Bleh, of course imgur would want to charge me for some kind of full subscription package even though I really only want one thing (the ability to see all images in an album without shuffling ascending/descending stuff). If anyone has any alternatives for other image hosting services, please let me know.
Anyway, this update will be a little bit longer, since I'll be trying to burn through two dungeons (I wanted to squeeze in a third dungeon after this, but it would end up making the update a bit too long).
An "accident" has occurred on the main road which blocks our path. Some shady guy shoo's the party off, but Baofu is not really sold on this. Regardless, we can get to the sanitarium through a rear entrance.
Naturally, this rear entrance requires a hike up a mountain through the Mifune Trail.
This area does have some pretty catchy music. The only real thing of note in this area is this depository shrine. It accepts donations in 100 yen increments and fills up when you hit 10,000 yen. Filling up the box allows you to make a very, very late-game boss slightly easier. Unfortunately, when you complete the main dungeon, you can't revisit this area. Since this is a permanent missable, it would be best to just fill up the box here. But this area is relatively short with some pretty weak demons. Eventually, the party makes it to the sanitarium...
We seem to be stumbling on a lot of dead bodies as of late. And Baofu is quite... calm about all of this.
Well, I mean, not
every person in Japan is going to be Ja-
Well... apparently the Japanese foreign minister is using the Taiwanese Mafia for nefarious tasks. Interestingly, Katsuya is more concerned about the fact that they are not Japanese rather than the fact that Baofu knows this much information about foreign crime rings so easily. Well, time to search the sanitarium some more.
At least a nurse survived. But it's looking more and more like Tatsuya Sudou is the Joker killer. Gotta wonder if Elder Sudou decided to send the mafia here because his crazed son somehow got access to demon summoning. Since everybody is either dead or has bailed, we might as well take a look at Room 303.
In the words of Katsuya, that about sums up the mystery of the Joker killer. But something else in this pretty crazy room catches his eye...
Katsuya speculates that the "holy cross" is the Grand Cross which actually happened in the previous summer. But nothing really happened. But Maya doesn't feel so well after reading this and collapses.
Ulala, continuing to serve as Maya's expository device. But enough dicking around here, it's time to search the upper floors of the building. As the party approaches the director's room, Katsuya senses a strange resonance...
Sudou is here, chilling, playing with his hair in a mirror with a gigantic knife while his demon dog is just there being bored. Also while surrounded by a sizable amount of dead bodies. I must also note that he has been murdering people in a trench coat and a medical gown. Sudou, if you want Maya to remember the "Other Side" or whatever, you should probably try to explain it in more depth than "Fight some demons, remember the Other Side!" But Sudou does at least confirm that he's a bit of a schizophrenic.
And he also has daddy issues on top of it. But this riveting conversation is cut short, as someone is attempting to call the cell phone of one of the dead mafia members scattered about. Baofu goes off and takes a peek outside.
WAIT NO BAOFU THIS IS NOT THE TIME
No we don't understand please explain-
Sudou teleports out and we are faced with the second boss of the game; the Hellhound!
When Baofu left, he took his persona with him. His persona was also the only one who could have enabled the party to do the Hydro Boost water fusion spell. Thus, the party could only spam Stone Rise until the Hellhound died. The party rushes outside to tell Baofu "WHAT IN THE FUCK DUDE"
Ulala is rightfully furious, Katsuya is understanding, and Baofu doesn't give any kind of indication as to why he bailed in confronting a demon summoning serial killer. But we might as well follow up the next lead and go to the Sky Museum. But first, we're stopping by Maya's apartment.
Maya is... not quite the neatest woman there is. Clothes, undergarments, CDs, and papers are strewn about. We also cannot enter Ulala's room. Ever. But going here is important because you can learn a certain Demon Negotiation combo between Maya and Ulala here.
Eh... maybe later, Ulala. Now to wrap this update up, there are two Persona 1 cameos and one guy we need to visit..
This is
MakiMary. She... kinda had a big role in Revelations: Persona. But all you need to know is that she's trying to be a counselor now. I actually can't remember if IS had as many Persona 1 cameos as EP. And the cameo-meter really starts to jump up later in the game.
This guy manages the spell cards you can get for Personae in this game. Naturally, he creeps the party the fuck out.
And here is another Persona 1 reference. Baofu notes that he has a persona, but it is not meant for battle. Unfortunately, I think he has more of a role in the Snow Queen Quest of Persona 1 which I have not played. I also think he had a penis demon pop out of his stomach at one point, but that's another story entirely. If you want rumors, you go to this guy.
That's... kinda awkward, Ulala...