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La Mulana: Wiiware Edition |OT| An adventure years in the making

KDR_11k

Member
The Crucifix stops those red/blue energy balls, not the actual "bedsheet-style" ghosts. I don't know what makes them appear but I've got them all over the place now. Definitely not nice inside the Moon Pyramid.

Also combat fairies can trigger eyes of retribution... This game just loves to troll you.

BTW, for anyone buying the gun, the ammo boxes contain only one ammo clip. Given that they cost more than the gun itself I would have expected more. Then again I'm currently floating 600 gold so might as well...
 

KDR_11k

Member
Tower of the Goddess seems specifically designed to make the knockback from hits send you as many screens back as possible... Same goes for making the mistake of walking off a ledge instead of jumping (that along with the getting-out-of-water physics is the most trolly part of the game's physics).
 

Dobkeratops

OT Hard Carry
BTW, for anyone buying the gun, the ammo boxes contain only one ammo clip. Given that they cost more than the gun itself I would have expected more. Then again I'm currently floating 600 gold so might as well...

That gold might be better saved for purchasing key items... or the optional software that lets you farm 800G in 2 minutes. Just saiyan'

Besides, abusing the gun is for pussies.

(that along with the getting-out-of-water physics is the most trolly part of the game's physics)

When you're close to the surface, hold the jump button rather than mash.
 

hunnies28

Member
The bosses are too fucking hard. I think using a single bullet per boss battle is a fair way to even the playing field.

At first I was tempted to get the gun, but after getting the Axe I put those thoughts aside. Is not really necesary.
so far
 

Dobkeratops

OT Hard Carry
The bosses are too fucking hard. I think using a single bullet per boss battle is a fair way to even the playing field.

Ha, wait for the final boss. The game expects you to pull no punches for that fight - this means you're gonna need all of the bullets (and it won't be enough).
 

Dobkeratops

OT Hard Carry
Is there any software that allows you ilimited saves for the text entries?

Pen & paper :p

There's an expansion for the text save software at
Inferno Cavern
, located somewhere in the
screen below the Grail point
. Ups the count to 20 (which is still far too little).
 
Pen & paper :p

There's an expansion for the text save software at
Inferno Cavern
, located somewhere in the
screen below the Grail point
. Ups the count to 20 (which is still far too little).

yeah that's what i suspected, i already have the expansion but it only gives 20 slots. and yeah pen and paper. i've been using that, even drawing the freaking maps. lol
 

KDR_11k

Member
When you're close to the surface, hold the jump button rather than mash.

I know but:
1. If your last in-water hop ended a bit too low you won't jump high enough out of the water to reach a platform.
2. The slightest bit of sideward momentum makes you race off horizontally like you just swallowed a rocket engine.

Also I suppose the intended solution for getting the mini doll is not to take a hit at just the right time and simply walk along the ground, right?

I'm now looking around in Eden and the Tower of the Goddess and have no idea if there are puzzles there that I can solve with my current equipment... I really don't like this dynamic of having hard puzzles together with item progression.

As for buying software/critical items, well, I don't have access to any store that got anything I don't.
 

Davey Cakes

Member
It's hard to go into this thread. I really try to avoid any details pertaining to parts of the game that I haven't gotten to yet.

After getting the double jump and doing some other things, I've hit another brick wall. I can't figure out what to do. It's actually quite aggravating.

What really pissed me off is that I discovered a secret in the Chamber of Extinction that a "secret fairy" revealed but I died right after going into the door and couldn't save. So now that secret is left un-revealed and I can't trigger another "secret fairy" in that area anymore. It'd be easier if I could just teleport to the damn save point but nooooo.

I keep thinking that the boss in Twin Labyrinth might be the next step (the one that shoots things at you and stops time) but the thing can take several bullets without going down so I'm not sure if it's even possible to beat at this point at the game.

There's nothing worse than when all your leads dry up. Who would have thought that getting the double jump would not actually do that much in terms of further opportunities for progression?

So basically, I'm having a love/hate relationship with La-Mulana. I think the game is doing its job. Hah.
 
As much as I love the game for many reasons, this game is frustrating me to no end. I think I'm just going to stop.

