NieR: Automata FAQ/Walkthrough by PuppyLand

Last Updated 2017-08-17

Table of Contents

Introduction
Important Gameplay Information
The spoilerous trailer/opening
Starting with the right foot
Missables
Permanently Variable Entries
Rare Materials
Remapping the control scheme
"Melee" and "Projectile" Orbs
Backtracking efficiency
The truth about multiple playthroughs, and how Endings really work
New Game+ / Chapter Select
The Chips paranoia
Level-ups paranoia?
Know the strongest moves
Save Files Deletion
Note for the PC Version gamers
General Gameplay Information
Basic Gameplay Moves
Power-Playing
Miscellaneous
Walkthrough - Summarized
Chapter 01
Chapter 02
Chapter 03
Chapter 04
Chapter 05
Chapter 06
Chapter 07
Chapter 08
Chapter 09
Chapter 10
Chapter 01 (NG+)
Chapter 02 (NG+)
Chapter 03 (NG+)
Chapter 04 (NG+)
Chapter 05 (NG+)
Chapter 06 (NG+)
Chapter 07 (NG+)
Chapter 08 (NG+)
Chapter 09 (NG+)
Chapter 10 (NG+)
Chapter 11
Chapter 13
Chapter 15
Chapter 12
Chapter 14
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Ending E
Post-Ending - Final Tasks
Walkthrough - Extended
*Chapter 01
*Chapter 02
*Chapter 03
*Chapter 04
*Chapter 05
*Chapter 06
*Chapter 07
*Chapter 08
*Chapter 09
*Chapter 10
*Chapter 01 (NG+)
*Chapter 02 (NG+)
*Chapter 03 (NG+)
*Chapter 04 (NG+)
*Chapter 05 (NG+)
*Chapter 06 (NG+)
*Chapter 07 (NG+)
*Chapter 08 (NG+)
*Chapter 09 (NG+)
*Chapter 10 (NG+)
*Chapter 11
*Chapter 13
*Chapter 15
*Chapter 12
*Chapter 14
*Chapter 16
*Chapter 17
*Ending E
Post-Ending Content
DLC: 3C3C1D119440927
Chips
All About Chips
Chips Cost & Chips Fusion (Explanation, Formulas, and Tables)
Chips Effects and Locations 
Weapons
Weapons in this game
Small Swords
Large Swords
Spears
Combat Bracers
Pods
Materials
Consumable Items
Accessories & Costumes
Quests
Side Events
Golden Robots
Wise Machines
Flight Unit Message
Golden Bunny (Amusement Park Rabbit)
Secret Bosses
Endings (Spoiler-Free)
Shops
The Bunker
Resistance Camp
Desert: Camp / Oil Field
Amusement Park
Pascal's Village
Forest Kingdom
(Minor Spoiler)'s Shop
Intel
Archives
Tutorials
Weapon Stories
Picture Books
Fishing
Novel
Unit Data
Arcade
Farming EXP and Money
Introduction

Hello and welcome to the NieR: Automata FAQ/walkthrough. Before doing anything with the game, please read the introduction to this guide -- it won't take long, and it might just make your experience with the game that much better (there are no spoilers, don't worry). If you can't spare five minutes to read about how this guide is structured, there is a TL;DR recap down below near the end of this introduction section.

NieR: Automata is a very interesting game, but unfortunately the same cannot be said about the walkthroughs you can make for it. See, the game is designed in such a way that using a classic, full walkthrough would, in my opinion, undoubtedly detract from the quality of your adventure. The thing is, the game explains your story objectives very clearly, and features an in-game map that clearly shows where you need to go. The game also automatically points out subquests locations and points of interest on the map, so you don't need a guide for those either. Moreover, the location of treasure chests can be displayed on the in-game map by purchasing a certain item available starting from the second playthrough. Furthermore, almost all of the game's content is accessible freely once you properly complete the game (this requires three playthroughs; more info on this later), meaning that you can easily do almost everything on your own, even if 100% completion is your goal. To top it all, the game difficulty settings can be adjusted at any time, and even on Normal you won't have problems defeating the challenges on your way.

I must also point out that this game is renowned for its story and atmosphere. On the other hand, I personally found the gameplay side of things interesting, but not particularly remarkable: the progression is relatively linear at its core, and most of the optional things are embellished fetch quests/matters of killing a target. Therefore, I strongly, STRONGLY suggest that you don't potentially ruin your experience with this game by being concerned about things like "should I buy this, or should I upgrade that?", or "is it worth doing this quest now, or should I wait until later?", or any other "distraction" from the main story along the lines of "is there any other quest I can do now?". This doesn't mean you should ignore these things; just that, if I were you, I wouldn't try a quest twice if I see that the target enemy is level 50 and the natural progression of the game up until that point put you at level 30: there's time to do it all after enjoying the story.

Lastly, a couple more things I'd like to point out. One is that a lot of gameplay information you will find online is riddled with more or less concealed spoilers; this is a big problem, but also one reason why I made this guide. I think every player should have a reliable and safe source of information, without taking risks of story spoilers (for example, do NOT google "when does fast travel become available?", because a major spoiler will probably accompany the answers you'll find). The other aspect to consider is that the gameplay is moderately complex at first glance, and the many features of the battle system can easily be misunderstood or completely ignored; other features (such as the Chips system) may simply feel too overwhelming, and this is the other main reason why I made this guide: to explain how things work. Therefore, despite the previous premises, I'd say there is enough material for a walkthrough after all.

What to expect from this walkthrough

So, what DO I suggest, for all the players that want to experience this game in the best possible way? Given that "to each their own", I think that most people will benefit from reading about spoiler-free gameplay information (from the basics to more advanced aspects), or at least have a collection of information readily available in one place. That's what the "Gameplay Information" section of this guide are for; that's what you should be consulting even early in the game, to clarify aspects of the gameplay that you didn't understand, or simply learn new tricks that will make things easier for yourself. You obviously won't have to read and understand it all right away, but check the index and see which information seems useful to you, and learn it all bit by bit as you practice your knowledge in the game.

You don't need to worry about story spoilers when reading the Gameplay section of the walkthrough, since there won't be any open reference to the plot. Any necessary plot information will be put under the spoiler tag (it will appear like this text), and kept to a vague minimum.

I have also split the Gameplay Information section in two parts: one is the "important" bits, the other is the "general" (less important) aspects of the gameplay. Do yourself a favor, and read the Important Gameplay Information section at least: it contains essential advice that will save you time and frustation.

As far as the main story goes, I can only think of a couple of instances when someone might be stuck, thanks to the pretty clear map instructions displayed in-game. Aside from that, boss fights do not require preparations/strategies (you can easily figure it out by yourself, and that's gonna be part of the fun); dungeons are not maze-like; there are no situations where you are put into a difficult spot and may think "oh, if only someone had warned me of this danger beforehand". I cannot emphasize this enough: you can't end up in a situation where a walkthrough would be considered "necessary", and there are hardly any cases where a walkthrough would even be "useful". After all, do you really need to read "follow the marker on your map" after every new event in the game? No. Would you even want to read such unnecessary and repetitive instructions? My guess is that you would ditch the walkthrough entirely if it were made that way, and that's all it had to offer.

That's why I've tried my best to simplify and minimize the story walkthrough section(s), providing some maps and images that will assist you in treasure-hunting (for those of you that don't want to wait until the second playthrough to get the in-game item that adds treasures to your in-game map), which is realistically the only thing you may want a story walkthrough for. There are also very few areas where there are forks (different paths you can take); in these cases it's nice to know where to detour to get additional content, and where to continue with the story. Ideally, you should be able to only use the maps/pictures in the walkthrough to find the location of items, referring to the text only when necessary; hopefully this will minimize the time you have to get distracted from playing the game to check the guide.

Moreover, I have made two separate "walkthroughs" for the game:

One is the "summarized" version of it, and contains maps of the areas that will assist you in finding treasures, along with pictures and basic description of the harder ones to find. Important treasures will be highlighted in bolded text. In the summaries you will also find information about quests (and occasionally side events) available and important quests (those that give good rewards), and my personal opinion on whether or not you should bother with them at that particular time. Moreover, if a particularly useful item is available from shops/particularly important preparations might be good for an upcoming section of the game, said information will also be provided. Lastly, if "choices" are presented to you during the story, their consequences will be mentioned
The other is the "extended" version of it, in the more classic go here-do that style. This one can be useful in case you get stuck at some point, and the summaries don't seem to be enough for you. Moreover, this version will feature strategies for bosses/quests assuming you are playing on Very Hard, in what I call "power-play" gameplay. In other words, I'll let you know how you can set up your equipment and fight enemies in ways that you will easily be able to complete the entire game, from start to end (on a brand new playthrough starting at level one), on Very Hard difficulty. It's best used if you want to be really efficient (like beating minibosses that are 30 levels above you, or simply minimizing the walking around and backtracking needed for quests), but I would recommend it mostly if you are replaying the game from the beginning and would like to try it on Very Hard (it's really fun, and not as hard as you may think. Not if you follow my advice, anyway)
In both cases, the walkthroughs will be spoiler-free (if a spoiler must be revealed, it will be put under the spoiler tag)
I think that this should cover the needs and desires of most players.

Recap

So this is what you should do:

Regardless of your walkthrough-needs, make sure to read the Important Gameplay Information section
If this is your first time with the game, use only the Walkthrough - Summarized version if you trust me when I say that this game is best experienced all on your own (with just a little guidance on my part, just so you don't miss anything relatively important and then need to backtrack later)
If you need to for extra clarifications, or if this is your second playthrough/want to play on Very Hard difficulty, use the Walkthrough - Extended version
Other stuff

In addition to these sections, there will also be some general sections about Chips, Weapons, Pods, Materials, and other less important ones. You will probably find the Chips section, and in particular the explanation of the Chips system, useful. The other sections are mostly a reference/series of lists of things, but the juicier aspects of each of those sections will be included in the General Gameplay Information too.

Lastly, some sections of this walkthrough are still a work-in-progress. In particular, future updates (coming soon, I promise) will include more specific info on the DLC, Fishing, and (possibly) Unit Data. I also have half a mind about making a guide for the Arcade minigame, although that will depend on whether or not I can find reliable strategies to pass on to you (if it turns out that you just need to practice the skills, then there isn't much I can help you with). That being said, the "walkthrough" sections are already done to full completion, so aside from Fishing this guide will be able to satisfy your every need as it is (and, again, I promise those sections will be completed as soon as possible).

Important Gameplay Information

When I say "important", I mean it. I'll keep it as brief and to the point as possible. Read this entire section even before you launch the game for the first time: it will be worth it.

The spoilerous trailer/opening

Every game has a Title Screen menu (you know, where you choose New Game, Continue, etc.). Many games, if you don't press any button in this menu for a few seconds, will launch a series of random gameplay clips to tease you about the game. A lot of players like these opening cinematics, but you probably want to avoid watching it in this game, because it contains HEAVY spoilers from the story.

Now, if you have already watched it you shouldn't worry too much either, since there is a good chance that you either didn't understand what was going on, or you misinterpreted the scenes. Still, since there is a remote chance that you might actually get what's going on in those scenes, to be safe I would absolutely avoid watching those clips, and if the opening starts playing then simply press any button on your controller to put an end to it.

Starting with the right foot

The first Chapter of the game is a rather long (even about one hour if you take your time) sequence of fights that feature no checkpoints and no save points. Since on Hard you will die in one (or two at the most) hits, and on Very Hard you will die in one hit, I strongly recommend that you play the first part of the game on Normal difficulty, even if you intend to play the rest of the game on Hard/Very Hard for an extra challenge: unless it's not your first playthrough, it would be a shame to start off with the frustration of having to replay the whole first Chapter of the game just because of some cheap-shot by the several bosses at the end of Chapter 01.

Missables

One of the most popular pre-start questions for many gamers is: what are the missable things in this game? Here's a list, in order of importance:

Ending Y (we'll talk a bit about Endings in another sub-section of this section). I can't give you too specific details about how to not-miss it, but it's the only missable Ending, since it's tied to a quest. The quest's name, unfortunately, is also somewhat "spoilerous". Good news is, it's the quest for the hardest secret boss in the game (he's at level 99), so by the time this Ending becomes available (and missable) you will probably already know enough about the game to read details about Ending Y without risking any significant spoiler anymore.

If you want to know the name of this quest in advance anyway, here it is in this spoiler: "Emil's Determination".
Pod upgrades can be "missable" if you sell OR miss certain items that are available only in limited quantities. In particular, the Powerup Part S is available in limited quantities. Do not, EVER, sell these items. Furthermore, one of the Powerup Part S is found as a "missable" loot from a mini-boss (a Golden Robot) part of an optional event. While very unlikely, it's possible that you may forget to pick up the loot from this mini-boss (it's a 100% guaranteed drop), i.e. you may leave it on the ground where it will then disappear for good once you leave the area.

There is just three copies of Powerup Part S; you need one to upgrade each of your three Pods, so there are exactly enough, but not a single one in excess, to get all the upgrades.

On a side note, it is actually potentially possible to farm Powerup Part S by exploiting a sub-events after the third playthrough. I won't go into too many details here, since it's not necessary to do so; just know that the sub-event is the Golden Robots event, and if you DON'T finish the events consecutively then it'll be possible to obtain multiple Powerup Part S by re-doing the Golden Robot event (in particular, the part that takes place in the City Ruins) without completing the event. The thing is, you can "reset" the event progression, but only if you haven't finished it yet. Once you complete the three parts of this Golden Robots event, this farming process will no longer be available since the event will be gone for good. Still, this can be a life-saver if you accidentally sold one or two of the other Powerup Part S, or if you forgot to pick up the loot from the mini-boss the first time you defeated him, but haven't completed the sub event yet.

For more information on this (farming of Powerup Part S), please refer to the side events section.
Four key items are missable, because they only appear during a quest. Quests can't be replayed once they are completed (that's the general rule anyway; there are exceptions, but this isn't one of them), and the items disappear once the quest is completed. These four items are not important at all; in fact, they have no purpose whatsoever except for collectionism and perfectionism purposes ("I want the whole item list" thing). The quest takes place in the Forest Kingdom, and it's called "Animal Care". The quest basically asks you to find one key item (Medical Book) in a certain area, but there are four more you can collect while this quest is going. They are all found in the same area, and they are: Cosmetics; Toothbrush; Writing Implement; Dietary Goods.
There are no other missable "things" in the game, and that includes all sort of Items, Quests, and Intel.

Please note that while certain things might become "temporarily missable" (for example, certain quests can be failed at first, and certain Endings might be missed at first), after your third playthrough you'll be able to re-access these missed/failed things freely. I've done my research on this subject, so trust me when I say that there aren't other missable things, aside from the aforementioned ones.

Additional note: some people have reported that one Unit Data (an enemy), namely the one called "Monster Type", appears only during a quest later in the game. This is not true.

Permanently Variable Entries

I'll just leave it as a note "just in case": some "log" entries are different (and some, permanently so) depending on the choices you make in certain situations. I haven't investigated this topic too much, but the only cases that I am aware of are during the quests "11B's Memento" and "Data on the Old World".

What do I mean by "log entries" though? Nothing special: it's either quests descriptions (there is a Quest log), or Unit Data (NPCs descriptions; there is a log of them in your Intel menu), that will have slightly different descriptions depending on the answer you give at one point or another. These things change absolutely nothing from a practical point of view, but they are simply a testament, a record of the choice you made. There aren't "right" or "wrong" choices to make, really, and as I said I think that the only case where the log is permanently marked (so you can't change and have the other log-description) is during the quests 11B's Memento and Data on the Old World.

In those two quests, at the end, you are given a choice. Either way it actually turns out to be a "win" decision (the NPCs will react positively even though the choices should cause two completely different reactions). However, as I said, in the Quest log you can either have "I made decision A", or "I made decision B". If for whatever crazy reason you care about having "I made decision A/B" in your Quest log, well, ...you've been "warned" I guess?

Rare Materials

Not as bad as Missable items, but almost equally as frustrating, there are some really rare items in this game. All of them have one thing in common: they are used to upgrade Pods.

You can find more information on how to get any given Material from the Materials section of this walkthrough, but for now just take-home this message: do not, EVER, sell these Materials, since they cannot be purchased, and they are somewhat (relatively or remarkably) rare to find. Therefore, while not missable, selling them by accident/for extra cash will make you have to farm and grind for these Materials later on, and this could cause you hours and hours of frustration.

Never-sell-these-Materials list:

Simple Gadget
Elaborate Gadget (one is needed for a quest; feel free to give it for the quest). This is the worst of the bunch (the rarest among the non-missable ones)
Powerup Part M
(Don't forget about Powerup Part S -- this is a missable one, we mentioned it in the previous section)
Not quite as rare as the previous three (in fact, these next four are pretty common), but I'd also hold on to the following ones, since they can't be bought in shops:

Mushroom
Eagle Eggs
Giant Egg
Pure Water
Remapping the control scheme

To each their own preferences, but the default control scheme is not ideal in my opinion. Keep in mind that you can't use Lock-On on difficulties above Normal, and even on Normal you probably won't use it 99% of the time. In my opinion, you should remap the following commands (to remap controls, go to the Settings in-game):

Set the "Fire" button (the one you use to fire projectiles) to L2. This is much better than R1, since you can easily keep firing with L2 while spamming dodges with R2, whereas firing with R1 while dodging with R2 can be less comfortable
Set the "Toggle Light" button, which is also the Taunt button (Taunt = turn the light on and off repeatedly while pointing it at the enemy) to R1. Having to press L3 to Taunt is inefficient and awkward; tapping R1, on the other hand, should allow you to constantly Taunt even in the middle of movements (with LS), attacks (with Square/Triangle), projectiles Fire (L2), and the dodge button (R2) is right next to you if you need it
Set the "Self-Destruct" button to L3 instead of L3+R3. While you won't use self-destruction much (at all, really), in your third playthrough there will be a new move (I won't mention it to avoid spoilers; just trust me, there is one) which is very useful and shares the same button as Self-Destruct. Pressing L3 alone is much easier than having to press L3 and R3 both (keep in mind that you need to actually hold down the button for two seconds, not just touch-and-go)
Set the "Shortcuts" button to D-Pad_Down, and viceversa move the "Use Item" button (which is D-Pad_Down by default) to Select. "Shortcuts" is everything that "Use items" is, but better (it pauses the game and lets you access the whole item list), so it shouldn't be on an awkward button (Select)
You can forget about the Lock-On button, honestly. If you must have something for it (it can be useful during the hacking minigames), then map it to L3+R3
I'm well aware that the more casual players may find Lock-On useful, especially at first or against flying enemies, but trust me, you'll forget about it as the time goes on.

"Melee" and "Projectile" Orbs

From the very beginning of the game you will have to deal with enemies' projectile attacks. There are various ranged attacks that enemies can use, but the ones that are used the most, by far, are the "Orbs" attacks.

There are two types of orbs: the light-colored ones (more frequent), and the dark-colored ones (less frequent). I just want to point out, in case you don't notice on your own, that your own projectiles will destroy the light-colored ones, but they won't do a thing to the dark-colored ones. These dark-colored ones are not invulnerable, however: your melee attacks can destroy them, and your melee attacks can also destroy the light-colored ones. So melee attacks can destroy both; projectiles of your own can only destroy the light-colored ones.

Backtracking efficiency

The game has a lot of walking around, especially for quests-related purposes. If you are not careful, you're gonna spend a lot of time walking back and forth from place to place. A couple of tips for you:

At one point in the game you will unlock a fast-travel feature that lets you teleport between Access Points (they are the save points of this game). Ideally, unless a Quest is really urgent or mandatory, wait until you have this feature before starting to do optional Quests in the game
In the Walkthrough (Summarized and Extended both) I've tried my best to optimize your quest-efficiency, i.e. if multiple quests require you to go to a certain place I'll tell you to start them both and get both items (if it's a fetch-type quest) in one trip
The truth about multiple playthroughs, and how Endings really work

If you ever read about the game's Endings, you will learn that there are 26 Endings in this game. "OMG TWENTY SIX WTF HOW WILL I COPE" -- stop right there: there is really just one Ending, and the "26" thing is a bit of over-selling the true story. This is how things really work (no spoilers, don't worry):

The "first playthrough" gives you Ending A; the "second playthrough" gives you Ending B; the "third playthrough" gives you Ending C, D, and E
The rest of the Endings are "joke Endings" that trigger if you mess up in certain ways at certain points in the story. For example, Ending W is if you die during the prologue (the first mission of the game)
It doesn't really make much sense from a continuity point of view to call them "Endings", but the Endings A and B are really just "ending of the first half of the game". The game then continues its story in the third playthrough, and THEN you get to what any normal game would call the one and only Ending (the mix of C,D, and E)
All of this is just to say: don't be discouraged if you come to know about all of these Endings, because it's NOT one of those games when the story branches and one choice will lead to one Ending while another choice leads to another Ending: the game simply gives one "Ending" after the other until you reach the actual real Ending (Ending E), while the rest of them are just "joke Endings" for making bad decisions in certain circumstances.

New Game+ / Chapter Select

The game doesn't actually have a New Game+ option although, for reasons that you will understand in due time, I myself will be referring to our "second playthrough" (which should actually be called Route B, and not "second playthrough" either) as "New Game+" (NG+). The closest thing to an actual "New Game+" is the "Chapter Select" feature, unlocked after the "third playthrough" (Route C).

When proceeding from Route A to Route B and then Route C (first -> second -> third playthrough, so to speak) you will conserve everything that you had before. This includes Cleared Quests (which won't be repeatable, except for three story-related mandatory ones), collected chests and Scanner Treasures (which won't respawn, except for the ones in Abandoned Factory's original area for some reason; some other chests are randomly bugged too), as well as your level, money, Chips, Items, Weapons/Pods and their upgrades, and so on.

The Chips paranoia

After playing for an hour or so, you will learn about the existence of "Chips", which are basically things you equip on your characters. There is a lot (like, a lot a lot) to be said in regards to Chips, but I just want you to get one important message for now: do not get paranoid about Chips farming. I, like many (probably most) players, ended up wasting so much time reading about Chips and how they worked when I first started messing around with them in the game.

I will elaborate a bit more on this topic, but if you are in a hurry the bottom line is this: farming Chips requires hours of your time, and the benefit of farming them instead of purchasing them consists in being able to equip more Chips that will just "spill over". Imagine it like this: you have the strongest enemy with 1,000 HP; with purchased Chips you deal 600 points of damage per shot; with farmed Chips (after hours of farming) you will deal 650 points of damage per shot. Result: enemies will die just as fast, but you have just wasted 10-20 hours farming for no practical reason.

So, what's the problem here? Online you will find a lot of information in regards to farming Chips, and more importantly (and "dangerously") a lot of information about "how to get Diamond Chips" (Diamond Chips = better versions of regular Chips). This is where most players fall victim of their own curiosity, and where the "paranoia" begins: you will start trying to figure how to farm Diamond Chips as early as possible, which will lead you to a long chain of information that will loop back and tell you to wait until the end of the game before farming Chips, because that's when it's easier to do so.

Want to know the truth? There is an easy source of extremely overpowered Chips in the game, and it becomes available just about when bosses and quests become a bit harder. Details about this will be provided in the General Gameplay Information sections, but to keep it short, let's just say that when the time comes you'll be able to purchase the best Chips in the game (you know, those that let you kill bosses 30 levels above your in a minute or two; on Very Hard difficulty, that is) for a relatively small amount of money, and the process will take maybe 15-20 minutes worst case scenario.

While it's true that these purchased Chips are not "Diamond Chips", the part of the story that most guides about getting Diamond Chips don't tell you is that even if you had Diamond Chips, the diminishing returns are extremely strong for them. In other words, it takes 15-20 minutes to buy game-breaking Chips, but it will take another dozen hours of farming (plus all the time spent reading about optimization, and all the "mental effort" of sorting through all the Chips you possess to figure which ones you keep and which ones you discard) to get Diamond Chips that will do absolutely nothing practical for you. Just think about this: if you can one-shot a boss with purchased Chips, do you really want to spend hours farming Diamond Chips to...one-shot the same boss, just with even more over-kill?

In conclusion, Diamond Chips farming should be relegated to the end of the game, and only for people that want it for perfectionism purposes. You can annihilate the strongest enemies in this game with purchased Chips. Do not get the "Chip paranoia". Do not spend hours for things you won't even be able to use. The game does not have anything that can remotely resemble a need for Diamond Chips. For more information, refer to the Chips section of the walkthrough.

Level-ups paranoia?

Less likely to happen early on, but later you may start wondering "where can I find a good farming location so I can level up a bit?". You do not, ever, need to level up on purpose in this game. The adventure will naturally make you kill enough enemies in the mandatory story dungeons so that you will be at a high enough level to face the bosses. If you do optional content (quests) too, then you will actually end up overleveled.

By the time you finish your third playthrough and most optional content you will be at a high enough level (50+) that you can THEN start to be concerned on "how do I get to level 99 fast?". At that point, feel free to check the "farming" section of this walkthrough.

Know the strongest moves

Somewhat related to the Chips topic, just a few words about what's worth investigating, and what's not. In this game there are at least three extremely powerful moves that you must be aware of, and they are Taunts, Critical Hits, and Counter. More generically speaking:

Dodge-spam. The game allows you to dodge-spam almost without punishment. Dodge-spamming basically means that when you see an incoming attack you can continuously tap the dodge button to avoid the attack (or series of attacks). Dodging gives you invincibility frames, and since it has a low frame delay, this pretty much means that if you are in the middle of enemies attacking you, tapping the dodge button over and over again will keep you safe
Taunts. Most people don't even know that there is a Taunt button. Taunting is done by repeatedly pressing the "lights on/off" button (which is another one most people don't know about), and has the effect of increasing the damage dealt and received. More info about Taunts can be found in the General Gameplay Information section. Know that around midway through your first playthrough you will be able to have Taunt Up +8 Chips, which will quintuply (= multiply by FIVE) the damage you deal (and receive). This alone can break the game, but even more so if combined with...
...Critical hits. Again, some more info on this topic can be found in the General Gameplay Information section, but to keep it short let's just say that a Critical Hit in this game deals about 5x the regular damage (which stacks with Taunts and other effects, and it stacks by multiplication. In other words, a Critical hit with Taunt Up +8 will deal 25x base damage), and there are Chips that can increase your Critical Hit rate to 30%. No, not "by" 30%: to 30%, as in "every third hit will be critical, on average". Now, don't quote me on the exact probability, but that's about the expectation
Tied to the "Critical" thing I just said, the best weapons in the game are probably the ones with the Critical + ability. One, namely the "Ancient Overlord", is available for sale at the first weapon shop in the game, so if you want something extremely powerful (it also has some other benefits, discussed in the Weapons section a bit more in detail), that's the choice you should make
Other stackable damage multipliers include Melee/Ranged Attack Up items (they are available for sale, and they are very cheap: use them against bosses to double your damage)
Counter is an ability that can be used to block & damage back an enemy, but unlike Taunt (which can work, albeit much less effectively, even without a Taunt Up chip equipped) you must have a Counter chip equipped to actually use it. Counter is very easy most of the time, and on Very Hard difficulty it gets ridiculously powerful. Once again, more info on this move can be found in the General Gameplay Information section, but just know that this move exists, and boy is it game-breaking
Save Files Deletion

It's really early to mention this if you haven't even started the game yet, but if you played the original Nier you may have heard, or just wonder, about this game deleting your saves after you finish all your playthroughs.

While yes, the game CAN delete your saves after completing it and getting Ending E, the game openly and repeatedly (obnoxiously so) asks you if you really, seriously, actually, truly, [...] want to delete your save files. There is no way you can misunderstand when this will happen, once you get to Ending E, and as I just implied it will be a choice that you can more easily decline than accept. Therefore don't worry about some panic-plan about backing up your save data: this game won't play tricks on you, and you will be asked specific and repeated confirmations regarding your intentions to lose your save files.

"Why would I even say yes?" -- you'll find out in due time. But in case you are wondering, you are not missing out on anything by keeping your save files.

Note for the PC Version gamers

Chances are that within 5 minutes of launching the game you'll already be on the Steam forums looking for answers as to why full-screen resolution doesn't work. You'll find all the answers you need in the Steam forums for the game, but as of the time of writing this (August 2017), the developers still haven't issued an official patch to address these issues.

I'm no tech expert, but I can assure you that the FAR (Fix [Nier] Automata Resolution) program is both legal and effective. You'll find links and explanations to it in the Steam forums; I just want to point out that it's safe to use, I used it myself, and didn't have any of the many issues others have reported (I did have a decent hardware to run the game on too though).

General Gameplay Information

Lots of things we need to talk about here. I'll start with more generic tips, and then go into some more details about certain aspects of the gameplay.

Please do not consider this section of the walkthrough as the "bunch of useless generic info that any idiot would figure on his own": the info in this section ranges from "useful tip" to "in-depth explanation of important game mechanics", and it's separated from the "Important Gameplay Information" only because I wanted to get the even more important things in a separate section.

Basic Gameplay Moves

"Basic" so to speak, since a lot of these things aren't obvious at all.

Pausing/Skipping cutscenes

Not the most hardcore topic, but I always wonder "can I pause the game during cutscenes, or is this one of those games where pressing Start will skip it?". The answer is: yes, you can pause during cutscenes (use the Start button).

To actually skip cutscenes, as you will notice by the prompt in the bottom-right corner of the screen (if you touch any button during a cutscene), you need to hold the Circle button down for a few seconds. This will be useful if you decide to replay the game.

Skipping text faster

Not useful during your first playthrough, but on subsequent runs you may want to know that you can skip the text in non-dubbed conversations much faster if you tap X and Circle instead of just X or Circle.

Unfortunately there are no ways to skip text in dubbed conversations, unless it's a cutscene that you can skip altogether.

Saving the Game, Access Points, Save Slots

How to save the game will be explained to you when you will first have a chance to do so. There are things called "Access Points", which are basically "save points".

Access Points, as you will soon find out, also have a "radius" within which you can save. In other words, you don't need to be right next to it and examine it to save the game, but you can actually bring up your main menu (Start) and use a "Quick Save" from there.

Here is already something that may confuse you: why is it a "Quick Save" ? In many games, "quick save" is a secondary form of saving, but in this game it's actually the regular way of saving. It's differentiated from regular "Save" ("slow save"?), which some people don't even know is possible, because Quick Save automatically overwrites your current save slot instead of asking you on which slot you want to save the game every time.

Speaking of which, how do you change save slot, if for instance you want to make a backup save before some big important decision (not that there are any :p) ? That's where "slow save" comes into play: when you are within the range of effect of an Access Point, press Start, then go to System, and there you will find the Save option (as well as other options). By using the Save option instead of Quick Save you'll be able to choose on which of the three slots (yes, that's all they give you) you want to save the game.

While we're talking about Access Points, in-game you will also soon figure that they can be used to "unlock map information". I was confused by this feature at first, since it didn't seem to uncover anything at all. I then realized what this feature really does: it "clears up" the 3D map (the one you see in the pause menu), and reveals the 3D structure of its buildings and layout (before "unlocking the map information", it will all look like a dark mess where you can't really figure anything out).

Map-Rotation Lock

Somewhere in your game Settings (System > Settings > Game) there is an option called Mini-map Rotation. By default it's set to ON, but I really think you should switch it OFF. What this option does is this: when it's ON, your minimap (you'll get your minimap shortly after starting in the first dungeon, early in the game) will continuously rotate as you move the camera around. I don't know why would anyone want this confusing feature activated (by default, no less), but regardless, I think it's a good idea to keep the minimap in its fixed location for two reasons: first, because you won't get lost as easily if every reference point stays where it is; second, because it makes following indications in a walkthrough easier :p (if I say north and your map rotates that's a problem; if the map doesn't rotate, then my north is your north, as it is everyone else's).

3D Map - Use of 3D

While we're talking about maps, a random but possibly useful tip is that you can use the rotation of your pause-menu map (which is a "3D map", since you can rotate it along three axis) to figure if a point of interest is above or below your position, or the position of any other reference point. This may sound confusing, but imagine that you have a quest mark on your map: if you use the "aerial view" of this 3D map (as you will do most of the time), then you won't be able to tell if this quest mark is pointing to something on a rooftop or something actually underground.

However, you can rotate the 3D map instead of using the "aerial view", and use its 3D structure to figure if the point of interest is above or below other reference points in the area. While not exactly the most used feature, it is a possibility that may help you locate your target more easily in certain circumstances.

On another note, you can access the 3D map if you press Start and then use RS, without having to select the "Map Mode" option first. This is useful, since it saves you the bother of having to select Map Mode manually every time you want to check the 3D map.

Zoom-Out the Camera

The default zoom of the camera is good as it is for most of the game. Just so you know it though, in some situations (really just in DLC fights, as far as I'm concerned) it can be useful to zoom-out the camera for a better view of enemies and their incoming attacks. Keep this option in mind, if you ever need more visibility.

Locked Content

There are four reasons why you may not be able to access certain "content" in the game, and you'll come across locked chests/doors from as early as your very first dungeon. Let's check out the various possible causes:

Locked chests/locked doors: if you see a big lock with chains around a chest/door, that's what I call a "hack chest" or "hack door". They look like the picture below, and if you approach them the interaction button (Circle) will be crossed-off. Attempting to open these chests/doors will result in a message saying something about being unable to open them. These chests and doors can be opened via "hacking", which is a minigame-feature of some sort that will become available only after you start the second playthrough. Do not google more information about hacking, or you will risk story spoilers


Some doors (elevators, mostly) will have a red light like the hack-door of the picture above, but no lock or chains to be seen. These are simply passages that are unavailable at the time where you find them, but will automatically be unlocked/made available later in the story
Some of those doors mentioned in the previous point can be unlocked by operating nearby control panels or by using the elevator from another floor. The control panels will be found right next to these elevators in those cases (they look like a control panel with a big blue light), so you can't really miss them
One important special case (or rather, a few cases) is for locked doors with an apologetic machine in front of them. You'll find them in various locations, and they look like the picture below. These are the entrance point for the DLC challenges. I don't think I need to specify this, but you can't access them if you don't have the DLC


Walking, Jogging, Running, Fast-Running

There are four possible speeds at which you can move: walking (gently tilt LS), jogging (use LS like you would in any game), running (do a dodge/dash with R2, then use LS to run), and fast-running (after a few seconds of running, if you haven't interrupted your run you will automatically start running a little bit faster).

Since fast-running exists, you may want to refrain from the dash-spam way of moving around. By that I mean that a lot of players tend to use multiple consecutive dashes (or even jumps sometimes) because they think it makes them get around faster. I have actually run a test on this one, and going from Northwest to Southwest in City Ruins took me exactly the same  time with fast-running as it did via dodge-spamming (and the first part of fast-running was actually just regular running, until my character picked up speed). This was without any Chip modifier for either of the two methods.

Speaking of which, there are Chips to increase your running speed (Moving Speed Up) and dodge distance (Evade Range Up), but their overall impact on the time spent going around is negligible, so I wouldn't recommend bothering with them at all. Same can be said for the item Speed Salve, which also increases moving speed by a little bit, but not much (you may not even be able to tell the difference).

Now I'm not gonna argue that if you use a stopwatch you may find differences between the two ways of moving around (although if you did, from what I've tested it seems that fast-running is actually slightly better), but the bottom line is that they are very similar indeed, and therefore you shouldn't bother with the ADHD-style of dodge-spamming, because it doesn't get you around town any faster than just regular (fast-)running.

Riding Animals

If you approach an animal (there are two types: Boars and Deer), the Circle button will prompt up on the screen and you'll be able to ride them. While riding, you can press and hold the dodge button (R2) to sprint. Doing so will also make you "ram" / charge enemies on the way, although if you take damage while riding you may be thrown off the animal's back and end the riding sequence (so you may want to avoid enemies altogether).

At first, the item Animal Bait will be required to ride animals. If you use an Animal Bait, you will simply put this item on the ground, and it will bait animals so you can approach them and then ride them. If you don't use Animal Bait, animals will either run away from you, or actually charge you and hit you.

You can purchase a key item (for sale in many item shops), the Sachet, which prevents animals from running away from you.

After a quest (Animal Care, available in Forest Kingdom) you will receive the Quality Sachet key item, which allows you to ride animals without having to use Animal Bait.

After another quest (Half-wit Inventor, available in an early location; it requires at least a 35,000 G investment though, and it doesn't have good rewards, so it's a good idea to do it after the third playthrough) you will receive the Choice Sachet key item, which will make animals actually approach you (unless they have their behavior set on run-away, in which case you just can't ride them at all), and even spawn them in fixed locations (near Access Points and outside safe areas) where they will just wait for you to ride them. Convenient, but it will probably come a bit too late to be useful (plus you'll be using fast-travel most of the time anyway). Also, in case you are "worried" about the "make animals approach you" effect of the Choice Sachet, don't be: it's not like they will start chasing after you screaming "PLEASE RIDE ME!" as they surround you and get in your way. It just means that they will not run away from you as much, rather than actively approach you.

Riding animals is an even faster way of moving around, if you need to cover long distances (for example if you need to backtrack for quest-related purposes), when compared to regular fast-running. I personally didn't bother with riding animals at all in this game, but I have tried it and I can confirm that it's the fastest means of travelling, except of course fast-traveling between Access Points (which is unlocked only after a while into the story). For what it's worth, my test suggests that compared to fast-running on foot, riding on a boar/deer's back will take you about 2/3 of the time. Sadly, early on (when you would really want to ride animals to save time), this is probably going to be offset by the time spent in the menu to use Animal Bait and then the waiting time before animals actually approach the bait and become ride-able.

Climbing up ladders faster

On the topic of saving time while moving around, know that if you hold the R2 button while climbing up a ladder you will "jump-up" to climb it faster.

To go down a ladder more quickly, hold down the Circle button and slide down with LS.

Collection Points and Collection Bodies

There are three main types of items to pick up: chests (small, large, and their hack-locked variations), "Collection Points", and "Collection Bodies". I'll post a picture of them below.

Collection Points look like "things emitting a yellow aura" on the ground. As you approach them, the Circle button will prompt and you'll be able to pick up the item. There are a few things I'd like to point out about them:

Collection Points spawn locations are somewhat random. In reality, they all spawn in fixed spots, but sometimes they spawn, other times they don't spawn. This is random, but doesn't really matter
The actual content of Collection Points is, for the most part, random. It's true that some Collection Points have fixed types of treasures (for example certain Collection Points always contain money, while others never do), but these are not worth investigating (we are talking very little money)
If you are looking for a specific item from the Collection Points of an area, there isn't anything you can do to increase your chances of getting that particular item. In other words, the Collection Points of a certain area (let's say the Abandoned Factory) can all be, with different probabilities, Copper Ore, Crystal, Natural Rubber, [...]. There isn't a Collection Point where you have higher chances of getting Natural Rubber rather than a Copper Ore. It's random
Some quest-related Collection Points are fixed, but the rest, once again, are RANDOM
Another minor (but important) exception are the Collection Points that can contain rare Materials. In particular, those containing Simple/Elaborate/Complex Gadgets are very limited and specific ones, which is why farming these rare Materials is always recommended in certain locations/from specific Collection Points (I'll mention them in the Materials section of the walkthrough), and not just "anywhere in the area". Even in their case though, whether you get the "Gadget" or another common item instead is completely random
The large majority of Collection Points in the game is not worth bothering with, really. The thing is, except for the items collected in the Forest Kingdom and Flooded City, every Collection Point before that will contain items that, while potentially useful to upgrade Weapons/Pods, can be purchased later in the game. Therefore, unless you have very specific needs, you shouldn't go around farming Collection Points, because it'll be much easier to obtain their treasures from shops later on. Again, Forest Kingdom and Flooded City are the only exceptions, since they have items you can't find in shops
All Collection Points, except the unique (quest-related) ones, can be respawned by fast-travelling, leaving the area on foot and then coming back, or even simply save-reloading
Enemy Drops look exactly like Collection Points (just saying). The exception to this is if an enemy drops a Chip instead of an item; dropped Chips look very similar to Collection Points, but, well, they look like they have a Chip in them.

Lastly, there are "Collection Bodies" you can pick up. They basically look like "raw" android bodies, laying on the ground (dead), and if you examine them you will receive a Chip selected from a pool of various possibilities (Chips level 0, 1, or 2). They are not a good source of Chips to be honest. They do respawn though.

It's worth pointing out (it may cause some confusion) that these "Collection Bodies" are NOT the same as the bodies you can find if you have the Network Connection activated (see corresponding section for more info).

In the picture below, from left to right, you can see a Collection Point, a Chip drop pick-up, and a Collection Body.



Airborne Moves (Pod Throw, Gliding, Long Jumps, Launch-attacks)

I'm sure you'll figure that this game has double-jumping pretty early in your experience. Likewise, you'll probably figure that you can do an aerial dash/dodge after jumping. So far, nothing that should surprise you. There are some things that you may not notice right off the bat though:

There is a hidden move which I call the "Pod Throw". Its input is this: while in the air, press the Fire button and the Jump button at the same time (by default this would be X+R1; if you remapped the controls like I suggested, then it would be X+L2). This will make you grab the Pod, and use it to "launch" yourself at the enemy. This move can actually be used to damage enemies, if you get thrown into one, but its more useful application is when you want to do a long jump (we'll see about it in a moment)
Gliding is another very useful feature that some people don't even know exists. After you are airborne for whatever reason (after a jump, or maybe after you drop off the edge of a cliff/off a rooftop), if you press and hold the jump button (X) you will grab the Pod, and use it to gently glide to the ground. This slowed-down descent will prevent any fall damage, and it can also be useful to make long jumps in many circumstances
By "long jump" we mean a jump that allows you to cover a horizontal distance greater than what a regular jump would allow on its own. There are several ways to prolong your time in the air, and therefore cover more distance, but the simplest and most efficient one is a series of these inputs: double jump (XX); aerial dash (R2); Pod-Throw (X+R1/X+L2); light attack combo with a Small Sword type (Square, Square, Square, ...); glide if further distance is required (hold X). This will allow you to reach some treasures that are otherwise out of regular jump distance
A "launch attack" is not a Pod Throw. By "launch attack" I mean a uppercut-slash attack against an enemy where you start from the ground, and then launch the enemy up in the air (if the enemy can be launched in the air; some can't). This is a very useful move that most people don't know about. One way that you can do this, and you probably know about this, is by performing a dodge-counter (do a "perfect" dodge, then counter with your own attack right after) with a Small Sword weapon type, since they have a launch attack as dodge-counter animation.

The part that you probably don't know is that if you perform a jump and then immediately follow it with a heavy attack (so the input is: X > Triangle), you will also launch the enemy up in the air, and this works with any weapon, not just Small Swords (the animation will be a bit different between weapon types, but the effect will be the same). This is extremely useful against airborne enemies, since even without Lock-On you'll be able to get to them (a launch attack auto-aims, within certain limits) very easily
Fall Damage/Environmental Hazards

If you are wondering what happens if you fall off a high building without gliding, or what happens if you fall off the edge of the map entirely, yes, you will take fall damage. In particular, fall damage will increase the higher the fall distance/height is.

In case you fall off the edge of the map (which can happen very early on, if you jump off the path in the very first dungeon), you will take some damage but also respawn nearby -- courtesy of your Pod.

In some areas, very very rarely, there can be flames on the ground. Stepping on said flames will cause some damage. On Very Hard, flames will insta-kill you.

Another notable case is in the underground area of the Abandoned Factory (you'll visit this area later in the story), where some smashing-machines will insta-kill you if you happen to be smashed underneath them (it's one of the two guaranteed death moves in the game; the other is a move from a secret boss).

Pod-Petting

Arguably the most important feature in the game, you can pet your Pod by touching the touch-pad on your PS4 controller. On PC, this is done by flicking the mouse left and right repeatedly.

On an even more trivial note, if you pet the Pod while it's Firing its projectiles (while holding R1 (or L2 if you remapped it)), you will pet its "back" instead of its "front".



Self-Destruct?

Shortly after playing the prologue, the game will force you to go to your settings for some reason. Among the forced settings there will be one entry called "Self-Destruct", which is a command done by pressing L3+R3 together. In the "Important Gameplay Information" I advised to re-map this button to L3, by the way; you should definitely do so for the future command "Berserker Mode" which will replace Self-Destruct in certain circumstances during your third playthrough (we'll talk about it in a moment).

Anyway, if you are wondering how Self-Destruct works, you simply have to hold down the button(s) associated to it for a couple of seconds, and then you will "explode". Self-destructing does NOT cause insta-death. Instead, it will deal fixed damage to nearby enemies (it ignores defense) equal to your current HP, take you to 1 HP left, and it will also put you in "critical mode" for a few seconds. While in "critical mode" you won't be able to move properly, or attack (or really do almost anything at all aside from a sluggish walk. You can heal though). After a few seconds, you will recover normal functionality.

You can use Self-Destruct as many times as you want (not while in "critical mode" though), but the truth is that this is just a gimmick option for the most part. The fact that it ignores defense and deals fixed damage may seem like a good advantage because it allows you to pierce through enemies' defenses even if you are at a strong disadvantage, level-wise. Unfortunately there are far better options (namely Counter, which we'll also discuss in more details later), and therefore Self-Destruct is really never worth it.

On a less important note, using Self-Destruct also causes 2B's clothes to "explode", revealing the undergarments. Oh no! And just to end this topic, there is a key item "costume", the Dress Module, which will make sure that your clothes stay on despite the explotion. The Dress Module is purchased from one of the later shops in the game (Chapter 07+; minor side-NPC spoiler: Emil's Shop).

General Gameplay Information (Continued)

Berserker Mode

Please do not google more information about this mode: I can keep it spoiler-free, but google-search won't.

To avoid spoilers, let's just say that in the third playthrough/Route C (Chapter 12+) you will have the ability to enter Berserker Mode, which is activated in the same way as Self-Destruct. It's much better than Self-Destruct, since its effect is doubling the damage dealt to enemies, although the price to pay for it is that your HP will constantly be drained (and rather quickly, too). If you can keep healed, which isn't hard at all, then this mode can be very useful.

Moreover, while in Berserker Mode you have a "second chance" hidden ability that can be used (accidentally, if ever) on Very Hard: if you take a fatal hit while in Berserker Mode, you will just be put to 1 HP in critical mode (like after you self-destruct), but you won't be killed. This is true even if you are playing on Very Hard!

Note that while in Berserker Mode the effect of some healing Chips won't work. In particular, both Auto-Heal and Auto-use Item will not trigger while in Berserker Mode, so you need other "active" forms of healing instead. Offensive Heal and Deadly Heal do work, and in fact they are the most effective way of keeping your HP up while in Berserker Mode (along with manually using Items to recover HP).

Speaking of Offensive Heal, there is an additional trick you can use while in Berserker Mode, even on Very Hard: if you take "fatal" damage (i.e. a hit that would have normally killed you) while in Berserker Mode, as I said earlier, you won't actually die, and instead you'll just be taken to 1 HP, critical mode, and Berserker Mode will end. However, if you manage to hit something just when you receive the fatal hit (or a split second afterwards), and if you also have Offensive Heal (a Chip that restores HP when you damage enemies) equipped, the HP-recovery of Offensive Heal will somehow "glitch" the end of Berserker Mode and it will override the "end Berserker Mode" trigger. Practically speaking, this means that if you have Offensive Heal and manage to hit an enemy while receiving a "fatal hit" while you are in Berserker Mode, you will not only survive, but you will actually remain in Berserker Mode as if you didn't get hit at all! Making this work is really tricky, but you'll probably benefit from it, even if only randomly, while playing the DLC.

Hacking and Hijacking

As I said earlier, do not google more information about hacking, because you will likely encounter mild-spoilers if you do so.

Just as a reference, however, at one point in the game (during your second playthrough/Route B) you'll be able to "hack" enemies, as well as locked chests/doors. There isn't much to say about hacking, but some key points to keep in mind are:

Hacking enemies does a percentage damage to the enemy. The greater the level gap between you and the enemy is in your favor, the greater the percentage is. In other words, you do more damage if you are level 30 and hack an enemy level 20; you do less damage if you are level 30 and the enemy is level 30; you do even less damage if you are level 30 and the enemy is level 40
Hacking enemies also gives you a certain amount of Exp. While the amount is pitiful for the most part (single or double-digit amounts), there will be one major exception to this, and we'll exploit it to get more Exp out of an already-good Exp-farming location (after the third playthrough). You can find more info about this farming process in the "farming Exp" section of the walkthrough, but keep in mind that the method has mild-spoilers in its description (the same ones as hacking in general). Therefore, unless you already are in your second playthrough and know about hacking, don't check that section
Something that might be worth pointing out is that the Exp received from hacking is proportional to the percentage damage dealt to the enemy. For example, if hacking an enemy can give you 1,000 Exp total, then if your hacking takes away only 20% of the enemy's health you'll get 200 Exp; if it takes away 50% of his health you'll get 500 Exp; if you kill him with one hacking you'll get the full 1,000 Exp. Therefore, cumulatively, the Exp gained from hacking is determined by the enemy's max HP
It's also worth pointing out that the Exp obtained from hacking is not "subtracted" from the Exp you receive by defeating the enemy. It's really additional Exp, so there are only benefits to hacking enemies to kill them, from an Exp-gain point of view. On the other hand, as I said earlier, the amount of Exp received from hacking is mostly negligible, and since hacking takes a bit of time, it's usually not a good idea. Again, the notable exception is the enemy used to farm Exp late-game
Lastly, know that on Easy/Normal you can Lock-On during the hacking minigame. While there won't be a clear display of being locked-on, your "cursor" during the hacking minigame will automatically always "point" towards the locked enemy. This makes the minigame considerably easier, since you only need to worry about moving instead of also being concerned with dodging
Hijacking (aka Remote Control) is an additional feature unlocked even later in the story (late second playthrough). It basically works like this: you hack an enemy like you normally would, and if and only if the enemy wasn't aware of you (or more precisely, if he wasn't aggressive towards you) when you hacked him, you'll be given the opportunity to either damage the enemy, or "hijack" the enemy. You know an enemy hasn't noticed you if his eyes are yellow; if they are red, he's already aggressive towards you, and hacking will not give you the choice to hijack or destruct.

While controlling a Hijacked enemy, even on Very Hard, getting hit won't instantly kill you. If your controlled machine goes down to 0 HP, it will explode and you will resume control of your regular character. You can also self-destruct your controlled machine manually with the usual Self Destruct button(s).

As a side note (which is actually quite helpful if you do the DLC, where there are fights done with hijacked machines), inputting the Self Destruct button(s) will "cancel" the current animation you were doing. This is useful, because you can simply tap the Self Destruct button(s) (input a Self Destruct, but then let go of the button as soon the Self-Destruct-countdown starts) after using an attack, and doing so will cancel the animation of the attack itself, allowing you to use another attack without having to wait for the first attack's animation to end.

Again, hijacking is going to be very inefficient (fun as a gimmick feature, but you really won't want to use it if you can help it) considering that your regular character is definitely better than the enemies you can hijack.

Lastly, there is also a third (middle) option when you hack an unaware/non-aggressive enemy, and that's "Subjugate": this option simply makes the enemy aggressive towards other enemies. Again, a fun gimmick mechanic, but not something you really want to rely on.

Items and battle Shortcuts

There are several buttons that are automatically mapped as shortcuts to certain features. These are, by default, associated to the D-Pad and to Select.

Earlier I suggested you to remap the schemes so that D-Pad_Down becomes the "Shortcut" button. What this button (Shortcut) does is simple: it lets you access a practical menu, while pausing the game, where you can switch weapons, Pods, and more importantly check your status and use ANY item in your possession. This last bit is the most important one: unfortunately there is no way to "sort" (or even add to the list) the items associated with the "Use Item" button (which is the D-Pad_Down, by default; I told you to remap it to Select).

Therefore the Use Item button has some pros and some remarkable cons. The "pro" is really just one: it lets you use items, like healing items, without having to pause the battle. This very "pro" is also one of its "cons": the battle continues while you use the items, and while their effect is instant (so you really shouldn't have a problem with the flow of the battle even if you are using items), sometimes you may want to heal from the Shortcuts menu instead (since it pauses the game). The other, bigger "con" to the Use Item feature is that, as I said a moment ago, it doesn't let you sort, or even choose among all the items in your possession. This is a big nuisance, and makes the Shortcut way of using items much better.

Enhancement Item Effects: Stacked, Prolonged, or Refresh?

You will come across items such as the Ranged/Melee Attack Up items, which temporarily give you enhancements (in their case, they double your damage from projectiles/melee attacks). As you use them, you might be wondering: what happens if I use two of the same items consecutively? Will their effects stack (so instead of 2x damage they become 4x damage) ? Or will they prolong the duration (so instead of lasting 15 seconds, two of them used consecutively would last 30 seconds) ? Or maybe they refresh, so the effect was going to expire in 5 seconds, using another item will "refresh" its expiration time and set it back to 15 seconds (that's how much the "S" version of these items lasts) ?

The answer is: they simply refresh. This is the worse of the three possibilities, but at least it means that if you use another copy of the same item while the effect of its previous copy is still in place, the effect's expiration time will be refreshed.

Just to be clear, let's say a Melee Attack Up (S), which lasts 15 seconds. You use it now; then 10 seconds pass; then you use another Melee Attack Up (S) -- this will make the effect of the status end 15 seconds after you used the second item, so in total the effect will have lasted 10+15 = 25 seconds. This means that you "wasted 5 seconds" of the potential 30 total seconds between the two items (15 seconds each). Ideally, you'd want to use another item as soon as the first item's effect expires (for example, use a second Melee Attack Up (S) exactly fifteen seconds after using the first Melee Attack Up (S)), so you don't "waste" any of the effect of either item. Practically speaking, however, considering how common and cheap these items are from shops, it's still useful to "refresh" their expiration time even though you may "waste" a bit of their effect -- it's better (more convenient) to "waste" a bit of effect than to be overly concerned about using another item every 15 seconds for maximum efficiency.

Flight Units (Shooting) Sections

Not a lot to say about these sections, but a few notes come to mind. In case you are confused, I'm talking about the flight sections like the one that plays at the very beginning of the game.

You can, and indeed should, use light attacks to clear the orbs shot by the enemies. Plus, you can kill enemies very quickly with light attacks, if you get close enough
Heavy attacks are not as useful, especially while in "free-movement formation", since it's a slow sword slash that actually covers less area than light attacks (at least around you, which is what you care about). If it's a 2D-type formation, the heavy attack is actually pretty good instead, since it consists of a "protective shield" around you, and said shield will destroy every orb/damage every enemy it comes in contact with
After you get your second and third Pod you can actually switch between different projectiles that mimic the Pod's own projectile (Pod A is a machinegun; Pod B is a laser; Pod C are homing missiles). That being said, the default projectile type is by far the best during flight units sequences
You can, and probably should against mini-bosses, use Melee/Ranged Attack Up items: they affect the flight units (use the Shortcuts button to access these items)
If you die during a flight-units section, your body will be automatically recovered (see the Body Recovering section below for more info)
Death and Body Recovering (+Network Connection)

Not too long after the beginning of the game you will learn that if you die, at first you will be given a "second chance" of some sort. The way this works is simple: after a death, you will respawn at the latest Access Point (or, more rarely and more conveniently, at one of the "checkpoints" that sometimes happen during certain story sequences, such as during boss fights), but you will have lost some stuff (namely and most importantly, your Chips). This is your "second chance": if you go find your body on the map (it will be more or less where you died), you can "pick it up" and retrieve all of your items back. If you fail to do so (if you waste too much time to retrieve the body, or if you die again), your original items will be lost for good!

Moreover, if you have the Network Connection set ON (you can change it in your Settings), you'll be able to find the bodies of other random players that died and were also connected  to the network.

Personally, I turned the Network Connection off, since I didn't really wanna see the bodies of random players here and there (they are just distracting), plus the benefits are negligible to be honest. Also, I personally don't like having something random to rely on, even if it can only bring positive things. In any case, if you have the Network Connection set ON, then you'll be able to pick up their bodies as well, with two options to choose from.

This system should be fairly easy to understand. The only two potentially-confusing things are the options given when you examine your dead body, or the dead body of another player. Indeed, you can:

Retrieve: this option lets you collect your Chips (if it's your own body). If it was someone else's body, you will get some (very little, actually) Exp, some G, and you get temporary Chip effects. The effect of the Chips is supposedly a random assortment of the Chips that the players were using when they died, before you picked up and Retrieved their bodies. The effect will only last a short while, so you are not actually getting their Chips: you just temporarily get the effect of their Chips
Repair: this option lets you collect your Chips (if it's your own body), and your "previous body" will come back to life and fight alongside you for a short while. If it was someone else's body, then they will come back to life and temporarily fight alongside you. With the poor AI and randomness of this whole thing, this doesn't really add anything useful either
So, as you can see, Retrieving or Repairing your own body does the important thing (getting your Chips back) anyway; Repairing has the additional benefit of having this AI temporary companion on your side as well, but as I said earlier, it's not going to really help much, or at all for that matter. On the contrary, if it's someone else's body (possible only if you are connected to the Network), then you can choose between getting some temporary benefits, or a temporary additional ally.

While there are differences, my conclusions is that it's not worth bothering with retrieving Network-bodies (just a waste of time, and an unnecessary distraction), and practically speaking there is no tangible difference between the two options when you go get your own previous body.

As I said in a previous section, dying during a flight sequence will actually auto-collect your body, so to speak. You should probably always double-check, to be sure (I tried to check in as many cases as possible, but I can't promise I've covered them all), and see if you are, in fact, still owning the Chips you had before dying. If that's the case, then there is no body to recover. If that isn't the case...well, let me know about it, because that would be news for me as well.

And, you know...try not to die in the first place :p

Power-Playing

In this sub-section we'll talk a bit more about the most important and effective ways of taking advantage of the gameplay features.

Taunts

Taunts are a somewhat hidden, but incredibly powerful asset to your offense. The way Taunts work is simple: you tap the Toggle Light button (L3 by default; earlier I advised you to remap this to R1) a few times to turn the lights of your Pod on/off, and this will enrage the enemy.

You can tell when an enemy is enraged because steam will come out of him (his head usually). Also, you can usually see a change in their "face color", which will turn orange-red from the anger. Kinda funny, actually.

Anyway, Taunting will give you stronger attacks, but the enemies will also get stronger attacks. So you do more damage, but you also receive more. This is usually worth it though, since the game encourages an offensive playstyle much more than a defensive one. After all, if the enemy dies quickly then he doesn't even have a chance to attack you at all.

If possible, learn from the very beginning to Taunt the enemies, and make a habit of fighting by tapping R1 (assuming you remapped the controls as I advised) all the time. It may feel odd at first, but if you pick up the good habit early on then it'll make your life easier later (especially if you decide to play on harder difficulties).

Some things to keep in mind about Taunting are:

Almost every enemy in the game can be Taunted. There are only a handful of exceptions to this: the first bosses; the boss Hegel; the second secret super-boss
Taunting doesn't last forever, and it will expire after a few (15) seconds. Normally, both regular enemies and bosses tend to die before Taunt expires. If that's not the case, then you can re-Taunt them right away. This is why you should pick up the habit of spamming the Taunt button, so you don't need to always check if an enemy is still Taunted or not -- if they are, then fine; if not, you will re-Taunt them without even thinking about it
There are Taunt Up Chips in the game that you definitely want to have when they become available in the shops (shortly after the events in the Forest Kingdom). With Taunt Up chips, the effect of Taunting goes from a slight increase in damage output (and input) all the way (with a Taunt Up +8 Chip; +8 is the highest level for a Chip) to a 5x damage multiplier
Taunt Chips follow the "maximum effect" rule, not the "stack" rule of Chips. Long story short, if you have a Chip that says "Taunt effect: 250%" and a Chip that says "Taunt effect: 150%", putting them together won't give you a "Taunt effect: 400%" (from 250+150=400); instead, the strongest Chip's effect will be the one to take place (so in the previous example you would have a net effect of 250%, and the Chip that gives the Taunt effect: 150% would be completely useless). Note that the game will say otherwise (if you equip multiple Taunt Up Chips the game implies that their effects stack), but if you try you'll see that they don't actually stack
You can't use Taunts during flight sections (everything dies quickly there though, so no big deal)
Later in the game, in some parts of the third playthrough / Route C, you will be able to do a "Taunt animation" with your weapons. Do not google more information about this, because you will encounter story spoilers if you do so. Suffice to say, the Taunt animation is an overall superior way of Taunting enemies because it's both (potentially) faster and has a larger area of effect. The way the Taunt animation (with weapons) works is this: hold down the Square button for a few seconds, and (in certain conditions of the third playthrough / Route C) you will perform an animation that will then result into mass-Taunting every enemy around you, with a good radius of effect.

Note that the Taunt animation with weapons is different depending on which weapon you use to Taunt. In particular, Combat Bracers have the fastest Taunt animation, and indeed some more advanced gameplay can be done if you equip a Combat Bracer on your Light Weapon (Square-button-associated weapon) at least on one of your two Weapon Sets, so you can use that one to Taunt, and then you can maybe switch to a different Weapon Set (with weapons of your choice, such as Small Swords) to actually attack after you have mass-Taunted the enemies with the Combat Bracer.

Lastly, on the topic of Taunt animation with weapons, you can actually also perform a Taunt with your Heavy weapon (your secondary weapon) if you rapidly press Triangle and then immediately press and hold Square.

Critical Hits

Critical Hits in this game are the second major way of substantially increasing your damage output. You may not see a single Critical Hit in your entire playthrough if you don't equip the Critical Up chips or a Critical + weapon (that is to say, a weapon with the Critical + ability/effect). For a list of weapons with the Critical + ability, please refer to the corresponding section of the walkthrough (Ancient Overlord is the best one, most likely).

When I first saw the effect of Critical Up Chips I thought to myself: "really?". See, when you read that a Critical Up Chip gives you +1% chances of getting a Critical Hit, you don't exactly think "wow, cool!". However, things are much better than they look at first, and Critical Hits end up being, along with Taunts, an extremely important aspect of maximizing damage output (this time without the penalty of receiving more damage from enemies). Things to keep in mind about Critical Hits are:

A Critical Hit will be noticeable because it has a different damage representation on the screen (yellowish numbers instead of white numbers), and it will be accompanied by a different sound effect
Critical Hits deal about 5x base damage. Damage multipliers in this game stack (we'll talk about this in a dedicated section, soon), so for example a Critical Hit with a Taunt +8 effect would give you 25x base damage
It gets better: there are Critical Up Chips that can boost your Critical Hit % much more significantly than it may seem when you read their descriptions. Now, and I quote the game, the highest effect you can get from Critical Up chips is "Increases critical hit rate by 30%". I don't know the exact maths behind it, but when you pair this effect with a Critical + weapon you will get very, very frequent Critical Hits. In a previous section I told you that this basically becomes a "increases critical hit rate to 30%", because in my experience, on average, with Critical + weapon and Critical +30% (Chips effect) you can expect a Critical Hit every 3 hits (hence why I said you get to a Critical Hit rate of 30%)
When I didn't know how things practically played out, I thought that "increasing critical hits by 30%" wasn't really gonna be all that useful ("yea, sure, but I want something more probable than a +30% on a base chance that I don't even know how low it is" -- this was my thought), or at least that there would have been better uses for my chipsets. I later realized that this was completely wrong, and Critical Hits are something you should definitely try to get as soon as possible (which, again, is from a shop available after the Forest Kingdom areas, in Chapter 07; we'll talk about it in the story walkthrough)
Critical Up Chips follow the "stack" effect. In other words, three Critical Up chips with a +10% effect will give the same benefits as a single +30% chip (of course the single +30% chip will occupy less room in your chipset though)
Blocking attacks/Counters

In the game there is no "block" defensive command by default, only a dodge button. We'll discuss dodge-counters later.

There is, however, a Chip called "Counter" which allows you to block the enemies' attacks. And that's where it starts. Before checking its enormous potential, a brief explanation on how this block-counter works is due: you simply have to "walk into" the enemy when his attack is about to hit you, and your character will then put her hands against the enemy (as if she was pushing the enemy back). You will hear a particular "metallic" sound when a Counter is successfully performed, and you won't take any damage.

Note that you can't simply "walk into the attack" (that would be too easy); you must "start" walking into the attack when the attack animation is taking place. In other words, you must start using LS when the attack animation begins (or, more precisely, before the enemy's attack connects); if you use it too early, you'll just walk straight into the attack and take damage, as you would expect.

On the other hand, if you flick LS to walk into the enemy's attack with "micro-steps" (minimal movements; you barely touch LS, so you barely move), each of these "micro-steps" towards the enemy will be counted as a Counter input. So, really, most of the time you can just continuously flick LS towards the enemy and you will probably get a successful Counter, without having to actually time it correctly. This means that any average Joe can really use Counter without too much of a learning curve: you don't need good reflexes, you don't need a lot of practice -- you just need to flick LS, and the game will Counter for you. That being said, please do note that I used the expression "most of the time", and not "always".

Now let's see why Counter is so strong if used properly:

First of all, Counter also gives you some invincibility frames, if performed correctly. This means that if two or more enemies gang-up on you, and you successfully Counter one of their attacks, you will be immune to the others' attacks for a short while (long enough to dodge away, or Counter their attacks too). In fact, Counter has more invincibility frames than the actual dodge
As you get stronger Counter Chips, you won't just "block" an enemy's attack, but you will also damage him back. The damage you do to the enemy is going to be a percentage of the damage you would have taken if his attack had connected. The maximum effect is a 2.5x multiplier on the damage taken, i.e. if you were to take 1,000 HP of damage but you Counter the attack, the enemy will receive 2,500 HP of damage instead
Counter deals fixed damage based on the damage you would have received if the attack had connected. This means that it ignores defense, kinda like self-destruct does, but it's potentially much stronger and has no downsides (in fact, only upsides, including staggering the enemy)
Because of this, Counter is a crucial asset when it comes to playing against opponents much stronger than you. You can literally kill a level 99 boss when you are barely level 40 in just 4-5 Counters. Without going to such extremes, it's clear that Counter is an incredibly powerful tool; in fact, THE strongest individual attack, at least on Very Hard difficulty (I'll tell you why soon), until you get to the very late game
The other side of the coin (in regards to Counter dealing fixed damage) is that Counter is not going to be directly affected in any way by any kind of damage-booster (items, chips, critical hits, or any other status enhancement)
Basically every melee attack of the enemies can be Countered. This includes regular melee combo, but also fancier things like "jump-stomp" attacks. A particular, but noteworthy addition to this is also when an enemy uses electricity to attack (this happens, occasionally, later in the game): if you walk into an enemy with an electrical barrier around him, his barrier counts as an attack against you, but your walking into the barrier counts as a Counter. So if you flick LS as you walk towards these electricity-covered enemies, you will actually Counter them
Some attacks can't be Countered, unfortunately. These include projectile attacks (orbs, lasers), and occasional "grab" moves (used only by a couple of bosses, really, and not even particularly strong ones). Still, most enemies will use melee attacks, and the few that don't are typically weaker flying enemies that die quickly anyway
For some reasons, some enemies will randomly (very rarely) not be killable by a Counter. Instead, they may be left with what looks like "1 HP", and even if you continue to Counter them over and over again (and they are seemingly taking damage which should kill them every time) they just won't die. To "fix" this problem, finish them off with any other attack that can deal at least 1 HP of damage. While this seems like a trivial note, it's actually a game-breaking problem in certain particular circumstances (namely if you want to do a Level-1 challenge, as I'll explain later)
Since Counter damage is based on the damage you would have taken, then the higher the damage you would have taken, the higher the damage you deal with Counter. Therefore, there are two crucial combinations that you can use, depending on your difficulty settings:

On every difficulty except Very Hard, the combination of Taunt + Counter will be the strongest. This is because, obviously, Taunt increases the damage you receive, and therefore the damage you deflect back to the enemy with a Counter. Unfortunately, the stronger you are, the less damage you take, so Counter actually becomes LESS effective on easier difficulties the more you proceed (whereas, in a theoretical lv 1 vs lv 99 scenario, your lv 1 character would have the strongest possible Counter).

I hope it goes without saying, but any "defense up" chip or item you use will reduce the effectiveness of Counter since it reduces the damage you would have taken.
On Very Hard, the combination of Max HP Up + Counter will be the strongest. This is because on Very Hard you take fixed damage from enemies, equal to your maximum HP. Therefore, the higher your HP, the more damage you take, and therefore the stronger Counter becomes. Things are even better if you consider that, unlike on other difficulties, in this case Counter becomes MORE effective the stronger you become (the more you level up, the more HP you have)
Despite its tremendous power, and the incredibly wide variety of applications, it saddens me to say that the very strongest boss in the game doesn't have any melee attack, and therefore he can't be Countered. Unfortunately this means that a low-level challenge against this boss is impossible: due to damage scaling formulas, beyond a certain level gap you do 0 damage, so it's technically impossible to kill the enemy, even if you wanted to. If it's any consolation, the second-strongest boss can be Countered though, and you can have fun trying to kill him (he's level 99) when you are level 35-40, if you wish to do so (and if you manage to keep your level that low by the time he's available). Not that I would recommend it, mind you.

Dodge-Counters

A completely separate subject from Counters (capital C, as in "the Counter chip") are the dodge-counters. Dodge-counters are just what the name says: perform a "last-second" (ahahah) dodge to avoid an enemy's attack, and you'll see a special animation as you avoid damage (this also gives some invincibility frames). The laughter when I said "last-second" is because your timing has to be all but perfect to get a "perfect evade", and the window of opportunity is extremely generous, not to mention that you can spam the dodge button and it will still work very well (just like you can flick LS when Countering, and it works perfectly most of the time).

Anyway, if you input an offensive command after a "perfect evade", you will use the dodge-counter. There are three possible dodge-counter inputs:

Light attack (press Square)
Heavy attack (press Triangle)
Pod shot (press the Pod fire button; not the Pod program button, just the regular projectiles)
Depending on your equipped weapon, and other factors that I can't mention because of spoiler-reasons, the dodge-counter animation will be different. Just to give you an example though, a dodge-counter with a Small Sword consists in an upper-slash attack that launches the enemy in the air (unless the enemy can't be launched, which is the case for the stronger ones). A dodge-counter with a Spear will make you perform a 360°-swipe attack around you. A dodge-counter with a Large Sword will make you perform a lunge attack that typically pierces through the enemy's defense and pushes him back.

It's important to keep in mind that you don't get invincibility frames during the "counter" part of dodge-counter: this is especially dangerous if you perform a "light weapons" (Small Swords for instance) dodge-counter against enemies that can't be staggered, since they can attack you while your dodge-counter is taking place, and you may walk right into their attack animation with your dodge-counter. For this reason, against such enemies it's important to either avoid dodge-counters, or at least make sure you are using a "heavy weapon" to dodge-counter (both the Spears and the Large Swords have dodge-counter animations that USUALLY keep you safe, either because they push the enemy back, or because they are performed from a safe-range distance).

For these reasons, it's sometimes better to dodge, and then counterattack "normally" instead of using a dodge-counter. In other words, avoid the attack with your dodge, then wait a fraction of a second, and then use your regular combos to counterattack. This will give you enough time to examine the situation, and see if the enemy has started an attack animation (in which case, don't attack; just dodge again if necessary, or wait until his attack ends), or if it's safe for you to counterattack with a regular combo.

This may all seem like paranoid excessive concerns, and yes, they are excessive concerns if you are doing the average playthrough. If, however, you are playing on Very Hard, and you can't afford to get hit even once, then these things start to become more important.

A particularly annoying example is represented by the Small Stubby enemies (especially the ones with a shield), which are capable of using an "arm-circles attack" (they spin their arms in circles and walk towards you) that is simply deadly if you try to dodge-counter it with a Small Sword (which is going to be your weapon of choice, most likely).

Damage Multipliers / Strongest Individual Setup

In this game, every damage-boosting effect stacks, and it does so by multiplication, not addition. What this means is that if you have something that gives you a 5x damage effect, and something that gives a 2x damage effect, their sum won't be 7x, but 10x damage. And if you think 10x is a lot, just wait until we're done with the list:

Melee Attack Up items: they are available at most item shops, and they have a 2x effect. Note that they don't stack with each other (i.e. using two of them at the same time won't give you a 4x effect). I know far too well the feeling of "I need to save this item because I may need it later" (and that "later" never comes) that we get when playing RPGs, but since they are available from the very beginning, and they are so cheap and DOUBLE your damage output early on, they are actually very useful indeed
Taunt: with Taunt Up +8 (Chip), the maximum effect is 5x
Critical attacks: it's estimated to be a 5x multiplier
Weapon Attack Up: these are Chips that boost your weapon damage. While this effect is completely overshadowed by Taunts and Criticals, it's still an additional 2x multiplier if you get a Weapon Attack Up +8 Chip. So it's actually pretty good
Last Stand: we're starting to get in the "danger zone" here, and by that I mean a bit of excessive thoughts about maxing out damage. Still, Last Stand allows you to have up to 2x (with a +8 Chip) multiplier if your HP are below 25%. If you are playing on Very Hard, then your current HP % is not important (you die in one hit anyway); unfortunately the screen goes black and white when your HP are below 25%, so Last Stand comes with this undesirable side effect of having to play with not-so-appealing visuals
Berserker Mode: this is another 2x multiplier, although it's only available in certain situations during the third playthrough
Wanna draw some numbers, then? The THEORETICAL maximum multiplier you could get is by using Berserker Mode, with Last Stand activated, Weapon Attack Up +8, Taunt Up +8, a Melee Attack Up item used, and while doing a Critical hit. This would give you a damage multiplier of, yes, that's actually 400x base damage.

There are a couple of problems with this setup, though. The first problem is that Berserker Mode drains your HP all the time, and if your HP goes to 1 then Berserker Mode is automatically turned off and you go in "critical mode" (can't properly move) for a few seconds. Therefore, to have this 400x multiplier you would need to keep your HP constantly between 1 and 25% of your max. This isn't impossible; just really impractical, inconvenient, and simply not worth the trouble, aside from the fun of seeing really big numbers on the screen.

The other problem of course is that you need to be in one of those circumstances where Berserker Mode can actually be used. As I said earlier, the strongest superboss does fall in those circumstances, so if you want to beat him up as hard as you can then you can do so. The hard DLC challenges also allow you to use Berserker Mode.

Technically speaking, you could also add ranged enhancements (Ranged Attack Up Chips, the Ranged Attack Up item), as well as the Shock Wave +8 Chip, in order to actually max out your damage-per-second potential. Indeed, Shock Wave will become an incredible asset when, later on, you will have the possibility to use this Chip too.

We will discuss good Chipsets during the story walkthrough (especially the extended version, and in the post-ending game content) and DLC sections, but as an early anticipations we can say that these are some good easy combinations to keep in mind and use as your "base template":

Critical+Taunt setup: this has Taunt Up +8, Critical Up +8, Weapon Attack Up +8, and later Shock Wave +8. Add in a Melee Attack up item and every time you Critical-hit you will get a 100x damage multiplier. It may not be as fancy as 400x, but it's still 100x every time you Critical-Hit. Let's be real, this is extremely good and already overkill
On Very Hard, the Max HP Up +Counter setup: use Max HP Up +8 (or any combination of Max HP Up chips that give a +100% HP effect, cumulatively) + Counter +8: this will deal fixed damage to the enemy equal to 5x your base HP every time the enemy attacks you. Enemies and especially bosses just love their melee, Counter-able combos, so this is actually the best anti-boss Chipset in the game (except for a boss that can't be Countered)
On every other difficulty, Taunt + Counter is also very effective (if you are underleveled, it can be even more effective than Max HP Up+Counter is on Very Hard)
In some circumstances, namely the two fights where Taunt can't be used but Berserker Mode can be used (Counter can't be used in those fights, either), you can switch Taunt Up +8 with any Offensive Heal chip (ideally Offensive Heal +8; Offensive Heal +6 is also very strong): this will let your HP stay up as long as you keep attacking the enemy
The great thing about these approaches is that they don't require you to farm a single Chip in the game, but they still get you very close to the highest damage output you can possibly get in the game anyway. Unless you are going for a world record for quickest kill of the strongest boss in the game, these easy, fast setups (available, if your funds allow you, as early as after the Forest Kingdom) will let you shatter every enemy and boss in this game even on Very Hard.

I'm not exaggerating when I say this: I actually recommend AGAINST using these setups if you are on your first playthrough ever with the game, because they will make things extremely easy (if you can one-shot things on Very Hard, just imagine what happens if you apply these game-breaking mechanics on Normal).

Damage Cap?

Also, for the curious ones, there is no achievable damage cap that I'm aware of. What I do know is that the damage cap is not at the 10,000 mark, not at the 100,000 mark, and not even at the 1,000,000 mark. Yea, you read that right: you can exceed one MILLION points of damage in the right conditions! Beyond that, it's speculation (my strongest recorded hits were around 2 millions, so I don't know if 10 millions is within reach).



(It doesn't look like it, but I did have the Weapon Attack Up item effect on in this screenshot; it was expiring, so the icon was flickering on/off, and in this particular frame I saved it was off screen)

(If you are wondering why my damage is displayed in that way, please refer to the Visual and Audio modifiers section)

Miscellaneous

Game difficulties

You can change between the game difficulties at any time in the System settings (pause the game with Start, then go to System > Settings > Game > Difficulty). There are four difficulty levels to choose from: Easy, Normal, Hard, Very Hard.

Certain Chips (like Auto-Attack) can be used only on Easy difficulty. One particular Chip, Auto-use Items, can be used on every difficulty except for Very Hard.

On Hard and Very Hard you cannot use Lock On.

On Very Hard you will always take fixed damage from any and all enemy's attacks, and that damage is equal to your max HP. There are some notable exceptions, however:

Fall damage doesn't insta-kill you
Failing the hacking minigame will still take off a percentage of your HP, but you won't be insta-killed if you fail a hacking minigame. On the contrary, during the hacking minigame itself you will die in one hit instead of the usual three-hits "health"
While controlling a Hijacked (Remote-Controlled) machine, you (or rather, your remote-controlled machine) won't instantly die
Neither using Self-Destruction, nor letting your HP go to "0" while in Berserker Mode, will kill you (you will be left to 1 HP in both cases)
As we mentioned earlier, taking a fatal hit (which on Very Hard is synonym with "getting hit") while in Berserker Mode will simply end Berserker Mode and put you in 1 HP critical condition, but even on Very Hard it won't directly kill you
Level 1 Challenge?

The game doesn't directly allow you to play a "Level 1 challenge" of some sort, but you can (sort of) do it if you have the DLC. To attempt a Level-1 challenge you need to beat the game (Route C) to unlock Chapter Select; then you need to complete the Flooded City (hardest) DLC to obtain the Forbidden Fruit item (which lowers your level (your stats are lowered accordingly), even all the way to level 1), and also the Desert DLC to obtain the Proof of Oath (this item negates EXP income).

After that's all done, you need to use Chapter Select to restart from the earliest point in the game: you will now be level 1 with all the Weapons and Chips you got before, and you can have your fun again. Unfortunately there is no way to reset Quests progression, so you must skip them the first time through if you want to be able to attempt them at level 1.

Even more unfortunately, due to rather poor damage scaling (our next topic), even with the best equipment you will end up getting stuck at one point or another, since no matter what you do you will inevitably stumble upon "unkillable" enemies (all your attacks, even in the best case scenario, will only do fixed 0 damage. Counter can't always kill enemies, and some enemies can't be killed via Counter anyway, so the stats at level 1 don't technically allow you to progress). I can confirm that you can't advance in Route C at level 1, but the "maximum progress point" may be much earlier than that.

Damage Scaling

Damage scaling is a fancy way of saying "how does it work when you have a big level gap between attacker and defender?". Some games do damage scaling right; others don't. Sadly, this one falls in the second group, and even more sadly, the game doesn't have a minimum damage set (well, it does technically speaking: it's zero).

Practically speaking, what does this mean? It means that if you want to challenge yourself by going after very powerful enemies while you are underleveled, you may actually find it impossible to win, even if you can make sure that you stay alive. The reason is that beyond a certain level gap (the gap depends on the enemy and the difficulty you are playing on) it's actually impossible to deal damage to enemies, unless you are using fixed-damage means of doing so. This is because damage is scaled down if your level is lower than the enemy's level, and viceversa, it's scaled up if your level if higher than the enemy's.

