DQXIS Act 2: The Fall of Yggdrasil

There's one word that can be used to describe Act 2 of Dragon Quest XI: Sombre. All over Erdrea, there are people in mourning, people in fear, all because of the far-reaching consequences of Mordegon stealing the Heart of Yggdrasil and sending the rest of the tree to the ground. Monsters roamed the lands and terrorised the locals to newfound extents, and the various plights of Act 1 seem like child's play in comparison. What is the Slayer of the Sands compared to the falling Erdwin's Lantern?

Seeing each area again in Act 2, we can spend less time introducing new characters, although they don't exactly slouch on that front. Don Rodrigo, Miko, Grand Master Pang, Da and Son, Mia, many characters were added to the story here- the game doesn't want the same few characters to hog all the spotlight, and where those new characters cannot, or possibly should not, take centre stage for the second go around, some alternative angle is played and new characters use the same settings, with those old favourites still there acting as support- think Frysabel or Whambelina. Just because we're exploring the same world all over doesn't mean we're seeing the same plot all over.

The six Spectral Sentinels follow a proud Dragon Quest tradition of a group of extravagantly named generals of the Demon Lord's army that don't live up to the name, and while the group is the most firmly established of any bunch yet, they still face the problems the series has struggled with thus far. On one hand, Jasper and Alizarin do a fantastic job of actively standing in the Luminary's path, creating genuine obstacles. On the other, Booga and Gyldygga, while formidable opponents, are not strongly associated with the idea of the "Six Sentinels", moreso feeling at home as Town Story bosses. And then there's Tyriant and Indignus, who don't even get that. The Dread Fiends, Triumgorate, and Order of Zugzwang have similar uneven competencies- there's one guy you're really scared of, a few guys that are glorified Town Story bosses, and at least one guy that feels more like the organisation filling out the numbers than anything.

So what's it like playing Act 2? Well, while the game has done an excellent job making all the towns feel new, the game still clearly isn't new. They've added new overworld stuff here and there, new NPC text, and the occasional new dungeon crawl, but that's not a real substitute for brand new areas. Act 2 will probably go by much faster than Act 1 purely because of the familiarity factor. This isn't really something the game could fix- revisiting the same areas is just going to do this sort of thing. And to an extent, the fact that actually running around the world is so much easier now is part of the point- we've grown since the days when overworld travel was a risky endeavour, but the world has grown back and we've got to throw some bite back at their bark. Besides, at this point, we're not so much developing our characters as making sure we understand how they work and when to throw them out into our problems.

DQXIS Act 2 Mordegon: Master Of All Things

Someone's gotta get him off that throne.

(This exchange is also full ambient noises.)

If you are correct, that is simply more need to dethrone you. The last days of humanity should not be spent in fear.

And yet you're scared of us.

I love how Mordegon compares us to Erdwin. It really gets us in his headspace.

...Also, I just noticed he went to the Ike school of armour and is wearing most of it on his left forearm.

Sounds like the words of a man whose own dreams won't come true.

The evil overlord who caused mighty Yggdrasil to come crashing down from the skies, and brought Erdrea under his calamitous command.

??? family
6000 HP
999 MP

DQXIS Act 2 Fortress of Fear: Begrudged

Footsoldiers whose faces were transferred to their shields by a cruel curse, and who won't rest until this wickedness is undone.

Starting in the hallway, we get a visit from dark dullahan of DQ8 fame. He was a bit of a gimmicky enemy there, but he stuck around for DQ10 and coming back here. They can crit, swing their mace around for multiple strikes, and can spray around some air pollution to lower attack.

Their rare drop is a pretty solid shield called the Saintess Shield. Despite being locked to ladies in DQ8, they're Greatshields here- so only Erdward and Hendrik can wield it. It's worth trying for, at least, although the Metal Slime shields can suffice.

The first thing we see is a big room we can fly around in- although with those diamond crystals, we're not getting high. Those sealed doors are also going to hold us up.

Ow...

There'll be plenty of the normal treasure to find around here, too. This'll be super useful later. Although you really don't want to anger those uberkilling machines back there...

The finest minds in mechanical monster manufacturing laboured to create these creatures, which want nothing more than world domination.

Metal dragons come form DQs 5 and 10, and they could certainly get exactly that. Although their only skill is crashing on the ground for some spread damage, they rock some solid attack and defence. He's also got a good rare drop, I'll pick it up in a bit.

You'll need to outright jump onto this button, but once you do, we get one of the seals out of the way. Admittedly, though, there wasn't much left for us to do but break this somehow.