I'm not enjoying it anymore. It seems whenever I make progress or figure out something, just when I think I'm finally make some kind of meaningful progress, it never amounts to anything rewarding, just another roadblock. I eventually gave in and had to look at a FAQ to figure out what to do, and thank god I did. I would have never figured out some of this stuff on my own.

A game where you have to try and hit every single wall or object, yet sometimes cruelly punishes you for doing so, where you must scan everything, try everything (or maybe not, you might trigger a secret hard mode trap! smh), where almost nothing in the game world has any coherence whatsoever (ie. why does reading a tablet activate some random switch in some random room some 3 zones away?) is not my idea of good design. It's like a mix between Castlevania 2 and Milon's Secret Castle. IMO such game design has no place in 2012.

It's quite a shame... and as much as I hate to say this, this is a game where they should have had playtesters come in and listen to their complaints. The game is frustrating, it's cheap shot, aggravating... As much as the game sometimes holds you by the hand in some places, it leaves you completely helpless in others.
 

hunnies28

Member
I keep thinking that the boss in Twin Labyrinth might be the next step (the one that shoots things at you and stops time) but the thing can take several bullets without going down so I'm not sure if it's even possible to beat at this point at the game.
.

The way I defeated the boss was
just swinging my axe at him. I brought a pink fairy with me and somehow when I was really close to him I wasn't affected by that time freeze attack.

There's probably a better method for defeating him but that worked for me.
 

Davey Cakes

Member
That software would really be nice. I've looked everywhere though so I guess I just haven't gotten far enough to find it?

As of now I teleport to the Temple of the Sun A LOT because that's the easier way to access...basically everything that I can't warp to yet.
 

Dobkeratops

OT Hard Carry
What really pissed me off is that I discovered a secret in the Chamber of Extinction that a "secret fairy" revealed but I died right after going into the door and couldn't save. So now that secret is left un-revealed and I can't trigger another "secret fairy" in that area anymore. It'd be easier if I could just teleport to the damn save point but nooooo.

Why can't you teleport? Extinction doesn't even require the special software.

If it helps, that door leads to an Easter egg of no significance for your progression.

It's quite a shame... and as much as I hate to say this, this is a game where they should have had playtesters come in and listen to their complaints. The game is frustrating, it's cheap shot, aggravating... As much as the game sometimes holds you by the hand in some places, it leaves you completely helpless in others.

Even if several aspects have been made easier with the remake, La-Mulana is still a tribute to old school bullshit gaming (MSX in general, Maze of Galious in particular). It's meant to be obtuse and looking up info or asking for help have always been part of its charm.

Just got to the labirint save spot but now it doesnt register when using the teleport why?

Find Mirai.exe to enable full teleport access. This question is only second to "where do I go now?", hah.
 

Davey Cakes

Member
Why can't you teleport? Extinction doesn't even require the special software.
Really? I could have sworn that I already tried to register it but I guess I'll try again just in case.

Anyway, "looking stuff up" might be part of the charm of the game but I can be a stubborn gamer so I'm going to muscle through until I figure things out. It's just more satisfying that way. ^_^
 
Even if several aspects have been made easier with the remake, La-Mulana is still a tribute to old school bullshit gaming (MSX in general, Maze of Galious in particular). It's meant to be obtuse and looking up info or asking for help have always been part of its charm.

Bullshit is certainly right. Turns out that about 6 hours in, I did something that makes me unable to complete the game without starting all over. Well fuck this shit and fuck you Nigoro! Never touching any of your games again.
 

KDR_11k

Member
Bunny Must Die is fairly similar but easier and comes from some of the same inspirations (I don't know which game came up with the mandragoras in a dark area but BMD parodies them in a funny/deadly way) if you're getting tired of bashing your head against a wall (just to be electrocuted) in La Mulana.

I keep thinking that the boss in Twin Labyrinth might be the next step (the one that shoots things at you and stops time) but the thing can take several bullets without going down so I'm not sure if it's even possible to beat at this point at the game.

That's Zu. He's a downright bastard, I needed a ton of health (256?) plus a healing fairy, the gauntlet and the axe to kill him and I only did that with 32 health left (which equals one hit from him). All you get for beating him is a health upgrade and access to the ankh.

You can solve the Eden puzzle now.
 

Davey Cakes

Member
So I tried scanning the tablet in the Chamber of Extinction and yep, it got recorded. I thought I already tried before but I guess not. It's nice that I can teleport there now.

