what stat it uses.

: Dammit…You old sonnuvabitch
: I-I remember now! This old guy! He’s…

: COWARDS!!

: I-I… Even though I stole…

: Thank you, young man. Remember that power doesn’t just come from the body.

: W-wait, sir!

This part is a little annoying because we have two negative responses. Let’s select the first one.

: Yeah, I guess you’re right. A “spindly little pile of bones” like me could never study under the famous master…

He then runs off and gives you the same dialogue options when you run into him later. There’s no new dialogue, so let’s choose the other way of telling him no.
: Sorry but … Do you desire revenge?
: !
: Why worry? You have already bested them.
: Master…!

: Master!

: I admire your courage… I thought, perhaps, that you could become stronger without my aid. Your mind is already fierce, and your will to become strong is great. That is real power.

: Y-Yeah!

: I haven’t asked your name yet.

: Oh… It’s Yuan. Yuan Jou. N-nice to meet you, master!

The Ancient Master Descends from the Mountains

That makes two! Let’s see if we can find any more students before we turn in.

This is the last place to check on the map.

What is going on in this town!? Why are there so many thieves!?

War in China

: B-but I’m broke…
: RRRRRRRGH…!!!

I guess we’ve already recruited two thieves, might as well make it three!

: Oh, Master!

Most people probably try to get this thief off of the hook.

: No way, I can’t make a living if my customers don’t pay! Unless you’d like to foot the bill for this deadbeat.
: Fine

There’s no money system in this game, so it’s just a matter of deciding whether or not you want to fight this guy.

Unfortunately for Sammo, I still have moves to show off!

Here’s the last of the Puncha moves that I captured. (The last one FushaNoSha, or “To Shoot Without Shooting,” is a ranged counter that I couldn’t capture.) LaoHuZhiWu (“The Old Fox Dance”) is the best move the master can use. It targets joints, so it prevents enemies from using their arms or legs. It also uses the IQ stat, which is the only stat that hasn’t deteriorated with age.

: Well, that’s settled! You!! Give your thanks to the Master!! If you try this again, it’ll be your arse over my fire!

The Ancient Master Descends from the Mountains

: Why did you…
: I…I’m not exactly smart so no one would hire me… But because I’m so big, I get hungrier than most people.
: You know… You ought to be proud of your body.
: Huh? But people make fun of me because I’m fat. Why should I be…proud of it?
: It’s true… You are quite unique…
: …
: Despite your weight, you are agile. I’m very impressed!
:That’s probably because I have to run away so often.
: If you come study under me, you can eat whatever you want. You will need to do some exercise, of course.

: What is your name?
: Sammo! Sammo Hakka! Now let me at that fooooooood!!!

: Are we finally done? I want to start training!
: I’ll admit, I’m starting to get anxious as well.
: The sooner we train, the sooner I can eat right? Let’s get to it!
: Very well. First, I want to observe what you already know. You can demonstrate…

War in China

: …on this tiger!

: This doesn’t seem very safe…

: Oh my God, I am going to die.

: NICE.

: *Hmmm…Yuan, you don’t know much about fighting. That’s good! That’s just means there’s less for you to unlearn.

: ohgodohmanohgodohmanohgodohman

: OH GOD
: OK Sammo, you’re up!

: Good! A punch like that will knock your opponent off-balance

: Hmm, that kick is good crowd control. But I think it leaves you a little dizzy.

: Very good! Those punches and kicks may take some wind-up, but they could probably hit multiple opponents if you put your entire weight behind them!

: And a charge like that will bowl an opponent over without a problem!

: And a…dance?

: I’m sorry Master, I didn’t know what else to do.

: Oh. OK then Li, it’s your tu-

: KYAAAAAAAAH!

: Listen here you overgrown kitten! If you cross me, I’ll claw your eyes out and kick your teeth in!

: I am Li Kuugo! And this is MY forest!

: …Very impressive Li. You were able to engage it from a safe distance by using your speed to your advantage. That’s enough for now, let’s return to my dojo.

That’s it for both plot and attack GIFs, but there’s one more thing to work out. The way this chapter works, it’s best to have a “Star Pupil.” Everyone will get their day in the sun, but making one pupil more important from the beginning will make things easier over all. So, we need to pick one!

Li Kuugo

Li is a speedster, but she has good stats all around.

Sammo Hakka

Despite his introductory scene, Sammo is a slow tank.

Yuan Jou

And Yuan is a Magikarp. He has really good stat gains, but this is a short chapter.

Li Kuugo
Yuan Jou
Sammo Hakka

0 voters

I’ll leave the poll open until Saturday, 10 p.m. EST.

Unpronounceable · February 18, 2017, 12:38am

A couple of your embeds are off, linking the imgur page instead of the picture files:

Summary

https://imgur.com/md6IqFc

https://imgur.com/iacAFVe

Whenever I play through this chapter, I always recruit Yuan last. It feels right that the master would hesitate to recruit the one he perceives to be strongest.

LoakaMossi · February 19, 2017, 3:06am

And poll closed. Li Kuugo is our star pupil! I’ll start working on the update.

LoakaMossi · February 23, 2017, 12:27am

Welcome back!

Training and Tragedy

When we last left our heroes, they were ready to start training.

: It’s kind of a dump, huh?
: So, this’s the place where I’ll be trained.
: I-I’m… hungry already… Let’s eat before doing anything else, Master…

: Seriously, Sir? We’ve been walking for many hours and I for one am tired…

It’s been less than a minute and Li has already proven why she’s our star.

