Hel's lance attacks only seem to be a threat to more aggressive players, though most of her attacks are like this as well. Her energy orbs don't see much use after the early stages of the fight, which is a shame because more can be done with them. Giving them homing properties later on, and having them explode on contact with platforms would help with making Hel more of a threat overall.

The laser pillars I feel should also target the player's location rather than just the sides. Setting the sides of the arena on fire could also add more challenge so that the player has to actually do more than just use the side platforms. Lastly, her final phase doesn't even last long to be a real threat, which is a shame really. That said, Hel is a beautiful woman, though I'm probably just saying that because I like her dark hair.

I--

Even with the skeletal arm and the tentacles and stuff?! O.O

This was quite underwhelming. The fight relies on the player being able to strike the boss's weak point at routine intervals in between attacks. It also has four attacks, though it only uses the last two during the later stages of the fight. Its main threat seems to be its large size, which ensures that the player will have less room to dodge its bombs or jump attack. I suppose this fish could use more sauce such being able to jump around the arena, fire a large laser beam or fire a bullet spread or a group of missiles. Also the arena background sure is... uh something.

… there was an easier way to fight this boss?!
I did not know that. At all.

(Like. I was on the right side of the arena the whole time and it took me a couple of tries lmao)

---

And for the final boss:

Same ol' "no damage, no sub-weapon usage battle on hard mode" thing.

Also the one boss I couldn't defeat due to SSD shenanigans and stuff. ;-;

Hell no. I'm not into necrophilia, Cibryll. There are some lines you don't cross. Ever.

Well, you did say she's "a beautiful woman"-- possibly because of her dark hair.

I. Might've not worded that question best though. ;-;"

I guess what I was trying to ask was whether her beauty's diminished by the skeletal arm etc. or not--

* takes out shovel, digs myself deeper *

… oh, look, a line!

---

*crosses it*


So, back to questions.


1. Out of ten, how would you rate each of those bosses, based on:

(a) Design
(b) Overall

(Not including the songs used during the boss battles, since. Like. You've rated them already. Also excluding the DLC boss.)

    Fafnir [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: Dragon of Embraces    (7/10)
    Vritra [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: Obstacle              (4/10)
    Kujata [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: Shouldered World      (4/10)
Jormungand [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: Twined Malice         (4/10)
   Aten-Ra [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: Insane Sun            (4/10)
       Anu [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: from Nibiru           (8/10)
     Surtr [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: Flaming Fist          (6/10)
   Echidna [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: Reproduction of Power (5/10)
       Hel [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: Last Guardian         (4/10)
 9th Child [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: 9th Child             (6/10)

2. Out of these, which is a pretty little Flower Dragon? :3

3. What was the funniest moment of any of those bosses?

4. Using only the main weapons from La-Mulana 2, which of these weapons would you prefer to use?
(a) [ Leather Whip / Chain Whip / Flail ]
(b) [ Knife ]
(c) [ Rapier ]
(d) [ Axe ]
(e) [ Katana ]

5. How many video game bosses can you remember beating without taking any damage?
6. How's the weather been like recently?
7. Second-favourite colour?


Wait what is that thing behind you--?! O_O

* gets chased by a Bloom Beast again *

1. Out of ten, how would you rate each of those bosses, based on:

(a) Design
(b) Overall

(Not including the songs used during the boss battles, since. Like. You've rated them already. Also excluding the DLC boss.)

    Fafnir [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: Dragon of Embraces    (7/10)
    Vritra [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: Obstacle              (4/10)
    Kujata [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: Shouldered World      (4/10)
Jormungand [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: Twined Malice         (4/10)
   Aten-Ra [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: Insane Sun            (4/10)
       Anu [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: from Nibiru           (8/10)
     Surtr [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: Flaming Fist          (6/10)
   Echidna [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: Reproduction of Power (5/10)
       Hel [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: Last Guardian         (4/10)
 9th Child [Design: _/10]/[Overall: _/10] / Theme: 9th Child             (6/10)

2. Out of these, which is a pretty little Flower Dragon? :3

3. What was the funniest moment of any of those bosses?

4. Using only the main weapons from La-Mulana 2, which of these weapons would you prefer to use?
(a) [ Leather Whip / Chain Whip / Flail ]
(b) [ Knife ]
(c) [ Rapier ]
(d) [ Axe ]
(e) [ Katana ]
5. How many video game bosses can you remember beating without taking any damage?
6. How's the weather been like recently?
7. Second-favourite colour?