Now you may be thinking "well yea, my attack increases when I level up" -- true, but that's not the only reason why you do more damage when your level is higher. I don't know the exact damage formula (or even an estimate for that matter), but I can tell you from experience that even if you have an extremely high damage multiplier (like the 400x multiplier), beyond a certain level gap you still won't be able to do more than 0 damage against enemies. On the contrary, gaining just one extra level may put you beyond the "damage scaling limit", and you may start doing non-0 damage (very low amounts though).

The moral of the story here is that leveling up is important if you intend to defeat stronger enemies, and becomes virtually essential against certain superbosses.

This doesn't particularly matter for the average player, who sees a level 50 quest target and simply flees away because he's still level 25; it does matter if you want a challenge and you'd like to kill these strong foes at low levels. So, what work-arounds do we have? Well, not that many options, but the ones we have will work in most situations:

You can try your best to set up a high-damage-multiplier equipment (Critical Taunt being the most important combination); if the level gap isn't too high, and you can at least do double-digit damage with regular attacks, then this may be enough to win
You can use Counter, which deals fixed damage. Remember to pair it with Max HP Up (if you are on Very Hard) or Taunt (if you are not on Very Hard) for maximum effect
You could Self-Destruct, in theory, since it also deals fixed damage. In practice, it's basically impossible to win a fight just by self-destructing over and over again (if you need to resort to this technique because you can't do damage otherwise, then the enemy is probably strong and you are probably weak; this means you have little HP, which means you will need countless Self-Destructs before potentially winning)
When available, hacking can be used to deal a percentage damage (non-0 damage). The percentage is also scaled with levels, but I'm relatively sure that it will do at least a little bit of damage instead of 0 damage (I know for a fact that, for example, you can kill one of the secret bosses (he's level 99) when you are level 50 or so via hacking, while every other attack you can do at that level would inevitably do 0 damage)
Unfortunately, the only case when we don't have any alternative is against the strongest secret boss. You can't Taunt this guy, and you can Counter him either. I guess it's theoretically possible to defeat him using Self-Destruct over and over, but I don't see the point in such a challenge (plus it would be nearly impossible to stay alive when he can one-shot you with his multiple projectile attacks). Therefore the only option left is to level up enough so that you don't deal minimum damage (0) anymore.

So, does this mean you should be concerned about leveling up? Absolutely NO. The game does a good job at pacing the adventure so that you will always be at the perfect level to kill the story bosses, even if you ignore optional content. If you actually do all the quests as they become available, you will end up being over-leveled. Some quests may seem rather hard (against enemies of much higher level than yours), but if you are committed enough you can beat them too with the right strategy (namely Critical+Taunt or Counter). Or, you know, just wait until you are at a bit higher level before attempting them again. I'll give you proper strategies and setups to easily deal with said harder quests in the story walkthrough (especially extended version).

Visual and Audio modifiers

Certain weapons carry abilities that, while not particularly useful from a practical point of view (although I guess taking a cool screenshot can be considered a practical use), allow you to have some pretty neat side-visual-effects. This includes the very popular "blue-glowing weapons", or the "fancy comic sans font" damage numbers like in the screenshot I posted in the Damage Cap section. Let's check them out:

Hero Sigil: this ability is obtained from the Cypress Stick weapon, and it's the one that changes both the damage displayed on screen (I really like it a lot better than the original), like the screenshot above, and also the appearance of treasure chests. Critical Hits will be displayed with a cool yellowish-background color, while regular damage is displayed with orange-bolded big numbers. Note that this effect applies even when this is your secondary weapon
Shift Avoid: this ability is obtained from the Engine Blade, and it also changes damage displayed on screen. It also changes your dash animation, so it has a "light-blue-ghost" effect to it. Neat, but not as cool as Hero Sigil's damage numbers in my opinion. Note that this effect applies even when this is your secondary weapon



Energy Charge: aka the "blue glowing weapons" ability. This belongs to all the Type-4O weapon series (Type-4O Sword, Type-4O Blade, Type-4O Spear, Type-4O Fists), and works like this: idle your weapons (i.e. don't attack) for a few seconds, and then the weapon will be "charged" with this blue-glowing energy, and deal extra damage for a few seconds (then the charge is dispersed, and you need to idle your weapon again before having this effect again). It's very popular among players because of how cool it looks, although from a damage-dealt perspective it's nowhere near as strong as Critical +




Beast's Roar: at first it sounds like it would be some cool lion-esque feral roar every time you attack, but what this ability actually does is simply add a "claw-attack" sort of effect to your weapon. This ability is related to the "beastly" weapons series (Beastbane, Beastlord, Beastcurse), and will look something like this:


Insanity: a spoilerous weapon has this ability which will make you hear a certain person's voice when you use it to attack. Kinda cool; shame that the weapon is not that great aside from this gimmick though. It's not a major spoiler (just an NPC name really), but I'll use the spoiler tag to write the weapon's name, just in case: Emil's Head
Accessories / Costumes

Speaking of visual changes, there are several "add-ons" you can obtain in the game (most of them are from the DLC though). In order to use an add-on, go to your Items inventory, Key Items subsection, and then check/"use" these key items. You'll be able to equip and unequip them whenever you want.

For a list of these Costumes, please refer to the corresponding section of the walkthrough.

Shop Discounts

You can get a discount from most shops in the game if you have certain Weapons that carry the Discount or Robot Discount ability on them. While this ability is a big waste for the Weapon's potential, it's actually useful (somewhat) for late-game money-farming purposes (we'll talk about it in the money farming section of the walkthrough, in due time, in the post-ending game content).

There are five "discount" weapons in total, and they are:

YoRHa-issue Blade: this gives a -30% discount in almost every shop of the game run by androids
Machine Sword, Machine Axe, Machine Spear, Machine Heads: each of these gives a -10% discount in the "machine-run" shops in the game
Please note that their "discount" ability (called Discount for the first one, and Robot Discount for the other four) will be activated only after upgrading them to level 2 (which isn't hard at all). Also note that you don't need to have the weapons equipped for their effect to take place; it's enough to have them in your inventory, upgraded to level 2.

Also, the four "Robot Discount" weapons stack, so if you get them all you will get a -40% discount.

Lastly, please don't google more information about the Robot Discount weapons (especially the last one), since there is a chance you may run into spoilers if you do so.

To be honest, the shop where you will do most of your purchases is actually an exception, because it's not affected by either of the "discounts". Therefore don't make it a priority to get these weapons and upgrade them, because it's most likely going to cost you more time, Materials, and money to upgrade them than the money you'll save from their discounts.

This will be true for a long while. However, when using the easy-money exploit (available after your third playthrough), the Robot Discount weapons will actually be useful to make the process more efficient.

Quests-Reward Chips

A tip that could potentially save you some time if you ever decide to do Chips-farming is in regards to the cost of Chips received as rewards from quests.

Indeed, certain quests will reward you with Chips, and while most of the first quests will just be low-level Chips, later ones will earn you +3, and then even +6 Chips. These rewards are fixed, but the Cost of the Chips (i.e. how many slots they take up in the chipset) is random. This means that you could, potentially, save before completing a quest, and then get your reward -- if it's a Diamond Chip (lowest possible Cost), save the game; if not, reload, re-complete the quest, and try again until it's what you want.

This tip can be very useful especially for the quests rewarding you with +6 Chips (I wouldn't really bother for the +3 Chips), since it's gonna slash-away a fourth of the time required to get a +8 Diamond Chip (this is because to get a +8 Diamond Chip you basically need four +6 Diamond Chips; therefore if you get one from a quest you only need three from farming).

However, as I said in a previous section, you can easily beat everything in the game with purchased Chips, so I wouldn't worry too much about getting Diamond Chips at all. If you do, however, for any reason, then definitely consider this when you get your rewards (especially for the "important" Chips that you care about).

Angelic Language

In some parts of the game you will find this "Angelic Language". The most notable example is the name of bosses, which will all be written in Angelic Language at first. Without going into too many details, know that the real name ("translated from Angelic Language", so to speak) of said bosses will be uncovered as you progress with the story. Therefore don't worry if you can't seem to be able to read the same names as the ones I use when writing the boss's names in the walkthrough -- it's normal, and you'll be able to read their "real/translated" names in-game too later in your adventure.

Walkthrough - Summarized

In this version of the walkthrough you will find the following features:

Summaries containing the key information/important steps for that particular segment of the story. Most of the time the summaries will consist merely of "proceed with the story" (or something among those lines), but that's because, well, most of the time that's what you'll do
When quests are available/advisable, they will be included in the summary. Quests will be referred-to with numbers indicating their positions in the "Cleared Quests" menu (so don't be surprised to see that the first two quests are Quest # 56 and Quest # 13 -- it's not my fault the game has a messed up order in its official list). I'll provide basic assistance on how and when to efficiently clear all the quests (if you need more information and strategies for the harder ones, refer to the Walkthrough - Extended version instead)
Important items (namely Weapons) found as treasures will be pointed out in the summary, too
In addition to the summary, you will typically find a map of the current area, along with a full treasure list. If a treasure is particularly tricky to get to (or its exact location may not be easy to understand from the map), then I will have a text description/picture of it after the map.

Please note that the maps will contain the locations of Collection Points (represented as teal circles), but as I explained in a previous section, these points are random. You should find most of them in the locations marked on my maps, but if you can't see them anywhere near where I marked them, then they simply didn't spawn for you in that particular case. Also, I said in those sections, don't worry about Collection Points, since they don't have anything important/worth farming: if you come across them, good and pick them up; if not, don't worry about it!
The list of treasures in each area will be written with numbers that correspond to the numbers on the maps (you'll see what I mean). Treasures on the map will be written in yellow numbers (or numbers in yellow circles). If you see treasures written in green color (or numbers in green circles), those are hack-chests (you need to be on your second playthrough to open them). Don't bother memorizing or saving the position of hack-chests, since I'll give you updated maps with them in the second-playthrough walkthrough too
In the few occasions when this happens, important purchases/preparations will also be pointed out
This summarized walkthrough will be spoiler-free, and kept to the bare minimum in as many aspects as I could. If at any point you need more explanations, indications, details on quests, strategies against bosses, [...], please refer to the Walkthrough - Extended version, which will follow the same layout, just with a lot more information.

Important note: due to technical reasons, I have to keep images to a bare minimum, and the images I will post have a size limit. This may be a problem for the maps of larger areas. To somehow bypass this problem, in addition to the embedded images I will also add links to an external website that I used to upload the original pictures. You can copy-paste the links in your browser, and see the images in full size and with their original resolution that way. I'm sorry for this inconvenient system, but as of the day of writing this walkthrough there simply isn't a better way.

I hope that this summarized version will be enough for you to enjoy the game as much as possible during your first playthroughs, with as little guide-checking-distractions as possible. Remember to check the Gameplay Information sections if you have doubts about gameplay features: chances are they contain the answer to your questions, as well as information that you may find useful. Alright then, let's get started!

Walkthrough - Summarized (Continued)

Chapter 01

Abandoned Factory

Summary:
- There is a flight sequence first, then you'll be in your first dungeon
- During the boss fights, remember that you can chain consecutive dodges one after the other to avoid their attacks
- Nothing to point out about this prologue, just enjoy it

Map (http://imgur.com/XjHcPJV.png):



1 - Small Recovery (http://imgur.com/ra1MoHB.png)



2 - Large Recovery (http://imgur.com/5hvekqj.png)



From the previous chest you can go right and kick down a ladder to create a shortcut between here and below.
Also, you can operate a control panel if you go left from the crane arm; this creates another shortcut between here and the starting area.

3 - 3,000 G (http://imgur.com/ODtYHTi.png)
For this treasure, drop off the broken handrail part of the platform instead of jumping off to the crane arm (you can also reach it by jumping off the crane arm).



4 - 1,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/arCX76j.png)
5 - Small Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/3WDuGTs.png)
6 - 1,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/EkNaGQ2.png)
7 - Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/iEjSXTr.png)



From the previous chest, you can go further right to find a control panel. Operate it to create a bridge-shortcut to the first areas (might come in handy later on).

8 - Small Recovery
9 - Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/RGNv2Ej.png)
10 - Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/GOf3th1.png)

Collection Points:
- Copper Ore
- Crystal
- Iron Ore
- Natural Rubber

The Bunker

Summary:
- If you didn't do so earlier, consider these changes to your settings: set Mini-map Rotation Off; Remap some controls
- Shop advice: you can buy some +8 Storage upgrades in the "Terminal" (you can buy them in the next areas too); don't waste money on anything else for now
- Continue with the story

This place doesn't really need a map. All the treasures available at this point are in the Commander Center area.

1 - Medium Recovery (top floor) (http://i.imgur.com/MbqZZIB.png)
2 - 1,000 G (middle floor) (http://i.imgur.com/MBITrSz.png)
3 - 3,000 G (bottom floor, behind elevator) (http://i.imgur.com/j0Mb5dV.png)

Collection Points:
- Random usable item

Chapter 02

City Ruins

Summary:
- Continue with the story

Note: the map below corresponds to the 3D map (aerial view) from your pause menu. For the most part, this will match your mini-map too. For better reading of the map, activate an Access Point (there is one on the street on the left side, a short distance north of the building where you start; you can glide your way down).

Map (http://i.imgur.com/5Lw91Fo.png)



1 - Melee Defense Up (S) (inside; third floor) (http://i.imgur.com/w2uxBzF.png)
2 - Melee Defense Up (L) (inside; third floor) (http://i.imgur.com/D5hrW7A.png)
To reach this one, find a broken piece of the wall (a sort of "window"), which is located across the room from where the previous chest was. From this "window", look outside and to the left to see another opening in the wall of this building. Double-jump your way to this opening to access the chest.



3 - Amber x 2 (inside; fourth floor) (http://i.imgur.com/1Im2Ey5.jpg)
To reach this one, first go on the fourth floor. Then find another broken piece of the wall, from where you can then double jump and then dash (dodge) in the air to reach another part of the fourth floor, where the chest is.

4 - Impact Bracer (S) (on some ledges/scaffolds) (http://i.imgur.com/ZxBQv98.png)
Reach it by jumping up on a bus behind a barricade. You can't jump over the barricade, so you'll have to go around to get to the bus.



5 - Ranged Attack Up (S) (rooftop) (http://i.imgur.com/Ze3fjkv.png)
6 - Impact Bracer (L) (rooftop) (http://i.imgur.com/hSV6YTr.jpg)

7 - Small Recovery (rooftop) (http://i.imgur.com/jl8imO9.png)
8 - Large G Luck+ (inside; climb tree roots from the north side of the building to get inside) (http://i.imgur.com/TfaDydF.jpg)
9 - Silver Ore x 3 (climb up the long ladder) (http://i.imgur.com/ktpTkDg.png)
10 - Memory Alloy x 2 (jump and glide from the previous treasure towards the rooftop of the small structure east of it) (http://i.imgur.com/Sj92D0d.png)
11 - Melee Attack Up (S) (rooftop; from the street, climb along the tree root west of it) (http://i.imgur.com/aiaoI1h.png)
12 - Silver Ore x 3 (rooftop; from the street, climb along the big tree root northwest of it) (http://i.imgur.com/dL6UtNs.jpg)
13 - Meteorite (rooftop; from the previous treasure, glide to this one) (http://i.imgur.com/EUMjfQf.png)
14 - Medium Recovery (behind the waterfall) (http://i.imgur.com/WE3Vys5.jpg)

Collection Points:
- Amber
- Copper Ore
- Crystal
- Iron Ore
- Plant Seed
- Small Recovery
- Tree Sap
- Tree Seed
- (Few hundreds) G

Collection Bodies (Chips):
- Ranged Defense
- Melee Defense

 

Resistance Camp

Summary:
- Continue with the story, which will mean doing two mandatory Quests
- Shop advice: buy a few Ranged/Melee Attack Up (10-15 of each); spend the rest for +8 Storage upgrades
- Upgrades: after completing the Quests you will have enough Materials to upgrade the Virtuous Contract weapon. Do so
- Before continuing to the Desert, backtrack to the Abandoned Factory for some extra treasures (it's worth the detour)

Small area, no real need for a map.

1 - Medium Recovery (near Supply Trader) (http://i.imgur.com/pYdxUfy.png)
2 - Small Recovery (behind boxes near where Anemone is) (http://i.imgur.com/8AJYRCk.png)
3 - Animal Bait (on the truck near the Access Point) (http://i.imgur.com/LDfGxKU.png)
4 - Small Recovery (in the back area, climb up a ladder and go left) (http://i.imgur.com/9L69FHV.png)

Quest # 56 - The Weapon Dealer's Request
Reward: Rusted Clump/Copper Ore x 5, Crystal x 5, Beast Hide x 5, 5,000 G, 50 EXP.

Quest # 13 - The Supply Trader's Request
Reward: Warped Wire x 3, Amber x 2, Medium Recovery x 2, 3,000 G, 50 EXP.

To return to the Abandoned Factory, follow the path on the collapsed bridge on the west side of City Ruins.



(http://i.imgur.com/h23moKP.png)

 

Abandoned Factory (Treasures)

There are two treasures we're here for:

1 - Medium Recovery (outside, on a truck) (http://i.imgur.com/LvLjo7j.png)
2 - Virtuous Treaty (Weapon) (http://i.imgur.com/UD7ytzP.png)
This is marked with a red dot on your map.

Activate the Access Point too while you're here.

When that's done, continue to the Desert areas. 

 

Desert: Camp (First Area)

Summary:
- Continue with the story

Map (http://i.imgur.com/zsg1b7f.png)
Note that this area features underground passages, marked by those dark-blue lines on my map.



1 - 1,000 G (rooftop; jump on pipes to get there) (http://i.imgur.com/cLtuWnE.png)

2 - Animal Bait (http://i.imgur.com/aKs8F49.png)
Go northeast down a slope to find this one. From there, enter the nearby tunnel.

Go in the tunnel from the nearby entrance (there is also another entrance below where you are now; they are very close to each other). In the tunnel, go northeast first, and climb your way out.

3 - Dented Socket, Severed Cable, Small Gear, Broken Battery, Rusty Bolt, Stripped Screw, Crushed Nut (take northeastern exit from the tunnel underground) (http://i.imgur.com/7aclose.jpg)
4 - Medium Recovery (underground) (http://i.imgur.com/CgJoy0s.png)
5 - Memory Alloy x 2 (reached via tunnel) (http://i.imgur.com/CsDmaN6.jpg)
6 - 2,000 G (underground) (http://i.imgur.com/i65E6um.png)
7 - Gold Ore x 2 (reached via tunnel) (http://i.imgur.com/PmhYCap.jpg)

8 - Ranged Attack Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/w77HaQh.png)

9 - Small Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/Qcxp3Ya.jpg)

Collection Points (all Desert areas):
- Amber
- Ancient Mask
- Copper Ore
- Crystal
- Gold Ore
- Iron Ore
- Large Recovery
- Moldavite
- Medium Recovery
- Silver Ore
- Small Recovery
- Tech Manual
- Torn Book
- (Few hundreds) G

Chapter 03

Desert: Center (Second Area)

Summary:
- There is an important treasure to pick up here (2 on my list): it's Pod C, your second Pod
- To continue with the story you can go straight east, ignoring the other red-areas on the map

Map (http://i.imgur.com/cshhqHk.png)
The pink question mark on my map represents the location of the first DLC-machine you can come across (http://i.imgur.com/qHO1ZBo.png). Even if you have the DLC, there's really nothing you can do about it for now.



1 - Ranged Defense Up (L) (http://i.imgur.com/BOXSExY.png)

2 - Pod C (http://i.imgur.com/FaZChtF.png)



3 - Speed Salve (S) (http://i.imgur.com/JUp9NFB.png)
4 - Melee Defense Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/3MwkixD.png)
5 - Skill Salve (S) (http://i.imgur.com/cc1TGod.png)
6 - Silver Ore x 3 (http://i.imgur.com/KoNqfU7.png)
7 - Gold Ore x 2 (western oasis; find your way around the storm, from northeast to southwest, to get there) (http://i.imgur.com/z5FOExt.png)

8 - Small Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/RFnuAWI.png)
9 - Broken Circuit, Broken Key, Warped Wire (http://i.imgur.com/3TQz0qq.png)
10 - Ranged Attack Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/a6faI9S.png)
11 - Melee Attack Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/cUfrYS0.png)
12 - Amber x 2 (http://i.imgur.com/TUIvgFx.png)
13 - Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/nCAhJjI.png)
14 - Ranged Defense Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/7B4Ornz.png)
15 - Impact Bracer (S) (http://i.imgur.com/8xA3Rxq.png)

Collection Points:
- Amber
- Crystal
- Gold Ore
- Iron Ore
- Silver Ore
- Tech Manual
- Thick Dictionary
- Torn Book
- Volt-Proof Salve

Collection Bodies:
- Deadly Heal
- Moving Speed Up
- Max HP Up 

 

Desert: Housing Complex (Third Area)

Summary:
- There is a rather important treasure here (2 on my list) containing the Fang of the Twins weapon
- Continue with the story; expect an easy boss fight at the end of this section

Map (http://i.imgur.com/LaYrEdJ.png)



1 - Small G Luck+ (http://i.imgur.com/kizE0zr.png)
2 - Fang of the Twins (weapon) (up some stairs) (http://i.imgur.com/3wN6zuK.png)
3 - Titanium Alloy x 3 (up some stairs) (http://i.imgur.com/0MelAuO.png)
4 - Ranged Defense Up (S) (up some stairs) (http://i.imgur.com/3tJ0n1i.png)

Optional - Short Quest Break?

Summary:
- As you head back, a choice will prompt: either go back to Resistance Camp, or keep fighting. The choice does't really matter (you can go back to Resistance Camp regardless; it just becomes mandatory to do so if you choose to go back to Resistance Camp)
- Quests: two available in The Bunker (you can get back to it from the Access Point in Resistance Camp). Accept them both, but only do the latter (Improving Communications) for now

There are two chests in the new room available in Resistance Camp:
- Small G Luck+ (http://i.imgur.com/toRt5JI.jpg)
- Volt-Proof Salve

Quest # 38 - 11B's Memento
(Future Reward: YoRHa-issue Blade (weapon), Melee Defense Up (L), Ranged Defense Up (L), Melee Defense +6 (Chip), 5,000 G, 200 EXP)
Note: this requires backtracking. Easier if you do this quest later, after unlocking fast-travel (the quest will still be available then). Despite having a weapon reward (and it's also a weapon that, if upgraded, gives a -30% discount at most shops), it's really not important or worth all the walking it requires right now. It can wait, trust me.

Quest # 20 - Improving Communications
Reward: Simple Gadget x 5, Medium Recovery x 3; 3,000 G; 320 EXP.
Note: this quest will expire after the next two dungeons. You'll have other chances to complete it after your third playthrough, but if you want to get it out of the way earlier, do it now.

Chapter 04

Sewers Passage

Summary:
- Two important treasures can be obtained on the way to your next destination. The passage to get there is through the sewers, underground (go down a ladder). One treasure can be found via Fishing in the sewer itself, and it's the Iron Pipe (Weapon). Another one can be found by detouring through a somewhat hidden passage in the sewers, and it's the Virtuous Dignity (Weapon)

One less important treasure can be found in an alcove on the left, and it has a Medium Recovery.

Iron Pipe (http://i.imgur.com/TWmZTVC.jpg)
As I said, it must be fished. The position where you throw the Pod to fish doesn't have to be exactly the same as mine, either (try to throw him in that area though). If you don't get the Iron Pipe right away, keep trying. For more info on Fishing, check the corresponding section of the walkthrough.



Virtuous Dignity (http://i.imgur.com/sv7r7Cm.png)
For this other one, go almost all the way to the end of the tunnel, but instead of taking a left turn to go up the ladder leading to your destination, proceed forward through what seems to be a dead end made of debris. You'll actually get through, and when you come out from the other side you'll find the weapon in a tree.



On to the next area then. 

 

Amusement Park

 

Summary:
- There will be an optional "tank" mini-boss on the way. It's worth fighting him, since he always drops a Machine Core (item that can be sold for 10,000 G)
- Continue with the story events; expect a proper boss not too long after the mini-boss

Map (http://i.imgur.com/isKpBrx.png)
Note: the "0" icons on the map indicate the position of NPCs that will give you some common loot (which sells for a bit of cash though) if you speak with them. Process can be repeated (not worth it though).
The "M" icon represents a Material shop (nothing important to buy now).



0 - Drab Bracelet/Shattered Earring (speak with friendly machines) (http://i.imgur.com/cZvJfs3.png)
1 - Small Recovery (on a ledge; reach it from the stairs near the shop) (http://i.imgur.com/9cFHd6d.png)
2 - Skill Salve (S) (on a platform in the area with an amusement ride) (http://i.imgur.com/BeB3upu.png)



In order to proceed you need to jump on the "cars" of the amusement ride shown in the previous picture (whereas, for treasure 2, you need to reach it by jumping from the ground to the grey ledge and then to the ledge with the chest). You can check the picture below if you need (http://i.imgur.com/XJK2Z6Z.png):



After that there will be the tank mini-boss, and then shortly after the actual boss.

After the boss you can collect the remaining treasures, since a new path will be open on the west side.

3 - Speed Salve (L) (http://i.imgur.com/42Zsbnf.png)

4 - Impact Bracer (S) (available after defeating the boss) (http://i.imgur.com/wvVzF9b.png)
5 - Small Recovery (drop down the lower path on the wooden bridge as you leave) (http://i.imgur.com/Pt4uOon.png)

Collection Points:
- Copper Ore
- Crystal
- Drab Bracelet
- Iron Ore
- Lovely Choker
- Shattered Earrings
- (Few hundreds) G

Collection Bodies:
- Evade Range Up

Chapter 05

Pascal's Village

Summary:
- Speak with Pascal twice, then leave the way you came from and re-enter the village (this spawns shops and quests)
- Shop advice: you can make an investment of purchasing 24x Drop Rate Up chips from the local shop to then Fuse in the Resistance Camp, so you can get the Drop Rate Up +90% effect early on. This is recommended
- Shop advice: also buy about 10x Ranged Attack Up if you don't already have them
- Quests: there are four available. Accept the three in the village (ignore the one outside), but only do the first steps of Jean-Paul's Melancholy (read below for more info). Ignore the fourth one
- Go to City Ruins afterwards (take the shortcut from the village; see map)

Map (http://i.imgur.com/fWqnk8F.png)



1 - Animal Bait (bottom level, in a shack) (http://i.imgur.com/rK0GPEl.jpg)
2 - Small G Luck+ (bottom level) (http://i.imgur.com/Cfv0CLj.jpg)
3 - Small Recovery (upper level, on a wooden platform) (http://i.imgur.com/fMx5IOq.jpg)
4 - Skill Salve (S) (upper level, in a shack) (http://i.imgur.com/MsMMe9G.jpg)
5 - Speed Salve (S) (middle level; reach from a ladder on the upper level; jump past robot to get it) (http://i.imgur.com/1pHwm0g.jpg)

Drop Rate Up investment
If you buy 24x Drop Rate Up here now you can Fuse them at Resistance Camp later to get Drop Rate Up +3 and Drop Rate Up +4 (together they give a +90% Drop Rate Up effect, which is the max you can get). The total cost of the process is 49,000 G, and it's worth the investment (even if you don't intend to farm Chips/Materials (and you shouldn't farm them), with Drop Rate Up you will naturally collect so many more Materials and Chips that simply by selling them you will get a return on your investment sooner than later).

Quest # 01 - Jean-Paul's Melancholy
Location: Jean-Paul (upper level of Pascal's Village).
Progression for now: the first NPC is located here in Pascal's Village (middle level, to the far right), and she'll give you the Letter for Jean-Paul item. Report this back to Jean-Paul, so the other two target NPCs will appear on the map (one in the Desert, the other in the Amusement Park). Don't go to them now; we'll do it later at a more convenient time.
(Future Reward: Beast Hide x 5, Medium Recovery x 2; EXP Gain Up +3; 5,000 G; 500 EXP)

Just accept/start these two quests:

Quest # 40 - The Wandering Couple
(Future Reward for the first part: Medium Recovery x 3, Pearl x 5; 5,000 G; 200 EXP)

Quest # 12 - Lost Girl
(Future Reward: Pink Ribbon, Blue Ribbon; 5,000 G; 750 EXP)

There is also another quest available on the way between Pascal's Village and the Amusement Park. It's from a robot up on a wooden platform, but it requires 180,000 G to complete, and it's absolutely not worth it. Don't even bother to accept/start it, since you should do this quest only after the third playthrough. I'm mentioning it just because it's here.

Quest # 30 - Half-wit Inventor

Resistance Camp & Pascal's Village

 

Summary:
- Speak with Anemone (Resistance Camp)
- Shop advice: if you bought them, Fuse the Drop Rate Up chips together
- Quests: start the two available ones in Resistance Camp (one is in the back area)
- Go give Pascal the Viscous Oil (he's in Pascal's Village, upper level)
- Return to City Ruins ("updated" version)

Quest # 18 - Resistance Disappearence
(Future Reward: Pyrite x 5, Medium Recovery x 2, Pearl x 3; Max HP Up +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,200 EXP)

Quest # 14 - The Manager's Request
(Future Reward: Medium Recovery x 2, Tree Seed x 5, Animal Bait x 5; Anti-Chain Damage +3 (Chip); 3,000 G; 250 EXP)

Drop Rate Up (How to Fuse for +90% effect):
- At the Maintenance Shop (Resistance Camp), fuse the 24x Drop Rate Up into 12x Drop Rate Up +1
- Then fuse the 12x Drop Rate Up +1 into 6x Drop Rate Up +2
- Then fuse the 6x Drop Rate Up +2 into 3x Drop Rate Up +3
- Lastly, fuse two of the three Drop Rate Up +3 into one Drop Rate Up +4
- Remember to equip Drop Rate Up +3 and Drop Rate Up +4 on your current chipset (they occupy 30 slots in total) 

 

City Ruins - "Updated" version

Summary:
- You can fight the two mini-boss enemies either from the ground (boring, but more rewarding) or by following the instructions (more exciting, but far less rewarding)
- My advice: on a normal playthrough, choose whichever you prefer; on a Very Hard playthrough you definitely want the extra rewards
- Either way you'll need to get to the flight units (rooftop) to continue

If you fight the enemies from the ground
The enemies can't really hit you if you go below their "crotch area", so it's all a matter of using the Pod regular attacks to "slowly" but surely kill them (aim at their crotch area). Using Ranged Attack Up items will make things faster (on Very Hard it too me less than 5 minutes for both). Video demonstration below.



Rewards for defeating them from the ground:
- Ranged Attack Up (L), Large Recovery, Ranged Defense Up (L); Down-Attack Up +3 (Chip); 5,000 G
- Melee Attack Up (L), Large Recovery, Melee Defense Up (L); Offensive Heal +3 (Chip); 5,000 G
- If you have Drop Rate Up there is a high chance that they will also drop Machine Cores (find them on the ground)

 

Summary (after the fights):
- New treasures available in City Ruins (see map)
- Quests: a lot of new ones available; do none of them yet
- Continue with the story in the Deep Cave. This will eventually result in a minor boss fight, and shortly after that (as you backtrack) you will unlock fast-travel

Map (City Ruins - "updated" version) (http://i.imgur.com/a12k6El.png)



1 - Speed Salve (L) (inside building, just in the same position where a previous treasure was) (http://i.imgur.com/C4rhuVO.jpg)
2 - Small Recovery (crater area) (http://i.imgur.com/3TIG3cP.jpg)
3 - Medium Recovery (crater area) (http://i.imgur.com/OPFoU4l.jpg)
4 - 1,000 G (on the fallen Goliath) (http://i.imgur.com/UyiW0xA.jpg)

If you can't see where to go to continue, you need to jump in the large hole in the ground on the east side of the crater:



5 - Ranged Defense Up (S) (in the underground cave) (http://i.imgur.com/bL4tDSF.jpg)
6 - Titanium Alloy x 3 (in the underground cave) (http://i.imgur.com/YGqjuU2.jpg)

Chapter 06

 

At this point (after unlocking fast-travel) you can take the first of two major quest breaks. You'll be able to complete many (but not all) of the quests available, which will give you a lot of G and EXP.

Some of the available quests are virtually impossible without too much grinding, so I advise to leave them for the second major quest break, which will occur after the next two story dungeons. At that point you will be able to purchase incredibly powerful Chips, which will make every available quest doable (with the exception of the quest in Pascal's Village (Half-wit Inventor) that requires a 180,000 G investment to complete).

All of this is optional of course, so feel free to skip ahead and continue with the story. It is a nice break for a change though, so I would recommend it.

Story Break - Quests Time!

Resistance Camp

Not much to do here, but you can buy Ranged/Melee Attack Up (L) now. You may want to stock up (20x of each should be plenty for now).
Abandoned Factory

Outside you can find the Elaborate Gadget (quest item for The Wandering Couple) as a Collection Point (http://i.imgur.com/qY72ZAa.jpg)
Backtrack to the starting area (remember to use the bridge-shortcut) to find the 11B's Escape Plan (quest item for 11B's Memento) (http://i.imgur.com/04lsRSl.jpg)
While you're here, there is a new chest somewhere near the body you just examine for the quest (http://i.imgur.com/W4WkAny.png). Chest content: Stripped Screw, Crushed Nut, Rusty Bolt, Small Gear, Dented Socket, Severed Cable, Broken Battery
Backtrack to the Access Point and teleport to The Bunker.

The Bunker

Speak with the Commander while you're here, so you can advance with the story.
Report completion of the quest 11B's Memento. You'll be given two options; they don't change the reward.
Teleport to City Ruins: Near the Tower.

City Ruins

Here's a map of the quests we'll do (green numbers = where the corresponding quest starts).



Quest # 21 - Investigating Communications
Quest received when you are near the big tall tower; complete it after accepting it.
Reward: 320 EXP.
Quest # 49 - Retrieve the Confidential Intel
Reward: Crushed Nut x 3, Dented Plate x 4, Large G Luck+, Skill Salve (L), Large Recovery; 5,000 G; 800 EXP; Pod Program "A140: Gravity".
Note: the quest won't be completed until later, but you can still do most of it and get your reward.
Quest # 35 - Speed Star
The NPC is on top of the collapsed bridge. The first race is easy; second one medium difficulty; third one harder. You don't need Movement Speed Up Chips; you don't need Speed Salve (items). Check the video below if you need help.
Reward: Speed Salve (L), Dented Plate x 4, Rusty Bolt x 3, New Bolt; Moving Speed Up +3 (Chip); 10,000 G; 750 EXP.


Quest # 02 - Machine Examination 1
Just accept the quest for now.
(Future Reward: 3,000 G; 500 EXP)
Resistance Camp

Quest # 37 - Photographs
Just accept the quest for now.
(Future Reward: Speed Salve (L), Medium Recovery, Amber x 2, Pyrite x 3; Charge Attack +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 500 EXP)
Purchase the Pod Program "A060: P Shield" at the Maintenance Shop in Resistance Camp (it will help with one of the next quests).
Purchase a handful of (at least 20x of each) Melee Attack Up (L) and Ranged Attack Up (L).
Next we'll go to a new area, mostly to get Pod B a bit earlier. The area is called Flooded City, and it's accessed through a large sewer-pipe on the eastern/southeastern side of the crater area. See picture below if needed.



Flooded City (early visit)

Map (http://i.imgur.com/peHaKoL.png)
The pink P indicates the general location where you can fish Pod B out of the water.



When you are going through the tunnel, you can loot two chests in two different "alcoves" on the side of the main path through the tunnel:
- Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/mMaEyNW.jpg)
- Small G Luck+ (http://i.imgur.com/746UAC0.jpg)
Activate the Access Point and loot the available treasures:
- Black Pearl x 2 (inside building) (http://i.imgur.com/s013Nc3.jpg)
- 1,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/2lEo0dK.jpg)
- Small Recovery (long-jump to an isolated building in the middle of the water) (http://i.imgur.com/jDy6IHf.jpg)
- Type-3 Lance (Weapon) (same location as previous treasure)
- Skill Salve (S) (http://i.imgur.com/nM1Yq9P.jpg)

Fish out Pod B from the water in the area. Below is a picture with an approximate location of where you can get it. You will probably need a few tries (15-20) before you get lucky. Just keep trying.

(http://i.imgur.com/FxCfQSL.jpg)

Collection Points:
- Copper Ore
- Moldavite
- Tanning Agent
- Dye
- Pure Water

Collection Bodies:
- Counter
- Reset

Next, go to the Amusement Park.

Amusement Park

Find the machine fan of Jean-Paul's to get the Beautiful Glass and progress with Jean-Paul's Melancholy.
Quest # 53 - Stamp Collecting
Reward: Broken Circuit x 5, Precious Earrings, Large Recovery; Fast Cooldown +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,150 EXP.
You can check this picture for a slightly more accurate location of the Stamps. Note that the two northern-most ones are inside the opera house (go there through the bridge you used to come out of it, originally), and inside the opera house's underground. In the underground you'll have to fight many enemies in a 2D screen. Use Pod B here (enhance it with Ranged Attack Up).


You will have automatically collected the Park Photo (quest item for Photographs) while you collect Stamps..
Pick up the Rusty Music Box from the ground (quest item for The Manager's Request).
Desert: Camp

Quest # 19 - Jackass's Research
Use a charged P Shield (Pod Program) to make the quest easier during the no-hit fights.
Reward (total): Medium Recovery x 4; 4,000 G; 400 EXP.
Note: the quest won't be completed yet.
Resistance Camp

Report and complete The Manager's Request.
After completing the aforementioned quest you'll be able to access the last bit of the back area. Two chests can be found there:
- Impact Bracer (S) (http://i.imgur.com/urocCYo.jpg)
- Large G Luck+
Examine the column to the left of the chests to continue with the quest Resistance Disappearance (picture: http://i.imgur.com/U66YShU.jpg)
Quest # 50 - Sorting Trouble
Picture of the solution: http://i.imgur.com/yjHnLgu.png.
Reward: Rusted Clump x 5, Medium Recovery, Skill Salve (L); Evade Range Up +3 (Chip); 3,000 G; 350 EXP.
Make sure you have at least 10x each of Melee/Ranged Attack Up (L) before you leave.
Desert: Camp

Jackass should have sent you an email after you left the Desert earlier. Speak with her again to receive the final reward (E-Drug x 5, 5,000 G, 500 EXP) and complete Jackass's Research.
Get the Pristine Screw from the special enemy in the Desert Area (item for Machine Examination 1). Taunt and Melee Attack Up (L) for extra damage.
Kill the target enemies of the quest Resistance Disappearance. There will be a few level 30 enemies, and one level 35 enemy. Use Taunt and Melee/Ranged Attack Up. Try to pick the level 30 enemies off one by one. I was level 14 when I did this one Very Hard difficulty; it takes a while to kill the main guy, but it's doable (he's slow and has a simple melee combo that's easy to avoid). Then get the Man's Journal and Memory Chip to continue with the quest.
Desert: Center

Find and escort the target for the Lost Girl quest. You'll get the Pink Ribbon after this is done (the quest won't be completed yet).
Go to the second oasis (west side; access it from northeast to southwest) to get the Desert Photo (for the quest Photographs).
Desert: Housing Complex

Find and speak with another fan of Jean-Paul's to get the Machine Fossil (quest item for Jean-Paul's Melancholy).
Find and speak with the NPC in a house to continue Retrieve the Confidential Intel quest (he'll be marked on your map).
Resistance Camp

You'll receive an email "Commander: Search Order Annulment": open it at the Access Point to complete Retrieve the Confidential Intel.
Report progress on Resistance Disappearance.
Then walk a few meters out of the Resistance Camp on foot, then go back inside to find another NPC to end the quest Resistance Disappearance.
Pascal's Village & co.

Report completion of the quest Lost Girl.
Report progress on The Wandering Couple (the quest won't end yet).
Speak with Jean-Paul to progress with Jean-Paul's Melancholy.
Speak with the make-up-machine NPC to continue with Jean-Paul's Melancholy.
Ignore the quest between Pascal's Village and City Ruins for now. Instead, finish Jean-Paul's Melancholy once and for all:

Go to Amusement Park and speak with the NPC to continue with Jean-Paul's Melancholy.
Go to Desert: Housing Complex and speak with the NPC to continue with Jean-Paul's Melancholy.
Go to Pascal's Village and speak with the NPC near Jean-Paul's previous location to end the quest.
City Ruins

Quest # 43 - YoRHa's Betrayal
Initiate this quest by reading the email "Operator 6O: Confidential Mission Details".
The targets will be found in one (random) of the three possible locations. Two of the locations are on a rooftop and on top of the Goliath.
Win two fights, then speak with Anemone to end the quest.
Reward: 10,000 G; 400 EXP; Type-4O Lance (Weapon).

Report and complete Machine Examination 1.
Quest # 03 - Machine Examination 2
Reward (first part): 5,000 G; 750 EXP; Engels 110-B Record 0010.
Note: this quest continues later in the story. For now just do the fetch-item part.
Make sure you have 50,000 G for the next quest. If not, sell useless* Materials/items (or you can just ignore the quest).
*By "useless" Materials/items I mean everything that is neither missable/unique, nor rare. In particular, you must never sell these Materials (if you have them): Powerup Part S (missable/available in limited quantities), Simple Gadget (very rare), Elaborate Gadget (extremely rare).
You shouldn't have any of the following ones, but if you do make sure to avoid selling them too (they are not too rare, but they can't be bought either): Beast Hide, Mushroom, Giant Egg, Eagle Eggs, Pure Water.
Also make sure to keep one each of these, since they will requested by quest-NPCs later: Warped Wire, Memory Alloy x 2, Broken Circuit, Silver Ore, Pristine Screw, Broken Battery, Gold Ore, Filler Metal, Pristine Cable, Large Battery.
Lastly, these are the Materials needed to upgrade our future weapons of choice (Ancient Overlord and Iron Pipe) to Level 3: Copper Ore x 5, Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Rusted Clump x 5, Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Broken Key x 5, Warped Wire x 5, Broken Circuit x 5, Small Gear x 6, Crystal x 5,  Amber x 4.

The Wandering Couple (Part 2)

Go to Flooded City and give them 50,000 G.
Fast-travel away (for example to Desert: Housing Complex) to update quest.
Go back to Flooded City and speak with the NPC.
Go to Amusement Park (http://i.imgur.com/7zuG4hb.jpg) and give a Memory Alloy to end the quest.
Reward (second part): Full Recovery, Black Pearl x 4, Moldavite x 4; Overclock +3 (Chip); 10,000 G; 750 EXP; Pod Program "A080: Wave".
Last Quests

Of the remaining quests, the only one you should bother with at this point is the one between Pascal's Village and City Ruins. With the Pod Program "Wave", some Taunts, and some Melee/Ranged Attack Up (L), it should be doable easily. To be safe, save before starting the quest (it can be failed).

Quest # 4 - Family Squabble
If the escorted-NPC dies, the quest will be failed. You can try again in your next playthrough, and then as many times as it takes after your third playthrough (so it's not permanently missable). Use Taunt and Melee/Ranged Attack Up (L).
Reward: Medium Recovery, Impact Bracer (L), Broken Battery x 3; Deadly Heal +3 (Chip); 10,000 G; 750 EXP.

 

Story Continuation - The Bunker & Pascal's Village

Summary:
- If you didn't come here earlier for quest-purposes, speak with the Commander in The Bunker
- Speak with Pascal in his village

To the Forest Kingdom

Summary:
- Quests: two new ones available in City Ruins. They are worth the trouble
- Go to the Commercial Facility to continue with the story

Quest # 22 - Terminal Repairs
Teleport to City Ruins: Center. Kill all the enemies around the Access Point. Then go (on foot) north/northeast towards the Access Point "City Ruins: Near the Tower" -- you should receive an email, and then a call from Operator 6O. This will initiate the quest. Do the necessary steps, and open the email you receive at the end for your reward.
Reward: Medium Recovery x 2, Simple Gadget x 3; 3,000 G; 600 EXP.

Go back to Resistance Camp (fast-travel there) to receive an email. Open that email ("Operator 6O: Thanks for your help the other day!") to start the next quest.

Quest # 23 - Find a Present
Target item: http://i.imgur.com/qElZVr2.jpg
Reward: Amber x 4; Pod Program "A130: Bomb"; Type-4O Sword; 5,000 G; 800 EXP.

There is only one treasure in Commercial Facility.

1 - Animal Bait (up the ledge northeast) (http://i.imgur.com/iJCaq7z.jpg)

Forest Kingdom - Forest

Summary:
- Quest warning: there is a detour down a cliff where you can find a machine that will ask you to kill him. Do NOT kill him, since sparing him will activate the (very important) quest Lord of the Valley
- Quest warning 2: likewise, when approaching the NPC (enemy machine with a boar ally) for the quest Animal Care, fight them but decide to spare the animal to be able to do the quest later (the quest becomes available later)
- Don't do either quest; there is a better time to do them later
- Missable items warning: if you do the quest Animal Care, make sure to pick up the optional unique items DURING the quest, since they can be missable!

- Three important items to pick up: Dragoon Lance, Phoenix Dagger, Cypress Stick
- You can get the Forest Photo (quest Photographs) here
- Continue to the next area

Map (http://i.imgur.com/CABP18V.png)
The yellow star near treasure 2 marks the location of Virtuous Grief. See pictures below for the route to get there.



1 - Amber x 2 (http://i.imgur.com/3a9TETU.jpg)
2 - Dragoon Lance (Weapon) (in a cave) (http://i.imgur.com/xKF6d1d.jpg)

(Yellow Star) - Virtuous Grief (inside a tree up on the hill) (http://i.imgur.com/3tglcwj.jpg)



For these treasures, go down the path leading to the crevasse.

Quest # 26 - Lord of the Valley
Do not kill the machine you find in the crevasse, because he gives you this quest!
Also, leave this quest for later; doing it now takes too long.
(Future Reward: Memory Alloy x 4, Clean Nut x 6; Last Stand +3 (Chip), Vengeance +3 (Chip), Taunt Up +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,500 EXP)

3 - Speed Salve (S) (http://i.imgur.com/eKDUyNO.jpg)
4 - Skill Salve (S) (http://i.imgur.com/D6buryi.jpg)
5 - Impact Bracer (S) (http://i.imgur.com/fnM5B9M.jpg)
6 - Phoenix Dagger (Weapon) (http://i.imgur.com/MlBKNnw.jpg)

Climb back up the cliff, and engage the NPC+boar marked on the map (fight them). When the fight stops, spare the boar, so you can get the quest Animal Care later.

7 - Large Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/dTFqL4T.jpg)
8 - 2,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/78730nL.jpg)
9 - Meteorite (http://i.imgur.com/MNgzhAG.jpg)
10 - Ranged Attack Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/px8KVLd.jpg)
11 - Small Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/9MNQoB1.jpg)
12 - 1,000 G ("inside" a broken piece of bridge) (http://i.imgur.com/lLyOhNv.jpg)
13 - Melee Attack Up (S) (on the cliff) (http://i.imgur.com/X7hkjQU.jpg)
14 - Small Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/D1TY1zA.jpg)
15 - Cypress Stick (on the collapsed ruins) (http://i.imgur.com/1AkBq2P.jpg)
To get the Cypress Stick you'll need to start climbing on pillars from southwest. Go southwest from the treasure until you find an oblique pillar. Go up this one, and start jumping from pillar to platforms, until you get to the platform where the chest is. I suggest using double-jump + aerial dash to jump from a pillar on to the next platform, whereas to jump from a platform to a pillar, or from a pillar to another pillar, I recommend doing only a double jump followed by a Pod glide (hold the jump button after the second jump). This will make landing in the right spot much easier.

16 - Warped Wire, Broken Key, Broken Circuit (jump across the broken bridge) (http://i.imgur.com/D52A8yZ.jpg)

Collection Points:
- Copper Ore
- Crystal
- Eagle Eggs
- Giant Egg
- Gold Ore
- Iron Ore
- Moldavite
- Mushroom
- Plant Seed
- Pyrite
- Silver Ore

Collection Bodies:
- Shock Wave
- Damage Absorb
- Ranged Defense

Forest Kingdom - Castle

Summary:
- In case you come across chests that contain "machine parts", know that these are tied to a quest (Treasure Hunt at the Castle) (you can't collect these items yet), so don't try to somehow open them because you won't be able to
- Continue with the story

Map (http://i.imgur.com/3dmykrm.png)
The purple circles on my map are the "machine parts" chests for the quest Treasure Hunt at the Castle (available later).



1 - Melee Defense Up (L) (http://i.imgur.com/oSG6sfK.jpg)
2 - Small Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/xXGhTEj.jpg)
3 - Melee Attack Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/ffHuyS8.jpg)
4 - Titanium Alloy x 3 (broken small ledge in the library; jump from the stairs on its right to get there) (http://i.imgur.com/OCDz7Tm.jpg)



5 - Broken Key, Broken Circuit, Warped Wire (http://i.imgur.com/e7u7qZx.jpg)



From the previous treasure, go back right to the debris-ramp, and follow the path into the next room/corridor. As you continue, you'll find a hole in the floor leading to the next one.

6 - Gold Ore x 2 (http://i.imgur.com/UEJc0Fu.jpg)

7 - Volt-Proof Salve (jump off a ramp to reach the highest floor) (http://i.imgur.com/scgzFsr.jpg)

On the bridge below the bridge just to the right of the Access Point (in the Royal Chamber) you can find the secret weapon shop Masamune, the only one in the game where you can upgrade weapons to level 4.

(http://i.imgur.com/CooZWip.jpg)



From the same bridge as Masamune's shop, you can jump down and glide left to reach a ledge from where you can go get the last treasure.

8 - Memory Alloy x 2 (http://i.imgur.com/QSTczfZ.jpg)



Chapter 07

After Forest Kingdom

Summary:
- Speak with Pascal in his village
- Speak with Anemone in Resistance Camp

Story Break - Quest Time 2!

Another major quest break can occur now. After the events in Forest Castle there will be a new shop in City Ruins, which sells high-level Chips which will allow you to complete every quest available now, including the harder ones (those against enemies level 50-60) even if you are at level 15-20. Doing quests itself will bring your levels up to late 20s anyway.

Keep something in mind: after this break, the story will progress very rapidly towards the end of the game. Therefore doing quests now is recommended. If a quest is too hard for you to deal with, simply leave them for your next playthrough.

If you want to continue with the story, skip ahead.

Resistance Camp

Report completion of the quest Photographs.
Quest # 15 - Camp Development
Start quest only for now.
(Future Reward: Large G Luck+, Natural Rubber x 5, Torn Book x 5, Medium Recovery; Down Attack Up +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 320 EXP)

Sell everything unnecessary, from Chips (you can sell all your Chips except the Drop Rate Up and the System-type ones) to Materials (do NOT sell important Materials; in particular, avoid selling the Materials needed for the Ancient Overlord upgrades, and do not sell the Materials needed for the Pod upgrades; everything else is ok to sell).
Buy and upgrade the weapon Ancient Overlord (sold here at the camp). Upgrade it to level 3 if you have the Materials. This should be your primary weapon from now on.
City Ruins

Quest # 03 - Machine Examination 2 (continued)
Speak with the machine. You'll need to speak with him multiple times; do so as you save-reload to make your purchases (see below).
Reward: Max HP Up +6 (Chip); Fast Cooldown +6 (Chip); Engels 110-B Record 0020.
Find and spawn Emil's shop south of the Desert: Camp Access Point.

Then fast-travel to Resistance Camp and save the game.

Now check your map to see if Emil spawns outside the Resistance Camp. If he doesn't spawn, or he spawns in the "other" location (west of the one you want), reload. The desired position is shown on the picture below.


Once he spawns in the "good" position, check his shop and he'll probably sell +6 Chips. If not, and he sells weapons instead, don't bother buying anything (you'll buy the weapons another time; save every penny now) and try again.
Buy as many of the Chips in this list as you can afford. In order of priority (the number in brackets is the amount):
1. Taunt Up +6 (1x) - 10,000 G each
2. Critical Up +6 (3x) - 50,000 G each (150,000 G total)
3. Counter +6 (2x) - 10,000 G each (20,000 G total)
Total for these important ones: 170,000 G

If you can afford them, buy also:
4. Overclock +6 (1x) - 50,000 G
5. Critical Up +6 (1x) - 50,000 G
6. Taunt Up +6 (3x) - 10,000 G each (30,000 G total)
7. Counter +6 (2x) - 10,000 G each (20,000 G total)

If you are still not out of cash, then buy also:
8. Max HP Up +6 (1x) - 10,000 G
9. Weapon Attack Up +6 (4x) - 10,000 G each (40,000 G total)
Equip Taunt +6 on your chipset.
We'll do some easier quests now. With the money from these quests, purchase Storage upgrades at the Maintenance Shop in the Resistance Camp, all the way until you get max capacity.

Also buy a handful of Melee Attack Up (L) if possible.

Forest Kingdom

Kill the target enemies for Camp Development.
Quest # 05 - Animal Care
Make sure to get the four optional missable key items (they are unique and missable) in the Commercial Facility. See picture if necessary: http://i.imgur.com/RzFwQ6H.png
While in the Commercial Facility, start the next quest too.
Reward: Quality Sachet, Beast Hide x 5; 3,000 G, 600 EXP.
Quest # 36 - Emil's Memories
Start the quest, then do the first step in the Forest (find the first Lunar Tear; see picture: http://i.imgur.com/BtRpzZb.png
We'll do the rest later.
(Future Reward: Lunar Tear; 1,550 EXP)
Quest # 39 - Treasure Hunt at the Castle
Refer to map of the castle for treasures location: http://i.imgur.com/2WES3sW.jpg
Reward: Large Recovery, Moldavite x 2, Giant Egg x 3; 10,000 G; 1,280 EXP.


There is also a new treasure in the area of the previous quest
- Ranged Defense Up (L) (http://i.imgur.com/p5Ge4v8.jpg)

Quest # 06 - Turf War
Reward: Animal Bait x 5, Full Recovery, Auto-Heal +5 (Chip); 10,000 G; 1,750 EXP.
If you have Ancient Overlord lv 3, Taunt Up +6, and three Critical Up +6 chips equipped (and maybe also some Melee Attack Up (L)), go do the Lord of the Valley quest. Video of the fight can be watched below.


After completing Lord of the Valley, use the Valley shop. If you have the money to do so, Fuse four Critical Up +6 into one Critical Up +8; same goes for any other +6 chip you can turn into +8 (Taunt Up +8 would be really nice).
City Ruins - Hard Quests

The hardest quests will be the last two from Father Servo, and the Parade Escort one. In general, they can be done relatively easily with Critical+Taunt and some Melee Attack Up items. The last one from Father Servo is going to be based on a Counter strategy (pair Counter with Taunt Up on normal difficulties; pair it up with Max HP Up +100% effect on Very Hard).

Don't feel compelled to do the last two from Father Servo and/or Parade Escort. They are hard for the average player on his first playthrough, even though the setups I recommend should make it doable for everyone with a little bit of patience. Check the extended walkthrough for more specific details, if needed.

Quest # 07 - Robo Dojo - White Belt
Reward: Melee Attack Up (L), Small Gear x 3, Small Recovery; Weapon Attack Up (Chip); 3,000 G; 600 EXP.

 Quest # 08 - Robo Dojo - Brown Belt
Reward: Severed Cable x 3, Medium Recovery, Melee Defense Up (L); Melee Defense +1 (Chip); 3,000 G; 1,150 EXP.

Quest # 09 - Robo Dojo - Black Belt
He's level 40 now. Still doable easily.
Reward: Broken Battery x 3, Ranged Attack Up (L), Large Recovery; Ranged Attack Up +2 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,280 EXP. 

Quest # 10 - Robo Dojo - Red and White Belt
He's level 50 now. Getting hard, but doable with Taunt chips.
Reward: Stripped Screw x 3, Full Recovery, Ranged Defense Up (L); Ranged Defense +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,500 EXP.

Quest # 11 - Robo Dojo - Red Belt
He's level 60 now. Need to use Counter, or the fight will last forever. Video below shows the pattern.
Reward: Memory Alloy x 5; Powerup Part S; 10,000 G; 2,000 EXP.


Quest # 54 - Parade Escort
Video below.
Reward: Dented Plate x 4, Dented Socket x 3, Large Recovery, Impact Bracer (L); Reset +3 (Chip); 10,000 G; 750 EXP.



Walkthrough - Summarized (Continued)

Resistance Camp

Report completion of the quest Camp Development.
Quest # 16 - Anemone's Past
Reward: Simple Gadget; Powerup Part S; 10,000 G; 430 EXP.
Final quests mop-up

Quest # 42 - Culinary Researcher
Reward: Melee Attack Up (L) x 2, Melee Defense Up (L) x 2, Ranged Attack Up (L) x 2, Ranged Defense Up (L) x 2, Large Recovery; 5,000 G; 600 EXP.
Go to the Desert: Camp, and use the underground tunnels. Take the northwestern exit from the tunnels and follow the path to reach the second Lunar Tear (Emil's Memories quest) (http://i.imgur.com/8lrmmxN.jpg).


Go to Amusement Park for another Lunar Tear (near the Shop) (http://i.imgur.com/iSSTZiE.jpg).
Go to Flooded City for the last Lunar Tear (http://i.imgur.com/gYHSaIa.jpg).
Note: don't continue with the story events in Flooded City yet, or else you won't be able to complete the quest Emil's Memories in this playthrough (there is always the next playthrough of course).
After the last Lunar Tear you'll have the Elevator Key. Use it in the Commercial Facility (outside the Forest) to access the underground area where you can complete Emil's Memories. While you're there, loot the chests on the west side:
- 2,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/XDbgcxk.jpg)
- Gold Ore x 2
- Animal Bait
That concludes our quest break for this playthrough. It's all story from here on out.

Story Progression - Flooded City

Summary:
- Continue with the story

Chapter 08

The Aftermaths (Flooded City & following)

Summary:
- Get the scanner (Pod Program) from the Resistance Camp. This Pod Program is used by holding down the Pod Program button
- Shop advice: a very useful Chip is available for sale at the new shop in Resistance Camp (the one run by the same NPC that gives you the Scanner program). Make sure to buy it: it's the Auto-Collect Item (Chip)
- Shop advice: the Pod Program M Shield (Maintenance Shop in Resistance Camp) will also come in handy later

- Many scanner-treasures can be found around the world, but instead of finding them now you should probably just wait until the second playthrough to get them (they can be obtained only once per save file anyway). For this first playthrough I will only list the ones found in areas where we pass-by for story-related reasons
- Find the soldier in Flooded City (on the last platform of the area, near a bus) to be given the next destination
- The next destination may be a bit unclear on the map. If you can't figure where to go, you need to head for the Cave (the Deep Cave, in City Ruins), where you will find an elevator to ride to a new dungeon

Scanner Treasures of Resistance Camp:
Scanner Treasure 1 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/K6WrBO4.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/AuMFKL0.jpg)

Scanner Treasures of Flooded City:
Scanner Treasure 1 - Black Pearl (http://i.imgur.com/PKKOvDY.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Iron Will (Weapon) (http://i.imgur.com/dSGeiVF.jpg)

Scanner Treasure of Deep Cave:
Scanner Treasure 1 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/MOm6Lo1.jpg)

XXXXXX City

Summary:
- In the new dungeon there's little to do, aside from looting a bit and fighting a simple boss

Map of the new dungeon (http://i.imgur.com/2iM3r8Q.png) (dungeon name: Copied City)



1 - Ranged Defense Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/fsbTiiw.jpg)
2 - Melee Defense Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/S6Evx6i.jpg)
3 - Large Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/mDhSsvw.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 1 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/a7qITxL.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Moldavite (http://i.imgur.com/aF066lV.jpg)

Collection Bodies:
- Overclock
- Last Stand

Chapter 09

Last (short) break

Summary:
- If you want to do any subquests in this playthrough, now is the time: once the next story events start, it's basically going to be a full rush to the end of the game
- Same goes if you want to purchase something valuable (Auto-Collect Item chip, or Emil's Shop chips): do it now, or it'll be a while until your next oppportunity
- Quest: Heritage of the Past is available in the Desert: Center area (get its Scanner Treasures while you're there)

- When ready to continue, approach Pascal in the Abandoned Factory (doing so will force you to go and complete the next dungeon). There will be several forks and possible detours, so you may want to check the treasure guide/map for this area

Desert: Center

Quest # 48 - Heritage of the Past
The treasures must be found with the Scanner. Reference pictures: http://i.imgur.com/3jNYO3t.png and http://i.imgur.com/Zp8sTAN.jpg
Rewards (all): ("random book" Material (Thick Dictionary/Torn Book/Tech Manual), or Amber) x 3; Thick Dictionary x 3; 25,000 G; 1,050 EXP; Spear of the Usurper (Weapon).

If you'd like to get the regular Scanner Treasures of this area while you're here, this is a map containing both the quest-related ones and the regular ones (http://i.imgur.com/uecqx3L.png):



Scanner Treasure 1 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/7JRa2SN.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/4NbTmhG.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 3 - Elaborate Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/iJXmnGx.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 4 - Phoenix Lance (http://i.imgur.com/a4k86Ux.jpg)

Abandoned Factory Underground

Summary:
- You can find the Engine Blade in a chest, and an Elaborate Gadget (rare Material) as a scanner point before the boss fight
- Beware of the big smashing-machines on some conveyor belt: if they smash you, it's insta-death guaranteed
- Continue with the story

Map (http://i.imgur.com/BDesnBU.png)
Note: the teal-colored circles indicate scanner-treasures.



Yes, I'm painfully aware of how small the map looks on this page. Use the external link (http://i.imgur.com/BDesnBU.png) to have a map of a size you can actually use.

1 - Ranged Attack Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/tHLnGua.jpg)
2 - Small Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/LAsuty9.jpg)
3 - 2,000 G
4 - 3,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/ecud676.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 1 - Moldavite (http://i.imgur.com/1qznvq2.png)

The next treasures is very tricky to get. It's found inside a cylinder, and you can get to it by going up a ramp hidden inside the cylinder (the ramp is not visible). To get on the ramp, jump from right to left into the cylinder, from the right-end side of the cylinder.

5 - Gold Ore x 2 (inside the cylinder)
http://i.imgur.com/TOnNhCY.jpg



6 - Speed Salve (S) (http://i.imgur.com/nw9G7cL.jpg)

7 - Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/DF31O9z.jpg)

8 - Engine Blade (http://i.imgur.com/9pcqXDg.jpg)
9 - Small G Luck+
To get to these two chests, jump on top of the smashing-machines from the ledge on the upper floor.



10 - Animal Bait (http://i.imgur.com/6kYaAzm.jpg)

11 - Melee Attack Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/nCQ0ToH.jpg)

12 - Melee Attack Up (L) (http://i.imgur.com/HljOtTK.jpg)

13 - Impact Bracer (L) (http://i.imgur.com/fBniAv4.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 2 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/NwYQ0jr.png)

14 - Meteorite (http://i.imgur.com/hTDCmtN.jpg)
This one requires a tricky jump, so check the video below:



With that done, proceed to the right until you enter another room. In here you'll find another Access Point and a treasure.

15 - Ranged Defense up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/F9viiFE.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 3 - Elaborate Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/whu7OeR.png)

Chapter 10

Summary:
- Continue until the end of the first playthrough
- You can skip the credits the same way you can skip cutscenes

 

After the first playthrough

After the final bosses and credits, the game will let you save a clear-game data where you got Ending A. Use that save file (Continue, from the Title Screen menu) to start a New Game+ sort of playthrough.

Your second playthrough will be very similar to the first one, but as a general rule:

Collected chests won't "refill" (except in the Abandoned Factory, which resets in each New Game+), so I won't repeat them in the treasures list
Collected scanner-treasures won't "refill"
Completed quests won't reset (except the very first two, which always reset)
Hack-chests (and treasures behind hack-doors) are available, so I'll remind you to get those in particular
Some new quests will be available (plus you may still have a few left-overs from the first playthrough, if they were too hard for you to deal with)
Chapter 01 (NG+)

Summary:
- Provide the "oil"
- In the following section, with the "new" character, kick down the nearby ladder to reach the flight unit. If you detour anywhere else you will receive one of the "joke endings" (Ending G) and you'll have to restart from the beginning of the second playthrough

Do your thing, and then you'll be in The Bunker.

 

The Bunker

1 - Large Recovery (in the Terminal area) (http://i.imgur.com/WK7Qsa0.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 1 - Pyrite (2B's room) (http://i.imgur.com/AxWwztu.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Simple Gadget (9S's room) (http://i.imgur.com/UtwdAfQ.jpg)

Chapter 02 (NG+)

City Ruins

Summary:
- Same story as first playthrough
- The first group of Golden Robots may be available now on the west side of the City Ruins; see Side Events for more information
- If you kill the Golden Robots here, make sure to pick up the forced drop from the smaller one (Powerup Part S), since it's missable

Map (Hack chests and Scanner Treasures) (http://i.imgur.com/Ecs1s8B.png):



1 - Phoenix Sword (roof where you start) (http://i.imgur.com/dKky2Ar.jpg)
2 - Clean Nut, Sturdy Socket, Large Battery, Pristine Cable, New Bolt, Large Gear, Pristine Screw (inside building, underground level) (http://i.imgur.com/lUG1vsv.jpg)
3 - Paper Attached to Vehicle (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/McAcYc6.jpg)
4 - Ragged DVD (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/tN9P22L.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 1 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/gyV7cRj.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/1Nj834k.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 3 - Pyrite (http://i.imgur.com/ayjr0ta.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 4 - Elaborate Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/xlqUNm6.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 5 - Complex Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/i77Z5n3.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 6 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/Tt00lZj.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 7 - Gold Ore (http://i.imgur.com/DaVrcF2.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 8 - (Random low-level Material) (http://i.imgur.com/6lXj3dd.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 9* - Simple Gadget (can't get it now, it's beyond the fence to Pascal's Village) (http://i.imgur.com/NiFU3Uu.jpg)

Resistance Camp

Summary:
- Same story as first playthrough

1 - Type-4O Fists (left of Access Point) (http://i.imgur.com/CNCJUWk.jpg)
2 - Large Recovery (back area) (http://i.imgur.com/W5c50Go.jpg)

Desert: Camp 

 

Summary:
- Same story

Map (Hack chests and Scanner Treasures) (http://i.imgur.com/6dqv86Z.png):



Scanner Treasure 1 - Pyrite (http://i.imgur.com/pu6zNlh.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Simple Gadget (access from tunnel northeast) (http://i.imgur.com/n9pEapP.jpg)

1 - Cruel Blood Oath (Weapon) (underground) (http://i.imgur.com/QWLsNcO.jpg)
This one lies beyond the hack-door underground (in the middle).

Scanner Treasure 3 - Moldavite (http://i.imgur.com/TX6cEQV.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 4 - Gold Ore (access from northwestern tunnel) (http://i.imgur.com/ECyStJu.jpg)

From the underground, take the southwestern exit, and you'll come out in the area where the next chest is.

2 - Project Gestalt Report 6 (Archive) (reached from tunnel southwest) (http://i.imgur.com/nxFK5YX.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 5 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/jgrgfJZ.jpg)

3 - Mysterious Lithograph 4 (Archive) (reached from the tunnel southwest) (http://i.imgur.com/x3rF7Nw.jpg)



Scanner Treasure 6 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/UFx8JyI.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 7 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/wr5kOt3.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 8 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/8f9saI1.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 9 - Pyrite (http://i.imgur.com/fjNoRRu.jpg)

Chapter 03 (NG+)

Desert: Center

Summary:
- Same story as first playthrough

Map (Hack chests and Scanner Treasures*) (http://i.imgur.com/1sMWn8A.png):
*You should have already collected the Scanner Treasures of this area in your first playthrough, when you came here for the quest Heritage of the Past. In that case, they won't be available again, so just get the Hack Chests (I included them just in case you skipped them earlier).



1 - Full Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/6FCPxKS.jpg)
2 - Mysterious Lithograph 3 (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/lQBRAnm.jpg)
3 - Project Gestalt Report 8 (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/zUJylCX.jpg)

You should already have these if you got them earlier:
Scanner Treasure 1 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/7JRa2SN.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/4NbTmhG.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 3 - Elaborate Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/iJXmnGx.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 4 - Phoenix Lance (http://i.imgur.com/a4k86Ux.jpg)

Desert: Housing Complex

Summary:
- The second Golden Robot group can be found here. They don't drop anything special/unique this time
- Same story as first playthrough

Map (Hack chests and Scanner Treasures) (http://i.imgur.com/kSo0GVE.png):



Scanner Treasure 1 - Pyrite (http://i.imgur.com/fArx5N4.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/GCAgO7d.jpg)

1 - Mysterious Lithograph 1 (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/wqkWokQ.jpg)
2 - Bulletin Record (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/ebJtEvV.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 3 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/OhjbRaY.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 4 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/4CN9FZm.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 5 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/pBhduuE.jpg)

3 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/I6bBui2.jpg)

Chapter 04 (NG+)

Summary:
- Shop advice: shops (like Resistance Camp's Supply Trader) finally sell the Item Scan (Chip). Probably not your most needed item if you've been using this walkthrough, but it's available now
- Story same as first playthrough

Amusement Park

Summary:
- Story same as first playthrough

Map (Hack chests and Scanner Points) (http://i.imgur.com/6XgN1vq.png):



Scanner Treasure 1 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/U0FohgE.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/pIN5NAg.jpg)

1 - Tattered Pamphlet (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/FvwGvIk.jpg)
2 - Filthy Lottery Ticket (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/Ql66TXb.jpg)

Scanner Treasure  3 - Pyrite (http://i.imgur.com/NFJRi9B.jpg)
3 - 10,000 G (opera house) (http://i.imgur.com/YAhUSud.jpg)
4 - Demon's Cry (Weapon) (underground) (http://i.imgur.com/HF1GUKg.jpg)

Chapter 05 (NG+)

Pascal's Village & Resistance Camp

Summary:
- Same story as first playthrough
- Quests: several new ones available; do only the three in Pascal's Village

Map (Hack chest and Scanner Treasures) (http://i.imgur.com/jdphoV8.png):



Scanner Treasure 1 - Pyrite (http://i.imgur.com/Rjat9HN.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Silver Ore (roof of the shack) (http://i.imgur.com/6oJQcoj.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 3 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/LzxLHaR.jpg)

1 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/By9hNuQ.jpg)

Remember to pick up the Scanner Treasure to the left of the box you push to connect Pascal's Village and City Ruins (Scanner Treasure 9* in City Ruins) (http://i.imgur.com/NiFU3Uu.jpg).

Quest # 57 - The Recluse
Reward: Small Recovery, Ranged Attack Up (S), Machine Arm x 2; Evade Range Up +3 (Chip); 3,000 G; 1,300 EXP.

Save and reload (or leave and come back) to continue the quest-series.

Quest # 58 - The Recluse Stays Home
Reward: Medium Recovery, Ranged Attack Up (L), Machine Leg x 2; Resilience +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,650 EXP.

Quest # 59 - The Permanent Recluse
Reward: Large Recovery, Skill Salve (L), Machine Torso x 2; Damage Absorb +3 (Chip); 10,000 G; 2,000 EXP.

City Ruins - "Updated" Version

Summary:
- Story same as first playthrough
- Quests: several new ones available; do none for now
- Wise Machines side event available

Map (new Scanner Treasures) (http://i.imgur.com/dO5pU6M.png)



Scanner Treasure 1 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/GMBXn0Q.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/SKL3oib.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 3 - Gold Ore (http://i.imgur.com/98tUvhl.jpg)

Deep Cave

Summary:
- Story same as first playthrough

Hack chest:
1 - Large Gear, Large Battery, Pristine Screw, Pristine Cable, Sturdy Socket, New Bolt, Clean Nut (http://i.imgur.com/WTgN0Pc.jpg)

Chapter 06 (NG+)

The Bunker and Quest Break

With fast-travel unlocked again, we can take a break from the story and do some quests. If you want to continue with the story, click here.

The Bunker

Report to the Commander to advance the story.
Quest # 24 - Data Analysis Freak
Just start the quest for now.
(Future Reward: Medium Recovery x 2, Tech Manual x 3; 3,000 G; 1,150 EXP)
Go to the Amusement Park next.

Amusement Park

The quests available are in the underground of the opera house.

Quest # 32 - Game Dev Machine Lv. 1
Reward: Ranged Attack Up (L), Melee Attack Up (L), Medium Recovery, Rusted Clump x 5, Small Gear x 3; 5,000 G; 1,150 EXP.
Quest # 33 - Game Dev Machine Lv. 2
Just start the quest for now.
Future (soon) Reward: Large Recovery, Melee Defense Up (L), Ranged Defense Up (L); Titanium Alloy x 3; Pristine Cable x 3; Severed Cable x 3; 10,000 G; 1,430 EXP.
Abandoned Factory

There is a hack chest outside:

- Large Recovery (outside) (http://i.imgur.com/A7CJ852.jpg)

Map for the two hack chests and the scanner treasures (http://i.imgur.com/UZMXi0t.png):



1 - Cure All + Heal All (hidden room) (http://i.imgur.com/oKUd8XQ.jpg)
2 - Factory Cafeteria Sign (inside) (http://i.imgur.com/hLatU8d.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 1 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/X0mF1Mj.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Pyrite (http://i.imgur.com/dNvEN8B.jpg)

Loot the treasures.
Kill the machine with a torch (bridge near the first scanner treasure) to get the quest item (Four-color Cable) for Game Dev Machine Lv. 2
Pick up the item for Data Analysis Freak (same room as first hack chest).
Amusement Park

Report and complete Game Dev Machine Lv. 2
Quest # 34 - Game Dev Machine Lv. 3
Just start the quest for now.
(Future Reward: Memory Alloy x 3, Rusty Bolt x 3, New Bolt x 3; Hijack Boost +4 (Chip), Heal Drops Up +4 (Chip), Combust +4 (Chip), Stun +4 (Chip); 10,000 G; 1,900 EXP)
City Ruins

Quest # 17 - Amnesia
For now just do the steps until you find and speak with the NPC in Resistance Camp.
(Future Reward: Ranged Attack Up (L), Melee Attack Up (L), Tanning Agent x 5; Offensive Heal +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,300 EXP. Pod Program: Wire)
Quest # 25 - Data Analysis Freak 2
You'll get this quest as you walk out of the Resistance Camp on foot. For now just accept the quest and read  the email (from an Access Point) to put the markers on your map.
(Future Reward: Black Pearl x 4; Type-4O Blade (Weapon); 5,000 G; 1,430 EXP. Pod Program: Slow)
Desert: Camp

Speak with the target NPC for Amnesia.
Kill the target enemy to get the Five-color Cable for Game Dev Machine Lv. 3.
Go in the underground tunnels, and take the northeastern exit to find the next NPC for Amnesia.
City Ruins

Report and complete Amnesia.
Desert: Housing Complex

Complete Data Analysis Freak 2 here (reference picture: http://i.imgur.com/fi2aTFF.jpg).
Amusement Park

Complete Game Dev Machine Lv. 3
Story Progression - Pascal's Village

Summary:
- Speak with Pascal
- Quests: two new available here in the village

Quest # 31 - Idiot Savant
Reward: Machine Core; Machine Head x 2; Machine Torso x 2; Machine Arm x 2; Machine Leg x 2; Hijack Boost +6 (Chip); 10,000 G; 1,300 EXP.

Quest # 41 - Data on the Old World
You can end the quest by giving the target item (found in City Ruins) (http://i.imgur.com/VBz5oTh.jpg) to either Pascal, or the Commander in the Bunker. The reward and quest log changes depending on your choice.
Reward (Commander): Large Recovery, Meteorite; Stun +6 (Chip); 5,000 G.
Reward (Pascal): Large Recovery, Skill Salve (L), Clean Nut x 3; Heal Drops Up +6 (Chip); 3,000 G; 1,300 EXP.

Commercial Facility

 Summary:
- Story same as first playthrough

1 - Department Store Flyer (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/Wa3VXLv.jpg)
2 - Full Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/F5ciIKM.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 1 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/InunsnG.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/zxId0DZ.jpg)

One more hack chest in the underground passage (need Elevator Key from the quest Emil's Memories):

3 - Project Gestalt Report 10 (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/juLEwda.jpg)

Forest Kingdom - Forest

Summary:
- Story same as first playthrough

Map (Hack chests and Scanner Treasures) (http://i.imgur.com/EShZRM3.png):



Scanner Treasure 1 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/awhYTws.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/Q7pKIFn.jpg)
1 - Powerup Part M (down the cliff) (http://i.imgur.com/qer0Ejx.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 3 - Pyrite (http://i.imgur.com/7ZtGLCH.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 4 - Moldavite (http://i.imgur.com/C3kiV1z.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 5 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/3azlKzo.jpg)
2 - Weapon Shop Flyer (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/LUFaGY2.jpg)

3 - Strange Doll (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/ojYwdOr.jpg)
4 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/DbUG2Az.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 6 - Moldavite (http://i.imgur.com/AYRbKZk.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 7 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/sjhDiWk.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 8 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/Aejxnzi.jpg)
5 - Rotten Info Sheet (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/b8ooROH.jpg)

Forest Kingdom - Castle

Summary:
- Same story as first playthrough
- Check in with Masamune's shop to see if you can upgrade weapons (Ancient Overlord) to level 4 (I didn't have all Materials yet, but you may)

Map (Hack treasure and Scanner Treasures) (http://i.imgur.com/riHrk3S.png):



Scanner Treasure 1 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/d0BfeD4.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/xI7wmhb.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 3 - Moldavite (http://i.imgur.com/uMi7a91.jpg)
1 - Beastcurse (Weapon) (http://i.imgur.com/oayZ4I2.jpg)

Chapter 07 (NG+)

Summary:
- Continue to Flooded City

Flooded City

Summary:
- Third and final group of Golden Robots here (they don't drop anything special/unique). Do NOT complete this side event unless you are sure you have enough Powerup Part S (three in total needed) to upgrade all the Pods
- Continue with the story

The two hack-chests in Flooded City contain:

1 - Full Recovery (near Access Point) (http://i.imgur.com/iqYwZCc.jpg)
2 - Newspaper Scrap (Archive) (on the isolated building in the water; need to long-jump) (http://i.imgur.com/3ueh9uS.jpg)

Chapter 08 (NG+)

Summary:
- Continue with the story (take any path you want in the "maze")

Chapter 09 (NG+)

Summary:
- Continue with the story. There will be some hacking and some "hijacking" segments
- When you need to open "Gates", there are detours for additional items you can take (see "map" below)

"Map" (drawing scheme) of the "hacking space" (yellow circles represent platforms where you can get Archives) (http://i.imgur.com/74ncSsN.png):



1 - Project Gestalt Report 1
2 - Project Gestalt Report 2
3 - Project Gestalt Report 3

Chapter 10 (NG+)

Summary:
- Continue with the story until the end

After completing the game again, we will continue in Chapter 11.

Chapter 11

Summary:
- Proceed to your mission

City Ruins & Following

Summary:
- Don't try to detour away from the assigned areas, or else you'll trigger a "joke" ending (Ending O)
- Without any real detour available, just continue with the story, for quite a long while. Next summary will be for the part after the "Two Weeks Later" message

You may need some assistance during a certain part where you need to run/walk to your destination. It's a section that starts in Flooded City, and requires you to reach the Commercial Facility. If you are having problems, try with the route displayed on the map below. The video below also demonstrates the route. Do not watch the video ahead of time, since it contains heavy spoilers of story events.





Chapters 12-15

Chapters 12-15 are played in variable order depending on which character you select first. You'll be given two options:

- The first character will play Chapter 12 and 14. This character is (spoiler): A2
- The second character will play Chapter 13 and 15. This character is (spoiler): 9S

For practical reasons, I suggest doing the second character's chapters first, and then the first character's. Therefore I will list Chapter 13 and Chapter 15 first; then Chapter 12, and then Chapter 14.

Warning: from now on, dying will be a direct Game Over (you won't be able to go "retrieve your old body").

Chapter 13

Resistance Camp - Quest Break

 

This part is played as 9S. There are several new quests available; we'll do them in this break. We'll also go loot the chests in the Abandoned Factory and Copied City. Emil's shop is available again, too. If you are playing on Very Hard, please refer to the extended walkthrough for some advice and preparations. If not, you won't need it on Normal difficulty.