: Come on, let’s get started!

War in China

: Li… Okay, but don’t go easy on me. My joints aren’t that stiff yet!
: As if I’d ever give you a break!

This fight is just a story beat.

I do like that the message at the end of the battle is different now.

: Me, me!

Oh Sammo. Maybe someday you’ll develop a second character trait.

Sammo’s level is higher than the other pupils, so he takes a few more hits. It’s still very easy.

: Now, Yuan…

There is a long pause as Yuan reflects on every decision that led up to this moment.

: … H-Here I come!

As you’ve probably guessed, Yuan is the easiest fight of them all.

This is the only thing that happened in the entire fight.

I’m going to assume that the pupils are passing out from exhaustion. Otherwise the master is just beating his new charges until they lose consciousness, and that puts this whole scene in a different light.

:This could be… quite a lot of fun… heh…
Especially this line.

As night falls, the master muses on his new responsibilities.

: It’s been such a long time since I was last so physically exhausted, but this doesn’t feel too bad… It’s a good tired.

Yeah…You might have gone a little overboard here, old man.

: I-Is… dinner… ready yet?
: You’re…Still hungry…

The Ancient Master Descends From The Mountains

The next day, the actual training regiments begins!

: This will be a lesson in endurance. The air up here is very thin. You may have some difficulty, but you will improve faster.

Now, this part of the chapter is why we had to select a star. Our training is going to focus on Li. But first, let’s see if there’s anything around.

Or not.

It’s like Li knows we’re going to favor her.

That’s too bad, because I have content to share! Each student has a response to this rejection. Li decides to antagonize the Puncha Master.

Yuan continues to be a dedicated pupil that is nonetheless a coward.

And Sammo demonstrates that the writers just ran out of ideas after writing for Li and Yuan.

These training sessions have two purposes.

The first is providing stat boosts. In the mountains, the pupil you train will get five Vitality points after every fight.

The second is moveset expansion. The pupil you fight gains experience after the fight is over. If they level up, they learn the last move you used on them. Here, I defeated Li with Squirrel Kick, so she can use it now.

Monkey Fist is the other speed based technique, so I teach it to her next.

After four sessions, it’s time to pack it in.

: How was it? Tough, yes?

: You jerk! I don’t… need any… help…

: L-Li’s a girl… I-I have to be k-kind to girls…
You have to be kind to Li because she’s suffering from altitude sickness! Her gender is not a priority! No wonder you only got one vote, Sammo!

…I guess she’s not too upset about it.

Day two is training in the forest.

: Agility… I-I don’t like this one…
: It sure is hard to move around out here.

: … Or at least, it used to be.

Nope!

OK, now we can begin.

Li gets immediate access to any moves that she learns. Whenever she uses these, the Master will always counter with the same move. The counters don’t count for learning moves; she’ll only learn the last move we select to use. This means she can never learn FushaNoSha.

Today’s stat boost is speed. Li already has speed, but she can still benefit from this.

While this is the Master’s best move, Li can’t make the most of it like he can. It’s still the best non-speed move she can learn.

What did you expect them to do? You didn’t give them any beds!

: (Yuan…)

Day three has no gimmicks.

: From this moment forward, you will obtain power by fighting directly with me.

Li smells blood in the water. We should get out while we still can.

: Can we have more food after we train?
: This time… I will not hold back against any of you!

Good to know Yuan’s still traumatized from his first fight with Master

Poor kid even has Stockholm Syndrome.

Today’s stat boost is Power. It’s also the day you realize that the pupil’s are starting to get a little too strong. They’re not difficult, but they can start to catch you off-guard.

Li only learned one more move, so I decided to give her the debuff move.

: OK, that’s enough for today…

Oh, right. The Master started this whole program because he was starting to get weaker.

: Worry not… You were just… stronger than I’d thought. Heheh, looks like I over-exerted myself…

The Bird Flies In The Sky, The Fish Swims In The River

: To fight properly is not merely to attack your opponent, after all… I believe you are all ready to handle the next step.

: It wasn’t me this time, I swear!
: …what? Oh, no, nothing like that! Some thugs cam to Yuan Hua market and…

: It must be the Tiger King! Do they think that the Master doesn’t care about Yuan Hua?

: You alone will not be able to stop them. Or rather…

: Your minds have not been trained yet. I am sorry…
: Sir…
: It’s OK, I will go to Yuan Hua myself.

: O-Okay… B-Be careful…!
: Master, come back soon so we can have dinner together!
: I know, I know. You don’t have to tell me.

Time to deal with these thugs.

The Ancient Master Descends From The Mountains

These guys have certainly gotten more brazen.

These aren’t two-bit muggers anymore. They’re going to take over the whole town!

: You can either leave here now, or you can get hurt. I’m sure you don’t want that, yes?
: You think I’ve been horsin’ around since we last met?

Alright, time to see what Yi Po Men Kung Fu is capable of!

This is the entire fight. These guys are a joke.

: Grr… It can’t be… This isn’t over!

: Wahoooooo!

On the way out, we talk to everybody on the street. Most of them have rewards.

That was pretty odd though. What kind of Kung Fu dojo would tell someone they’ve improved when they obviously haven’t? The must have known that he would do something stupid.

It’s almost like they were trying to distract us.

: Some guys from… Yi Po Men Kung Fu… came a-and… we… fought… but… We… were… out… numbered…

: They’re inside…
: Li…

CRY-A-LIVE

: Y-Yuan!