As for other happenings, I've gotten nowhere. That said, I think I may just be doing things out of order which is messing my progress up. I have not beaten the boss at the Mausoleum of the Giants because I never found the red jewel for it, but I take it that the praying statue is there because you're supposed to be able to beat this boss before getting the double jump?

As for the "Eden puzzle," is that the one that involves "solving the four puzzles, finding the four pedestals, opening the four boxes?" That's been bugging me for a while.
 

hunnies28

Member
So I tried scanning the tablet in the Chamber of Extinction and yep, it got recorded. I thought I already tried before but I guess not. It's nice that I can teleport there now.

As for other happenings, I've gotten nowhere. That said, I think I may just be doing things out of order which is messing my progress up. I have not beaten the boss at the Mausoleum of the Giants because I never found the red jewel for it, but I take it that the praying statue is there because you're supposed to be able to beat this boss before getting the double jump?

As for the "Eden puzzle," is that the one that involves "solving the four puzzles, finding the four pedestals, opening the four boxes?" That's been bugging me for a while.


Have you solved the giant's puzzles in mausoleum
I think there's three of them
? Read all the tablets in there carefully.

As for Eden, yes, that's the one. That one took me forever. Read carefully the clues related to that one (maybe take notes?) and keep your eyes open while in moonlight temple.


As for me, I'm stuck. Last things I got was the
twin statue and got to the area after the eye mid-bosses in endless corridor. I have defeated the first 4 bosses and the giant eyelid.I also need the jewel for tiwn labirynths.
Any help guys? I think I've done all I can in gate of Illusion, only left to go to the last top right areas of that map.
 

Davey Cakes

Member
I won't read that spoiler, but I'll do some further investigation in the Mausoleum.

But yes, you were right! After my last post I went back to the game to see if I could crack the nature of the "Four Pedestals" puzzle.

I just didn't understand the clues, but then...
I sort of randomly scanned the "dancing man" and noticed that it triggered one of the pedestals. This was even before I realized that the man "danced" (i.e. changed each time you left and came back to that screen).

After that I just followed the other clues and bam, solved the puzzle. I guess I got lucky. Once I triggered one pedestal, I understood what to do for the rest. I just needed to know the nature of the task at hand and I was all set, but getting there took some random scanning.

Anyway, thanks for the heads up! Now that I've unlocked a new area I'm going to take a break. So much work for so little progress! But hey, the game still keeps me coming back for more.
 

hunnies28

Member
Yeah, after getting the first pedestal to appear everything else kind of clicks together.

Also, make sure to make defeating that boss a priority. I believe that's required to make further progress. Maybe Dobkeratops can clear that one a bit more.
 

Davey Cakes

Member
I do enjoy that the game has some non-linearity to it. Just the fact that you can do a lot of things out of sequence is really cool. Gives off the classic Metroid-y feeling.
 

Davey Cakes

Member
>This is the bugged area with the ice blocks mentioned<
In the PC version the invisible wall was been moved so it's not a concern, but on the Wii you gotta drop the lower one first.
I wish I head read this earlier.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK.

EDIT: Okay, I read the other posts in regards to this "bug" and apparently it is passable. Still an odd design decision, though. They could have avoided it by putting a trap door where the treasure chest is or something, so that no matter which button you press you get access to the Grail Warp right away.

If it was immediately obvious that you're supposed to push one of the switches specifically, I would not have been confident in my first choice and I wouldn't have saved afterwards. I would have gone back and tried the other switch to see the alternative outcome. But hey, some switches are traps so you can't blame me for being confident in my choice, especially when it creates a clear path to the tablet and the hidden treasure chest. It just looked correct!

That said, from what I can tell, the ice blocks make a staircase when they fall in the correct order. This leads me to believe that, once again, I'm actually in the Graveyard of the Giants later than I should be. Skipping the Mausoleum boss has really screwed me up!

Having the double jump before going to these areas gives an advantage that I'm apparently not supposed to have.
 

Mitama

Member
I feel like this could be a great game but some of the puzzles are just way too convoluted and really dragging down the experience as a whole. It's a shame since the genre is probably my fav, aside from RPGs. :(
 

KDR_11k

Member
I didn't have all the Eden hints at hand when dealing with the puzzle so I just brute forced it by trying locations that looked notable.
 