If you want to skip to the story continuation, click here.

Walk out of Resistance Camp to reactivate the Transporter.
Quest # 55 - Gathering Keepsakes
Just start the quest for now.
(Future Reward: Full Recovery, Meteorite x 2, Complex Gadget x 2; Max HP Up +6 (Chip); 10,000 G; 1,800 EXP)
Quest # 51 - Sorting Trouble 2
Solution: http://i.imgur.com/KBV3QGL.jpg
Reward: Full Recovery, Elaborate Gadget x 5; Drop Rate Up +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,600 EXP.
Quest # 45 - Devola's Request
Reward: Ranged Defense Up (L), Melee Defense Up (L), Large Recovery, Pure Water x 5, Mushroom x 5; 3,000 G; 1,670 EXP.
Quest # 46 - Popola's Errand
While you are in the quest-related area to fetch the items you can open a new chest in the "Pit Hollow" (see image below).
Reward: Full Recovery, Gold Ore x 2, Meteorite Shard x 2, Meteorite x 2; 5,000 G; 2,000 EXP.

New chest in Pit Hollow (Desert: Housing Complex) - Meteorite (http://i.imgur.com/JEzcD5G.jpg)
Quest # 47 - The Twins' Request
Warning: the enemy "Monster Type" appears during this quest. Some reports (which I'm 99.9% are false) have stated that this is a missable enemy. In my experience, and the experience from many others, this is false. If you don't want to take any chances, make sure to fight this enemy (in the waterfall area of the Forest) during the quest.
Reward: Black Pearl x 2, Dye x 3; Popola's Booze; 10,000 G; 2,050 EXP.
Quest # 52 - Sorting Trouble 3
Solution: http://i.imgur.com/bviWhQY.jpg
Reward: Machine Oil x 3, Complex Gadget x 3; 10,000 G; 1,900 EXP. Archive: Jackass's Bomb Recipe. Pod Program "A0120: Repair".

A new chest can be opened in the area where you solved the puzzle from this quest. It contains 1,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/qEysd72.jpg).
City Ruins

Climb on top of the building where you originally entered City Ruins (also where you got the flight units during the Goliaths assault of the City). It's the building southwest. You'll find the Pod Program "A100: Decoy".


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

Flooded City

Pick up the Rusty Dog Tag (quest item for Gathering Keepsakes) from the body on the street.
Examine the flight unit on the right side of the street (by the water) for an optional scene.


Amusement Park

Pick up the Damaged Dog Tag (quest item for Gathering Keepsakes) from the body near the lamp (southeast) in the main square.
Near the rollercoaster area you'll find the Pod Program "A150: Volt".


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

Abandoned Factory

Pick up the Dirty Dog Tag (quest item for Gathering Keepsakes) in the garden outside the Factory (opposite the Access Point).
Go in the Factory to find a new chest:
- A Pious Robot's Will (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/VcPTvkS.jpg)
Backtrack all the way to the start of the area to find the Pod Program "A160: Missile".


http://i.imgur.com/Wh4kDVu.jpg

Go back towards the entrance/exit, and then take the first elevator to return to the underground area (the "become as Gods" area), where you can finally loot all the treasures hidden behind hack-systems. You may want to check the map for reference to their locations. Here is the link to it: http://i.imgur.com/yPE8BJk.png

1 - Full Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/f4AM8HM.jpg)

Ride the elevator in the southern part of this area. The areas here are quite dark, so make sure to toggle the Pod light on for some extra visibility.

Follow the path until you are on the long zoomed-out bridge. Do you remember the cylinder with the hidden chests in the middle? There was a hack chest there. To get there you need to go to the right-end side of the cylinder; from there, do a double-jump to the left, and you'll land on a platform inside the cylinder. Then go left from the platform/ramp, until you are high enough to double-jump + dash to the right, where another platform is holding the hack chest we're gonna get next.

2 - Clean Nut, Pristine Cable, Pristine Screw, Sturdy Socket, Large Gear, New Bolt, Large Battery (http://i.imgur.com/PyjYx4g.jpg)
This one is inside the cylinder.



3 - Abandoned Factory Memo (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/dXJfKUl.jpg)
This one is in the area reached by jumping on top of the first set of smashing-machines.

Yellow Star (on my map) - Cruel Arrogance (http://i.imgur.com/fa0jdXF.jpg)
This one is behind a hack-door.

It's very advisable to go save the game before continuing to the next chests (you may get killed by the smashing-machines on the way). The next four treasures are all behind the second hack-door.

4 - Silver Ore x 3
5 - Project Gestalt Report 5 (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/oI7rffn.jpg)
6 - Skill Salve (L) (http://i.imgur.com/TWT5vdV.jpg)
7 - Stripped Screw, Dented Socket, Small Gear, Severed Cable, Broken Battery, Rusty Bolt, Crushed Nut (http://i.imgur.com/XAn6wmP.jpg)

Forest Castle (optional)

In Forest Castle there is another quest available, called Reconnaissance Squad. This quest requires you to have most of the Unit Data (i.e. you must have fought most of the enemies in the game), but it's best done later (after finishing the game).
You may want to try and upgrade your weapons of choice (Ancient Overlord) to level 4. You should have the Materials by now.
Desert: Center

Save the game.
Go fight the enemies (level 55) in the marked area for the quest Gathering Keepsakes, and then pick up the Bloody Dog Tag.
Resistance Camp & Commercial Facility

In Resistance Camp, report progress on Gathering Keepsakes.
In the Commercial Facility, ride down the elevator (requires Elevator Key, which is obtained from the quest Emil's Memories) and access the Lunar Tear garden for a scene that will end the quest Gathering Keepsakes.
Copied City

You can go to Copied City by using the elevator in the Deep Cave (same way as when you went there the first time during the story, as 2B). In there you can find a hack-chest which can now finally be accessed:

1 - Powerup Part M (http://i.imgur.com/KOXrYmW.jpg)

Preparations for later

Unnecessary unless you are on Very Hard, but here are some purchases that will help you in the near future (especially with the "other" character):

Buy at least 4-5x Skill Salve (L) from Devola's shop in Resistance Camp, and a few (10x or so to be safe) Large Recovery
Get the following +8 Chips by buying four +6 chips (from Emil's Shop) and then Fusing them at the Valley shop: Weapon Attack Up +8, Offensive Heal +6/8 (+6 is enough, although +8 is better)
If you don't already have them, get also: Critical Up +8, Taunt Up +8, Counter +8, Overclock +6/8 (+6 is enough, +8 is better)
If possible, get also: Shock Wave +8
If you missed it earlier, get M Shield too and upgrade Ancient Overlord to level 4
Story Continuation - The First Tower

Summary:
- Examine the Tower and its sub-units in City Ruins
- Go to the "recovery unit" (tower) outside of Forest Castle

Forest Tower

Summary:
- Clear the dungeon. There are no treasures, except for a bugged Scanner Treasure at the top

When you finish this dungeon you'll be asked how you want to continue. If you continue as A2 you'll go to Chapter 12. Instead, I suggest continuing as 9S to go to Chapter 14.

Chapter 15

Flooded City Tower

Summary:
- Continue with the story
- Expect a mini-boss fight at the end

There are mandatory and optional treasures on each level/floor.

First floor:
- Full Recovery

Second floor:
- Anti Chain Damage +6

Note: apparently the chests on the second level depend on actions performed in game (for example how many quests you have completed). As of this moment I don't know exactly the requirements; hopefully I'll figure them out in the future. The items I found were:

- Faith (Weapon): I think it's for killing enough machines
- Heal Drops Up +6: I think it's for completing enough subquests from machines
- EXP Gain Up +6: I think it's for completing enough subquests from androids

I've read these should exist too, but I didn't find them myself (I'll try again in the future):
- Reset +6: die 100+ times
- Drop Rate Up +6: pick up 1,000+ collection points
- Max HP Up +6: collect (unknown amount) bodies
- (A Recovery item): use 1,000+ items
- Other?

Third floor:
- 10,000 G
- Tower System Outline (Archive)
- Cure All

Fourth floor:
- Powerup Part M
- Resilience +6
- Cure All + Heal All
- [Top Secret] Black Box (Archive)

Fifth floor:
- Ocean Access Key

After completing this Chapter the game will force you to Chapters 12 and 14.

Chapter 12

This part is played as A2.

Summary:
- Continue with the game (defeat boss in the Desert)

Chapter 14

Summary:
- Go to Resistance Camp, and defeat the few enemies just outside; spare the NPC when asked, or else you will trigger the "joke" Ending Z
- Speak with Anemone a total of three times to unlock the computers behind her. Use the computers to obtain several Archives

This is a picture of the computer unlocked after speaking with Anemone (http://i.imgur.com/VESFjlV.jpg):



Pascal's Village

Summary:
- Continue with the story as it comes natural until you get the Fuel Filter
- Do the story-related quest
- Two more quests will become available afterwards
- Speak with the story-marked machine in Pascal's Village to continue

Quest # 27 - Vanquish the Bad Bot
Reward: Medium Recovery x 2, Sturdy Socket x 3, Memory Alloy x 2; 3,000 G; 1,600 EXP.

Quest # 28 - Play With Us!
Reward: Silver Ore x 5, Plant Seed x 5; 3,000 G; 2,000 EXP.

A new chest can be accessed after completing the previous quest:
-  Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/1q5ryQ0.jpg)

Quest # 29 - Storage Element
Reward: Full Recovery; Dye x 3; Moldavite x 2; Meteorite; 10,000 G; 2,000 EXP.

When it's all done, speak with the machine (upper level of the village) to be sent on a fetch quest to the Resistance Camp.

Resistance Camp & Pascal's Village

Summary:
- Continue with the story

Abandoned Factory

Summary:
- Continue with the story
- At the end of this section, when presented with a choice, pick the second option (spoiler: the second option is the one that will erase the memories; it's "Right... Do it.") since it's more useful for the future

Chapter 16

Amusement Park Tower

Summary:
- Clear the dungeon. Expect a series of (easy) boss fights at the top

Chapter 17

The Tower

Summary:
- Continue with the story events
- The final dungeon at first is NOT a point of non-return (in other words you can leave it and go outside, for example to save the game)
- Beyond a certain point it will become impossible to backtrack outside, but the game will have checkpoints (so you can continue instead of having a Game Over, should you die)

- Without going into too many details, when you'll be given an opportunity to hack the tower, don't waste time and hack the tower. In other words, don't waste time fighting enemies, or you'll eventually trigger the "joke" Ending V
- When asked if you want to "open this data?", you can accept to read backstory on some characters, or you can ignore it and read it later (it will be in your Intel, among the Novels). During the data-reading (if you do it) there will be options; they just barely change some lines in the Novel you're reading, so pick whichever you prefer

- At the very end of the dungeon there will be two choices proposed for you. One leads to Ending C; the other leads to Ending D. They are both equally worth it, and you want to do both eventually (in fact, you can get the "other" ending right after you get the first one, since Chapter Select will become available once you get either Ending C or Ending D). Therefore, pick whichever one you want first; you'll do the other one in a matter of a few minutes
- After the final boss, another choice will be presented to you if you follow the Ending D path. This one barely changes a line of narration, but the net result (the actual ending) will stay the same
- We'll discuss Ending E in a dedicated section, afterwards

The dungeon itself is rather linear, so I'll skip the map and just give a checklist of the chests:

1 - Project Gestalt Report 9 (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/6xoYjXj.jpg)

Mini-bosses fight - 14x Bubblebutts

2 - Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/Og0rX9F.jpg)

Examine the body and you'll be outside the tower again. This is the point of no-return, the last time you can actually save the game (outside the tower). After you go in the tower again and proceed further into it, you'll be stuck inside (from then on, checkpoints will happen every few events) until the game is completed.

The next two chests are in the "white library", upstairs:
3 - Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/PASadwK.jpg)
4 - Small Recovery

The next one is found after you resume playing as 9S:
5 - Project Gestalt Report 11 (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/8onHpIx.jpg)

The last one is found in the room after the "white library", after Ko-Shi (boss) leaves.
6 - Powerup Part L (http://i.imgur.com/T0lFfLe.jpg)

Follow the story events until the end, and make whichever choice you want at the end to get either Ending C or D.

Ending E

After truly completing the game with Ending C or Ending D, you will unlock several new features:

- Chapter Select is now possible
- The Debug menu/room is available (not really that interesting to be honest)
- You can buy Achievements/Trophies from a new shop in Resistance Camp (speak with the woman with the mask)

First of all, use Chapter Select and go to Chapter 17-09. From there, pick the "other" choice (the one you didn't pick the first time) to get the other Ending (C or D) you didn't get the first time.

Once you have both Ending C and Ending D, during the credits a minigame will become available. To play it, "accept the Pod's request". From there, a "shmup" minigame will start, and you need to complete it all to get Ending E.

If possible, make sure to accept help from others (need to be connected to the Network): completing the minigame on your own can be really hard and frustrating (it has checkpoints, but it's very long and becomes rather difficult later on).
If (when) you die, you'll be asked various questions. Some are more obvious than others, but you always want to pick "No" in order to be able to continue the minigame (if you pick Yes you'll give up and end it. In this case, you'll need to get Ending C/D again to trigger this minigame in the credits again).
WARNING: after completing the minigame for Ending E, you'll be asked if you want to delete your save data, to "sacrifice your data to help others" or something like that. If you decide to do so, you'll be asked confirmation multiple times. If you keep confirming your intentions to do so, you will really lose your save data.
There are no special prizes or rewards for deleting your save files, aside from having your name randomly pop up for someone else when they "accept help" during the minigame.
If you do want to delete your data, you should probably back it up first, so you can re-download it (or copy it back into the storage system of the console you are using to play) and have your game back. If you don't do any of this, the save data loss will be permanent.
Post-Ending - Final Tasks

After getting Ending E you can mess around all you want with the remaining content of the game. In particular, if you've followed this walkthrough you should be missing:

Max out your money (G), get to level 99, max out your Weapons, max out your Pods.
The Golden Robots sub-event.
Three quests: Half-wit Inventor, Reconnaissance Squad, and Emil's Determination (two secret bosses are part of this last one).
You may want to collect all entries for the Intel (Unit Data and Fishing, mostly). This will take a while.
Complete the Arcade minigame challenge.
DLC content, if you have it.
I recommend doing the things I mentioned in the order I wrote them. You may want to skip the part about upgrading all your Pods to max, since it may (or may not) require a lot of tedious grinding. For more information about these things, please refer to the Walkthrough - Extended section, and particularly its post-ending content section -- I can't really summarize it, so I'll just end the summarized walkthrough here.

Walkthrough - Extended

Before you start

Before you start your New Game, please consider making some modifications to your Settings. In particular, I strongly recommend that you remap your control scheme like I suggested in the Important Gameplay Information section. To quickly recap:

Set Fire to L2
Set Toggle Light to R1
Set Self-Destruct to L3
Set the Shortcuts to D-Pad_Down (and viceversa, set Use Item to Select)
Either ignore, or set Lock-On to L3+R3
I also recommend that you turn off the Mini-map rotation setting (Setting > Game > Mini-map rotation), since it's much better to have it in a fixed position rather than spinning around all the time.

As a layout decision, I will use indent text (like this paragraph) to isolate paragraphs where I explain gameplay features/add details, while keeping the "instructions" on how to proceed in regular paragraphs instead.

Just as I explained in the summarized walkthrough, the maps provided here will feature the location of chests in yellow numbers/numbers in yellow circles. The "hack-chests" (available only starting from the second playthrough; ignore them on the first run) will also be added, purely for completion's sake, and they will appear as green numbers/numbers in green circles. Collection Points will be displayed as teal-colored circles (keep in mind that they are somewhat random, so you may find Collection Points I haven't marked on my maps, or you may not find Collection Points I have marked on the map). Collection Bodies will be displayed as dark-blue-colored circles.

Lastly, as a general rule, please keep in mind that all the strategies included in this walkthrough are meant to make fights as easy as possible, and they were planned for Very Hard mode. If you use these strategies (especially the later ones) on lower difficulty settings they will work even better of course, but they work too well and may take away the fun of fighting with your own instincts. If loops, patterns, or exploits are possible, I'll make sure to let you know how to use them. I will also add videos to show the fights (all the videos are done on Very Hard, and they follow the text strategy I wrote).

Walkthrough - Extended
(Continued)

*Chapter 01

Flight Sequence

NOTE: this whole "Prologue" does not have any save points available. If you die at any point, you'll have to restart from the beginning. It's unlikely that you'll die on Normal/Easy, but it's very possible if you are playing on Hard/Very Hard.

Unless you are on Very Hard, you should be kept alive by a chip that automatically uses a recovery item on you when your HP go down to critical level. In any case, know that you can quick-use items with the Use Item button (Select button, if you remapped it), or by accessing the Shortcut menu (D-Pad_Down, if you remapped it). Make sure to do so if your HP are going down, but not "down-enough" to trigger the auto-item chip.

The game opens with a flight sequence.

During flight sequences, also known as "smhup" ("Shoot Them Up") sequences, you will control a flight unit that is capable of shooting with the regular "Fire" button, but also using melee attacks with Square or Triangle. You'll also be told how to move (LS) and dodge (R2) in this tutorial-sequence.

At first you will probably only use Fire to kill enemies, but later on it will become very useful to also use melee attacks, even if they are just "blind" melee attacks (i.e. not aimed at anything in particular; you just tap the light attack button, and whatever is near you will get hit).

You could also use heavy attacks (Triangle), but these have a different animation and are slower. I'd stick with light attacks all the time.

Enemies will attack you with two different types of "orbs" projectiles: the lighter-colored ones can be destroyed by your own projectiles OR by your melee attacks; the darker-colored ones can only be destroyed by melee attacks. This will be true for enemy projectiles on the ground (non-flight sequences) too, but on the ground you usually won't want to use melee attacks to clear the orbs (it's better to avoid them with jumps/dodges, most of the time). On the other hand, during flight sequences your melee attacks have a large-area sweeping animation, and therefore will clear all types of orbs (and damage any nearby enemies).

Moral of the story is: make sure to use both Fire and Light Attacks during these flight sequences sections -- the light attacks won't seem/be very useful in this first easy section, but later on (with a lot more enemies and projectiles on the screen) they will become much more useful.

Near the end of the flight sequence there will be a sort of tunnel where you need to dodge obstacles on the way. For the record, hitting the obstacles WILL damage you. On Very Hard this will insta-kill you. Therefore, make sure to avoid the obstacles.

At the end of the flight sequence you will fight your first regular enemies. Then your first mini-boss encounter will start.

Boss - Buzzsaw (Marx)
This boss has two basic attacks: a "lunge/stab" attack (straight forward), or a horizontal swipe attack which typically goes from left to right. He can also do a "hammer-smash" (downward strike) attack, and sometimes he'll just "land" on the platform and "mop the floor" slowly and lazily before resting in the middle of the area for a short break (see video at 0:23).

All of these attacks can be avoided by spamming the dodge button. Note that during the horizontal swipe attack you may need to chain consecutive dodges one after the other, in case the first dodge doesn't put you in a safe position. Ideally, try to stay in the "foreground" part of the screen (on the edge away from the enemy), since that's where he will "land" after his vertical attacks, and it's usually easy to dodge-away his horizontal swipe there too.

Please beware that while it may seem safer to go towards the boss (in the "background" part of the screen) to avoid the horizontal swipe, because it looks like the blades hit the foreground the most, it's actually a false perception of the attack animation. Trust me, it's safer if you stick to the foreground ("your" side of the screen) and do your dodges there.

Note that after the attack animation, the "blades" of the saw will continue spinning for a short period of time, before stopping. While you can try your luck and attack while the blades are still spinning, it's advisable (especially on Very Hard) to let the blades stop spinning first, and then do your combo on the enemy in the (brief) interval between this pause and his next attack.

That being said, you can risk it if you want, and after his "stab" attacks you can perform a dodge-counter (R2, then counter with light attack by pressing Square), which will send you airborne and allow you to do an aerial combo (Square x 4) followed by a downward heavy strike (Triangle). I personally prefer to avoid that though, and instead proceed like this: dodge the attack; approach the enemy once the blades are stopping/have stopped; perform an upperslash attack (X followed by Triangle), then do the aerial combo (Square x 4, then Triangle).

Make sure to fire the Pod at all time (hold down L2, assuming you remapped the controls like I suggested). During the fight you will eventually unlock the Pod Program button (L1), which will then allow you to use the Laser program (the only one you have now) -- it's good to add some extra damage, so use it.

In my experience, it doesn't seem to be possible to Taunt the enemy, so don't bother trying and just use normal attacks.

 

 

Abandoned Factory

Map (http://imgur.com/XjHcPJV.png):



Collection Points:
- Copper Ore
- Crystal
- Iron Ore
- Natural Rubber

After landing, go forward and deal with any enemy you may find on the way.

Your in-game minimap will appear after proceeding through the dungeon just a little bit further, so don't worry if you can't see it yet.

You will come across some yellow-circles on the ground: these are Collection Points, and they contain "random" items (random among a pool of possible items, which varies from area to area). They respawn if you leave/come back, or save/reload, and it's not worth stressing too much over collecting them all every time you are in an area. Still, for extra loot, you should probably always collect everything you can see.

Note that since the Collection Points are somewhat random, sometimes my maps may display Collection Points that are not in your game, or viceversa you may find Collection Points in the game that are not marked on my maps. That's ok: as I just said, pick everything on sight, but don't go out of your way just to find/get some Collection Point -- later in the game (second playthrough and onwards), when farming will become somewhat relevant, you'll be able to loot Collection Points much more efficiently (there will be items that allow you to auto-collect them just by passing near them, and another item will display them on your map).

Go up the stairs and continue on the path. The game will switch to a 2D side-scrolling camera. Shortly after you'll see an opportunity to jump up and left on a ledge that will lead you to the first treasure chest of the game.

1 - Small Recovery (http://imgur.com/ra1MoHB.png)



On the way you'll notice some platforms where you can jump up; ignore them for now, they lead somewhere where we'll go soon from another route. Instead, go back where you came from, and continue to the right until you see a part of broken handrail. When you're there, press LS_down, and then jump on the crane arm for an optional detour leading to the next chest.

2 - Large Recovery (http://imgur.com/5hvekqj.png)



From the chest, move along the path. As an optional, you could take a turn right (when available) and operate a control panel that will lower a sort of bridge that will connect this area where you are now with the starting area where you were a minute ago.

Regardless of that, from the chest you can then continue onwards and kick a ladder on the left -- by going down this ladder you'll be taken back to the staircase you took earlier, from where you can then go back to where you were.

In particular, go back to the broken part of the fence again. From there, this time, just drop down below (jump, but don't jump too far away) instead of making the whole jump to the crane's arm. If done properly, you will land on a small platform with another chest.

3 - 3,000 G (http://imgur.com/ODtYHTi.png)



There are no more chests out here, so continue upwards until you find the door to continue. Note that if you keep going further to the right beyond the door where you're supposed to go you will be above some platforms; those were the platforms I mentioned earlier, when you went after the first chest. Anyway, go inside when you're ready.

Fight off the enemies to proceed; the next chest will be on your right after you go through a couple of doors.

4 - 1,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/arCX76j.png)

Proceed along the way. When given an opportunity, climb up a couple of ladders, and then follow the path from there to find the next chest.

5 - Small Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/3WDuGTs.png)

From this chest, you can jump across a gap to continue.

Note that you can also fall through the gap to reach the first "hack chest" of your adventure. These "hack chests" can only be opened starting from the second playthrough (New Game+), so there is no point in going after them, or even talking about them (aside from this first generic information-warning) in the first playthrough. I'll make sure to remind you of them in the New Game+ playthrough.

After continuing on the way, you may come across another unaccessible thing: a door (to an elevator). You'll find a few more of these doors later on; they cannot be "forced open" by performing optional tasks, but they will automatically become available when their time comes. Therefore, don't bother looking for keys, because there are none.

Keep going; you'll find the next treasure chest as you go.

6 - 1,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/EkNaGQ2.png)

Continue on your way. Once you are on the ground (off the catwalk) again, you should be able to see another half of the area on the west side, on your minimap (right side of the screen). It's a bit hidden, but if you go right you'll find a "secret" room with another treasure in it.

7 - Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/iEjSXTr.png)



If you go further to the right from there, you'll find another control panel which you can operate to create a shortcut between here and a previous section of the Abandoned Factory. These shortcuts will come in handy later, when we'll backtrack through the factory for one reason or another.

When that's done, go back to the main path and continue. At one point you'll be in a room where you have to fight to continue.

The enemies here will also feature "shields" that protect them from ranged attacks (the Pod projectiles). Fear not though: not only these "shielded" enemies are relatively uncommon in the game, but their shields actually break down after very few attacks (light attacks work just fine, too). So all you have to do here is slash them a few times in melee range, and then you can go back to regularly shooting them with the Pod.

Make your way back outside; the next two chests will be on the way once again.

8 - Small Recovery
9 - Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/RGNv2Ej.png)

Proceed down the stairs, and then down a small ramp. If you check on the right side (after going down the ramp) you'll find another small chest.

10 - Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/GOf3th1.png)

That's the last of them, so go ahead and proceed on the bridge to trigger the next boss fights.

Boss - Buzzsaw x 2
This fight is similar to the previous one, but there is two enemies to deal with. You only need to take them down to 50% health before a cutscene will trigger, thus putting you into the next boss fight.

Note that they have "horizontal swipes" and "vertical-slices" attacks, and they can chain them consecutively for quite a long time. Don't be hasty, and wait for their attacks to end before moving in to attack. You will probably deal most (if not all) of your damage via Pod, so don't worry if you can't seem to have a chance to use melee attacks at all.

Taunt doesn't seem to affect the boss.



Boss - Goliath (Engels) - Ground battle
(The video of this fight is down below, together with the next one)

You will start fighting on a platform. Once again, the Pod fire will actually be the main source of damage. The enemy can "spit" orbs (both types) from his mouth, but he also has melee attacks. When he uses projectiles (orbs), simply counter-fire with your own Pod fire, and jump and dodge around if necessary to avoid bigger clusters of orbs/the darker orbs (don't bother trying to destroy them with melee attacks).

His melee attacks are rather predictable: he has one-arm variations, but also a "clap" attack where he will try to crush you. In any case, a dodge will be your answer to his attack.

Note that he can chain up to four consecutive single-arm attacks, and because of this you must be careful not to dodge-counter with a long combo. In fact, after his single-arm attacks, you should only perform a two-hits combo: light attack after the dodge (this will be an upper-slash attack for you), and then heavy attack (this will be a downward strike attack for you). If he doesn't chain three more single-arm hits, then you can continue with more light attacks on the ground. If he does chain more single-arm hits, dodge those too and perform the same kind of counterattack (dodge, light attack, downward strike).

He can also perform an attack where he comes down from underground; this will be largely anticipated, so just run towards the foreground of the screen to avoid taking damage.

Taunt doesn't seem to affect the boss.

A short scene will play after the fight, and then you'll have to run up the Goliath (there will be some enemies on the way; three in total, one at the time). On its top, a mandatory simple fight will happen -- clear the enemies, then examine the android here (9S) to continue.

Boss - Goliath (Engels) - Flight-unit battle
After a short while, you'll resume the fight in your flight unit. Now the enemy has three main types of attacks: he can shoot a laser beam out of his mouth; he can perform an attack with his right arm; he can perform a "shockwave" attack that covers a whole horizontal area (you'll see some electrical disturbance in the air before this happens) (see video at 2:33).

He can also shoot three series of missiles at you, but those are easily dodged/avoided (or counter-shot).

Don't bother trying to use melee attacks, since you can only move on the vertical plane and sideways, but you can't change your position in terms of background-foreground movements. Therefore, all your damage will come from firing the "machinegun" (Pod fire, so to speak).

You can even circle around the enemy, but he'll turn around if you do so. The height of his arm attack and shockwave attack will be dependent on your own position, so there is no "safe height" above/below which you can't get hit.

I found that the best spot from where to fire is behind the boss's/on his left side (which is the right side of the screen), since this will certainly prevent damage from his laser-beam attack, and you can easily dodge upwards/downwards to avoid his shockwave attack. As for his arm attack, you'll have plenty of time to dodge to the right (towards the boss's "back"), where you'll be safe.

If you stay just behind him he will tend to use the shockwave attack and missiles a lot. Therefore you can then simply move up and down (dodge-dash up and down) to avoid the shockwave, and move left and right (dodge-dash left and right) to avoid the missiles. He may very rarely use his arm attack too, but if you dash up and right you'll end up in a blind spot where he's completely unable to hit you.
After doing enough damage, the boss will use a fixed-hit arm attack that will hit you and send you backwards (this won't cause any damage though, don't worry). You'll then have to fly towards him again, while avoiding his laser and a barrage of orbs-projectiles -- simply stand on the far left/right side of the screen, since this is a blind spot where neither attack can really hit you (keep firing the machinegun, just in case an orb-projectile happens to be on your way).
Lastly, the third phase of the fight will consist of you using a giant arm-sword of your own to kill the boss with melee attacks. In this phase, you should dodge-cancel your attacks after they connect. In other words, perform a light attack (Square button) and then, immediately after the hit connects, press R2 to dodge-cancel the attack animation. This allows you to hit the enemy again faster than if you just tapped Square to chain light attacks. If done properly, you'll be able to kill the boss before he can react with any attack of his own.

Note that these are counted as melee attacks proper, and therefore (if you want to) you can (probably should, on Very Hard) use Melee Attack Up (S) (use the Shortcut button; D-Pad_Down if you remapped it) here to double the damage. While he should die in three or four hits without this help from the item, killing him in two hits might be something you may want to consider on Very Hard.


The Bunker

After the scenes you'll be forced to adjust the game settings. It's all intuitive, except (probably) the part about "self destruct". For more info on this gameplay feature, please refer to the Gameplay Information section.

In the bunker there are several rooms you can visit. You start in your own room, from where you can access a terminal that functions as a shop. It doesn't sell anything interesting, but feel free to check it out.

Most notably, you'll see some "Chips" for sale. Those for sale here and now are chips that you already own for the most part. Just so you know it, having multiple chips of the same type will increase the overall effect IF IT'S POSSIBLE, up to a certain amount (this is the general rule). However, while it's possible to equip multiple, say, HUD: HP Gauge chips (their effect is to display your HP bar), doing so will be just a waste of space, since the second one(s) would just be redundant.

Of the chips you don't already have, the EXP Gauge one is the only one that isn't just a uselss gimmick. Then again, seeing how close you are to the next level up isn't gonna do anything to make you level up faster, so feel free to ignore it and keep your money.

If you do purchase a chip, keep in mind that you need to actually equip it for it to work. To do so, press Start to open your menu, then go to the Skills tab. From there, select the Plug-in Chips, and you'll have a list of three sets of Chips you can equip. For now you can barely mess around with one set, but later it will be useful (potentially, anyway) to have multiple sets for different situations. To add a chip to your chipset, select the chipset (Set Type A by default), and then choose Customize. From there it should be obvious how to do things.

You can also sleep (rest) in the bed in your room in the bunker. You'll find some more beds later on as well, but they don't really have any significance, so don't bother remembering where they are located.

Of more interest, in the bunker there are several rooms you can access. Before anything else, just as you go right (counterclockwise) you'll be introduced to the Access Points. As 9S explains, they are marked on your in-game map with that triple-square icon, and they can be used to save the game and check your Inbox (emails). Most of the emails are rather useless, so don't be overly concerned about checking them regularly.

Something worth noting is that you'll read "Quick Save" when you use an access point. The "quick save" term is probably misleading, because it makes it sound like a lesser version of a proper save. In reality, that's the save you'll be doing throughout your game, almost exclusively. The "quick save" differs from "normal" Save simply because it automatically overwrites the current save slot (of the three you have available). In other words, it doesn't ask you on which of the three slots you want to save the game. If for some reason you want to save on a different slot, then press Start, then go to the System tab, and choose Save from there (you can use this Save feature when you are close enough to an Access Point).

There are several items to pick up if you explore the bunker, but since the collection points are randomized I can't quite provide a full list. The items you would pick up are nothing important anyway (certainly nothing unique), so don't sweat it too much. Let's actually start by going where the marker points on your minimap; you can then (if you wish) go look around to look collection points in various random rooms.

In the Command Center (your destination) there are three floors. You start at the top floor; go left for a chest.

1 - Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/MbqZZIB.png)

Ignore the elevator-platform, and go down the stairs on either side of it. Explore the floor a bit -- there may be a collection point in the middle of the desks, and there's certainly a chest somewhere near the wall in the back side of the room on this floor.

2 - 1,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/MBITrSz.png)

Lastly, go down to the lowest level (either jump off the balcony, or ride the elevator) and check behind the elevator column to find another chest.

3 - 3,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/j0Mb5dV.png)

Speak with the Commander and you'll be instructed to go to the hangar. Go back to the circular area of the bunker, and feel free to roam around a bit.

There are two more "main" rooms in addition to the android rooms and the command center where you went a moment ago: the "Remote Control" Terminal, and the Hangar. Your current destination is the Hangar, so head there (nothing interesting in the Terminal) and examine the flight units to continue.

Just for the record, if you detour to the Terminal instead (it's the room diametrically opposed to the command center; the Hangar, your destination, is midway between the command center and the Terminal) you may find a random Collection Point and you'll also find a hack-chest (again, nothing you can do about these yet) and a shop.

In the Terminal's shop you can fuse chips together/upgrade your Pod (you don't have the materials for either, at the moment), as well as purchase different Pod programs and/or additional "storage" space in your chipset, so that you can equip more Chips on the same chipset. There is nothing with higher priority than these "storage" upgrades in the game, so you should invest a large portion (but not all) of your funds into upgrading the chipsets to their maximum capacity. We'll do this later though.

Flight Sequence

There will be another shmup section -- nothing special, but from now on you can also use the "Pod Program" (L1) for a very strong barrage of missiles. This is usually a bad idea against regular enemies (slow attack, it exposes you to enemy fire), but can actually be very useful against mini-bosses or stronger enemies (for example the bigger ones made up of four sub-units).

*Chapter 02

 

City Ruins

After you arrive, press Start and you'll see that your game map (not the minimap in the bottom-right corner; the big map in the pause menu) is mostly...blank. There seem to be only a few red dots here and there, plus your objective marker, but that's it...? In reality, you'll soon learn that by activating Access Points (which are the red dots), the game will "unlock" pieces of the map ("Map information unlocked"). In other words, activating the Access Points around the world will make portions of the map properly "appear" in your big-map (the one in the pause menu), so that instead of being a dark blank nothingness you can actually see a proper map instead.

The maps you'll find from here on out will refer to the "big in-game map" (the pause menu map), but for obvious reasons you'll have a much easier time finding your way if you use the maps I give you AFTER you have activated the access points (after you do so, my maps will look exactly like your in-game map, except that mine will have the position of treasures marked on them).

Also, keep in mind that there are several areas you could access right now, if you wanted to detour away from the City Ruins. However, they would be pointless early detours, since aside from scavenging from items you can't really do much elsewhere. Besides, you'll visit every area of the world map (if we can call it that) at one point or another during the story. Bottom line is, even if you could go beyond the boundaries of the map I'm about to give you, it's a good idea to avoid doing so, and instead clear up the rest of the treasures as you proceed to those areas for story reasons.

You will also find enemies and animals out in the open. Some enemies don't even attack you by default (they will become aggressive if you hit them first though); others attack you by default. Animals won't attack you by default, but they become aggressive if you hit them. Animals are actually relatively strong (stronger than the average common enemy), and they don't yield good loot/Exp, so it's advisable to not attack animals at all unless you are farming specifically for their loot. The main purpose of animals is to ride them, as explained in the General Gameplay section.

You can also find locations where you can "Fish". Please refer to the Fishing section of the walkthrough for more info, but long story short you should probably ignore this minigame as well (it can be somewhat useful to gain some early G in theory, but it won't be necessary at all if you spend your money the smart way, as I'll recommend).

Map (http://i.imgur.com/5Lw91Fo.png)



From where you start, proceed forward for a short scene, after which you are probably expected to go into a building. Instead of doing that, you can simply jump off the rooftop and land on the ground on the left, towards the closest "red dot" on your map. Please make sure to hold the jump button (X) to glide as you're falling, since this will make you gently glide downwards instead of smashing down on the floor (which will cause some fall damage; not too much thankfully). Proceed towards the first "red dot" and eliminate the enemies near that vending-machine-looking thing: that's what Access Points will look like from now on. Killing the enemies next to the access point will make it available; examine it once to properly activate it, so that your map (the big one in the pause menu) is finally cleared-up. Feel free to also save the game afterwards.

Chests 1, 2, 3 are inside the building. If we call the bottom level "floor 0", and every higher level of the building "floor 1", then "floor 2" (the highest floor you can access, which connects the rooftop of the building where you started in the city, is floor 8), and so on, then the items are gonna be on these floors:

1 - Melee Defense Up (S) (inside; third floor) (http://i.imgur.com/w2uxBzF.png)
2 - Melee Defense Up (L) (inside; third floor) (http://i.imgur.com/D5hrW7A.png)
To reach this one, find a broken piece of the wall (a sort of "window"), which is located across the room from where the previous chest was. From this "window", look outside and to the left to see another opening in the wall of this building. Double-jump your way to this opening to access the chest.



3 - Amber x 2 (inside; fourth floor) (http://i.imgur.com/1Im2Ey5.jpg)
To reach this one, first go on the fourth floor. Then find another broken piece of the wall, from where you can then double jump and then dash (dodge) in the air to reach another part of the fourth floor, where the chest is.

Back outside, let's continue looting treasures.

4 - Impact Bracer (S) (on some ledges/scaffolds) (http://i.imgur.com/ZxBQv98.png)
Reach it by jumping up on a bus behind a barricade. You can't jump over the barricade, so you'll have to go around to get to the bus.



5 - Ranged Attack Up (S) (rooftop) (http://i.imgur.com/Ze3fjkv.png)
6 - Impact Bracer (L) (rooftop) (http://i.imgur.com/hSV6YTr.jpg)

7 - Small Recovery (rooftop) (http://i.imgur.com/jl8imO9.png)
8 - Large G Luck+ (inside; climb tree roots from the north side of the building to get inside) (http://i.imgur.com/TfaDydF.jpg)
9 - Silver Ore x 3 (climb up the long ladder) (http://i.imgur.com/ktpTkDg.png)
10 - Memory Alloy x 2 (jump and glide from the previous treasure towards the rooftop of the small structure east of it) (http://i.imgur.com/Sj92D0d.png)
11 - Melee Attack Up (S) (rooftop; from the street, climb along the tree root west of it) (http://i.imgur.com/aiaoI1h.png)
12 - Silver Ore x 3 (rooftop; from the street, climb along the big tree root northwest of it) (http://i.imgur.com/dL6UtNs.jpg)
13 - Meteorite (rooftop; from the previous treasure, glide to this one) (http://i.imgur.com/EUMjfQf.png)
14 - Medium Recovery (behind the waterfall) (http://i.imgur.com/WE3Vys5.jpg)

Collection Points:
- Amber
- Copper Ore
- Crystal
- Iron Ore
- Plant Seed
- Small Recovery
- Tree Sap
- Tree Seed
- (Few hundreds) G

Collection Bodies (Chips):
- Ranged Defense
- Melee Defense

When you're done, proceed to the Resistance Camp.

Resistance Camp

Summary:
- Activate the Access Point, and loot the chests/collection points
- Speak with the required NPCs
- Do the mandatory quests
- Upgrade your Virtuous Contract weapon (Weapon Trader shop)
- On Very Hard, make sure to buy a bunch of (let's say 20x of each) Melee Attack Up (S) and Ranged Attack Up (S)
- Buy some extra +8 storage (Maintenance Shop)

- Before heading to the desert, detour to the Factory area to retrieve a bunch of items (won't take long)
- Then proceed to the Desert

Treasures checklist:
1 - Medium Recovery (near Supply Trader) (http://i.imgur.com/pYdxUfy.png)
2 - Small Recovery (behind boxes near where Anemone is) (http://i.imgur.com/8AJYRCk.png)
3 - Animal Bait (on the truck near the Access Point) (http://i.imgur.com/LDfGxKU.png)
4 - Small Recovery (in the back area, climb up a ladder and go left) (http://i.imgur.com/9L69FHV.png)

(There are also two hack-chests, but nothing we can do about them)

Activate the Access Point here to clear up the map, and then speak with the marked target, Anemone.

After that, you'll need to speak with three more people: two of them give you sidequests (which are actually mandatory to proceed with the story, even though they count as Quests like the other optional ones), while the third one can give you gameplay information (feel free to chat them up).

Please note that you can accept (and work-on) as many quests as you want at once. In other words, you don't need to do them one by one. Ergo, if you ever pass by a quest-character, there isn't really a reason to ever ignore them. I'll write down the details of the quests you must now do to continue with the story, but they are quite self-explanatory in this game.

Also, the "number" associated with the quests, in this walkthrough, refers to the quest's position in the Cleared Quests list. Therefore don't be surprised if our first quest is Quest number 56...it's just where the developers put it in the list.

Quest # 56 - The Weapon Dealer's Request
Location: Weapons Trader (Resistance Camp).
Request: check the small box next to him, then he'll ask you to get 4x Complex Gadget. These items will be found as Collection Points (special ones that appear only during this quest) in the marked area. Check the picture below if you somehow can't find them (they are yellow dots on the minimap in my picture).
Reward: Rusted Clump/Copper Ore x 5, Crystal x 5, Beast Hide x 5, 5,000 G, 50 EXP.



Quest # 13 - The Supply Trader's Request
Location: Supply Trader (Resistance Camp).
Request: speak with him and his shop menu will pop up. You don't need to buy anything; after you close the shop menu he'll give you the quest, which requires you to get some common loot from enemies in the marked area. In particular, he wants: 1x Broken Key; 1x Small Gear; 1x Broken Circuit. Go where the area is marked on the in-game map, smash up the enemies, and collect the forced drops (they look like Collection Points) to get it done.
Reward: Warped Wire x 3, Amber x 2, Medium Recovery x 2, 3,000 G, 50 EXP.

After the quests, let's check what the camp has to offer.

Resistance Camps Shops

In the Resistance Camp there are (for now) three shops: the Weapon Trader sells weapons and allows you to upgrade them; the Supply Trader sells recovery and status-enhancing items, as well as some very basic (for now) Chips, and Animal Feed if you want to try that out. Lastly, the "Maintenance Shop" (the lady standing not too far to the right of the Supply Trader) is basically the same shop you had in the Bunker, and it sells Pod Programs, Chipset Storage upgrades, and gives you the opportunity to Fuse chips together as well as Upgrade Pod. This last feature (Pod upgrading) will actually be impossible due to lack of materials for quite a long time (you won't come across most of the required materials until very later on, possibly even not until your second playthrough).

Out of all these things you don't really need much, if anything at all. The rewards from the first quest are just enough to upgrade your Virtuous Contract weapon (at the Weapon Trader's himself) though, and it's a good idea to do so (it will also cost 2,500 G).

You will soon be able to retrieve your second sword (the one you had in the prologue is currently missing, if you haven't noticed yet), which can also be upgraded using the same materials. It basically boils down to your personal preference: would you rather upgrade a faster, but individually weaker weapon, or would you rather upgrade a slower, but individually stronger weapon? In reality, the former is a remarkably better option (it just plays out better).

Other than that, stock up on about 20x each of Melee/Ranged Attack Up (S), and spend whatever you have left for +8 storage (Maintenance Shop).

When it's all done, leave the camp.

Return to the Factory area (detour)

On the way to the Desert you'll be warned that there probably won't be many supplies later on, but actually there will be a convenient shop just around the entrance to the desert area, so there's plenty of time to buy more healing items, if needed, later.

You may or may not have noticed an email in your inbox, informing you that you can retrieve your "lost equipment" in the Factory Ruins, which is where the game started. This is a worthy detour, since you'll find the powerful secondary weapon you previously had.

If you can't find the way to get to the factory, set the map so that the Resistance Camp is southeast (just like the map I gave you earlier). From this perspective, the Factory will be southwest, and you can reach it by jumping on a small truck (the one near a hack chest), and from there to a collapsed bridge.



After going through the collapsed bridge you can find a chest on top of a truck (before you go into the Factory area proper).
1 - Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/LvLjo7j.png)

There's also a hack chest behind another truck nearby, but ignore that and go straight ahead to the factory.

On the way you'll find (and activate) an Access Point. Shortly after that, you'll be back in the final part of the area (where the boss fights triggered), and that's where you'll find a body and your second sword stuck in the ground, ready to be picked up (you don't need to go inside the factory again, so don't do that).

2 - Virtuous Treaty (weapon) (http://i.imgur.com/UD7ytzP.png)

By examining the body you will also get a bunch of healing items, as well as the Auto-use Item +1 Chip, which you should immediately equip since it's very handy (on Normal difficulty it basically makes you immortal, since it will almost always heal you before you can die). On Very Hard, none of these items matters (aside from the weapon, of course).

Also make sure to re-equip the Virtuous Treaty (press Start, then go to the Weapons tab, and customize it as your second weapon from there). When ready, proceed northwest of City Ruins, to the desert.

Desert: Camp (First Area)

You'll find a supply shop (recovery items) near the Access Point of the Desert area. Shop if you need (most likely not), then continue to the desert.

Please note that the Desert area is a bit more complex than the City Ruins, since there are several points of the region where you can go underground. Following these underground tunnels can lead you to treasures that you would not be able to access otherwise. Such connections between the surface and the underground portions are marked with those dark-blue/purple lines on the map below. If you want to treasure-hunt, try to follow the numerical order of things as detailed below.

Map (http://i.imgur.com/zsg1b7f.png)



For reference, we'll assume that you come from southeast, and your target destination is west-northwest.
1 - 1,000 G (rooftop; jump on pipes to get there) (http://i.imgur.com/cLtuWnE.png)

Go northeast to find a slope; follow it along the edge to find the next chest.
2 - Animal Bait (http://i.imgur.com/aKs8F49.png)

Go in the tunnel from the nearby entrance (there is also another entrance below where you are now; they are very close to each other). In the tunnel, go northeast first, and climb your way out.
3 - Dented Socket, Severed Cable, Small Gear, Broken Battery, Rusty Bolt, Stripped Screw, Crushed Nut (take northeastern exit from the tunnel underground) (http://i.imgur.com/7aclose.jpg)

Back in the tunnel, go west past the hack-door (can't do anything about it) to find a three-way-fork. Go west to find a treasure in a dead end.
4 - Medium Recovery (underground) (http://i.imgur.com/CgJoy0s.png)

Back to the previous fork, now go north and follow the path to the next treasure.
5 - Memory Alloy x 2 (reached via tunnel) (http://i.imgur.com/CsDmaN6.jpg)

Note that from here you can climb up and to the south to go back in the main open area, but this is a one-way-only jump (you can drop down to the main area, but you can't climb back up where you are now directly). Therefore, don't do that, and instead  turn around and go back into the tunnel. This time go south; you'll find a chest on the way.
6 - 2,000 G (underground) (http://i.imgur.com/i65E6um.png)

Now continue south and take the next exit to reach the outside again. Here you'll find a hack chest, as well as a regular chest.
7 - Gold Ore x 2 (reached via tunnel) (http://i.imgur.com/PmhYCap.jpg)

From there, climb up the cliff and make your way back into the main area (there will be a one-way-only jump when you drop from a certain height). Now we can focus on the main area, which doesn't really have much left in it at this point.
8 - Ranged Attack Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/w77HaQh.png)

There is a path you can take somewhere north/northeast (which doesn't show up properly on the big in-game map, but it's clearly visible in the minimap); it leads to another treasure.
9 - Small Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/Qcxp3Ya.jpg)

Speak with the marked NPC to continue into the next big desert area.

*Chapter 03

Desert: Center (Second Area)

After a starting scene, open your pause menu and zoom-out. You'll see several "red" locations; many of them feature areas with enemies you have to kill, but there are also two red-dots marking Access Points you can use to reveal the map -- pay them a visit, starting with the southwest one (an oasis), so you can make treasure-hunting easier on yourself. For reference, we'll keep the map oriented as we've done so far, so you have entered from southeast, and the oasis will be south/southwest.

Map (http://i.imgur.com/cshhqHk.png)




1 - Ranged Defense Up (L) (http://i.imgur.com/BOXSExY.png)

Leave the oasis and head left (west). Keep a bit of distance away from the edge of the map, and you should start hearing a beeping pitch noise, which indicates the position of your first secondary Pod, which is actually Pod C and not Pod B (go figure). See the picture below for an exact location.
2 - Pod C (http://i.imgur.com/FaZChtF.png)



Pick it up, and feel free to equip whatever program you want on it (you should still only have Laser).

I personally kept using Pod A (I prefer its default attack better), but it's good to have the second Pod around (its attack will be useful for a boss fight, later). You can switch between Pods quickly by pressing D-Pad_Right. Keep in mind that each Pod has its own "cooldown" after using its Pod program, so it's very possible to use the Pod program (for example Laser) with one Pod, then immediately switch to the other Pod(s), and use their program (maybe Laser again) with them as well (in the meantime, the first Pod you used will still be processing his cooldown while you're not using it). This practically means that you can use Pod programs almost consecutively by switching between Pods as you use their programs.

Moreover, you can charge the Pod Programs from now on. To do so, hold down the Pod Program button (L1), and you'll notice that the second Pod will appear on screen too after a few seconds. This means that you have charged the Pod Program, which will then be more powerful (in Laser's case, it will fire two laser beams in a row). Note that charging the Pod Program will put all the Pods used in cooldown phase.

The pink question mark "?" on my map indicates the position of the first DLC-related machine (http://i.imgur.com/C5K8M5j.jpg). We'll talk about the DLC in a dedicated section of the walkthrough.

3 - Speed Salve (S) (http://i.imgur.com/JUp9NFB.png)
4 - Melee Defense Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/3MwkixD.png)
5 - Skill Salve (S) (http://i.imgur.com/cc1TGod.png)
6 - Silver Ore x 3 (http://i.imgur.com/KoNqfU7.png)
7 - Gold Ore x 2 (western oasis; find your way around the storm, from northeast to southwest, to get there) (http://i.imgur.com/z5FOExt.png)

8 - Small Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/RFnuAWI.png)
9 - Broken Circuit, Broken Key, Warped Wire (http://i.imgur.com/3TQz0qq.png)
10 - Ranged Attack Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/a6faI9S.png)
11 - Melee Attack Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/cUfrYS0.png)
12 - Amber x 2 (http://i.imgur.com/TUIvgFx.png)
13 - Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/nCAhJjI.png)
14 - Ranged Defense Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/7B4Ornz.png)
15 - Impact Bracer (S) (http://i.imgur.com/8xA3Rxq.png)

Collection Points (all Desert areas):
- Amber
- Ancient Mask
- Copper Ore
- Crystal
- Gold Ore
- Iron Ore
- Large Recovery
- Moldavite
- Medium Recovery
- Silver Ore
- Small Recovery
- Tech Manual
- Torn Book
- (Few hundreds) G

Collection Bodies:
- Deadly Heal
- Moving Speed Up
- Max HP Up

As far as story-progression goes, you actually don't need to engage the four red-circles in the middle of the desert (and you may really want to avoid these enemies on Very Hard, especially the mass-kamikaze ones). Instead, you can simply head east to continue to the third and last area of the desert.

Desert: Housing Complex (Third Area)

As always, the in-game map will need to be revealed from the Access Point located on the way to your target. If we keep the same orientation as we previously did, you'll be proceeding from southwest to northeast. Aside from the items to collect, the area doesn't feature anything special.

Map (http://i.imgur.com/LaYrEdJ.png)



1 - Small G Luck+ (http://i.imgur.com/kizE0zr.png)
2 - Fang of the Twins (weapon) (up some stairs) (http://i.imgur.com/3wN6zuK.png)
3 - Titanium Alloy x 3 (up some stairs) (http://i.imgur.com/0MelAuO.png)
4 - Ranged Defense Up (S) (up some stairs) (http://i.imgur.com/3tJ0n1i.png)

As you proceed, you will end up in the Pit Hollow.

In the pit you'll find a bunch of machines having a weird behavior, and yes, they are doing exactly what it looks like they are doing. You can attack them if you'd like, but even if you don't they will then become aggressive after a short wait. After they start attacking, you can fight them to kill some time, but you really just need to kill the one marked with a "target" icon on his head and then you have to wait until another scene automatically triggers (in the meantime, feel free to continue the slaughter, or just run around in circles if you prefer), bringing you to the next boss fight.

Boss - Adam
This is a multi-phase fight.

First phase: he does literally nothing.
Second phase: after the first power-up he will do some melee-kicks.
Third phase: after the second power-up he will either use melee kicks (two-hit combo), or prepare a projectile attack after hiding behind a shield for a while. Note that if you break his shield, the fight will seemingly "freeze" for a moment, and then he will use a very fast counter -- if you notice this "freezing", spam the dodge button since he's going to hit you.
Fourth phase: after taking more damage, he will go up on a ledge. In this phase, just run left and right to dodge his projectiles. He'll teleport twice (always counterclockwise from your perspective), then land back on the ground. At this point he'll be able to use each of the previous attacks, and you can resume your assault on him too.
The strategy is basic "wait and counter". Make sure to spam the Pod Program (Laser; charge it if possible) and regular Pod fire every time you can, and try to take advantage of his predictable counterattack after you break his shield to counter-counterattack him with a dodge-counter.

It's really not necessary, but you may want to speed things up by using a Ranged/Melee Attack Up (S) after he lands, in the fourth and final phase.

Leaving the Desert

After the fight you'll have to escape, while briefly enjoying the theme Grandma (Destruction). Despite the seemingly desperate situation, you can actually take your time to escape, so don't panic if you can't find the way right away -- there's all the time you need to calmly exit the area.

Anyhow, make your way back up, and then climb some ledges to be on the left side of a "sandfall" of some sort.

Here you could actually take a detour by jumping across the gap (to the right of the "sandfall"), which leads to a hack-chest, and from there you could then drop down to the Housing Complex area. Don't do that though, since it'll only make your backtracking unnecessarily longer (it's not like you can open the chest anyway).

Instead of jumping across the gap, stay on the left side and simply jump up the ledges until you come across a big square box that you can then push (hold down Circle, then use LS to move it forward). This will create a shortcut between this area and the first desert area, just about where one of its treasures was. From there, make your way back to the city.

On the way back you can stop by the Supply Trader at the entrance of the first Desert area (between the entrance of the desert and the city) and speak with him to receive Small Recovery x 3 and 1,000 G. Don't spend it all at once.

More importantly, shortly after that, as you enter the city again 9S will ask you if you want to "rest" at the Resistance Camp (first option), or if you'd rather keep on fighting (second option). This won't affect anything major in the story:
- If you choose to go back to the Resistance Camp, your story marker will be appointed to that location, where you'll speak with Anemone. Then, as soon as you leave the camp, you'll receive instructions for your next mission
- If you choose to continue fighting, you will receive instructions for the next mission right away

Unless you are in a hurry, it's probably better to choose the first option, but nothing important will change other than that -- the conversation with Anemone, and the unlocking of a room in the Resistance Camp that ensues as a consequence of that conversation, can still happen if you decide to talk to Anemone, even if you chose to "keep on fighting". The dialogue is just a little bit different, but it's basically a meaningless difference.

Resistance Camp (+Short Quest Break)

Assuming you came back here, after speaking with Anemone you'll be able to access the room near the Access Point, here in the camp. Inside you can find a couple of treasure chests. Oh, and there's also a bed -- God forbid if you didn't notice that. The chests contain the following items:

- Small G Luck+ (http://i.imgur.com/toRt5JI.jpg)
- Volt-Proof Salve

Use the Access Point in the Resistance Camp to return to The Bunker.

The Bunker

There are two quests available here at this moment. The former can wait (in fact, I suggest waiting until later before doing it) (start it though), but the latter will become unavailable after proceeding further in the story.

Quest # 38 - 11B's Memento
Location: android in the Hangar.
Just accept this quest for now (it requires backtracking). Despite having a weapon reward (and it's also a weapon that, if upgraded, gives a -30% discount at most shops), it's really not important or worth all the walking it requires right now. It can wait, trust me.
(Future Reward: YoRHa-issue Blade (weapon), Melee Defense Up (L), Ranged Defense Up (L), Melee Defense +6 (Chip), 5,000 G, 200 EXP)

Quest # 20 - Improving Communications
Location: Commander, in The Bunker.
Request: fetch items in City Ruins (one each of Rusty Bolt, Small Gear, Broken Key; they are dropped by regular enemies, and you may already have the necessary items from the get-go), and deliver them to Anemone in Resistance Camp.
Reward: Simple Gadget x 5, Medium Recovery x 3; 3,000 G; 320 EXP.
Note: this quest will expire after the next two dungeons. You'll have other chances to complete it after your third playthrough, but if you want to get it out of the way earlier, do it now.

When it's all done, continue with the story.

*Chapter 04

Sewers Passage

To proceed you'll need to take the ladder down to the sewers (the ladder is on the east side of City Ruins).

In the sewers passage you will find several "alcoves" on either side of the path. One of them, on the left, has a chest:

- Medium Recovery

More importantly, here in the sewers you can Fish out a very interesting weapon, the Iron Pipe. This is actually one of the best weapons in the game thanks to its abilities (it will become useful later on; it's not that great right now). Due to combo-related reasons, at this point I would actually recommend using these weapon sets:

Weapon Set 1:
- Virtuous Contract (lv 2)
- Iron Pipe (lv 1)
This is a good set for aerial combos. In particular, try to get familiar with this one: upperslash (X>Triangle) > light attacks (Square x as many hits as your weapon has; it's 5 for Virtuous Contract level 2)

Weapon Set 2:
- Iron Pipe (lv 1)
- Virtuous Contract (lv 2)
This is a good set for ground combos. In particular, try to get familiar with this one: Heavy (Triangle) > Light (Square) > Heavy > Light > ... (infinite series).

Iron Pipe (http://i.imgur.com/TWmZTVC.jpg)
The position where you throw the Pod to fish doesn't have to be exactly the same as mine, either (try to throw him in that area though). In case you can't tell, look at the minimap in the picture: for reference, that long path on the left side (of the minimap) is the path that has the ladder to the next area. If you don't get the Iron Pipe right away, keep trying.



Moreover, you can proceed forward through some debris in the sewers tunnel, instead of using the ladder that leads to the next area. If you do so (go forward through some debris) you will find another ladder, which leads to an area with a weapon-treasure.

Virtuous Dignity (http://i.imgur.com/sv7r7Cm.png)
When you come out from the other side you'll find the weapon in a tree.



Despite its glorious appearance as a mystical weapon hidden in a tree behind a secret passage, this is just a relatively ordinary weapon (spear type). Still, it's there, might as well get it. I still advise sticking with the Virtuous Contract as your main (light attack) weapon. When ready, go back and take the ladder you previously ignored to reach the next area.

Walkthrough - Extended
(Continued)

Amusement Park

Like in other areas of the city, the local machines are friendly until attacked. Wouldn't you feel just so guilty for ruining their party? You can fight them if you wish though.

There is an Access Point (red dot on your map) to clear up the map, as always. It's not exaclty hard to find your way there, but if you are stuck proceed as follows:
- From the entrance, the square with the big bunny statue in the middle, go forward and up a set of stairs
- After the first set of stairs, go right through a gate that is barely a bit open
- After going through the gate, go forward and look to your left to find a narrow alley where you can sneak in (it almost looks like it's blocked off by a red cart, but there's enough room to go through)
- From there you'll get to the access point

Map (http://i.imgur.com/isKpBrx.png)
The "M" icon is a shop. The "0" icons are friendly NPCs that will give you items (which can be sold for cash) if you speak with them.



Collection Points:
- Copper Ore
- Crystal
- Drab Bracelet
- Iron Ore
- Lovely Choker
- Shattered Earrings
- (Few hundreds) G

Collection Bodies:
- Evade Range Up

0 - Drab Bracelet/Shattered Earring (speak with friendly machines) (http://i.imgur.com/cZvJfs3.png)
1 - Small Recovery (on a ledge; reach it from the stairs near the shop) (http://i.imgur.com/9cFHd6d.png)
2 - Skill Salve (S) (on a platform in the area with an amusement ride) (http://i.imgur.com/BeB3upu.png)



There is even a small Materials shop (M on the map); it doesn't sell anything important right now, but it will become useful much later, for an easy-G exploit.

To continue past the area with the Access Point you'll need to hop on some amusement-ride vehicles and make your way across.



On the other side you can find an optional mini-boss; you can ignore him, but he drops an item that can be sold for quite a bit of money (10,000 G). Since the fight is also easy, I'd say it's worth the two minutes it'll take you.

Optional Mini-boss - Amusement Park Goliath Tank
There are regular enemies on top of the main body of the miniboss (on the tank, that is), which shoot a barrage of projectiles at you. The best way to win is simply by shooting with your own Pod to (rather quickly, actually) take down the enemy's health in all safety.

If you are on Very Hard, go all-in with Melee/Ranged Attack Up (S) (use both) and don't forget to Taunt the boss too for extra damage. I personally used the Iron Pipe and Virtuous Contract (light/heavy respectively), and just kept doing melee combos of Heavy > Light > Heavy > Light > ... right in front of the boss. This kept me safe, and killed the enemy very quickly.

Note that he may release bursts of orbs from his front part. If you stick very close to him, you will remain safe. He may also use a melee attack. In this case (melee attack), dodge but DON'T dodge-counter: if you counter, you will probably get hit by one of the many orbs flying around. Instead, just dodge, and then resume the frontal assault on the ground.



After dealing with the miniboss, make sure to pick up his forced loot (Machine Core), since it's the item I mentioned earlier (worth 10,000 G when sold).

There isn't anything else here, so go up the stairs on the left side, then wait for the rollercoaster to arrive, and jump on it.

During the rollercoaster ride some enemies will try to ambush you -- either fight them, or ignore them. Either way, after a short while the ride will be over and you'll get off in the next area.

On a side note, the only Collection Body of the Amusement Park is found in the area immediately after the rollercoaster ride. For whatever reasons, this is a one-time-only area. Just a trivia fact, anyway.

Drop down to face the real boss of the area.

Boss - Simone
This boss is really awesome. Just so you know, there is a checkpoint at the start of the fight, and another one during the first and second phase. This means that if you die you won't have to restart from the last Access Point; instead, you'll just respawn in the arena with the boss! (Make sure to Retrieve/Repair your dead body to get your items back if that happens)

There are three main phases of the fight: the first half (this ends after her 11th attack, OR after doing enough damage); an "interlude" with minions; the second half (boss and minions respawning). There is a lot to say about the boss's attacks, but I'll give you a "broken" strategy to use on Very Hard. If you don't want to read about the various attacks, skip to the "Strategy" part down below.

What's important to know right away is that the first phase of the fight will feature a fixed pattern of attacks. In other words, the boss will always use the exact same attacks in that exact same order. This means predictability, and therefore it's something we will exploit to time our attack and defense accordingly. So here is a breakdown of the boss's attacks, in order as they appear in the first phase:

Spinning-blades attack: you'll see some yellow spikes underneath the enemy's "dress". Just don't get caught by the spikes; you can go and hit the boss in melee range if you do aerial combos. At first, she will just use this attack and then walk towards the middle of the arena.
Orbs groups x 4: the boss will spawn four groups of orbs from around her. A bell "dong" sound will accompany each of the groups. Simply walk away from her to avoid the orbs entirely.

Homing Missiles: simple enough, she'll shoot a series of smaller missiles out of her body. Dodge and run in circles around her to avoid the attack (while also staying close to her for a counterattack when her attack is over).

Ground red lasers: red lines of a laser will appear on the ground, and after a few seconds the lasers will activate (before the activation, the red lines are harmless). The lasers spin around. You could just wait the attack out as you run or hop around the room, but you can also take this as an opportunity to counterattack: as soon as the lasers are activated, do a double jump, then full aerial combo with Virtuous Contract level 2 (five hits), then aerial dash/dodge (R2), and then just glide down to the ground (hold X after the dodge).

Homing Missiles x 2: two series of homing missiles (these ones chase you down for a bit longer than the previous ones).

Spinning-blades spin-around-the-room attack: the spikes will come out, and she'll roam around the room in a circle. Simply jump up, and counter with aerial combo if possible.

Red laser rings: also accompanied by a bell "dong" sound, this attack consists in concentric red-laser rings that will come out of her. The rings have increasing radius, but even the smallest rings aren't "small enough" to hit you if you stand right at the bottom of the boss. Therefore, you could simply stand right next to Simone during this attack. If you do so, you can also hit her back. Do NOT hit her before/during the first ring attack though, or else the recoil effect of your attack will push you back a bit, thus making you fall in range of the first ring.

Multiple orbs: basically the same as the second attack, but faster and with more orbs. Stay as far away as possible.

Homing Missiles: exactly the same as the third attack.

Orbs spam with changed camera angle: the camera will switch to an uncomfortable aerial view, and she will start spamming a mix of orbs (this time there can be dark-colored orbs too). The best thing you can do is sit back at the edge of the room, use Pod A to counter-fire, and either jump/run to avoid the dark-colored orbs, or use a Heavy attack with a Large Sword (such as Virtuous Treaty). Said attack animation will consist in a 360° swipe attack, which should clear all orbs around you and keep you safe.

Orbs spam with normal camera angle: a mass amount of regular orbs (the ones you can counter-shoot with the Pod attack) will come out of her like a bunch of soap bubbles.

Hacking: an unavoidable (and scripted) attack that will trigger your first (and for the first playthrough, only) hacking minigame. This attack always occurs between the first and second phase of the fight.

The second phase of the fight will consist of two waves of minions. The minions can use two types of attacks:

Yellow hack-rings: they launch these slow yellow rings towards you; if one of them hits you, you'll be prompted another hacking minigame. If you succeed, nothing happens; if you fail, you take some damage (even on Very Hard this will be percentage damage equal to -20% of your max HP, but not an insta-death attack).
Shockwave on the ground: same exact thing (triggers hacking minigame), but with shockwaves that spread on the ground. Jump up to avoid them. This attack type only happens during the second wave of this second phase of the fight; in every other phase, the minions can only use the yellow-hack-rings.
After killing all the minions, the third phase will start. During the third phase, the boss will have random attacks, and after a while she will also start using a series of yellow-hack-rings attacks. Note that if she does so, staying right at the bottom of her dress will put you in a blind spot (i.e. none of her yellow-hack-rings can hit you there).

Moreover, minions will spawn all around the room.

After doing enough damage, the boss will crack-open and reveal a little monster under her dress. Note that the first time the monster is revealed, the boss will actually be harmless and idle for a little while (it looks like she's just leaking oil from underneath). After that, the monster will actually be capable of rather sudden melee attacks (coming out of her "front side").

The boss may also start chasing you around the room, and jump around creating shockwaves. Note that the shockwaves of the boss are NOT hack-shockwaves: they do direct damage, so getting hit by one of them will mean insta-death on Very Hard.

She can also produce multiple (four in a row, in quick succession) shockwaves around her while saying "blah blah blah blah blah").

The lower her HP, the more she'll tend to just jump around and use shockwave attacks rather than anything else.

Strategy

This strategy is meant for Very Hard difficulty. I tested it at level 8. You will want to have the weapon sets I recommended earlier, and we'll be using a total of four each of Ranged/Melee Attack Up (S) along with Taunt-spam. Use Pod C.

To recap, the weapons you should have are Virtuous Contract (lv 2) + Iron Pipe (lv 1) as first weapon set; Iron Pipe (lv 1) + Virtuous Contract (lv 2) as second weapon set. We'll be using the first weapon set for aerial combos, and the second weapon set for ground combos. The fundamental aerial combo is going to be this: upperslash (X>Triangle) > five light hits (Square x 5). The fundamental ground combo is an infinite succession of this: Heavy > Light > Heavy > Light > ... (alternate Triangle and Square) (most of the damage here should come from the Heavy hit; that's why we put our better weapon as Heavy weapon).

When I say "use enhancements" in the strategy I mean "use Ranged/Melee Attack Up (S)" (one of each).

"Do I have to use the two weapons you said?" -- they are the most efficient at this point. Virtuous Contract level 2 allows fast attacks and five-hits aerial combo (and we'll want a "long" aerial combo in certain phases). Iron Pipe is just a "random" Small Sword (any other one would work too, but you could get this one for free earlier in the sewers), and it's important to have a Small Sword as "support" weapon when you do the two fundamental combos I wrote earlier because the attack animations will be faster that way.

The strategy can be watched in the video below, which includes on-screen instructions:



In words:

Unless specified otherwise, always fire with Pod C during the entire fight. You will start with Weapon Set 1 (Virtuous Contract light; Iron Pipe heavy).
Start by using enhancement items, then rush to the boss and spam the Taunt button (hopefully you remapped Toggle Light to R1, so this will be easy to input) as you commence your attacks.
You have enough time to do two aerial combos before she starts moving. Then, after she starts moving, double-jump and do another aerial combo right on her face as she moves towards the middle of the room.
Dodge backwards to avoid her orbs attack, then go close to her again and land a few hits on the ground (random combo; just tap the Square button).
When you see her missiles attacks coming out, run in circles around her to avoid the attack.
Renew enhancement items, renew Taunt, and switch to Weapon Set 2 (Iron Pipe light; Virtuous Contract heavy). Then perform as many hits as possible with the basic ground combo (Heavy > Light > Heavy > ...) until you see the lasers on the ground.
Switch to Weapon Set 1. Once the lasers are visible, keep hitting her a couple more times, then step back a bit and stand in the area between any two lasers. When the lasers finally activate, do this: double jump > 5-hits (light attack) aerial combo (Square x 5) > aerial dash/dodge (R2) > glide down (hold X after the dodge). This will keep you airborne longer than the lasers are active, so you can land anywhere you want and you'll be safe.
By now the boss's health gauge should have disappeared. This means you have done so much damage that you have early-forced the second phase of the fight. She will hack you; do the minigame, and get ready for the second phase.
Against the first wave of minions in the second phase of the fight you want to try and kill the one immediately behind you (from your starting position) LAST. In this phase (and only in this phase), stop using Pod attacks, so you don't accidentally kill that minion early on. If you kill the minion in the middle (the one behind you when you start), when the second wave of enemies starts you will be in a position that allows you to kill four more minions before their attacks start. Resume shooting with Pod C after killing the last minion of the first wave.
Once the second wave of minions appears, kill the first minion in front of you, then dash forward and kill another one, then dash left and kill another one, then dash left&backwards to kill another one just before the first shockwaves hit you. At that point, jump up and stand close to the edge of the arena (easier to avoid the shockwaves there). Then kill the enemies -- I prefer to move counterclockwise around the room, killing the enemies on the edge first, and the ones more in the middle after. Make sure to look at the minimap too, since it will reveal the position of the enemies better than the camera allows.
After killing the last minion, the boss will come out again. Switch to Weapon Set 2, rush to her, use enhancement items, and Taunt her while you do the basic ground combo over and over and over again. You will do so much damage that she won't be able to attack you at all before her dress catches fire. When the dress catches fire, the boss will be staggered for a few seconds: keep doing the ground combo, and if you've done everything right her health bar will disappear before she can react.
Her health bar disappearing means that the monster under the dress is gonna come out soon. Make sure you are standing behind her; then renew enhancement items, Taunt, and keep doing more ground combos until she jumps up in the air to start her jump-shockwave attacks.
Switch to Weapon Set 1 (you want those five-hits aerial combos available, if she does the four-in-a-row shockwaves attack), and then kill the boss with a few more aerial attacks (double jump > 2-3 hits (light attack) > dodge backwards) in-between her jump-shockwave attacks. She'll be dead before you know it.
After this epic fight, proceed a bit towards the exit. After a short chat about machines and emotions, check on the left side to find a treasure box.

3 - Speed Salve (L) (http://i.imgur.com/42Zsbnf.png)

Go down some stairs from there. You may notice a tunnel on the left side, if you turn around and look at it; it leads to an elevator, which leads to an underground passage with a hack chest -- ignore it, and simply proceed outside.

As you come out, you'll be prompted a choice: you can either agree to go to the next destination, or you can disagree...and still have to go there, so pick whatever you want because it really doesn't matter.

On the way, while still in the Amusement Park area, we can now access a chest that you may have seen earlier, since a new path has been opened on the west side.

4 - Impact Bracer (S) (available after defeating the boss) (http://i.imgur.com/wvVzF9b.png)

Go up the ladder and follow the NPC. If you want, on the way you can deliberately drop down the upper path to land on the lower path; at its right end, the lower path offers another chest.

5 - Small Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/Pt4uOon.png)

That's it for this area, continue to the next one.

*Chapter 05

Pascal's Village

Map (http://i.imgur.com/fWqnk8F.png)



As you enter, speak with the marked robot (Pascal) twice to receive the Fuel Filter. Then leave the village (no need to backtrack all the way out; just go back far enough for the local music to stop), and go back inside -- instead of waving white flags, the robots will now have regular conversations and offer certain services (shops and quests).

Treasure checklist:
1 - Animal Bait (bottom level, in a shack) (http://i.imgur.com/rK0GPEl.jpg)
2 - Small G Luck+ (bottom level) (http://i.imgur.com/Cfv0CLj.jpg)
3 - Small Recovery (upper level, on a wooden platform) (http://i.imgur.com/fMx5IOq.jpg)
4 - Skill Salve (S) (upper level, in a shack) (http://i.imgur.com/MsMMe9G.jpg)
5 - Speed Salve (S) (middle level; reach from a ladder on the upper level; jump past robot to get it) (http://i.imgur.com/1pHwm0g.jpg)

The local Access Point is just to the right of where Pascal was, so go activate it.

The local shops in Pascal's Village sell various goodies (they are both near the entrance, where Pascal used to stand when you first came in). The weapon shop sells three weapons; they are not important right now, but later (much later; we're talking after the third playthrough) they'll be useful for a money exploit. I wouldn't advise purchasing them; stick with what you already have. You can also upgrade your weapons here, if you wish, but you should save money and Materials for better weapon upgrades later on.

The shop on the right is the Item Shop, and it's the more interesting one. In addition to recovery and enhancing items (resupply a bit, if needed), he also sells some new Chips, some of which are very interesting. In particular, let's focus on the Drop Rate Up chip.

Optional: getting Drop Rate Up +90%

Long story short: purchase 24 Drop Rate Up chips from the shop (12,000 G). We'll then fuse them together (for an additional 37,000 G) to get the net effect of Drop Rate Up +90% with the least amount of chipset slots consumed ("least amount" relative to what we can do for the time being, and for quite a long time to come actually), while still keeping the G invested reasonable
Long story long:

If you have enough funds to do so, and you definitely should, you can make an investment now to have a very handy chip to drastically increase the drop rate from enemies from now on. While you can't Fuse Chips here in the village, we'll soon be headed back to the Resistance Camp, where you'll be able to do so. Below I'll explain the maths behind it (feel free to skip it)
The maximum effect from the "drop rate up" chips is +90%. This can be achieved with various combinations of chips, and the most efficient one would theoretically be with a single Drop Rate Up +8 chip. That's not going to be possible any time soon though, so we'll have to settle with the next-best option: one Drop Rate Up +4, and one Drop Rate Up +3. If the source chips (the ones used for Fusion) are the chips bought at the shop here, together they will occupy 30 slots of space in your chipsets
While it's true that to maximize your Chipset efficiency you would normally want only Chips that have a low "cost" (slots in the chipset), you really don't need any other Chip at this point. Plus, the best way to farm Chips with low cost is by killing enemies with the Drop Rate Up +90% chip equipped. So it's really a good investment to get this effect early on
To get a +90% total effect you COULD do it for very few G, in theory, by using nine Drop Rate Up chips (the "level 0" versions) (total cost of barely 4,500 G). This, however, would take up 99 spaces in your chipset
What do you want to do then? To maximize (for now) efficiency, you want to purchase a total of 24 Drop Rate Up chips here in the village. Then you'll fuse them all together to get a total of one Drop Rate Up +4 chip and one Drop Rate Up +3 chip, the cumulative effects of which will be +90% drop rate. The chips will cost only 12,000 G to purchase, but the whole process, due to the cost of Fusing chips, will actually add up to 49,000 G. At this point of the game I had 70,000+ G without even selling anything, and I could have easily had much more (100,000+) if I had sold useless Materials (like the Machine Core from the optional boss earlier in the Amusement Park). So yes, it's very affordable, and very much worth it (you don't need to spend your money on anything else, really)
There are also some quests available here, but most of them require backtracking far too much for my taste, especially knowing that relatively soon enough we'll be able to Fast-Travel between access points, and even more so knowing how poor the rewards are. It's still a good idea to accept them, so we can do them later.

Quest # 01 - Jean-Paul's Melancholy
Location: upper level of Pascal's Village.
Request: speak with three NPCs, then report to Jean-Paul.
Progression for now: the first NPC is located here in Pascal's Village (middle level, to the far right), and she'll give you the Letter for Jean-Paul item. Report this back to Jean-Paul, so the other two target NPCs will appear on the map (one in the Desert, the other in the Amusement Park). Don't go to them now; we'll do it later at a more convenient time.
(Reward: Beast Hide x 5, Medium Recovery x 2; EXP Gain Up +3; 5,000 G; 500 EXP)

Quest # 40 - The Wandering Couple (Part 1)
Location: bottom level of Pascal's Village.
Request: for the first part of the quest, fetch an item in the Abandoned Factory (Elaborated Gadget), then hand it over. The quest has a second, longer part after that, which will require a 50,000 G and a Memory Alloy (you'll have the money by then).
Progression for now: just accept the quest.
(Reward for the first part: Medium Recovery x 3, Pearl x 5; 5,000 G; 200 EXP)

Quest # 12 - Lost Girl
Location: bottom level of Pascal's Village.
Request: find an NPC in the Desert, then escort this NPC through the desert. Then report back to the quest-giver.
Progression for now: just accept the quest.
(Reward: Pink Ribbon, Blue Ribbon; 5,000 G; 750 EXP)

There is also another quest available on the way between Pascal's Village and the Amusement Park. It's from a robot up on a wooden platform. Since it's a quest all about donating him money, feel free to skip it entirely (don't even bother to accept it). I'll list it below just because it's there.

Quest # 30 - Half-wit Inventor
Location: Scientist Machine, on the path between Amusement Park and Pascal's Village.
Request: donate a cumulative amount of 180,000 G.
Progression for now: do NOTHING. You can accept the quest if you'd like, but don't spend a single G on it. We'll do this quest as one of the very last things, in our third playthrough or even after that.

Also, just for the record, the path to the Forest area is closed off at the moment, so don't bother doing there. It will be opened after the events in the Forest Castle, quite a bit later in the story.

When it's all done, head back to City Ruins. There is a shortcut to get there (no need to backtrack through the Amusement Park): from the entrance of the village, there will be two paths. One (towards south) leads back to Amusement Park (it's where you came from). The other one leads, through some woods, to City Ruins. There will be a block to push to clear the path through a barricade.

Resistance Camp & Pascal's Village

Back in the camp, there is a quest you can accept. It was actually available earlier too, but it wasn't worth the trouble of heading back.

Quest # 18 - Resistance Disappearence
Location: Resistance Member, in Resistance Camp (near Maintenance Shop).
Request: find an NPC, or rather an item that will then lead to the NPC. We can't access the area where this item is yet.
Progression for now: just accept the quest.
(Reward: Pyrite x 5, Medium Recovery x 2, Pearl x 3; Max HP Up +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,200 EXP)

Speak with Anemone to receive the Viscous Oil and proceed with the story.

If you want the Drop Rate Up +90% effect, and you bought the 24 Drop Rate Up chips in Pascal's Village, speak with the Maintenance Shop NPC and select Fuse:
- In the Fuse list, select the Drop Rate Up chip (any of the 24), and then spam the X/A button to confirm the fusion, over and over again, a total of 12 times. This will turn your 24 Drop Rate Up chips into 12 Drop Rate Up +1 chips
- Repeat the process with the 12 Drop Rate Up +1 chips, and fuse them together to obtain 6 Drop Rate Up +2 chips
- Repeat with the 6 Drop Rate Up +2 chips to obtain 3 Drop Rate Up +3 chips
- Fuse two of the results together for a Drop Rate Up +4 chip

Make sure to equip the Drop Rate Up +4 and Drop Rate Up +3 chips, so you can have your Drop Rate Up +90% total effect, at the cost of 30 chipset slots. Note that the game will tell you that "the effect has been exceeded": this message is actually displayed when the effect is either exceeded, or just exactly reached. In our case, we have exactly the 90% maximum effect (so we are not "exceeding" anything; we're at the limit, where we want to be).