: Sammo! Hang in there, Sammo!

: (Forgive me, and farewell. I’ll be with you all soon enough… Wait for me… )

: I’m really too old to do this, so I’ll only do it once.

The Birds Fly in the Sky, The Fish Swims in the River

(Translation: The Whirlwind Fang)

: I bet you won’t be able to do it just yet… But, you’ll soon understand… With your skills, it won’t take very long.

: Rest well…

Man, the old guy’s been hit really hard. I can imagine why.

: Yuan, forgive me!

: Forgive me, Sammo!

OK, time to explain the game mechanics at work. The pupil you’ve trained the most will survive. This can make the chapter really difficult if you spread your training out, but I only trained Li.
Anyways, there’s only one thing left to do in this chapter.

We need to make sure that Yi Po Men can never harm anyone else. The Master will avenge his pupils…next time.

LoakaMossi · February 27, 2017, 1:24am

Welcome back! We’re ready to close out this chapter.

I’m going to try hiding the updates from now on. Hopefully that will make the thread easier to navigate.

The End of Yi Po Men

The forest is easier to navigate for now. All of the tigers are gone.

But it’s not long before we’re stopped.

Just for fun, let’s select the obviously wrong choice.

CRY-A-LIVE
: Bastard!

I actually didn’t know this scene existed until I recorded this.

: They were killed because of me! A girl like me…

: Li…

: … Wha?
: Let’s go, Li… To the Yi Po Men School…

War in China

Choosing the “Li…” option puts you at the end of this scene. Apparently, that mountain scene that kind of baffled me was really important to Li.
Also, make sure you have “War in China” playing throughout this entire update. It doesn’t stop playing until the last scene!

I’ve not been focusing too much on equipment because it’s less important in this chapter, but here’s our loadout going into the enemy dojo. At this point, the Master actually has all of the second rate equipment.

Li has surpassed him in every stat except IQ, so she can benefit more from it.

These guys haven’t changed much.

: Actually, I do have an appointment
: Hah! YOU!?

They aren’t very intimidating either. This fight is easiest on this route; the pupils join you at different times, and Li is the only one to join you outside of the school.

Numbers don’t help them. They just need stronger mooks.

This is a step in the right direction. Still not a threat, but stronger.

…OK, now you’re on to something!

These are stronger versions of the forest tigers. They’re not particularly difficult, but they’re stronger than anything else we’ve found.

Now that we’re done with training, Li can start learning the rest of the Puncha moves through leveling up.

There’s going to be a lot of this. Any time you enter a room, expect a couple of angry men to come running at you.

And if it’s not Yi Po Men students, it’s one of these tigers.

Here’s a demonstration of this chapter’s only attack item. It uses Fuukei’s feather, which can be found in the Yi Po Men dojo. It’s a pretty powerful instant attack with a 3X3 range.

I decided not to make this gifs, but these guys are rushing us.

These guys, on the other hand, aren’t. Maybe they’re just statues?

Nope, it’s just another ambush.

This tiger made me sad because he just ran around in a circle for a minute. He didn’t attack me until I stepped forward. He just wanted to pounce about…

Finally, a room full of people that aren’t expecting us!

It’s a new enemy type, and a dangerous one at that! These guys have throwing weapons, so if we’re more than one tile away they can do some serious damage. In every other respect though, they’re a bit weaker than the other enemies.

Li is rewarded with the last Puncha move, aside from the counter.

This is the penultimate room of the dojo. You can pause War in China now.

We’ve found him.

The man responsible for the deaths of our students. Odi Wang Lee.

: So, you’re Odi Wang Lee…
: Greetings… I’m impressed that your little sidekick is still alive. My congratulations.

: I could have them all attack you at once, but that would not be fair, would it? And I do so dislike unfair situations.

: Ah, you refer to my small army of grunts. They are far too weak, alone, to handle any meaningful task. These here, on the other hand, are my favorites! Allow me to introduce you…

We found this chapter’s bosses!

: And if you can’t beat them, you obviously won’t be able to handle me… Now!

Let’s start the gauntlet.

War in China

The first two fights are pretty similar. Debuff them with Long Hiu Lo PoWan, and they’re a joke.

These guys are actually a threat, but only on their horizontals.

They have a lot of mobility given their size, so it can be a little difficult to stay out of their danger areas.

The next fight is a tougher version of that fight.

: Hmm… Indeed, Master. How about my favorite pretty sisters?

Despite Lee’s earlier claims, only the last four characters are highly skilled. These three are dangerous, but not in a particularly interesting way. Lin has a very strong attack if you get too close, and Chan has an area attack that she can use as a counterattack. Shan is not a huge threat on her own, but she is still an extra enemy to deal with.

: Well done! I am pleased, Master. You’ve waited enough, Yi Bei Kou… It’s your turn!

Yi Bei Kou has definitely earned his place at the top of the pack.

Stand in the wrong place, and he’ll petrify you.

Thankfully, Li is able to handle herself now.

Odi Wang Lee is finally on his own.

Oh. Nevermind.

: Hahahahaha!

: They have mastered the An Sha Quan, a type of assassination Kung Fu. They could even kill me! As such, I am always focused, and can never relax! This is the only way…

I dunno man. We seem to be doing fine without living in constant fear.

:… Li… I’ll take these two by myself…

: B-By myself?

: But the game mechanics won’t let him!

: I’m not as young as I once was. I’ve lost my endurance.

