Character Customization[]
Upon clicking New Game and choosing New Character (Alternatively, if you made a character in the Demo version, you can import them from the option below New Character), you will be taken to the Create Avatar screen. Here, you can change aspects of your character, such as:
- Name (The default names are actually the names of the main characters from Lord of Vermillion)
- Gender
- Face Type
- Skin
- Hair Style
- Hair Color
- Voice
After setting up your character, you will proceed to the Select Weapon screen. This choice only affects your starting weapon and what weapon you will go through the tutorial with, you may change your weapon type freely at any point in the game. The available weapon types are:
The Mace is surprisingly the weakest weapon, but has good speed and the ability to charge your blows for more damage, as well as good stun potential. However, it has some of the weakest BAs, and you cannot equip a shield nor magic with the Mace.
The Two-Handed Sword is the second strongest of the melee weapons, with good reach, ability to equip a shield, and decent BAs, but it is very slow.
The Polearm is the strongest of all, but also the slowest. Its BAs are very powerful, but you cannot equip a shield (though you can still block).
And finally, the last weapon is the Firelance. The sole ranged weapon of the game, it has many gameplay quirks compared to the other weapons. First off, you can choose to use magic or not with it. If you choose to use magic, you lose the uppercut ability of the lance, its only true physical attack (not counting firing from very close range). The attack button for the Firelance fires a shot at whatever you're aiming at. You can charge the shot and all of the BAs by pressing x to chamber a round. Up to three rounds may be chambered at once.
Tutorial (Temple Caverns)[]
After selecting your weapon and watching the short cutscene, you will start in the first dungeon of the game, the Temple Cavens, at level 45 with maxed weapon and magic proficiency. Yay! (Too bad you don't get to keep it). Follow the instructions to proceed in the cave, picking up a few items, smashing some monsters, until you get to the first boss of the game. (Note that you can't get a game over, you have infinite Sacrifice Charms)
Nidhogg[]
Dragon of Murderous Rampage
First off, feel free to use items whenever you need to, they will disappear after the battle, as well as all of your levels and equipment. Secondly, though you can smash and break his tail, other than slightly lowering the range of his tail swipe, it serves no purpose. Feel free to smite him with Mega Flare whenever your mana is full. Don't worry too much about his attacks, you have tons of healing items and he does very little damage to you.
The best strategy is to simply use your BA on his head repeatedly until he is stunned. Afterwards, switch your target to his weak spot (the red circle) and continue beating away there. At half health, you will engage in a button smashing minigame if you got there using a physical attack, and after defeating him, you will engage in a QTE (Quick Time Event) a la God of War. Win, and he's history. Lose, and he'll regain a small portion of health and the battle continues. Note that in this battle, simply attacking his weak spot is a viable strategy, but later enemies will often hurt you way too much for you to leave them unstunned. Magic for the most part in this game is pretty weak, you'll only use it for the effects.
The Journey Begins...[]
After another cutscene, you'll begin your journey in the Aryad Temple. Walk forward, and you'll begin in the village of Porto Carillo, your hub for the rest of the game. Talk to people, meet the shopkeepers, find some items and, when you're ready, talk to the lady at the guild counter on the left to do a few more tutorial missions.
From this point on, you're all on your own. Good luck!