After that, head in the back area of the Resistance Camp, climb up the ladder, and go all the way to the right to find another quest-NPC.

Quest # 14 - The Manager's Request
Location: Manager, in the back area, upper level.
Request: fetch an item in the Amusement Park, then hand it over.
Progression for now: just accept the quest.
(Reward: Medium Recovery x 2, Tree Seed x 5, Animal Bait x 5; Anti-Chain Damage +3 (Chip); 3,000 G; 250 EXP)

Note: there are several other quests available at this stage, but none of them are worth the time.

We're done here, so head back to Pascal's Village (in case you have already forgotten the way: if Resistance Camp is southeast on your map, then the path to Pascal's Village is northeast) to give him the Viscous Oil, and then head back to City Ruins once again to continue with the story.

City Ruins - "Updated" version

Something happened, and there will be new treasures to loot soon enough. Moreover, most of the machines will be different now, and become aggressive.

All of this is secondary though: what matters now is getting to our destination. If we come from northeast, then our destination is southwest. In particular, do you remember that broken 8-floors building we visited as one of our very first treasure-hunting locations, right after we arrived in the city? We need to get on its rooftop to proceed with the story as intended.

However, there is an alternative possibility, which will take about 5 minutes in total (that might actually end up being faster than the supposed route), and will give you some decent rewards. You could fight the two Goliaths as intended (by going to the rooftop), but you can also fight them from the ground. This is actually much easier than it sounds, since they won't be able to hit you at all if you stand in very large "blind spots" where they simply have no attacks to hit you. You can see a video demonstration below:



You basically just need to stand behind the enemy, and shoot the "butt" area of the robot to deal constant damage with your Pod A. Make use of the Pod Program (Laser) whenever available, since it does extra damage. I also used Ranged Attack Up (S) items, but they are not needed -- they'll just speed things up (cut down the fight time in half, basically). While very boring, this strategy will net you the following rewards:

- Ranged Attack Up (L), Large Recovery, Ranged Defense Up (L); Down-Attack Up +3 (Chip); 5,000 G
- Melee Attack Up (L), Large Recovery, Melee Defense Up (L); Offensive Heal +3 (Chip); 5,000 G

You may also be able to get one or two Machine Cores as drops from the enemies (they sell for 10,000 G each). After killing them both, you'll still need to go get the flight units to continue.

If you want to fight as intended instead of fighting them cheaply from the ground, then go into the building to the southwest in City Ruins (on Very Hard, I strongly recommend stopping by the Resistance Camp to save the game first). Inside the building, you can simply take the stairs, so do that to reach the roof, where you'll find the mecha-flight units...? Not so fast! First you'll have to deal with the Goliath just like you did in the Abandoned Factory (refer to the Engel boss fight).

After that, you'll finally be able to get into the flight units, and then you'll have to deal with the second Goliath while in them. In this fight, don't forget that you can use the Pod Program button (while in the flight units) to release a barrage of missiles that will do heavy damage to the enemy. Once they are both dead, the game will continue.

City Ruins - "Updated" version (continued)

Now you can properly see the changes that happened in the middle of the city. There are also some new quests available, but, once again, none of them really gives anything valuable or worth the trouble. We are really close to being able to fast-travel, too, so let's put them on hold for just a bit longer.

There are new treasures available in the "new" city.

Map (City Ruins - "updated" version) (http://i.imgur.com/a12k6El.png)



1 - Speed Salve (L) (inside building, just in the same position where a previous treasure was) (http://i.imgur.com/C4rhuVO.jpg)
2 - Small Recovery (crater area) (http://i.imgur.com/3TIG3cP.jpg)
3 - Medium Recovery (crater area) (http://i.imgur.com/OPFoU4l.jpg)
4 - 1,000 G (on the fallen Goliath) (http://i.imgur.com/UyiW0xA.jpg)

There is also a tunnel (sewage-pipes kind of passage) on the easter/southeastern side of the crater, which you could go through in order to prematurely access Flooded City. Since that's a location we'll be visiting later for story-related reasons, we should probably ignore it. That being said, the third and final Pod (Pod B) can be picked up in Flooded City. I don't see any compelling reason to make this detour -- it's not like you need the extra Pod for any particular reason. Still, if you wanted to get it earlier, you could do so now. We'll do it in the upcoming quest-break, not too long from now.

There are several new quests, too. I don't know about you though, but at this point I really wanted to continue with the story rather than doing side-content. We're just 10 minutes away from unlocking teleportation/fast travel, so I say we go for it, and then take a break from the story to clear up a bunch of side quests.

In order to continue, approach the crater (a bit northwest of the Resistance Camp), and find a part of collapsed floor that leads even further down below.

Note that there will be some new enemies here; they look like snakes (they are called Linked-Type), and only have one weak spot (the yellow orb of their body). They are extremely annoying to deal with, since they are immune to damage in every other part of their body, and they like moving a lot. They don't have little health either (they have average HP, but it feels like forever since you need to aim at their weak spot to deal any damage). My advice is to always ignore these enemies entirely -- they are just a waste of time.

If you can't find the spot where to go, try looking at this picture:



City Ruins - Deep Cave

At the bottom, you'll find two possible paths. Southwest actually leads to a dead end with a hack chest, so go southeast instead.

As you continue, the path will branch again: southwest or southeast. You can detour southwest for another chest:

5 - Ranged Defense Up (S) (in the underground cave) (http://i.imgur.com/bL4tDSF.jpg)

There is also a sealed door nearby; can't do anything about it, so backtrack and take the other path. On the way you'll find one more chest:

6 - Titanium Alloy x 3 (in the underground cave) (http://i.imgur.com/YGqjuU2.jpg)

Follow the remaining path all the way to the end to trigger scenes and a boss fight.

Boss - Eve
My, my, what a hunk! The fight here actually ends after a fixed amount of time (about a minute and forty seconds) runs out. The boss's attacks are very easy to avoid. On Very Hard you may just want to jump and dodge around until the fight automatically ends, rather than fighting and exposing yourself to an unnecessary risk of defeat.

For the record, you don't need to worry about the fight happening in the "background", since 9S will handle that one. That being said, although extremely unlikely, it IS possible to get attacked by accident by the other enemy (the one 9S is attacking), if one of his projectiles accidentally goes towards you. This only happens by accident, and 99% of the time you won't come in any contact with what's happening in the background.

As far as the strategy goes, you can simply run left and right and pretty much avoid any attack this way. The boss will spend most of the time just teleporting to follow you, or doing one of these two attacks:
- The "shoot fireballs" attack. In this case, double jump, then do an aerial combo to remain airborne until the attack is over
- The "flame pillars" attack (he punches the ground, then flame pillars appear underneath you). In this case, spam the dodge button to avoid all damage easily

He also has some basic melee combos, which you can avoid simply by keeping distance away from the enemy.

As a side note, if you do manage to "kill" the boss (take his health down) you will receive extra Exp in addition to the Exp that you automatically receive when the time runs out.

Once the fight is over, backtrack outside the cave, and you'll find a new Access Point. Examine it, and you will finally gain the ability to fast-travel between previously-used Access Points.

*Chapter 06

Story Break - Quests Time!

We can complete a lot of side quests at this point. We could have completed many of these earlier too, but fast-travel will speed things up considerably.

Some quests are still probably out of your reach for now though, and that's ok -- we'll clear them all in the second major quest break, which will take place after the next two story dungeons (after the Forest Kingdom events). Keep in mind that after those two story dungeons you'll be able to access extremely powerful Chips, so unless you have a very specific reason to do otherwise, I strongly recommend that you follow my advice and do the "easier" quests now, and the "harder" quests later.

In case you are wondering "how about doing all the quests in a single quest break, later on?", then, well, yes, you could do that. The thing is, however, that the quests available now are so easy that doing them later won't really make them any easier. On the contrary, the additional Exp (and some Pod Programs) you'll get from doing them now will probably help you clear the next dungeons more easily. So let's get down to business!

Resistance Camp

We don't have any business here, except for the newly-available Ranged Attack Up (L) and Melee Attack Up (L) items. I suggest you to buy about 20x of each, for now, so you have them ready for future use (feel free to sell your remaining (S) items).

Abandoned Factory

Outside you can find the Elaborate Gadget (quest item for The Wandering Couple) as a Collection Point (http://i.imgur.com/qY72ZAa.jpg)
Backtrack to the starting area (remember to use the bridge-shortcut) to find the 11B's Escape Plan (quest item for 11B's Memento) (http://i.imgur.com/04lsRSl.jpg)
While you're here, there is a new chest somewhere near the body you just examine for the quest (http://i.imgur.com/W4WkAny.png). Chest content: Stripped Screw, Crushed Nut, Rusty Bolt, Small Gear, Dented Socket, Severed Cable, Broken Battery
Backtrack to the Access Point and teleport to The Bunker.

The Bunker

Speak with the Commander while you're here, so you can advance with the story.
Report completion of the quest 11B's Memento. You'll be given a choice; either option leads to the same conclusion and reward (the only difference is going to be the dialogue, and the final report in the Quest log).
Teleport to City Ruins: Near the Tower.

City Ruins

Here's a map of the quests we'll do (green numbers = where the corresponding quest starts).



Quest # 21 - Investigating Communications
Location: received when walking around the tower (near the Access Point "City Ruins: Near the Tower").
Request: kill the enemies near the Access Point in the Cave area (it's marked on the map, as usual). The enemies are nothing special, so just nuke them out with Taunts and regular attacks.
Reward: 320 EXP.
Quest # 49 - Retrieve the Confidential Intel
Location: Resistance Member. He's in a small room on the roof of a building in the City Ruins.
Request: kill three groups of enemies (this will auto-fetch the requested items), and then report back to the NPC. The only thing maybe worth pointing out is that one of the groups (the one in the building) is made of enemies with an anti-projectile and anti-melee shield. The anti-melee shield is basically an electric barrier on their anti-projectile shields. All you need to do is shoot them with the Pod to neutralize the electric barrier, then slash them with melee attacks to break their shield, and then fight like always.
Progression: do what you're asked, for now, and you'll get your reward. The quest won't be over just yet though; you'll need to wait a bit to receive an email from the quest-giver, and then visit him again in the Desert: Housing Complex area. I'll let you know when it's time.
Reward: Crushed Nut x 3, Dented Plate x 4, Large G Luck+, Skill Salve (L), Large Recovery; 5,000 G; 800 EXP; Pod Program "A140: Gravity".

Note: the Pod Program "Gravity" is generally useless: it groups enemies together for a short period of time, but its area of effect is relatively small (it needs to be charged with all three Pods to become practical), and it doesn't last very long either (plus, enemies can still hit you while trapped in the gravity-field). There will be one major application for it later on though, during the quest Parade Escort (one of those we'll do in the next quest break).
Quest # 35 - Speed Star
Location: High-speed Machine, in City Ruins. To speak with him, climb up the fallen road near where he's hovering about, and then keep pressing the circle/B button when he passes by, so you can "intercept" him and speak with him to start the quest.
Request: beat him in three races. It's easy enough to do so, but you'll need to take some shortcuts when available. Just to be clear, you don't need any "Moving Speed Up" chip to complete this quest, and you don't need any Speed Salve (item) either. I strongly suggest watching the video after the text explanation, since it will help you see the routes in practice.

First race: nothing special, just make sure to jump across the tree branch near the end instead of walking all the way on it.

Second race: you can win easily by going around the building on the right side; make sure to cut every corner possible to save some time too. It helps if you do this move when jumping: X>R2>X. In other words, don't do a double jump followed by an aerial dash; instead, do a single jump, then an aerial dash, and then the second jump. This makes the animation a little bit faster, and saves some fractions of seconds that will add up in the end.

Third race: ok, the timing on this one is very strict. As a general indication, you can either start running and then avoid all obstacles on the ground by steering the character when necessary, OR you can spam dashes (dodge). I personally found the latter option to be better: while it's true that running at max speed is actually a bit superior to dash-spamming, it's also true that the many smaller obstacles on the path will probably interrupt your sprint, and therefore will cost you the race.

Before we even start running though, we need to take care of the slow start. As a matter of fact, you start on a rooftop, and then you need to fall down to the ground as quickly as possible before sprinting/dashing to your destination. There are several ways you can speed up your descent:
- You can try doing a downward attack with a Large Sword
- You can try gliding forward with your Pod
- You can use Self-Destruct while falling down, but cancel Self-Destruct before you touch the ground. In other words, press the button for Self-Destruct (L3 if you remapped it like I suggested; if not, it's L3+R3) while you are falling, in the air, but don't hold it down for the whole two seconds. Instead, release it when you are near the ground -- this will prevent additional animations, and give you a good start. I personally prefer this approach over the previous two

Lastly, there is a cheat method (also included in the video below) you can use to win the third race before it even starts. Literally. The way the cheat method works is as follows:
- You need at least 2x Animal Bait (buy in Resistance Camp)
- Fail the third race at least once, so that the NPC is now standing on top of the building where the race ends
- Go ride an animal, for example one of those near the access point "City: Near the Tower", and ride him all the way to the building where the race ends
- Place an Animal Bait right next to the NPC, and wait for the animal to get there. When ready, speak with the NPC, and immediately after accepting his challenge again spam the Circle button to get on the animal -- if done properly, you will glitch-out and start the race on top of the animal, on the building where the race ends. This will make you win before the race even starts. When the race starts you'll be able to get off the animal, and then speak with the NPC (when he arrives) to win and complete the quest. Congratulations!

Reward: Speed Salve (L), Dented Plate x 4, Rusty Bolt x 3, New Bolt; Moving Speed Up +3 (Chip); 10,000 G; 750 EXP.


Quest # 02 - Machine Examination 1
Location: fallen Goliath (examine his "face") in City Ruins. You can do so when standing on top of the debris in front of him.
Request: find the target items in the Desert.
Progression for now: accept the quest; we'll go to the Desert soon enough.
(Reward: 3,000 G; 500 EXP)
Resistance Camp

Quest # 37 - Photographs
Location: Resistance Member, in Resistance Camp (out in the open area).
Request: reach three locations. One is in the desert; another is in the amusement park; the last one is in a forest area where we'll go later in the story.
Progression for now: accept the quest.
(Reward: Speed Salve (L), Medium Recovery, Amber x 2, Pyrite x 3; Charge Attack +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 500 EXP)
While you're here, purchase the Pod Program A060: P Shield -- it'll be very useful in an upcoming quest.
Also, shops are now selling Melee/Ranged Attack Up (L), so you should probably stock up on those a bit (I bought 50 of each).
Next we'll go to a new area, Flooded City, mostly to get Pod B a bit earlier (this helps a lot for a quest, especially on Very Hard). The area is called Flooded City, and it's accessed through a large sewer-pipe on the eastern/southeastern side of the crater area of City Ruins. See picture below if needed.



Flooded City (early visit)

Map (http://i.imgur.com/peHaKoL.png)
The pink P indicates the general location where you can fish Pod B out of the water.



When you are going through the tunnel between City Ruins and Flooded City, you can loot two chests in two different "alcoves" on the side of the main path through the tunnel:
- Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/mMaEyNW.jpg)
- Small G Luck+ (http://i.imgur.com/746UAC0.jpg)

Once you are in Flooded City, activate the Access Point and loot the available treasures:
1 - Black Pearl x 2 (inside building) (http://i.imgur.com/s013Nc3.jpg)
2 - 1,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/2lEo0dK.jpg)

3 - Small Recovery (long-jump to an isolated building in the middle of the water) (http://i.imgur.com/jDy6IHf.jpg)
4 - Type-3 Lance (Weapon) (same location as previous treasure)
To get these two treasures, first try to locate them -- there is really just one building in the middle of the water, and you'll see the chests on its roof. From the closest building available, run and jump twice (XX), then do an aerial dash (dodge) (R2), a Pod Throw (Jump + Fire buttons) (X+L2), and add a light-attack aerial combo (Square x 5) for extra distance if needed. You can then come back from the rooftop the same way you got there.

5 - Skill Salve (S) (http://i.imgur.com/nM1Yq9P.jpg)

Most importantly of all, fish out Pod B from the water in the area. Below is a picture with an approximate location of where you can get it. You will probably need a few tries (10-15) before you get lucky. Just keep trying, like you did with the Iron Pipe (http://i.imgur.com/FxCfQSL.jpg).



Collection Points:
- Copper Ore
- Moldavite
- Tanning Agent
- Dye
- Pure Water

Collection Bodies:
- Counter
- Reset

Next, go to the Amusement Park.

Amusement Park

Find the machine fan of Jean-Paul's to get the Beautiful Glass and progress with Jean-Paul's Melancholy.
Quest # 53 - Stamp Collecting
Location: Machine Receptionist, entrance of the Amusement Park Ruins.
Request: speak with a series of NPCs scattered around the park to receive "stamps" from them. The map below has slightly more accurate locations than the generic red circles on your map. Also, refer to the text below if needed.

1. First of all, examine the Collection Point near the bunny statue in the middle of the square just north of where the quest started. This will net you a Stamp.
2. Next, go all the way forward upstairs. Then speak with the "Revved-up Machine" on the right side (he seems to be trying to hump the ground; he has some balloons tied to his arm).
3. Proceed through the semi-open gate on the east side of the area. Near the local shop there are some stairs; on those stairs there is the next NPC that will give you a Stamp.
4. Now head in the narrow alleys leading to the Access Point. In the alleys, as soon as possible, turn left to find another Stamp-NPC in a dead end.
5. In the area with the Access Point you'll find the next Stamp as a Collection Point, placed on the amusement ride (at its bottom)
6. The next one is also a Collection Point; you'll find it upstairs, on the left side in the screen where the rollercoaster ride is

Head back to the main area, and proceed north through the open gates that lead to the opera house (where you came from, after the local boss fight). As you do so, you'll also get a photograph for the quest Photographs.

7. The next Stamp is from the NPC on the right side, on the bridge to the opera house.
8. Next, enter the opera house. After the amazing performance (...), speak with the NPC that told you he'd give you stamps to get, guess what, a Stamp.
9. Still in the opera house, now you need to reach the underground area. We mentioned it briefly when we first came here (I told you not to go there, since there was just a hack chest); it can be accessed if you take the eastern corridor in the opera house (in the first room you enter from the outside), and then ride the elevator down from there. Beware: many enemies await you here. They are all level 20+, and you need to kill them all to get this Stamp. They will come from left and right. I strongly recommend using Pod B's base attack, enhanced by Taunt and Ranged Attack Up (L), since its laser actually pierces through enemies in a row (and these enemies are all in line). When they are starting to get too close, jump up and above their heads, dash to the other side, and repeat until they all eventually die.

10. Lastly, head back outside and proceed as if you wanted to go to Pascal's Village (there is an alley on the left side of the Amusement Park; it'll be on your right if you come from the opera house). After going through the alley, before going up the ladder, look in this area to find the last Stamp-NPC (the big angry one on the right).

In this same area you can also find a Collection Point near a body (it's near a gate, on the left), which will give you the Rusty Music Box item for another quest.

When it's all done, report to the quest-giver to receive your reward.
Reward: Broken Circuit x 5, Precious Earrings, Large Recovery; Fast Cooldown +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,150 EXP.


(Already included in the previous text description) You will have automatically collected the Park Photo (quest item for Photographs) by the time you are done with Stamp Collecting.
(Already included in the previous text description) Pick up the Rusty Music Box from the ground (quest item for The Manager's Request).
Desert: Camp

Quest # 19 - Jackass's Research
Location: Jackass, near the Desert Camp Access Point.
Request: win four battles with certain conditions.

1. First fight, nothing special.
2. Second fight: you can't get hit.
3. Third fight: you must win within 30 seconds. You may want to (ab)use Taunt and enhancement items, and maybe even Laser from your Pods.
4. Fourth fight: you must win within 30 seconds without getting hit. Make sure to help yourself with Ranged/Melee Attack Up (L) and Taunt, and use the Pod Program "P Shield" (charge it to level 3 before starting the fight). This will make you very powerful and invincible at the same time, so killing the enemies shouldn't take long at all.
Reward (total): Medium Recovery x 4; 4,000 G; 400 EXP.

When it's done, the quest won't be over just yet, but it will be very soon. For now, warp back to Resistance Camp.
Resistance Camp

Report and complete The Manager's Request (the NPC is in the back area).
After completing the aforementioned quest you'll be able to access the last bit of the back area. Two chests can be found there:
- Impact Bracer (S) (http://i.imgur.com/urocCYo.jpg)
- Large G Luck+
Examine the column to the left of the chests to continue with the quest Resistance Disappearance (picture: http://i.imgur.com/U66YShU.jpg)
Quest # 50 - Sorting Trouble
Location: Resistance Member, back area of the Resistance Camp (must have completed the quest "The Manager's Request" first).
Request: move the boxes in the warehouse so you can access the chest. Please note that there are Collection Points in the warehouse too, but they are not worth the trouble (they are just ordinary items, like the one you can find outside). It should be easy enough; if not, check the picture at this link: http://i.imgur.com/yjHnLgu.png
Reward: Rusted Clump x 5, Medium Recovery, Skill Salve (L); Evade Range Up +3 (Chip); 3,000 G; 350 EXP.
Make sure you have at least 10x each of Melee/Ranged Attack Up (L) before you leave (if not, buy them from the Supply Trader).
You can most likely upgrade the Iron Pipe to level 2 at this point. If so, do it.
If you can afford it, buy the Ancient Overlord weapon too, and if possible upgrade it to level 2 as well (if you are missing Warped Wires, we'll go to the Desert where we can farm them soon). These two weapons should be your light-weapon and heavy-weapon from now on, unless particular situations require different types of weapons.
We could also report the partial completion of the Photographs quest, but there's no point doing it. So, time to head for the Desert for all those leftovers -- teleport to the Desert: Camp again. Moreover, you should have received an email from Jackass, informing you that she finalized the item she was working on. Let's pay her a visit then.

Desert: Camp

Jackass should have sent you an email after you left the Desert earlier. Speak with her again to receive the final reward (E-Drug x 5, 5,000 G, 500 EXP) and complete Jackass's Research.

Note that you can buy more E-Drug from the store in the "oasis" (the Oil Field) southwest in the Desert: Center area). This item gives some random enhancements at the cost of random penalties (visual distortions, for example). It's nothing special; just a gimmick to mess around a bit if you feel like it.
Get the Pristine Screw from the special enemy in the first Desert area (item for Machine Examination 1). As always, use Taunt and Melee Attack Up (L) for extra damage.
Kill the target enemies of the quest Resistance Disappearance. There will be a few level 30 enemies, and one level 35 enemy. Use Taunt and Melee/Ranged Attack Up. Try to pick the level 30 enemies off one by one. I was level 14 when I did this one Very Hard difficulty; it takes a while to kill the main guy, but it's doable (he's slow and has a simple melee combo that's easy to avoid).

You can also strongly benefit from using a triple-charged P Shield before going all-in with your weapons against the main target (this allows you to focus all on offense without having to worry about defending for a short while). Use the fundamental ground combo (Heavy > Light > Heavy > Light) with Iron Pipe as first weapon and Virtuous Contract as second weapon.

Then get the Man's Journal and Memory Chip to continue with the quest.
In the Desert: Camp area (the first one) you can farm Warped Wire (to upgrade Ancient Overlord to level 2, if you couldn't do so earlier) from those "tall" enemies stacked on top of each other. You need a total of five to upgrade the Ancient Overlord to level 2, and you should already have four from treasures/quests rewards (you may already have more than four if you got some extra ones as loot from enemies, of course).
Desert: Center

Find the target for the Lost Girl quest. Once you find the big robot girl, speak with her to start the escorting minigame. You basically need to stay close enough to her (or else she'll stop moving until you are close again), and kill the enemies that will ambush you. The enemies here will be barely at level 10, so you should handle it all easily. You also can't do friendly fire damage on her (i.e. your attacks won't hit the girl), so don't worry about it.

There will be a total of three ambushes; after the last one, walk a short distance until the robot stops. You can now speak with her, and she'll automatically go back to the village (she also gives you the Pink Ribbon item). We'll finish the quest later.
Go to the second oasis (west side; access it from northeast to southwest) to get the Desert Photo (for the quest Photographs).
Desert: Housing Complex

Find and speak with another fan of Jean-Paul's to get the Machine Fossil (quest item for Jean-Paul's Melancholy).
Find and speak with the NPC in a house to continue Retrieve the Confidential Intel quest (he'll be marked on your map). The quest still won't be finished just yet.
Walkthrough - Extended
(Continued)

Resistance Camp

You'll receive an email "Commander: Search Order Annulment": open it at the Access Point to finally complete Retrieve the Confidential Intel.
Report progress on Resistance Disappearance to the NPC in the main area. Like in a previous quest, you'll be given a choice that won't actually change anything except for the dialogue that will follow.
After that, leave the Resistance Camp (just walk a bit outside); you will soon receive a "quest update" message. When that happens, turn around, go back to the Resistance Camp, and speak with the new quest-NPC (near where the previous one was) to finally end this quest as well and get your reward.
If you couldn't do so earlier, upgrade Ancient Overlord to level 2 now.
Pascal's Village & co.

Report completion of the quest Lost Girl (if you forgot, the NPC is in the bottom area; access it from the ladder near the shops).
Report progress on The Wandering Couple (the quest won't end yet). The NPCs are also in the bottom area.
Speak with Jean-Paul to progress with Jean-Paul's Melancholy (he's on the upper level).
Speak with the make-up-machine NPC (middle level of the village) to continue with Jean-Paul's Melancholy.
Ignore the quest between Pascal's Village and City Ruins for now (it's the quest Family Squabble, and can "easily" be failed if you are underleveled; we'll do it another time). Instead, finish Jean-Paul's Melancholy once and for all:

Go to Amusement Park and speak with the NPC to continue with Jean-Paul's Melancholy.
Go to Desert: Housing Complex and speak with the NPC to continue with Jean-Paul's Melancholy.
Go to Pascal's Village and speak with the NPC near Jean-Paul's previous location (upper level of the village) to end the quest.
City Ruins

Report and complete Machine Examination 1.
Quest # 03 - Machine Examination 2 (Part 1)
Location: automatically obtained after Machine Examination 1.
Request: fetch the four items marked on the map, then report back. Nothing special.
Progression for now: you can complete the first part (fetch the items and bring them back) of the quest now, so do that. However, in order to properly finish it you'll have to wait until we progress with the story a bit more (you need to speak with Engels, but he'll only do so after you've cleared the next story events).
Reward (first part): 5,000 G; 750 EXP; Engels 110-B Record 0010.
Quest # 43 - YoRHa's Betrayal
Location: read email "Operator 6O: Confidential Mission Details" from any Access Point.
Request: there will be three possible locations marked on your map where you can find your target. You'll find your target at any of the three locations; it's random. The possible locations are: on top of the fallen Goliath (climb on its "head"); on the rooftop where you got the flight units; on the ground level in the area just outside the Abandoned Factory. Again, it's completely random where of the three locations you'll find your targets, so you'll just have to check them all until you get lucky. When you do find them, a fight will ensue (enemies are at level 16-17).

During the first encounters, the enemies will run away after you take down about half of their health.
You'll then have to find them again at any of the two remaining possible locations, and fight them to their death. At that point, a third opponent will show up, and you need to kill him too.

Strategy-wise, the enemies are harshly designed to almost "force" you (or at least strongly tempt you) to kill them with the Pod only: they attack too frequently, and they do so together, and their melee attacks have a moderately long range too. There is simply no reliable way to use melee attacks on them without an extremely high chance of getting hit back (they don't get easily staggered by your attacks, either, so it's not like your attacks break their combos), so at the end of the day it's going to be either of these two options: attack them in melee range, taking almost guaranteed damage (even if you try to only do short combos after dodging their own combos; the two enemies together pretty much always have an attack animation running at any given time), or stay away/run in circles as you eat their health away with the Pod (regular attacks and occasional Laser or other offensive programs).

The only possible, somewhat safe way to use melee hits to attack them is by performing a single counter after a successful dodge. The spears weapons are best suited for this purpose, since they will swipe around 2B, possibly hitting both of them. Any weapon will do though, as long as you don't perform any additional hit after the immediate counterattack. Unfortunately you can still get hit by the other enemy if you are unlucky (depends on how the animations match up together), so it's always a gamble, no matter how skilled you are.

It's also worth pointing out that after a certain amount of damage, or hits (especially Pod fire), they can temporarily (for a few seconds) get "stunned" (they look like they are having a seizure or something). If this happens, a prompt will appear, and you can press Circle next to them to perform a special attack. Unfortunately, even this special attack doesn't guarantee invincibility: while it's true that you won't get hit during the special attack animation, it's also true that you may receive a hit immediately after the attack animation ends (this special attack doesn't have invincibility frames when it ends). This is so unreliable that on Very Hard difficulty I would actually advise not to use this special attack at all.

It goes without saying, but make sure to use Ranged/Melee Attack Up (L), and Taunt them too. You can also try using P Shield to buy yourself some time and add some melee combos, but the shield won't last long enough to kill either one of them (unless you are at a relatively high level by now), let alone both. You could still do it, and then when the shield goes down simply run around in circles spamming Pod attacks until they die/until you can use P Shield again.

If you are still having troubles, you can leave this quest on hold for a bit, and do it at a later time -- you'll soon acquire an easy supply of Taunt +6 chips, which can make these fights extremely easier (plus by then you will have gained a few extra levels that will make this quest a joke).

To properly end the quest, you need to speak with Anemone in the Resistance Camp, and then walk away from her to automatically receive a call from the Operator. After the call the quest will be actually completed.
Reward: 10,000 G; 400 EXP; Type-4O Lance (Weapon).

Make sure you have 50,000 G ready for the next quest. If not, sell "useless" Materials*.
*What's a "useless" Material? -- any Material that says "can be exchanged for money" (like Machine Cores) should be sold. Any Material that isn't required to upgrade Pods OR the main/most important weapons (Ancient Overlord and Iron Pipe for now) can also be sold without thinking twice about it. Lastly, avoid selling Materials requested by quest-NPCs.

In particular, you must never sell these Materials (if you have them): Powerup Part S (missable/available in limited quantities), Simple Gadget (very rare), Elaborate Gadget (extremely rare).

You shouldn't have any of the next ones, but if you do make sure to avoid selling them too (they are not too rare, but they can't be bought either): Beast Hide, Mushroom, Giant Egg, Eagle Eggs, Pure Water.

Also make sure to keep one each of these, since they will requested by quest-NPCs later: Warped Wire, Memory Alloy x 2, Broken Circuit, Silver Ore, Pristine Screw, Broken Battery, Gold Ore, Filler Metal, Pristine Cable, Large Battery.
Lastly, these are the Materials needed to upgrade our future weapons of choice (Ancient Overlord and Iron Pipe) to Level 3: Copper Ore x 5, Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Rusted Clump x 5, Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Broken Key x 5, Warped Wire x 5, Broken Circuit x 5, Small Gear x 6, Crystal x 5,  Amber x 4.

With that done, let's continue and finish one of the quests we started a while ago.

The Wandering Couple (Part 2)

Go to Flooded City, find the NPCs on the left side of the street (near a building, early on), and give them 50,000 G.
Fast-travel away (for example to Desert: Housing Complex) to update quest.
Go back to Flooded City and speak with the NPC you'll find on the street, not far from where the couple was earlier. Agree to help.
Go to Amusement Park to find the next NPC near the bottom of a tree (http://i.imgur.com/7zuG4hb.jpg), and hand over a Memory Alloy to end the quest. Note that you'll be given an apparent choice, but if you refuse to help you won't be able to continue the quest (so you can only continue if you accept, really).
Reward (second part): Full Recovery, Black Pearl x 4, Moldavite x 4; Overclock +3 (Chip); 10,000 G; 750 EXP; Pod Program "A080: Wave".
The Pod Program "Wave" is great to crowd-control enemies. Especially if charged with all three Pods, it can really devastate larger groups of enemies with ease. Thanks to it, you will probably be able to succeed in a quest I advised to skip earlier.

The Overclock +3 Chip is also very good: while it's not particularly strong at level 3, it still gives 2.5 seconds of extra time to hit the enemies more safely after a "perfect dodge". I recommend you equip it.

Last Quests

Of the remaining quests, the only one you should bother with at this point is the one between Pascal's Village and City Ruins. With the Pod Program "Wave", some Taunts, and some Melee/Ranged Attack Up (L), it should be doable easily. To be safe, save before starting the quest (it can be failed).

Quest # 04 - Family Squabble
Location: Mother Machine, on the path between Pascal's Village and City Ruins.
WARNING: this quest can be "failed" if the escorted-NPC dies on the way. Make sure to have a recent back up save, just in case something goes wrong (the closest Access Point to save before starting the escort mission is City: Center). I have personally tested it myself to be sure, but the good news is that even if you fail the quest during the current playthrough you'll be able to try again (as many times as it takes) in the future. Your next chance would be in the next playthrough though, so...try to succeed now, but don't panic if you failed and already over-wrote your save file.

Request: this is another escort mission (like Lost Girl). Find the child in the City Ruins (he's somewhere northwest of the City Center Access Point), then escort him back to his mother. Unlike Lost Girl, this quest can be failed because the escort target has an HP bar, and he WILL take damage on the way. It's not that improbable that he might actually die before you can escort him to safety.

To minimize the risk, I would use Attack Up (Melee/Ranged Attack Up) items, Taunts, and a triple-charged Wave during the ambushes, especially if you are playing on Very Hard, so you can clear the enemies faster and therefore expose the child to less damage.

There will be a total of four ambushes after you first speak with the escorted-NPC:

- The first one is just where you start. Nothing special here, use Wave to get a head start on the enemies, and then clean up the area with regular attacks. The enemies will spawn in four small groups
- The second one is on the street later. Again, it's a bunch of enemies on the ground, so charge up your Wave, and this should kill all of them at once and then clean up the rest
- The third one is easily the most dangerous one: it consists of several flying enemies that just love to scatter around and shoot down the child-machine while you roam around the field in circles trying to catch up with them. The best way to handle this group is by using a triple-charged Gravity Pod Program, since it will allow you to group-up these flying a-holes together, and you can then easily kill them quickly with some aerial combos. Ideally, release Gravity when the enemies are all close to the child, so you can maximize the effect. Make sure to have enhancement items to considerably speed up the killing process
- The fourth and last one is before the barricade between City Ruins and Pascal's Village. This one features two stronger enemies (around level 17), one of which (the one on the left) has a machinegun that keeps shooting orbs -- eliminate this one first (fire at him with Pod A all the time, so you can neutralize his orbs), and then focus on the other

Once they are all dead, speak with the mother again to complete the quest.

Reward: Medium Recovery, Impact Bracer (L), Broken Battery x 3; Deadly Heal +3 (Chip); 10,000 G; 750 EXP.

Story Continuation - The Bunker & Pascal's Village

The first quest break is over, so let's continue with the story. If you didn't do so earlier, go speak with the Commander in The Bunker. If you have already done so, then do the next step, which is speaking with Pascal in his Village.

To the Forest Kingdom

Our next destination seems to be the Forest Kingdom, but there are some very useful quests to do before we continue.

Also, you may remember from a previous map of mine that Pascal Village connects directly to the Forest Kingdom with one of its exits. While that is true, that exit/entrance is blocked, so we'll have to take another route. If you want to proceed, then simply head north (across a wooden bridge) from the northeastern part of City Ruins. I'll assume you want to do the optional stuff first.

Start by going to the City: Center access point, kill all the enemies around the access point, and then walk north/northeast from there towards the access point City: Near the Tower. This will trigger a call from the operator, starting the next quest.

Quest # 22 - Terminal Repairs
Location: near the City: Near the Tower access point. Once you get near there you should receive an email, and then a call from Operator 6O. This will initiate the quest.
Note: you must have done the quest "Investigating Communications" (the one that required you to clear the Access Point in the Deep Cave) before this one can be done.
Request: kill the enemies around the Access Point of City: Center. They are regular enemies, level 20-22, nothing special. Once done, examine the Access Point, then quit the Access Point menu to receive another call. After the chat, use any Access Point to read the email, which will end the quest and give you your reward.
Reward: Medium Recovery x 2, Simple Gadget x 3; 3,000 G; 600 EXP.

Not sure how that fit into an email, but anyway. When the previous quest is done, go back to Resistance Camp (fast-travel there) to receive an email. Open that email ("Operator 6O: Thanks for your help the other day!") to start the next quest.

Quest # 23 - Find a Present
Location: unlocked after reading the aforementioned mail.
Request: fetch quest done in the Desert. Teleport to Desert: Oil Field, and then find the Collection Point in the red-marked area (it's beneath a cliff/rock; see: http://i.imgur.com/s9nw19v.jpg) that will give you the necessary item. After another chat, check your inbox to receive your reward from another mail.
Reward: Amber x 4; Pod Program "A130: Bomb"; Type-4O Sword; 5,000 G; 800 EXP.

In case you're wondering, the song playing after completing the quest is called Vague Hope.

The new sword is (for reasons you'll see when it's fully upgraded) a very popular "cool" choice for many players.
As far as the new Pod Program goes, Bomb is at least on par with Wave in terms of usefulness. It will hit enemies multiple times in the direction you're facing, and can be very useful against bosses, but also regular enemies. When charged with all three Pods, the barrage is simply devastating.

When you're ready to go, warp back to City Ruins: Near the Tower, and go north from there. Across the bridge there is the so-called "Commercial Facility", basically a very small transition area between City Ruins and the Forest Kingdom. We could actually access this area earlier too (we couldn't go to the Forest though), but the local chest is...well...judge by yourself:

1 - Animal Bait (up the ledge northeast) (http://i.imgur.com/iJCaq7z.jpg)

Approach the gate northwest to trigger some conversations; after that, kill the few enemies that spawn, and then examine/speak with the one running away for more scenes -- this will open up the way.

Forest Kingdom - Forest

Quest warning: there is a detour down a cliff where you can find a machine that will ask you to kill him. Do NOT kill him, since sparing him will activate the (very important) quest Lord of the Valley. I suspect that if you kill him he might respawn if you leave and come back to the area, but I have NOT tested this myself yet.
Quest warning 2: likewise, when approaching the NPC (enemy machine with a boar ally) for the quest Animal Care, fight them but decide to spare the animal to be able to do the quest later (the quest becomes available later)
Missable items warning: if you do the quest Animal Care, make sure to pick up the optional unique items DURING the quest, since they are missable!

You'll be greeted by a group of machines as soon as you enter the forest. You'll fight enemies in "large" groups in the whole Forest area, so Wave and Bomb (Pod Programs) will be of great help (a triple-Pod-charged Wave is usually enough to clear entire groups of enemies). This is really good, since it's easy Exp even on Very Hard difficulty (just make sure you wait until the Pod cooldown ends in-between fights).

After the first group of enemies, go north to the closest red-dot point on your map to find the Access Point -- activate it to reveal the map.

Note that the map will not be completely revealed just yet, since there is another Access Point later on that you need to activate to properly clear the "fog" off the map. For this area, due to its layout (many higher/lower areas), instead of giving you the pause-start map, I've put together bits of the minimap. For better clarity, make sure to turn off the map rotation in your settings (from the pause menu, follow this path: System; Settings; Game; Mini-map Rotation OFF).

It's worth pointing out that the Collection Points here in the Forest will finally give you Materials that are used to upgrade the Pods (such as the Mushrooms). While there is no particular reason to upgrade the Pods (yea, they become a bit stronger, but that's negligible compared to the time needed to farm the Materials on purpose), it's a good idea to start picking up the items here in the Forest, so you can gradually increase your stack and eventually be able to afford the upgrades. I'll say it again though: don't bother farming Materials on purpose; just pick up what you find on the way, and leave the serious farming for later (second playthrough).

Map (http://i.imgur.com/CABP18V.png)
The yellow star near treasure 2 marks the location of Virtuous Grief. See pictures below for the route to get there.



Collection Points:
- Copper Ore
- Crystal
- Eagle Eggs
- Giant Egg
- Gold Ore
- Iron Ore
- Moldavite
- Mushroom
- Plant Seed
- Pyrite
- Silver Ore

Collection Bodies:
- Shock Wave
- Damage Absorb
- Ranged Defense

1 - Amber x 2 (http://i.imgur.com/3a9TETU.jpg)
2 - Dragoon Lance (Weapon) (in a cave) (http://i.imgur.com/xKF6d1d.jpg)

In order to get the Virtuous Grief (the yellow star on my map), start by finding a root on the ground somewhere northeast (it's just a bit northeast of treasure number 7 on my map; see first picture of the three ones below). From there, climb up the root to reach a ledge. From there, make your way southwest across more ledges until you reach the ledge/platform with the weapon inside a tree.

(Yellow Star) - Virtuous Grief (inside a tree up on the hill) (http://i.imgur.com/3tglcwj.jpg)



For the next four treasures you need to climb all the way down a rocky path to reach the bottom of the area. You can also jump and glide all the way down there if you'd rather do that. At the bottom of the path you'll find a machine that will ask you to kill him (he's the red dot on your map, by the way): as I warned you earlier, do NOT kill him. Sparing him will initiate a quest. While we won't be doing the quest now (we can activate it though), we can at least push the nearby block forward to access the area beyond it, and loot the treasures hidden in there.

Quest # 26 - Lord of the Valley
Location: machine at the bottom of the Forest Zone. Spare him when asked to kill him.
Request: kill the level-50 machine at the end of the path ahead of where the quest-giver was.
Progression for now: nothing you can really do -- as good as you might be at this game, the level gap between you and the target is simply too great to overcome, if not with a massive time commitment (you could kill the enemy, eventually, but it would take a ridiculously long time). We'll handle this enemy much more easily after completing the Forest Kingdom events, and doing some shopping.
(Reward: Memory Alloy x 4, Clean Nut x 6; Last Stand +3 (Chip), Vengeance +3 (Chip), Taunt Up +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,500 EXP)

3 - Speed Salve (S) (http://i.imgur.com/eKDUyNO.jpg)
4 - Skill Salve (S) (http://i.imgur.com/D6buryi.jpg)
5 - Impact Bracer (S) (http://i.imgur.com/fnM5B9M.jpg)
6 - Phoenix Dagger (Weapon) (http://i.imgur.com/MlBKNnw.jpg)

Note: you will probably notice an elevator on the left side, as you go in the crevasse. Don't bother riding it: it takes you back up, but it will take you to a path leading to City Ruins. It's actually faster to climb the rocks back up the way you came from, rather than taking the elevator and then backtracking into the Forest Kingdom through the Commercial Facility.

Return back up to the surface level.

Before mopping up the next treasures, make sure to stop by the big red-circled area on the map to get the Forest Photo for the Photographs quest. We'll turn it in later.

Also, a new quest is available here in the forest. You can see the quest-marker on your in-game map. It's Animal Care, and it's not really worth the trouble. If you intend to do it anyway, make sure to pick up the optional items during the quest, since they can be missed (and they are unique, albeit completely useless). Below are the details for the quest:

Quest # 05 - Animal Care (Pre-Start)
Location: fight the machine with its allied boar in the Forest Zone, but then decide to spare the animal (this gives you a first reward: Animal Bait x 20, 5,000 G, 1,150 EXP). After doing so, you'll have to "wait a bit" to continue the quest.
Request: this basically means leaving the area (fast-travel somewhere else), and then coming back (at this point you'll see a red dot on the map, indicating that the quest has been triggered). Then you'll have to fetch an item in the Commercial Facility and bring it back to complete the quest.
IMPORTANT: whether you do it now or later (I'll remind you of this, later) while you're looking for the right item, make sure to pick up the other Collection Points here too, since they give unique (but pointless) items. These items are available only during this quest!
Progression for now: just fight the machine and the animal, and spare the animal. We'll come back to this quest later.
(Reward: Quality Sachet, Beast Hide x 5; 3,000 G, 600 EXP)

Back to looting:

7 - Large Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/dTFqL4T.jpg)
8 - 2,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/78730nL.jpg)
9 - Meteorite (http://i.imgur.com/MNgzhAG.jpg)
10 - Ranged Attack Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/px8KVLd.jpg)
11 - Small Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/9MNQoB1.jpg)
12 - 1,000 G ("inside" a broken piece of bridge) (http://i.imgur.com/lLyOhNv.jpg)
13 - Melee Attack Up (S) (on the cliff) (http://i.imgur.com/X7hkjQU.jpg)
14 - Small Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/D1TY1zA.jpg)
15 - Cypress Stick (on the collapsed ruins) (http://i.imgur.com/1AkBq2P.jpg)
To get the Cypress Stick you'll need to start climbing on pillars from southwest. Go southwest from the treasure until you find an oblique pillar. Go up this one, and start jumping from pillar to platforms, until you get to the platform where the chest is. I suggest using double-jump + aerial dash to jump from a pillar on to the next platform, whereas to jump from a platform to a pillar, or from a pillar to another pillar, I recommend doing only a double jump followed by a Pod glide (hold the jump button after the second jump). This will make landing in the right spot much easier.

16 - Warped Wire, Broken Key, Broken Circuit (jump across the broken bridge) (http://i.imgur.com/D52A8yZ.jpg)

Forest Kingdom - Castle

The Forest Castle is a side-scrolling "maze", for the most part.

Map (http://i.imgur.com/3dmykrm.png)



The purple circles on my map are the "machine parts" chests for the quest Treasure Hunt at the Castle (available later). You can't really open those chests now, so don't bother trying.

The first three treasures are all in the starting area 

1 - Melee Defense Up (L) (http://i.imgur.com/oSG6sfK.jpg)
2 - Small Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/xXGhTEj.jpg)
3 - Melee Attack Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/ffHuyS8.jpg)

Go across a small open area and proceed until you come to a staircase. Go up the stairs, and avoid the linked-sphere type enemy. From the top of the stairs, jump up and left to reach a ledge with a treasure (see picture if necessary):
4 - Titanium Alloy x 3 (broken small ledge in the library; jump from the stairs on its right to get there) (http://i.imgur.com/OCDz7Tm.jpg)



Proceed a bit further, so you have now reached the floor where you come across two ladders: one is obvious and goes up; the other one (just left of the previous one) is a bit less visible, and goes down (see picture for the fifth treasure, below). Take this one down first. After going down this first ladder, go down the next ladder (it's just to the right of the one you just climbed down). Now be careful where you go, because there are three possibilities:
- You can go "towards the background" (the open door behind the ladder). This leads to an area with giant tree roots, but right now there's nothing of interest there, so ignore it
- You can drop down from the broken handrail (also near the ladder you just used). This makes you fall down to the lower level, and it's NOT where you want to go (if you fall there, make your way back up)
- You can go to the right, and follow the path to get up a "ramp" made of collapsed floor

From the ramp, jump up and to the left to finally get to a chest.

5 - Broken Key, Broken Circuit, Warped Wire (http://i.imgur.com/e7u7qZx.jpg)

From there, go back right to the ramp, and follow the path into the next room/corridor. As you continue, you'll find a hole in the floor (peek down for a nice extra scene) -- fall through this hole to get into a room full of enemies, and kill them all. In this room you'll find a box: pull it to the right (yes, you can actually pull this one, not just push it) so you can use it as a stepping-stone to go through the left-most hole in the ceiling (the hole on the right is where you fell through), thus reaching another elusive chest.

6 - Gold Ore x 2 (http://i.imgur.com/UEJc0Fu.jpg)

With that done, you can backtrack where you came from, and this time take the ladder up to continue.

7 - Volt-Proof Salve (jump off a ramp to reach the highest floor) (http://i.imgur.com/scgzFsr.jpg)

At one point, after going through the "library" area, you'll be travelling, from right to left, on a very high broken bridge. There will actually be two broken bridges, and you'll come from the higher one. If you drop down to the lower bridge's left half, you'll see a (somewhat poorly visible) box that you can move. Unlike previous boxes, this one can also be pulled, other than pushed. This will open the way (left of where the box was) to the secret "Masamune" weapon shop (http://i.imgur.com/CooZWip.jpg).



This is the only shop in the game where you can upgrade weapons to level 4 (highest). Right now you don't have the materials to do so though, but that's ok -- just keep it in mind for a later time.

You can jump back up to the higher bridge by jumping up off the previous box (the same one you pushed to access the Masamune-shop area), but instead of doing that, you'll want to do a tricky jump to go loot some extra treasures. In particular, from the bridge where you access the Masamune shop, jump down and then dash to the left. If done properly, you'll be able to land on the ledge ABOVE the ledge that has one of those "machine part" treasure chests. From there, you can go all the way to the left to get a chest.

8 - Memory Alloy x 2 (http://i.imgur.com/QSTczfZ.jpg)



You can now happily backtrack all the way through the castle to continue to the left side of the upper bridge, where you'll find an Access Point. Activate it, save the game, and get ready for the next boss fight.

Boss - A2
If you did the YoRHa Betrayers quest, this fight will be a joke in comparison. The enemy has very predictable attacks: a melee combo, a "dash" attack (made even easier by the side-scrolling 2D nature of this battle arena), and an attack where she falls from the sky (ceiling, anyway) and smashes the floor. All of these attacks are easily dodged, and you can then counter. The enemy is easily staggered, too, meaning (for instance) that if you dodge-counter with a small sword you will launch her in the air, so you can then do an aerial combo.

The only thing worth noting is that she can "disappear" from the screen, but this actually means she's going to use either the dash attack, or the fall-from-the-sky attack. In the first case, the camera will remain the same; in the second case, it will automatically pan upwards, so you know what's coming. Again, just dodge, then counter with your best small sword for an easy aerial combo.

Beware that if you smack her down to the ground she can get up with an attack. Aside from that, there shouldn't be any surprise.

After the fight, jump off the "window" and reach the outside Access Point. After some conversations, you are now supposed to go back to Pascal's Village.

*Chapter 07

Pascal will tell you that he "opened the gates"; it's much faster to just fast-travel, but just for your information, he's referring to the gate located here:



If you do go to the gate (it's not that far away anyway) there will be a short additional scene about the gate opening. Either way, go back to Pascal's Village and speak with Pascal. Then warp to Resistance Camp.

Resistance Camp

Speak with Anemone; this will place the story-marker to the tunnel leading to Flooded City (which you should have already visited in the previous quest-break).

Story Break - Quest Time 2!

After the events in Forest Kingdom, Emil's Shop is finally available in the City Ruins. This shop will, with some luck/patience, sell Chips +6 for very reasonable prices (either 10,000 G a piece, or 50,000 G a piece, depending on the Chip type). This is a game changer, because it allows us to absolutely destroy every opponent on our way as of this point.

Beware: I'm not exaggerating in saying that if you follow my advice you will "break" the game. The setup you can accomplish if you play your cards right (spend your money wisely) at this point in the game will be enough to complete quests against enemies at level 50-60 (while you are only level 20+ yourself). Just imagine how easy the story bosses will be in comparison, if you can handle enemies with such a strong level gap, even on Very Hard.

Moreover, completing these harder quests at this point of your adventure will make you gain a lot of extra Exp, and you will most likely end up exceeding the story bosses' levels by plenty of levels. So not only you will have setups that are strong enough on their own to ridicule the bosses; you will also have a much higher-than-expected level, meaning that all the boss fights from now on will become trivial. No more of all that fun challenge and carefully-planned strategy like against Simone: just pure slaughter in two or three hits.

If you are on your first playthrough with the game, I actually suggest avoiding doing things the way I'm suggesting, unless becoming overpowered is your idea of fun (you wouldn't be the only player if that were the case; this is an RPG after all, and we all enjoy becoming stronger in these games). On the contrary, if you are playing on Very Hard and this is maybe your second playthrough, then I suppose it will be fun to (re)do the harder quests and bosses from such a strong position that they will be annihilated before they can really put up a fight.

Resistance Camp

Report completion of the quest Photographs.
Quest # 15 - Camp Development
Location: Anemone, Resistance Camp (after Forest Kingdom).
Request: kill enemies in the target location, then report back.
Progression for now: just accept the quest.
(Reward: Large G Luck+, Natural Rubber x 5, Torn Book x 5, Medium Recovery; Down Attack Up +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 320 EXP)

Check if you have the necessary items to upgrade Ancient Overlord/Iron Pipe to level 3. If so, upgrade them (Ancient Overlord has higher priority); if not, no big deal, we'll get a lot of Materials from quests soon.
City Ruins

Quest # 03 - Machine Examination 2 (Part 2)
Progression: speak with Engels for a brief chat, and then leave. You'll need to speak with him a couple more times to complete the quest. You can do this at any time you'd like (while trying to spawn Emil's good shop, for instance; we'll be doing just that next). Eventually the quest will end.
Reward: Max HP Up +6 (Chip); Fast Cooldown +6 (Chip); Engels 110-B Record 0020.

Either on foot, or via Access Point fast-travel, reach the Desert: Camp area, and then head south from there.

Emil's Shop (City Ruins)

Long story short:

Shoot Emil's cart, roaming south of Desert: Camp's access point. Speak with Emil to have the first taste of his shop. You don't need to buy anything.
Fast-travel to Resistance Camp and save the game. Open the map: if Emil spawned in the "good" position (check your map; see if he's close to the entrance of the Resistance Camp, or if he's further west instead; the "good" position is outside the Resistance Camp), go shoot his cart again and check what he's selling. If it's Chips, do your shopping; if it's Weapons/Dress Module, reload (or fast-travel away and then come back; reloading is faster) and try again.
Most recommended purchases: Taunt +6; 3x Critical +6; Overclock +6; 4x Counter +6. Read text below for more shopping advice/explanations. To give you an idea of the cost, the most important chips will add up to 190,000 G; if you want to really max out your potential, the investment at Emil's shop will be 370,000 G (that is, EXCLUDING the cost to Fuse +8 Chips; we'll have some extra cash from quests by the time we can Fuse +8 Chips though).
Feel free (in fact, I encourage you to do so) to sell every unnecessary item/Material in your inventory to gain extra money to buy the necessary Chips. Remember what we said earlier: you can basically sell whatever you want, except for any Material needed to upgrade Pods, and any Material needed to upgrade Ancient Overlord/Iron Pipe. Feel free to also sell unnecessary/useless Chips you probably have collected on your journey, as well as any kind of "Fish" you caught while going after Iron Pipe and Pod B.
Full explanation below.

If you open your map, you should see a weird new icon (see picture below) in the area just south of Desert: Camp (if not, fast travel to another location, then back to Desert: Camp until you are successful). This marker points out the presence of a special shop: Emil's Shop. Here are the basic rules of this shop:
- The shop can either sell Materials+Weapons+Dress Module, or it can sell Chips
- The type of item sold is random. Sometimes speaking with the shopkeeper will change the items for sale, but in my experience this happens only once, the first time you speak with him near the Desert
- The QUALITY of the items sold changes depending on the shop's position, and we'll see what that means soon
- Respawning Emil's shop means resetting both the type of item sold, and its quality. To respawn him, simply fast-travel between any two locations (save and reload works too)



That being said, by default you will always first find Emil's shop just south of Desert: Camp. In this area you will see a fast-running vehicle singing a happy song. To stop the vehicle, shoot it with the Pod; kill all the enemies afterwards, and then you'll be able to speak with Emil. Do so (speak with him) and check out his shop.

You DO NOT NEED to purchase anything just yet: he'll sell +3 Chips (all types) OR certain low-level Materials (see Shops page for more info) here, and we don't really need any of that. After speaking with him (once is enough), fast travel away to any location you want. It could be Resistance Camp, City: Center, or whatever. Fast-traveling will reset Emil's position, as well as the item type he's selling. At this point there will be three possibilities:

Emil doesn't spawn
Emil spawns between Resistance Camp and the Access Point "City Ruins: Near the Factory" about midway through, but slightly more on the factory side (see picture below). In this case, he'll sell the lower-quality items (+3 Chips or less important Materials)
Emil spawns more or less in that same area, but this time he's closer to the Resistance camp (see picture below). In this case, he'll sell the best quality items (+6 Chips or high-quality Materials* +Weapons+Dress Module)
(http://i.imgur.com/OQo0xYT.jpg)



*Unfortunately, the high-quality Materials won't actually be available for sale on the first playthrough. In fact, you'll need to wait the second playthrough for some Materials, but the full inventory with the juiciest Materials will only become available on route C (third playthrough). So it's really either +6 Chips or Weapons+Dress Module. The Dress Module is a costume that basically makes it so that 2B's clothes don't get destroyed if you Self-Destruct.

Please note that the pictures I just posted refer to the STARTING spawn location of Emil's shop. The starting location can already tell you which "route" he will follow as he drives around town, but more importantly it tells you whether he will have (once stopped) the good items, or the "bad" items. Bottom line is, if you want to buy certain items you want him to spawn in a certain starting position; if you want the other items you want him to spawn in the other starting position.

You cannot manipulate or predict where he'll spawn, or what he will sell. It's entirely random, so there are five total possibilities, if you want:
- No spawn
- Low quality Materials
- Low quality Chips (+3)
- High quality Materials (again, no high-quality Materials for now) +Weapons+Dress
- High quality Chips (+6)

For your information, his +6 Chips occupy 28 slots in the chipset (that's a lot, but not having to farm and then Fuse chips to get a +6 is very, very convenient). Keep this in mind when you do your shopping: you may be tempted (if you can afford them) to buy a lot of different Chips, but keep in mind that with their cost you will only be able to equip 3-4 of them at the most.

So, what to do? Simply fast-travel to Resistance Camp, save in there, and as soon as you spawn check the pause-menu map: if Emil is in the starting position you want (probably the one closest to the Resistance Camp), go find him, shoot his cart, and purchase what you want/need. If he's not there, just Reload and try again.

Most important purchases:
1. Taunt Up +6 (1x) - 10,000 G
2. Critical Up +6 (3x) - 50,000 G each (150,000 G total)
3. Counter +6 (4x) - 10,000 G each (40,000 G total)
Total for these important ones: 190,000 G

If you can afford them, buy also:
4. Overclock +6 (1x) - 50,000 G
5. Critical Up +6 (1x) - 50,000 G (this would be your fourth one)
Total for these additional ones: 100,000 G
Grand total so far: 290,000 G

If you are still not out of cash, then buy also:
6. Taunt Up +6 (3x) - 10,000 G each (30,000 G total)
7. Max HP Up +6 (1x) - 10,000 G (buy this one only if you are playing on Very Hard)
8. Weapon Attack Up +6 (4x) - 10,000 G each (40,000 G total)
Extras total: 50,000 G
NOTE: you may want to avoid purchasing these extras even if you have the money. Remember, we still need some money to Fuse chips, and you probably still need to buy the "Storage" upgrade from the Maintenance Shop (to max-out the slots available in your Chipsets). While we'll get a lot of more money from the quests we're about to do, all the cost of Fusion and Storage upgrade may easily exceed what you will earn from quests.

Price for everything, extra included: 370,000 G.

Some explanations:

Taunt +6 gives you an attack bonus equal to 400%. I don't think it needs any additional explanation once you read how powerful its effect is
Each Critical Up +6 gives +10% chances of Critical Hit. Critical Up chips stack with each other, so equipping three +6 of these chips will give a cumulative effect of +30% Critical Hit rate, which is the maximum effect possible for this chip type
The fourth Critical Up +6 chip is optional: you can achieve the maximum effect (+30%) with 3x Critical Up +6 chips, as I just said. However, those three chips together occupy (28 slots each) a total of 84 slots in your chipset. That's a lot of space. Since we'll soon be able to Fuse chips to level 8, if you have four +6 Chips of any type (in our case, we are interested in 4x Critical Up +6) you can fuse them into two +7 Chips, and then fuse those into one +8 Chip. A Critical Up +8 Chip has the Critical Hit +30% effect (same as 3x Critical Up +6), but it only occupies 35 slots on its own. That's why, if possible, you'll want to create the Critical Up +8 chip (from 4x Critical Up +6 chips) and equip that one (35 slots occupied) instead of having to equip 3x Critical Up +6 (which have the same effect, but occupy 84 slots in total). Having extra room in your chipset means you can equip Overclock chips, which is really helpful in many different situations
Counter chips give you the strongest attack you can have on Very Hard, at least for the time being. Since Counter chips stack, two Counter +6 Chips will reach the maximum effect (just like one Counter +8 Chip would do)
Overclock +6 is, simply put, very handy. You could get Overclock +8 by fusing 4x Overclock +6 chips together, but the difference in effect between Overclock +6 and Overclock +8 is negligible, and not worth the additional cost
The three additional Taunt Up +6 chips are optional. Taunt Up chips DON'T STACK their effect, so ideally you want four of them in total to Fuse them into one Taunt Up +8. On the other hand, while it's great to have a 500% damage modifier instead of 400%, this is not a game changer. That's why you should only make this purchase if you are really overflowing with money, but not if you are at your last 30,000 G
Max HP Up +6 will boost the effect of Counter if you are on Very Hard, since the Counter damage is based on your max HP (this is true only on Very Hard!), so if you boost your Max HP you also boost Counter damage. Max HP Up chips stack with each other. We already had a Max HP Up +6 chip from one of the previous quests, so we only need an additional one to reach (and actually surpass) the maximum effect (Max HP +100%). Since we can easily reach the maximum effect (Max HP UP +100%) by using many low-level Max HP Up chips purchased from other shops, purchasing a second (in addition to the one you got from the quest) Max HP UP +6 chip from Emil's shop is not a top priority
Weapon Attack Up boosts physical damage, plain and simple (max effect from a +8 Chip: damage x 2). While very useful, it's low on the priorities-list because it just doesn't have the same impact as Taunt Up and Critical Up (each of which basically multiplies damage dealt by 5x), and there simply isn't enough room to put all these +8 chips (each one occupies 35 slots). I personally strongly prefer using an Overclock +6 chip along with Taunt Up and Critical Up, since it allows me to kill enemies much more easily and safely after dodging, and this definitely beats the effect of doing double damage with Weapon Attack Up +8
The most important of these purchases is by far Taunt +6 for now though, since it allows you to boost your damage output by a factor of 4x. The next-most important ones are the three (or possibly four) Critical Up +6 chips, since they allow you to land Critical Hits VERY frequently if you are also using Critical + weapons (such as Ancient Overlord or Iron Pipe).

Counter is primarily going to be used against bosses/mini-bosses.

For now, make sure to have Taunt +6 equipped on your current chipset. If you have any room left, add Critical Up +6 (as many as you can spare) and/or Overclock. We are ready to take on some "easy/intermediate difficulty" quests. Let's go to the Forest Kingdom then -- teleport to Forest: Center for starters.

Forest Kingdom

Kill the target enemies for Camp Development. They'll be found as you backtrack from the access point (Forest: Center) towards the Commercial Facility. Nothing special, especially if you have Taunt Up +6 to back you up.

We'll report the completion of the quest later. Let's continue with a quest in the first half of the Forest instead.
Quest # 05 - Animal Care (Progression)
Location: friendly machine in the Forest. You must have fought him and his boar earlier, spared the boar after the fight, and then left the area and come back. At this point he can give you the quest.
Request: fetch the Medical Journal from the Commercial Facility. Make sure to get the four optional missable key items (they are unique and missable) in the Commercial Facility. Three of them (plus the Medical Journal) will be on the ground level. The last one is up on a ledge/balcony on the east side of the area. See picture if necessary: http://i.imgur.com/RzFwQ6H.png. The items are: Cosmetics; Toothbrush; Writing Implement; Medical Journal (these four are on the ground level); Dietary Goods (this one is up on the balcony on the east side).
Please note that, if you missed these key items, it's not really a big deal. It is a problem if you are a completionist/perfectionist, but the four optional items (Cosmetics, Toothbrush, Writing Implement, Dietary Goods) are only "inventory" items, i.e. they have no practical purpose other than completing your inventory list. If you don't care about that, then missing them won't have any impact for you.

While in the Commercial Facility, start the next quest too.
Quest # 36 - Emil's Memories
Location: after speaking with Emil at his shop, examine the white flower (Lunar Tear) in the Commercial Facility (it will be marked with a red dot on your map).
Request: find four Lunar Tears around the world. Their general locations are: Forest Zone; Desert; Amusement Park; Flooded City. We'll see the specific locations soon.
Progression for now: just accept the quest; we'll do it after some other quests.
(Reward: Lunar Tear; 1,550 EXP)
Back in the Forest proper, report and complete the quest Animal Care.

Note that there is a follow-up quest to Animal Care (it's the quest Turf War). Since we need to leave the area and come back to activate it, let's not bother with it for now -- we'll do another quest first, and by the time we are back Turf War will be available.
While in the Forest, go find the first Lunar Tear for Emil's Memories, in a sort of hidden cave somewhere (see picture: http://i.imgur.com/BtRpzZb.png).
Quest # 39 - Treasure Hunt at the Castle
Location: machine near the gate between the Forest Kingdom and Pascal's Village (he's on the Pascal's Village's side of the gate).
Request: for starters, find three particular chests in the Forest Castle. You may remember them from your previous visit to Forest Castle -- I had them marked on the map as purple dots. So, for some visual-assisted reference:

- Map: http://i.imgur.com/2WES3sW.jpg
- Chest 1: http://i.imgur.com/ytJpVsE.jpg
- Chest 2: http://i.imgur.com/fKDaNSu.jpg
- Chest 3: http://i.imgur.com/3DMJd6w.jpg

After opening all three chests you will get a key. Next, you need to reach the bottom-right area of the Forest Castle (the area with a big tree in it). On Very Hard, before going on you may want to stop by the second Access Point of the Forest Castle (jump back left and up after the third chest), just in case.

If you can't find your way to the southeastern area, proceed as follows:
- From the third chest, jump down to the bottom. You are now in the open area between the two inside-areas of the castle
- Go right until you get in the library area
- From the first floor of the library, proceed the only possible way to reach the "big staircase" area
- Go through the staircase area to reach the library again; this time you are on the fourth floor
- From the fourth floor, find the two ladders and take the one leading down to the third floor
- From there, take another ladder down to the second floor
- From there, the passage to the southeastern/bottom-right area is just behind the ladder you just took

There is also a new treasure in the new area, just right of the gate that is now open (it was previously closed):
- Ranged Defense Up (L) (http://i.imgur.com/p5Ge4v8.jpg)

In the new area you'll find a moderately strong enemy: he's level 30, and has an unbreakable shield. He has some basic melee combos, as well as a small shockwave-type of attack. Your only option to do damage is by sneaking up behind him and attacking from there. Use an Overclock chip, if you can spare it, to have more time hitting his back after his attacks. I personally used Bomb (charged to level 3) combined with Taunt Up +6 to do a good deal of damage while staying safe.

Once he's dead, examine the quest-marked item to receive the Letter to the Forest King. Then report back to the quest-giver to receive your reward.
Reward: Large Recovery, Moldavite x 2, Giant Egg x 3; 10,000 G; 1,280 EXP.

The next quests feature enemies of relatively high level (40+). They are perfectly doable even if you are still level 20-25+ (even on Very Hard), provided that you know what you are doing and you have strong Chips with you (in particular, Taunt Up +6 is a must-have; 3x Critical Up +6 are also very important). You also want to have some Melee Attack Up (L) (at least 5-6 for the next two quests) to speed things up.

If you couldn't afford to purchase the storage upgrades (which are necessary if you want to put those four aforementioned +6 chips from Emil's Shop) earlier, pay a visit to the Resistance Camp's Maintenance Shop, and buy the upgrades now (you should have enough money, after the rewards from the previous quests).

Quest # 06 - Turf War
Location: after completing Animal Care, walk away far enough (or fast-travel) and this quest will appear in the same position where Animal Care was (in the Forest area).
Request: kill a bunch of enemies in the forest (several boars, and a machine-animal). Do note that they are at level 44, so you may want to postpone this quest for later (which, at this point, probably means for your next playthrough). I was at level 26 when I did this quest on Very Hard though, so it's not "impossible" after all (it took me about two minutes). A video demonstration is available below, after the text guide.

What you want to know is that there is a blind spot in the battle arena: it's the tree root in the upper-right corner. If you make a run for that spot at the start of the fight, you can then safely charge up your Bomb program and kill the boars safely from up there (use it multiple times if needed; nobody can touch you up there). In theory you could also finish the main mini-boss from there, but once the boars are all dead the 1v1 fight becomes much easier to handle. Whether to man-up and fight properly, or just kill the enemy from the blind spot on the root, is up to you.

The mini-boss does have some fast attacks (a regular frontal attack, a charge attack, and even a kick-back attack if you stand behind him), and he can't be staggered easily (therefore avoid using light swords if you intend to dodge-counter), but he's nothing special other than that. With Melee Attack Up (L), Taunt Up +6, and possibly Critical Up +30%, he'll go down in no time.

You will get the Record of Bestial Machine after the battle. Bring it back to the quest-giver for your reward.
Reward: Animal Bait x 5, Full Recovery, Auto-Heal +5 (Chip); 10,000 G; 1,750 EXP.



Lastly, in the forest we can now try our luck/skills/patience with the quest Lord of the Valley. A video demonstration will follow the text explanation, but please make sure you have Taunt Up +6, Critical Up +30% effect, and possibly the Ancient Overlord weapon upgraded to level 3.

In case you forgot, or never went there in the first place, this quest takes place at the bottom of the crevasse in the southern part of the Forest. It's actually faster to get there (especially if you fail at first, and need to reload a few times) from City Ruins. In particular, you can save the game at the City: Near the Tower Access Point; from there, walk towards the wooden bridge that leads to the commercial facility. Instead of crossing the bridge, jump and glide (hang to your Pod) all the way down to either side of the wooden bridge -- it will feel like you are falling through the map endlessly, but sooner than later you will actually land in the crevasse itself, quite close to the area where you can fight the miniboss of this quest.

Before the boss proper, you'll need to fight off a bunch of level 30 regular machines -- a level-3 Wave should take care of them all, especially if you pre-Taunt them before Wave. Or whatever, kill them one way or another.

The mini-boss is one of those tall robot guys, so Pod gunfire won't do much good. In fact, don't shoot your Pod at all because it will probably just block your view. Instead, rely ONLY on melee combos with your small sword (light attacks with the Ancient Overlord), and pretty much just hack at it between his attacks. You can't stagger him, but a dodge-counter is a good idea since when you raise up in the air (when performing the counter with a Small Sword type of weapon) you can still hit his upper part and do damage.

Thankfully, this miniboss is actually a nerfed version of his monster type, as far as his attacks goes. In other words, he's sluggish, slow, and has only just three types of attacks:
- Right-arm smash: very, very slow and predictable
- Spin attack: moderately fast, but still very predictable (he raises his arms to the side, then starts spinning them around). Make sure you dodge through the whole attack (you may have to dodge up to three times in a row); do NOT counter after the first dodge (sometimes this works, other times you'll walk right into the rest of his attack animation)
- Double-arm-smash-shockwave: he raises both his arms, then slams them on the ground and creates a shockwave. Again, very slow, predictable: jump up in the air (I jump right in his face, between his arms, since it's a blind spot and you won't take damage there) to avoid the shockwave damage, and do an aerial combo while you are at it

It goes without saying, but most of your damage will come from the Critical Hits (500-1,500 damage if done with Taunt Up +6 and Melee Attack Up). Once you defeat this enemy, backtrack to the quest-NPC to get your reward.



Walkthrough - Extended
(Continued)

Fusing +8 Chips

While the reward from Lord of the Valley itself isn't much, the quest-giver turns out to be the only NPC in the game that can actually Fuse chips of level 6 to level 7, and level 7 to level 8 (he also sells some good Chips, but we'll be using his shop only after the third playthrough. Until then, Emil's Shop is the best source of Chips). This is great news, because combined with Emil's Shop this means that we can EASILY (and not-too-expensively) get +8 chips (albeit of very high cost in the chipset; still, so easy and convenient!) from four +6 Chips.

To be a little more specific on the cost issue, if you buy from Emil's shop (+6 chips with chipset-cost of 28 spaces) and Fuse those to get your +8 chips, your +8 chip will have a cost of 35 spaces. The monetary cost to Fuse four +6 Chips into two +7, and then the two +7 into one +8, will amount to a total of 22,000 G (really not all that much).

If you want/need/can, the best Fusions you can make at this point would be the following, in order of most important priority:

4x Critical Up +6 -> 1x Critical Up +8. This doesn't give an actual better net effect than equipping 3x Critical Up +6 chips (a Critical Up +8 chip gives the Critical Up +30% effect, which is the same as 3x Critical Up +6), but it will save a lot of space in your chipset (3x28 = 84; 84-35 = 49 slots saved), which means you can then put another Chip (like Overclock +6) in the remaining space
4x Taunt +6 -> 1x Taunt +8. This makes your taunt do 500% damage instead of 400%; it's not a game changer, but it is a decent upgrade if you have the money to spare. I personally didn't get this upgrade until later on
4x Weapon Attack Up +6 -> 1x Weapon Attack Up +8. This is basically theoretical; it's very unlikely that, unless you did some heavy farming for other reasons, you actually have enough money to get this one too. Again, I myself didn't get this upgrade (or even the Weapon Attack Up +6 chips) until much later (third playthrough)
Critical Up +8 is also very nice since it makes room for that Overclock +6 chip. That being said, I actually didn't fuse Critical Up +8 in my first playthrough, and simply went with Taunt Up +6, 2x Critical Up +6 (Critical +20% effect), and Overclock +6. While this lowers your Critical Hit rate a bit, it's still more than enough to deal with most enemies easily. For bosses, we have Counter to demolish them in 2-3 hits, and even if you just wanted to use Critical+Taunt, Critical Hit +20% is still very strong (just not as strong as possible).

To recap, the two extremely strong chipsets you should have at this point are:

2x Counter +6 (or one Counter +8) paired with Max HP UP +100% (use any Max HP Up chip you have to get this effect) if you are on Very Hard
2x Counter +6 (or one Counter +8) paired with Taunt Up +6 (or +8 if you have it) if you are on any other difficulty
Taunt Up +6, 2x Critical Up +6, Overclock +6 if you are on a budget. This was actually my case, and I went on just fine destroying everything very, very easily
Taunt Up +6, Critical Up +8, Overclock +6 if you could spare it
Ideally, of course, Taunt Up +8 would be better than Taunt Up +6 if you had enough money for that extra too
The Forest has nothing else to offer us from now, except for some nice EXP farming actually (not like you need it, but it is a pretty good location -- easily the best one at this point in the game). Let's teleport to City Ruins: Center, and let's get the Father Servo (Robo Dojo) quest series started!

Father Servo/Robo Dojo quest series (City Ruins)

If you're ready for more get-our-asses-kicked quests, let's proceed to the two leftovers in City Ruins. We'll start with the harder one, the Father Servo series. This is the one located on top of a building (on the roof) somewhere in the northwestern part of the city.

Father Servo will greet you with a simple battle before you can actually start the first quest of the series.

Please note that during all the fights (all the quests belonging to this series) you will be locked in the battle arena. Unlike many other quests, where you can simply bail if things get bad, in this case you can't...? You actually very well can: getting defeated by Father Servo (i.e. going to 0 HP) won't give you a death, or a game over, but will just end the "training session" without you actually dying (this is true even if you are on Very Hard). You can then try challenging him again right away after healing up. This is also good to know in case you see that you just can't do any damage to him (which might be the case in the last two quests), so you'd rather give up than fight him for an hour.

There is an important exception to this, however: the very last quest will have two fights. In the first one, things work as I just described; in the second fight, on the other hand, death will be real (and no, you can't run away/leave the arena either, so it's either win or die). Make absolutely sure to save, at least before that last fight. I'll remind you of it anyway.

Alright then, let's get started!

Quest # 07 - Robo Dojo - White Belt
Location: Father Servo, on top of a building in City Ruins.
Request: defeat him. Easy enough, this time he's at level 20 (you could start this quest a lot earlier than now) and has the attack patterns of a small biped enemy. Then give him a Warped Wire (can be collected from enemies nearby if you don't have it).
Reward: Melee Attack Up (L), Small Gear x 3, Small Recovery; Weapon Attack Up (Chip); 3,000 G; 600 EXP.

After completing this quest, you can leave the area and then come back to have him ready for the next round. You don't have to go very far actually -- about as far as you need to be in range of the closest Access Point, so you make sure to save the game before continuing (when you are far enough you'll see his icon turn from a white "thing" to a red dot again on your minimap).

Quest # 08 - Robo Dojo - Brown Belt
Location: Father Servo, after previous quest is completed.
Request: defeat him. He is now in the shape of a medium-sized biped, level 30. Nothing fancy. He then requires a Memory Alloy and a Broken Circuit to end the quest.
Reward: Severed Cable x 3, Medium Recovery, Melee Defense Up (L); Melee Defense +1 (Chip); 3,000 G; 1,150 EXP.

Save again, then continue with the next round.

Quest # 09 - Robo Dojo - Black Belt
Location: Father Servo, after previous quest is completed.
Request: defeat him. He is now level 40, and things are starting to look a bit harder than before. Still, you should be able to defeat him, especially with Taunt +6 on your side. He has three basic attacks: a three-hit combo; a jump-and-land attack; a spinning attack. Each of these offers good openings after you dodge the attacks (especially the three-hit combo and his spinning attack, which you can avoid simply by staying away from him). Try to avoid dodge-counters, since he can't be launched up in the air; doing ground combos is better.
After the fight you'll need to give him one each of these: Silver Ore, Pristine Screw, Broken Battery.
Reward: Broken Battery x 3, Ranged Attack Up (L), Large Recovery; Ranged Attack Up +2 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,280 EXP.

The next one is going to be considerably tankier, but not necessarily harder. It's here where you need to draw the line if you are underprepared: you may be skilled enough to not get hit a single time, but if you are too weak (= your level is not high enough and you don't have strong chips) you won't be able to deal a single point of damage to him due to damage scaling. My preparations at this point (Very Hard difficulty) were: level 26; Ancient Overlord level 3; Taunt +6; 3x Critical Up +3; a few Melee Attack Up (L) items. It was quite easy with this setup, and didn't take me more than a few minutes to end the fight. If you don't have this kind of equipment, and you can't compensate for its absence with a high level (at least level 35-40), then you probably shouldn't even attempt the next round.

You can also deal with him with your Counter chipset (2x Counter +6 (or Counter +8) and Max HP Up +100% if on Very Hard; 2x Counter +6 (or Counter +8) and Taunt Up +6/8 on other difficulties), but you probably don't want to resort to this unless strictly necessary.

Quest # 10 - Robo Dojo - Red and White Belt
Location: Father Servo, after previous quest is completed.
Request: defeat him. He's now level 50, and has the form of a Goliath Biped. Once the deja-vu of Lord of the Valley has been cleared off your mind, buff yourself up with Taunt + Melee Attack Up, and then proceed attacking him. While big, he's actually relatively slow and predictable, and it's very easy to dodge-counter him (you can't stagger him or launch him up in the air, but if you go airborne you can still hit him). The fight should be very straight-forward.

It's worth pointing out that at the beginning you may not see any damage numbers appearing on screen (as if you weren't even hitting him at all); this is normal, and after a short while (half a minute of pummeling him) part of his "shield" should break down and you'll start doing regular damage.

After the fight he'll require the following items: Gold Ore; Filler Metal; Pristine Cable; Large Battery. You most likely don't have some of these, but thankfully you can obtain them from locations marked on the map. At this point I was only missing the Filler Metal, which I found inside the Abandoned Factory as a Collection Point in the area with a giant rotating column in the middle. See picture if needed, maybe: http://i.imgur.com/24wL5Vu.jpg

When reported, the quest will be completed.
Reward: Stripped Screw x 3, Full Recovery, Ranged Defense Up (L); Ranged Defense +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,500 EXP.