The Bird Flies in the Sky, The Fish Swims in the River

: Hah… even the great Master can’t beat old age, hmm? Hmhmhm… hahahahah! Bwahahahaha!!

: Who knows what’s gonna happen!

: Hah… Foolish child…

MEGALOMANIA

The murderous Kung Fu master has a variety of Yi Po Men techniques at his disposal.

These aren’t too damaging, but they can knock us around a lot.

This technique is his strongest. Stay away from his lower right if you want to avoid it.

And you have to stay close to him. Otherwise he might poison you.
…What kind of Kung Fu is this? The most dangerous attack he has is a poison dagger! We need to show him what real Kung Fu is! He needs to see…

The strongest Puncha technique! Xuan Ya Lian Shan Quan!
This technique can be used once during this fight. It doesn’t really matter when you use it, but I prefer using it as a finisher.

(The following scene is silent)

What a goofy way to go. He didn’t deserve any better though, did he?

But it looks like he wasn’t the only casualty.

: You became… even… stronger…
WARM-A-LIVE

: … I believe you could properly pass my skills down through future generations…
: Wha!? Y-yeah, as if!
: No… I’ve lived long. Maybe too long. Your growth has helped me keep going this far… Li…

: Never ever lose that…
: … … Okay…
: Now… I’ll go deliver the message… About… how… you… have… grown…

The Bird Flies in the Sky, The Fish Swims in the River

: Finally I managed to bust this rock. Could I be like you some day, gramps? Someday… I’ll be stronger than you, if not as kind as you… I guess…! Watch me, Sammo, Yuan, and you, you old bastard!

Li continues her training, so she can live up to the old Master

She also patrols the towns, like the old man

She even takes care of Yuan’s grandmother.

And she never forgets her time as a pupil.

And so, the curtain closes on this chapter.

I’ll start working on the Bonus update covering the other pupils, but I’m not sure when it will be up. I’ll have to replay half the chapter two more times, and I’m already busy this week. In the meantime, we can start selecting the next chapter to cover!

SELECT-A-LIVE

Ninja!
Mecha!
Cowboy!
Wrestler!
SciFi!

0 voters

This poll will remain open until at least the bonus update. I’ll decide when to close it when I post that.

LoakaMossi · March 2, 2017, 4:37am

OK, it’s time to take a look at what could have been!
Due to the nature of this update, I’m going to put all of the music links up here. The scenes are cut too short to let them play properly, so just listen to your favorites.
The Bird Flies in the Sky, The Fish Swims in the River
War in China
The Ancient Master Descends From the Mountains

Sammo

Let’s take a look at Sammo’s timeline first.

Our first major difference comes after defeating the Tiger King. Looks like Li and Yuan died fighting together.

Sammo ended up in the same place.

: Sammo!

: What in the world happened…!?

: Hang in there Sammo!

The story plays out the same from here.

: Forgive me, Li…

The next major change is when we start our dojo assault.

How embarrassing, we scheduled our revenge on the exact same day as somebody else’s revenge!

: Do you realize what sort of place this is?

: …! Y-you’re Won Ton Kung Fu’s…!

<img src="/uploads/default/original/2X/0/0b595deb5dd74b5b2f651615da66710bb34a1565.png” width=“32” height=“30”>: Hah! I’ve been waiting for this! My father’s death will not have been in vain! I’ve trained hard to learn this special move. You will feel my wrath!

Gotta say, this guy had good timing! We should try and team up with him after he-

Or that can happen. Don’t worry kid, we’ll avenge your father for you. That expression sure rings a bell though…

We go through most of the dojo without meeting Sammo again. The next major change comes at the room with the table.

: (But if I use my special skill now, I won’t have anything left for the Master… )

: Sammo!

: You… Alright, let’s go Sammo!

Sammo feels like the crutch character for this chapter. He’s the strongest of the three when we find him, and he’s a pretty solid party member. In the end, he ends up slightly weaker than the other two.

Sammo also has no patience for Odi Wang Lee’s lies.

Finally, Sammo has a few different things to say to Lee.

: You…? YOU…!? Hah… even the great Master can’t beat old age, hmm? Hmhmhm… hahahahah! Bwahahahaha!!

: Hah… Foolish child… You asked for it!

Sammo puts up a pretty good fight against Lee. He has more health, but he doesn’t hit quite as hard as Li or Yuan.

His finishing move is just as effective though.

: Master!
: Good job, Sammo… You became… even… stronger…
: I’ve still got a long way to go before I reach you though.
: … I believe you could properly pass my skills down through future generations…
: What are you saying?!
: No… I’ve lived long. Maybe too long. Your growth has helped me keep going this far… Sammo…

: Mmph… I understand.
: Now… I’ll go deliver the message… About how… you… have… grown…

: Master…I finally did it… I have some self-confidence now. But I still have a long way to go. … I just can’t stop eating!! … Anyway, I’ll be like the Master… … No! I’ll be better than the Master…! I’ll do it now, Li, Yuan. And Master! Because I’m…

Yuan

Yuan’s version of the dojo attack is a little interesting. He’s nowhere to be found.

At least at first.

: Forgive me… It’s all my fault… Some guys from Yi Po Men Kung Fu attacked us… Sammo and Li fought against them, but I… I was scared… They died… because of me…

All the pupils say this, but I think it rings most true for Yuan. Sammo and Li fought and lost, but Yuan just ran and hid.

: … Master! I-I’m a failure! Please…

That’s probably why he’s the most insistent on being punished.

: Are you going to regret this for the rest of your life!?!