Davey Cakes

Member
I didn't have all the Eden hints at hand when dealing with the puzzle so I just brute forced it by trying locations that looked notable.
I actually didn't find one of the Eden hints (
The Four Hands
) before solving the puzzle, since I hadn't been to the Graveyard of Giants yet. Instead I did what you did, found something that looked notable and tried it out. Hey, it worked, so it goes to show that a little bit of inference and experimentation never hurts.
 

Dobkeratops

OT Hard Carry
I just defeated Baphomet. It took me only 1:20 hrs. Damn. Don't know where to go next.

With six bosses down, now you probably have to deal with the puzzles in
Chamber of Birth
. Area has two entries and you will be required to use several of the key items you've picked up along the game.

What treasures do you own so far?
 

hunnies28

Member
Well this are all the items I have now. Sorry for the bad picture


http://i.imgur.com/uSz1Y.jpg


Wow huge progress.
Finding that door on the surface made me mad after just wandering for hours . Now I only need to figure how to enter Chamber of birth, this place is flooded
 
I just picked this up on my Wii U last night, since I sat on my Wii U controller and broke the screen completely :(

Anyway, I'm glad I did because it's AMAZING.

It's like a cross between Faxanadu, Pitfall for NES and Castlevania/Metroid.

I cannot wait to get out of work and go home and play!
 

Davey Cakes

Member
I still haven't gone back to this.

Got burnt out and stopped after the part with "the glitch that's actually not a glitch."
 

hunnies28

Member
I just picked this up on my Wii U last night, since I sat on my Wii U controller and broke the screen completely :(

Anyway, I'm glad I did because it's AMAZING.

It's like a cross between Faxanadu, Pitfall for NES and Castlevania/Metroid.

I cannot wait to get out of work and go home and play!

Welcome!

I have gone back to play this game and I have made a LOT of progress.

I just defeated Palenque

I still haven't gone back to this.

Got burnt out and stopped after the part with "the glitch that's actually not a glitch."


Don't give up man, I also left the game for a month or two (because of Wii U and a little bit of burning out) but after coming back everything just clicked. Even bosses seem way easier.
 

cj_iwakura

Member
Well I think I can get back on the grind after finishing Klonoa(and its EX level which can rot in hell). I'm at the Inferno Cavern, but still have yet to find a boss. :( Maybe I'll stumble upon something.


I needed a nudge, but I killed the first guardian.

I don't look forward to the Giants puzzles, the tomes make them sound nasty.
 

hunnies28

Member
Sorry for the bump. I just wanted to tell you guys that I finally managed to beat the game. Damn that last battle was impressive. Managed to beat the boss with 14 hp left and my heart was racing. It seems like ages ago when I last felt like this while beating a game.

Special thanks to Dobkeratops and Rash (don't give up) for all your help.



And finally, thanks Nigoro for such an awesome game!
 

Davey Cakes

Member
Bumping because I finally got back into this game.

I actually have some nice momentum going. Still haven't undone my mistake in the Graveyard of the Giants, but I managed to get the fourth ankh that I needed to go and fight Sakit. I've been beating the bosses out of order. At least now I can say I have the first four areas basically cleared out.

Made some more progress elsewhere. Got the gold gauntlet, the Laptop 2.0, the spear, the map in the Gate of Illusion, and I've been making my way through the area with all of the machines (can't recall the name of it), getting the ankh for that area and deciphering 20% of the ancient text.

I've done more in this session than I expected, which is great. Making a lot of headway. I really want to find the item that will let me teleport to mirror areas, though. It's getting annoying having to go places via indirect routes.

EDIT: Made it to the boss of the Inferno Cavern and saved. That'll give me something to do tomorrow. :)
 

Davey Cakes

Member
Bumping again with another update. Made it to the Tower of the Goddess and hit another dead end. My love/hate relationship with this game continues.

I did go back to the Twin Labyrinths and defeat Zu, though. To be honest he was a pushover once I had 256 health and the gauntlet-axe combo. Didn't even need a healing fairy, just had to be really aggressive.

Anyway, looks like I'm stuck again. Still upset that I can't access the save tablet in the Graveyard. Don't know how to progress at the top of the Tower, too. The game gives all this information via tablets but doesn't throw me a bone in terms of progressing to another area.
 
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