The next one is the last quest from Father Servo. He is at level 60, as a humanoid-sized machine. The fight is virtually impossible without either a massive time commitment, or the right strategy (which will require a bit of preparation, but mostly SKILLS). The fight itself is not THAT hard in and out of its own (he does have some really fast attacks, but they are single-hit combos); the problem is actually killing him, rather than staying alive. If up until now we could do it somewhat easily with Taunt and some critical hits to speed it up, in this case I strongly recommend using a Counter-based strategy: on Very Hard, even Critical hits won't do more than a few hundreds points of damage (and you have to consider that he has a lot of HP, and each time you attack you expose yourself to damage). On the contrary, if you are level 20+, 2x Counter +6 (or Counter +8) with Max HP Up +100% will do thousands points of damage and you don't need to worry about getting hit by accident while you attack (well, you do, but your whole attention will be dedicated to using Counter when he attacks; my point is that attacking and defending are a single thing with Counter).

I want to be absolutely clear though: if you are going to do this, be prepared for (major?) frustration. The fight itself only lasts about a minute and half (even less, actually), but you can't afford a single mistake. I don't want to discourage you from doing it, either, since there is a quite reliable way to almost ensure that, if you input the commands right, you will always succeed. The problem is going to be inputting the commands right :D

More specifically, the timing of his attacks/Counter must be understood well, and practiced a bit before you can properly deal with this situation. By that I mean that it took me a solid 20 minutes before I really got into the mechanism and timing; after that, it should be just a matter of putting your reflexes to the test.

Honestly, I've had to deal with much worse/harder enemies in other videogames, so I wouldn't describe this as an enraging experience. On the other hand, this is something that even the "average player that wants to play on Very Hard for a challenge" should consider twice: it's really one of the hardest "normal" things you can do in the game. Only do this if you are truly committed to beating Father Servo on Very Hard because you like the challenge. Everyone else should not be doing this, since there are no other reasons than pride: you can do this so much more easily in your second playthrough that it will be a joke.

With the warnings out of the way, the strategy you will use pretty much must be Counter-based: any other strategy requires you to be many levels above your expected level, so Counter is realistically your only option if you are level 25 or so.

If you don't know how Counter works, it's quite simple: move the LS of your controller towards the enemy while his attack animation is taking place (ideally at its start), and you will block the attack and deal damage back to him (without taking any damage of your own). Simple, but not necessarily easy. You'll see it in action in the video of this fight, down below.

Also, in case you are wondering, know that Counter isn't affected by other damage-multiplier effects such as Taunt or Melee Attack Up (or any other one; I've tried them all). Counter is purely based on the damage you would have taken if the enemy's attack had hit you (which, on Very Hard, equals to your Max HP; that's why having Max HP Up +100% also doubles the damage you do with Counter).

BEWARE: this last quest requires you to kill him twice in a row. The fight will be the same each time, with one crucial difference: if you die in the second one, you actually die this time. You can always retrieve your body of course, but still: make sure to save before you attempt this last quest.

Quest # 11 - Robo Dojo - Red Belt
Location: Father Servo, after previous quest is completed.
Request: defeat him, twice in a row. He has several attacks, but he really mostly uses just two of them: a sudden punch, or a well-anticipated punch. He can also smash the ground, but the reaction to this will be the same as our reaction to his slower punch (the well-anticipated punch). It's extremely important that you understand which these attacks are, and how he behaves in general.

There will be a video of this down below, but make sure to read the text too to understand what is going on.

Father Servo in this last version will not really rush you, or play particularly aggressive. Instead, if he uses his sudden-punch attack he will lazily run towards you (if you stay away from him, that is), then stop for a moment, and THAT is when his attack animation starts (well, it's not technically correct, but that's how you have to imagine it). This is crucial: pretend that his attack animation doesn't start when he actually moves after stopping, and instead it starts in the last frames of when he's stopping. This is essential to counter his sudden-punch attack, because you can Counter it by moving the LS at the end of his "stopping" animation.

The alternative (his other attacks) is that he will walk/lazily run towards you, then stop (same as if he wanted to do the sudden-punch), then prepare the slow attack which you can definitely anticipate because of the usual red glows and noise that every enemy makes before an attack. In this case, the Counter input should be done a few instants after the noise of the attack animation (this one should be more intuitive to understand).

The problem might be that before you see the attack you can't really tell if he's going to use one attack (sudden punch) or the other (slow punch/others). As I said before, there are other attacks too, but you can react to them the same way you would to his slow attack. So, how do we deal with this uncertainty? Simple: we're going to assume he will use the sudden punch. The thing is: if you input the Counter (move LS towards him) immediately as he "stops stopping" (at the end of his stopping animation, after he runs towards you), if he's going for the sudden punch you will Counter it; if he's going for the slower animation, then nothing will happen (you will just barely move a bit "into" him, but that's ok), and you still have plenty of time to input the proper Counter to his slower attack.

The timing of this all will be the problem. You must learn to input the Counter at the right moment when he stops running towards you: not immediately as he stops, but just before you can actually see his attack-punch animation starting. If you wait to see his attack animation coming, no matter how good your reflexes are, you won't Counter it and you'll take damage instead. I can't stress this enough: pretend that the attack animation starts when he's still standing still (immediately as soon as he stops walking towards you), and THAT is the moment when you need to input your Counter against his sudden punch attack.

Two more things to keep in mind are that he will "recoil" backwards if you Counter his slower attack. In this case, he will either be stunned for a few instants, or he will immediately follow up with a sudden punch. Either way, you will be out of range (the "recoil" will push him back far enough that you'll be safe). On the other hand, Countering his sudden punch attack will briefly stun him, but it won't push him back. Therefore you must always dodge backwards (any direction will do; backwards is easier since you can just tap R2/RT) after you Counter his sudden punch: if you stand still, you won't know when the next attack will be coming (his lazy run & stop is what makes his attacks so predictable; if he doesn't have to run to you, you can't predict it anymore), but if you always keep distance before he attacks then you can see him running towards you, stopping, and you know that when he stops he's potentially preparing another attack.

The video demonstration should make it rather clear on what to do. Understanding it in theory and putting it to practice are two separate things of course, but you really just need to practice the timing over and over again. Personally, once I learned the timing (as I said, it took me around 20 minutes), I could have a success rate of about 95% in Countering all of his attacks, on average. The problem is that you must have a success rate of 100% in that minute+ that it will take to kill him twice, but it really comes down to practice and patience.

As an extra tip, try to be as systematic as possible, especially when you dodge away after Countering. In other words, don't dodge away a long distance one time, a short distance another time, or a distance in-between another time: try to be as repetitive as possible in your pattern, so that the timing of your actions will become ingrained into your brain more quickly. It's definitely doable; definitely worth it for personal pride and sense of accomplishment. Then again, it is just a videogame after all :p

Reward: Memory Alloy x 5; Powerup Part S; 10,000 G; 2,000 EXP.

This is the video demonstration of a Counter-based strategy. Please note that I didn't have any Max HP Up chips when I recorded this (I did have Counter +8 though), so I would have dealt twice as much damage if I had equipped those too. This should be good news for you, since if you do it with Max HP Up it will take half as much to end the fight than it took me in the video.



The Powerup Part S (one of the rewards) actually allows us to upgrade a Pod, in theory, assuming you have the other Materials. I personally didn't have them, and there is no reason to bother farming Natural Rubber (which can be picked up from the Abandoned Factory) -- it would take too much time for too small of a reward (upgrading Pods isn't really important), especially considering that you can BUY the Natural Rubber in your third playthrough. If you had the Materials and had to choose a Pod to upgrade, I would go with Pod B since it's the best of the three when upgraded (and even before the upgrades, it's still very good). Then again, my Pods stayed level 1 until the third playthrough, and I did just fine.

Whether or not you defeated Father Servo (if you did, congratulations by the way), there is another quest left here in the City Ruins. It's not an easy quest if you are relatively underleveled, and it's a different kind of "hard" relative to what Father Servo was. In this next quest's case, since it's an escort mission, the problem will be keeping the escorted NPCs alive while killing every enemy on the way as soon as possible.

Personally my setup to complete this quest was this: I was level 29; weapon Ancient Overlord level 3; chips: Taunt Up +8 (Taunt +6 will do just fine though), Overclock +6, 2x Critical Up +6 (these last two are optional). I also used the Gravity Pod Program to help me gather enemies, especially the flying machines that appear near the beginning and the end of the quest. With this setup, I managed to complete this mission "perfectly" (no damage to the parade), on Very Hard. I actually even tried this setup at level 15, and managed to clear the Parade with no damage to the escorted NPCs just as easily (again, on Very Hard).

A good stack of Melee/Ranged Attack Up (L) will certainly help your cause (I used one of each in the middle of the mission, to speed things up before the last group of flying machines spawns, so I can then charge Gravity in time to unleash it upon them). A video demonstration of the process can be found down below, although please keep in mind that you don't need to be THAT efficient to complete the quest. If you want to complete it perfectly (no damage to the parade), just for personal pride (there are no extra rewards for it, and there is no in-game record of your performance), then you will probably have to try and imitate what I did as much as possible (you can probably even do better than I did, since I messed a bit towards the end with the last flying machine).

Quest # 54 - Parade Escort
Location: machine in the eastern side of City Ruins (near the entrance to the sewers passage leading to Amusement Park). You must pick the first option all the time when speaking with him in order to activate the quest.
Request: escort the NPCs. There isn't friendly fire, but unfortunately using Taunt on enemies CAN affect your allies as well. They die pretty quickly from enemies' attacks anyway.

The enemies will be level 35 in this mission. You probably want to keep Melee/Ranged Attack Up statuses active on you at all times, and try to anticipate the NPCs you are escorting as much as possible, so you can engage the enemies a bit earlier (if you go too far ahead of them the quest will fail; Pod will give you a warning when you are starting to wander-off a bit too far away). Note that, unlike the similar escort quest with the machine child (Family Squabble), in this case you can try as many times as you want, since failure will just reset the quest-NPC to his starting location, and you can talk to him again to restart the mission. Plus you get to keep the EXP obtained during the mission (unless it's you who died, and not the escorted NPCs :p).

Something else to keep in mind is that you can "summon" the enemies to make them come towards you a bit earlier if you shoot them from afar (use Pod A). This is very useful, because it allows you to kill them a bit sooner, when the parade is still a bit farther behind you (so you have more time to deal with the enemies before the parade gets close to them). Also, make sure to check your minimap to see where the enemies are.

As I said earlier, the mission is actually pretty hard to complete without a proper setup, or without being at a moderately high level, but if you keep at it you'll eventually succeed. Taunting for faster kills is the most important factor of all.

After killing all the enemies, the parade will soon come to a stop. Speak with the NPC to receive your reward, although the quest isn't over just yet.

To finish the quest, walk away from the parade a bit (I went to the Resistance Camp), so you can receive a quest update; once that happens, go back to where the mission started and speak with the NPC once again to properly end the quest.
Reward: Dented Plate x 4, Dented Socket x 3, Large Recovery, Impact Bracer (L); Reset +3 (Chip); 10,000 G; 750 EXP.



Final quests mop-up

While we are in the area, let's report the completion of a previous quest, Camp Development, in Resistance Camp (report to Anemone). This also starts yet another one.
Quest # 16 - Anemone's Past
Location: Anemone, in Resistance Camp, after completing Camp Development.
Request: fetch five items in the Abandoned Factory. Fast-travel to Factory: Entrance, and start looking around to find them, here and there in the factory itself. Below are some pictures of their location, although it shouldn't be hard to find them (they are all Collection Points that appear near "dead" machine bodies): http://i.imgur.com/h1BPAe1.jpg

After collecting all the items, you'll have to fight two forced battles against a bunch of level-30 regular enemies -- nothing special, but be careful in the second one if you are on Very Hard (the enemies shoot a lot of bullets here; make sure to Taunt them dead as soon as possible). Report to Anemone once you're done.

Reward: Simple Gadget; Powerup Part S; 10,000 G; 430 EXP.

You may have noticed it earlier, but a new red dot has appeared in the Forest Area (near its entrance). So let's go there, for a new quest.
Quest # 42 - Culinary Researcher
Location: Resistance Supply Trader, near entrance of the Forest area. Must have cleared Camp Development first. Speak with him to open his shop menu; then quit the shop menu to activate the quest.
Request: get one Deer Meat and one Boar Meat. Both can be found from the animals in the Forest Zone (I found both animal types in the waterfall area, just east of where the quest starts). The mission is really easy, but due to the nature of animals' attacks, if you are playing on Very Hard I strongly recommend using a fully charged Bomb attack to make sure you one-shot (or at least "one-attack-input-kill"; it doesn't sound quite as nicely though) your target animal without having to deal with him in melee range. Other than that, get the items and then report back.
Reward: Melee Attack Up (L) x 2, Melee Defense Up (L) x 2, Ranged Attack Up (L) x 2, Ranged Defense Up (L) x 2, Large Recovery; 5,000 G; 600 EXP.
Lastly, we can go around looking for the remaining three Lunar Tears around the world (remember the quest Emil's Memories?). Let's start with the trickier one, which is in the Desert: teleport to Desert: Camp. From there, go north, and stick to the right side to find a passage leading to the tunnels. Follow the underground tunnels all the way to the southwestern part of the minimap, and exit from the southwestern-most exit. From there, follow the path until you are back outside in the open. Out in the open you'll see two chests in front of you; one is a hack chest, while the other one should already be open if you went treasure-hunting before. Anyway, from the chests you can climb up some ledges -- do so, and continue on the forced path until you reach the point shown in the picture below. At that point, double-jump + dash + glide to some more ledges, until you reach the area where the Lunar Tear is (http://i.imgur.com/8lrmmxN.jpg)
The next Lunar Tear is in the Amusement Park; in particular, it's in the area where the shop is, in a dark corner at the bottom of the stairs (http://i.imgur.com/iSSTZiE.jpg).
The last one is in Flooded City, attacked to a broken piece of the street.
NOTE: do NOT continue with the story events in Flooded City "while you are there" -- if you do so (if you continue too much with the story in Flooded City), the quest won't be completable until your next playthrough.

If you took the detour to Flooded City earlier then you can simply fast-travel there. If not, you'll go there for the story continuation anyway, so make sure to pick it up later if that's the case. Either way, the last Lunar Tear is actually really close to the enemies you need to kill to advance with the story -- get the Lunar Tear FIRST (don't kill the enemies needed to proceed with the story yet) (http://i.imgur.com/gYHSaIa.jpg).
Once the Lunar Tears have all been "collected" (examined), you will receive the Elevator Key item, which lets you access an elevator in the commercial facility area (the usual one between City Ruins and the Forest area). WE MUST GO THERE NOW if we want to complete this quest in this playthrough, because after the next story events, for some reason, the quest will automatically fail (if not completed).

To be precise, you still have a bit of time (the last chance you have will be after killing the marked enemies, but before advancing even further with the story), so you COULD kill the enemies here. Still, to avoid any mishaps, I'd recommend going back now.

So from Flooded City backtrack to the Access Point, and teleport back to the Forest. From there, reach the elevator (marked on the map) in the Commercial Facility (it's up the stairs in the upper-middle part of the area).

Down below there will be some chats, scenes, and you'll get your reward. You will also find some chests to loot on the left side:
1 - 2,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/XDbgcxk.jpg)
2 - Gold Ore x 2
3 - Animal Bait

(The music that plays down here is Kainé - Salvation)
There is also a hack chest here, but of course we can't do anything about it yet. That's it for us now, so let's go ahead with the story.

Story Progression - Flooded City

We visited this area in an optional previous detour, so you can find the map and treasures here in case you missed it earlier: http://i.imgur.com/peHaKoL.png

To continue with the story, eliminate the enemies in the target area. After a brief conversation you will receive your next orders, which is to get in the flight units. A few notes here:

- First, if you are on Very Hard you should backtrack and save the game, just in case
- Second, from now on you'll be able to encounter the "Golden Robots" minibosses (the first ones are here in Flooded City, and you'll see them if you backtrack towards the Access Point). There is four couples of them around the world, and we'll be killing them later on (they are rather tough, so don't try it on your own because they have too many HP to kill without the right setup). For now, however, I think we all want to continue with the story, so we'll do just that
- This is your last chance (in this playthrough) to finish the quest Emil's Memories

Get in the flight units, and play the shoot-them-up game for a bit (make sure to also use melee light attacks to add extra damage, in addition to shooting) until you come to a minor boss fight.

WARNING: for those of you playing on Very Hard, don't "relax" when you come to the part where you see the ship (the aircraft carrier) and receive the call, since enemies will start spawning and shooting at you very soon. In fact, don't ever relax at all during this whole section, because it's full of moments when you chat in apparent safety and then get ambushed by enemies coming out of nowhere all of a sudden.

In this whole section, remember that Melee/Ranged Attack Up items DO affect the flight units. So if you need some extra power (most likely not, but it's a possibility) feel free to enhance yourself so you can kill enemies and bosses twice as fast.

Boss - Goliath Flyer
Simple enough, just spam the shooting button and keep tapping the light-attack button as well -- this will clear everything (including the missiles) and damage the enemy. Whenever there is a safe opening (namely after his laser beam attack), use the "Pod program" button to deal massive damage with a missile attack of your own.

Another section against regular flying machines will be next. In particular, expect small groups, then a break; then a large group, then another break; then yet another small group and some missiles coming from the next boss.

After that, you'll start moving from left to right. First there will be just a few enemies; then there will be larger groups, AND some more missiles coming from the boss. After some more shooting, you'll fight the boss (so to speak).

Boss - Colossus Cores
This "boss" fight consists of destroying several smaller cores while avoiding the obvious incoming attacks. There really isn't much to say, since the laser attacks are clearly shown before they start doing damage, and you can deal with his orbs-spam by spamming projectiles and light attacks of your own (I personally fight him as close as possible, all the time, simply spamming attacks).

A minor break against couples of enemies will occur before the next section, where you'll need to use a mortar to "feed" the colossus. The only thing worth pointing out is that you can shoot multiple successful mortar-shots in a row after he opens his mouth (i.e. there's enough time for three attacks each time he opens the mouth, so you can chain them one after the other), so make sure to keep firing after the first shot to end it right away without him closing his mouth and you having to wait for him to open it again.

After that, you'll have to deal with a bunch of regular enemies again.

WARNING: again, for those that are playing on Very Hard, keep spamming the light attack/shooting buttons all the time, especially during the small scene after 9S tells you that he has another idea: immediately as that scene ends (the scene where he flies away) you'll be caught in the middle of fire of the enemies once again, and you don't want to be unprepared for it.

Personally, I prefer standing still in a fixed location of the screen, will mashing the light attack button and keeping my fire (projectiles) button down all the time; the only thing that I actually control is RS, to aim the projectiles at any enemy I see on the screen. In other words, I rarely move, I mostly just aim, unless I need to move (too many projectiles to clear them). In that case, I'll move and aim, but not use light attacks. So in other words, my advice is to either stand still and aim (RS) + spam "blind" light attacks (spam Square), or move around (LS) + aim (RS) without wasting "mental energies" (and an additional finger) on light attacks.

My previous advice on using Ranged/Melee Attack Up (L) items is particularly noteworthy here.

When it's all done, you'll be back in Flooded City.

*Chapter 08

The Aftermaths (Flooded City & Resistance Camp)

The next order of business will be to go to Resistance Camp to get a "scanner". The Access Points in Flooded City and the City Ruins: Near Factory are currently being attacked by enemies, so you'll need to kill them in order to reactivate these two. The one in Resistance Camp is, inconveniently, temporarily disabled as well.

City Ruins

Quick stop, but we kinda have to do it: go to the access point City Ruins: Near Factory (on foot, since it's disabled; it's southwest on the map), kill the enemies attacking the terminal, and examine it to re-activate it. That's all -- proceed to Resistance Camp.

Resistance Camp

Here, speak with Anemone. Then speak with the two red-haired girls and ask for their help to receive the "A170: Scanner" Pod Program.

Equip this Program to any of your Pods. To use it, you need to press the Pod program button and hold it down: the scanner will emit a sound, and the closer you are to a hidden treasure, the more frequent the sound will be. Once you are close enough, the scanner will points its light at the now-revealed hidden treasure.

Some of the scanner items are just "random collection points" that give common items, or items you can easily obtain in other ways anyway. However, some of them give very interesting items, with a fixed content, and those are the ones you may want to focus on. In particular, the most important treasures are probably going to be the "Gadget" ones (Simple Gadget, and more importantly Elaborate Gadget), since they are rare Materials which are also needed to upgrade the Pods. At this point in the game, the scanner-treasures giving 10,000 G are also somewhat useful. Also, two Scanner Treasures (one in Desert: Center, another in Flooded City) will give you two new weapons (neither one is particularly interesting; for the record, they are the Phoenix Lance and the Iron Will) -- we'll actually get them both in the first playthrough, since we'll pass by those areas for a quest/story-related reasons.

On the other hand, if you have already done your shopping at Emil's shop, then you most likely won't need money anymore until you reach the end of route C (at that point we can invest money to make millions in just a few minutes). And, similarly, there is very little reason to be concerned with Pod upgrades early on, so I wouldn't recommend going after scanner treasures for that reason either.

For these reasons, my advice is to mostly ignore Scanner Treasures in areas you previously visited, at least for the time being. Instead, for the current playthrough we'll just collect the Scanner Treasures in Resistance Camp and Flooded City (two areas where we are going to be for story-related reasons), as well as the Scanner Treasures of the next story areas. As for all the Scanner Treasures in the areas we previously visited, I suggest collecting them in your next playthrough, when I'll give you maps containing the locations of both the Hack Chests (which will be available to you then) and the Scanner Treasures (which would be available to you now too, but they are just not worth all the extra detour at this point), so we can kill two birds with one stone.

Also, in case you are wondering, the Scanner Treasures (much like chests) can only be obtained once per save file. Therefore it's not like you would benefit from collecting them in this playthrough, and then "collect them again" in the next playthrough: if you pick them up now, they won't be available again in the next playthrough. The only exception to this (again, just like chests) are the Scanner Treasures in the Abandoned Factory, which however don't contain any important item. So there is really no reason to go after Scanner Treasures out of our way now: just wait until you revisit the previous areas in the next playthrough, and you'll be much more time-efficient.

Here in Resistance Camp, make sure to purchase the Auto-Collect Item Chip from the new shop (the one run by the two girls that gave you Scanner), since it will allow you to automatically collect Collection Point items (as well as enemy loot) when you pass by them -- a major time-saver!

Another somewhat useful thing to buy is the Pod Program M Shield from the Maintenance Shop (it will be useful against the final boss, as well as a few other miscellaneous circumstances).

Also, while we're here, collect the two Scanner Treasures available in Resistance Camp:

Scanner Treasure 1 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/K6WrBO4.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/AuMFKL0.jpg)

Flooded City

Return to Flooded City (on foot; the Resistance Camp access point should be repaired when you go through the tunnel leading to Flooded City) with the Scanner in your possession, and start scanning around. You can find several android bodies lying around, as well as a couple of scanner-points containing items. One of these is the Iron Will weapon:

Scanner Treasure 1 - Black Pearl (http://i.imgur.com/PKKOvDY.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Iron Will (Weapon) (http://i.imgur.com/dSGeiVF.jpg)

To progress with the story you just need to examine one of the android bodies (which, by the way, wasn't there before you collected Scanner; so in case you are wondering, no, you wouldn't be able to proceed without acquiring Scanner first), and in particular it's the one near a yellow bus on the last piece of street (not far from where you got on the flight units, earlier), on the west side of the area. Note that you don't even need to use Scanner to find this android (as if the body was hidden anyway) -- the "we need Scanner to find androids" thing was probably a story-forced excuse to give you the Pod Program. Anyway.

After speaking with that particular android, the coordinates to your next location will be put on the map -- fast travel to City Ruins: Cave.

Deep Cave

Note: the City Ruins: Cave Access Point is the closest save point to the next boss fight, so make sure to save.

From the cave's entrance, go through the tunnels and follow the path. On the way you can find a Scanner Treasure (early on, as you go):

Scanner Treasure 1 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/MOm6Lo1.jpg)

From there, continue south and at the next fork go right (southwest) -- proceed until you reach your destination, which is actually an elevator (it was previously inactive; now it's active). Ride the elevator to reach the next area.

XXXXXX City

Actual area name: Copied City.

Map of the new dungeon (http://i.imgur.com/2iM3r8Q.png)



1 - Ranged Defense Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/fsbTiiw.jpg)
2 - Melee Defense Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/S6Evx6i.jpg)
3 - Large Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/mDhSsvw.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 1 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/a7qITxL.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Moldavite (http://i.imgur.com/aF066lV.jpg)

Collection Points:
- (Various enhancement items)

Collection Bodies:
- Overclock
- Last Stand

Get all the items, and be prepared for an easy boss fight when you reach the open area to the southeast.

Boss - Adam [filler space]
Multi-phase fight, so to speak:

The "fight" actually starts with the boss giving a bit of a speech without doing anything
Shortly after, the boss's name will appear on screen; at this point the boss will continue his speech, but he will also attack you. He uses several "cube" attacks. In particular, he can throw a big cube at you, shoot a series of cubes at once towards you, or he can surround himself with cubes that will then detonate for some minor explosions. In this phase, stay far away from him and just dodge the cube-throw attacks. It doesn't really matter if you damage him in this phase, so just sit back and dodge until the next phase triggers
After his speech is finally over, a cutscene will trigger and then the real fight will begin. Now you can actually fight back (if you "killed" the boss in the previous phase, this phase would still occur)
During the third phase the boss has several attacks available:

He will usually teleport near you; make sure you dodge away when he appears, so you don't get caught off guard from his attacks
He can punch the ground, resulting into several "pillars of light" coming out from the ground underneath you. Simply run around the room to avoid these (you can also dodge them easily)
He can charge and then release four consecutive "projectiles" towards you. Just dodge them
Especially if you remain in melee range, he can use a "whip" attack (quite a long range, too) or some other, slowish melee-combos (kicks)
If you hit him first, he will often use a "shield" defense. If you keep attacking, you will break the shield and he will counterattack with a minor explosion that is preceded by a short frame-freeze (the game seems to freeze for a brief instant). If you dodge his counterattack (spam dodge after the frame-freeze), you can then counter-counterattack
Last but not least, he can charge you from afar and dash towards you for a "grab" attack -- make sure you dodge away
After killing the boss once, he will come back with half his health for the final assault. He doesn't really have many new things to offer compared to the third phase, but he'll simply play more aggressively (moves and attacks a bit more quickly; his pillars/fireballs attacks have a few more hits than before).

As far as attacking him goes, you can either approach him in melee range and use Counter (three Counters will kill him, on Very Hard, with Counter +8 and Max HP UP +100%; you may need to add a different finisher though, since Counter sometimes can't finish off an enemy even if you do enough damage to take his HP down to 0 or less), or you can just rely on Taunt Up +6/8 and some Critical Hits for a very swift win. In this case, just wait until after one of his attacks to have an easy and moderately long window of opportunity to finish him off.

He's really nothing special, just make sure you attack him after his attacks to be a bit safer.

Once the fight is over, examine the android body in the area to continue.

*Chapter 09

Last (short) break

You will resume in Resistance Camp. After some chatting around, you'll be told to meet with Pascal in the Abandoned Factory.

Before we do that, there is a new quest available in the Desert (second area). There is also the Half-wit Inventor quest (which you may have activated, on the passage between Pascal's Village and the Amusement Park), but even if you have money to spare I would recommend keeping it for yourself, and leaving that quest (Half-wit Inventor) for the third playthrough, when you'll be a millionaire. The Desert quest is going to be our last for this playthrough!

NOTE: as soon as you go to the Abandoned Factory and come across Pascal, a conversation with him will automatically start and force you to events that will culminate with the final rush all the way until the final bosses. If there is anything optional you wanted to do before you inevitably proceed to the end of this playthrough/route, and then on to the next one, do it now.

In paticular, if there are any important Chips you want to get from Emil's Shop, as well as the Auto-Collect Item chip (from the Resistance Camp new shop), you should probably make sure to get them now, or else your next chance will be many hours from now, in your next playthrough (Auto-Collect Item is particularly annoying in this regard, because it's actually unavailable in the second playthrough, and becomes available again only in the third one).

 

Desert: Center

It just so happens that the quest of this area requires you to find some special (they appear only during this quest) Scanner Treasures. While we're doing the quest, we might as well find the other (four) "normal" Scanner Treasures though, no? I'll give you a map for the Scanner Treasures of the quest and one for the Scanner Treasures of the quest and the normal ones altogether, so you can get everything while you're here.

Quest # 48 - Heritage of the Past
Location: go to Desert: Center, and then proceed northwest from the Access Point to find the quest-NPC.
Request: fetch three items found with the scanner in the desert. There are no location-hints in the in-game map, so check the pictures below if you don't want to waste your time hunting them down by yourself.

Note that you can collect 1, 2, and 3 in whatever order you want. However, for the fourth and last one to appear, you must have collected and brought back the first three "relics" to the quest-NPC: only then will the fourth item spawn. You will receive your (partial) rewards after bringing each item to him (you can get the first three items all in a row, and then hand them over at once; there's no need to return to the quest-NPC after every item).

Also, after collecting the fourth item some enemies will ambush you. They are level-40 regular enemies, but be particularly careful with the bigger one of them (he's one of those guys with a machinegun that shoots a lot of orbs). Taunt and Overclock will certainly help here, as will the Bomb program. For the record, you can also run away from them and complete the quest without fighting (they will still be here later too; I tried leaving the area and then coming back, and they were still there).

When it's all done, report to the quest-NPC for your final reward.

Picture of the items: http://i.imgur.com/Zp8sTAN.jpg

1. Mysterious Lithograph 2 (Commandment Slab)
2. Filthy Mask
3. Aged Stick
4. Statue of a Girl

Rewards (all): ("random book" Material (Thick Dictionary/Torn Book/Tech Manual), or Amber) x 3; Thick Dictionary x 3; 25,000 G; 1,050 EXP; Spear of the Usurper (Weapon).

Map of the items (quest-related Scanner Treasures only): http://i.imgur.com/3jNYO3t.png

As promised, here is a map of the quest-related Scanner Treasures (in green circles) along with "regular" Scanner Treasures (teal numbers) (http://i.imgur.com/uecqx3L.png):



Scanner Treasure 1 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/7JRa2SN.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/4NbTmhG.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 3 - Elaborate Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/iJXmnGx.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 4 - Phoenix Lance (http://i.imgur.com/a4k86Ux.jpg)

Got everything you wanted from the first playthrough? If so, continue to the Abandoned Factory. If not, go do whatever you still need to do BEFORE heading there!

Abandoned Factory Underground

Approach Pascal outside to start a conversation that will then lead you inside.

Inside the Factory, follow the priest NPC and he'll unlock the elevator for you. Ride the elevator down to be brought into a new area.

Map (http://i.imgur.com/BDesnBU.png)



Use the link before the image (http://i.imgur.com/BDesnBU.png) for a human-sight-sized version of the map.

This place is relatively big and has more forks than usual, so the text walkthrough will be a bit longer than in other areas.

In the new areas you can collect some chests as you deal with the "situation" that will arise. You need to kill a bunch of enemies to open up the elevator door on the other side of the room (Wave Pod Program will help), where you can then proceed. Just in case you are wondering, the enemies won't respawn forever (they do spawn for quite a while though).

1 - Ranged Attack Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/tHLnGua.jpg)
2 - Small Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/LAsuty9.jpg)
3 - 2,000 G
4 - 3,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/ecud676.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 1 - Moldavite (http://i.imgur.com/1qznvq2.png)

In the new room (after taking the next elevator) you'll find the essential item shop, just in case you are completely out of recovery items. Aside from that, nothing to do other than proceeding forward.

Now, there are two very well hidden items in the next passage. As you continue along the long catwalk, you'll come across a big cylinder on the way. You'll go through this cylinder, and immediately after that you'll start encountering enemies. Once you have understood what cylinder I'm talking about, reach its right-end side. From its right-end side, do a double-jump up and to the left; you should land on a hidden ramp (inside the cylinder; completely invisible to you). If you go left when you are on this ramp, you will go upwards and eventually reach a chest (you'll see the "open-chest" command prompt when you are next to it). The picture below will hopefully clear what I mean; if not, I've added a video too:

5 - Gold Ore x 2 (inside the cylinder)
http://i.imgur.com/TOnNhCY.jpg





After recovering from the shock of how anticlimactic the content of this secret chest is, you can proceed forward.

"Wait, didn't you say there are two very well hidden items?" -- yes, I did; the other one is a hack chest, which can be reached by jumping off the ramp in the cylinder, up and to the right, to land on a hidden platform where the hack chest is located. We'll deal with that on our next playthrough though.

Continue along the catwalk, and you'll soon come to a fork: either inside a room, or further to the right. Go to the room first!
Inside the room you will find an Access Point (you may have noticed this red dot on your map a long time ago; well, that's what it was), so make use of it (possibly save on a separate slot, just in case, since you can't backtrack outside until you finish this dungeon).

In the same room there is also an elevator door (near the Access Point), but it's locked for now. Therefore, head back outside, and continue to the right on the catwalk.

WARNING: if you are playing on Very Hard be particularly careful here, since there will be kamikaze-enemies carrying explosives coming your way (from the right first; then also from the left). You should be able to shoot them easily with Pod A bullets before they can get to you; just don't get caught off guard. If you want to play it super-safe, the Pod Program "P Shield" protects from the explosions.

Continue until you get on, and then off a moving conveyor belt. After that there will be another fork: up and right, or down and left. Going left leads to a dead end (there might be a collection point there though), which is actually where we will land after we make a detour (if you want to make it), so for now just go right instead.

Keep going, and there will be another fork shortly after: either continue up and to the right, or fall through the gap in the broken stairs to reach the level below. You can do the second option if you'd like some extra treasures, as well as a particular Unit Data (Factory - Medium Quadruped).

Leave the room after you're done looting, and then go the only possible way (up and to the right). Follow the path, and you'll come to a ledge where a single enemy is worshiping what seems to be a very precious chest.

6 - Speed Salve (S) (http://i.imgur.com/nw9G7cL.jpg)

Very precious indeed. After that, double-jump to the right and land on the platform -- this is where you would have ended if you had taken one of the previous forks to the left (the one I told you about earlier). After landing, this time continue to the right all the way, past the gap in the broken stairs, to proceed to another conveyor belt.

WARNING: for everyone, including those not playing on Very Hard, beware of those crushing machines on this conveyor belt. If you get smashed under them, it's game over, no matter the difficulty setting (it's an insta-kill attack).

If you feel like risking it, you can dash past three of the "smashing machines" in a row if you start dashing/running right after the closest one raises up (you could even go for four in a row, but it's not worth the risk). If not, you can take your time and play it safely, waiting for each smashing-machine to come down first, then raise up again before you go through it. There is a total of six of them.

After this section there will be another chest in plain sight before you go into the next room.

7 - Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/DF31O9z.jpg)

In the room there will be a couple of enemies to kill before moving on, north and through the only possible door (other than the one where you came from).

Back outside, you'll be on another catwalk. Beware of the kamikaze-enemies here, coming from the right side (where you need to go; left leads nowhere). As you continue upwards, at one point there will be an interruption in the fence along the catwalk (if you continue to the right you'll proceed with the story, but this detour is probably worth it). Just like in the very beginning of the game, this interruption can be used to walk towards the "foreground" part of the screen (walk downwards; use LS_Down), which will make the camera move, and reveal where you really are now.



In particular, you will find yourself on a ledge up above the previous section with the smashing-machines. From this ledge, jump up and to the left to land on top of the smashing machines. Make your way across, jumping from one machine to the next one, and fighting some annoying flying enemies along the way. Once you reach the other side, you'll be able to enter a room with some treasures (a hack chest and two normal ones).
WARNING: a bunch of kamikaze enemies will greet you in this room. They stop spawning after a while, so clear the room first, then proceed looting. Again, P Shield will protect you against them.

8 - Engine Blade (http://i.imgur.com/9pcqXDg.jpg)
9 - Small G Luck+

Backtrack (unfortunately you can't jump back from the smashing machines to the ledge where you came from, since it's too high, so you'll have to follow the original path again), and then continue to the right. On the way there will be some more broken stairs; falling through the holes between them will lead you off the map, so don't bother "detouring" there (if you fall you'll just respawn on the stairs, don't worry).

After those stairs, there will be another fork of some sort: you can go into the background (walk "up") on another moving conveyor belt, or you can go right first to find another treasure (do the latter first of course).

10 - Animal Bait (http://i.imgur.com/6kYaAzm.jpg)

Then ride the conveyor belt. A few enemies will spawn along the way. Once you reach the other end of the conveyor belt, get off it (walk "down" into the foreground), and then jump up and right to proceed.

At this point there will be a triple-fork: you can go through the door that 9S opened for you just now, or you could walk left from the door, or you could walk on the "bridge" opposite the door. The last option is not for us right now, since it leads to a hack-door which we can't open yet. Instead, go left from the door 9S opened for you (down some stairs) to reach a chest (on the way, ignore the gaps in the broken stairs, since they lead off the map again).

11 - Melee Attack Up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/nCQ0ToH.jpg)

After that, proceed through the door 9S opened for you when ready. In this room there are three doors: north (you came from here), east, or south. If you go east you'll proceed with the story, but you can also go south. South is actually an elevator (activate it by operating the nearby control panel), and it takes you back to the room with the Access Point -- make use of it maybe (there will be enemies in the Access Point room; one is a regular smaller guy; another one, a Goliath type, will spawn a few moments after you get in, but he's nothing special). Also, the elevator that you just took will now become a two-way elevator, so you can ride it back up after saving.

When ready, proceed through the eastern door. From there, go right and you'll find a series of platforms where you can jump on. Beware that there will be some kamikaze enemies on the highest ledge. Speaking of the highest ledge, if you check your minimap you will notice that it's actually the second-highest platform (on the minimap), and in the highest platform of all (in the minimap) you can see an interruption. Indeed, you can jump up to the highest platform (from the second-highest), and then go right from there to find a secret chest:

12 - Melee Attack Up (L) (http://i.imgur.com/HljOtTK.jpg)

Seriously though, can you imagine finding this hidden chest all on your own, without Item Scan, without a walkthrough, and then find that it contains this kind of trash? So demotivating.

Anyhow, proceed through the passage in the upper-right section of the platform-area to move on.

You'll be on another conveyor belt section with smashing platforms. This time the conveyor belt goes backwards, but you can still go past three consecutive smashing-machines in a single shot if you dash properly. You may wanna be careful though, since kamikaze enemies will spawn along the way (yes, on the same conveyor belt that goes backwards and has one-hit-kill environmental hazards).

After this section, another fork will be present: either through a door, or left down some platforms. Go left, and hop from one platform to the next one until you reach the bottom-right one, which contains a treasure chest.

13 - Impact Bracer (L) (http://i.imgur.com/fBniAv4.jpg)

Backtrack up the platforms, then enter the room. Here (you enter the room from its eastern door) there will be some enemies to kill, then an apparent fork: either north, or southwest. North is actually a hack-door, so you can only go southwest. Note that there is also a scanner-treasure here (yep, I didn't forget about those; there just wasn't any other one until now):

Scan 18-02 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/NwYQ0jr.png)

Leave the room through the southwestern opening. In the next area there will be two "spider" enemies attached to the walls -- pretty neat, but we need to kill them anyway (I unleashed a fully charged Bomb attack on them; Laser should work fine too).

Now, for another tricky treasure, reach the upper-left part of this area. Here you should see a collapsed piece of stairs (it's almost vertical) -- you can actually climb up this broken piece of stairs if you double-jump + dash from the platform on their right. Once you reach the highest (top-left-most) platform, carefully walk right, so you start "sliding" down the broken piece of stairs. Immediately as you reach the bottom of the broken piece of stairs, perform a double jump under and to the left of it, so you can sneak past it and reach the chest. I've added a video for this treasure, just in case you need more help figuring how to get to it:

14 - Meteorite (http://i.imgur.com/hTDCmtN.jpg)



With that done, proceed to the right until you enter another room. In here you'll find another Access Point and a treasure.

15 - Ranged Defense up (S) (http://i.imgur.com/F9viiFE.jpg)

Save the game, then ride the elevator. After riding the elevator you'll be in a corridor where there is actually a scanner-item on the way.

Scanner Treasure 3 - Elaborate Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/whu7OeR.png)

Pick it up, and then get ready for a nice boss fight.

Boss - So-Shi
At first you won't be able to damage the enemy at all, so just dodge the attacks until "something" happens.

So, the good news is that the boss can then be damaged; the bad news is that you are going to fight in the dark. Nice!
Thankfully you can use the Pod's light to have some vision, and even more-thankfully the boss has a very visible red "eye" which indicates his position. The minimap is your friend, too, should you lose track of the enemy. Let's check what kind of attacks he has:

Shockwaves: simple enough, just jump up to avoid the obvious red-laser-shockwaves. Before this attacks, he bends over forward just a little bit, he'll make an attack noise, and then he'll start stomping the ground. If you are having troubles timing your jumps, simply do this: double jump, then aerial combo with a light sword, and then dash/glide with the Pod if the shockwaves haven't stopped yet.
Jump-shockwave: he can jump up in the air, then land causing a shockwave all around him. The attack is slow enough that you shouldn't have a problem reacting to it with a dodge/jump. 
Melee "gnaw" attack: he'll come running towards you with his "claws" -- dodge away. In the dark, before this attack you will always see/hear his "eye" glowing.
Melee "front smash" attack: same as before, but he just smashes his claws/arms downwards in front of him.
Vertical yellow laser blade: yea I'm not good at naming attacks. In this one he shoots a yellow "blade" of some sort directly at you. Again, just dodge it. You can see his "fangs" preparing this attack (they become vertical, and then hit the ground, unleashing the attack in the process).
Horizontal yellow laser blade: same as the previous one, but it covers the ground horizontally -- jump up and you'll avoid it. Similarly to the previous one, you can see his "fangs" prepare the attack because they'll be positioned horizontally before the attack is launched.
Stab attack x 3: he turns around, then "stabs" you with an extension of his body (let's call it a tail). If you can't see his red eye in the dark anymore, then he's probably turned around, and this attack is probably coming up next. Dodging shouldn't be hard, but beware that he can "stab" you multiple times in a row.
360°-swipe: you can see his "tail" coming out, and then he does a 360° spin attack -- dodge.
Minions-bombs spawn: he can spawn a few smaller "ball-machines" that will chase after you and then explode. They die quickly from Pod fire, so focus them down (or just run in panic around the room until they eventually explode).
The attack pattern of the boss is random, but you can kill him fairly easily, especially if at this point you have already started with heavy Taunt chips. The only hard part of the fight will be at the end.

As a matter of fact, when the enemy is down to critical health, he will close up in an invincible ball form, and he'll start spinning around the room at high speed (damaging you if you come in contact with him), OR jumping up and down in place. After a short while he will "take a break", and you can resume your attack on his red eye at this point. Be careful though, since he'll restart his attacks soon enough if you don't finish him off.

A neat way to finish him off is with the Counter chip: if you stay close to him as soon as he curls up in the ball form, he will always use a jump/bounce attack first. Therefore, if you have a strong enough Counter chip (I had my Counter +8 at this point, but even Counter +6 will do wonders), when you see him preparing to take his ball form you can go right next to him, and then wait for him to land during his jump attack (press LS_forward "into" the enemy just before he hits the ground) for an easy Counter-kill.

As far as battle strategy goes, I actually recommend a Counter-based strategy, as shown in the video below. His triple-stab attack is particularly easy to Counter due to its predictability (he turns around; at that point he's either going to use the minion-bombs attack, or the stab attacks), and Counter is probably your best choice as a finisher too. All of this, of course, is the recommended strategy if you are on Very Hard. On anything less than that, simple attacks (supported by Taunt & co.) will give you a win without too many problems.



After the fight, go north and ride one more elevator to return to an area of the Factory that you should already know. Indeed, you are coming from the very first "locked door" we encountered, back at the start of the game (remember it? Yea, me neither). From there, all you need to do is go right and proceed until you exit the Factory again.

In case you are wondering, there are no surprises if you go left and backtrack to the start of the Factory -- you'll just encounter a bunch of unnecessary enemies around level 25-30.
We'll deal with the Scanner Treasures of the Abandoned Factory (original area) in the next playthrough. They are nothing special anyway.

On the way, feel free to stop by and watch machines do...their thing (there won't be enemies to attack you). Farewell...farewell...

Walkthrough - Extended
(Continued)

*Chapter 10

Resistance Camp

Make your way back to the Resistance Camp (you have to go on foot).

On the way you'll find several enemies that look just as weak as always, but they actually have a new "shock-shell" defensive move that will damage you if you get close to them (they tend to use this rather suddenly, too), so be careful and avoid engaging unless you just have to.

Once you get to the Resistance Camp you'll have to clean up the robo-mess around (both in the main area, and in the back area). Nothing special here, so do the usual.

After the enemies are dead, save at the Access Point, and then head outside for another boss fight.

Boss - Boku-Shi
Because why not. The boss has some new attacks, namely:

Missiles: he shoots missiles at you (outrun them).
Electricity: he creates an electric field around himself, and in the water surrounding him. Electricity is considered "physical" damage by the way (so for instance P Shield protects against it; also, this means you can Counter is, as we'll see in a moment).
Lasers: he can shoot laser beams.
Orbs: he shoots both type of orbs all around him -- nothing you haven't seen before.
Among the attacks that So-Shi had, his Boku-Shi cousin seems be missing a few of them. In fact, the only ones I saw him do again were the tail-stab attack, and the bomb-orbs-spawning attack.

First order of business will be to eliminate that annoying electricity around him. To do so, simply shoot him with the Pod while avoiding stepping on the electricity field. After a short while the electricity will stop, and he'll be stunned for a few seconds. Now the fight will resemble the previous encounter a bit more, so use whatever strategy you had there to finish him off.

Note that many minions (weaker, but annoying in mass, machines) will spawn at one point during the fight (once the boss reaches <50% of his health). Therefore, the sooner you end it, the better.

Strategy-wise, on Very Hard you can actually make quick work of this guy if you follow this five-steps strategy, which is based on Counter (+Max HP Up +100%) and Overclock (+6 if you can; +3 is good enough otherwise; Overclock is optional anyway). A video demonstration will follow this text description:

First of all, approach the boss and shoot him a bit until his name pops up on the screen. When that happens, retreat to the Resistance Camp -- this will make the boss leave his original area, and go elsewhere (he will fully heal too).
Go back outside, and find the enemy, who will now be attached to the wall of a building not far from the open area where he originally was. He has actually lost his electricity barrier. From up there, the enemy will probably use some missiles attack as you approach him -- outrun them easily, and wait in front of him for him to jump back on the ground. As soon as he's about to land "on" you, move "into" the enemy to Counter his "land-stomp" attack and take a huge chunk of his health (50% or even more) off.
Stay near the boss; I personally prefer going around and behind him. There is a high chance that the boss will now try to renew his electrical barrier. He may use other attacks first, but most of the time you will see him "shaking" a bit before his electrical barrier comes back. You can actually Counter the electrical barrier, so if you tap LS_forward "into" the boss (as soon as he renews the electrical barrier, or at any point while he has the barrier on him) you will deal another huge amount of damage to him.
At this point, with two easy Counters, he will be at "zero" health. The fight can't end just yet though: he will curl up in his invincible-ball form, and minions will start coming out of nowhere. This time you can't just stand next to him and wait for his "jump-stomp" attack (like we did against So-Shi) to finish him off. Instead, let him run by you, and Overclock-dodge his "run-you-over" attack.
As soon as he stops moving after his first run-you-over attack, slash him with your sword once to prompt the fight's end, and then run away to a safe spot (away from wherever the other enemies are) until you get "hit" by his "wind" attack.
Overclock helps a bit in the last two phases because it gives you a bit of extra time to run away after slashing him with the sword. It doesn't really contribute much though, since you should be able to run away to a safe spot even without it.

It's worth pointing out that you shouldn't use P Shield if you are going to use this strategy (and, in general, don't use it in the last part of the fight): P Shield negates Counter, but it's also a bad idea to use it in the last part of the fight because you MUST get hit by his "wind" attack (which counts as a physical attack) in order to end the fight. I don't know how relevant this information might be to you, but since I tried using P Shield to stay safe from the other enemies in the area after landing the "finishing blow" on the boss, and saw that it's a bad idea for that reason (you can't continue if you don't get hit by the wind attack), I thought I'd let you know in case you had the same idea too.



After some scenes, another boss fight will trigger.

Boss - Machines-body (Spherical)
This...thing has very few possible attacks:

Spin attack
A melee attack of some sort (not very frequent actually)
Only after damaging his body a bit (do so by shooting it with the Pod's regular attacks) he will then open up and use two consecutive attacks among these possible three:

Laser fest: he floats up in the air and shoots lasers like a disco ball
Airborne orb fest: he floats in the air, and shoots orbs (of both types) in a vertical-wheel kind of shape/pattern
Ground orb fest: he sits on the ground, and shoots orbs (of both types) all around him (horizontal wheel shape/pattern)
Counter is not really worth the trouble/reliable (you can Counter his spin attack and melee attacks, but they seem to miss most of the time for some reason). Instead, much more simply, dodge around and shoot him with the Pod until he opens up and prepares to use one of his three attacks. At this point, start charging the Bomb Pod Program.

Of those three, laser is deadly and very hard to dodge, so unfortunately all I can say is "hope he doesn't use it" :p Instead, if he uses either of the other two attacks (either of the orb-fest attack), release Bomb right in his face and he will die extremely quickly (this is particularly easy if he does the ground variation).



After this other boss fight, proceed towards Pascal's Village on foot. On the way, on Very Hard, make sure to stop by the closest access point (City: Near the Tower) and save the game.

Outside of Pascal's Village there will be a few regular enemies to kill before the next boss shows up. Before you kill the last of them, charge up your Bomb Pod Program to level 3.

Boss - Machines-body (Snake)
Ok, screw whoever thought it would be fair to put this cheap laser fest as a boss again, as if there was anything other than luck involved in dodging those lasers.

Thankfully, if you greet the boss with Bomb (as I said, charge it to level 3 during the fight with the regular enemies before the barricade to Pascal's Village) and unleash it on his body as he's first floating by you, that should actually be enough to finish him off right away before he can do anything. So...yea, do that.



When it's all done and settled, prepare for the final boss fight of the first playthrough!

Final Boss - Eve [filler space]

The boss has several attacks at his disposal:

3-hits melee combo: the most "exploitable" of his attacks
Spin attack: you'll see his debris-arms get longer, then he'll spin around. You can simply dodge this attack (make sure to dodge multiple times in a row)
Throw-debris: several variations of this attack, but they are all fundamentally attacks where he throws debris at you. As always, dodge
Grab combo: he dashes towards you and performs a combo during the grab animation. You can dodge this attack if you see it coming in time. He won't use this attack if you are very close to him
Grab, then hit: very different from the actual "grab combo", in this case he will first grab you with a yellow-arm extension of some sort, and THEN he will hit you with the yellow arm (like a sort of whip hit). It's important to point out that the first grab won't do any actual damage, so even if you get caught off guard (and get grabbed), you can still dodge the actual attack (after the grab) if you spam R2. He can use this attack even if you are very close to him
Platforms summoning + throw attack: after taking enough damage, he can summon many platforms in the area, and jump on top of the highest one. From there, he'll just sit back and throw debris at you at regular intervals. He won't stop until you get to the platform where he is and smack his face
The fight will go on in this fashion "twice", since after taking his health down to zero he will become protected by a shell and regenerate his full health before going back into the fight once again.

Normally, the second time you fight you should wait for 9S to help you out and do some hacking for you, which will stop further regeneration from the boss. If you are on Very Hard, however, you can skip this checkpoint of the fight (i.e. go straight to the third phase without waiting for 9S's hacking).

During the third phase of the fight, Eve will only use different types of dark-red-orb attacks. He will constantly stay airborne, moving from one place to the next one, and you'll have to chase him around as you take down his health, slowly but surely.

After doing enough damage, his health bar will temporarily disappear, and then he will make another explosion which will cause you to be unable to run (you can only drag your feet around, like after Self-Destructing) and use melee attacks. Instead, you'll have to finish him off with Pod attacks only.

Strategy
This boss fight can be quite annoying, so I'll give you an as-cheap-as-possible strategy for when you do this on Very Hard. We're going to rely on two separate chipsets: one with Counter+Max HP Up (start with this one), and another with Taunt +6/8 and Critical Up +30%. Don't bother with Overclock, it's unnecessary. We're also going to use the Ancient Overlord as light weapon and any spear (I used Virtuous Dignity) as heavy weapon (this is for combo-animation purposes). Lastly, set the Pod Program M Shield to Pod A (which is the only Pod you'll be using). With these preparations, proceed as follows:

Start the fight by dodging his first opening attack. After that, approach him and flick LS_forward "into" the boss to double-Counter (i.e. get two Counters from the same combo) his 3-hit-melee combo attack. If he uses any other attack (spin attack or debris throw), DODGE instead of Countering. You don't want to Counter anything other than his 3-hit-melee attack: while you may manage to get two consecutive Counters against him during his spin attack, many times/against his other attacks you will only be able to get a single Counter. On the contrary, you can get two consecutive Counters if you Counter his 3-hit-combo attack. Why is this important? Because with two consecutive Counters you will take his health down to 0, and if you do so then he won't have a chance to use his annoying platform-summoning attack, which would require you to climb up to reach him while avoiding his projectiles all the time.
After the double-Counter, he'll start regenerating his health. Let him finish; ideally, Counter or dodge the small explosion after he's done regenerating his health, but that explosion doesn't actually do any damage (you'll just recoil back a bit).
After he's back on the ground, you need to hit him at least once to "reactivate" his AI. By that I mean that he won't attack at first if you don't hit him first. He may dodge your hits; keep trying until one of your attacks connects.
After that, do exactly what you did in step 1: flick LS_forward into the boss, expecting to get two Counters from his 3-hit-melee combo attack, and dodge away if he uses anything else instead.
You'll then be prompted to the last phase of the fight. At this point, switch chipset and equip the one with Critical+Taunt. Start charging M Shield, and run in circles around the boss. As soon as you see a good opportunity, approach him from underneath him, release M Shield, and then perform an aerial combo with downward strike at the end: upperslash, aerial light combo, then downward strike. While you do this combo, make sure to Taunt him too. In inputs, this will be: X>Triangle (upperslash with the Spear); then Square x 3-5 hits; then Triangle (and, during all this, spam R1 if that's your Taunt button). Immediately after you land, input the same combo again: upperslash, aerial light combo, then downward strike. And again. And again. And again. This combo can actually loop the boss, and you can continue it until the next "checkpoint" of the fight triggers.
As soon as his health bar disappears, run away and back to safety.
When you can move again, move in circles around him. Try to re-Taunt him, and maybe use Ranged Attack Up (L) to boost damage a bit more -- use Pod A's regular attacks until he dies. He'll go down sooner than later. Make sure you keep walking in circles around him (and not too close to him), since walking in circles is the only way you can avoid one of his attacks (the one where a bunch of orbs "pour" from him).
You can see this strategy in the video below:



When it's all done, enjoy the final scenes and the credits if you'd like. You can actually skip the credits (hold down Circle) like a regular cutscene -- there aren't any bonus scenes after them, but the song is really nice and you may want to listen to it anyway.

Either way, once you get your Ending A you'll be asked to save the game -- do so, and Continue from that save file to start your second playthrough!

*Chapter 01 (NG+)

Prologue

At the start of your second playthrough you will control a special little guy. You'll figure what to do easily on your own, so I'll just point out that you can move faster if you jump forward instead of walking, BUT after getting the oil you must avoid jumping (and also avoid stepping on pipes on the ground), or else the oil will spill. Should that happen, get a refill and try again.

After that little foreshadowing-done-late sequence you will resume control of a proper "new" character.

You have retained all of your previous equipment, level, and general setup (basically everything). To compensate for it, enemies' levels will be upscaled as well. You will need to reset the Pod programs though, and by default you'll be using a different weapon set than what you had in the previous playthrough (you can equip any previous weapon though). In fact, this new character can only use one weapon -- let it be the Ancient Overlord, if possible.

Note that you must continue towards the marker (the flight units) by kicking a ladder near your starting position, so you can then go down it and reach the flight unit itself. If you detour anywhere else, you will soon activate the "joke" Ending G, and you'll have to restart from the beginning of the second playthrough. Since you can get the joke endings more easily after the third playthrough, let's not waste our time with it now.

The only thing you can do is open the nearby chest on the crane arm.

Note that it will look like chests have been reset on New Game+ (if you followed my guide you should have opened this one in your first run; you can also see another chest nearby, which you also should have opened earlier in your first playthrough), but the Abandoned Factory is actually a particular case: in the rest of the game, opened chest will stay opened, so you won't have to chase them down again (and, on the other hand, you won't be able to retrieve their contents again). No big deal, considering the content of the average chest. Therefore in this New Game+ playthrough we will basically only be collecting the hack-chests (or chests behind hack-doors) we couldn't access before, as well as the Scanner Points, as promised.

1 - Large Recovery

After getting in the flight unit you will start a shooting sequence. The new character you are controlling is also capable of a "hacking" sort of attack, which replaces the heavy attack we used with 2B (the new character doesn't really have a heavy attack option, and always uses only one weapon).

Hacking, as you'll soon find out, is an extremely powerful way of dealing damage, since it allows you to take a PERCENTAGE damage off the enemy's max HP. While the percentage is not absolute (it depends on the difference between your and the enemy's levels; the stronger you are compared to the enemy, the more effective hacking damage is), this still allows you to handle very strong enemies with relative ease.

Weaker enemies can be one-shot with a single successful hack -- feel free to try it out on the larger multi-part machines you will encounter during the current mission.

The hacking benefits come at a cost though, and that's the cost of your patience in doing the shooting minigames that constitute hacking itself. At first hacking will be rather easy, but as a general rule, the stronger the enemies, the harder the hacking minigames will be. The penalty for failing a hacking minigame is just taking some damage (20% of max HP; you won't insta-die even on Very Hard, kinda like when you take fall damage), so all in all it's still quite a decent bargain.

Make sure to use Lock-On while hacking (during the hacking minigame) if you are on Easy/Normal, since it will make your "cursor" automatically always "point" at the locked-on enemy. This helps a lot, although if you plan to do a playthrough on Hard/Very Hard later on you should probably start practicing manual aim instead.

As far as the mission goes, there isn't much to say: at the four-way-fork you'll need to take each direction to reach a machine to hack at the end of each one of them. Do them all to continue.

After hacking left and right there will be a short section where you will control the Pod directly.

Just so you know it, you can still Taunt and use Ranged Attack Up items to make this section easier (it may seem completely useless on Normal, but it can save your life on Very Hard). It's also good to know that, in that section with the Pod, the enemies won't attack the Pod, but they will only go for 9S instead (so feel free to get close to them -- there is no risk of getting the Pod attacked directly). Prioritize the flying ones.

Eventually you'll be done with this first part. Neat!

The Bunker

Back in here there won't be many new things to do, but we can go open our first hack-chest, located in the Terminal area of the bunker (if you have Item Scan on, you should see its icon on the minimap).

1 - Large Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/WK7Qsa0.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 1 - Pyrite (2B's room) (http://i.imgur.com/AxWwztu.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Simple Gadget (9S's room) (http://i.imgur.com/UtwdAfQ.jpg)

Continue to the City Ruins.

*Chapter 02 (NG+)

City Ruins

Map (Hack chests and Scanner Treasures) (http://i.imgur.com/Ecs1s8B.png):



1 - Phoenix Sword (roof where you start) (http://i.imgur.com/dKky2Ar.jpg)
2 - Clean Nut, Sturdy Socket, Large Battery, Pristine Cable, New Bolt, Large Gear, Pristine Screw (inside building, underground level) (http://i.imgur.com/lUG1vsv.jpg)
3 - Paper Attached to Vehicle (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/McAcYc6.jpg)
4 - Ragged DVD (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/tN9P22L.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 1 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/gyV7cRj.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/1Nj834k.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 3 - Pyrite (http://i.imgur.com/ayjr0ta.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 4 - Elaborate Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/xlqUNm6.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 5 - Complex Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/i77Z5n3.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 6 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/Tt00lZj.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 7 - Gold Ore (http://i.imgur.com/DaVrcF2.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 8 - (Random low-level Material) (http://i.imgur.com/6lXj3dd.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 9* - Simple Gadget (can't get it now, it's beyond the fence to Pascal's Village) (http://i.imgur.com/NiFU3Uu.jpg)

You shouldn't have a problem finding the treasures with the map and pictures, so I won't bore you with unnecessary details.

Note that you will probably encounter some Golden Robots again (they are a different group from the ones you may have met earlier, in Flooded City) just in the area where the fourth hack-chest is.

Golden Robots 1 - City Ruins

First of all, let's mention that these guys aren't going anywhere, so you can kill them at a later time as well if right now you don't feel strong enough to handle them. That being said, they will appear and disappear depending on the point of the story where you are, so don't worry if you come back here later and you don't see them anymore -- you'll just have to wait (possibly until your third playthrough) to come across them again.

If you decide to fight them, MAKE SURE TO PICK UP THE POWERUP PART S! This is a forced drop from the smaller of the three Golden Robots of City Ruins. The Powerup Part S is a rare item available in just barely enough quantity to upgrade all the three Pods (the other two Powerup Part S are rewards from quests, which you should already have done by the way). If you miss this opportunity to collect it and then you complete the Golden Robots side event (by defeating them in all three locations), your chances of upgrading all the Pods are gone for good. You've been warned!

It's worth pointing out that you can get multiple Powerup Part S if you "farm" the smaller Golden Robot from this group of enemies, here in City Ruins. However, this "farming opportunity" is limited: if you complete the Golden Robot side-event by defeating all three groups of Golden Robots (here in City Ruins, then in the Desert: Center, and then in Flooded City), then the side-event will be completed and the Golden Robots won't respawn anymore. If you intend to "farm" Powerup Part S (not that you need to, but let's say that you want to; or maybe you sold a previous Powerup Part S by accident; or maybe you fought the Golden Robots here in City Ruins and forgot to pick up Powerup Part S the first time), then you must make sure to NOT complete the Golden Robots side-event (do NOT fight all the three groups), and wait until you have finished your third playthrough. At that point you'll be able to respawn the Golden Robots (any and all of the three groups), which means you can fight the ones in City Ruins over and over again, getting their loots over and over again, provided that you don't complete the side event (you can then complete the side event when you are done farming Powerup Part S).

I will assume that you don't need to farm Powerup Part S, so I'll mention the location of the other Golden Robots when we visit those areas later on in this playthrough. This means that I will assume you want to complete the Golden Robots side-event in this playthrough. Once again though, if you intend to farm Powerup Part S for whatever reason, do NOT complete this side event (do NOT kill all three groups of Golden Robots) until you are done farming.

Alright then, let's see how to fight these guys. Video demonstration below, as always.

You can easily kill the Golden Robots via hacking, so that's my recommendation if this is your first time/you are not on Very Hard.
HOWEVER, if you are on Very Hard then hacking will be a very frustrating experience (the one-hit-fail rule is too unforgiving), so on Very Hard I would recommend a Critical-Taunt based approach instead. In other words, equip Taunt +8 (or +6 at least), equip as many Critical Up as you can (ideally +30%, which is the max), and if you can spare it add also an Overclock chip into the mix. If you also have a Critical+ weapon (like Ancient Overlord; make sure you have re-equipped it, if you haven't already), the damage output will be really good.
To make things even easier for yourself, toss in some Melee Attack Up (L) to double your damage output. With this kind of setup, your critical hits will easily exceed 10,000 points of damage (probably even 20,000+, depending on your level) against the bigger ones, so even the almighty golden robots will go down really fast.

Personally, I had Taunt Up +8, 2x Critical Up +6, and Overclock +6. I feel like Overclock is worth more than the additional +10% Critical Hit rate that the third Critical Up +6 would provide. Save at the City Ruins: Center access point, since it's the closest to the enemies.

Ideally, start by using a triple-charged Wave Pod Program -- this won't do anything against the Golden Robots, but it will kill the few annoying Small Stubbies (regular enemies) that camp the area near them, thus allowing you to focus on the main enemies with less concerns.

The three Golden Robots together can be rather annoying. If possible (if you have Overclock), dodge anyone's attacks and use the Overclock time to deal some massive safe damage to the bigger robots, since they are the most annoying of them all. Then kill the other big robot, and lastly the small guy -- you can use hacking against him, since his hack-minigame is the easiest; if you are confident enough, you can also use Counter against him (it's faster than hacking, and his attacks are extremely easy to Counter).

It's worth pointing out that the bigger enemies take the most damage if you hit them from behind. I personally try to aim at their legs/butt from behind. Avoid aerial combos, unless you need to jump to avoid shockwave attacks.

Good openings to counterattack are after the big robots' attacks. In particular, when they start "flying" like helicopters (they use their arms as if they were helicopter blades, and they get slightly propelled up in the air), if you stay underneath them you won't actually be hit by their attacks (so you can hit their legs with ground combos), and you can continue attacking them after their attack animation finishes too. Another good opening is at the end of their arm-circles attack: they will start making circles with both their arms for a few seconds, and then end with a punch on the ground -- after the punch on the ground, you'll have enough time for a quick ground combo before they retaliate again.

Beware of their "punch the ground" attack, since it actually deals damage if you are around their punch even if you don't get directly hit, and even if there isn't a visible shockwave on the ground. Avoid going near them during their orbs-attacks, and try not to stand in front of them to avoid getting grabbed (they have a grab attack).

Note that the if you "kill" the small robot first, he will not explode right away, but instead you'll have to kill the other two as well before the small guy actually dies. Also note that to finish him off you'll need a sword/Pod attack (Countering him won't give him the final blow; same goes for Hacking).

After killing them all, the small robot will explode and give you some fixed loot: 2,000 G, a Large G Luck+, a Machine Core, and most importantly a Powerup Part S. Make sure to pick up the Powerup Part S.



Once it's all done, proceed to the Resistance Camp.

Resistance Camp

Just FYI, there won't be anything new until we get to Pascal's Village. The only exception to this is the second Golden Robots fight, which is available in the Housing Complex area. As far as everything else goes, hack chests will be the only "new" thing.

A couple of hack chests are available here; one is "hidden" near the Access Point, the other is in the back area.

1 - Type-4O Fists (left of Access Point) (http://i.imgur.com/CNCJUWk.jpg)
2 - Large Recovery (back area) (http://i.imgur.com/W5c50Go.jpg)

Note: you may see a third chest on your minimap. In case you are wondering, this "new" chest is actually a quest-related chest inside the warehouse in the back area. Remember the quest where there were boxes to move around to reach a "package" chest? There will be two more quests like that later on, and that chest you see on the map contains the "package" item. You can't access this chest yet, since the quests aren't available yet.

Just like in the first playthrough, we could (but won't) head back to the Abandoned Factory and loot up some treasures before moving on to the Desert areas. To be honest, there is no reason to do this now (you can't even access all the chests yet), so I recommend skipping this detour now and leaving the treasure-looting for later (two quests will require you to backtrack in the Factory later, so let's only make one trip for everything at once).

You'll need to repeat the quests here in the Resistance Camp before proceeding.

These are actually the only two quests that you can (must) replay; every other one, once completed successfully, becomes unavailable for replay.

When ready, head to the Desert.

Desert: Camp

Map (Hack chests and Scanner Treasures) (http://i.imgur.com/6dqv86Z.png):



Every hack-related content must be accessed from the underground tunnels. For a shortcut, head for the middle of the area, where there is a small cave with a hole inside that takes you right in the middle of the underground tunnels. From where you land, go left a bit to find the hack-door.

1 - Cruel Blood Oath (Weapon) (underground) (http://i.imgur.com/QWLsNcO.jpg)

Next, go get the first Scanner Treasure in the underground passage; then take the northeastern exit from the underground passage to find another Scanner Treasure; then go back in the tunnels (underground) to find the third one too.

Scanner Treasure 1 - Pyrite (http://i.imgur.com/pu6zNlh.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Simple Gadget (access from tunnel northeast) (http://i.imgur.com/n9pEapP.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 3 - Moldavite (http://i.imgur.com/TX6cEQV.jpg)

To proceed with more treasures, take the northwestern exit from the underground tunnel:

Scanner Treasure 4 - Gold Ore (http://i.imgur.com/ECyStJu.jpg)

Back in the underground tunnels, now take the southwestern exit, and you'll come out in the area where the next hack-chest is.

2 - Project Gestalt Report 6 (Archive) (reached from tunnel southwest) (http://i.imgur.com/nxFK5YX.jpg)

From there, remember where we got the Lunar Tear for the Emil's quest, here in the desert? If so, that's where we're headed. If not, this is the path: from where you are, climb up some ledges, then follow the path. Drop down the first time when necessary, and start Scanning for another treasure.

Scanner Treasure 5 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/jgrgfJZ.jpg)

Continue a few steps forward and then, when you reach the ledge shown in the picture below, do the necessary jumping and gliding to get to the next hack-chest:

3 - Mysterious Lithograph 4 (Archive) (reached from the tunnel southwest) (http://i.imgur.com/x3rF7Nw.jpg)



The rest of the Scanner-Treasures are out in the open area.

Scanner Treasure 6 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/UFx8JyI.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 7 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/wr5kOt3.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 8 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/8f9saI1.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 9 - Pyrite (http://i.imgur.com/fjNoRRu.jpg)

*Chapter 03 (NG+)

Desert: Center

There is one hack chest in each of the two oasis, plus another one southeast behind a boulder.

Map (Hack chests and Scanner Treasures*) (http://i.imgur.com/1sMWn8A.png):
*You should have already collected the Scanner Treasures of this area in your first playthrough, when you came here for the quest Heritage of the Past. In that case, they won't be available again, so just get the Hack Chests (I included them just in case you skipped them earlier).



1 - Full Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/6FCPxKS.jpg)
2 - Mysterious Lithograph 3 (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/lQBRAnm.jpg)
Remember the way to reach the second oasis (where this treasure is) ? If not, you have to approach it by going from northeast to southwest to find a passage through the wind-storm.

3 - Project Gestalt Report 8 (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/zUJylCX.jpg)

You should already have these if you got them earlier:
Scanner Treasure 1 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/7JRa2SN.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/4NbTmhG.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 3 - Elaborate Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/iJXmnGx.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 4 - Phoenix Lance (http://i.imgur.com/a4k86Ux.jpg)

Feel free to skip the four optional fights, and just head straight east to continue with the story instead.

Desert: Housing Complex

Two hack chests are available in the houses area. The last one can be found on the way back after the boss fight. Also, the second Golden Robots group can be found here -- if you decide to engage, make sure to save the game at the local Access Point first (the Golden Robots will be in the middle of the open area before the Access Point).

Map (Hack chests and Scanner Treasures) (http://i.imgur.com/kSo0GVE.png):



Scanner Treasure 1 - Pyrite (http://i.imgur.com/fArx5N4.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/GCAgO7d.jpg)

1 - Mysterious Lithograph 1 (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/wqkWokQ.jpg)
2 - Bulletin Record (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/ebJtEvV.jpg)

Golden Robots 2 - Desert

This second group is made up of a Tank and another Small Stubby. Just like against the first group, you should prioritize the Tank first (he dies much faster), and you should use the exact same setup as last time (Critical-Taunt; Overclock helps a lot too). As always, Melee/Ranged Attack Up (L) will speed things up even further.

M Shield can help against the Tank's multiple orbs attacks, but you should actually try to play the "offense is the best defense" card here: attack the Tank from its side, and try to kill him as fast as possible, so that you won't need M Shield in the first place. It certainly doesn't hurt to have M Shield ready though; just don't rely on it too much (it will expire sooner than later, and the Tank still has melee attacks).

This time you may want to fight the Small Stubby with hacking only, and the reason for it is that Countering him is a bit hard due to the sand where you are (if you move, most of the time, you'll start "surfing" the sand). If you decide to use Counter anyway, then you may want to find a non-slippery spot, such as the sandy bits close to the pipes in the middle of the area (that's where I fought him in the video below). Then again, his hacking minigame is easy enough, and hacking does good damage too.

It's worth pointing out that the fight won't start until 9S stops chatting about the robots, or rather, the enemies won't attack you until that chat is over. We can exploit this to our advantage: if we approach them quickly, we can get a few free and safe hits on the enemies before they start fighting back (provided that we approach them before the chat ends). To complicate things a bit, the camera (and therefore your fighting-aim) will auto-focus on the Small Stubby during the chat. If you remember from two paragraphs ago, I said you should focus on the Tank first.

What to do then? You can/should approach the enemies from the "south" (if we rotate the map the way I placed the treasures map earlier; watch video if it's unclear) side, since from that side the Tank will be in-between you and the Small Stubby. Therefore the auto-focus on the Small Stubby will still allow you to aim at the Tank, who will be on your line of fire, and if you get to him fast enough you can probably take down half his health before he starts fighting back (you may even kill him before the chat is over if you get lucky with Critical Hits).



Just for the record, the Tank drops a Machine Core, while the Small Stubby drops the following: 3,000 G, Large G Luck+, Gold Ore, Machine Core.

Back on our way, proceed to the Pit Hollow. On the way, a couple more Scanner Treasures will be available:

Scanner Treasure 3 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/OhjbRaY.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 4 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/4CN9FZm.jpg)

Boss - Adam
He retains the same level and patterns as in the first playthrough (don't worry though, the next bosses will be upscaled properly), so nothing new to say here.

After the fight, make your way outside. When you reach the "sandfall" (sand-waterfall) area, as you backtrack, jump and cross to the right side to reach a hack chest. Then, from the third chest, don't drop down below (if you do, you'll just take the longer way back). Instead, head back to the left side of the sand-fall, where you can find the last Scanner Treasure of the area.

3 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/I6bBui2.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 5 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/pBhduuE.jpg)

Then proceed regularly from there to return to the desert camp, and then back to the Resistance Camp for a very longed-for purchase.

*Chapter 04 (NG+)

Resistance Camp 

 

We're here just for one thing: the Item Scan chip is finally for sale! You can buy it from the Supply Trader. To be honest, it's not the most needed item if you're going to continue using this walkthrough, but it will be very helpful to locate Collection Points (which are sometimes also quest items). Therefore, if possible, equip it in those circumstances where you can afford to do so (i.e. don't bother equipping it in a chipset you use to fight bosses, obviously).

When ready, proceed through the sewers passage to reach the Amusement Park.

Amusement Park

Map (Hack chests and Scanner Points) (http://i.imgur.com/6XgN1vq.png):



Scanner Treasure 1 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/U0FohgE.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/pIN5NAg.jpg)

1 - Tattered Pamphlet (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/FvwGvIk.jpg)
2 - Filthy Lottery Ticket (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/Ql66TXb.jpg)

You can fight the Tank miniboss again (an extra Machine Core won't hurt your wallet, and you may have demolished a much stronger Golden Tank recently, so fight him), and then you're up against Simone again.

Boss - Simone
Mostly the same fight as last time, except for the level of the boss (now level 39). If you wanna be cheeky, remember that she opens with a slow melee spin attack? You can easily Counter that to send her straight to the second phase. Then you can Wave-away the minions, and lastly you can finish her off quickly in the last phase with the Critical+Taunt set.

After the fight you'll find one hack chest in the upper-left corner of the room (as you descend down the stairs from the stage room), and then another one can be found in the underground passage (use the elevator in the left side of the room). Also in the room after the stage, a Scanner Treasure will be available on the right.

Scanner Treasure  3 - Pyrite (http://i.imgur.com/NFJRi9B.jpg)
3 - 10,000 G (opera house) (http://i.imgur.com/YAhUSud.jpg)
4 - Demon's Cry (Weapon) (underground) (http://i.imgur.com/HF1GUKg.jpg)

Full speed ahead to Pascal's village.

*Chapter 05 (NG+)

Pascal's Village & Resistance Camp/City Ruins

Map (Hack chest and Scanner Treasures) (http://i.imgur.com/jdphoV8.png):



Scanner Treasure 1 - Pyrite (http://i.imgur.com/Rjat9HN.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Silver Ore (roof of the shack) (http://i.imgur.com/6oJQcoj.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 3 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/LzxLHaR.jpg)

1 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/By9hNuQ.jpg)

Speak with Pascal twice, then (just like in the first playthrough) backtrack just a bit to make the robots go back to their regular activities (instead of just waving the flags).

There is finally some new content as well, although it's really just a simple quest series. Still, better than nothing I guess.

Note that there is also a quest series available in the Amusement Park; we'll do this one later.

Quest # 57 - The Recluse
Location: Pascal's Village, upper level (as 9S).
Request: hack the nearby door. If you fail you can try again, so no problems (try to be fast though).
Reward: Small Recovery, Ranged Attack Up (S), Machine Arm x 2; Evade Range Up +3 (Chip); 3,000 G; 1,300 EXP.

In case you're wondering, the gate to the Forest Kingdom is closed again.

Now go back to the City Ruins. On the way, make sure to remember to pick up the Scanner Treasure of City Ruins that you couldn't access before (just before the barricade between Pascal's Village and City Ruins) (http://i.imgur.com/NiFU3Uu.jpg).

Then rush to the Resistance Camp to speak with Anemone, and then back to the Pascal's Village.

As you return in Pascal's Village, there will be a follow-up quest to the previous one.

Quest # 58 - The Recluse Stays Home
Location: same as previous.
Request: same as previous.
Reward: Medium Recovery, Ranged Attack Up (L), Machine Leg x 2; Resilience +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,650 EXP.

There is yet another follow-up quest to the previous one, which becomes available if you walk far enough from the village, or if you save and reload. Since the latter option is faster, I'd say do that. Either way:

Quest # 59 - The Permanent Recluse
Location: same as previous.
Request: same as previous, but quite a bit harder. Note that you don't have to fight the "enemies" in the hacking minigame. In particular, don't waste time destroying all the cylinders-type (just destroy one to clear the way), and rush to the end.
Reward: Large Recovery, Skill Salve (L), Machine Torso x 2; Damage Absorb +3 (Chip); 10,000 G; 2,000 EXP.

After you give Pascal the item brought from the Resistance Camp you'll have to fight the Goliaths in the City Ruins again. Once again, you can go and kill them from the ground (Taunt+Ranged Attack Up = very quick win) for extra rewards, not to mention that you'll make your life easier as well. When it's done, board the flight units to continue with the story.

City Ruins - "Updated" Version

Map (new Scanner Treasures) (http://i.imgur.com/dO5pU6M.png)



Scanner Treasure 1 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/GMBXn0Q.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/SKL3oib.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 3 - Gold Ore (http://i.imgur.com/98tUvhl.jpg)

In addition to some new Scanner Treasures in the collapsed-crater areas, there are also some new quests/events available here and around the world. Let's just give a summary of them:

- The three Wise Machines (sub-event) (City Ruins)
- Amnesia (City Ruins)
- Data on the Old World (Pascal's Village)
- Idiot Savant (Pascal's Village)
- Game Developer (series of quests) (Amusement Park)
- Family Squabble (Pascal's Village): if you missed it or failed it on the first playthrough, you have another chance now

For now let's only do the first one, which is a non-quest sub-event: you'll see three red-dots in the City Ruins (well, actually four if we include the quest one), which indicate the location of "Wise Machine" NPCs. Speak with them, and then hack them. Just in case you can't locate these NPCs, here is a picture of them (they are all on "high" places: the tower, a broken piece of highway, and a rooftop): http://i.imgur.com/X7DPGQu.jpg

After doing this (chat and hack) to all three (in any order), they will jump from their high position. Upon landing, the last one of them will drop the only reward for this event -- a Hijack Boost +6 Chip (it looks like any other "chip collection point", on the ground). It's nothing unique, but hey, free +6 chip I guess.

In case you are wondering what "hijacking" is, you'll actually figure this out later in the second playthrough (quite a bit later, in fact).

We'll do the rest of the optionals after we get fast-traveling up and running again. After the Wise Machine quest you should already be in the cave area, so head there.

Deep Cave

Before entering the "right" tunnel in the cave, go southwest to find the only hack chest of this place in a dead end:

1 - Large Gear, Large Battery, Pristine Screw, Pristine Cable, Sturdy Socket, New Bolt, Clean Nut (http://i.imgur.com/WTgN0Pc.jpg)

In case you are wondering, no, you can't access Copied City (it had a hack-chest) yet. In fact, we'll do it in the third playthrough.