: …

: If you think it’s your fault, then you’ll have to solve it on your own. But… You are not entirely to blame. They were my responsibility as well.

Things proceed as normal, until we get to the entrance of the Yi Po Men dojo.

: Please, Master! I’m going with you!
: No, you fool!

: Okay… Be prepared though.
: Master…! Y-yes, sir!!

If this scene doesn’t redeem Yuan for his cowardice, I can’t imagine what would.

Here’s Yuan’s rebuttal to Lee. He’s probably the most eloquent of the three.

During the gauntlet, I get a chance to show off Yuan’s unique technique. DongShouDao is an ice blast that Yuan shoots out of his palms. It’s a pretty nice reward for putting up with his weak start.

: You…? YOU…!? Hah… even the great Master can’t beat old age, hmm? Hmhmhm… hahahahah! Bwahahahaha!!

: (Li, Sammo… Give me your courage!!)

Yuan has the hardest time with this fight. The rest of his stats have improved, but his HP is still really low.

Still comes through in the end though.

: Master!
: I knew you could, Yuan… You became… even… stronger…

: … I believe you could properly pass my skills down through future generations…
: Don’t say such things!
: No… I’ve lived long. Maybe too long. Your growth has helped me keep going this far… Yuan…

: … Yes!

: Now… I’ll go deliver the message… About how… you… have… grown…

: I made it this far… I broke the rock. But I’m still not perfect. Will I be as good as you someday, Master? I will… I’m sure of it… And I will surpass you…!

:And Master! Because I’m the…

That does it for Kung Fu content! Since the poll only has nine votes and is currently tied, I’m going to leave it open for another day.

Unpronounceable · March 2, 2017, 5:40am

I really like Yuan’s entrance in the Dojo. It’s a really badass way to enter, and a great turning point for his character.

I managed to find the old translation patch from when I played through the game, so where I have the time, I’ll try to keep up with the LP, and comment on the differences I find. Just to showoff a couple quick differences, the newer patch uses Chinese names for the attacks in this chapter, whereas the old one did…something? I don’t know where some of them come from.

Newer Patch             | Old Patch
Long Hu Liang PoWan     | Ryuuhawan
Monkey Fist             | MonkeyFist
Squirrel Kick           | ShimarisuLeg
Bai Li Dao Yi Bu Jiao   | LeagueLeg
Lion Hand               | LionHand
LaoHuZhiWu              | OldFoxDance
FushaNoSha              | ShiningShot
XuanYaLianShanQuan      | Shinsanken

I think shimarisu is just a transliteration of the Japanese word for Squirrel, and LaoHuZhiWu was just translated into English. No clue where the others came from.

No, the ultimate ability is not the super fast Japanese train, that’s Shinkansen.

LoakaMossi · March 2, 2017, 11:41pm

Inheritance

If any single chapter demonstrated what Live-A-Live is good at, it would be this one. This game is at its best when it takes a story from a different genre and adapts it to its own conventions. While the Caveman chapter had some good style choices, like the lack of dialogue, this chapter uses the games RPG mechanics to tell a Kung Fu story. This is part of why the stories are typically so cliché; the innovation is on the part of the presentation, and having the plot be recognizable makes it easier to realize how the mechanics are being used.

Speaking of the plot, we’ve found the first saaaad chapter. Honestly, I think this one works. It didn’t make me cry, but I can certainly see why someone would. It’s easy to focus on the deaths, but I think this chapter’s best source of catharsis is how it portrays mourning. Finding the bodies of the two pupils is rough, but seeing Li break down over her failure to save her friends is far rougher.

I don’t want to talk too much about the emotional parts; you already know how you feel about those. Instead, I want to focus on how they fit a Kung Fu plot to the RPG mechanics. The training montage is done well. It’s a little rude because spreading the training out, which is probably your first instinct, is the worst thing you can do, but I do like being able to customize the order your students learn the Puncha style and improve their stats. The Kung Fu moves themselves feel like a set of tools. Most people just use LaoHuZhiWu, but every move has it’s own unique use. For this run, I tried my best to stay away from LaoHuZhiWu, and I had a lot more fun as a result.

The most interesting use of RPG mechanics is how this chapter places the battles; they only exist if a fight would make sense in a Kung Fu movie. Because this chapter actively discourages you from grinding in the first half and then removes the ability to grind in the second half, the battles in this chapter are back-loaded. In an average Kung Fu movie, most of the fights will be closer to the end. There are a few scuffles here and there, like the fights with the Tiger King, but the real action doesn’t start until the climactic assault on the Yi Po Men dojo. This seems like something most teams wouldn’t do. It would be too easy to assume that players need battles at every part of the story, so I’m glad that Square was able to restrain themselves.

Finally, I should probably talk about the characters. The Master is a bit of a blank slate, but the archetype he fills runs into that problem a lot. Li, who is definitely not Asuka Langley-Soryuu, is pretty great. I honestly didn’t know about her scene if you refuse to let her take revenge, and I was happy to find it. While the monologue was pretty straightforward, I feel like it filled in a part of her character that I thought was missing. I always knew she was avenging her friends, but hearing her say it was nice. It was a good way to have the writers show how she softened her heart without softening her behavior. She’s still a crass punk, but she’s a crass punk with feelings. Yuan, who is definitely not Shinji Ikari, is the pupil I usually train. I’m just a sucker for the Little Coward that Could archetype, and his dojo entrance owns. And Sammo, who is definitely not Rei Ayanami but sincerely this time,…exists.