DQXIS Act 2 Wheel of Harma: The End Approaches

Although this short update may seem to just be about sidequests, I do actually do some plot at the end. We're mostly just preparing to enter Mordegon's lair.

Let's start off with a round in the Wheel of Harma, and some of the quirky kits I pick to fit. Double-Swords Erdward, Swimsuit Jade, anything for damage up.

The Second Trial is an introduction to the way the rest of the Trials are going to tend to go down. If you wait until the end of Act 2, you'll get to use a party like this, and good thing too, because Hendrik, Sylvando and, at this point in the game, Erik lean more towards liabilities than assets in the Wheel. Suffice it to say none of those three are good choices in a solo round.

DQXIS Act 2 Mount Huji: Heart of the Forge

At least the kid made it out. Didn't think anyone else got too close to Tatsunaga, but there was fire everywhere.

Let he who is without sin swallow the first maiden, or something. With that said, though, there's something to be said about the punishment fitting the crime: Miko wasn't exactly paying for anything by sacrificing herself, even though she has a debt to Hotto to repay. If sacrificing people meant anything, Tatsunaga should've left before we fought it off.

Do I want to say that... you left a woman to get eaten by a dragon, yeah, you probably are at fault this time.

...What happened to you? No one get between this guy and his forge.

Well, I'll be needing a key first.

DQXIS Act 2 Hotto: Dragon Fury

Hotto, like Gallopolis, is a Town Story the game is prepared for you completing as soon as you get the boat- so only Hendrik, Rab and Sylvando will be story relevant. Unlike Gallopolis, there will be actual danger involved that makes it difficult to do so before now. Not impossible, for the sufficiently determined, but I'd rather have Serena than not.

Hendrik: I understand that back when I was pursuing you, you found refuge here after you evaded me in Heliodor. To think of how loyally I carried out the King's orders then fills me with shame. Little did I know his true nature. Or yours.
Rab: I'd been hoping we'd have a chance to visit Hotto and have a hot bath... But something just doesn't seem quite right here, does it, laddie? Well, it'll do us no good to ignore it. Let's ask a few of the locals and find out what's going on.
Sylvando: So let me get this straight... You met the twins here when you were still on the run from the forces of Heliodor... Then you came to Gallopolis, met me, and the rest is history! Ah, it seems like it was just yesterday!
Jade: It seems that since the fall of Yggdrasil, the world has been plagued by all manner of monsters. Judging from the faces of the people here, something untoward is going on. Could they have monster troubles of their own?
Erik: Is it just me, or are the people here not being as friendly as usual...?
Serena: Veronica and I came here before we met any of you, but the path to Mount Huji was closed. I remember being desperate to see it... Well, now's my chance, I suppose! Let's see what secrets await us within the volcano.

The deal with Erdwin's Lantern, while important, was pretty "get in, get out". Hotto's Town Story is a full-blooded, proper Town Story, complete with twists and a dungeon to complete.

To be fair, the first Town Story was light on Hotto characters.

There are two monsters residing on Mount Huji that are problems right now, and I'm not sure which this is. I suspect it's the Beast.

And an NPC wondering if Miko is doing the right thing about their problem. That should tell you plenty.

We saw two Hotto children playing Tatsunaga and Ryu- the sister made a haiku fail. Those two are the ones missing. Note, however, that their mother is also "missing"- the people of Hotto seem to have an idea of where she should be.

DQXIS Act 2 Gallopolis: Catch a Falling Star

As we begin the Town Story in Gallopolis, I would like to state, as a general reminder, that while we couldn't acquire the Forging Hammer until now, we could have completed the Town Story for Gallopolis any time after acquiring the boat. As a result, the story is going to only remember we have Hendrik, Rab and Sylvando, although Jade, Erik and Serena have Party Chat quotes where relevant.

We, of course, knew this was happening for ages. It didn't seem in all that much of a hurry to land, and I didn't want to do this story before we needed the Forging Hammer.

After all, if Hendrik is telling the truth, it's been falling since Yggdrasil fell. It had months to land.

Erdward looks over at a black tockle. This guy was in the intro cutscene, but has stayed out of sight until now.

Rab starts expositing about the nature of Erdwin's Lantern. We know the general gist from, of all things, Gemma, but the black tockle is doing a good job of being distracting.

Incidentally, I believe Rab has been forcibly put into his default costume because the tockle crawling over him needs the flat surface of his fez to properly function- this cutscene wouldn't work the same way if he had to walk over either of his crowns.

Rab brings up the obvious note: Is Erdwin's Lantern truly benevolent now?

Erdward actually moves over so he can keep staring at the tockle.

...I'm not actually entirely sure what Rab says if we say no. Apparently he just repeats himself.

We got the basics just fine.