Then continue through the cave like you did the first time through.

Boss - Adam
I like that you actually fight Adam, and not Eve, since that was 9S's enemy in the first playthrough too. Anyway, this fight is also timer-based, so just jump around avoiding the attacks until they are done giving speeches. That, or fight like a man...or an android, anyway.

*Chapter 06 (NG+)

The Bunker and Quest Break

With Transport active again, go to The Bunker. After reporting to the Commander, find the Operator 21O (same room as the commander, middle level of the room) for a quest that was actually available earlier as well (not worth the detour).

Quest # 24 - Data Analysis Freak
Location: Operator 21O (Bunker, Command Room).
Request: fetch an item in the Abandoned Factory.
Progression for now: just start the quest.
(Reward: Medium Recovery x 2, Tech Manual x 3; 3,000 G; 1,150 EXP)

Next stop is the Amusement Park.

Amusement Park

The new quest-series here is in the underground area (access it from the opera house; to get to the opera house, go straight towards it the same way you came out of it after fighting Simone).

Note: this happened to me during the second quest of this series, but I'll put this warning here just in case it can happen in any of the quests. When I failed the hacking game, during the "Lv. 2" quest (the one after this one), the quest-NPC actually exploded. I thought the quest was failed then, but he actually respawned after leaving the area (I went upstairs, to the opera house) and coming back. Just to be safe, it might be worth saving the game before doing his hacking minigame, especially if you are on Very Hard.

Quest # 32 - Game Dev Machine Lv. 1
Location: Game Creator Machine, in the underground area of the opera house of the Amusement Park.
Request: kill one of the machines in the entrance of the Amusement Park to get a special loot, the Tri-color Cable. When you get to the marked area there should be one machine that went aggressive (the others should still be neutral to you), so kill that one and get his forced loot. Then hand it over.

The second part of the quest will consist of a hacking minigame, where instead of completing the minigame proper your goal is actually to (if you want to figure it on your own, don't read the spoiler; if you want the solution, then read it) walk into the wall on the left side to find a hole. Proceed through the hole to complete the quest.
Reward: Ranged Attack Up (L), Melee Attack Up (L), Medium Recovery, Rusted Clump x 5, Small Gear x 3; 5,000 G; 1,150 EXP.
Quest # 33 - Game Dev Machine Lv. 2
Location: same as previous quest of this series.
Request/progression for now: fetch another forced drop item (Four-color Cable), this time in the Abandoned Factory. We'll go there next.
Abandoned Factory

If you didn't explore the factory again earlier (which is what I recommended), then go get the three hack chests in there as well. Moreover, there are two quests that have their targets right here, so let's do everything at once.

There is a hack chest outside:

- Large Recovery (outside) (http://i.imgur.com/A7CJ852.jpg)

Map for the two hack chests and the scanner treasures (http://i.imgur.com/UZMXi0t.png):



Head inside and start backtracking. On the way, just after the first enemies on the catwalk, there will be an isolated enemy on the way, carrying a torch -- kill him, since he's the one for the quest Game Dev Machine Lv. 2, and make sure to pick up his special loot (the Four-color Cable).

1 - Cure All + Heal All (hidden room) (http://i.imgur.com/oKUd8XQ.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 1 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/X0mF1Mj.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Pyrite (http://i.imgur.com/dNvEN8B.jpg)

Keep backtracking until you reach the place with the hidden room, where you'll find another hack chest, as well as the target item for Data Analysis freak (http://i.imgur.com/iD6wnIg.jpg).

Keep backtracking until you find the last (and most important, since it has a unique, albeit "useless", Archive item) hack chest.
2 - Factory Cafeteria Sign (inside) (http://i.imgur.com/hLatU8d.jpg)

There are also a couple of new bodies-collection points, for what it's worth. And in case you're wondering, no, you can't use the elevators that were unlocked during the "become as Gods" part of the game in your previous playthrough (like Copied City, you'll be able to go back there in the third playthrough).

After getting everything, backtrack to the exit to receive the reward for Data Analysis Freak via email (use an Access Point and check the Inbox to properly receive the items).

Amusement Park

Continue the Game Dev Machine Lv. 2 quest. Again, you'll have to "debug" the minigame. In spoilers there is the solution to this one: simply go to the upper part of the area from the right side.
Reward: Large Recovery, Melee Defense Up (L), Ranged Defense Up (L); Titanium Alloy x 3; Pristine Cable x 3; Severed Cable x 3; 10,000 G; 1,430 EXP.
Quest # 34 - Game Dev Machine Lv. 3
Location: same as previous quest of this series.
Request/progression for now: fetch the Five-color Cable, dropped by an enemy in the Desert. We'll go there soon.
For now, go to City Ruins.

City Ruins

Go southwest in City Ruins to find the next quest.

Quest # 17 - Amnesia
Location: android in City Ruins, inside building southwest (second floor).
Request: first, hack into the Pod located next to the quest-NPC (it's on the ground, just left of her).
After that, speak with her as she's leaving.
Next, go to the back area of the Resistance Camp and climb up the ladder; just left of the ladder (on the wooden platform) there will be your next target-NPC -- speak with him to advance with the quest.

At this point we need to go to the Desert, but DON'T go there yet. Instead, leave the Resistance Camp on foot, and after a few steps you will receive a call from Operator 21O, which automatically gives you another quest as well (Data Analysis Freak 2) (we'll discuss this one soon). After receiving said quest, you can fast-travel to the Desert: Camp.

Desert: Camp

We have two reasons to be in the Desert: Camp area; one is the Amnesia quest, the other is the Game Dev Machine Lv. 3 quest.

First, near the Access Point, find the quest-NPC related to Amnesia and speak with him to continue.
Then let's get the Five-color Cable from the machine in the red-marked area (it's quite obviously the only level-40 machine of the group; the others are level 33; feel free to kill them all though), so we have the necessary item to continue with that quest (Game Dev Machine Lv. 3) as well.
Back to the Amnesia business, the next quest-NPC will be found by following this route: go to the underground area of the desert (via any access; for example, the one in the middle of the surface area, as marked on the map), and then take the northeastern exit of the underground tunnels. From there you will reach the target NPC. Speak with this one as well, and then backtrack outside (you can't leave from where the last NPC was, so you'll need to actually go back into the tunnels, and then take any of the other exits (for example the southeastern ones) to return to the surface).
The next step for Amnesia will be to report to the original quest-NPC in the City Ruins (the closest Access Point is the City Ruins: Near Factory one).

City Ruins

Do just that (report to the original quest-NPC for Amnesia).

Then you'll have to hack the nearby Pod again, and this will conclude the quest. Boy, I can't wait to see what they have in store for us as reward for all this walking around!
Reward: Ranged Attack Up (L), Melee Attack Up (L), Tanning Agent x 5; Offensive Heal +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,300 EXP. Pod Program: Wire.

FFFFFUUUUUUUlfilling this quest will give you some insights on the "type-E" androids. You may wanna remember this NPC's story, since it will come up in the main story line later on.

The new Pod Program, Wire, doesn't have a lot in terms of practical uses for the average player. It doesn't have a cooldown period though (like Scanner), so you can use it over and over without a problem. It probably has some applications in terms of airborne combat, but let's be honest: there are better alternatives all around.

Walkthrough - Extended
(Continued)

Misc/Desert: Housing Complex

Quest # 25 - Data Analysis Freak 2
Location: after completing Data Analysis Freak, go to Resistance Camp and leave it on foot to receive a call from Operator 21O (you may receive the call elsewhere too, but this seems to always work).
Request: for starters, read the email received after the call to add some markers on your map. Then go to the Desert: Housing Complex, and look around to find the three items you need to fetch (won't be hard if you have Item Scan equipped; if not, use this reference picture: http://i.imgur.com/fi2aTFF.jpg).
You will then receive a call; open the mail after that, and you'll complete the quest.
Reward: Black Pearl x 4; Type-4O Blade (Weapon); 5,000 G; 1,430 EXP. Pod Program: Slow.

Unfortunately the Slow program is not quite as effective as you might hope: it only lasts for a very short amount of time (a few seconds), which is not enough to really do damage. Furthermore, charging it with three Pods only increases the radius of the affected area, but not the duration of the effect. And, of course, it's one of those programs with a ridiculously long cooldown period, and a long animation that exposes you to attacks if you ever try to use it in a fight. Shame...but then again, it would have been too overpowered if it weren't so limited in its applications.

Amusement Park

Lastly, let's complete the final quest of the "Game Dev Machine" series (save first) by bringing the Five-color cable, and then doing the final debug: of all the enemies, defeat one of those that appear on the right (second wave of enemies).
Reward: Memory Alloy x 3, Rusty Bolt x 3, New Bolt x 3; Hijack Boost +4 (Chip), Heal Drops Up +4 (Chip), Combust +4 (Chip), Stun +4 (Chip); 10,000 G; 1,900 EXP.

Time to get to Pascal's Village!

Story Progression - Pascal's Village

Speak with Pascal to advance with the story, and then speak with him again for a quest. There is also another quest available here on the upper level of the village -- since it's faster than Pascal's, let's do that one first.

Quest # 31 - Idiot Savant
Location: Friend Machine, Pascal's Village (upper level).
Request: hack the nearby machine.
Reward: Machine Core; Machine Head x 2; Machine Torso x 2; Machine Arm x 2; Machine Leg x 2; Hijack Boost +6 (Chip); 10,000 G; 1,300 EXP.

Told you it was fast. Alright then, on to Pascal's.

Quest # 41 - Data on the Old World
Location: Pascal, in Pascal's Village (upper level).
Request: fetch an item available only after starting this quest.
Note: you can get additional rewards (money) by speaking with Pascal after retrieving any Archive that belongs to the category "Old World Information". So far you should have twelve of them, and since each one is worth +1,000 G, that should amount to a total of 12,000 G. Make sure to speak with Pascal before you collect the really important item for this quest though, or else you will only receive the normal reward at the end, and this additional money reward will become unavailable (no big deal though; at this point you should be loaded with money). Just for the record, some more "Old World Information" archives are already available in other areas (for example the Commercial Facility has two, and Flooded City has one), and some more will be available later (some only in the third playthrough). It goes without saying that it makes no sense to put this quest on hold just to get some extra thousand G, so just hand over what you have now and complete the quest whenever you feel like it.

The item is located in City Ruins, in the building south of the Access Point "City Ruins: Near the Tower". See picture if necessary: http://i.imgur.com/t7WUvl8.jpg . You will receive the Nuclear Arms Manual.

At this point the quest branches, and you'll need to make a choice. There is no "right" choice, or a choice that gives substantially better rewards (even the in-game dialogue differences are nothing special), so it comes down to personal preference (in case you are wondering, the Meteorite, while a rare material now, will actually be for sale starting from your third playthrough). The two options here are: report back to Pascal; report back to the Commander in the Bunker. Either way, the quest can be completed (if you go to the Commander, your reward will be found as a collection point in 9S's room in The Bunker).
Reward (Commander): Large Recovery, Meteorite; Stun +6 (Chip); 5,000 G.
Reward (Pascal): Large Recovery, Skill Salve (L), Clean Nut x 3; Heal Drops Up +6 (Chip); 3,000 G; 1,300 EXP.

When ready, proceed with the story.

Commercial Facility

There is nothing new, aside from the chests you can open.

Just in case you are wondering, no, you can't teleport to your destination, and no, you can't sneak in through the crevasse passage (where Lord of the Valley took place, if you did that quest) since it's blocked off by the box again. So yea, you have to take the same route as you did the first time.

In the Commercial Facility there are two hack chests -- one just outside in the City Ruins side of the entrance, the other one southwest (in the Commercial Facility proper).

1 - Department Store Flyer (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/Wa3VXLv.jpg)
2 - Full Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/F5ciIKM.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 1 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/InunsnG.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/zxId0DZ.jpg)

One more hack chest in the underground passage (need Elevator Key from the quest Emil's Memories):

3 - Project Gestalt Report 10 (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/juLEwda.jpg)

Alright then, to the actual Forest.

Forest Kingdom - Forest

Map (Hack chests and Scanner Treasures) (http://i.imgur.com/EShZRM3.png):



The first hack-chest will be on the way down to the crevasse (go south), while the second one is in the crevasse itself, towards the end.

Scanner Treasure 1 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/awhYTws.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/Q7pKIFn.jpg)
1 - Powerup Part M (down the cliff) (http://i.imgur.com/qer0Ejx.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 3 - Pyrite (http://i.imgur.com/7ZtGLCH.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 4 - Moldavite (http://i.imgur.com/C3kiV1z.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 5 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/3azlKzo.jpg)
2 - Weapon Shop Flyer (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/LUFaGY2.jpg)

Go back up, and the next two hack chests will be on the east side, in the first half of the forest (before crossing the bridge). The latter of these two is inside the broken piece of bridge.

3 - Strange Doll (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/ojYwdOr.jpg)
4 - 10,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/DbUG2Az.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 6 - Moldavite (http://i.imgur.com/AYRbKZk.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 7 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/sjhDiWk.jpg)

Scanner Treasure 8 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/Aejxnzi.jpg)
5 - Rotten Info Sheet (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/b8ooROH.jpg)

Let's go into the castle, where there isn't anything new either aside from the new treasures.

Forest Kingdom - Castle

Map (Hack treasure and Scanner Treasures) (http://i.imgur.com/riHrk3S.png):



Scanner Treasure 1 - Simple Gadget (http://i.imgur.com/d0BfeD4.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 2 - Silver Ore (http://i.imgur.com/xI7wmhb.jpg)
Scanner Treasure 3 - Moldavite (http://i.imgur.com/uMi7a91.jpg)
1 - Beastcurse (Weapon) (http://i.imgur.com/oayZ4I2.jpg)

The only hack-chest will be found on the highest level of the library (to get there, from the second-highest level proceed forward through a passage, and then double-jump off a ramp).

Before going to the boss fight, check Masamune's shop (the one below the last Access Point; you need to pull a box to the right to get there, remember?) to see if you can upgrade any of your weapons to its maximum level (level 4). I was personally just one Large Gear away from this, but this will depend on how many common enemies you've fought throughout your story so far (in my case, as few as possible, hence the relative shortage of Materials). Anyway, if you don't have the Materials now don't worry -- you'll be able to purchase them in your third playthrough (either that, or farm them much more easily than you could at this point).

Boss - A2
The boss is nothing new, except for the level of the enemy which is now 41. Two-hit-kill Counter or Critical+Taunt spam, pick your favorite way of killing her again.

*Chapter 07 (NG+)

Quests Break/Shopping and Upgrading...?

Go speak with Pascal in his village, and continue with the story in Resistance Camp until you get to the point where you are supposed to go to Flooded City.

Then let's see if there is anything we can do before doing another rush to the end of this playthrough.

First of all, if there are any quests left, EXCEPT for the Half-Wit Inventor quest (the one between Pascal's Village and Amusement Park; he wants 180,000 G total to complete the quest), then you should do them now: by now you should have reached a decent level, and hacking will allow you to defeat powerful opponents (such as Lord of the Valley, or Father Servo) easily and safely, assuming you don't want to try one of the crushing approaches I suggested for these enemies back in the first playthrough.

Second, Emil's Shop is back outside in the City Ruins. Like the first time, he will first appear just south of the Desert: Camp Access Point, and after a first encounter he will then either not spawn, or spawn near the factory, or spawn near the Resistance Camp. If you missed it the first time I said it, all you need to do is save at the Resistance Camp (or any other location; this one is conveniently close), then check the map to see if he has spawned near the Resistance Camp. If so, go stop him and see if he sells chips or if he sells Materials (he still doesn't sell high-end Materials actually, just weapons+dress OR chips as far as high-quality items goes); if not, reload OR fast-travel somewhere (such as City: Center) and come back to try again.

That being said, his inventory (particularly his "low-level" Materials store) has been upgraded since the first playthrough, but he still doesn't sell the really juicy ones (like the Materials needed for level-4 upgrades of your weapons). Therefore, unless you have a particular need that must be taken care of right now, it would be wiser to wait until the third playthrough (it won't be long now), where Emil will be available from the beginning, AND he will have his full item selection.

My point is, right now if you are unlucky he may sell his weapon/dress (which may already have, or not care about) when you catch him outside the Resistance Camp, which is basically a waste since you probably only want his +6 chips now, and so you would have to reload and try again. On the other hand, on the third playthrough you will get lucky either way: if he sells +6 chips (assuming you need to buy them) then it's a win; if he sells high-end Materials, it's still a win since you can buy them to upgrade weapons/Pods (especially weapons). Ergo, if you haven't gotten your high-end chips yet, then you can probably wait a bit longer (another couple of hours of story and you'll be in the third playthrough).

We could actually also visit Emil's Residence (not a very nice place; in fact, it's mostly a dark dungeon infested with strong enemies and few "meh" chests) and clear the local events, but I strongly recommend leaving this for the post-ending game content. You could just go there to loot the treasures, and ignore the local "events" until later, but the content of the chests is just not worth it.

So, in conclusion, clean up anything you skipped previously if you wish, but we'll wait until the third playthrough/post-ending (after the real ending after the third playthrough) before making the "ultimate" preparations, farming, and grinding. It's just more time-efficient that way (by far).

Flooded City

1 - Full Recovery (near Access Point) (http://i.imgur.com/iqYwZCc.jpg)

The third and final encounter with Golden Robots takes place here in Flooded City.

Golden Robots 3 - Flooded City

I know I've told you before, but for the last time: make sure you have the necessary amount (three total) of Powerup Part S (Material) before you complete the Golden Robots side-event. If you sold/missed one of the Powerup Part S (two from quests; one as forced drop from the Golden Small Stubby in City Ruins), do NOT finish the Golden Robots side-event, or else you won't have enough (again, you need three in total) Powerup Part S to upgrade your Pods. Instead, in that case (if for whatever reason you need more Powerup Part S), wait until after the third playthrough to be able to use the Golden Robots side-event as a way of farming more Powerup Part S.

I think I've warned you enough times now :D

As far as the last fight here goes, you'll be up against a Goliath ("big guy") golden, and another Small Stubby. The Goliath type, as always, is going to be your first priority (well, second priority if we go kill any possibly random enemies nearby first, just to clear up the area), while the Small Stubby will be killed last (due to his higher HP).

The strategy is mostly the same, but easier (since there is just one Goliath type instead of two), as what we did in City Ruins: Critical-Taunt setup against the Goliath, and then Counter/hacking against the Small Stubby.

Please note that the Small Stubby here is going to use two special attacks, mostly, rather than his usual melee combos. In particular, his two new attacks are a "headbutt-missile" attack (he propels himself like a missile and headbutts you), and a "headbutt-missile x 2" attack, where he will headbutt you first, then fly past and behind you, and then hit you again shortly after. If you want to use Counter to fight him (which, as always, will be the fastest method), you can easily Counter the former of these two attacks, and the first hit of the latter. For the second hit of the latter attack (when he lands on the ground again), simply dodge away.

Also, like in the second fight, we can get a head start against the enemies because they won't hit you until chatty-9S ends his speech. Therefore, if possible, try to sneak in a sucker-punch attack on the Goliath to possibly kill him before he can react at all.

As always, a video demonstration of the process can be watched below:



As far as drops goes, the Goliath doesn't have a fixed drop, while the Small Stubby has the following (nothing unique): 3,000 G, Machine Core, Large G Luck+, Large Gear.

 

One more hack-chest in the second part of the area:

2 - Newspaper Scrap (Archive) (on the isolated building in the water; need to long-jump) (http://i.imgur.com/3ueh9uS.jpg)

When ready, proceed to deal with the flight-units section. The flight sequence will be a bit different than the first time around, but you'll figure what to do easily on your own, so I'll spare you the details.

*Chapter 08 (NG+)

Very brief Chapter here; you just need to move around and proceed (take any path you want) until the story unfolds on its own.

As you continue, you will receive a few Archive items: Shipping Records, YoRHa Body Storage Records, Council/YoRHa Records.

*Chapter 09 (NG+)

The Bunker

More story unveiled, and then you'll have to head for the Terminal area (so that's what it was about) -- do it.

Terminal Remote Support (Abandoned Factory)

Eheh, that's cool. Now you'll be taught how to "possess" machines, aka Hijacking.

Hijacking is basically this: you hack an unaware machine (i.e. a machine that hasn't become aggressive towards you yet; you can tell if a machine is aggressive if his eyes are red instead of yellow), and after winning the minigame you choose whether to destroy the machine (or damage it, in case of stronger enemies) or take control of it. You can also hack from one hijacked machine to another one, since they won't be hostile towards a hijacked machine unless you attack them first.

It's worth pointing out that when controlling a hijacked machine, even on Very Hard you won't die in one hit (unless that one hit actually happens to deplete all of your health). Dying while controlling a hijacked machine will simply end the hijacking (which, in this particular sequence, will just make you respawn; in a general context, it will make you go back to controlling 9S).

If you Self-Destruct while controlling a hijacked machine, you will also go back to controlling 9S (again, except for this particular case where you must control a machine to continue).

Just as a curiosity note, if you remember in the first playthrough you met up with 2B in the machine body you start with in this sequence (a Small Stubby). Since there won't be any more machines of this type on the way, if you want to fully re-enact the first playthrough you should try to keep using the machine body you started with, instead of moving from one machine to the next (stronger/healthier) one along the way. That being said, while it's possible to make it to the end of the path with the original machine, it's also unnecessary and a bit tricky. I had a little bit of fun doing it though, so I'll explain what to expect/how to proceed.

There isn't much to talk about the path you can take, either: you may remember that there were hack-chests in this second part of the Abandoned Factory, but we will be getting those at another time. For now let's just focus on getting to the doors we need to hack and open. This part is very linear and simple (plus, as I said, there are many checkpoints on the way making your life easier), so unless you need some help to complete it all with the Small Stubby body you should probably skip ahead and do it all on your own.

Anyway:
- You can expect one aggressive machine in the "platforms-cage" area; simply outrun this one as you move on
- The next aggressive machine will be a taller one with an axe; jump up and past him, then run away
- There will be a room full of aggressive machines at one point -- ignore the fight among them, and just sneak away through the door on the right
- To get through the second part with the smashing-down machines you'll need to be a bit creative. If you try to run on the conveyor belt, due to the direction where it's running, you won't be able to move fast enough to get through. Instead, you can do this: turn around (so you are facing towards the right side of the screen), and then perform consecutive dodges (which will be fast step-backs) to get through. That, or you can hack the nearby hovering machine that will be able to proceed more easily (if you want to keep the original machine the dodge-backwards method is the only way)

- One more hostile (flying) machine will be found on the next conveyor belt. You can try to outrun him by performing dodges (face the right side of the screen, so your dodges will make you move to the left), but it's easier to just hack this machine to kill it (after hacking it you will conserve your current body)

- Two more hostiles will be found on a catwalk not much longer after the previous one -- just jump over them (jump multiple times to get away faster). You may get hit once by these guys, but after that you should be fine
- A few more (about four I think) all at once will come towards you, screaming "Gods! Gods! Gods!" while you're on a bridge. You can easily jump past these without a problem

After all of that you will be reunited with 2B...very briefly. Then another white-hacking-space sequence will begin.

Opening the Gates

Make sure to take every possible detour between the "Gates" platform, so you can collect optional Archives data (if you miss them, don't worry -- you'll get them later, after the third playthrough). 

"Map" (drawing scheme) of the "hacking space" (yellow circles represent platforms where you can get Archives) (http://i.imgur.com/74ncSsN.png):



You'll get the following items (Archives):

- Project Gestalt Report 1
- Project Gestalt Report 2
- Project Gestalt Report 3

That's all we can get here, so from the last platform you want to backtrack two platforms back (so you are back on the orange-blocks platform), and then go northeast from there to unlock Gate: 44. One more platform ahead -- clear it up (do you hate hacking yet?) to complete this segment of the story.

*Chapter 10 (NG+)

The Bunker & Following

Nothing much to do in The Bunker, so just go talk with the Commander for some information, along with the [Top Secret] Project YoRHa (Archive).

After that, it's all gonna be very similar to what you did in the first playthrough, except of course that the enemies will be of a higher level (around 48 for the bosses).

After the credits (which, again, you can skip) there will be a post-ending sequence where you'll need to go to 9S's room first (here you will receive some items: Speed Salve (L), Large Recovery, Melee Attack Up (L), E-Drug), and then to 2B's room. At this point another, new scene will start, and you'll be asked to save the game again to prepare for the "next playthrough".

*Chapter 11

The Bunker

Nothing much to do here, so unless you need to do some last-minute shopping you should just proceed to the Hangar to continue towards your mission.

The local shop actually sells Visual Cure (and other status-ailments items too) -- we could actually use a few of these (buy 4-5 just in case).

City Ruins - Air Defense System

You are pretty much forced to continue with the story, since if you detour away from the designated areas you will trigger "joke" Ending O.

You may wanna save the game before moving on, but there aren't really big threats around. You'll be told "not to destroy the targets", which really means you have to destroy them with hacking (this will incapacitate them, and they'll just lay down on the ground). You can clear the areas in any order you want, but might as well proceed in order from closest to farthest.

Just in case you are confused and can't seem to locate any enemy in the marked areas, they are on top of the buildings (or the fallen Goliath, in one case). Also, in case you are wondering/curious, actually killing the enemies will do just what the operator said it would do: the enemies will respawn (after a few seconds), replaced by another one so you can "try again" until you actually hack them. I got two additional calls from the operators from killing the target machines on purpose; after that, they don't seem to call anymore. So if you are curious and want to hear those conversations (not particularly worth it, but hey) feel free to deliberately kill a couple of enemies before hacking the rest of them.

If you manage to get to all the six enemies (one is optional), you will receive an extra reward (nothing special). Keep reading if you are interested in it. After dealing with five of them you'll be prompted to continue with the story and meet with someone in the Abandoned Factory, but there is still one Goliath enemy in the area just before the Commercial Facility. If you try to hack this last enemy, you'll be told that you can't directly do so as 9S. Instead, you'll be advised to hack into another machine first, and then hack the Goliath while you are controlling that machine. There are some very convenient "friendly" Small Stubbies just before the bridge to the Commercial Facility, so hack one of them and choose Remote Control (= hijacking). Once you possess the Small Stubby, cross the bridge (faster if you turn around and spam dodge to hop backwards across it) and hack the Goliath. If you do this successfully, you'll be told that a special reward awaits you in the operator's room, in The Bunker -- fast-travel to The Bunker, and head for the room marked as "21O" (that's 9S's operator), where you'll find a special Collection Point on the bed. It contains the following items as reward:

- Stun+6, Hijack Boost +6, Heal Drops Up +6, Combust +6 (all Hacking Chips) (http://i.imgur.com/Z3ICeg6.jpg)

As a trivia side note, the chest containing the Nuclear Arms Manual has actually respawned, and contains the exact same item (it was the item of the quest Data on the Old World, from Pascal).

Anyway, after hacking into five or all the machines you'll have to meet up with someone on the way to the Abandoned Factory. Make sure to save the game on the way, since a long fighting part will start next! Also, if you have to buy anything (healing items and stuff), you can still go back to the The Bunker and access the shops in your characters' rooms.

Full-scale assault

After the scene there will be a flight-units sequence. During it, at one point, there will be two of those bigger flying enemies at once on the screen. Since they use lasers AND orbs together, on Very Hard I strongly recommend using a Melee Attack Up/Ranged Attack Up in that moment, so you can eliminate at least part of them faster than they can launch their first attack.

Back on the ground, you'll have to kill three rather large groups of enemies around the town.

There isn't much to say, since they are all "normal" enemies. Just be careful on Very Hard: the group in the middle of the crater has a lot of shielded Small Stubbies that love using their "arm circles" attack (if you try to dodge and counter, your counter will fail because you'll get hit before you can hit them), and you may want to spam Taunt + aerial downward attacks (= jump and then press the heavy attack button) to deal with them more easily, rather than fighting them on the ground. That, or you can use the Counter chip for some easy insta-kills against them (timing it right is really easy against these guys).

The other somewhat dangerous group is the one just west of the City: Center Access Point, since this will be orb-town. Make sure to have your Pod A firing all the time, and try to locate and take down the bigger guy with the machinegun first. I used the Critical+Taunt chipset for this part.
After clearing the three groups, one more group of Small Stubbies will spawn. Make sure to save the game before engaging them. Again, like I said before, downward attacks (after Taunting) or Counter will do really good against them, on Very Hard especially.
Another scene will trigger now, and it's going to be a mayhem of status ailments (mostly visual distortions). While on Normal difficulty this part shouldn't be too hard (you could just run in circles and take the enemies down with Pod A), on Very Hard it might be quite a bit more troublesome. The way I personally dealt with the situation was with my usual Critical+Taunt setup. What's really useful here is to stay away from the area where all the enemies are (walk away far enough and they will actually go back instead of chasing you), and bait them in small groups (ideally, one by one) by shooting them with Pod A from afar. This will make them come towards you few (or one) at the time, and killing them becomes much easier. Don't forget you can hack them too.

It's worth pointing out that Visual Cure will heal you from these distortions (if you don't have any of these, just wait away from the enemies until the status ailments are automatically healed).
After that you'll need to "hack away" the virus from someone. It may not look like it, but the "someone" is actually clearly identifiable in the group (no helmet), so don't bother helping the other NPCs and go straight for the one that matters. If possible, BEFORE you do your hacking thing, you may want to equip a chipset with an Overclock chip on it (it's not necessary, but it might help).
Be very careful on Very Hard now. Right after this, another battle will ensue. Keep these three key steps in mind:
1. IMMEDIATELY as the cutscene ends start spamming the dodge button to get away from the instant attacks that will fall upon you

2. After a short while, you'll be able to do another hack on "someone". Do so, but be careful because...

3. ...IMMEDIATELY after the "Hacking Complete" screen you'll be under attack yet again. Therefore, spam the dodge button even before the hacking screen closes -- you must have a dodge input the instant you regain control of your character. Then keep dodging away, and away, and away (if possible, keep an eye out for incoming enemies behind you/flanking you by looking at the minimap too)

Do not waste time fighting the enemies here. Soon enough you'll have a marker placed on your map, so dodge and run your way to that target (which is in the crater area, where you fought the final boss in the previous two playthroughs).
When you get there, you'll have some "minions" bothering you. They keep respawning over and over again, so it's probably a good idea to just try and outrun them. Beware that the enemy here can "jam" you just like all those smaller ones in the previous section where you were controlling 9S. Speaking of whom, where is he when you need his hacking? Anyway. As 2B, I think the safest approach would be to Taunt+Bomb the main enemy -- with Taunt +8 (or even +6, I'm pretty sure) he should die in one assault.
Once this guy is down too, DO NOT LEAVE THE AREA. While there is usually a warning when you are about to leave the operation area, in this case if you walk too far away the game will just give you that joke Ending O, without any kind of warning. Instead, you'll have to wait in the crater where you fought until 9s finishes his speech. At that point he'll stand still (kneeling) somewhere in the area -- find him and approach him to automatically trigger a scene that will continue the story.
The Bunker

Speak with the target NPC, and then IMMEDIATELY start the dodge-fest again. Once you are clear of the enemies' range (make sure none of them is around the corners by checking the minimap), you can start running in circles around the room (if you have ever wondered why there were stairs connecting the upper and middle level of his area, but no stairs between the middle and lower level, I guess now you know the answer -- they needed to make it accessible only via elevator, so we could have this "we can't leave the area" moment. Oh well).

The enemies will seemingly continue to respawn forever, but there is actually a limited amount of respawns that will happen. The safest way to handle them is a Taunt+Pod fire (regular attacks) while running in circles AND DODGING even if you don't see any enemy near you -- just in case, you know. Ranged Attack Up (L) can help speed things up, but if you have Taunt +8 I wouldn't even bother with it. Pod B is probably going to be more effective than Pod A. On Very Hard, I wouldn't risk exposing myself to any additional damage by trying melee combos, but feel free to do so if you wish.

When the elevator finally works again (it will after killing all the respawns), take it (duh) and head for the Hangar.

On the way there will be more enemies. I would recommend killing them with Pod B (it pierces through multiple enemies, and this is basically a 2D area, so it will likely hit many or all of them at once) supported by Taunt (and/or Ranged Attack Up (L)). While holding down the Pod fire button, blindly spam the dodge button as well -- chances are you'll get attacked non-stop. Thanks to Pod B and Taunts you should be able to clear the groups of enemies just about as fast as they appear. While fighting with this strategy, step backwards away from the enemies (easier to avoid getting hit if you are moving away, of course).

I can't stress this enough though: if you are on Very Hard, SPAM THE DODGE BUTTON even if you don't see any enemy starting an attack animation (they have some sort of ranged attack too). So basically your controller inputs should look like this: LS backwards (walk away from the enemy); fire button held down at all time; Taunt button spammed non-stop (well, you can take a break if you see that they are all Taunted already); dodge button spammed non-stop. Got it? Good.

Proceed all the way to the right, encountering various enemy groups between gaps of safety. I wouldn't be too ashamed of using a Ranged Attack Up (L) AND Taunts for the last two groups (they have 5+ enemies in them). Eventually you'll loop around and reach the Hangar, which has no enemies in it, so go ahead and proceed.

Flight Sequence

After all of this there will be a flight-units sequence, and not a particularly easy one. For a change, this is going to be another dodge-ruled section, since you will be attacked with machineguns and, later, lasers. While it may not seem like dodging is doing anything at all, trust me, it IS keeping you from getting hit by those machineguns. You won't really be able to kill the enemies (not enough damage output), so focus on staying alive until the hidden timer runs out and bails you out of this situation. The worst part will be the final segment of this section, since you will lose the ability to dodge, but the enemies won't lose their ability to fire. I'd love to say that practice makes perfect, but this part really comes down to sheer luck in where the enemies position themselves, and what attacks they decide to use. So...good luck I guess?

After yet another cutscene will play, and then you'll be back on the ground.

Flooded City: strolling to the Commercial Facility

End of the hacking and jamming and viruses and interference and data corruption and blah blah blah? Nope. Make a run for the closest Access Point and save the game.

If you want a TL;DR version of this sequence, feel free to just watch the videos at the bottom of it.

So here are the rules for this part:

At seemingly random moments you will be "jammed", i.e. unable to dodge, run, really fight in any way. We'll talk about this in a moment
You need to make your way from where you are to the Commercial Facility. As you progress, the malfunctioning will get progressively worse, with brief intervals of regular functionality in-between
If you don't get to your destination in time, it's game over and you'll have to restart from Flooded City
Counter still works even while you are jammed. It's a bit more difficult to use when you are all messed up of course, but it's an extremely useful move in this situation. If you have a Counter chip, ANY Counter chip, equip it and use Counter as a last-resort kind of defense, should you get gang-banged by enemies while unable to dodge or run away. You shouldn't need to if you take the right path though
Pod and Pod Programs will still be available at first (you will lose these functions later)
While you can save the game on the way, the game will actually save you at the checkpoint that starts this sequence (in Flooded City). This was done to prevent potential abuse of the saving mechanics to reset the "countdown" on the one hand, or saving an impossible situation on the other hand (just imagine if you saved the game in a position where it's too late for you to reach the destination, no matter what you do, and that was your only save file)
Now let's see what to do.

When I first did this part, I kept cursing the timing of jamming. I kept thinking to myself, "ok, let's wait until I get jammed, then un-jammed, so I can then eliminate this group of enemies and proceed", or even trying to figure what action would trigger the jamming (I even thought coming in contact with water was the cause of jamming). After recording and watching the records of my failed attempts I then realized that I was right in thinking that jamming had a bit too bad of a timing to be random.

So, the TRUE way jamming works is like this: if you are on the path that the developers planned for you, you won't be jammed when there are enemies nearby. On the other hand, if you are approaching a group of enemies that they didn't want you to run into, then you have to change your route. You can think of it like this: the jamming situation is area-dependent, rather than timer-dependent (that being said, if you were to waste too much time then the corruption would still proceed; however, you'll see that in certain fixed points of your route the contamination will spike up regardless; that's because they wanted to make sure you...barely make it? Not make it at all? Make it but with damaged sound sensors so 2B couldn't hear 9S shouting "I love you!" right before a meteorite falls on the planet? I won't spoil it, don't worry.

Another way to think about it is that the devs made sure that either of these two things would be true: either you are jammed but there are no enemies nearby (or if they are, they can't get to you fast enough/they won't detect you), or you are unjammed and you can fight the enemies. I tried forcing my way through the "wrong" path (the shortest possible route), abusing Counter, but quite frankly it's just not worth it.

So here's the path you need to take, in a picture and in a couple of videos. The picture shows the simplest (possibly) path. The two videos refer to two possible paths you can take; the latter is actually faster, but requires you to have proper timing so you can avoid enemies and jump across a gap in a brief interval when you are un-jammed. I've sped up the videos too, so you don't have to sit and watch a slow sluggish walk.



"Simplest" path (same as the picture):



Fastest path:



Upon reaching the end of the line, two enemies will "inevitably" hit you.

Just out of curiosity, if you Counter them you can actually kill them, and then the cutscene that would play normally (the one that plays if you get hit) would play anyway. You can see it done in the video, just for the novelty of it.

After the cutscene, you'll have to fight some enemies (two waves of three each). On Very Hard, dodge multiple times as soon as you gain control of your character again, and then start running away from the enemies. Once the situation has calmed down a bit, and you can comfortably see every enemy on the screen, use dodge-counters to eliminate them (dodge again as soon as you have finished your counterattack). I found that dodge-heavy counter (R2, then Triangle) is better than dodge-light counter in this particular instance (I usually get hit with light-attack counters, but never get hit with heavy-attack counters), so I would recommend that. The enemies will probably be one-shot, since they are fixed to level 1.

Another small interlude, and you'll then have to reach another destination. There won't be jamming on the way, so just run there for more scenes.

Chapters 12-15

At this point there will be four Chapters of the story to play, before the grand finale. Two of these Chapters will be played as one character, and two will be played as the other character. It doesn't matter in which order you do these four Chapters. For spoiler-prevention reasons, I will refer to these two characters as "first character" and "second character" for now. If you have reached this point of the story (when you are asked which character you want to control), then you can comfortably read who these two characters are:

- The first character will play Chapter 12 and 14. This character is (spoiler): A2
- The second character will play Chapter 13 and 15. This character is (spoiler): 9S

As I said, there is no particularly important reason to go with one or the other first, and you'll do both eventually anyway (chronologically speaking, imagine that Chapter 12 and Chapter 13 happen at the same time in two different places; same for Chapter 14 and 15). For practical reasons, I'll start with the "second character", since it will allow us to make some (minor, but possibly important) preparations for the "first" character. Also, the "first character" is a bit more interesting, so maybe you want to save the best for later...? Anyway, practical reasons win as far as I'm concerned, so we'll start with the second character (if you prefer to do otherwise, then check Chapters 12 and 14 which are the ones played with the first character).

WARNING: from now on (actually this was true earlier too) there won't be a "Continue" option if you die. The story events that occurred should give you the answer as to "why". It's very inconvenient, so make sure to save more often from now on.

*Chapter 13

Resistance Camp - Quest Break

So you see two hot redheads right next to you, and the first thing you do is to put a blindfold on? Alright then.

As you can certainly see (assuming you aren't wearing a blindfold of your own), there are new quests in this playthrough, and we have quite a bit of freedom at this point. The transport (fast-travel) system is unavailable at first, but we'll get access to it as soon as we step out of the Resistance Camp (do so).

While we could go on with the story, things have slowed down a bit since the last events occurred, so I think it's not such a bad idea to take our time and do some quests and stuff. Besides, even though it may feel like we're close to the ending, we are actually quite a ways off (practically speaking there won't be too much going on, but the narrative will really slow down, especially for 9S's part of the story).

Quest # 55 - Gathering Keepsakes
Location: Resistance Member, in Resistance Camp.
Request: fetch items in Flooded City, then Amusement Park, then Factory Ruins. Then one more in the Desert: Center, where you'll need to fight level -55 enemies. Then report back, then visit the underground area of Commercial Facility (via Elevator Key, obtained from the quest Emil's Memories) to complete the quest.
Progression for now: just accept the quest.
(Reward: Full Recovery, Meteorite x 2, Complex Gadget x 2; Max HP Up +6 (Chip); 10,000 G; 1,800 EXP)
Quest # 51 - Sorting Trouble 2
Location: back area of Resistance Camp (must have completed Sorting Trouble).
Request: loot the two chests inside. The one on the right can be accessed easily by moving the upper-one of the two boxes closest to it from left to right. The other one requires you to move the upper box upwards, and then the left-most box downwards. Picture of the process: http://i.imgur.com/KBV3QGL.jpg
Reward: Full Recovery, Elaborate Gadget x 5; Drop Rate Up +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,600 EXP.
Quest # 45 - Devola's Request
Location: Devola, in Resistance Camp (leave camp, then come back).
Request: deliver 5x Stripped Screw, 5x Small Gear, 1x Machine Oil. I had plenty of each of these items before even starting the quest; if that's not the case for you, locations where you can get them will be marked on the map.
Reward: Ranged Defense Up (L), Melee Defense Up (L), Large Recovery, Pure Water x 5, Mushroom x 5; 3,000 G; 1,670 EXP.
Quest # 46 - Popola's Errand
Location: Devola, in Resistance Camp (after previous quest).
Request: fetch 5x Desert Rose. To find the necessary items, teleport to Desert: Camp. Now, do you remember how you escaped and backtracked, after the boss found in the "pit" in the Desert: Housing Complex? If so, backtrack there to find the items in the "sandfall" area. If not, follow these directions: from Desert: Camp's Access Point, go north, and then take the northeastern path in the area. Follow it to reach the sandfall area, where you'll find the Desert Roses as collection points (when you get in the area you'll see the quest-marks in the specific location of these items). The fifth and last one of them will be on the way to the Pit Hollow (where you fought the local boss, Adam, a while ago).

By the way, while you're there you can open a chest in the pit:
- Meteorite (http://i.imgur.com/JEzcD5G.jpg)

After delivering the items to the quest-NPCs, a small conversation with the Pod will follow. Speak with Anemone afterwards to complete the quest.
Reward: Full Recovery, Gold Ore x 2, Meteorite Shard x 2, Meteorite x 2; 5,000 G; 2,000 EXP.

There is one more quest from the two sisters, but be careful with this last one.
Quest # 47 - The Twins' Request
Location: same as previous quest of this series.
Warning?: there is an allegedly missable Unit Data entry at this point. Some people have reported that the enemy that spawns during this next quest is unique, and will only appear during the quest. I personally tested this, but found it not to be true: in my case, even if I completely avoided going to the designated area, I could find this "missable" enemy later, after the quest was completed (in fact, he respawns). Just to be safe though, you may want to take the necessary precautions and visit the place during this quest (or right after you complete the quest, before you save the game again). The enemy we're talking about here is called Monster Type (and I thought I was unoriginal with names), belongs to the "Peculiar Machines" category of the Unit Data (Intel menu), and looks like a T-Rex (http://i.imgur.com/QDv9nA6.jpg).
If after completing the quest you actually can't find the enemy (I suggest checking on him right after you do the quest), then simply do this: sell all your Tree Sap but four of them, so the quest marker is still present in the Forest. Then go to the marked area (in the Forest), slay the unique enemy, get your last Tree Sap, and then report.

Request: fetch 5x Tree Sap. You most likely have the items already; if not, the marker will be placed in the waterfall area near the entrance, inside the Forest area (just south of the Forest: Center Access Point). It's in that area (the waterfall area) where you can find the unique and allegedly missable enemy "Monster Type".
Reward: Black Pearl x 2, Dye x 3; Popola's Booze; 10,000 G; 2,050 EXP.
Quest # 52 - Sorting Trouble 3
Location: back area of Resistance Camp (must have completed Sorting Trouble 2, and the walked away far enough).
Request: speak with Jackass near Desert: Camp's Access Point.

(Not part of the quest: while you're in the area south of Desert: Camp, hit Emil and check his shop so he can start spawning around the City Ruins again; we'll need his shop later)

After that, go to the marked location in the City Ruins (just south of where you are) and reach the roof of the marked building to find...sigh. The puzzle is really simple this time. There is also a chest in here. Picture of the solution: http://i.imgur.com/bviWhQY.jpg
Reward: Machine Oil x 3, Complex Gadget x 3; 10,000 G; 1,900 EXP. Archive: Jackass's Bomb Recipe. Pod Program "A0120: Repair".

The new chest in the area contains:
- 1,000 G (http://i.imgur.com/qEysd72.jpg)
The Pod Program "Repair" is basically a recovery item in the form of a pod program. Why oh why would you ever consider it, with all the other amazing healing possibilities in the game. Oh well.

Note: I'm pretty sure it's a bug, but you may still see two treasure-chest icons on your map (with the Item Scan chip equipped) marking the location of two more "Package" chests, in the Resistance Camp. I can confirm that the two icons mark the position of chests with this content (I cheated my way into the warehouse again), but I'm not aware of any way to get into the warehouse to open them legitimately. Unless there is such a legitimate way, then my guess is that those two chests can never be opened.

City Ruins

Climb on top of the building where you originally entered City Ruins (also where you got the flight units during the Goliaths assault of the City). It's the building southwest. You'll find the Pod Program "A100: Decoy" (http://i.imgur.com/avYZbPd.jpg).



We can now continue with the Gathering Keepsakes quest, so head to Flooded City.

Flooded City

In here you will find the first quest-marked area, but you will also see a giant "tower" platform floating in the air. That platform will be part of the story later, so ignore it for the time being.

Examine the body on the ground (in the middle of the street, shouldn't be hard to locate it) to receive the Rusty Dog Tag item (quest item for Gathering Keepsakes).
While you are here, make sure to also examine the flight unit on the ground (right side of the street, by the water) for an extra scene.


Amusement Park

Near the entrance (the festive square (not very festive right now though)), just underneath a lamp post southeast, you'll find another body -- examine it to get the Damaged Dog Tag item (quest item for Gathering Keepsakes).
Near the rollercoaster area you'll find the Pod Program "A150: Volt" (http://i.imgur.com/helafOF.jpg).


Abandoned Factory - Treasures

In the Abandoned Factory, just like on the second playthrough, all the chests have been reset (even the Scanner-points have been reset). If you want to clear them all again, you shouldn't have a problem with Item Scan equipped -- don't forget the two in the "garden" outside.

Speaking of which, it's outside that you'll find the next body for the quest Gathering Keepsakes (in the garden, just opposite the Access Point) -- this one will give you the Dirty Dog Tag, and after some chat with the Pod a new marker will appear on the map, in the Desert area.

However, we are first going to clean up the Abandoned Factory once and for all, so head in there. You'll find a new chest soon, after you enter inside:

- A Pious Robot's Will (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/VcPTvkS.jpg)

Aside from that, backtracking to where the story began is gonna give us a special reward. In particular, from where you first gained control of 2B (oh, the memories), go straight ahead until you find some containers -- climb up on them to find the Pod Program "A160: Missile" (http://i.imgur.com/Wh4kDVu.jpg).



With that done, backtrack to the elevator near the "entrance" of the Factory (entrance or exit, depending on your point of view; near where you came from anyway), which is the elevator you first took during the "become as Gods" part of the story. Ride the elevator down, and go to the "throne" room from there (no enemies, don't worry): it's time to loot whatever is left in the underground part of the factory.

You may want to check the map of the area: http://i.imgur.com/yPE8BJk.png

Just in case you are wondering, no, the chests/scanner points of the "underground" section of the Abandoned Factory did not reset like the ones in the "original" Factory areas. Thankfully, since I really didn't feel like picking them all up again.

Anyhow, in the throne room there is the first hack chest we had to leave behind:

1 - Full Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/f4AM8HM.jpg)

Ride the elevator in the southern part of this area. Boy, it sure is dark in here...who's the asshole that turned off all the lights? Oh, right...

Follow the path until you are on the long zoomed-out bridge. Do you remember the cylinder with the hidden chests in the middle? There was a hack chest there. Below is a short video of how to get up there, too. In words, you need to go to the right-end side of the cylinder; from there, do a double-jump to the left, and you'll land on a platform inside the cylinder. Then go left from the platform/ramp, until you are high enough to double-jump + dash to the right, where another platform is holding the hack chest we're gonna get next.

2 - Clean Nut, Pristine Cable, Pristine Screw, Sturdy Socket, Large Gear, New Bolt, Large Battery (http://i.imgur.com/PyjYx4g.jpg)





Enemies start to appear from now on. As you continue, make sure to stop by the next room to re-activate the Access Point and save the game. Expect some kamikaze-enemies after the room with the Access Point, and then proceed on the (idle) conveyor belt. Continue to the right after getting off the conveyor belt, and then on to another conveyor belt. Follow the path, expecting more and more enemies as you move on.

You will soon reach the area with the smashing-machines, which are (thankfully) idle at this point...at least in this area. Some are raised and you can sneak under them, others are on the ground, and you need to climb over them. After the smash-machines part, go into the next room, then proceed from there to get on the next catwalk. Then continue just a bit until you reach the opening in the catwalk that allows you to jump on top of the smash-machines (remember the detour we took to get the Engine Blade? That's where we're headed). Follow the path there to re-access the room where the Engine Blade was, and in there you'll find the next hack chest.

3 - Abandoned Factory Memo (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/dXJfKUl.jpg)

Aren't you just glad you made this detour again? Back where you made the jump, proceed onwards like you originally did, and you will soon come across the point where you go through a "conveyor belt tunnel". Cross it to the other end, so you can then jump on top of the tunnel itself. Go all the way left to find a hack-door, and open it to find some "leftovers" worshiping what is clearly a weapon to pick up. Mmh...I wonder what will happen if we pick it up...

Yellow Star (on my map) - Cruel Arrogance (http://i.imgur.com/fa0jdXF.jpg)

Go back to the right side of the tunnel-conveyor-belt's "roof", and keep going -- you will soon reach the room where you can activate that blue-glowing control panel to re-establish the elevator from here to the Access Point room. You really want to go back and save now; there are going to be "platforming hazards" very soon.

Just in case you didn't get the message properly I'll repeat it for you: GO SAVE THE GAME NOW.

As you continue to make your way forward you will come across the second smashing-machines part. Remember how the first ones were all idle? Yea, not so lucky this time. They will follow a four-phases tempo: smash, smash, smash, stop in the middle; repeat. You want to sneak beneath them when they stop in the middle, so make sure to count three consecutive smashes before going through.

This is one of the rare cases where I recommend using hacking to defeat the enemies you encounter: it's just too risky to fight them with these machines ready to insta-kill you if you step in the wrong place. Either way, make your way across, and you'll finally get to the next room with a hack door.

Beyond this hack door there will be many enemies, and three treasure chests. And some smashing machines, because why not. Let's start with the left side of the area: just as you enter you will probably notice, attached to the wall (or whatever that thing in the background is), some of those "spider" machines -- hack them dead. There will be a total of four of them as you climb up.

From where you enter this hack-door-room, go right down the stairs, and proceed to the right. The first two smashing-machines are idle, so jump ON the second one, and then jump off the second one to get on the first one (which is raised). From the first smashing-machine, jump to the left and dash to reach a platform. Make your way up the platforms, and you'll reach the first chest.

4 - Silver Ore x 3

From there, jump to the right across the smashing machines' tops (some flying enemies will bother you on the way), and from the last one jump to the right to reach a high ledge with a hack-chest and a regular chest.

5 - Project Gestalt Report 5 (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/oI7rffn.jpg)
6 - Skill Salve (L) (http://i.imgur.com/TWT5vdV.jpg)

Drop down below to find another chest.

7 - Stripped Screw, Dented Socket, Small Gear, Severed Cable, Broken Battery, Rusty Bolt, Crushed Nut (http://i.imgur.com/XAn6wmP.jpg)

The content of these chests makes me want to cry. How about you? Now we also have to make our way back through those smashing machines. Do that, and proceed just a bit further on your way to reach the next Access Point (need to reactivate it) -- with that done, we can fast-travel out of this God-forsaken place (get it?).

Walkthrough - Extended
(Continued)

Forest Castle (Optional)

Just for the record, there is a quest in the Forest Castle (it's in the Library, on the highest floor; remember the chest that required you to jump off a ramp of debris to get to it? That one) called Reconnaissance Squad. You can see its red dot on the map, so you may be wondering why I'm not including it in the list of things to do here -- the reason is simple: to complete it, you need to gather the Unit Data (Intel) or, in other words, defeat most types of enemies (you need 95% Unit Data collection). I was personally at 69% when this quest came up, and since there are no good rewards for completing it, there's very little purpose in heading there just to activate the quest, knowing we can't complete it anytime soon anyway.

More importantly though, by now you may have the requires Materials to upgrade the Ancient Overlord to level 4. If that's the case, visit Masamune's Shop (you should know where it is by now; if not, it's in the hidden room underneath the "Royal Chamber" Access Point of the Forest Castle) to finally get this weapon's full potential (its second ability, at level 4, will break all orbs around any orb you destroy with a melee attack of the Ancient Overlord. VERY useful against orb-fest enemies).

Desert: Center

From the Desert: Center Access Point, make sure to save the game first. Then it will be just a short walk until you come across the enemies associated with the quest Gathering Keepsakes (they are marked in the red area on the map, as always).

The enemies are actually rather strong (level 55 Tank types): there is two of them, and it's a constant orb-fest (regular bullets are first, but also the dark-red orbs later). Hacking is honestly the best way to kill them, since they can have relatively fast melee attacks, and combining that with their oversized body and the constant stream of bullets will result into a hard time dealing melee damage, even with the Critical-Taunt setups (+Ranged/Melee Attack Up (L)). If you must go in close range, then make sure to fight them one at the time (shoot some bullets at one of them from afar to bait him towards you), and always stay on their side/rear end. Overclock and M Shield will buy you a lot of safe time to kill them, if you decide to go to non-hacking way about this.

After killing them both, examine the body in the area where they were to receive the Bloody Dog Tag.

Resistance Camp & Commercial Facility

Report to the quest-giver for Gathering Keepsakes in Resistance Camp to receive your reward. Toooootally worth it.
To properly end the quest, you'll need to visit the underground area of the Commercial Facility (you need the Elevator Key, which is acquired after completing the quest Emil's Memories). Ok, this extra scene here is a decent reward...I guess?
Copied City

You can go to Copied City by using the elevator in the Deep Cave (same way as when you went there the first time during the story, as 2B; if you forgot, head into the cave and turn right (southwest) at the first available fork). In there you can find a hack-chest which can now finally be accessed:

1 - Powerup Part M (http://i.imgur.com/KOXrYmW.jpg)

Preparations for later

Because of reasons that will become clear later, the "first character" (the one you use in Chapters 12 and 14) will benefit from Chips/items that you may not have yet in your inventory.

On Very Hard you will probably want some Skill Salve (L) in your inventory, along with a few Large Recovery (Small/Medium Recovery work well too), and the usual Melee/Ranged Attack Up (L). While most of these are available for sale while playing with the other character too, the Skill Salve (L) is for sale at Devola's Shop, in the Resistance Camp, and for some reason this shop won't be available (not at first anyway) to the other character. Therefore, make sure to purchase a few (4-5 each) of these items now -- while not essential, they can be of some use.

As far as Chips goes, a few new ones will significantly improve your setup against the boss that will initiate your experience with that character:

Weapon Attack Up +8 (buy four +6 from Emil's Shop, then Fuse at the Valley shop). Total cost for these (purchase and fusion): 62,000 G
Offensive Heal +8 (same). Offensive Heal +6 is also "good enough". Cost for Offensive Heal +6: 10,000; cost for Offensive Heal +8 (purchase and fusions): another 62,000 G. Buy this one even if you are on Very Hard/don't plan to get hit
Critical Up +8, Taunt Up +8, Counter +8, Overclock +6/8: you should already have all/many of these, but if not, it's time to get them (for Overclock, +6 is enough)
Shock Wave +8: it's not completely unrealistic that you may have the money to get this one too, especially if you sell useless Materials (you should have quite a few Machine Cores, especially if you did the Golden Robots side event). Each Shock Wave +6 Chip sells for 50,000 G at Emil's Shop, so the total cost for Shock Wave +8 will add up to 222,000 G
"But how can I even equip all of these +8 Cips at once?" -- you won't have to: depending on the situation, we'll equip the proper chip (for example, the first boss with the new character won't be affected by Taunt, so we'll use Weapon Attack Up +8, Critical Up +8, and Offensive Heal; this last one is for "special" reasons).

Story Continuation - The First Tower

When ready to continue, approach the big tower in the middle of the crater in City Ruins. Try to hack your way in, but you'll fail.

It seems that you need to hack any of those three smaller pillars around the tower -- try to do that...and you'll fail again. After some dialogues/instructions, you'll eventually be told to reach some "recovery units" (three dungeons) which will end up giving you the keys to unlock the pillars, which can then be hacked, thus allowing you to hack and enter the main tower. That's the general plan -- let's see how it plays out by going to the first "recovery unit", in the Forest. Since it's actually closer to Forest Castle than the first area, fast-travel to Forest Castle: Front.

Forest Tower

All the "recovery unit" dungeons are very linear, so no map is needed here.

In fact, there is really not much to point out here, actually: the tower consists of various floors with enemies in each of them, and no treasures to be found. Defeat all enemies to unlock the elevator to the next floor...simple enough, no? Just be careful on Very Hard, particularly in the room where the lights go out: after the first enemies, some kamikaze ones will spawn too -- use the Pod A to kill them swiftly, and consider using P Shield to gain some invincibility against their explosions.

The rest should be easy with Critical-Taunt chips.

On a secondary note, there is a Scanner Treasure near the orb on the top level. I don't know if it's a bug with my version (I tried multiple times, with the same result), but picking this one up doesn't seem to actually give me any item (or at least it doesn't say anything about a collected item).

Anyway, after clearing all the enemies you will receive the Forest Access Key. Then you can press Circle to interact with the machine on the ground (still on the highest level of the tower) for a scene.

After the scene you'll be asked if you want to continue with 9S, or rather switch to A2 (I think it's safe to call them by their names now, instead of "first/second character"). We'll continue with 9S.

*Chapter 15

Flooded City Tower

This tower works very similarly to the previous one, but instead of killing enemies you'll have to hack-open the chests to continue. Argh. Nothing but practice will help here.

If you are failing over and over again, consider equipping an Auto-Heal chip (one or more; they stack), so you can get free healing from the damage taken from failed hacking. As a last resort, you can always do these minigames on Easy (shhh, nobody will know :p) -- if it's any consolation, I myself switched from Very Hard to Normal in this phase, since the pain of these minigames is just not worth it (you need either extreme luck or extreme skills for the harder ones).

Aside from the chests, there are no actual enemies to fight until the last floor. There are also some non-mandatory chests to open; they are in plain sight. The content of the chests (mandatory and not) will be:

First floor:
- Full Recovery

Second floor:
- Anti Chain Damage +6

Note: apparently the chests on the second level depend on actions performed in game (for example how many quests you have completed). As of this moment I don't know exactly the requirements; hopefully I'll figure them out in the future. The items I found were:

- Faith (Weapon): it's for killing enough machines
- Heal Drops Up +6: it's for completing enough subquests from machines
- EXP Gain Up +6: it's for completing enough subquests from androids
- Drop Rate Up +6: pick up "enough" (I've read it's 1,000+) Collection Points
- Hijack Boost +6: it's for hacking enough machines

I've read these should exist too, but I didn't find them myself (I'll try again in the future):
- Reset +6: die 100+ times
- Max HP Up +6: collect (unknown amount) bodies
- (A Recovery item): use 1,000+ items
- Other?

Third floor:
- 10,000 G
- Tower System Outline (Archive)
- Cure All

Fourth floor:
- Powerup Part M
- Resilience +6
- Cure All + Heal All
- [Top Secret] Black Box (Archive)

BEWARE: if you are on Very Hard you may want to leave and save the game before continuing any further, since a mini-boss at the top might kill you (if you die, it's Game Over and back to the Loading screen -- you'll have to do all those hacking again).

Fifth floor:
- Ocean Access Key

On the fifth floor there will also be a mini-boss fight. He basically has the same attack patterns as the final boss of the first playthrough. You won't be able to use Taunts, but he should still go down pretty quickly.

With that done, both of 9S's Chapters will be completed, and the game will force you to switch to A2.

*Chapter 12

After some chatting with the Pod, your story mark will appear near the Desert: Center.

Note that this new character (as will be explained in the next battle) has a "Berserker" mode instead of the self-destruct from the regular androids. This mode allows you to deal double damage (which stacks with every other damage increase) to enemies, at the cost of constantly draining your health (-10% every second). When your HP reaches "0", you'll be staggered for a few seconds (like after Self-Destruct).

It's worth pointing out that taking a fatal hit while in Berserker mode, even on Very Hard, will result into the end of Berserker mode (so you become staggered) and NOT in a direct death. This effectively means that Berserker mode lets you take a free hit on Very Hard. Moreover, when Berserker mode ends, you are even invincible for a few instants (almost for as long as it takes for you to recover normal functionality).

After activating it, you can't "turn-off" Berserker mode whenever you want, unfortunately, so if you activate it the only way to turn it off is to wait until your HP reaches "0".

For regular-enemies purposes, Berserker mode is overkill and dangerous (unless you keep using healing items, you'll most likely reach "0" HP in-between fights), so don't bother using it. Against bosses, on the other hand, it's always a great additional damage multiplier, and you should (ideally) always use it. This is the reason why I told you to buy Offensive Heal +6/8 earlier: with Offensive Heal, you will (ideally) never need to worry about your HP after activating Berserker mode during a boss fight, since you'll always deal enough damage to stay at full health (or at least enough health to maintain Berserker mode).

Please note that the HP-drainage effect of Berserker mode is treated as taking damage in the game. "So what?" -- no, it's not just a technicality: it means that the chip "Auto-Heal" cannot work while under the effect of Berserker (Auto-Heal regenerates HP if you don't take damage for a certain amount of time; even though you are not getting hit, under Berserker condition you ARE taking damage, hence why Auto-Heal doesn't work). This is a (necessary) bummer, since it means that you can't counter the drainage of Berserker mode with the regen of Auto-Heal. Therefore you'll need to constantly heal, either with items, or with other options (such as the aforementioned Offensive Heal).

The other "new" thing that this character features is a secondary way of doing Taunts: instead of using the Pod's light on/off (which still works), you can hold down the light-attack button (Square) to perform an animation that will automatically Taunt enemies all around you, with quite a good radius in terms of area of effect. This makes her Taunt superior to the regular Pod's taunt (the one via lights on/off), since it's faster and affects a larger area.

In particular, it's worth pointing out that her Taunt animation depends on which weapon type she has equipped. This is very important, because the Taunt animation with Combat Bracers is significantly faster than with other weapons. While this doesn't really matter now (feel free to stick with Pod's Taunt for now), it will become important if you plan to do the DLC fights later on.

Also, as a curiosity note, if you press Triangle and then immediately press and hold Square afterwards, you can actually Taunt with your second (heavy) weapon instead of the light weapon.

Desert: Center

With the explanations out of the way, get to Desert: Center, and save the game before heading to your destination. If you've been alternating between two chipsets so far (one with Counter + Taunt/Max HP Up; the other with Critical+Taunt+Overclock), it's time for a third chipset all for A2, featuring:

- Weapon Attack Up +8
- Offensive Heal +8
- Critical Up +8

"Wait, why no Taunt Up?" -- because in the very next boss fight we'll be dealing with an enemy that can't be Taunted (neither with the Pod-light Taunt, nor with A2's special Taunt). Also, he can't be Countered either, so using this setup is our best offensive option.

Also set up M Shield on your Pods if you are on Very Hard; if not, Bomb is probably a better option.

You'll have to deal with three "big enemies" (Goliaths type) first, and then a proper boss fight will begin.

Boss - Hegel
The boss is made up of nine chained "balls" that will start by floating up in the sky, dropping orbs (nothing too dangerous here). Shoot with your Pod A while this is happening, and after a short while the boss will "land" and the nine balls will split up in various parts of the area.

There isn't a lot to mention in regards to the boss's attacks: the various "balls" use orbs and lasers, so it's going to be one of those chaotic fights where you run for your life without really knowing what's going on most of the time. Even when the enemy seemingly tries to run you over, he actually won't do any melee damage (on the one hand this is good news because you don't have to worry about it; on the other hand, this means you can't use Counter). You know what they say though, fight fire with fire: Bomb (Pod Program) is extremely effective against each of the "balls", and that's probably what you should do if you are on Normal difficulty.

Note that after dealing enough damage (after almost "killing") to a ball, it will be covered by an indestructible shield, and you will hear a metallic sound when attacking it. Indeed, you won't be doing any more damage to these shielded balls, so ignore them and focus on the remaining ones. And that's about it if you are on Normal difficulty.

Strategy

On Very Hard, this fight should probably be treated as a race against luck, and since the longer the fight goes the higher the chances of "bad luck" (i.e. getting hit by some laser or orb off-screen), a race against time. I personally find that this "YOLO" approach works best (video at the end):

IMMEDIATELY as soon as the boss's name appears on screen, press your Berserker button(s) -- you will have just enough time to activate Berserker mode, and then immediately dash away from the incoming orbs (dash to the left).
After that, start shooting the boss with Pod A's regular attacks, and while you do so also open up your menu to use a recovery item (even if your HP is still high enough, use one now anyway), and one each of Ranged/Melee Attack Up (L).
Soon enough the boss will split in its nine parts and come down to the ground. Now starts the part where you have to be reactive, and smart about what you do. In any case, immediately as you see the boss splitting up in the sky, stop attacking with the Pod, and start charging his Pod Program (M Shield) instead.
Now that you have your "panic button" ready (M Shield will protect you against everything in this fight, albeit just for a short while), start chasing down the closest ball and hit it hard -- with all the enhancements you have, it should go down in 2-3 hits. When it "shields up", move on to the next closest ball, and rinse and repeat.
IMMEDIATELY as you see incoming orbs OR laser attacks, release the Pod Program! You don't have much time before the shield "expires" (comes off), so as a general rule I would say that after you activate M Shield you should find the closest ball and, unless he's all the way across the screen, go kill him.
Then, once another ball is dead, it's time to retreat -- with M Shield expiring any second now, it's best to play it safe and run around avoiding the attacks (resume firing with Pod A as you do so). Also, use a Skill Salve (L) immediately after casting M Shield, if you can -- this will give you your "panic button" back sooner. Eventually, the balls will merge together again and he'll go back to floating up in the sky, restarting the pattern you just witnessed.
If you can kill two orbs each time the boss comes down, that's a rather successful attack you have just accomplished. If you can kill 3, then it was a really good attack. If you kill more, then you did great, but play it safe (in the video below I got a bit greedy/lucky with the balls' positions, but you should probably play it a bit slower, but also safer, than that).
Make sure to use healing items, especially when the boss goes back up in the sky (Pod A's attacks will give you some health back with Offensive Heal +8, but it may not be enough to keep up with Berserker mode), and renew Ranged/Melee Attack Up (L) too. Rinse and repeat this strategy from point 2 to point 6 until the nine orbs are defeated.


After defeating the boss, you'll have to play some hacking minigames (and I thought we were done with those when we switched to A2...), and then we'll be in the next Chapter.

*Chapter 14

Desert: Camp

Be very careful after you clear that hacking part: VERY close to where you resume the game there might be a group of kamikaze enemies (you should see them on the minimap), so don't let your guard down! Reach the nearby Access Point, and re-activate it (save while you're here) to fast-travel to the Resistance Camp.

Resistance Camp

In the Resistance Camp you will not find anyone, so head outside to find someone -- rescue this "someone", and spare this someone's life when asked: if you choose to kill this "someone", you'll get a "joke" Ending Z.

Then go back inside, and speak with Anemone twice.

If you speak with Anemone once again you'll be able to access the computers (http://i.imgur.com/VESFjlV.jpg) behind her. Do so multiple times to obtain some Archive entries containing important backstory on A2. 



For the record, the Archives are:
- Resistance: Anemone
- Resistance: Rose
- YoRHa: Gunner 16
- YoRHa: Scanner 21
- YoRHa: Attacker 4
- YoRHa: Attacker 2
- Pearl Harbor Descent Summary

Devola and Popola will do you the courtesy of showing up again, too (if you had visited the Resistance Camp earlier, they wouldn't have been here).

Go to Pascal's Village to proceed. Since its Access Point is currently offline, let's get there on foot (either from the Resistance Camp or, a bit more quickly, from the City: Near the Tower Access Point).

Pascal's Village

Reactivate this Access Point too, and speak with Pascal to get the...next fetch order.

If you haven't done so yet, ditch the chipset used for Hegel and go back to Critical+Taunt (+Weapon Attack Up if you can spare the space).

Go to Forest: Center, get the Rigid Tree Bark (a Collection Point on the ground near a tree (between its roots) in the red-marked area), and then give it back to Pascal to continue. Shortly after that, speak with Pascal once again and he'll give you a mandatory story quest.

Quest # 27 - Vanquish the Bad Bot
Location: Pascal, in Pascal's Village (mandatory story quest).
Request: kill the target (it's in the lowest level of the village; get there from the ladder near the shops).
Reward: Medium Recovery x 2, Sturdy Socket x 3, Memory Alloy x 2; 3,000 G; 1,600 EXP.

After completing this mandatory quest, two more (optional ones) will appear in the village -- let's take care of them!

Quest # 28 - Play With Us!
Location: Children Machines, Pascal's Village (upper level).
Request: speak with the shop-owner here in Pascal's Village. Then travel to the Amusement Park and go fetch the necessary items (5x Toy Material).
By now, I hope, you should have Item Scan on at least one of your chipsets, so finding these items (as always, they will be special collection points) won't be hard at all. In any case, three of them will be in the area around the Access Point (two on the ground around the amusement ride; one more on the rooftop after crossing to the other side of the area), while the other two will be in the area beyond that (where the tank miniboss spawns in each playthrough; one is on the ground on the left, the other up the stairs near the rollercoaster ride).

Bring the items back to the shop-owner in Pascal's Village, and some architectural changes will happen in the area! Now THAT's a fetch quest I don't mind doing. Find the children in the village (highest level) and speak with them to receive your reward.
Reward: Silver Ore x 5, Plant Seed x 5; 3,000 G; 2,000 EXP.

Moreover, a new chest can be accessed from up there:
-  Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/1q5ryQ0.jpg)

Quest # 29 - Storage Element
Location: Pascal, in Pascal's Village (after completing Play With Us!).
Request: basically the machine equivalent of organ trafficking, go fetch the Storage Element in the Abandoned Factory. Thankfully it's in the "original" part of the area, and not the underground one. Simply backtrack until you get to the red-marked area, where you will find a bunch of unusual enemies waiting for you -- smash them up to get the item, then report to Pascal to complete the quest.
Reward: Full Recovery; Dye x 3; Moldavite x 2; Meteorite; 10,000 G; 2,000 EXP.

We are done with quests for the time being -- we'll do the last of them (you should only be missing three: Half-wit Inventor (requires money), Reconnaissance Squad (requires enemy data), Emil's Determination (requires defeating two level-99 secret bosses) after completing this last playthrough, in the post-ending game section.

Right then, it's all story from now on!

Pascal's Village & Resistance Camp

Speak with the machine on the upper level of Pascal's Village (marked with the usual icon), and then fast-travel to speak with Anemone in Resistance Camp -- you'll receive the Book: "Pensées" (a key item) and a Gold Ore.

After this, you'll be forced on to go back to Pascal's Village on foot.
NOTE: on Very Hard, make the five-seconds slight detour towards the Access Point "City: Near the Tower", so you can save the game.

You'll then have to fight a series of enemies (the Access Point in the area where you fight will be restored after killing the nearby enemies; you can actually use it to save again, if you want).

The only tricky enemy will be, for a change, the linked-sphere type (the flying snake). I found that fighting him with Bomb on the small bridge on the upper level makes things easier (I'm talking about the bridge that, if you remember, led to the NPC Jean-Paul (the philosopher guy)).

Make sure to clear the bottom area as well (I leave it for last), which will make another linked-type spawn on the upper level (for this one, I simply chase him from behind while Bomb nukes him out).

You'll know when every enemy is dead because you will automatically start a call with Pascal, who will invite you to the Abandoned Factory.

Abandoned Factory

Save the game outside. It's not particularly important this time, but you may want to make these changes to your equipment/chipsets for the upcoming fights:

Equip a Combat Bracer as light weapon (on your second Weapon Set maybe), so you can hold down Square for a fast mass-Taunt
Create a chipset (modify the one you used against Hegel) containing Shock Wave +8, Taunt Up +8, and Offensive Heal +8 (if you have them)
Then go in, and speak with Pascal -- when presented various options, pick the first two for some extra dialogues, or go straight to the third one to advance the plot.

Two enemies will show up; after killing them, go out and deal with the rest.

Beware: all of these enemies are capable of using that "electricity aura" defensive move, so make sure they are not using it when you launch your own attack. On Very Hard you may want to rely exclusively on Bomb attacks while running in circles/dodging for this part, since enemies have a sudden respawn around you and dodges won't protect you from their electricity-barrier.

If not, then you may want to consider going Berserker and using the aforementioned setup (Combat Bracer for fast Taunt; then switch back to Weapon Set 1 and use Ancient Overlord as your primary weapon) -- with Taunt Up +8 and Shock Wave +8 (especially along with Berserker mode, and maybe even a Melee Attack Up (L) item), the enemies will simply melt under your attacks.

After killing a bunch of normal enemies, it'll be tank time -- ideally, another Bomb attack with Taunt supporting it will take these new enemies out in one assault (if not, the previous setup will also make quick work of them).

When the tank goes down too, some scenes will play and a pretty cool section will follow-up. I won't spoil it, but from a gameplay information I have to point out a couple of things:

You don't actually take damage from the first waves of enemies
When it'll be 1v1, make sure to continuously use the light attack button (tap Square) to repeatedly hit and stagger the opponent, and don't wait too long before attacking, since the attack animation is slow enough that by the time it actually occurs the enemy should have walked right into it. In fact, you can (should) pretty much start your attack animation as soon as the enemy starts moving, and then simply tap Square to chain consecutive hits right after the first one
Even on Very Hard, in the "1v1" section you won't actually die in one hit, but rather you'll take some damage. Still, you can easily avoid all damage if you initiate the first strike and then keep punching before the enemy can recover from your previous hits
More scenes after that, and you'll be given a choice: either kill a certain NPC, or erase that NPC's memories. The second option will be a lot more lucrative, since it unlocks a new shop in Pascal's Village, so make the "right" decision and pick the second option (Right... Do it.). There is also a third option, which is walking away without doing either of the previous two.

Below are the three possibilities and their "rewards". Note that, later on, you'll be able to use Chapter Select to replay this sequence and change your decision (so you can get all the possible rewards, eventually):

Kill Pascal: this earns you the Pascal's Core (a special Material item)
Erase Pascal's memories: no immediate reward, but a new shop will be opened in Pascal's Village
Walk away without doing anything: this will spawn a special Collection Point in Pascal's Village (see picture below) containing the Pascal's Book (another special Material item) (http://i.imgur.com/fNqZOkr.jpg)


*Chapter 15 (Continued)

Technically speaking we are back in Chapter 15 at this point, albeit for a very brief sequence.

We're back in 9S's shoes. An all-too-familiar situation seems to be playing out here in Flooded City, but thankfully there are no enemies or timers to worry about. Also, the nearby Access Point can be used to fast-travel to the Resistance Camp, where you'll get back to normal functionality.

As you walk out of the Resistance Camp, the Pod will mark your next destination on the map -- it's the last key-tower dungeon, and it's accessed from the Amusement Park.

For the next dungeon you should probably use a chipset containing Taunt Up +8, Shock Wave +8, and Weapon Attack Up +8 (we don't really need Critical, and since we'll be playing as 9S we don't need Offensive Heal either).

*Chapter 16

Amusement Park Tower

Reach this one from the main street (walk north towards the opera house). As you ride the elevator, something will happen, and you'll have to do the same thing again (go to Amusement Park, and go towards the tower again). If you are on Very Hard, make sure to save the game before you go to the tower again.

First floor:

Open the chest with 1,000 G in it (it's in the middle of the room) to spawn the enemies. Fight them all, and on to the next floor
About the enemies, they are rather normal enemies. Just be careful in the second wave (after you kill the Small Stubbies and a handful of flying ones), because one of those "machinegun" guys will spawn (he spawns in the middle of that wave of enemies, somewhere west; he's the only one on the ground level). If you don't mind the "excessive precaution", feel free to use a triple-charged M Shield program of your Pod to get some immunity, too
Second floor:

Kill the enemies. Again, M Shield can help cleaning up the room with less concerns for your survival, if you are on Very Hard. The first wave of enemies shouldn't be a problem
The second wave shouldn't be a problem either: there are four couples of Small Stubbies with guns in four opposite corners of the room, on some platforms, while on the ground there are some Small Stubbies with shields and electricity on said shields -- shoot them with the Pod first, then use Taunt-attacks to kill them easily and safely (9S "throws" his weapon at them, so even their arm-circles attack shouldn't be a problem; even less-so if you have that nice Shock Wave +8 chip too
Third and last wave, a single linked-sphere type -- either hack him, or Bomb him (add a Taunt after you release Bomb, for extra damage)
Third floor:

Again, some killing to do. Watch out for the occasional "flying mine" (the beeping enemies), and make sure to kill them as soon as they appear/you notice them. You can't reach the enemies on the higher platforms, so rely on Pod attacks to kill them (just regular fire from Pod A). You can Taunt them and enhance yourself with Ranged Attack Up (L) if you'd like to speed it up
The second wave is just two enemies on the ground. They will spam orbs of both types all around themselves -- if you have the Ancient Overlord to level 4, its Bullet Rupture ability will allow you to cut right through the orbs, and reach them in melee range safely, where you can spam more melee attacks supported by Taunts. Alternatively, there is always Bomb (or M Shield)
If you want to go all the way back outside and save the game, "just in case" (don't do it on Normal; you may want to consider it on Very Hard), then feel free to do so. You'll have to backtrack all the way though, and to be honest there are very safe strategies that you can deploy against each of the upcoming bosses (especially if you are well-prepared), so...it's not really necessary, and I wouldn't recommend it. It is possible though. And no, in case you are wondering, you won't be able to meet up with A2 if you go outside :p

Fourth floor:

Empty aside from a couple of Collection Points (I got Meteorite and Moldavite from them once; then again, on other runs I got Copper Ore, so...)
Fifth floor: boss fight. I strongly recommend using a Counter-based strategy for all the next fights, since it's by far the fastest (and actually easiest) way of killing the boss(es).

Boss - Operator 21O (Level 60)
Oh yea baby. A video of this fight done fully with the Counter strategy can be found at the bottom, after the text explanation. There are various different approaches, however, but I honestly think that Counter is particularly easy to pull off in this particular case.

The boss starts the fight with an electricity shield that we need to break. The "shield" can attack you with two basic attack types: orbs, or lasers. You can easily out-shoot the orbs (at first, anyway; after doing enough damage, the dark-red orbs will come out too), and jump up to avoid the lasers. If you have the Ancient Overlord, keep spamming melee attacks at the orbs to clean them up faster than they can respawn.

The tricky part might be removing said shield: running along the two "threads" of electricity there is a yellow orb, a weak spot just like the linked-sphere type enemies. How do we get to it safely? Bomb of course. You could do melee damage too, but why risk it when Bomb can kill that orb so effectively, and safely? That's one way to do it then.

If you have Counter you can "walk into" it and deal tremendous damage (especially, as always, if you are on Very Hard and you are using HP-boosting chips as well). In fact, you can two-hits-kill the shield just by making a couple of steps into it. As dangerous as it sounds, if you do this right as the fight begins (that is, before the first orbs/lasers come out) you are basically guaranteed to Counter successfully and break the shield without a problem (see video). If you miss your chance early on, you can still use this Counter-based strategy rather safely during the laser attacks (walk into the electricity shield from the space between two lasers).
One the shield comes off, the real boss will be accessible. At first this new enemy will be stunned, so get some free hits in before she "awakens".

This "real boss" actually only uses melee combos, and while they are fast, they aren't exactly unpredictable. You can win easily in many ways: Counter shouldn't be hard at all (just keep tapping LS into the boss); Critical-Taunt-supported hit and runs work well too. Or you could use P Shield and go do safe full melee combos (with a Critical+Taunt setup, and maybe even Weapon Attack Up in there too, I'd be surprised if the boss can outlast the P Shield).
After defeating the previous boss, another one will come out to play.