OK, the writers do try and do some interesting things with Sammo. His weight is not presented as a flaw. His appetite is, but he is shown to be perfectly athletic with the body type he currently has. That’s good! Anytime he talks about gaining self-esteem, I love it. Telling Odi Wang Lee to keep laughing at him is a really good line because it shows that Sammo knows he can prove Lee wrong. But in the end, the writers just can’t stop themselves from making him say the Fat Guy lines. If he talked about food a bit less and talked about anything else a bit more, I wouldn’t have any problem with him.

And since the final boss has a character this time, I’ll talk a bit about Odi Wang Lee. I think he is a really good evil version of the master. Both want to find power and surround themselves with powerful people. But the Punch master finds those who are weak and builds them up while Lee just finds people who are already strong. I didn’t really touch on it, but the Yi Po Men students have no similarities in their fighting styles. I would be money that the only real practitioner of Yi Po Men is Odi Wang Lee himself. Their different approaches to power is also pretty cool. The Puncha master wants to make his students stronger so they can address their personal problems and make their lives better, but Lee’s attempts to gain power are actively detrimental to his health.

This is my favorite of the seven chapters. It wants to tell a story, and it does so in a really stylized and interesting way.

What do you all think? Was the drama overwrought, or did you like it? Did I make it too obvious that two of the pupils were going to die?

And about the poll, I don’t think it’s going to get anymore voters. It’s a 3-3 tie between Wrestler and Ninja, but I think I’m going to go with Wrestler. I can do that in a single update, so it’ll be nice to knock it out. Sorry to everyone who voted for Ninja. I’ll start taking names for the Wrestler now. There is a six character limit, and his last name will always be Takahara.

Mozz · March 3, 2017, 3:37pm

my vote is for Dwayne
or perhaps BullyD

LoakaMossi · March 5, 2017, 3:47pm

It’s time to break our chronological playthrough!

The World's Strongest!

Today, we’re going through one of the more experimental chapters.

Ultimate Strength -VICTORY ROAD-

Experimental in gameplay, that is. The story is simple.

In my last playthrough, I called this guy Stone. I think that Dwayne works just as well.

Martial Arts Masters

This chapter has no overworld. Instead, we have this Mega Man styled menu. Which is an apt comparison; Dwayne will not be leveling up. You see, despite the game referring to him as a wrestler, Dwayne is closer to a MMA fighter. He will be learning new moves from the bosses in this chapter.

And here’s his unchanging stats! There pretty good for level 2.

Enlightened in the ancient Japanese technique of bare-handed killing, Moribe’s strikes can pierce even the toughest armor, yet can damage internal organs without breaking the skin.

Skills:
Abise-Geri
Tsuda

Each of the Martial Arts Masters have this little blurb, followed by the moves that Masaru can learn from them.
VERSUS!

I hope you have studied well of the Art of War!

KNOCK YOU DOWN!

I start with Seishi because he has the most useful techniques in this chapter. But before I talk about his techniques, I should talk about Dwayne’s.

This is his most useful starting move. Battle Cry is Dwayne’s only source of healing. It also buffs his strength and level and it removes any status effects, like poison.

Roundhouse is useful for exploiting the battle mechanics. Some enemy techniques are directional; for instance, they can only go in the direction the sprite is facing. This technique can put an enemy in a position where they cannot attack or can only use an attack that we want to learn.

And Blazing Fist is a diagonal attack that’s a good source of damage before we learn some better techniques.

Unfortunately, Seishi does not want to cooperate. In addition to their learnable techniques, each boss has two techniques that we can’t learn. I’m showing of Seishi’s because they have the exact same ranges as the moves we do want.

Eventually, he decides to stop messing around. Which is good because we can learn new moves, but is bad because these moves can wreck you if you’re not careful.

Tsuda is my favorite technique in this chapter. According to the move description, it halves stats. Which is absurd if true. In any case, it helps us learn the other moves by lowering the amount of damage they do.

Abise-Geri is also useful because it’s a ranged Roundhouse. Since the enemy can’t move in a direction they aren’t facing, they will have to spend a turn rotating. You can then spend your turn rotating them back, which puts them in an infinite loop until they lose. Of course, the rotation is guaranteed, so this isn’t quite as game-breaking as it seems. And since Seishi’s health is a joke, I ended up defeating him while trying to demonstrate his moves.

Seishi is normally considered very dangerous because he can be hard to hit, but persistent use of Tsuda will eventually handle that.

Each boss has a “defeated” portrait which follows them to the Opponent Select screen. They also have a different line if they win their fight with you.

My ancient Japanese martial arts have never been defeated!!

Martial Arts Masters

Trained by a special paramilitary fighting unit, Tula Han is a master of close-quarters combat. He fights with both mind and body as one, and can bend both to extreme measures.

Skills:
Armlock
Cross Heel Hold

VERSUS!

Let’s see how strong you really are…

KNOCK YOU DOWN!

Our next opponent is an expert in grappling.

Learning his techniques are considerably easier. He’ll always counter leg techs with Cross-Heel Hold and arm techs with Arm Lock. Unfortunately, this happened in the same turn, so Dwayne is unable to move or attack.

Thankfully, he doesn’t counter yelling by grabbing Dwayne’s throat.

The countering is what makes these techniques useful. You usually have better options on your own turn, but being able to shut down an enemy’s techniques on their own turn is useful.

Here’s Tsuda in action; Tula misses his attack because all of his stats have just been cut in half!

