Once again we are travelling back to Pandæmonium after being alerted that something may be happening there with the understanding that Lahabrea may be doing something immortal within the place.
Before I discuss each fight and my opinion on it, I will again speak about the music and the graphics. The theme of the tier is very well done and the graphics of the place does feel boring but I understand it is meant to be an underworld prison so I can’t fault it there.
When it comes to the story of this raid tier I found it boring and somewhat predictable but the fights themselves mostly hit the sweet spots and I am not disappointed there. If more fights are designed like this in future I think I might come to enjoy normal raids again!
With all that said I have enjoyed the tier and going to talk a bit about the bosses and the screenshots taken aside with folks at Taco Wipe Night!
Abyssos: The Fifth Circle
While the identity of Pandæmonium’s assailant is yet unknown, Erichthonios makes no effort to hide his doubts concerning Lahabrea, who he suspects is using the infernal prison for private experimentation. As if to confirm to the warder’s suspicions, a familiar appears in the halls of Asphodelos, claiming to be none other than the chief keyward himself. The creature mocks you with cryptic warnings before vanishing, leaving naught but questions in its wake. Their answers beckon from the shadows of Abyssos, daring brave souls to seek them out.
I am disappointed to see Carbuncle here as it does make Carbuncles later just “another ancient creation” rather than something made by those who came afterwards but this fight was entertaining. This fight involves visually being aware of what is going on while also remembering the main feature Carbuncle has in other games – reflect.
This fight is your standard tank buster which pops a poison on, raid-wide damage that is easy enough to deal with but the main stuff is the stones it will drop that either poisons or does quite a bit of damage. The rest of the fight is mostly just knowing which attack to stand behind it and then otherwise you need to dodge.
I love this fight and I hope it is the mount for the savage tier but overall I will remember this boss even if the tier’s story itself seems quite mild.
Abyssos: The Sixth Circle
Lahabrea insists that the only way to save the star from the horrors lurking within Pandæmonium is summary destruction. However, Themis and Erichthonios succeed in convincing the chief keyward to allow you a chance to prove the worth of another way. You are tasked with interring Hegemone, the keyward of Abyssos and a master of creation magicks in her own right. Succeed in this, and you may continue your journey into the facility’s deeper circles. Fail, and Pandæmonium─along with its warders and creations─shall be reduced to nothing.
Yet another boss whom I have enjoyed even if visually it isn’t the best thing. During this fight, the main focus is watching where the attacks will go as things will be switched around. It is pretty simple to dodge the attacks as long as you are watching the platform and looking at the tethers.
There is not much more I can say about the fight as it has the standard tank busters and raid busters but I found this fight quite enjoyable for a normal mode fight and I imagine it is one some people may dislike in Duty Finder but I liked it.
I will likely not remember this fight in the future but what happens during the fight I would like to see more often.
Abyssos: The Seventh Circle
Erichthonios’s mind falls into the hands of the enemy, and he is spirited away to Tartaros, Pandæmonium’s deepest circle. The only path to his rescue goes through Agdistis, whose magicks are peerless among the keywards─even moreso now that they have been augmented by Hephaistos’s endless experimentation. To deliver her soul from suffering and bring Erichthonios to safety, you must face your most daunting foe yet.
While the story to this point is … disappointing at best this fight hands down is very good and one I can not wait to see in savage. This fight is a good example of why I think melee positional is outdated and rather focused on making melee fun again.
This fight has a massive focus on watching what is going on, watching things spawn and then deciding how you got to dodge it while you are dealing damage to the boss. It is a very well-designed boss and if they develop more fights like this I would be a very happy person. It does follow the standard format of tank busters and such but there is so much more that makes it feel like an actual boss and not just a striking dummy.
I will remember this fight even if I am not liking the story to this point.
Abyssos: The Eighth Circle
At last Hephaistos’s wicked plan is laid bare─he aims to use Erichthonios as a tool to resurrect Athena, former chief keyward of Pandæmonium. Although his exact motivations remain shrouded in mystery, there is no time for doubt, for every idle moment allows Hephaistos to draw one step closer to completing his grand experiment. You hurry to the hidden experimental compound, that this chain of twisted ambition might be broken at last.
Honestly, I would say three out of four good bosses is a new record but sadly the Hephaistos doesn’t cut it out for me. This is a boss that suffers as it is a savage boss with the savage bits taken out to make a normal mode boss and with that, it just lacks something that makes it special.
You will find the classic in and side attacks, tank busters and raid attacks but now and then you will have to watch a snake dive around which will cause an attack.
Overall there isn’t anything special about this boss and not one I will remember other than another boss that reuses Phoenix’s soundbites.
Screenshots
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