Boss - Auguste
This one has a main body, and several smaller "balls". The boss has several attacks available:

The "balls" can bounce around the area and damage you if they hit you
They can also "float" around the area and damage you if you come in contact with them
The balls can also form long and deadly arms for the boss, from where he can then use other kinds of attacks. In particular...
...the boss can "shoot" the balls towards you (easy Counter here)
...the boss can send them to you like a snake chasing you
...the boss also has a spinning attack where the balls remain attached to his sides and he just spins around (easy Counter here). Standing close to him tends to "trigger" this attack more often
...the boss has a frontal-smash attack too
The actual body of the boss doesn't have any attack of its own (he doesn't kick you, headbutt you, or anything like that)
As the fight advances, Small Stubbies will come out to annoy you a bit. While not dangerous on their own, they can be quite a distraction -- make sure you eliminate the boss as soon as possible after they show up (again, if needed feel free to resort to some cheap tactics, like a full assault with P Shield)
In case you are wondering, for "shield" purposes, the balls will do melee damage (so P Shield will protect you against them). Also, you can't "break" the balls (eheh *ahem*), since they are just part of the boss's body.

After winning the fight, approach "Big Brother" (the Small Stubbies won't attack you, don't worry) for some scenes.

*Chapter 17

You will get the Park Access Key, and your next destination will be "The Tower" -- warp to City: Center, save the game, and continue.

Hacking into The Tower

I'll let you know when we are reaching the point of no-return.

Now that you have the "keys" you can hack the three "columns" around the main tower -- do so. After that, proceed to hack The Tower's entrance proper, just to find out that you can't seem to have enough time to actually hack it because enemies will come and disturb you. Cease hacking when the enemies show up, and after a few seconds a cutscene will trigger, giving you a better chance at hacking the door open.

After some "help" comes your way, beware that there is a hidden "timer". You'll have plenty enough time to complete your hacking here once your "allies" show up, but keep in mind that, after a few minutes, if you haven't completed the hacking yet they will eventually succumb and you will trigger the "joke" Ending V. There are a few things I'd like to point out about this otherwise self-explanatory section:

Once the allies show up, enemies won't focus you down anymore. This means that you'll be mostly safe from their attacks. The only bad thing that can happen is if you get hit, by accident, by enemies fighting the allies. This shouldn't happen, since the allies are smart enough to fight away from your position; still, it can happen, as unlikely as it might be
You can actually wander off far enough to save the game at the "Deep Cave" Access Point. If you save the game at that Access Point, and then reload, this sequence of the story will be reset to the point before you attempted hacking The Tower (you can hack it again, so enemies show up again, then your allies come, and everything proceeds normally as always). "Why does this matter?" -- it matters because this trick (saving the game during this sequence) will be very useful to farm Weapon Attack Up Chips later on
If you hear this line, you are running out of time: "We...we can't hold out like this"
If you hear this line, you are almost completely out of time: "9S! I can't do this anymore!"
If you are wondering if it's somehow possible to skip the allies reinforcements, it actually isn't possible. I tried using a character level 99 equipped with Resilience chips (so you can continue hacking the door even if you take damage), and kept my healing up, but once you reach a certain percentage of hacking the game will automatically trigger the cutscene where the allies come and reinforce you
On an even more trivial note, I actually even tried to cheat this section and insta-hack The Tower to bypass the checkpoint when the cutscene triggers. The result was that the hacking minigame proceeded normally as if the cutscene had triggered. So no, there is no way, even if you cheat, that you can skip the allies reinforcements :p
Once the hacking is done, you will receive an Intel of the "Novel" type: Devola & Popola's Memories.

The game will ask you if you want to read the Novel now -- it's kinda interesting, especially if you played the original Nier and know who Devola and Popola were. Also, reading the novel adds a little bit of dialogue between 9S and his Pod during the elevator ride into the tower (nothing special, but still extra content).

During the Novel there will be a couple of "options to choose from": in reality they won't change the content of the Novel, just a few lines of dialogue immediately after the choice you picked, so don't overthink it and just pick whatever option you like better.

If you decide not to read the Novel now, you can do so later at any time (access it from the Intel menu).

The Tower

If you are on Very Hard, I would recommend going outside to save the game -- it's not THAT unlikely that you'll get hit in one of the next fights (if you've played before, you know the one I'm talking about).

Inside the tower there will be occasional enemies. If you are on Very Hard, don't get caught off guard -- Counter is my preferred method of execution for these ones, since they use repeated and fast melee attacks. If that's a bit too risky for your tastes, then simply use Bomb. The first two enemies will actually spawn right next to the first chest of the area:

1 - Project Gestalt Report 9 (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/6xoYjXj.jpg)

Two more enemies will show up after going up the next stairs. One more enemy will then appear after hopping through a broken bridge kind of path. Enter the next room for a sort of mini-bosses fight.

Mini-bosses fight - 14x Bubblebutts (2B models)
There are fourteen fast-moving enemies to deal with here. Good news is that they die fast. Bad news is, if you are on Very Hard you can easily die faster.

The best setup in a situation like this one is, in my opinion, an Overclock+Bomb/Wave fest (I personally prefer Wave in this case, since you can use it from afar and is very effective against such a large number of enemies). In other words, equip your best Overclock chip and spam the dodge button. As you do so to move away from the enemies, keep charging Bomb/Wave with your Pod. When it's fully charged, release Bomb when you are absolutely sure that you are safe (ideally, dodge an attack to activate Overclock, then gain some distance, then release the attack from afar). Make sure to spam dodge after releasing the attack, just in case anyone came close to you during it.

After clearing the room, feel free to open the fantastic chest on the west side:

2 - Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/Og0rX9F.jpg)

Then approach the marked body on the ground to proceed.

You'll find yourself outside once again. Take this opportunity to go save, then go back in. Near the entrance you can speak with the two NPCs for some dialogues (where were they when I backtracked to save with 9S?).

 

NOTE: this is basically your last chance to backtrack and save the game. After the next room, you won't be able to leave The Tower until you complete the game (thankfully the game will feature checkpoints instead of giving a regular Game Over, if you fail after the point of no-return).

Back inside, you'll be able to continue further into the tower. There won't be any enemies on the way to a "library" area (which I'm sure you'll recognize if you played the original Nier).

In the library there is a locked door on the lower floor, some collection points, and a couple of chests in the two rooms upstairs:

3 - Medium Recovery (http://i.imgur.com/PASadwK.jpg)
4 - Small Recovery

(Seriously, devs? This is what you put in the chests of your last dungeon?)

Examing the glowing spots in the library, both downstairs and upstairs, to receive some Archives (you'll need to do some easy hacking first. If you seem to be stuck while hacking, just break every black block you can find to remove barriers and create a path):
- Library Index
- Human Server Records
- Class 1 Patient Health Record

More scenes will trigger.

After that, you will resume playing as 9S, and after a bit of more hacking, and then you'll be able to snag another chest:

5 - Project Gestalt Report 11 (Archive) (http://i.imgur.com/8onHpIx.jpg)

Make your way forward to trigger some more fights. They aren't anything special (just watch out for the electricity-enemies, which you may wanna just Bomb away to stay safe). You will receive another Archive afterwards: the [Top Secret] YoRHa Disposal.

Mini-bosses: 6x Flight Units
The next fight is going to be quite a bit more annoying, on the other hand: you'll have to deal with several "flight units" (one first; then two at once; then three at once) which have both melee attacks and projectile attacks (you can't Counter the latter), plus a laser attack. Ideally, a swift Critical+Taunt beat-up (supported by Overclock if you have it; regardless, spam dodges) should kill them somewhat quickly and safely.

When that's done, boss fight time.

Boss - Ko-Shi (Part 1)
Another crab-ball? Ok. All this one does, for now, is spam missiles at you -- dodge them (easily), then counterattack with regular melee combos before he attacks you again. With Critical+Taunt he should "die" in very few hits. Do note that he can start using jump attacks after you take down enough of his health.

Once he's gone (literally), the door in the library will open, giving you access to the next area. There are no enemies here, but there is a precious chest with a Powerup Part L in it -- make sure to get it (no worries if you missed it, you can come back to it later):

6 - Powerup Part L (http://i.imgur.com/T0lFfLe.jpg)

Examine the pedestal in the middle of the room to continue to a...hacking sequence? Not really.

Virtual Space

Note that dying in this area won't result into a game over; instead, you will resume from the start of the hacking sequence/virtual space (it acts as a checkpoint).

Proceed forward, and after a short while enemies will start attacking you. When this happens, attack them back (regular melee attacks will do just fine -- they die quickly and they don't really have much in terms of offensive abilities). You may want to use Shock Wave here, but it's really not necessary.

If you have played the game before, and know how this sequence of events ends, note that you still need to kill enemies until the Pod gives you his "proposal": then, and only then, you can stop attacking and start running in circles.

After the Pod gives you his "proposal", you'll have to "stop fighting and wait for a bit". If you have the Ancient Overlord level 4 instead of running in circles it might be much better to stay in a corner (I stood near the "entrance" to the platform where the fight takes place, i.e. where you came from, near the barrier that prevents you from going back), and use melee attacks to slash the orbs as they come. Thanks to Bullet Rupture from the Ancient Overlord, you'll easily keep safe until the hidden timer runs out and you can continue.

After another scene, a bunch of enemies will start fighting each other. Do not intervene at first; just stay back, enjoy the show, and prepare a Wave/Bomb to kill the survivors in all safety.

The Tower

(There is another checkpoint here)

Boss Fight - Ko-Shi (Part 2)
This time the boss will use different attacks. Expect some melee slashes (vertical, and a scissor-like horizontal attack that covers the whole area (jump to avoid)), as well as his old "laser knife" attacks (again, vertical and horizontal). He will go down fast with Critical+Taunt, but you may also want to take care of the "snake" around the platform (he will respawn though, so...). For the "snake", simply use Bomb to make him go away, or just ignore him altogether.

In any case, your goal is to do enough damage to the boss so that his HP gauge disappears. After that, just wait a bit (stay as far back as possible to dodge their attacks more easily) and the fight will be temporarily put on hold.

A short flight sequence will start, and then another boss fight.

Boss Fight - Ro-Shi
This one is a flight-units fight. This means no Taunts and no Counters. Oh well, we can still use Melee/Ranged Attack Up (L) for some extra power, and if you open with the "Pod Program" right away you should do enough damage (or almost enough damage) to make the boss's HP gauge disappear. Then just wait a bit to put this fight on hold as well.

The boss is nothing special on his own, thankfully. He has some annoying massive-orb attacks (including melee-orbs), so you may want to avoid close-range combat after you have released the Pod Program missiles (which require you to be close to him for maximum efficiency). Make sure to spam the light attack anyway, to swipe and clean up the orbs coming at you.

Once the scene goes back to A2, you'll have to fight some regular enemies. The first wave is nothing special (Shock Wave +8 will help dealing with the arm-circl, but the second one might be annoying due to the many projectiles involved. It's not a bad idea to use M Shield here, just for safety, and then rush the hell out of the two main enemies (on either side of the platform).

The boss fights will now go back and forth between the one and the other, but the rules are the same every time: do enough damage to the main guy/kill all the enemies, then hold on a bit, and the scene will switch to the other fight. Do this a few times, until the bosses end up dead for good. It shouldn't be particularly hard; make sure to use the Pod program (missiles) attack with 9S on the boss every time you have a chance to do massive damage quickly.

(There is another checkpoint here)

Boss Fight- KoRoshi?
This enemy can be a real pain to deal with, since he can use very fast and massive orb attacks, and he also has an electrical barrier around. We can exploit the latter to our advantage, as always, by using Counter (possibly with HP +100%; you should know this by now) and walking into the enemy. It's a bit tricky, due to the enemy's size, so I wouldn't recommend it as a primary option for your offense.

The enemy can also use rapid melee hits, spin attacks, a tail-stab attack, and a jump attack, all of which are excellent openings for a Counter (make sure you jump up yourself after his jump attack, since there will be a shockwave too). He also has an occasional laser attack, which you can dodge or M-Shield. For extra safety you may want to use keep M Shield charged on your Pod, so you can release it if the laser attack (or the orbs attacks) come up.

The boss can also use the "bomb-balls-spawning" attack. If he does so, since these bombs tend to be rather tanky and numerous, I think it's best to just run away from them and let them detonate (kill themselves) -- the arena is big enough that you should be able to keep a safe distance from them at all times.

I wouldn't advise a Critical-Taunt strategy, since the boss is too sudden in his moves to reliably react in time to his attacks. Countering his melee attacks is, I think, the best way to handle him (plus there is a checkpoint just before the fight, so it's no big deal if you mis-time the Counter).

Boss - Final Boss
A choice will be given to you now. The choice you make determines who the final boss is.

Choosing the first option leads to Ending D
Choosing the second option leads to Ending C
(There is a checkpoint after you make your choice)

There is no "right" or "wrong" choice. Moreover, you are just about (after this fight) to finish this playthrough, which will then unlock Chapter Select. With that feature you'll be able to come back to this fight almost instantly, and pick the other option (the one you didn't choose the first time) to see how the story events unfold if you make the other decision. So don't overthink it, pick whichever you like best, and enjoy the final battle.

Strategy-wise, on Very Hard you want to start the fight by running in circles to avoid the projectiles; as you do so, charge M Shield. When M Shield is fully charged, release it, and then go end the fight either with Critical+Taunt, or Counter. In particular:

Use Critical+Taunt (you should also consider Melee Attack Up (L)) if you are against 9S [filler space], since this enemy doesn't like to use melee attacks much (so obviously using Counter isn't very reliable)
Vice-versa, use Counter if you are up against A2 [filler space], since this enemy loves melee combos
After the fight:

If you chose the first option, after the fight you'll be given two more options: these only slightly change the narration during the Ending D
If you chose the second option, after the fight you'll have to simply walk up a bunch of stairs until you get to your destination
Either way, the credits will roll once again (and, again, you can skip them like a cutscene).

After your third playthrough you will finally unlock:

Chapter Select: this can be accessed from Access Points or after you Load a save file from the Title Screen menu
Debug Menu: this can be accessed by Loading a save file from the Title Screen menu. It's not particularly interesting to be honest, but feel free to mess around with it a bit if you'd like
You will also have obtained a few items: Heavy Armor A, Heavy Armor B, Camouflage Goggles, A2 Wig (these are all Costumes)
Also, you will have obtained the Machine Research Report (Archive)
Lastly, you'll be told that the "strange woman" in the Resistance Camp has something else to speak about...long story short, she sells achievements/trophies for in-game currency (and they actually get unlocked). I'll make a special effort to keep comments on this to myself
*Ending E

Of all the possible post-ending game content, the first thing we'll be doing is getting the "true" Ending E.

To do so, use Chapter Select and go to Chapter 17-09. From there, pick the "other" choice (the one you didn't pick the first time) to get the other Ending (C or D) you didn't get the first time.

Once you have both Ending C and Ending D, during the credits (which now can't be skipped) a minigame will become available. To play it, "accept the Pod's request" (twice). If you accidentally chose "No" (refuse their request), the minigame won't trigger, but you can trigger it again by completing the game (either Ending C or D) again. If it comes to that, use Chapter Select and pick Chapter 17-10_2, since it's the fastest way to go back to the credits.

After selecting Yes, a "shmup" minigame will start, and you need to complete it all to get Ending E. Some notes in regards to the minigame:

If possible, make sure to accept help from others (need to be connected to the Network): completing the minigame on your own can be really hard and frustrating (it has checkpoints, but it's very long and becomes rather difficult later on), whereas doing it with the "help from others" completely turns it around and actually becomes kinda fun.
If (yea, no "if"; when) you die, you'll be asked various questions. Some are more obvious than others, but you always want to pick "No" in order to be able to continue the minigame (if you pick Yes you'll give up and end it. In this case, you'll need to get Ending C/D again to trigger this minigame in the credits again).
WARNING: after completing the minigame for Ending E, you'll be asked if you want to delete your save data, to "sacrifice your data to help others" or something like that. If you decide to do so, you'll be asked confirmation multiple times. If you keep confirming your intentions to do so, you will really lose your save data.
There are no special prizes or rewards for deleting your save files, aside from having your name randomly pop up for someone else when they "accept help" during the minigame.
If you do want to delete your data, you should probably back it up first, so you can re-download it (or copy it back into the storage system of the console you are using to play) and have your game back. If you don't do any of this, the save data loss will be permanent.

If you are on PC, the saves directory should be in this path: Users[Username]DocumentsMy GamesNieR_Automata . You can simply copy the whole folder and paste it somewhere safe (even on your Desktop if you want); then feel free to let the game erase your data, and simply copy the folder's original content back in its place after the game deletes the saves.
Just in case you are stubborn like me, I'll repeat it again. DO. NOT. REFUSE. HELP. It will only cause you frustration, and there are no special rewards for you at the end for completing it all on your own, either (trust me, I checked).

After getting Ending E, we are finally done with the story, and we can proceed to the proper post-ending game content.

Walkthrough - Extended
(Continued)

Post-Ending Content

Here is a general "roadmap" of what we'll be doing:

Max out our G (money) count with an easy and quick exploit.
Buy the Chips for our ultimate chipsets.
Get to level 99.
Visit and clear Emil's Residence (dungeon).
Do the quest Half-wit Inventor.
Buy and upgrade all Weapons.
Upgrade all Pods to max. If you don't care about this for completionism purposes, you should still upgrade at least Pod B to max since it will help with the DLC. If you don't have the DLC, then you can skip this part.
Finish the last two quests (Reconnaissance Squad is a big grind; Emil's Determination is the strongest boss of the game, excluding DLC).
If you care about it, get all the Fishing/Unit Data.
Complete the DLC.
Let's get to it, one thing at the time!

Max out your G

We'll be exploiting the fact that items have different buy/sell prices depending on whether you are on Route A (the "first playthrough"), Route B (the "second playthrough"), or Route C (the "third playthrough"), and we'll combine this with the Machine Discount ability tied to the "machine" weapons (sold in Pascal's Village).

Follow these steps to "prepare" the farming process:

Go to Chapter 17-03 and visit Pascal's Village. Here, check Pascal's Shop and purchase the Machine Heads weapon.
Save the game, then (from the Access Point) go to Chapter 07-01 (as 2B). Here, again in Pascal's Village, purchase the three weapons for sale: Machine Sword, Machine Axe, Machine Spear.
At any weapon shop, upgrade each of these four "machine" weapons to level 2.
While you are at it, also upgrade the YoRHa-issue Blade weapon to level 2.

If for some odd reason you don't have the (extremely common) Materials to do so, then make a quick detour to the Amusement Park's shop (it sells Copper Ore and Crystal) and/or Emil's Shop (his "low-quality" Materials shop sells the Broken Key, Rusted Clump, and Stretched Coil).
The actual farming/exploit is done in these steps:

Chapter 04-02 (2B): purchase 99x of each of the items for sale from the shop in Amusement Park. This adds up to a total cost of 2,485,890 G.
When done, go back to the Access Point (here in the Amusement Park), save the game, and then Chapter-Select the next step.

If you don't have the money to buy 99x of all (and you most likely don't, at first), then simply buy as many Materials as you can.
Also, feel free to skip the Materials that are worth very little G (the double-digit ones), since they contribute very little to the exploit.
Chapter 14-03: sell everything you bought in the previous step to earn 1.875x times the amount of G invested. This gives you a net profit of 0.875x the amount of G invested, with a max net profit (per trip) of 2,175,000+ G.

Save the game, and then repeat steps 1-2 until you have "enough" money.
Each time you do the exploit it will take about 4 minutes to complete (loading screens included).

"I have an idea to make this process more efficient!" -- no, this is already as efficient as it can be. The only "tweak" you can make is avoid purchasing the less-expensive Materials, since they are objectively not really worth the time to buy/sell every time. Aside from that, the most time-efficient shops and Chapters to do this exploit on are the ones I wrote.

It's not exactly "instant millions" right away, but once you have kickstarted this process properly, it will be only a matter of minutes before you can max out your G count at 10 millions (ok, ok, it's actually 9,999,999 G, you get the point).

"Do I actually need to max out the G count, or can I stop earlier?" -- you pretty much have to max it out, since the Weapons, Chips, and Materials (plus all the Upgrades and Fusion costs) we'll be purchasing are overall very expensive. You also don't want to get just enough G to do everything. In fact, from now on, if at any point your G count is getting to less than 2,000,000 G, then do the exploit a couple of more times -- you don't wan to be below 2,000,000 G, since that's about the amount you need to make the most out of each repetition of the exploit.

Got it? Good.

The Ultimate Chipsets

To Buy, or to Farm, that is the question...

...or is it?

You can start farming Chips for hours and hours to eventually be able to get +8 [Diamond] chips (+8 Diamond = 21 spaces occupied). The obvious advantage to this is that you'll be able to equip more +8 Chips in the same chipset, thus potentially being stronger than you could without Diamond chips
You can do the smart thing and buy +2 Chips (from various shops, depending on the Chip type you desire), then Fuse them together to obtain +8 [28] Chips. While each of these Chips occupies 7 additional spaces compared to their Diamond counterpart, rest assured that EVERYTHING in the game, including the hardest DLC challenges, can be defeated easily with +8 [28] Chips, on Very Hard difficulty
I clearly have a strong preference for the second option, but that's not because I'm "lazy and don't want to farm". I totally get that having Diamond chips may seem like the smart thing to do, like "a good investment that will save me headaches later on and make fights easier", but this is actually false. The reason why it's false is that even with "just" +8 [28] Chips enemies will die so quickly that having more +8 [Diamond] chips is simply overkill.

Here the issue becomes something among the lines of "does it matter if I do 10,000 HP of damage instead of 8,000 HP of damage when the enemy has 5,000 HP?", and you have to consider that to do 10,000 HP of damage (random numbers, I'm just giving an example to make a point) you need to farm for hours and hours to get +8 [Diamond] chips, whereas you could get +8 [28] chips (to do 8,000 HP of damage) from just a few minutes of shopping. In yet other words: is it worth spending hours and hours to get something you won't actually be able to practically benefit from?

The only major practical difference between +8 [28] (purchased) and +8 [Diamond] (farmed) really is the fact that +8 [Diamond] chips take hours to farm, whereas the +8 [28] chips can be bought in just a few minutes. I'm not exaggerating, I'm not underselling Diamond chips: it's just the way it is.

To be fair, it's also true that, sometimes (actually just once, in the hardest of the DLC battles in Flooded City), you'll need to switch between different Chipsets depending on the enemy you are facing. If you do have +8 [Diamond] chips, then you'll be able to have a single Chipset that contains enough Chips so that you will need to switch between Chipsets slightly less than what you need to do if you have +8 [28] chips only. However, from a practical standpoint, we are still arguing whether opening the menu a couple of extra times during the single hardest series of fights in the entire game is such a major nuisance for you that you would rather spend hours and hours farming +8 [Diamond] chips instead of doing that (opening the menu a couple of more times).

I hope I've made the point clear (and don't worry, I'll show you I'm right in the DLC section), and you can see how silly it is to argue if +8 [Diamond] chips are worth the time to get them for practical reasons: there is no argument, they are not worth it. Period.

Now, if you want to argue that "I just want Diamond chips because I'm a completionist/perfectionist", OR if you are after something very specific in terms of maximum potential (for example you are interested in setting a personal/world record in fastest kill time for a boss, or fastest clear time for the DLC), then I will let you do your own thing and redirect you to the Chips section, where you can find all the information you need in regards to farming Chips.

However, and this is the last time I say this (I promise), if all you care about is completing the game with the most time-efficient setups possible, which is also almost as strong and gameplay-efficient as it can possibly be, then you definitely want to do so with purchased chips, since they will save you at least a solid dozen hours of real-life tedious grinding. And, for the last time, this includes DLC (which feature the hardest fights in the game) completed on Very Hard, and you will not need "crazy skills" to compensate for the lack of Diamond Chips.

Useful Chips List

Alright then, what do we need? We'll be using the shops in Resistance Camp, in the Forest zone (the one between Commercial Facility and Forest: Center's access point) for some Chips, and the Valley shop (the one in the crevasse, from the machine that also Fuses +8 Chips) as our sources of +2 Chips. For a couple of farming-related Chips we'll be using Pascal's Village too. You can do the shopping in almost any Chapter/Route (the cost of Chips won't be affected by the Route); Chapter 07-01 is a good one, for example.

"Why do we buy +2 Chips now?" -- because anything higher than that (+3, +4, +5, or +6 Chips) for sale will result into +8 [35] Chips (less space-efficient), just like the ones from Emil'Shop for example. On the contrary, anything lower than that ("+0" or +1 Chips) will result into a higher overall cost, plus the nuisance of having to Fuse more chips. Once again, trust me on the Maths, this is the best choice if you are going to buy Chips.

From Pascal's Village (not Pascal's shop; we need the regular Item Shop) purchase the following (total cost with the discount: 384,000 G):

64x EXP Gain Up +2 (6,000 G each)
In case you didn't buy Drop Rate Up chips earlier (way back in your first playthrough), then purchase also 3x Drop Rate Up +2 chips (additional 3,600 G)
From the Resistance Camp, purchase the following (total cost with the discount: 179,200 G):

64x Weapon Attack Up +2 (1,400 G each)
64x Ranged Attack Up +2 (1,400 each)
From the Forest item shop (between Commercial Facility and Forest: Center), purchase the following (total cost with the discount: 1,120,000 G):

64x Critical Up +2 (7,000 G each)
96x Shock Wave +2 (7,000 G each)
From the Valley chips shop, purchase the following (total cost with the discount: 1,257,600 G):

80x Offensive Heal +2 (1,200 G each)
64x Deadly Heal +2 (6,000 G each)
64x Last Stand +2 (1,200 G each)
104x Overclock +2 (6,000 G each) (you can only buy 99 at the time, so buy the rest after purchasing the first ones
64x Taunt Up +2 (1,200 G each)
Farming one little Chip?

Now, if you are really lazy, purchase an additional 4x Offensive Heal +2 (we need these four to make an extra Offensive Heal +4).
If not, it might be better to spend a few minutes to actually farm some lower-level Offensive Heal from the Forest Zone. The reason for this is that a +4 Chip from purchased chips will occupy [16] slots, which still allows us to have very good setups, but ideally you would probably prefer having an Offensive Heal +4 [14 or lower] Chip, since this will allow for some extra space where you can put the HP Gauge [2] chip. I'll tell you where to farm it in a moment.

It goes without saying, but you can also aim even higher, and go after an Offensive Heal +4 [Diamond], or maybe an Offensive Heal +6 [Diamond], or whatever -- the higher you aim, the more you'll have to farm. The important thing here is just this: with Offensive Heal +4 [16] (purchased) you won't have room for HP Gauge (which is not crucial, but it's useful if you plan on doing the DLC); with Offensive Heal +4 [14 or lower] (farmed in a few minutes) you will be able to equip HP Gauge too.

You know I'm a big advocate of "don't waste time farming", but in this particular case I say it's worth spending a couple of minutes farming Offensive Heal +4 [14 or lower]. It's up to you though, being able to see the HP Gauge MIGHT help you during one of the DLC fights (its practical purpose is to let you know if you are running low on HP for Berserker mode, in which case you must try to attack something quickly), but then again with the right strategy (which I'll give you) you are almost guaranteed to not need it since you'll always have plenty enough health to keep Berserker going.

So, where do you farm Offensive Heal? Make sure you have a chipset with Drop Rate Up +90% effect (you should have Drop Rate Up +3 and Drop Rate Up +4; combined together, they give the +90% maximum effect. If you didn't make these Chips earlier, then equipping 3x Drop Rate Up +2 will also give you the +90% effect).
Go to Route C (for example Chapter 13-04), and get to the Forest Castle: Front, and from that access point (the one outside the Forest Castle) go across the bridge back towards the Forest, and you will encounter a group of 3x "animal-shaped" (Quadruped Machine) enemies. Kill these three enemies, and get their loot -- hopefully there will be some Offensive Heal +2 drops in there. Backtrack towards the Access Point, and midway through the bridge open your pause menu and Quick Save; then Load the save you just made, and repeat the process.

You don't need to farm much. In fact, there is a very good chance that the first four Offensive Heal +2 you get will be enough to Fuse an Offensive Heal +4 [14 or lower] chip. As a general rule, if the sum of the cost of the four +2 chips you get is 44 or lower, then fusing them together will give you an Offensive Heal +4 [14 or lower].

Fusing the Chips

In total, you'll want to obtain these final Chips from your purchased Chips (Fuse them all at the Valley store in the crevasse) (all these Fusions will add up to a total cost of about 3,000,000 G):

EXP Gain Up +8 [28]
Weapon Attack Up +8 [28]
Ranged Attack Up +8 [28]
Critical Up +8 [28]
Shock Wave +7 [24]
Shock Wave +8 [28]
Offensive Heal +8 [28]
Offensive Heal +6 [21]
Deadly Heal +8 [28]
Last Stand +8 [28]
Overclock +5 [18]
Overclock +7 [24]
Overclock +8 [28]
Taunt Up +8 [28]
Lastly, either Fuse four more Offensive Heal +2 (purchased) into one Offensive Heal +4 [16] (which, again, I for one don't recommend), or Fuse the Offensive Heal you farmed into one Offensive Heal +4 [14 or lower].

Re-maxing your G count

You should probably max out your G count again before continuing -- after a "level up and secret boss" break we'll need to spend a few more millions for Materials, Weapons, and Pod upgrades.

Getting to level 99 

 

Choose a Chapter played as 9S where the Amusement Park is accessible (for example, Chapter 17-01 puts you near where you need to be). You may want to set the game difficulty on Normal while farming, just to simplify it (we are just farming after all).

We'll be farming the "Golden Bunny" statue in the square of the Amusement Park. You want to be at least level 50+ before doing this, but doing all the quests and proceeding through the story should have already taken care of that. If not, beware that "waking up" the bunny will take quite a bit longer (even a few minutes the first time).

We'll use two different Chipsets:

On one chipset, put Weapon Attack Up +8, Critical Up +8, Taunt Up +8, and Last Stand +8
On another chipset, put EXP Gain Up +8 (and, why not, Drop Rate Up +90% total effect)
Start with the first chipset, and kill every enemy in the square. When it's just you and the (idle) Golden Bunny statue, Self-Destruct so you go to 1 HP (thus activating Last Stand), and then use a Melee Attack Up (L) if you have it (you really should). Once ready, Taunt the Golden Bunny statue (it won't move yet, but you'll see the "Taunt steam of rage" coming out of its top), and then start doing melee ground combos.

Depending on your current level, it may take a few hits to a few minutes (in which case, renew Taunt and Melee Attack Up when they expire) before the enemy wakes up and start moving/attacking. Don't worry if you don't see damage numbers displayed on the screen, since the enemy is taking damage regardless (you can temporarily equip Offensive Heal to confirm this, since by reading how much HP you recover you can indirectly deduce how much damage you are dealing).

Once the enemy finally wakes up, enter your menu and switch to the second chipset (with EXP Gain Up +8); then start hacking the enemy over and over again, gaining thousands of EXP in the process (cumulatively, that's about 19,000 EXP from hacking alone), until the enemy eventually dies (dropping even more EXP). When it's over, save the game at the nearby Access Point (no need to go all the way back to the actual Access Point; a few meters ahead of the square you'll already be in range of the Access Point to save from your pause menu), reload, and repeat the process (don't forget to re-equip the first chipset to wake up the bunny).

It really won't take long at all before you reach level 99, so do just that to rapidly make your character that much stronger for the upcoming challenges.

Emil's Residence & First Secret Boss

When shopping at Emil's Shop, he often told you to come visit him at his house, "very deep underground". It's finally time to do so, and subsequently defeat the first secret boss (which is somehow related to Emil's Residence).

Please note that this could be done much earlier too -- technically speaking you could have defeated the first secret boss (but not the second one) even at level 50 or so (and possibly even lower), on your second playthrough. Practically speaking, it's extremely easier to kill this secret boss now. Maybe even a bit too easy, actually...anyway.

Choose any Chapter playable as 9S where Emil's Shop is available. For example, choose Chapter 07-01. Before you can fully access the Emil's Residence dungeon, you'll need to find Emil's Shop which, as always, starts by default (for the first time) south of the Desert: Camp Access Point. Speak with him once -- this opens up the whole Emil's Residence dungeon.

The entrance to Emil's Residence dungeon is found through a pipe in the crater area of City Ruins (kinda like the pipe that leads to Flooded City). In particular, the pipe you are looking for is located on the eastern side of the crater, and can be accessed from the upper level of City Ruins (the "normal", non-collapsed part). See picture if necessary: http://i.imgur.com/sidjray.jpg



After going through the pipe, on your right there will be an elevator -- ride it down.

Emil's Residence (Dungeon)

Map (http://i.imgur.com/94EOeBB.png):



This place is really dark, and has many annoying enemies on the way. There are treasures, as you can see, both in the form of regular and hack chests. I didn't forget about Scanner Treasures; I simply couldn't find any in this whole dungeon.

The actual Emil's Residence is that small area southeast; the rest is just tunnels.

There isn't a lot to say about this place, so let's just get looting. You start on the "highest" level, from where you can access the first three chests:

1 - Silver Ore x 3 (http://i.imgur.com/j2dv6NM.jpg)
2 - Amber x 2 (http://i.imgur.com/l1Y4shK.jpg)
3 - Meteorite (http://i.imgur.com/EbRqrSI.jpg)

Near the third treasure there will be the edge of the highest level. From there you can jump down, but depending on "how deep" you jump down you will access one of three possible lower levels -- try to land on the next-highest (the first you can land on) level.

On the second-highest level you will find two more chests (one regular, one hack):

4 - Broken Key, Broken Circuit, Warped Wire (http://i.imgur.com/7GZNauL.jpg)
Hack Chest 1 - Project Gestalt Report 7 (http://i.imgur.com/jiR6KPe.jpg)

You can't access the two chests on the other half of this level, since a cave-in blocks your path. Therefore, head back west, and jump down to the next possible level below. From there (the second-lowest level), you'll be able to access two more regular chests:

5 - Titanium Alloy x 3 (http://i.imgur.com/jVn4kdT.jpg)
6 - Memory Alloy x 2 (http://i.imgur.com/VdAHSHR.jpg)

Go back west once again, and descend even further down down below to reach the bottom level. From there, collect the last three available chests as you make your way east:

7 - Titanium Alloy x 3 (http://i.imgur.com/zLZl1G6.jpg)
Hack Chest 2 - Project Gestalt Report 4 (http://i.imgur.com/WzLcWF3.jpg)
8 - Amber x 2 (http://i.imgur.com/5COJWMp.jpg)

Keep going east all the way until you come across two consecutive doors, which should open up for you if you spoke with Emil back on the surface. In that case, you'll be able to access the actual Emil's Residence area, where you will find a special Collection Point (the yellow star on my map):

Yellow Star - Emil Mask (http://i.imgur.com/7TMeuan.jpg)

Pick this item up (it's an Accessory by the way), despite the game's attempt to stop you (it will tell you that you may "upset" someone by picking this item up) then head back west and use the elevator on the bottom level to backtrack to the surface. From where the elevator leaves you, go right to leave this place.

City Ruins

We now need to find Emil in the City Ruins again. As always, he should spawn in either of his two possible locations/along either of the two possible routes he has. Any place will do just fine, so as soon as you see him (if you can't find him, save and reload to reset his spawn until you find him) shoot him with the Pod to stop him like you always do, and then speak with him.

After checking his store, he will say something about the item you took from his house earlier.

At this point we are ready to continue, but before doing anything it's definitely worth saving the game, since our next actions will activate the first secret boss of the game.

Once you are ready, head back into the Emil's Residence dungeon.

Emil's Residence

You need to make your way back to Emil's Residence (the actual house area, southeast on the bottom level). Thankfully you can ride the elevator you previously used to backtrack in order to quickly return to the bottom level. Do so, and then check Emil's Residence to find a new, hack-chest here:

- Emil's Head (http://i.imgur.com/Avk8aSZ.jpg)

Note: the "Emil's Heads" is an Accessory. There is a weapon with a very similar name (Emil Heads); we'll actually get the weapon soon enough.

After opening it, prepare your chipsets (and set the difficulty you desire; you may still be on Normal, if you previously switched it from Very Hard to farm the Golden Bunny more easily) for the upcoming secret boss fight, and backtrack -- as you head back outside the boss fight will start. You don't need any special preparations, but if you are level 99 then you can win very easily with Critical+Taunt+Weapon Attack Up+Shock Wave. The Ancient Overlord level 4 will make this fight considerably easier.

A Counter-based strategy can also be used, but it's definitely not worth it unless you are severely underleveled.

Secret Boss - Emil [filler space] (level 99)
This boss is as dangerous for his attacks as he's weak in his defense. Here is a breakdown of the possible attacks:

Run-you-over: the boss tries to run you over (you would have never guessed, I know)
Spin attacks: when approaching him, the boss will most likely use many consecutive spin attacks, where both the front and the rear part of the boss will cause damage to you
Laser beam: he charges up a laser, then spins it around the room
Bouncing orbs: not just a standalone attack (he can summon them, then start doing something else), the boss actually summons orbs that keep bouncing around the room until you destroy them. Even though you can't tell from their appearance, they actually mostly behave like "dark-red" orbs (i.e. they won't be destroyed by projectile attacks)
Ray of death: when down to critical HP, the boss will start spinning very rapidly in place. The spinning does no damage on its own, but after a few seconds of "charging" this attack, the boss will softly scream "Emil!" and instantly kill you. Nothing, not even cheat codes, can save you from this attack, so your only option is to finish the boss before he's done charging the attack
The Ancient Overlord lv 4's second ability, Bullet Rupture, will help immensely in clearing up the room of all those bouncing orbs. Then again, if you are level 99 with the chips I recommended earlier this fight will be a joke and barely last a few seconds.

Since there is no point in posting a video of him getting shredded by a couple of hits when I'm level 99 with the proper setup, as a bonus footage, just for fun, here is a video with a Counter-based strategy, fighting this boss (on Very Hard) at level 52:



Note that you can't kill him with Counter attacks/Self-Destruct, so at low levels finishing him off with hacking is the only option at this early level (every other attack would do 0 damage, even with Critical, Taunt, Weapon Attack Up, Last Stand, and Melee Attack Up (L)).

After the fight, make sure to pick up the forced loot from the boss, which includes (among common stuff) the unique weapon Emil Heads (http://i.imgur.com/tWZGTw6.jpg).



After that, we are done with this dungeon, so backtrack outside and continue with your business.

It's worth pointing out that, if you fail to collect the Emil Heads the first time, you'll actually be able to find it again as a Collection Point in Emil's Residence (either where he dropped it, or on the table; see picture: http://i.imgur.com/NYE7Dxp.jpg).



NOTE: if you leave the dungeon, then save, then reload, you won't be able to find the Emil Heads weapon again. You are not doomed yet though; you'll just have to use Chapter Select to reset the side event. Proceed as follows:

Use Chapter Select. Again, pick a Chapter after Forest Kingdom events with 9S playable, for example Chapter 07-01. Then repeat every step.
This means you'll need to go to Desert: Camp, and then south from there to meet up with Emil "for the first time". Then you need to go to the previous dungeon, Emil's Residence (the elevator will be unavailable on the highest floor until you re-use it from the bottom floor), again. You will see that Emil Mask is available to pick up again -- attempt to do so, and the game will tell you that you have "full capacity" for this item (so you won't actually be able to pick it up; it will bounce off of you, and back on the ground).
Keep proceeding like you did the first time: find Emil in City Ruins again, and he'll tell you about the robbery. Then visit Emil's Residence again to find the respawned hack-chest containing Emil's Head (the accessory); just like Emil Mask, the game will say that you are at full capacity, and you won't actually pick it up again. Then backtrack outside, and the boss fight will be repeatable -- the boss will drop Emil Heads (the weapon) again. Try not to miss it this time ;)
Upgrading All Weapons/Pods to level 4

We now have to buy and upgrade all weapons to level 4, since this is the requirement to unlock the quest Emil's Determination. As we do so, we'll also complete the quest Half-wit Inventor. In fact, let's start by finally doing that.

Quest # 30 - Half-wit Inventor
Location: Scientist Machine, on the path between Amusement Park and Pascal's Village.
Request: donate a cumulative amount of 180,000 G. You can donate any amount at the time, but to make it faster just donate 20,000 G at the time.
Rewards (1,000 G+): Copper Ore, Rusted Clump, Broken Circuit.
Rewards (2,000 G+): Silver Ore, Down Attack Up (Chip).
Rewards (5,000 G+): Medium Recovery.
Rewards (10,000 G+): Meteorite; Reset +1 (Chip).
Rewards (20,000 G+): Speed Salve (L), Impact Bracer (L).
Rewards (35,000 G+): Choice Sachet.
Rewards (55,000 G+): Dented Plate, Crushed Nut.
Rewards (80,000 G+): Meteorite Shard; Charge Attack Up +3 (Chip).
Rewards (180,000 G): he opens up his shop; quest completed.

The Choice Sachet will make animals "wait for you" outside of safe area (like Resistance Camp) and near Access Points. Almost pointless at this point of the game, but then again investing 35,000 G for just this item alone earlier would have been a major waste of money. So...

The best reward from this quest is arguably the fact that this NPC will open up his shop for you now. He doesn't sell much, but he sells two Materials you can't buy anywhere else, as well as an Accessory (the Alien Mask) which you also can't obtain anywhere else.

With his shop available, we can now purchase all the many Materials needed to upgrade all our weapons to level 4. Prepare yourself for a long shopping list.

Purchasable Materials

Please keep in mind that this list includes the Materials to upgrade ALL weapons from level 1 to level 4. You probably won't need as many Materials as are in this list, because you probably already upgraded some weapons by now (for example the Ancient Overlord should have been level 4 for quite a while now). Then again, with all the money you have it's not worth bothering to calculate how many Materials you exactly need after factoring the upgrades you have already done, so I'll give you the list as if you still had all weapons to level 1.

Likewise, don't bother switching between Route A and Route C to do your shopping: Route A is sometimes cheaper, but again, money shouldn't be a cause of concern. Just to give you some numbers, between the Materials and Upgrades we are going to spend between 2,589,210 and 4,337,256 G, and most of the difference will depend only on whether you purchase Materials from Emil on Route A (cheaper) or Route C (most expensive).

While we're here, I'll also add in the purchasable Materials to upgrade Pods. Many of the Materials to upgrade Pods must be farmed/collected though. So here's the list, shop by shop, of the Weapons and Materials to upgrade them:

Pascal's Village - Scientist Machine shop (the Half-wit Inventory NPC) (total cost if bought on Route A with discounts: 150,000 G; on route C with discounts: 250,000 G):

Meteorite Shard x 6
Meteorite x 19
Emil's Shop (Weapon & Materials Shop) (total on Route A: 820,000; on Route C it would be 1,788,750 G):

This is one of the two possible shops, the "good shop" when he spawns and runs fast close to the area outside of Resistance Camp. If he sells +6 Chips, try again. You should know how his shop works by now
Weapons: Angel's Folly and Type-3 Fists
Memory Alloy x 38
Pristine Screw x 12
Large Gear x 21
New Bolt x 18
Clean Nut x 12
Sturdy Socket x 12
Pristine Cable x 21
Large Battery x 21
Emil's Shop (low-quality Materials Shop) (total on Route A: 262,400 G; on route C it would be 590,256 G):

This is the other possible Materials shop, the "bad shop" when he spawns and runs more slowly close to the area leading to Abandoned Factory/in the west side of the crater
Rusted Clump x 95
Dented Plate x 76
Titanium Alloy x 57
Broken Key x 75
Warped Wire x 34
Stretched Coil x 34
Broken Circuit x 50
Stripped Screw x 32
Small Gear x 56
Rusty Bolt x 48
Crushed Nut x 32
Dented Socket x 32
Severed Cable x 50
Broken Battery x 56
Amusement Park Shop (total on Route A with discount: 527,160 G; on Route C it would be 878,600 G):

Copper Ore x 100
Iron Ore x 80
Silver Ore x 60
Gold Ore x 40
Crystal x 80
Pearl x 27
Black Pearl x 18
Pyrite x 51
Amber x 34
Moldavite x 20
Tree Seed x 20 (for Pods)
Plant Seed x 10 (for Pods)
Tree Sap x 6 (for Pods)
Torn Book x 20 (for Pods)
Tech Manual x 10 (for Pods)
Thick Dictionary x 6 (for Pods)
Tanning Agent x 10 (for Pods)
Dye x 6 (for Pods)
Natural Rubber x 20 (for Pods)
Machine Oil x 6 (for Pods)
Filler Metal x 10 (for Pods)
Resistance Camp (total cost with discounts: 42,000 G):

Buy the two "other" weapons available: Beastbane, Beastlord (the third one is Ancient Overlord)
Buy the two weapons from Devola's Shop (requires being in Route C; for example Chapter 14-03): Type-3 Sword and Type-3 Blade
Pascal's Village - Pascal's Shop (must be on Route C, after erasing Pascal's memories during the story in Chapter 14) (total cost with discounts: 52,650 G):

Machine Arm x 26
Machine Leg x 18
Machine Torso x 18
Machine Head x 16
Farmed Materials (for Weapons)

This is the whole shopping list, which will allow us to upgrade almost all Weapons to level 4. There are several Materials (just one for Weapons; quite a few for Pods) that must be farmed though. Let's check them out.

Beast Hide x 40. These are the only Materials needed for weapons that can't be bought, but there is a good chance you won't need 40. In particular, subtract 5 from this amount (40) for each of these weapons that you already have at level 2 or higher: Virtuous Contract, Cruel Oath; Virtuous Treaty, Cruel Blood Oath; Virtuous Dignity, Cruel Arrogance; Virtuous Grief, Cruel Lament.

Where to farm Beast Hide? Not too many options here, really: you could use Chapter Select to repeat the quest The Weapon's Dealer Request, but it would probably take too long between loading screens and walking around. Instead, I recommend that you go to the Forest to farm. Do you remember the area where you did the quest Turf War? If not, go to Pascal's Village (use Chapter 07-01, or any Chapter after Forest Kingdom), and take the shortcut to the Forest from the village. Shortly after going through the gate between Pascal's Village and the Forest, go left to find a confined area with many animals in it.

Just for reference, this picture shows the area on the map: http://i.imgur.com/pp0BHBy.jpg

Make sure you have difficulty set to Easy here, so you speed things up and don't risk dying by accident. Kill all the animals in the confined area, and then jump off the tree trunk to fall down through the map (http://i.imgur.com/HP9NhcM.jpg). You will be respawned in the confined area, and the animals will be respawned too -- kill them all, and rinse and repeat until you have enough Beast Hide.

Make sure to shoot with the Pod too: while your main source of damage will be melee attacks, the Pod fire can stop the animals from running away from you (or at least it slows them down).

It's worth pointing out that with the Quality/Choice Sachet (you should have both by now) the animals won't attack you even after you hit them first. Also, falling through the map will cause you to take some damage, but it will never kill you (the most it can do is taking you down to 1 HP). Therefore, you shouldn't actually need to worry about dying/healing, because there should be nothing here to kill you. Still, just to be safe, even though I never got hit back by animals I recommend that if you heal with some recovery items, just in case.
Farmed Materials (for Pods)

If you don't care about upgrading Pods (you really want to upgrade Pod B if you want to do the DLC; if not, then upgrading Pods doesn't really have a practical use in any upcoming fight of the base game), you can skip the next Materials-farming, since all of these Materials are only used to upgrade Pods:

Mushroom x 20: this item can be picked up in the Forest, so simply run around with Item Scan and Auto-collect Item until you have enough. It goes without saying, but after cleaning up the whole Forest you just need to save-reload to reset the Collection Points. This one shouldn't be too bad
Giant Egg x 6: same as the Mushrooms, it's a pick-up in the Forest
Eagle Eggs x 10: same as the previous two, it's a pick-up in the Forest
Pure Water x 20: this item can be picked up in Flooded City. It'll take a while to gather enough; be patient
(Simple Gadget x 20): we dodge a bullet here, because we will receive enough of these items from quests and Scanner Treasures that we won't need to actually farm them. If you've been following my walkthrough you will have enough of them (and a couple to spare); if not, use the Search feature of your browser to look for the Scanner Treasures containing it. And if you sold Simple Gadgets or something like that, refer to the Materials section to see where you can farm them
Elaborate Gadget x 10: we are not quite as lucky here. There is only three Elaborate Gadgets to be found from Scanner Treasures; you can get FIVE of them from the quest Sorting Trouble 2; you can get another FIVE of them from the quest Reconnaissance Squad (which we haven't done yet); you can get TWO from clearing 40 stages in the Arcade minigame (refer to the corresponding section of the walkthrough for more information). So we actually have plenty enough to not need to farm them, but that's assuming you want to finish the quest Reconnaissance Squad (which is a lot of grinding on its own already). If you want or need to farm Elaborate Gadgets, refer to the Materials section to see where you can farm them. If not, and if you plan to complete Reconnaissance Squad too eventually, wait until you've done Reconnaissance Squad
Complex Gadget x 6: if you thought the previous two were bad...you were right, because this one is extremely easy to get. Not only you actually get six of them from various sources, but you can actually get FOUR of them at once if you use Chapter Select and replay Chapter 2. In Chapter 2, exploit the quest The Weapon Dealer's Request, which will place four Complex Gadget on the map in fixed-spawn locations. Instead of giving the Complex Gadgets to the quest-NPC, use it to upgrade the Pods. If you need even more Complex Gadgets, use Chapter Select again
Powerup Part L x 3: you should have plenty of these, but you may not know why -- the reason is that the Golden Bunny (the one you used to farm EXP in Amusement Park) drops them.
Powerup Part M x 3: you should have exactly three of these. If for whatever reason you don't, but you have already exhausted their "natural sources" (three chests), you can slowly farm more of them by replaying Chapter 15-02 (one of the last, respawned chests in the Flooded City "recovery unit" tower has this item in it).
Powerup Part S x 3: sorry but these can't be farmed (except if you haven't completed the Golden Robots side event yet), and are available exactly in the amount needed (three) for the upgrades, from various locations/chests. I warned you so many times not to sell these items; hopefully you listened. If not, there is nothing you can do to get more of them
Upgrading Weapons and Pod(s) to level 4

Well, let's not forget that after getting the Materials to do so we also have to actually upgrade the Weapons and Pod(s) to level 4. Once again, Weapons to level 4 is required to activate the quest Emil's Determination, whereas Pods upgrades is mostly optional (there is an achievement/trophy for it though), EXCEPT for Pod B, which is the only one that will be very helpful during DLC challenges. If you don't plan to farm Materials to upgrade all Pods, at least upgrade Pod B if possible.

Pod upgrades can be done at the Resistance Camp's Maintenance Shop. If you do them all, they add up to a cost of 52,500 G.

Weapon upgrades should be done directly at Masamune's Shop in the Forest Castle, since it's the only shop that can do the level 3 -> level 4 upgrade. The total cost, assuming you still have all weapons at level 1, will add up to 682,500 G.

Emil's Determination (Quest) + Second Secret Boss

MISSABLE ENDING Y WARNING: during the second secret-boss fight you will be able to get Ending Y by doing "something". This is the only missable Ending of the game: make sure you save the game on two separate slots before doing the fight, because if you complete the quest you won't have another chance at getting Ending Y unless you start a brand new game from zero. I'll give you more specific details on what (not) to do to get Ending Y when we fight the boss, shortly down below.

After upgrading every weapon to level 4, a new quest will appear in the Commercial Facility. I strongly recommend doing this quest by playing as A2, since we'll want her Berserker mode for extra damage. Pick a Chapter featuring her where Emil is also readily available, for example Chapter 17-03.

You may want to reset your difficulty settings to whatever you like, if you changed them earlier to farm Materials.

The boss doesn't offer any Counter opportunity, and cannot be Taunted either. Therefore the strongest setup you can use might seem to be a chipset with the following: Weapon Attack Up +8, Critical Up +8, Shock Wave +8, Offensive Heal +8 (to keep Berserker Mode active). You'll also want to use Melee Attack Up (L) items, and you probably also want to have M Shield on your Pods since the boss uses a lot of orbs and laser attacks (he doesn't actually have other attacks). Use Ancient Overlord and Iron Pipe as your light and heavy weapon respectively.

However, if you want to be really cheap you can use this setup instead: Ranged Attack Up +8, Critical Up +8, Offensive Heal +8, and also some Ranged Attack Up (L) (one might actually be enough). If you have Pod B upgraded to level 4, this will actually let you kill the second secret boss extremely quickly.

When ready, go speak with Emil in the Commercial Facility, since he's the quest-NPC (if the quest is available, you'll see the red-dot of the quest on your map as soon as you load the Chapter 17-03; you don't need to speak with Emil south of the Desert: Camp or anything like that: if the quest is available, it will be available right away).

Quest # 60 - Emil's Determination
Location: Emil, in Commercial Facility (must have all Weapons to level 4) (http://i.imgur.com/ZSv9kjR.jpg).
Request: kill the secret superboss in the Desert: Center area. READ THE TEXT BELOW to know how to get Ending Y.
Reward: ehr...nothing actually...you unlock a chest in Emil's Residence though (nothing unique in there though).

After starting the quest, fast-travel to Desert: Center, and save the game. Ride the nearby animal to your destination when ready.

Second Secret Boss - Hegel [rehashed] (level 99)
Really? No, really?

I won't give you a strategy for this fight because...well, I already did. The fight is not exactly the same though, and the two main differences are that the "defeated boss parts" will continue to attack (but stop taking damage, and they won't have an HP bar anymore), and that the boss will never go back up in the sky after landing.

If you want to be super-cheap and win this fight very quickly and effortlessly, then you can do so (even on Very Hard) by using Pod B's charged attacks (hold down the Fire button for a few seconds, then release when the charge is ready), if Pod B is at level 4 (this unlocks its charged attacks). With all the enhancements coming from Ranged Attack Up +8, Ranged Attack Up (L) (the item), and Berserker mode, you might actually be able to trash the boss while he's still in the air, or shortly after he lands. It's almost embarrassing, really (watch video if you want).

The most important thing to know for this fight is that Ending Y can be obtained from this fight, but it's optional and therefore (since the fight can't be repeated) missable.

To get Ending Y, proceed through the fight like you normally would, killing the boss's "parts" one by one. After "killing" each of the boss's parts, all but one of the boss's parts will stop attacking. The boss will also start a somewhat long speech, which will be followed by a "call" from Emil. Shortly after that, all the boss's parts will get protected by a shield, but they will also stop attacking (so don't worry if Berserker mode expires at this point). It'll be a while before the chats are over, but eventually the situation will progress. Look at your minimap after the boss stops attacking.

You will notice that the boss's parts will almost all disappear (even from your minimap), and the only remaining boss part will initiate a self-destruct countdown. To get Ending Y you must let him self-destruct. This will fail the quest, but it will give you Ending Y.

After you have Ending Y, repeat the fight and this time hit the self-destructing ball to stop the self-destruction, thus "saving" the situation and completing the quest. It helps to use the mini-map to locate the self-destructing boss part. Also, I recommend that you wait in the area near where Emil (the "real Emil" so to speak) is (red-marked area on the map), since there aren't any invisible walls near it.

Just in case it happens to you, sometimes the self-destructing boss part may be out of boundaries (beyond an invisible wall); if that's the case for you too, then your best option is to hope you can get to it with Pod attacks. If not, try again and hopefully the next time he won't end up beyond an invisible wall, so you can smash him down in melee range.

Video demonstration of the fight done with the Pod B strategy:



The game will ask you to save after completing the quest -- do so, possibly on a different save slot, but make sure you have obtained Ending Y if you intend to overwrite your previous save data: I've said it many times now, but once the quest is completed Ending Y will be unobtainable unless you start a brand New Game from zero.

For what it's worth, after completing the quest you will be able to access a new chest in Emil's Residence (as I anticipated earlier), but it contains a rather relatively shabby item. Note that in order to be able to access Emil's Residence again you'll need to use Chapter Select to "reset" Emil's position on the map; then you have to come across him "for the first time" south of Desert: Camp, and after speaking with him there you'll be able to actually access Emil's Residence proper. You'll find a regular chest there:

- Powerup Part L (http://i.imgur.com/tgLRAll.jpg)

Reconnaissance Squad

I tried to postpone it as much as possible, but eventually you'll have to face this horrible grind if you want to complete every possible quest. I don't know about you, but I was actually at just 89% Unit Data (we need 95%) by the time I had finished everything else in the game. Hunting down the last remaining enemies for some scrap-percentage points will be tedious and time-consuming (plus many enemies are rare ones, and may need quite a lot of save-reload before they eventually show up).

I can't really help you much directly, since you'll have to cross-check which Unit Data you have with the full list. Note that when you are checking your Unit Data (in the Intel menu), any given enemy type may have multiple different "variants" depending on the weapon equipped on said enemy. For example, there are Small Stubbies, but also Small Stubbies equipped with a gun (and several other variants).

Each of the variants counts as a separate entity. In order to check which variants you have, select an enemy in the Unit Data list and press Triangle to toggle between the base form and any and all the variants (different weapons/shields equipped).

I have listed all the enemies, and the locations of the less common ones, in the Unit Data section of the Intel part of this walkthrough.

As a general advice, I strongly recommend that you try to get the Unit Data in the Chapters I said, just in case they are unavailable on other Chapters.

An additional advice about Flooded City, Abandoned Factory Underground, Desert: Center: these locations feature several different "Enhanced Machines" (those with a red body/face instead of the regular grey color) in locations next to each other, so make sure you look for all of them at once when you look for one of them. In particular:

In Flooded City (Route C) you can find these enemies: Linked-sphere Type: Thorn-equipped, Reverse-jointed Goliath, Small Sphere: Gun-equipped. The Reverse-jointed Goliath and the Linked-sphere Type: Thorn-equipped are particularly rare, so make sure to look for both/all of them every time you try to get one of them
In Abandoned Factory Underground (Route C) you will probably be looking for the Goliath Biped: Enhanced Legpower Model. On your many trips to eventually find him, make sure to kill the enemies on the way to also kill (this one is rather frequent) Small Sphere: Axe-equipped
In Desert: Center (Route C) you can find these three enemies: Medium Flyer: Kamikaze Unit, Medium Flyer: Gunner x 2, Kamikaze x 2, Linked-sphere Type: Drill-equipped. The spawn location for the first two is very close to the spawn location of the last one, so make sure to look for both every time you go there
Indicatively, each enemy is worth about 0.53%, which means that to get 95% you can actually leave up to 9 enemies out and still get to 95%. If you don't want to eventually get 100% Unit Data (95% is the amount required for the quest), then these are in my opinion the rarest ones:

Enhanced Machines: Linked-sphere Type: Thorn-equipped (very rare).
Enhanced Machines: Reverse-jointed Goliath (very rare).
Enhanced Machines: Goliath Biped: Enhanced Legpower Model (not terribly rare, but it's a bit time-consuming to get where he can be).
I personally didn't have too much of a hard time finding any other machine. The three aforementioned ones are the only ones that gave me a really hard time (30+ minutes to find each of them), and therefore I strongly recommend that you leave them for last, or even just completely skip them entirely and focus your efforts on other, less-rare enemies.
Quest # 44 - Reconnaissance Squad
Location: collect 95% Unit Data. Partial rewards are given for lower percentages, but the Elaborate Gadget x 5 (the only good reward) requires 95% (quest completion) anyway.
Reward (total): Titanium Alloy x 5, Memory Alloy x 5, Clean Nut x 2, Large Battery x 2, Pristine Cable x 2, New Bolt x 2, Sturdy Socket x 2, Elaborate Gadget x 5, Cure All + Heal All x 1, Meteorite x 2, 25,000 G; 2,500 EXP.

DLC: 3C3C1D119440927

Spoiler Warning

Talking about the DLC usually means talking about some story spoilers. In particular, certain "names" typically come up when discussing the DLC strategies, because of practical gameplay reasons. I'll keep the introductions ("What does this DLC consist of?" and "General Notes about the DLC") spoiler-free, and I will also use the spoiler tag when I make those "names" in the strategies. However, be careful if you haven't finished the game properly (= if you still haven't at least reached the middle of your third playthrough/Route C), because snooping around (google searches, youtube gameplay videos of the DLC) will almost certainly give away some story-related information. Also, don't watch my videos if you haven't reached those points in your story, since they contain "visual spoilers".

What does this DLC consist of?

Well, that's actually refers back to the DLC name itself: 3 Costumes (3C), 3 Coliseums (3C), 1 Dream (1D), followed by the date 11,944/09/27 (27th September 11,944 in the game's calendar) (119440927).

The DLC offers mainly three "coliseum"/"battle-arena" types of challenges. The DLC fights are the most challenging of the game (they surpass by a large margin any fight available in the base game), so despite the high price and relatively little content of the DLC it's probably worth the purchase for those of you that enjoyed the gameplay and would like to challenge yourselves with something more difficult than the regular enemies and bosses of the base game.

There are three separate "arenas", each with its own challenges. The easiest of them all is the Forest DLC arena, which is actually played with hijacked machines (if you have the right machine (I'll let you know which one is the one), the whole arena will be incredibly easy). The Desert DLC arena offers several fights with particular conditions, such as "fight without the Pod", or "fight without using dodges"; its hardest challenge is a time-based series of fights. Lastly, Flooded City's DLC arena offers the hardest fights of all, and it culminates in a rush of consecutive enemies and boss fights set at level 130-140. Exciting, right?

Each arena has several separate challenges of increasing level/difficulty, so you can actually work on the DLC as you progress with the story. However, for the purpose of keeping things simple, in this guide I will focus mostly on the last (and by far hardest) challenge of each of the three arenas, since those are the only ones that you most likely need help with. Therefore, expect me to talk about being level 99, and having the "Ultimate chipsets" obtained in the post-ending game farming. If you intend to try your skills earlier (which isn't a bad idea, since every fight of the three coliseum arenas will become incredibly easy if you wait until you are level 99 with the best Chips), then feel free to do so.
In addition to this, the game will also give you three special Costumes as reward for completing the "easier" levels of each coliseum.
"The Dream" refers to the additional sequence unlocked after completing the three arenas.
General Notes about the DLC

After purchasing the DLC, you will receive an email notification in your Inbox (in-game). Open the email from any Access Point to start some DLC-related quests (they are automatically completed once you clear the DLC).

When playing the DLC fights, losing (dying) won't result into a Game Over. Instead, you will simply fail the challenge, and respawn as if nothing happened.

As I mentioned earlier, I will focus on the hardest of the challenges of each Coliseum arena. I will assume that you have the powerful chips I suggested Fusing in the post-ending game content.

To give you a recap, almost all of the Chips I wrote were purchased as +2 Chips (from various shops), and then turned into +7 or +8 Chips. The setups I recommend will work well on Very Hard. The Chips we'll use in the various fights are the following ones [the number in brackets indicates the chip cost]:

Weapon Attack Up +8 [28]
Critical Up +8 [28]
Shock Wave +7 [24]
Shock Wave +8 [28]
Offensive Heal +6 [21]
Offensive Heal +8 [28]
Deadly Heal +8 [28]
Last Stand +8 [28]
Overclock +5 [18]
Overclock +7 [24]
Overclock +8 [28]
Taunt Up +8 [28]
Offensive Heal +4 [14 or lower] (this is the only one that you must farm a bit)
System Chips: OS Chip, HUD: Mini-map, HUD: HP Gauge
2. The recommended weapons are (all level 4): Ancient Overlord; Iron Pipe; Demon's Cry; Fang of the Twins.

3. Pod B upgraded to level 4 is strongly recommended, thanks to its charged attack.

4. Both P Shield and M Shield (Pod Programs) will be used in certain fights.

5. You can never use Items during DLC fights.

6. It's recommended to make these changes to your game Settings:

Zoom-out the Camera as much as possible to have better view
Remove the change-Pod shortcut (D-Pad_left/right): you'll be switching Weapon Sets quite a lot (especially in the Desert DLC), and since you'll never switch from Pod B to anything else there is no point in having those two buttons assigned. I found that I occasionally switched Pod by accident when switching weapons, and this tweak to the Control settings really helped
If necessary, lower the Music volume to zero (I found that it helps me concentrate better; you may be different though)
7. Enemies during the DLC battles don't belong to the Unit Data, and they don't give any EXP or loot.

8. Beating DLC challenges for the first time gives a fixed primary reward. Beating them a second time gives a secondary reward which can be obtained as many times as you want (by repeatedly completing the challenge). Most of the Chips (and basically all of the good ones) can be obtained in their +6 version (random Cost) as rewards from the special (strongest) rank challenges. The secondary rewards for the special ranks are fixed (always the same +6 Chips); the secondary rewards for other ranks are relatively random (it can be several different Chips), and they consist only of +3 Chips.

DLC: 3C3C1D119440927
(Continued)

Desert Coliseum

The entrance to the Desert Coliseum is somewhere on the western side of Desert: Center. See picture below (http://i.imgur.com/P5FGl5p.jpg):



The first six fights of this arena are a bit particular, because they require you to fight in certain conditions/with certain limitations. The enemies themselves are nothing special though. Here are the conditions and rewards for the first levels.

Trial 1 (level 25)
Condition: you can't use the Pod (Taunting with it is allowed, even though you don't have any Pod visible on screen).
Reward: 2x each of these items: Ranged Defense Up (L), Melee Defense Up (L), Melee Attack Up (L), Ranged Attack Up (L), Impact Bracer (L), Speed Salve (L), Skill Salve (L), Large G Luck+.

Trial 2 (level 35)
Condition: you can use the dodge button.
Reward: Dented Plate x 4, Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Titanium Alloy x 3.

Trial 3 (level 50)
Condition: win within 3 minutes.
Reward: Memory Alloy x 2, Amber x 2, Gold Ore x 2, Black Pearl x 2, Moldavite x 1, Meteorite x 1.

Trial 4 (level 60)
Condition: fight in the dark; Pod's light is not allowed, so you can't Taunt with it. You can still Taunt with the Taunt animation, if you are in Route C (Route C spoiler: use A2).
Reward: the following Chips: Reset +6, EXP Gain Up +6, Drop Rate Up +6.

Trial 5 (level 70)
Condition: fight on the platforms. Shock Wave +8/Bomb charged to level 3 will help.
Reward: the following Chips: Anti Chain Damage +6, Vengeance +6, Damage Absorb +6.

Trial 6 (level 80)
Condition: don't get hit. Using P/M Shield is allowed, so do that.
Reward: Sand Mask.

Special Trial (level 90)
Kill as many enemies as possible within 5 minutes. The ultimate goal is to kill 150+ enemies to get the best reward.

The enemy waves are fixed, and they end with a Tank and some kamikaze enemies before looping back from the first wave. You need to do a "full lap" (kill every unique wave of enemies) and then kill a few more of the "second lap" (the first wave of enemies) to get to 150 kills, although there is some difference depending on how many kamikaze enemies you kill.

It's strongly recommended that you do this one on Route C (story spoiler of Route C/Chapter 12+ : this means you should use A2), so you can mass-Taunt with the Taunt animation and you can use Berserker mode for double damage output. Recommended setup:

Weapon Set 1:
- Demon's Cry
- Iron Pipe

Weapon Set 2:
- Ancient Overlord
- Fang of the Twins

Chipset A [127/128]:
- OS Chip [2]
- HUD: Mini-map [2]
- Weapon Attack Up +8 [28]
- Shock Wave +8 [28]
- Offensive Heal +6 [21]
- Overclock +5 [18]
- Taunt Up +8 [28]

Optional Chipset B [116/128]:
- OS Chip [2]
- HUD: Mini-map [2]
- Weapon Attack Up +8 [28]
- Shock Wave +8 [28]
- Deadly Heal +8 [28]
- Taunt Up +8 [28]

You want to use Weapon Set 1 as much as possible because it allows faster Taunt animation (Demon's Cry is a Combat Bracer), and the second ability of Demon's Cry (Devil's Hatred) will make defeated enemies explode, thus speeding up the killing process on the nearby enemies.

Weapon Set 2 will be used specifically against enemies that either use orb-attacks (Ancient Overlord has Bullet Rupture), or enemies with a shield (Small Stubbies with the shield, mostly) (Fang of the Twins is a Large Sword, so it can pierce through the shields safely when you use a dodge-counter/heavy attack with it).

Keep using Pod B attacks all the time (release its charge whenever possible, as a general rule).

Chipset A is good enough to clear almost everything in the various fights, but you might want to switch to Chipset B immediately after defeating the Tank (last wave of enemies), so that you can take advantage of Deadly Heal +8 to fully recover your HP against the kamikaze enemies (if you don't do so, there's a high chance that Berserker mode will expire before the next fight starts). Then go back to Chipset A as soon as the next wave spawns/after killing the last Kamikaze enemy.

Make sure to look at the mini-map in-between waves of enemies, since the enemies spawn in fixed positions (which means you can anticipate where they will appear and move close to their spawn location so you don't have to waste time running after they spawn).

I'll give a specific wave-by-wave walkthrough in the next update. For now, refer to the video below to see how you should proceed:



Reward (150+ kills): Proof of Oath. This is an equippable Accessory that negates EXP received (i.e. you don't get any EXP if you equip it).
You will also receive a plethora of Chips. There were the ones I got:

- Last Stand +6
- Moving Speed Up +6
- Down-Attack Up +6
- Charge Attack +6

- Deadly Heal +6
- Auto-Heal +6
- Max HP Up +6
- Offensive Heal +6

- Ranged Attack Up +6
- Melee Defense +6
- Weapon Attack Up +6
- Critical Up +6
- Ranged Defense +6

- Evade Range Up +6
- Vengeance +6
- Anti Chain Damage +6
- Resilience +6
- Damage Absorb +6
- Reset +6

If you beat this trial again (150+ enemies) you will receive these +6 Chips instead (secondary reward; can be repeated as many times as you want):

- Shock Wave +6
- Weapon Attack Up +6
- Last Stand +6
- Critical Up +6
- Taunt Up +6
- Vengeance +6
- Reset+6

Forest Coliseum

The Forest Coliseum will only be available from the second playthrough/Route B onwards, because (minor spoiler about the early second playthrough/Chapter 09 (NG+) of Route B: you need to use Hijacked machines to play the battles here; in fact, you can only enter this coliseum if you are playing as 9S).

More minor spoilers about gameplay in Route B (Chapter 09 (NG+)) will be necessary to describe the strategies, so stop reading now if you don't want read said spoilers.

The Forest Coliseum is located in Forest Kingdom - Forest Zone, on the northern side of the first half of the area, hidden behind a waterfall (http://i.imgur.com/FFsYRI1.jpg):



Don't bother preparing Weapons/Chips, since they won't affect anything.

As I said in the intro, you will be playing with Hijacked Machines during all the fights here. The machine you play as will have your character's level, so don't bother using Hijack Boost chips because they won't help.

Which machines you can choose depends on which ones you have Hijacked up until then. Don't worry though, you won't need to Hijack many different machines for different fights. In fact, by far the best Machine for all the challenges is this guy here, found in the Deep Cave (http://i.imgur.com/RJhQyr4.jpg):



Note that you may find this enemy here (spider-like enemy, called "Multi-leg Medium Model: Long-range" to be precise) equipped with either a gun or "fang-blades": you want the one with the gun. He's a common spawn in that location (just southwest of the Access Point), so it won't take many retries until you get the one with the gun.

In case you didn't know/forgot, Hijacking (Remote Control) is an option that you get if you hack a machine, with 9S, when said machine is still unaware ("yellow eyes") of your presence. So you need to sneak up on this guy, hack him, then select Remote Control -- this will automatically make him available as a controllable machine during the DLC challenges (he's in the last alcove on the right side of the receptionist in the Forest DLC underground area).

In future updates I'll give you more information on which machines you can play as during this DLC, but trust me when I say that this guy is the best by far: he has very high mobility and extremely powerful attacks, and he also has moderately high HP too (this is important even on Very Hard, since when using Hijacked Machines you won't be killed immediately even on Very Hard). While he doesn't have any melee attack, this won't be a problem because he moves so fast that he can sneak behind Shielded enemies (ideally after they attack you first) and counterattack/kill them before they can turn around again.

Below I'll post the video of the Special Rank, where you can see him in action against all sorts of enemies, which should give you an idea on how to use him properly.



Rank 1 (level 40)
Reward: Young Man's Outfit (Costume).

Rank 2 (level 45)
Reward: Pristine Cable x 2, New Bolt x 2, Large Gear x 2.

Rank 3 (level 50)
Reward: Hijack Boost +6, Heal Drops Up +6, Stun +6, Combust +6.

Rank 4 (level 60)
Reward: Moving Speed Up +6, Fast Cooldown +6, Evade Range Up +6.

Rank 5 (level 70)
Reward: Ranged Defense +6, Melee Defense +6, Offensive Heal +6, Max HP Up +6.

Rank 6 (level 80)
Reward: Ranged Attack Up +6, Shock Wave +6, Overclock +6, Critical Up +6.

Special Rank (level 99)
Reward: Masamune Mask.

Depending on the time it takes you to complete the Special Rank, you may also receive additional Chips rewards. To the best of my knowledge, this is the secondary reward you will get by completing it every time after the first one (can be repeated):

- Overclock +6
- Offensive Heal +6
- Max HP Up +6
- Anti Chain Damage +6
- Damage Absorb +6
- Melee Defense +6
- Fast Cooldown +6
- Ranged Defense +6

Flooded City Coliseum

This one is located behind a building in Flooded City. Before you can get in, you'll have to speak with NPC outside, be persistent, and pay him 1,000 G to get in (http://i.imgur.com/YpMuezX.jpg).



There is nothing special about the first Ranks, so I'll just list the rewards.

Rank E (level 25)
Reward: the following Accessories: Purple Hair, Green Hair, Blue Hair, Brown Hair, Black Hair, Red Hair, White Hair.

Rank D (level 35)
Reward: Desert Rose, Machine Core, Lovely Choker, Precious Earrings.

Rank C (level 50)
Reward: Taunt Up +6, Counter +6, Charge Attack +6.

Rank B (level 60)
Reward: the following Accessories: Light Purple Hair, Golden Hair, Pastel Pink Hair, Lime Green Hair, Light Blue Hair, Ash Grey Hair.

Rank A (level 70)
Reward: Last Stand +6, Down-Attack Up +6, Weapon Attack Up +6.

Rank S (level 80)
Reward: Revealing Outfit (Costume).

After clearing Rank S, the door to the "prisons cells" in this Coliseum will open -- check it out, and open the treasure chest in there to get the Emil's Bullets "accessory".

There are two special fights that take place here in Flooded City Coliseum. The first one is a fight against two secret bosses, while the other one is the Special Rank (the hardest challenge of the game). Let's check the former first.

To engage with the secret bosses, you'll need to speak with the "secretary" on the coliseum bleachers (as you enter them, she's on the left). Keep speaking with her and insist that you want to fight that special "someone", until she eventually lets you do so.



Secret DLC Bosses - Matsuda & Sato (CEO)
The enemies are at level 80. They will die quickly if you are level 99, with Taunt, Critical, and Pod B level 4, so I actually don't really know about strategies for this fight because they died too quickly in my case to even see what their attacks were :D

It's worth pointing out that at the end, before they die, they will raise up in the air and start spamming orbs endlessly. Well, until you kill them (keep firing with Pod B), that is.

Your reward for defeating them will be: CEO Bullets, Matsuda Mask, Sato Mask; Record: CEO.

Special Rank

Alright, time to suffer :D The Special Rank will put you against many waves of enemies and bosses level 130-140. Being level 99 yourself is imperative, and using Berserker mode & Taunt animation (in other words (spoilers of the early third playthrough/Chapter 12+: use A2) is strongly recommended.

The enemies here hit hard, and the very last two bosses at once will be your main problem. You have one hour to complete the battles; I can only assume that if the hour expires the trial will be forced to a stop, but I don't see how could anyone take that long to win anyway. I took my time to play it safe, and with purchased-Chips-only it took me about 7:32 on Very Hard. Speedrunners (on Very Hard, but with farmed Diamond chips) can accomplish a sub-5-minutes time rather easily.

The "hardest" thing about this series of fights is probably figuring what's the best strategy against each wave of enemies. It took me a while to figure a proper strategy that could be used and prepared with purchased-Chips-only, but in the end it really comes down to remembering (or just pausing the game and reading what's coming up next) what to do against each wave, where each enemy spawns, which enemies should be killed first.

There is actually quite a lot to remember, so I suggest that you really write these things down on a piece of paper (or just keep this guide I'm about to give you ready to be read), because it's important to know what's coming and how you want to deal with it.

I'll try to be as thorough as possible in my guide for this last rank. If you want to watch a video demonstration, I'll add the usual video at the end of the text description (in the video I actually use a Diamond chip, but that's only because I wanted to add HP Gauge, Damage Values, and Enemy Data; these three System chips do nothing practical for you, but in the video they'll help you see how quickly your health and the enemies' health changes values). In this case I strongly suggest reading the text strategy though: you may not know/notice the subtle things and reasons behind my choices from watching the video, but I'll be as clear as I can be in the text down below. I know it's a long read, but if you are struggling I definitely recommend investing a bit of time in learning how to be perfectly prepared for what's coming -- reading it all is still a lot faster than learning it by yourself with trial and error (and many, many retries) in-game.

Please keep in mind that my setup and strategy is meant to prioritize safety above everything else. As I said, I still completed the Special Rank in 7:32, which is a respectable time considering that the risky of dying was never real. If you want to speedrun this trial, you obviously will want Diamond chips and a more offensive-based approach.

Preparations:

Weapon Sets 1 and 2 will be:

- Ancient Overlord (light)
- Iron Pipe (heavy)

- Demon's Cry (light)
- Iron Pipe (heavy)

We are actually going to use the first set (Ancient Overlord + Iron Pipe) almost exclusively this time, and we'll only switch to the second set occasionally for the sole purpose of doing faster Taunt animations. When we do so, however, it will be important.

Chipsets will be the main "problem" here, and you'll want to prepare three separate chipsets. We'll be switching between them every now and then -- this is the only drawback of having purchased-Chips-only (except Offensive Heal +4 [14 or lower], which should have been farmed and Fused earlier), since we can't really put all the best Chips we need on the same Chipset. Fear not though: we won't have to sacrifice too much efficiency by doing so (you'll maybe be 5% less efficient than you could be with Diamond Chips, but it's negligible overall, trust me). In fact, even with Diamond chips you should probably still do some Chipset-switching, at least in the parts where you fight Kamikaze enemies (in that case, Deadly Heal is definitely preferable over Offensive Heal).

Not only we'll need to set three different Chipsets; we'll actually need to modify them too against the last two bosses!

Note: the game will auto-sort your Chips every time you reload a save file. If possible, however, sort your Chips in the order as I write them, so it'll be easier to replace the necessary Chips at the end (it's not necessary though -- hopefully you'll only need to do the replacement once :p).

Chipset A [128/128]:

- Shock Wave +7 [24]
- Offensive Heal +4 [14 or lower]
- Taunt Up +8 [28]
- Weapon Attack Up +8 [28]
- Critical Up +8 [28]
- OS Chip [2]
- HUD: HP Gauge [2]
- HUD: Mini-map [2]

Chipset A will be your primary and main Chipset during most of the fights. Against the last two bosses we will remove both Shock Wave +7, Offensive Heal +4, and Taunt Up +8, and replace them all with Last Stand +8 [28] and Overclock +8 [28] (feel free to add Enemy Data and Damage Values in the remaining free space that will be left). I'll explain why in the strategy.

Chipset B [128/128]:

- OS Chip [2]
- HUD: HP Gauge [2]
- HUD: Mini-map [2]
- Weapon Attack Up +8 [28]
- Shock Wave +7 [24]
- Offensive Heal +4 [14 or lower]
- Overclock +8 [28]
- Taunt Up +8 [28]

We'll actually be using Chipset B only in one wave, early on, and then forget about it. In that wave it's will be very useful to have this Chipset though.