1)     Fafnir [Design: _3/10]/[Overall: 4/10] / Theme: Dragon of Embraces    (7/10)
    Vritra [Design: 7/10]/[Overall: 4/10] / Theme: Obstacle              (4/10)
    Kujata [Design: 1/10]/[Overall: 2/10] / Theme: Shouldered World      (4/10)
Jormungand [Design: 5/10]/[Overall: 4/10] / Theme: Twined Malice         (4/10)
   Aten-Ra [Design: 6/10]/[Overall: 4/10] / Theme: Insane Sun            (4/10)
       Anu [Design: 5/10]/[Overall: 6/10] / Theme: from Nibiru           (8/10)
     Surtr [Design: 6/10]/[Overall: 6/10] / Theme: Flaming Fist          (6/10)
   Echidna [Design: 6/10]/[Overall: 5/10] / Theme: Reproduction of Power (5/10)
       Hel [Design: 8/10]/[Overall: 6/10] / Theme: Last Guardian         (4/10)
 9th Child [Design: 6/10]/[Overall: 5/10] / Theme: 9th Child             (6/10)
2) Vritra (Its the only one that actually looks like a dragon)
3) I was going to count the entirety of the DLC boss for its sheer bizarreness, but since it doesn't count, I'll have to pick the end of the Jormungand fight instead.
4) Katana
5) Not many. The most recent example would be defeating Ace Hardlight in Ratchet: Gladiator, only because one of the skill points requires you to clear that fight without taking damage.
6) Cloudy.
7) White

What's your thought on questions like the ones Cibryll asked when she posted the videos?

They provide opportunities to learn about boss design by asking me to engage with how the fight is designed.

* hissing intensifies *


So here comes the first La-Mulana with its Guardians~

Guardian #1: Amphisbaena of the Gate of Guidance.

(click to show/hide)

The person playing went with these rules:
• Playing in Hard Mode.
• Not using any sub-weapons, except for Ankh Jewels (used to summon most Guardians) and Shields.
• Not taking any damage.
• Not using any fairies.
• They started recording at a save point.

Amphisbaena has 48 HP on Hard Mode apparently, and they chose to forgo the extra stuff that can be obtained in other fields, fighting Amphisbaena as early as possible.
(I usually leave this serpentine serpent for later, after I've. Like. Gotten as many items as possible without fighting any of the Guardians lmao)

For a first boss, it works well enough. A simple attack that is dependant on position and increases with frequency as you near the end. Its a shame that it didn't incorporate something like the snakes moving across the arena every so often or even having them take up the top of the screen like the original La-Maluna. The music is also pretty decent, though the original version is better than the remake's in that regard.

Huh, didn't expect mention of the classic La-Mulana version--


* gets rocket punched across the world *


_{I'm okay--}
Anyway, 'tis brilliant too, comparing the classic and the remake's versions~


Guardian #2: Sakit of the Mausoleum of the Giants

(click to show/hide)

The person playing still went with these rules:
• Playing in Hard Mode.
• Not using any sub-weapons, except for Ankh Jewels (used to summon most Guardians) and Shields.
• Not taking any damage.
• Not using any fairies.
• They started recording at a save point.

Sakit has 40 HP on Hard Mode apparently, and I tend to leave Sakit for later, out of the first five Guardians, myself (usually I start with Ellmac, then Bahamut, then Viy).


* gets rocket punched all the way to Australia *


… ooh, ice cream~

Rock falls ensure that the player has to use the lower parts of the arena to avoid damage. The chain fist only aims downward but I suppose it'd be more of a threat if it could aim at the player's location as well. Sakit has an energy cannon attack but unfortunately lacks a laser beam attack. The rocket fist works, but Sakit uses it so late in the fight that it probably doesn't see much use.

Well, the rocket punch thing is only used when the stone mask thing comes off. That attack honestly gave me a lot of trouble--

* gets roared at *

…

Guardian #3: Ellmac, of the Temple of the Sun!

(click to show/hide)

The person playing still went with these rules:
• Playing in Hard Mode.
• Not using any sub-weapons, except for Ankh Jewels (used to summon most Guardians) and Shields.
• Not taking any damage.
• Not using any fairies.
• They started recording at a save point.

Ellmac has about 72 HP on Hard Mode apparently, and is one of my favourite Guardians~


* gets plasma-breathed *


O_O

It's a very short fight, where the boss only has a few attacks. The sheer speed the player travels at is what makes the fight challenging, and allows Elmac to cover their weakness of being vulnerable when their mouth is open.

The track layout also matters--

* gets whacked into the river *

… *blub* *blub* *glub*

Guardian #4: Bahamut, of the Spring of the Sky

(click to show/hide)

The person playing still went with these rules:
• Playing in Hard Mode.
• Not using any sub-weapons, except for Ankh Jewels (used to summon most Guardians) and Shields.
• Not taking any damage.
• Not using any fairies.
• They started recording at a save point.

Bahamut's got like 64 HP. 'Tis time for a dangerous raid--

* gets attacked *

@_@

The 3D background effects and how Bahamut's attacks make use of them is visually impressive. The attacks themselves are quite simple, but the 3D effects do wonders in elevating Bahamut's attacks (such as the tidal splash and the energy orbs) so that they take advantage of the background layers.

What is the best April Fools' Day prank you have ever been involved in?
(Whether as prankster or as victim of the prank.)