I ended up finishing him off with a simple punch.

And if Tula wins…
You cannot win if you don’t use your brain!

Martial Arts Masters

Heeding the call of the sumo, Jackie traveled to Hawaii to become the greatest ever. Unfortunately, he failed, and instead uses his sumo skills in international wrestling.

Skills:
Aloha Clap
Ogre Grip

VERSUS!

My Sumo skills will crush you!!

KNOCK YOU DOWN!

Next up is our resident sumo expert

As a result, Jackie’s techniques revolve around shoving people around. However, Jackie has a secret technique! Just use one of Tula’s technique to lock down either his feet or his arms, and move one tile away.

Eventually, this will happen. I don’t have a GIF of Dwayne using this attack; it’s not very easy to use and you can easily out-damage it in the same number of turns.

The two sumo techniques are useful strategic techniques. If your opponent can only attack what’s directly next to them, these two techniques can do a good job of pushing them away indefinitely.

Unfortunately, learning Earth-Rending Fury has put Dwayne on the ropes, so he needs to cripple Jackie’s stats to stand a chance.

However, Dwayne comes out on top.

But if Jackie had capitalized on his localized earthquake…
You’ll never knock me out of the ringside rope!!

Martial Arts Masters

An incredibly flexible warrior who fights using the Muay Thai style. His ashiwaza high kick is considered to be absolutely devastating.

Skills:
Punchama Kick
Spiral Knee

VERSUS!

Too bad you won’t be able to so much as bruise my pretty face!!

KNOCK YOU DOWN!

Our next opponent is the prerequisite narcissist.

ABT: Always Be Tsuda-ing

Even afterwards, this guy hits like a truck.

And if you try and be clever by staying close to him, he’ll just counter-kick you into his danger areas.

Panchama Kick is a good replacement for Ogre Grip if your opponent locks down your arms.

Although it might not look it here, Spiral Knee is a pretty good attack for it’s range.

As you might have expected, Namcat is fragile. I didn’t even realize Aloha Clap was going to finish him off.

And if he had Panchama Kick-Spiral Knee looped me to death…

Gaze into my beautiful face as I pummel you flat!

Martial Arts Masters

America’s number one wrestler, Max has made a name for himself as a Hollywood star. He’s grown bored, however, and is seeking a challenger who can provide him with a new thrill.

Skills:
Max Bomber
German Suplex

VERSUS!

Max Bomber Number 1!!

KNOCK YOU DOWN!

We’re down to the two largest threats of this chapter, and oh dear God it’s this guy.
Max’s techniques are terrifying. He has the most HP and he hits the hardest. He will waste no time in running wild on you.

Tsuda is even more important than it usually is. That move is supposed to knock Dwayne backwards, but because we halved Max’s strength it didn’t happen.

It also prevents this move from being wholly devastating. It has a chance of paralyzing whatever it hits, but lowering Max’s stats prevented that from happening.

It’s a good thing his moves can him dead in his tracks.

They’re also the funniest things in this chapter. BWOOOOM!!

Thankfully, it doesn’t matter what he thinks. Dwayne is able to beat him at his own game.

At least he’s a gracious loser. But if he wins…
IIIIII’M NUMBER ONE! You’ll always be playing second fiddle, chump!!

Martial Arts Masters

A Japanese wrestler who has mastered the techniques of the Mexican Lucha Libre champ, El Rudo. His moves are considered to be extremely rough, and he has been called the Dark Angel.

Skills:
Frankensteiner
Tornado Press

VERSUS!

You obviously have no skill! I’m gonna chop your head off!!

KNOCK YOU DOWN!

I saved the most difficult for last. Great Asia has a few irritating things to deal with.

The first his is Bite attack. In addition to poisoning and lowering stats, its range overlaps with both of his learnable moves. Battle Cry can heal that damage and remove the status effects, but it just opens us up to another Bite. We’re going to be seeing it a lot.

Never not be Tsuda-ing. Lowering Asia’s stats means that Bite won’t always poison Dwayne.

Eventually, he decides to stop gnawing our skull and uses his actual Lucha moves.

Frankensteiner is a heavy hitting move, but is nothing special

Tornado Press has good range. Despite his strength, Asia has pretty low health. I wasn’t expecting to take him down with this move.

Before I move on, there is a hidden scene during this fight that I need to show off. To see it, you need to corral Asia into the lower-right corner and wait for him to use Bite. When he uses it, there is a 1-in-50 chance that the following scene will play.

Asia just murdered a man for throwing a can at him. That guy probably had a kid with him. A kid who ran away with tears flowing from his eyes and his mouth hanging open in a particular way that we’ve already seen twice now.

And if his poison teeth manage to do us in…
You’ll never be able to knock my head off!

The Demon King Odio

: Not bad, Dwayne…

It looks like there’s still one more Martial Arts Master to fight: this giant of a man.

: I am not impressed, though. The competition was not exactly stellar.

: First was that amateur, Namcat… and the Lucha wimp… I twisted Tula’s joints in ways nature never intended! Then Max, and that fatass, Iaukea… And the geezer, whatever his name was. They were weak… so they died! Now, you fight me…!

Dwayne is not going to tolerate this.

VERSUS!

MEGALOMANIA

The game only vaguely hints at this, but this man is officially recognized as the world’s best fighter. The strongest in the world! Odie Oldbright!

Odie can’t teach us anything because we’re fighting to kill. All of his moves are dangerous, but these two form a combo. Death’s Scythe can knock us into range of Gu Fa Tie Pao.

However, his most dangerous technique is Acro DDO. Apparently, just jumping on top of Dwayne is the best way to end him.

Here’s a cool thing about this fight: Losing doesn’t force you to load a save. You can just continue from this screen! You will probably see this screen a lot: Odie is the toughest out of all of the Chapter End bosses.

Now, the prevailing wisdom for this fight is to stand just out of range and spam Abise-Geri. If you’re lucky, Oldbright will be stuck in a loop and can’t attack you. However, I don’t want to make Dwayne a liar. After all, he did promise to use…

Seishi’s technique!

Max’s power!!

Tula’s armlocks!

Jackie’s Sumo!!

Namcat’s Ashi-Waza!

Asia’s Lucha And Dwayne’s ANGER!!

: The title… passed on, until it reached me… I, the great one! The invincible! It is my… destiny… to be the best there… ever was… You… can’t be… human…
: I am Dwayne Takahara…

I will be the strongest!

Ultimate Strength -VICTORY ROAD-

And that’s it for the wrestling chapter! What a fun little diversion.

And just like that’s, it’s already time to select the next Chapter!

SELECT-A-LIVE

Ninja!
Cowboy!
Mecha!
SciFi!

0 voters

And if you want, feel free to suggest names for any of these characters! There is a six character limit and the cowboy will be called the “The ______ Kid”

ConfusedMoogle · March 5, 2017, 4:37pm

I remember my first time playing this I didn’t actually figure out that Masaru has Mega Man skills until accidentally picking up something after having beaten two or three (don’t remember how many exactly, it’s been awhile) and being super mad at myself for not figuring out that’s how this chapter worked sooner (then not starting over because I was kind of a dumb kid at the time).

PS: The Ninja absolutely needs to be named Bort, because reasons.

Unpronounceable · March 5, 2017, 6:35pm

I really like the Kung Fu chapter. It’s such a change in pace for the structure, and theme. I’ve thought about how to present the choice of pupils, but I don’t know if there’s a better option, unless you remove the choice entirely.

In the Wrestling chapter, I usually fought Moribe Seishi, Jackie Iaukea, Namcat, Great Asia, Tula Han, then Max Morgan. Looking back, I don’t think I tried to get all of everyone’s moves. I mainly got Tsuda from Seishi, and Aloha Clap from Iaukea, then just out ranged everyone for the most part until Max, where I got Max Bomber. I got some other moves incidentally, but it’s tough being a blue mage without a healer, especially when you don’t realize that reducing enemy stats reduces the probability of status ailments.

LoakaMossi · March 6, 2017, 1:02am

The Strongest

If someone told me “You have five minutes. Prove that Live-A-Live is different from other RPGs,” I would show them this chapter. For the most part, Live-A-Live tries to adapt the style of other media: the Kung Fu chapter is a movie, for example. While this creates some interesting settings, it can still feel similar to other RPGs. In this case, they creators decided to try adapting a different genre of games: fighting games. Trying to adapt a fighting game into RPG mechanics sounds like the worst idea, but they did a lot with this weird premise.

Everything about this chapter does a great job of recreating the aesthetic of a fighting game. The boss select menu looks exactly like a character select screen, the characters themselves are references to either real life fighters, like Max Morgan, or archetypes of martial artists, like Tula Han, and since the music was composed by the composer of Street Fighter II, Yoko Shimmumura, it sounds like it belongs in a fighting game.

While the move-learning mechanic is a source of frustration for many players, I think it’s the best way to handle the lack of leveling up in this chapter. It adds a strategic element to the order you face the bosses. This sort of mechanic could easily create a “best path,” but I think they managed to avoid it in this case. There are definitely tiers. For example, Max and Asia should be fought last. Jackie, Tula, and Seishi should be the first three bosses you fight because their techniques are useful. Namcat isn’t particularly dangerous if you can avoid his spinning knee, but his techniques aren’t important so he should be fought fourth. But after this playthrough, I feel like I could really take this chapter in almost any order. The only decision I would need to make would be to fight Seishi first; anything after that could be in any order. Tsuda is the best move in the game, and I will never stop using it. I would take it into other games if I could.

I should mention that the plot and characterization is thin for this chapter, but you probably should have expected that. It can take years and multiple installments for fighting games to develop their characters, so it’s all part of the aesthetic here. As for what little characterization there is, I think they did a good job of making Dwayne legitimately cool. He had two character scenes, but they were both made to set him up as a determined fighter and it worked.

Overall, I would rank this chapter third out of seven. I really appreciate the experimental approach, the techniques are interesting, and I appreciate the short length.

What do you all think? For those of you who haven’t played the game, would this chapter convince you that this isn’t your everyday RPG?

I’m going to leave the poll open for a bit longer. Right now, I’m thinking about closing it on Wednesday. You all can keep suggesting names for any chapter, even if we won’t do it next!

LoakaMossi · March 8, 2017, 10:24pm

Poll’s closed, and next up is Ninja! Time to figure out how on Earth I’m going to have this chapter make sense…

I forgot to mention it, but the ninja has a suffix with his name, -maru, which means “complete” or “circle.” To use the suggestion as an example, Bortmaru would mean “a circle of Bort” or “a complete Bort.” If we used the intended meaning, it would mean “a circle of lightning bolts,” which is actually kind of cool.

As always, there’s a six character limit on name suggestions.

KingCarnival · March 8, 2017, 11:10pm

Let’s go with Kyojin