Chipset C [118/128]:

- Offensive Heal +8 [28]
- Deadly Heal +8 [28]
- Shock Wave +8 [28]
- Taunt Up +8 [28]
- OS Chip [2]
- HUD: HP Gauge [2]
- HUD: Mini-map [2]
- Feel free to add other HUD chips like Damage Values and Enemy Data in the leftover space

Chipset C will be our "emergency Chipset", used in two waves where there won't be many enemies around/there will be kamikaze enemies, and therefore having strong healing Chips will be necessary to ensure that Berserker mode stays active. It's also useful against Small Stubbies with shields, since they should be killed slowly to be safer (their arms-circles attack is incredibly dangerous), and being slower in your attacks means slowing down your HP recovery too.

Against the last two bosses we will remove Offensive Heal +8 and Deadly Heal +8, and we will put Overclock +8 [28] in their place.

Pod B will be the only one used.

Pod Programs M Shield (start with this one) and P Shield (we'll replace M Shield with P Shield against a specific wave of enemies) will be the only ones used.

I strongly recommend turning down the volume of the music all the way to zero, so you can clearly hear when enemies get Taunted (the "Taunt-steam" noise) -- this helps a lot before you become familiar with the proper timing to execute Taunt before the enemies actually land on the battlefield (you can Taunt them while they are still being "flown" to the ground).

Also, I recommend zooming-out the camera as much as possible to have better awareness and a better field of view in general.

Strategy

Note: when I say "Taunt with Weapon Set 1/2" I mean "Taunt by doing the Taunt animation (hold down the Square button) while having Weapon Set 1 (Ancient Overlord+Iron Pipe) or Weapon Set 2 (Demon's Cry+Iron Pipe) equipped". In general, if I say "Taunt" you should assume I mean "Taunt with weapons" (and not with the Pod's light)

If I say "pre-Taunt", I mean "Taunt them while they are still in the air".

Also, I'll be referring to "north, south, west, east, center" for general directions to indicate the spawning position of enemies. These "compass" indications refer to an imaginary compass aligned with your original, stating point of view. In other words, from your starting position my "north" means "ahead of you", my "east" is "to your right", my "west" is "to your left", my "south" is "behind you". Center, well, is in the middle of the area.

We'll start with Pod B equipped, M Shield ready for later, Weapon Set 2, and Chipset A equipped.

In-between each and every Wave of enemies, make sure to release Pod B's charged attacks at the next wave of enemies before they actually land on the ground, since this will give you some extra HP recovery to keep Berserker mode going.

Wave 1 - Start
A bunch of regular enemies, nothing special. Start by going Berserker mode (they won't be able to hit you in time if you go Berserker mode right away), then Taunt with Weapon Set 2 (make sure you Taunt at least the two Medium Bipeds with shields, since they will be your first victims), then start killing the enemies with either Weapon Set 1 or Weapon Set 2 (you should probably stick with Weapon Set 2 for faster attacks, at least until the two bigger guys are dead).

There is nothing special to point out here, except that you want to focus on killing the two Medium Bipeds with shields, since they are the most dangerous of these enemies (they are fast and have sudden attacks). Make sure to (re)Taunt everyone before using melee attacks on them.

Switch to Weapon Set 1 before the next wave.

Wave 2- Easy group
Two groups of three enemies each will come from the sky -- one from west, the other from south. Pre-Taunt the western group first with Weapon Set 1 and kill them first since they have faster attacks. Then kill the other three.

Wave 3 - Easy group
Two groups of three enemies each again, this time from north and east. Start with the northern group first, then kill the eastern group. Ideally, try to finish this wave when you are in the center of the area, so you can Taunt the two Medium Flyers of the next wave before they can react.

Wave 4 - Small and Medium Flyers
Two Medium Flyers spawn in the middle, and a bunch of (eight I think) Small Flyers all over the place. You may want to switch to Chipset B for this fight, since it has Overclock which can help a bit (but it's really not important).

As soon as the enemies spawn, Taunt at least one of the Medium Flyers. Approach one of them (the Taunted one if you couldn't Taunt both), and they will use their melee attack -- dodge it, and then perform an airborne combo (upperslash (X>Triangle) to go airborne, then light attack combo in the air). Make sure that you do actual combos on them, instead of just hitting them with Shock Wave, since there is a substantial difference in damage output between Shock Wave alone and your Critical Hits (Shock Wave can't Critical Hit) when you physically hit them with your Ancient Overlord.

This part is a bit messy because you may get hit by orbs from the Small Flyers -- hopefully it won't happen, but keep an eye out for those random flying orbs. The Medium Flyers are surprisingly tanky, so as I said earlier try to hit them with the sword and not just Shock Wave, and make sure they are Taunted before you attack. Also, don't take too long to damage the enemies, or else Berserker mode will expire.

After killing both Medium Flyers, quickly kill the remaining enemies. If necessary, switch to Weapon Set 2 to quickly re-Taunt the little flying bastards floating around, then back to Weapon Set 1 to attack. Make sure to use upperslashes and not double-jumps to go airborne, since the upperslash is faster and safer. If necessary, spam Taunt with the Pod too.

Make sure to run to the center of the arena after killing the last of them, and start charging Pod B's attack (but do not release it until I say so).

Wave 5 - Tank
Pre-Taunt the boss with Weapon Set 1. The best time to start the Taunt animation is after you notice the boss's shadow appearing on the ground (in the center of the arena) -- this will make you Taunt the boss as soon as he's about to spawn, if you use Weapon Set 1 (so you have the animation of a Small Sword).

Immediately as soon as the boss lands, release Pod B's charged attack -- this will clear the area from the orbs spammed by the boss. Immediately after releasing the Pod B's charged attack, start charging the Pod Program (M Shield) -- we'll release it on the next wave of enemies.
Also immediately after the boss lands, do a basic ground combo of Heavy > Light > Heavy > Light > ... (Triangle > Square > Triangle > Square > ...). The boss will die very very quickly.

Wave 6 - Phantom Spiders x 8
Try to charge M Shield to level 3 (if you just don't have enough time, at least aim for level 2), and then release it as soon as it's ready (this should happen before the enemies actually land).

Switch to Chipset B as soon as possible after releasing M Shield. Switch to Weapon Set 2.

Taunt the enemies with Weapon Set 2 as soon as possible after doing the previous things.

This wave consists of many (four couples, so eight in total) "spider enemies" (Multi-legged Machines) -- four are equipped with guns, and four are equipped with "claw-blades" (one of each in each couple), and they spawn all around the center of the area. Ideally, you want to take out the four ones with the gun first (they can shoot orbs and lasers), and then the other four.

If you can, dodge the clawed enemies' attacks to activate Overclock, and then go near any group of them to perform another Taunt with Weapon Set 2; after that, while still in Overclock, switch to Weapon Set 1 (to possibly make use of Ancient Overlord's Bullet Rupture ability; you may prefer sticking with Weapon Set 1 for faster attacks though) and kill as many enemies as you can before Overclock/M Shield end.

If your attack is successful, there should only be 2-3 survivors left -- run in circles around them while Taunting with the Pod light (if they are not already Taunted), and then use Weapon Set 2 to perform quick and deadly combo on them.

If possible, switch to Chipset C before killing the last one of them, so you get back to max HP before the next Wave is summoned. Stick to Chipset C for the next couple of waves.

Wave 7 - Machinegun x 2 + Axes x 2
Try to shoot these enemies while they are still up in the air, so you can recover some HP and maybe even cause them to drop on the ground level ahead of time (if you kill the drones that are flying them to the ground, they'll fall down instead of gently gliding to the ground). Pre-Taunt them with Weapon Set 1.

Expect these enemies on the eastern half of the arena (north, northeast, southeast, south). The two orbs-machinegun Medium Bipeds will be your priority; they are the first and last enemy of the group. The other two, in the middle, are fast-hitting Small Bipeds -- make sure you don't slack off against them, because their attacks are sudden and quick (and they have moderate range too).

Ideally, try to kill the first machinegun guy as soon as he lands (you should be able to pre-Taunt one of them, so a quick ground combo will kill the first one). Then run in circles around the room to avoid the attacks from the other three, and while you do so spam the Pod light to Taunt the other three. As soon as you see a safe opening (for instance after one of the machinegun-guy's attacks), kill the second machinegun and then the other two should fall without too many problems.

After killing the last of them, try to stand in the center of the arena and start running in circles while remaining in the center.

Wave 8 - Kamikaze enemies
This wave consists of Kamikaze enemies. Chipset C will make sure that you stay alive. Use the minimap to see the enemies' positions if possible, and make sure you constantly look around to spot their red lights (of the bombs they are carrying).

Aim at the red spot (the top of the explosive barrels) with Pod B's regular attack (release charged attacks too every now and then), since it's an insta-kill against these guys. There isn't too many of them, so get ready for the next Wave.

Wave 9 - Small Spheres (guns) + Goliath Bipeds x 2
This wave starts with a group of four Small Spheres equipped with guns (they unleash orbs, not lasers) spawning south, and then two Goliaths will join the party soon after.

Immediately after approaching the enemies, quickly use a level-1 M Shield. Immediately after releasing M Shield, open the menu and switch back to Chipset A.

You now have a few seconds of invincibility during which you need to kill the four Small Spheres -- it won't be hard if you Taunt them with Weapon Set 1 (Weapon Set 2 would be faster, but you have enough time to use Weapon Set 1, so you also have Ancient Overlord (for Bullet Rupture) ready) and perform light attacks one after the other with Ancient Overlord. Do try to be quick though, and if M Shield expires make sure to run in circles and finish them off with Overclock.

Dispatching of the two Goliaths shouldn't be hard, since they won't properly "activate" for a few seconds after landing, and this will give you plenty enough time to Taunt them and kill them.

Go stand in the center of the area after killing the last of these.

Wave 10 - Spiders x 2, Multi-tier (gun) x 4
Pre-Taunt the two Spider enemies (Weapon Set 1), which spawn in the middle of the area, and then kill them swiftly after they land.

The four Multi-tier (gun) enemies in the corners won't be a problem at all -- just kill them quickly enough so that Berserker mode doesn't expire. If possible, kill them counterclockwise starting from the one "northwest", then "southwest", then "southeast", then the one "northeast" last -- the next boss will spawn somewhere northeast, and you want to be right there when she does.

More importantly, start charging M Shield when there are only a couple of them left (ideally try to reach lv 3), and release M Shield immediately after killing the last one of them.

Wave 11 - Simone & Goliath Biped
Just after releasing M Shield, but before she appears out of nowhere, pre-Taunt with Weapon Set 1 (the Taunt animation should be ready just about when she appears).

After she appears, perform a short basic ground combo (Light > Heavy > Light > Heavy). Don't continue the ground combo any further, since she can use melee attacks on the ground level OR she can use orb attacks. If the latter happens, M Shield will keep you safe. If the former happens, let's prevent damage from said possible attacks by jumping up in the air and doing an aerial combo to finish her off. If you see that she got staggered/stunned, feel free to finish her off on the ground.

Shortly after her appearance (and probably death), a Goliath Biped "Phantom" will also spawn in the center -- pre-Taunt him if you were fast with Simone (if not, just Taunt him), then perform the basic ground combo on his legs until he dies.

Immediately switch to Chipset C after killing the Goliath.

Wave 12 - Kamikazes & Small Stubbies
First you'll have to deal with some kamikaze enemies (try to pre-shoot them before they even land if possible), and then a series of spawns and respawns of Small Stubbies, some of which are equipped with shields, while others have guns installed on their chest. Some respawns later, a few more Kamikaze enemies will appear too, so start running and remember to aim for the top of their barrels.

This wave is very "slow"-paced, at least if you want to play it safe (and you should: random orbs and the arms-circles attack from the shielded enemies are very dangerous), hence why we'll stick with Chipset C. In the video you can actually see me switching to Chipset A, but I then had to go back to Chipset C because I wasn't doing enough melee hits -- Critical Hits on Taunted enemies will keep you healthy, but if you end up relying on Shock Wave then that won't be enough to maintain Berserker mode.

You may want to use Weapon Set 2 during this whole wave, since you'll need to Taunt enemies over and over again (this is because they appear in very small groups/one at the time).

Ideally, when you don't see them respawning anymore (less-ideally, after killing the last of them), switch to Weapon Set 1, switch back to Chipset A and run northwest or southeast to meet up with either of the two Medium Flyers of the next wave.

Wave 13 - Medium Flyers x 2, Reverse-jointed Goliath x 1
This wave is short, but kinda dangerous if you don't take out one of the Medium Flyers as soon as he spawns. You should be able to kill a Medium Flyer right away though; if so, the next victim will be the Reverse-jointed Goliath on the ground (Taunt him with the Pod while spamming light attacks with Ancient Overlord -- this will clear any orbs coming from the other Flyer).

Either before, or after killing the last of them, switch back to Chipset C once again. Do NOT stand in the center of the arena (which is exactly what I did in the video lol); instead, go near the edges/corners.

Wave 14 - Spiders (gun) x 4, Electricity Goliath x 1
The "Electricity Goliath" (the big guys with electricity on their legs) lands in the middle of the area, while the spiders will be in the corners.

Try to attack them (for HP recovery) and pre-Taunt them while they are still in the air (before they land). Release a single-charged M Shield as soon as the spiders appear, so you have a few seconds of invincibility to kill as many of them (if possible, at least two) as you can.

Then keep an eye out for the Goliath's attacks, and hunt down the remaining enemies. To clean up the room you should probably wait to have a safe opening (after any of the Goliath's attacks), after which you should Taunt with Weapon Set 2 and then kill them quickly with Weapon Set 1. Ideally, try to kill the Goliath (after Taunting him he goes down very fast) first, since he's the one with the most dangerous and "cumbersome" attacks.

Alternatively, once M Shield expires you can simply run around the room Taunting them all with the Pod, and then rely on Shock Wave (and Ancient Overlord's Bullet Rupture) to do the killing for you.

Wave 15 - Easy group
Bunch of melee-only enemies here. They spawn suddenly, but none of them is dangerous (they just have very basic melee attacks). Play it safe: dodge away to a safe spot, Taunt with Weapon Set 2, and do all the killing with the same weapon set.

Before killing the last of them, start charging M Shield, and release it (if possible charge it at least to level 2) after killing the last of them.

Immediately after releasing M Shield, open your menu and switch to Chipset A (I actually forgot to do this in the video, but Chipset C actually works fine too). Then run to the center of the room, and pre-Taunt the next boss with Weapon Set 1 as soon as he shadows appears.

Wave 16 - X-Shi
X-Shi = one of the various Ro-Shi, Ko-Shi, Boku-Shi, whatever-Shi he's supposed to represent.

The boss spawns in the middle of the room, and he often opens with an orb attack of his own, hence why we have M Shield. Aside from that, he won't have a chance to do any other attack because you'll kill him quickly with the usual Light > Heavy > ... basic ground combo series.

Switch back to Chipset C after killing the boss. Stay in the center of the area.

Wave 17 - Medium Flyers x 2, Medium Quadrupeds x 2
The first two spawn together in the middle of the area, while the other two spawn on the east and west side after a few more seconds.

Perform a quick Taunt on the first two (Weapon Set 1 is fast enough) but take your time to kill them safely with Shock Wave (they can use orb attacks but also their spin melee attack; they can also release kamikaze sub-units that lazily float towards you) (hence why Chipset C). The two quadruped "doggies" shouldn't be a problem at all, so focus on the Medium Flyers first.

In the video I switched back to Chipset A at this point; I actually recommend sticking with Chipset C.

Then run to the northern side of the area, where the next many enemies will spawn, but do NOT stand close to the edge of the arena. In other words, try to stand near where the enemies will land, but not underneath them (use their shadows to see where they'll land) -- there are some Small Stubbies with gun, and they will shoot orbs IMMEDIATELY after landing (so you don't want to stay next to them when they land).

Wave 18 - Bunch of weaklings
Many enemies will spawn from the north, so pre-Taunt them and release some Pod B charged attacks before they land, so they are ready to be destroyed by Shock Wave.

None of these enemies is dangerous on his own, but try to focus down the bigger guys first (their lance/spear attacks is a bit dangerous). Let Shock Wave do most of the work here (do try to get some direct hits though, so you can heal up to maintain Berserker mode).

After killing a few of them, whenever you have a spare moment, open the menu and switch Pod B's program to P Shield.

Start charging P Shield before (or immediately after) killing the last of them.

Wave 19 - Goliath x 2 + Electricity Goliath x 2
The enemies spawn more or less in the center of the room (not in the middle of it though; a bit away from the center-center). The two with Electricity spawn south and east (on the minimap this is southwest and southeast). Try to stand in the middle of the arena to pre-Taunt them all at once. Ideally, you want to proceed with this sequence of commands:

- (You are still holding down P Shield's charge from earlier)
- Pre-Taunt them with Weapon Set 1
- Immediately as soon as they land, open the pause menu and switch to Chipset A
- Closing the pause menu will automatically release the Pod Program P Shield, giving you invincibility against their electricity and melee attacks. They still have non-melee attacks though, so be quick!
- Kill the two with electricity (short ground combos), then kill the other two. If you see anyone preparing a laser attack, give him priority instead

P Shield should last long enough to kill them all (they die very fast after Taunting). If things don't do as planned, don't panic: switch to Chipset C so you can take your time (so to speak, since Berserker mode won't expire as easily), and use Pod's Taunt/Taunt with Weapon Attack 2. The key idea here is that they will die very quickly after Taunting (one or two hits; possibly a few more with Chipset C though), so all you need is one good attack to win.

Note: make sure you don't stand next to the dead body of the Electricity Goliaths after P Shield expires: even after they are dead, their electricity can still damage you!

Stand in the center for the next wave.

Wave 20 - Spiders x 3, Reverse-jointed Goliath x 2
Very easy fight. Pre-Taunt the three spiders, which will appear in the center of the area, and quickly kill them.

DO NOT END THE FIGHT YET! Stop using Pod B's attacks so you don't "accidentally" kill the remaining enemies.

This is crucial for the last fight. After killing four of these enemies (any four of them; ideally you should leave one of the Reverse-jointed Goliaths last, since they are the least dangerous), start running away from them and let Berserker mode expire.

After it happens, keep dragging yourself in circles around the room to avoid the enemy's attacks (when Berserker mode expires you have a few invincibility seconds until you recover from it; spam dodge after you recover, so you can avoid any incoming attacks). If possible, try to sneak behind the enemy to better avoid his attacks (if not, just keep a safety distance).

Once Berserker mode expires, open your pause menu and made the following changes to your chipsets:

Chipset A: remove Shock Wave +7, Offensive Heal +4, and Taunt Up +8; add Last Stand +8 and Overclock +8.
Chipset C: remove Offensive Heal +8 and Deadly Heal +8; add Overclock +8.

Equip Chipset C.

Keep running in circles around the room, and try to start charging P Shield (press and hold the Pod Program button; if you are still under Cooldown, nothing will happen; if Cooldown has ended, you will start charging the program). When you finally start charging P Shield, charge it to level 3 and then finish the last enemy.

Go stand in the middle of the arena, but possibly more on the eastern side (that's where Eve spawns; Adam spawns further west).

Wave 21 - Adam & Eve
Pre-Taunt the enemies with Weapon Set 1 after you see their shadows quickly appearing on the ground (the shadows appear to be "moving" from west to east). In this order, do the following actions:

1. Pre-Taunt as described a moment ago.
2. Open your pause menu, and switch to Chipset A.
3. Close the menu; this automatically releases P Shield.
3.5 Do NOT use Pod B's regular Fire attacks for now.
4. Start your ground combo on Eve.

It's important that you know the reasons why I suggest this strategy. The first thing you need to know is that if you Taunt with a Chipset (Chipset C in our case) with Taunt Up +8, and then switch to a Chipset (Chipset A in our case) without Taunt Up +8, as long as you don't Taunt again the enemies will still remain under the effect of Taunt Up +8. In other words, even though you will be attacking them with Chipset A, which doesn't have Taunt Up +8 equipped, they will take maximum damage because you previously Taunted them with Chipset C, which had Taunt Up +8 equipped. In yet other words, we are effectively continuing to benefit from the effect of Chipset C (Taunt Up +8) even after we have switched to Chipset A.

The second thing to know is that we are now using Last Stand (2x damage) instead of Berserker mode because it's much safer: you don't have to worry about constantly attacking to maintain Berserker mode, and this is of great help.

Next you may be wondering "why no Shock Wave?". The answer is not just because we wouldn't have room for it on Chipset A (not with purchased Chips anyway), but because we don't want Shock Wave against these enemies, or at least we don't want it in the first phase of the fight. The reason for this is that the enemies will both start IDLE for a few seconds, but they will "activate" as soon as you start attacking them. Ideally, you want to attack only one of them to do some good damage to begin with, without having to worry about attacks coming from the other one. Since Shock Wave will easily hit both of them with your first attack, it's best to remove Shock Wave entirely (most of your damage will come from Critical Hits anyway).

On a side note, but maybe this is just me, I found that Shock Wave was often a "distraction" for me, too. By that I mean that, in the middle of the excitement of being at the end of the challenge, with Shock Wave I often tend to attack the enemies ONLY with Shock Wave, and I "forget" to actually go close to them to use regular attacks. Not having Shock Wave personally helps me a lot in staying focused on my actual direct-hit combos (where most of the damage comes from), so I personally wouldn't use it even if I had room for it.

For similar reasons we also don't want to use Pod B early on when the fight begins.

Later, when they both activate, we can resume using Pod B. Shock Wave would help at this point, but we don't have room for it on the Chipset :p Then again, as I said, its contribution is noticeable, but it's not the most important factor in this last fight and I personally found it detrimental to my ability to "focus" anyway.

Now, keep in mind that they can both use melee attacks (P Shield will protect against this, at least at first), but they occasionally also have projectile/ranged attacks (not their most common attack, but possible). Also, they love to spam their grab attack (they dash towards you).

They can also react to your attacks with shields. As it was against their story-counterparts, breaking the shield will result into a counterattack from them, but you can dodge their counterattack to counter-counterattack (dodge-Overclock, then use your ground combo while Overclock is active).

Beware of their grabs: if you see them starting a dash animation (grab attack), dodge and don't even think about counterattacking unless you are sure that their dash animation has ceased. I once made the mistake of dodging one of Eve's attacks, which activated Overclock. In the meantime, Adam had started a dash to grab me. While under Overclock effect, I ran behind Eve (who was on the other side of the arena from where I was, and therefore from where Adam's dash was headed) and attacked him with melee combos -- immediately after Overclock ended, Adam's dash-grab caught up with me and he killed me.

Moral of the story: if one of them (let's say Adam, but it could be the other way around too) uses his grab attack, do not assume that dodging the other's attacks (Eve's attacks in my anecdote) will also mean that you are safe from the grab attack.

Strategy-wise, you will be relying on basic ground combos (series of Heavy > Light with Weapon Set 1), preferably against Eve first (his spin attack is annoying, so he should die first), to do the most damage. Note that Eve may react in various ways from your first combo, but most noticeably he could use his shield OR he could start a melee kicks-combo: if he uses his shield, break it and dodge-Overclock his counterattack (then counter-counterattack during Overclock); if he uses the kicks-combo, P Shield will keep you safe so you can actually continue the basic ground combo, albeit just for a couple of hits (a couple of Heavy strikes, then retreat).

Whenever possible, dodge-Overclock their melee attacks/grab attacks to have a somewhat safe opening to attack them back. If everything goes right, you should be able to kill them both before Taunt (15 seconds) expires. Things will most likely not go perfectly though :D Realistically speaking, you should be able to kill at least Eve before your first Taunt expires. What to do after that then?

As soon as you are safe (run away, dodge-Overclock whenever possible), open the menu, switch to Chipset C, then re-Taunt them (Pod light or with Weapon Set 2) with Chipset C, then switch back to Chipset A, and resume your assault. Make sure that you are in fact with Chipset C when you Taunt them, or else (if you do so with Chipset A) you will only receive the basic Taunt boost, but not the Taunt Up +8 effect.

ALWAYS ONLY ATTACK THEM DURING OVERCLOCK. If you follow this basic advice (only attack during Overclock), all you need to do is to keep an eye out for their attacks (keep a safe distance) and you'll be able to kill them without too many problems.

So the strategy in the end will come down to these three steps repeated:

1. Taunt with Chipset C (Pod Light or, even more ideally, dodge-Overclock one of their attacks and Taunt them during Overclock).
2. Switch to Chipset A and run away, waiting for one of their melee attacks/grabs. Dodge-Overclock said attacks when they occur.
3. Perform basic ground combos during Overclock, then retreat and repeat steps 2/3.
1. When Taunt expires (you can assume it's expired after two dodge-Overclocks), repeat from step 1.

If you kill Eve, Adam will probably summon two copies of himself. Don't panic, those copies will die quickly. However, if you can, focus on the "real" Adam (track him with your eyes, it shouldn't be hard) -- killing him will automatically end the fight, even if his copies are still alive.

I know it's a lot to process, but if you know what you are doing this entire challenge will actually be mostly a matter of memorizing the waves/steps, but practically speaking you won't really need much in terms of skills to be able to safely complete this last Special Rank.

When you finally succeed, you will receive your well-earned reward: Forbidden Fruit x 10 (item that lowers your level by 10 when used) and the following Accessories: Neon White Hair, Neon Purple Hair, Neon Yellow Hair, Neon Pink Hair, Neon Green Hair, Neon Blue Hair.

You may also receive many +6 Chips (I don't know if there is a time limit beyond which you can't get these rewards). The secondary reward for clearing this special rank is this:

- Critical Up +6
- Taunt Up +6
- Shock Wave +6
- Weapon Attack Up +6
- Last Stand +6
- Moving Speed Up +6
- Down-Attack Up +6
- Charge Attack +6
- Counter +6
- Ranged Attack Up +6
- 1x Forbidden Fruit

The Dream (DLC)

After clearing all the three Coliseums, you will receive another letter to read in your Inbox -- do so, and you'll get a quest mark in Amusement Park. Head there, and check the new location to find an elevator; speak with the nearby machine to continue.

(http://i.imgur.com/yKvpaLG.jpg)



There isn't really much to guide you through this last piece of DLC, since it's just mostly "interactive narrative". You can't really get lost, and you will explore the entirety of the available areas sooner or later. All I can say is that when you'll be "tested" (minor gameplay spoiler, but read it if you seem to be stuck when you get "tested") you are supposed to fail (in fact, success is impossible), so don't try too hard.

After completing the DLC properly, the game will save and a new symbol (Illuminati-like) will be added to your save file, kinda like the list of the Endings you have unlocked, as a proof of your accomplishments.

Chips

Chips are the main form of customization in this game. Chips are something you "insert" to Chipsets, and Chipsets are what you "equip" on your character. There is an awful lot to talk about Chips, but I think that if you can spare the time to read it all it will make your life easier, especially if you intend to really understand how the game works/make the most of it.

I'll say it just once in this section, and then I won't repeat it again: you can beat everything in the game, including the hardest DLC challenges, even on Very Hard, and do so without making many compromises (you will be slightly less efficient and sub-optimal, but this just means that you won't be able to set a world record -- you'll still be able to win easily and quickly enough), without farming Chips AT ALL. A little bit of minor farming will give you an almost-ideal setup, and will save you hours of farming AND possibly hours of reading up on "how to Fuse Chips effectively".

You can take my word for it, or you can decide to farm Chips anyway -- the choice in the end is yours. All I can do is trying to convince you that from practical reasons farming Chips is just a waste of time. If you want to do it anyway, for whatever reason, feel free to do so, and hopefully the whole series of following sections will help you make the most of your time (trust me, spending twenty minutes to read all the explanations I give down below will be worth it).

All About Chips

Chips and Chipsets

The game allows you to customize three different Chipsets at any given time from the Skills tab of the pause menu. You can ony equip one Chipset at the time, and this will give you all the effects of the Chips inserted to that particular Chipset. You can customize Chipsets all you want; the only thing you can't do is use a Chipset without the OS Chip (if you remove it, you will trigger the "joke" Ending T).

The same Chip can be inserted (once) on each of the three different Chipsets (so you won't need three copies of the same Chip if you want to add it to all the three Chipsets).

At first it will seem like three Chipsets are unnecessary, and you'll only really need one Chipset for every situation. Later on things will change, and you will probably want to customize Chipsets for different needs (for example, in the story walkthrough I will advise having a Chipset with the Chips "Critical" and "Taunt", a different one with "Counter", and the third one with "Drop Rate Up").

The maximum capacity of each Chipset is 128 slots, but to get to said capacity you will need to purchase various +X Storage upgrades at the shops in The Bunker and/or the one in Resistance Camp. Again, 128 slots will seem like a lot at first, but later on we'll be struggling to fit all the Chips we need on the same Chipset (hence why we'll be customizing different Chipsets, and we'll switch among them depending on the situation we're facing).

There is also a limit to how many Chips you can hold in total in your inventory, and this limit is equal to 200. The seems to be a high number at first, but it's actually quite annoying when, later on, you will start Fusing +8 Chips (which means accumulating a lot of lower-level Chips). This is probably why you can not only sell Chips you don't want, but also Destroy them from your Chips pause-menu. If you ever get to a point where you are buying Chips and you read "SOLD OUT", or if you try to pick up Chips (enemy drops) and you don't seem able to do so because the game says "Capacity Full", this means you have reached the maximum amount of total Chips you can have at once.

Also, but this is a lesser problem, you can only have a maximum amount of 99x copies of a specific Chip at a specific Level. For example, you can have a maximum of 99x Max HP Up +2 Chips at once, but even if you had those 99x Max HP Up +2 Chips you could still get 101 "other" Chips (for example, 99x Max HP Up +1 Chips, then the OS Chip and an HUD: Mini-map Chip -- this would be a total of 200/200).

Unfortunately there is no way to directly auto-sort the Chips in a Chipset, but the game actually auto-sorts them if you save-reload.

There are three main topics regarding Chips, aside from listing them all with their effect. One big topic concerns the way Chips are upgraded (and in particular, the way their Cost is calculated) -- we'll save this one for last, since it's quite technical. Easier to understand, and possibly more useful for the average player, we'll start off by discussing the Chips "stats" (Category, Effect, Level, Cost), and then we'll see how Chips of the same type behave when added together (Cumulative/Stacked Chips Effect).

Chips Stats

A Chip's "full name" contains many important bits of information about that particular Chip:



Category: this isn't really important, but Chips are grouped up in "Categories" (System, Attack, Defense, Support, Hacking). A vertical line on the left side of the Chip "full name" tells us what Category it is: brown = System; red = Attack; grey = Defense; yellow = Support; white = Hacking (Hacking Chips start to pop up only from the second playthrough onwards, since that's when Hacking becomes available). The category also affects the background color of the Chip when you equip it in your Chipset.
Effect: the Chip's "name", "type", determines what the Chip does. For example, "Max HP Up" Chips raise your maximum HP, while "Weapon Attack Up" Chips raise your physical attacks' power.
Level: this is the "+X" number (X ranges from 1 to 8) after the Chip's "name", which is sometimes omitted. Some Chips (mostly System Chips, but also a few Support Chips) only exist in their base Level, so for instance you will never see an "OS Chip +2". Most Chips do exist in multiple Level, however, and as they do so their effect becomes stronger and stronger until it reaches its maximum effect at Level 8. Chips Levels go from 0 to +8.

Chips may (and indeed will, early on) not have a "+X" number in their full name. This simply means that they are at the lowest possible Level, "Level 0" so to speak (so if "Weapon Attack Up +2" is a Level 2 Chip, Weapon Attack Up" is a "Level 0" (minimum effect, lowest level) Chip).
"Diamond Chip" symbol: sometimes you will see this rhombus-symbol after the Chip's Level. This symbol doesn't indicate that the Chip itself is "special", or has some "special effect": the symbol only indicates that the Cost of said Chip is the lowest possible Cost for a Chip at that particular Level. In the picture I used as an example, [21] is indeed the lowest possible Cost of a Chip at Level +8. Speaking of Cost...
Cost: this will be your main cause of concern when preparing Chipsets later on. The Cost indicates how many slots, "spaces", that particular Chip occupies in the Chipsets when added to them. I will be referring to the Cost as a number written in square brackets (which is what the game does too), so if you read "Taunt Up +2 [10]" then I'm talking about a Taunt Up Chip that is at Level 2 and has a Cost of 10.
It's important to know that the LEVEL of the Chip is what matters in regards to its effect/power, whereas the Cost has no direct correlation to the Chip's effectiveness (although of course, as you may expect, higher-Level Chips tend to have a higher Cost along with their stronger effect). For example, a Weapon Attack Up +5 with a Cost of 12 will have the exact same effect as a Weapon Attack Up +5 with a Cost of 15, except that the former will occupy less spaces in the Chipsets (and therefore is more desirable, since it leaves room for other Chips), while the latter will occupy more spaces.

And I know I just said/implied it, but just to be clear, the "Diamond Chip symbol" does NOT have any saying in the Chip's effect/power either, since it's just a symbol to "let you know" that the Cost of that Chip at that particular Level is the lowest you could achieve.

We'll have an in-depth talk about Cost in the section after the next one.

Chips (Continued)

Cumulative/Stacked Chips Effect

When you add Chips of the same type (with the same "name", for example "Weapon Attack Up +1" and "Weapon Attack Up +3") to the same Chipsets, their overall effect will typically stack, and it does so by "sum of the effects" and NOT by multiplication.

For example, let's say that you have five Max HP Up +2 Chips. Each one of them has, individually, the effect of Max HP Up x1.15, which can also be read as Max HP +15%. If you equip all five of them on the same Chipset, you will notice your HP going up by +75%, and that +75% is indeed the sum of the individual effects of those Chips (+15% +15% +15% +15% +15% = +75%). If it worked by multiplication, then five of them would give (1.15*1.15*1.15*1.15*1.15) a 2.01x effect (+101% if you prefer), but if you try it you will see that it's not the case.

Stacking also works between Chips of the same type but different Level, so if you equipped Max HP Up +2 (+15%) and Max HP Up +7 (+80%) their overall effect would be (15+80 =95) +95%.

Your next question at this point is probably "is there a limit?" -- yes. The game will usually warn you when you hit the maximum effect for a certain Chip type, with a message on-screen that says "The effect limit for "(Chip name)" has been exceeded. Effect limit: (maximum effect)". Every +8 (maximum Level) Chip's effect equals to its maximum effect, but said maximum effect can also be achieved by combining lower-Level Chips. Doing this, however, usually results into a less Cost-effective (by Cost here we mean the spaces/slots occupied in the Chipset) setup.



The game won't tell you by how much you have exceeded the limit, and for some reason it's not always accurate/doesn't always do its job properly. This is probably due to some hidden decimals in the calculations, which end up giving slight approximation errors. For example, if you add together six Max HP Up +2 Chips (total effect from them: +90%) and one Max HP Up +1 Chip (effect from this one: +10%) you should get the total effect of Max HP Up +100%. However, for some reason, the game won't display a "effect limit exceeded" message, and if you try to add another Max HP Up Chip you should be able to see a further +1 HP increase -- at this point the effect-limit-exceeded message will show up. I can only speculate on the reason why this happens (as I said a moment ago, it might be because of decimals/approximations), but it doesn't really matter anyway: the "sum of the effect = overall effect" rule is basically correct.

I also want to point out that the game often displays the "effect exceeded" message when you have REACHED the limit, but not necessarily exceeded it. So don't worry if you see a "limit exceeded" message when you should have reached exactly the limit: the game just does that, and basically can't seem to differentiate between "reaching" the exact limit (which is the ideal situation) and exceeding it (which would be a waste of space in the Chipset).

Note that there are two major exceptions to the "cumulative/stack" rule -- one will be good news, the other bad news:

System Chips and a few other Chips simply don't have different Levels/effects, so they achieve their "maximum" and only effect in their base version. For example, the HUD: HP Gauge Chips (a System Chip) doesn't have different "Levels"; there is no such thing as "HUD: HP Gauge +3" Chip (+3 indicates that it's a Chip level 3). For all these Chips, their effect is already maxed when you equip one of them on a Chipset. Therefore, while it's possible to buy and equip multiple HUD: HP Gauge (or other Chips that have this behaviour) Chips on the same Chipset, doing so will not have any effect whatsoever aside from wasting space in your Chipset.

"Then why did they put them up for sale?" you may ask -- probably because you can sell/destroy said Chips, so it's a good thing that you can buy them again if you want to have them back at a later time (not that there is any valid reason to sell/destroy System Chips, but anyway).
Taunt Up: this Support Chip seems to be the only true exception (the only major one; the only one that I'm aware of) to the "cumulative/stack" rule. For this Chip, regardless of how many Chips of the same type (Taunt Up) you equip on a certain Chipset, their overall effect will be equal to the effect of the Chip of that type with the highest Level. Therefore the only way to have the maximum effect for Taunt Up is by having a Taunt Up +8 Chip.

Note that the game will tell you that Taunt Up Chips behave regularly like "normal" Chips, and their effects stack together. Indeed, if you tried to put together, for example, two Taunt Up +5, the "effect limit exceeded" message would show up since each one of them has the effect of increasing damage "by" 250%, so two of them together would give the overall effect of increasing damage "by" 500% (which would be even higher than the limit, which is increasing the damage by +400%). However, the game here is wrong.

The actual description of the Taunt Up effect is probably the key to this problem: it reads "Taunts raise player and enemy attack power to 350%" (for Taunt Up +5, that is; since 100% is base damage, 350% means +250% over the base damage). The key word here is "TO" 350%, and not "BY" 250%/350%. There is certainly an inconsistency somewhere though, because the game WILL display the "effect limit exceeded" message even though in this particular case it isn't true.

You will also find contradicting information online, and many people claim that you can achieve the maximum effect of Taunt by combining, for example, Taunt ("Level 0"; effect: +80%), Taunt +2 (effect: +140%), Taunt +3 (effect: +180%), which according to them would give you a total effect of (80+140+180) +400%, which is the actual maximum effect. The mistake here is that, again, Taunt Up Chips don't increase the attack power "by" +80%/+140%/+180%, but they simply bring it up TO 180%/240%/280%. Therefore, in this case, the highest number (Taunt Up Chip of the highest Level) wins, and the Taunt Up effect description is accurate when it says "raises attack power to X%". The "effect limit exceeded" message, on the other hand, is wrong, and a simple test will prove it to you (or you can just take my word for it).
Chips Cost & Chips Fusion (Explanation, Formulas, and Tables)

How much does a Chip "Cost" (= how many slots does a Chip occupy in a Chipset) depends, basically, on your luck at the moment when you obtained that particular Chip (from monsters or maybe as a reward for a quest). Each "Level" of a Chip has a corresponding "Cost range", and a Chip at that Level will always have a Cost equal to a number within that range. For example, Level 2 Chips will always have a Cost between 6 (lowest) and 13 (highest).

The three exceptions to this are:

Chips that don't have Levels: all of these Chips (mostly System Chips) have fixed Cost
Chips purchased from shops: these have a fixed Cost (highest possible at that Level).
Chips you obtain after Fusing together other Chips: the Cost of the new Chip obtained from the Fusion will be dependent (there is a specific formula; we'll see it later) on the Cost of the Chips used to Fuse it. As you may expect, if you Fuse together Chips with a high Cost you will obtain a new Chip that also has a high Cost, whereas Fusing low-Cost Chips together will result into a new Chip that also has a low-Cost. "Like father, like son", so to speak.
Here is a table with the Cost ranges at each Level.

Level	Cost Range
0	4-11
+1	5-12
+2	6-13
+3	7-21
+4	9-23
+5	11-25
+6	14-28
+7	17-31
+8	21-35
Chips Sources

There are several ways to obtain Chips in the game, each with their own pros and cons. Let's check them out:

Shops: Shops sell Chips of usually low Level, and always maximum Cost, and are generally considerable a terrible source of Chips. The main exceptions to this are System Chips and Chips that "don't have Levels" (in this case the Chips exist only at that Level, and have a fixed Cost, so shops sell them in their only existent version).

Another notable exception is the (minor story spoiler in the shop's name) "Emil Shop", which sells +3 and even +6 Chips -- while their Cost is still maximum, their sale price is relatively low (10,000 G or 50,000 G a piece), and they allow you to obtain extremely powerful Chips quite early in the game (this shop becomes available in Chapter 07). Therefore, while the Chips themselves are as far from optimal as possible, the early availability of these powerful Chips makes this shop actually game-breaking (if properly used; I'll tell you what to buy in the story walkthrough to become extremely overpowered if you decide to follow it).

When money stops being a problem (after you have beaten the game in Route C/third playthrough), purchasing and Fusing +2 Chips purchased from shops becomes the most time-effective compromise: you can get Chips that are strong enough to beat everything easily, and their Cost will be exactly mid-way through the Cost range for Chips at Level 8 (you get +8 [28] Chips if you Fuse +2 [13] Chips (that's what the shops sell) together). This is what I strongly suggest to the average player that isn't interested in farming for hours to get +8 [21] Chips (which would make you slightly more powerful, but at the cost of many many hours of your time).
Monsters are the primary (but not necessarily best) source of Chips in the game. As we said a moment ago, Chips farmed from enemies have random Cost (from the lowest possible to the highest possible Cost at any given Level). Unfortunately enemies won't drop Chips of a high Level. In fact, even later in the game, the highest-Level Chips you can get as drops from enemies will be Level 4 Chips, and these are a rarity (Level 3 Chips are not very frequent either; Level 2, 1, and 0 are the most common drops for many enemies and Chips).

The Chip "Drop Rate Up" will increase the overall Drop Rate (and therefore also the Drop Rate of Chips) from monsters, so it's a must-have when you decide to farm Chips. There are no Chips or ways to affect the Cost of the Chips dropped by enemies, so that will be purely based on your actual luck. Also, there are no ways to make enemies drop Chips of a higher Level except from fighting high-level enemies, which drop higher-Level Chips. After all it makes sense that you would get Level-0 Chips from enemies early in the game, and Level 2+ Chips from enemies later in the game. Still though, you'll see a lot of Level 0/1 drops even in the post-ending farming.

Which enemy drops which Chip will be explained and listed in the Chips list, in one of the next sections. While it depends on the situation (some Chips offer extremely good farming locations; others are dropped by enemies that exist in much more limited quantities), on average I'd say you can expect to have the necessary Chips to Fuse a +8 [21] Chip in about two hours of farming. This means two hours for every Chip type you intend to farm, and chances are that you'll want to farm at least 4-5 Chips.
Another valid source of Chips are the DLC Coliseum battles, which will give you +6 Chips (of most types) as reward for completing their hardest challenges. These challenges basically require you to be level 99, with already strong Chips, and you can only hope for one +6 Chip (one of almost every type, at least) every 5 minutes of gameplay or so. If we assume that the Cost of the received +6 Chip is purely random (and I think it is), that gives you a 6.7% chance (1/15) of getting a +6 [14] Chip, and an additional 13.3% chance (2/15) of getting a +6 [15] or +6 [16] Chip, both of which can be used to later obtain a +8 [21] Chip.

Considering that we need two +6 [14] Chips and two +6 [15 or 16] Chips to get a +8 [21] Chip, that actually ends up being a decent 20% chances (3/15) that we receive a +6 [14/15/16] Chip which can be Fused into a +8 [21] Chip. Considering that you only need to "get lucky" four times in total (you need four +6 Chips to get a +8 Chip), and that you also get a +6 Chip of basically every possible Chip in the game every time you complete the hardest challenges of the DLC, farming from the DLC is most likely the most efficient source of Chips to Fuse to get your +8 [21] Chips (arguably much better than farming from monsters), although of course it means that you need the DLC (but if you like the game enough to want to farm Chips then you probably like it enough to buy the DLC anyway), and you need to wait until you can beat the DLC fights (which aren't too hard actually; just not readily accessible like regular monsters would be) before you can start farming. This is especially true if you want to obtain many different +8 [21] Chips, rather than just one type/a select few.

If you don't get particularly unlucky, statistically speaking, on average, assuming you can clear the Coliseum within 7 minutes each time (a reasonable time), you should expect to be able to get enough +6 Chips to use +8 [21] Chips for multiple (maybe even all those that you need) Chips types within 4-5 hours. With less-than-average luck you can still expect to have finished farming within about 6 hours total. As an added benefit, farming +6 Chips will also save you A LOT of headaches (and most likely time) in figuring which Chips you should Fuse and which Chips you shouldn't use (we'll talk about this "practical problem" in the next section).
Quests: a very minor, but potentially important source of Chips are quests. Most quests reward you with low-Level Chips, so the "trick" I'm about to tell you really isn't worth it. Some quests, however, reward you with +6 Chips. Since the Cost of these +6 Chips is, like for dropped Chips, random, you can save and reload before completing a quest until you get lucky and receive a +6 [14] (minimum Cost) Chip. If you don't know this yet, quests can't be repeated once completed, so this is a limited supply of potentially-easy +6 [14] Chips. Make the most of it if you intend to get +8 [21] Chips eventually later on.
Collection Bodies: just in case any of you is thinking of using "Collection Bodies" as a source of Chips, no -- just no. They are a terrible source of Chips (except very early in the game, but even then it's not like you actually want to farm them), and even the worst farming locations from enemies will be superior to farming from Collection Bodies.
The messy, messy Fusion problem

Ideally, if you wanted to have the best Chips possible, that is to say Chips with the lowest possible Cost, you would want to farm Chips of low Cost from enemies*, so that when you Fuse them together you will obtain a new Chip that also has a low Cost. Rinse and repeat until you get to a +8 [21] (maximum Level, minimum Cost), and live happily ever after. Simple, right? Not so fast.

*Unless you take my advice and farm from the DLC instead. Or you can take my other advice and not farm at all :p

The biggest problem here will be that there are many different combinations of Chips that can still result into Diamond Chips after you Fuse them together. For example, if you Fuse together a +1 [5] Chip with a +1 [5] Chip, you will obtain a +2 [6] Chip. However, you can also obtain a +2 [6] Chip if you fuse together a +1 [5] Chip with a +1 [6] Chip, which should be good news because it means that you can use Chips with slightly sub-optimal Cost (in this example, the +1 [6] Chip has a sub-optimal Cost, while +1 [5] has the optimal, minimum Cost) to get optimal results from the Fusion. And it is good news...until you will inevitably get lost in all the maths and possible combinations that will add up really quickly considering how many Fusions it takes to get a +8 [21] (maximum Level, minimum Cost) Chip.

For example, you can check the tables that I'll give you and see that a +8 [21] can be obtained from the Fusion of a +7 [17] with a +7 [17], OR with the Fusion of a +7 [17] with a +7 [18]. The first option is harder to achieve than the second one because two +7 [17] Chips are more difficult to obtain than a single +7 [17] and a +7 [18]. So the next step you will make will be "ok then, I'll go for +7 [17] and +7 [18]!".

So you now go check how to obtain the +7 [17], and you see that you will necessarily need a +6 [14] Fused with a +6 [14] to get a +7 [17]. Not much of a choice here, so we can move on.
But then you check how to obtain the +7 [18], and you see that it can be obtained by fusing a +6 [14] with a +6 [15], but also a +6 [14] with a +6 [16], but also a +6 [15] with another +6 [15]. So the natural thing to do here will be thinking, again, "+6 [15] and +6 [16] Chips will be easier to obtain than a +6 [14] Chip, so I should try to Fuse those to later get my +7 [18] to use to get the +8 [21]".

And then you check how to obtain the +6 [14], the +6 [15], and the +6 [16], and you will see that there are two possible combinations to get the first one, four more combinations to get the second one, and six more combinations to get the third one.

See where this is going? And you are still at +5 Chips combinations -- just imagine how many more options you would have to consider if you went all the way down to "Level 0".

That's why most people have "agreed" to accepting and using wrong maths, and they simply came to the conclusion that it's more time-efficient to eliminate all Chips above a certain Cost, even though they could have potentially been used to eventually get a +8 [21] Chip in the end. In other words, something like (for example) a +3 [21] Chip (21 is the highest possible Cost for a Chip at Level 3) would be the worst possible +3 Chip to use in Fusions. However, even though said Chip (+3 [21]) can still allow you to potentially (with the right combinations) get a +8 [21] Chip in the end, it's simply easier to pretend that's "not possible" and say "look, if you have a +3 Chip with a Cost higher than 8 (let alone 21) you should just throw it away and keep farming more +3 [X] Chips until you get +3 [7] or +3 [8]".

As fond as I am of the truth and maths, I can't really argue with this logic: it's true, these people are right, it's simply not time-efficient to spend minutes or even hours trying to figure a "possible" combination. Instead, it's much more efficient to just set the bar high and say "screw it, if it's not "low-Cost" (we'll define low-Cost later in the tables) just throw it away and keep farming" -- you'll get so many Chips when farming them on purpose (most of the time anyway; some are actually very time-consuming) that this (keeping only the best/second-best Chips, and throwing away the rest) will turn out to be actually faster than trying to make the most of what you have.

I'll try to help you being efficient as much as I can by using some color-coded tables for Fusion Costs -- you'll find them, and an explanation on how they work, in one of the next sections down below.

Do not underestimate the real-time inefficiency of farming and Fusing Chips: it's very easy to waste hours trying to be efficient (looking for all possible combinations) or waste hours being inefficient (discarding potentially useful Chips), or possibly both. The fact that you basically don't need to worry about "which combinations are good" if you farm Chips from the DLC battles is actually a very strong argument in favor of choosing the DLC as source of Chips (as if the fact that it's remarkably faster (and possibly less boring), especially if you want multiple +8 [21] Chips, wasn't a valid-enough point). Don't assume that "yea but I'm not stupid, I'll figure it out" -- maybe you are, and maybe you will, but there is a good chance that you'll still waste a lot of time (and mental energies) overthinking and/or over-farming.

How to Fuse Chips, and when not to Fuse Chips

Fusing Chips is a very simple process: you select two Chips of the same type AND same Level, pay a fee (which actually adds up to millions on the long run), and you will obtain a Chip of the same type, one Level higher, and of a certain Cost determined by the formula we're about to mention. For example, you can Fuse together Weapon Attack Up +2 and Weapon Attack Up +2 to obtain a Weapon Attack Up +3, but you can't Fuse together Weapon Attack Up +2 with Weapon Attack Up +X, where X is a number different from 2 (Weapon Attack Up +0/1/3/4/5/6/7).

You can Fuse Chips up to Level +6 in The Bunker (Terminal area) or Resistance Camp (Maintenance Shop), but to Fuse +6 Chips into +7 Chips, and then +7 Chips into +8 Chips, you will need a special shop located in the canyon/crevasse in the Forest Kingdom. This shop becomes available after completing the quest "Lord of the Valley".

On a side note, this shop is notoriously buggy, and the NPC will frequently not speak with you even if there aren't enemies nearby. To fix this bug, simply open your pause menu, and then close it -- you should be able to speak with the NPC now.

We already mentioned some of these things before, but the highest possible Level for Chips that can level up is Level 8, and every Chip has its maximum effect at Level 8 (unless it's one of those Chips that can't Level up; in that case, the only level available gives the only effect possible). Most of the time having a single +8 Chip of a certain type is also the most Cost-efficient setup, i.e. the one that occupies less slots in the Chipset.

For example, Weapon Attack Up +8 [21] gives the maximum effect for this Chip (physical damage x2) for a Cost of [21] (assuming that you get its Diamond-Cost version, which is 21). If you tried to combine lower-Level Weapon Attack Up +X Chips, with X being a number between 0 and 7, you would find out that to achieve the maximum effect (physical damage x2) you would inevitably end up with a total Cost of Chips higher than 21.

This is mostly due to the "exponential" nature of the effects of most Chips, which usually start off really small for the first 5 levels or so, and then suddenly increase significantly between their +5 -> +6 Level, +6 -> +7 Level and +7 -> +8 Level. For example, Weapon Attack Up +8 has, as we just said, the effect of physical damage x2; Weapon Attack Up +7 has the effect of physical damage x1.8; Weapon Attack Up +6 has the effect of physical damage x1.5; Weapon Attack Up +5 has the effect of physical damage x1.2. This big "gap" between the effect means that if you wanted to obtain the maximum (Level +8) effect by stacking the effect of lower-Level (lower than 8) Chips, in this case you could do so, for example, by using Weapon Attack Up +7 together with Weapon Attack Up +5 in your Chipset. If you do the maths though you'll find out that the lowest possible Cost for a +7 Chip is [17], while the lowest possible Cost for a +5 Chip is [11], so in the best case scenario a +7 [17] Chip together with a +5 [11] Chip would give a total Cost of [28], which is higher than the +8 [21] Cost.

Another possible way to get the maximum effect for Weapon Attack Up (it's just an example, but most Chips fundamentally work like this) could be, for instance, by using a total of ten Weapon Attack Up +3 Chips. Each Weapon Attack Up +3 Chip gives the effect of physical damage x1.1, so ten of these Chips would cumulatively add up to the maximum effect (physical damage x2). However, the minimum Cost of a +3 Chip is [7], so this would be even worse than the previous case, and ten +3 [7] Chips would add up to a total Cost of [70], which is of course much worse than +8 [21].

Therefore, as I mentioned earlier, combining lower-Level Chips can net you the overall maximum effect, but usually at a higher Cost than if you just obtained a single +8 [21] (Diamond) Chip, and the lower the Cost of the Chips you use, the more Cost-inefficient they usually are.

Some Chips, however, can achieve their maximum effect with combinations of lower-Level Chips while still being Cost-effective. For example, Charge Attack +8 [21] has an effect of 4x damage from charged attacks. If you look at the overall effect of combinations of lower-Level Charge Attack +X (X =0/1/2/3/4/5/6/7) Chips, you will notice that there is one particular combination that gives the maximum result with less total Cost than [21] -- this is Charge Attack +4 [9] together with Charge Attack +4 [9]: each one gives the effect of 2x damage from charged attacks (so together they give the 4x effect), but the minimum Cost of +4 Chips is [9], so two of them have a total Cost of [18], which is lower than the +8 [21] Cost. Therefore, two Charge Attack +4 [9] together are not only much easier to obtain than one Charge Attack +8 [21] Chip, but they are actually more Cost-effective too.

There are other examples of this, and you can find them all in the table below. For all of these Chips, it's either actually counterproductive to go after a +8 [21] Chip, or at least not time-efficient (Anti Chain Damage in particular can achieve its maximum effect with lower-Level Chips. Although their total Cost is still [21], it's obviously much easier to get three Anti Chain Damage +3 [7] than one Anti Chain Damage +8 [21]). Note that this table refers to "Total Cost" as the sum of the Cost of the individual (two or three) Chips the cumulative effect of which will be equal to their +8 counterpart. Also, it's assumed that said Chips will be at their lowest possible Cost for their Level.

Chip	Level (first Chip)	Level (second Chip)	Level (third Chip)	Total Cost
Charge Attack	4	4	-	18
Anti Chain Damage	3	3	3	21
3	6	-	21
Resilience	3	3	-	14
Reset	2	6	-	20
Note: Reset has two aspects to its effect: the probability that it activates, and how many HP you get if it activates. With a +2 and +6 Chip you will max the HP-recovery effect (80%), but you shouldn't also max out the probability that it activates (it should add up to 40% instead of its maximum, which is 50%). The game displays the "effect limit reached" message when you combine a Reset +2 and Reset +6 though.

There is realistically no way to tell if the probability that Reset activates is 40% or 50% with this setup (to be sure you would need hundreds of tests, with hundreds of Game Overs in-between them), so I'll just trust the game on this one and assume that both aspects of its effects are maxed.

Moving Speed Up	3	3	-	14
Drop Rate Up	3	4	-	16
Overclock	3	4	-	16
Hijack Boost	3	4	-	16
Stun	1	3	-	12
Combust	1	1	-	10
Heal Drops Up	4	4	-	18
Taunt Up?	If you read what I said earlier you should already know that Taunt Up Chips do NOT have cumulative effect/do not stack (even though the game says they do, they actually don't)..
 

Fusion Cost Formula

Feel free to skip this section -- it's just for the curious ones.

As anticipated earlier, there is a specific formula that determines the Cost of the resulting Chip after Fusing together two Chips. I didn't come up with this formula, but I don't know who originally did either, so thanks and credits to whomever this person is. I have tested it, and yes, it is correct.

The formula is as follows:

([Cost 1] + [Cost 2] + (Level) )/ 2 = Cost 3
The final result is rounded up.

Cost 1 and Cost 2 are the respective Costs of the two Chips that you Fuse together, and Cost 3 is the Cost of the Chip obtained from Fusing them.
Level is a number equal to the Level of the Chips you Fused together.
Note that in this formula, a "Level 0" Chip counts as Level = 1; a "+1" Chip is also Level = 1, a "+2" Chip is Level = 2, and so on until a +7 Chip (Level = 7).

For example, if you have a +0 [4] Chip and a +0 [5] Chip, the formula is:
(4+5+1)/2 = 5

Another example: if you have a +0 [4] Chip and a +0 [4] Chip, the formula is:
(4+4+1)/2 = 4.5 -> rounded up to 5

Another example: +1 [5] +1 [5]:
(5+5+1)/2 = 5.5 -> rounded up to 6

Another example: +2 [6] +2 [6]:
(6+6+2)/2 = 7

Another example: +2 [6] +2 [7]:
(6+7+2)/2 = 7.5 -> rounded up to 8

Another example: +4 [15] +4 [16]:
(15+16+4)/2 = 17.5 -> rounded up to 18

Fusion Cost Tables

First of all, big thanks and credits to zerolun for originally coming up with these tables.

Tables Explanation

Due to mathematical reasons, EVERY Chip of Level 0, 1, 2, and 3, no matter what their Cost is (even maximum Cost), can potentially be used to eventually reach a +8 [21] (Diamond) final Chip.

Starting from Level 4 (+4 Chips) this isn't true anymore. In fact, any +4 Chip with a cost of [20] or higher cannot be used to eventually reach a +8 [21], even if you Fused it only with Diamond Chips all the way to Level +8 (best case scenario you would end up with a +8 [22] Chip).

In the tables below I will report every possible Cost obtained from Fusing Chips at each Level. The color-code will be as follows (I'll give some examples after):

- A yellow color means that if you do that Fusion you will have a Diamond Chip on the next Level (or, in other words, doing that Fusion will give you a Diamond Chips as result)
- A green color means that if you do that Fusion you will be able to obtain a Diamond Chip within the next two Levels
- A light-blue color means that if you do that Fusion you will be able to obtain a Diamond Chip within the next three Levels
If you remember when a while ago I talked about "low-Cost" Chips, these (yellow, green, light-blue colored ones) are what I would consider "low-Cost" Chips/Fusions. These are the ones that I recommend you focus your attention on when farming, while the rest should be most likely sold/destroyed (either because they are not overall efficient, or because they mathematically can't let you achieve a +8 [21] later down the road).

- A no-color (default GamFAQ's blue) means that if you do that Fusion you are still potentially able to eventually get a +8 [21] (Diamond) Chip in the end, but it is not advised to use said Chips because it would lower your overall efficiency
- A red color means that if you do that Fusion you won't be able to eventually get to a +8 [21] (Diamond) Chip, even if you did the best possible Fusions

It should be obvious, but the first Column and first Row of the following tables indicate the Cost of the two Chips you Fuse together, while every other cell of the table indicates the Cost of the Chip that results from Fusing the corresponding Row-Column intersection.

Examples:
In the first Table (Level 0 -> 1) you can see that the combination of +0 [4] with +0 [5] gives a +1 [5] (yellow color). According to what I said before, "yellow color" means" you will have a Diamond Chip on the next Level". So we started at Level 0, and the "next Level" is +1 (Level 1) -- indeed, a +1 [5] Chip is a Diamond Chip ([5] is the lowest possible Cost for +1 Chips).

In the first Table (Level 0 -> 1) you can see that the combination of +0 [6] with +0 [5] gives a +1 [6] (green color). "Green color" means "you will be able to obtain a Diamond Chip within the next two Levels". So we started at Level 0, and "within the next two Levels" means "by the time we get a +2 (Level 2) Chip" -- indeed, this Fusion gives you a +1 [6] (non-Diamond) Chip, but you can then Fuse the +1 [6] Chip with a +1 [5] (obtained from a separate Fusion) to obtain a +2 [6] Chip, which is in fact the minimum Cost for a +2 Chip (+2 [6] = Diamond).

In the second Table (Level 1 -> 2) you can see that the combination of +1 [10] and +1 [5] gives a +2 [8] (light-blue color). "Light-blue color" means "you will be able to obtain a Diamond Chip within the next three Levels". So we started at Level 1, and we expect to be able to use this Fusion to eventually get a +4 [9] (Diamond) Chip. Indeed, we can Fuse +2 [8] with a +2 [6] to obtain a +3 [8], and then Fuse the +3 [8] with a +3 [7] to obtain a +4 [9] (Diamond).

In the fourth Table (Level 3 -> 4) you can see that the combination of +3 [21] and +3 [14] gives a +4 [19] (no-color). "No color" means "this Fusion is not recommended, but in theory you can still use it to eventually get a +8 [21] (Diamond)". In this case, we would need to fuse the +4 [19] with +4 [9] (Diamond) to get a +5 [16]. Then we need to Fuse the +5 [16] with a +5 [11] (Diamond) to get a +6 [16]. Then we need to Fuse the +6 [16] with +6 [14] (Diamond) to get a +7 [18]. Then we need to Fuse the +7 [18] with a +7 [17] (Diamond) to get our +8 [21] (Diamond).

Level 0 + Level 0 = Level 1

Cost	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
4	  5  	  5  	  6  	  6  	7	7	8	8
5	  5  	  6  	  6  	7	7	8	8	9
6	  6  	  6  	7	7	8	8	9	9
7	  6  	7	7	8	8	9	9	10
8	7	7	8	8	9	9	10	10
9	7	8	8	9	9	10	10	11
10	8	8	9	9	10	10	11	11
11	8	9	9	10	10	11	11	12
Level 1 + Level 1 = Level 2

Cost	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
5	  6  	  6  	  7  	  7  	  8  	  8  	9	9
6	  6  	  7  	  7  	  8  	  8  	9	9	10
7	  7  	  7  	  8  	  8  	9	9	10	10
8	  7  	  8  	  8  	9	9	10	10	11
9	  8  	  8  	9	9	10	10	11	11
10	  8  	9	9	10	10	11	11	12
11	9	9	10	10	11	11	12	12
12	9	10	10	11	11	12	12	13
Level 2 + Level 2 = Level 3

Cost	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13
6	  7  	  8  	  8  	9	9	10	10	11
7	  8  	  8  	9	9	10	10	11	11
8	  8  	9	9	10	10	11	11	12
9	9	9	10	10	11	11	12	12
10	9	10	10	11	11	12	12	13
11	10	10	11	11	12	12	13	13
12	10	11	11	12	12	13	13	14
13	11	11	12	12	13	13	14	14
Level 3 + Level 3 = Level 4

Cost	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21
7	  9  	  9  	  10  	  10  	  11  	  11  	12	12	13	13	14	14	15	15	16
8	  9  	  10  	  10  	  11  	  11  	12	12	13	13	14	14	15	15	16	16
9	  10  	  10  	  11  	  11  	12	12	13	13	14	14	15	15	16	16	17
10	  10  	  11  	  11  	12	12	13	13	14	14	15	15	16	16	17	17
11	  11  	  11  	12	12	13	13	14	14	15	15	16	16	17	17	18
12	  11  	12	12	13	13	14	14	15	15	16	16	17	17	18	18
13	12	12	13	13	14	14	15	15	16	16	17	17	18	18	19
14	12	13	13	14	14	15	15	16	16	17	17	18	18	19	19
15	13	13	14	14	15	15	16	16	17	17	18	18	19	19	20
16	13	14	14	15	15	16	16	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20
17	14	14	15	15	16	16	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21
18	14	15	15	16	16	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21
19	15	15	16	16	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22
20	15	16	16	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22
21	16	16	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23
Level 4 + Level 4 = Level 5

Cost	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23
9	  11  	  12  	  12  	  13  	  13  	  14  	  14  	  15  	  15  	  16  	  16  	17	17	18	18
10	  12  	  12  	  13  	  13  	  14  	  14  	  15  	  15  	  16  	  16  	17	17	18	18	19
11	  12  	  13  	  13  	  14  	  14  	  15  	  15  	  16  	  16  	17	17	18	18	19	19
12	  13  	  13  	  14  	  14  	  15  	  15  	  16  	  16  	17	17	18	18	19	19	20
13	  13  	  14  	  14  	  15  	  15  	  16  	  16  	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20
14	  14  	  14  	  15  	  15  	  16  	  16  	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21
25	  14  	  15  	  15  	  16  	  16  	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21
16	  15  	  15  	  16  	  16  	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22
17	  15  	  16  	  16  	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22
18	  16  	  16  	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23
19	  16  	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23
20	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24
21	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24
22	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24	25
23	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25
Level 5 + Level 5 = Level 6 

Cost	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25
11	  14  	  14  	  15  	  15  	  16  	  16  	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21
12	  14  	  15  	  15  	  16  	  16  	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21
13	  15  	  15  	  16  	  16  	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22
14	  15  	  16  	  16  	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22
15	  16  	  16  	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23
16	  16  	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23
17	17	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24
18	17	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24
19	18	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24	25
20	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25
21	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25	26
22	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25	26	26
23	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25	26	26	27
24	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25	26	26	27	27
25	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25	26	26	27	27	28
Level 6 + Level 6 = Level 7

Cost	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28
14	  17  	  18  	  18  	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24
15	  18  	  18  	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24	25
16	  18  	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25
17	19	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25	26
18	19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25	26	26
19	20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25	26	26	27
20	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25	26	26	27	27
21	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25	26	26	27	27	28
22	21	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25	26	26	27	27	28	28
23	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25	26	26	27	27	28	28	29
24	22	23	23	24	24	25	25	26	26	27	27	28	28	29	29
25	23	23	24	24	25	25	26	26	27	27	28	28	29	29	30
26	23	24	24	25	25	26	26	27	27	28	28	29	29	30	30
27	24	24	25	25	26	26	27	27	28	28	29	29	30	30	31
28	24	25	25	26	26	27	27	28	28	29	29	30	30	31	31
Level 7 + Level 7 = Level 8

 

Cost	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31
17	  21  	  21  	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25	26	26	27	27	28
18	  21  	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25	26	26	27	27	28	28
19	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25	26	26	27	27	28	28	29
20	22	23	23	24	24	25	25	26	26	27	27	28	28	29	29
21	23	23	24	24	25	25	26	26	27	27	28	28	29	29	30
22	23	24	24	25	25	26	26	27	27	28	28	29	29	30	30
23	24	24	25	25	26	26	27	27	28	28	29	29	30	30	31
24	24	25	25	26	26	27	27	28	28	29	29	30	30	31	31
25	25	25	26	26	27	27	28	28	29	29	30	30	31	31	32
26	25	26	26	27	27	28	28	29	29	30	30	31	31	32	32
27	26	26	27	27	28	28	29	29	30	30	31	31	32	32	33
28	26	27	27	28	28	29	29	30	30	31	31	32	32	33	33
29	27	27	28	28	29	29	30	30	31	31	32	32	33	33	34
30	27	28	28	29	29	30	30	31	31	32	32	33	33	34	34
31	28	28	29	29	30	30	31	31	32	32	33	33	34	34	35
 

Chips (Continued)

Chips Effects and Locations 

 

Lastly, in this final section about Chips I'll list all the available Chips in the game, with their effects (Level by Level) and the possible locations where you can buy and/or farm them from enemies. I will sort them by "Category".

I will only specify the Cost of Chips that exist only in their base Level, since for every other Chip their Cost will vary (see previous sections).

Most of the Chips will be available for sale at a certain "shop" which I'll put in spoiler tag just in case (it's Emil's Shop). It's not really a major spoiler (just a side NPC character), but anyway. Said shop will sell +3 or +6 Chips, and becomes available in Chapter 07.

Another minor-spoiler-shop is unlocked in Chapter 08, and it's Devola's Shop.

System Chips

Chip	Cost	Effect	Buy
OS Chip	2	Keeps you alive. If you remove it, it's game over and you will get the "joke" Ending T.	-
HUD: HP Gauge	2	Displays your HP bar (not numeric values; for those you need to open the pause menu).	All available for sale at various shops (Resistance Camp for example).
HUD: EXP Gauge	1	Displays your EXP/level-up progression bar (for more specific details, check your stats in the pause menu).
HUD: Skill Gauge	2	Displays the Pod Cooldown timer after using a Pod Program.
HUD: Enemy Data	2	Displays the enemy level and HP bar (not numeric values).
HUD: Mini-map	2	Displays the mini-map.
HUD: Objectives	1	Displays your current objectives.
HUD: Text Log	2	Displays the "text log" above your mini-map. This contains mostly information on the items you pick up.
HUD: Save Points	1	Displays a notification (upper right corner of the screen) when you are "in range" of an Access Point to save the game.
HUD: Fishing Spots	3	Displays an icon where you are in an area where you can Fish.
Note: you already have a Fishing-available icon on the screen. This Chip is basically useless.
HUD: Damage Values	3	Displays the damage values (dealt and received). Critical hits appear as yellowish numbers.

Note: certain weapon abilities can modify the appearance of Damage Values on screen.
HUD: Sound Waves	3	Displays a frequency-analysis
Note: the purpose of this Chip is mostly to help you find Pod C/Pod Programs, which emit a high-frequency (high-pitch) sound to help you locate them. It's not needed if you use a walkthrough, but if you don't AND you can't hear high-frequency sounds due to hearing issues (actual hearing issues in real life) then this Chip can help you find said Pod C and Pod Programs.
HUD: Control	3	Hides HUD elements "in certain conditions" (namely after idling your characters for a few seconds).
Note: I personally found this Chip counterproductive and removed it, since I never want HUD elements to disappear after a few seconds of idle time. Useful if you want to take a screenshot I guess.
 

Attack Chips

Weapon Attack Up	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	+2%	+4%	+8%	+10%	+15%	+20%	+50%	+80%	+100%
Physical attack damage + X%.
Buy	Resistance Camp / Emil's Shop.
Farm (Monster)	Chapter 17-01, during the tower-hacking sequence.
Save the game in the Deep Cave before the allied NPCs die (if they say "I can't do this anymore" they are about to die), then reload and repeat.
Farm (DLC)	Desert - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Down-Attack Up	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	+2%	+4%	+8%	+10%	+15%	+20%	+50%	+80%	+100%
Downward strike attacks damage + X %.
These are the attacks you do with your "heavy weapon" when you are airborne.
Buy	
Desert: Camp / Emil's Shop.

Farm (Monster)	
Goliath Bipeds in City Ruins.
One option is Chapter 10-03 (Route A), where you can find "a lot" of the required enemies but they only drop Level 0 and Level +1 Chips.
Another option is generic Route C (for example Chapter 17-03): there is one Goliath south of Desert: Camp's access point who can drop Level +4 Chips.

A steady supply of Down-Attack Up +3 can be obtained, one at the time, by replaying Chapter 05-02.
In this case, defeat the Goliath (miniboss) near to the Access Point "City Ruins: Near the Factory" from the ground.
This will always guarantee a +3 Level Chip of this type. Save before defeating him, and if it's not a +3 Diamond reload and try again.

Farm (DLC)	Flooded City - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Critical Up	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	+1%	+2%	+3%	+4%	+6%	+8%	+10%	+15%	+30%
Increases Critical Hit rate by + X%.
Buy	Forest Camp / Emil's Shop.
Farm (Monster)	
Small Bipeds in City Ruins. Chapter 10-01_2 has a lot of these enemies in City Ruins.

Farm (DLC)	Desert - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Ranged Attack Up	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	+2%	+4%	+8%	+10%	+15%	+20%	+50%	+80%	+100%
Pod Fire attacks damage + X%.
Buy	Resistance Camp / Emil's Shop.
Farm (Monster)	
Small Flyers (basically anywhere).
A good location is in XXXXXX City (Copied City) accessed in Route C: enemies respawn forever in the area where you fought the local boss.

They can even drop +4 Level Chips.

Farm (DLC)	Flooded City - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Shock Wave	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	"weak" (8%)	"slightly weak" (16%)	(undefined) 16%	"slightly strong" (20%)	"fairly strong" (30%)	"strong" (40%)	"powerful" (60%)	"pretty powerful" (75%)	"very powerful" (100%)
Creates a shock wave of a "certain power" which corresponds to a X% of the maximum (Level 8) effect.
Buy	Forest Camp / Emil's Shop.
Farm (Monster)	
Small Bipeds in the Desert.
Best location is most likely Pit Hollow (the area where you fought the local boss), since enemies respawn forever there.

Farm (DLC)	Desert - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Last Stand	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	+5%	+10%	+15%	+20%	+30%	+50%	+60%	+80%	+100%
When your HP is <25%, all your damage output is increased by + X%.
Buy	Valley Shop / Emil's Shop.
Farm (Monster)	
Small Bipeds in Abandoned Factory underground.

The room where Cruel Arrogance was (hack-door on top of a conveyor-belt "tunnel") isn't too bad (on Route C enemies drop +3 and +4 Chips).

Farm (DLC)	Desert - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Counter	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	0%	10%	30%	60%	80%	100%	150%	200%	250%
Block an enemy's physical hit and deflect X% damage back. Successfully blocked attacks will do zero damage to you.

To activate Counter, flick LS towards an enemy when his (physical) attack is about to hit you.

"Deflect x% damage back" means that the enemy will receive x% of the damage that you would have taken if you hadn't blocked the attack.
So if the enemy's attack would have dealt 100 HP of damage to you and you "deflect 30% of it", you will take 0 damage, while the enemy will take 30 HP of damage.

Damage dealt by Counter is not affected by any damage-booster (items, Weapon/Ranged Attack Up, Berserker mode, Last Stand, Taunt, Critical, ...).
You can indirectly boost it by removing any defensive Chip and Taunting the enemy (Easy/Normal/Hard).
On Very Hard it's indirectly boosted by Max HP Up effects.

Buy	Desert: Camp / Emil's Shop.
Farm (Monster)	
Small Stubby in the Desert.
Best location is most likely Pit Hollow (the area where you fought the local boss), since enemies respawn forever there.

Farm (DLC)	Desert - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Charge Attack	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	+20%	+40%	+60%	+80%	+100%	+150%	+200%	+250%	+300%
Increases damage done with charged attacks by + X%.
Buy	Desert: Camp / Emil's Shop.
Farm (Monsters)	Goliath Biped in the Desert. Best location is most likely Pit Hollow (the area where you fought the local boss), since enemies respawn forever there.
Farm (DLC)	Flooded City - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Chip	Cost	Effect	Buy
Continuous Combo	6	Combo continues while evading. 	Devola's Shop.
Note: actually useless. In many action games finishing a combo leads to a powerful finishing strike, but in this game that's not the case.
Defense Chips

Melee Defense	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	-2%	-4%	-8%	-10%	-15%	-20%	-30%	-60%	-80%
Damage received from physical attacks -X%.
Buy	Resistance Camp / Emil's Shop.
Farm (Monsters)	
Medium Biped (Forest Castle).

Farm them in Route C, in the first half of the Forest Castle (not many enemies, but they drop +4 Chips).
A good farming route could start from the Royal Chamber. From there, kill the few enemies left of the access point.
Then backtrack to the entrance through the first half of the Castle until you are outside; then fast-travel back to Royal Chamber.

Farm (DLC)	Forest - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Ranged Defense	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	-2%	-4%	-8%	-10%	-15%	-20%	-30%	-60%	-80%
Damage received from ranged attacks -X%.
Buy	Resistance Camp / Emil's Shop.
Farm (Monsters)	
Small Flyer (Forest Kingdom).

The Small Flyers you can find in the Royal Chamber (Route C) don't seem able to drop this Chip type.
One Small Flyer in the first half of Forest Castle can, but it's just one every trip.

An alternative (still very bad) route is by repeating Chapter 06-03, and killing the four Small Flyers on the small hill where you can get the Virtuous Grief.

Farm (DLC)	Forest - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Anti Chain Damage	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	0.5	1	1.5	2	2.5	3	4	5	6
Become invincible for X seconds after taking damage.
Buy	Pascal's Village / Emil's Shop.
Farm (Monsters)	
Small Biped (Forest Kingdom).

Route A, first half of the Forest, has plenty of these enemies bunched together.

Farm (DLC)	Forest - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Resilience	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%	5%
Avoid getting staggered if remaining HP is X% (or more) of max HP.
Buy	Desert: Camp / Emil's Shop.
Farm (Monsters)	
Goliath Biped (Forest Kingdom).

Route C has two of these enemies near the Castle's entrance. Teleport to Royal Chamber, go left and jump down to kill them.
Then use the Castle entrance's access point to fast-travel back to the Royal Chamber, and repeat.
Alternatively, just save-reload near the entrance.

Another option is one of the mandatory (respawned) chests in Flooded City's recovery unit. They can be reopened if you Chapter-Select-replay Chapter 15-02.
While boring and time-consuming (lots of mandatory hacking), at least there is a guaranteed +6 Chip every trip.

Farm (DLC)	No repeatable +6 Chip source known.
 

Max HP Up	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	+5%	+10%	+15%	+20%	+25%	+30%	+50%	+80%	+100%
Max HP Up by +X%.
Buy	Resistance Camp / Emil's Shop.
Farm (Monsters)	
Small Stubby (Forest Kingdom).

There is a good farming location (you can use Route C) in Forest Castle.
From the small open area between the two halves of the Castle (straight down from the bridge just to the right of the Royal Chamber access point),
run all the way left until you hit the wall and can't go left any further. At this point a bunch of Small Stubbies will spawn from the right side -- kill them all.
Then run back to the left end of the path again, and the enemies will respawn. Repeat until done.

Farm (DLC)	Forest - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Offensive Heal	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	2%	5%	10%	15%	20%	30%	50%	80%	100%
Recover X% of damage dealt as HP.
Buy	Valley Shop / Emil's Shop.
Farm (Monsters)	
Medium Quadruped (Forest Kingdom).

Farm them in Route C: there is three of them just south of the bridge south of the Forest Castle: Front access point.
Kill, loot, then backtrack halfway through the bridge to save the game. Then reload and repeat.

Farm (DLC)	Forest - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Deadly Heal	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	5%	10%	20%	30%	40%	50%	60%	80%	100%
Recovery X% of Max HP when defeating an enemy.
Buy	Valley Shop / Emil's Shop.
Farm (Monsters)	
Small Biped (Forest Kingdom).

Route A, first half of the Forest, has plenty of these enemies bunched together.

Farm (DLC)	No repeatable +6 Chip sources known.
 

Auto-Heal	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	6'', 0.6%	6'', 1.2%	6'', 2.4%	6'', 3.6%	6'', 4.8%	6'', 7.2%	5'', 9.6%	5'', 12%	4'', 18%
After X'' (seconds of time) without taking damage, recover Y% of max HP every second.

Berserker mode's HP-drain-damage negates the activation of this Chip.

Buy	Forest Camp / Emil's Shop.
Farm (Monsters)	
Small Sphere in Abandoned Factory Underground.

Use Route C. You'll find several of these enemies (sometimes a lot) in the area with the first set of smashing machines (these ones are all idle).
The area is pretty bad and you need to go back and forth between here and the access point to save-reload and reset the spawns.
Don't forget that you can also fight a bunch more on top of the smashing machines (jump on top of them from the upper level, like you did to get the Engine Blade).
At least the enemies can drop +4 Chips.

Linked-sphere Type enemies (City Ruins, Route A) can drop these Chips too, but they will be lower-Level and there is just three of them.
I would recommend the Abandoned Factory underground.

Farm (DLC)	No repeatable +6 Chip source known.
 

Damage Absorb	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	10% / 5%	20% / 10%	30% / 15%	40% / 20%	50% / 25%	80% / 30%	100% / 25%	150% / 40%	200% / 50%
Recovers X% of received damage as HP with a probability of Y%.
Read the values in the table as X% / Y%.
Buy	Forest Camp / Emil's Shop.
Farm (Monsters)	
Medium Biped in Amusement Park.

If you do this on Route A/B you can find four of these enemies each run, but the best they can drop is +2 Chips.

If you do this on Route C you can only find two of them, but at least they can drop +2 and +4 Chips.
Considering that a +4 is worth eight +2/sixteen +1, this makes this choice overall better.
If you do it on Route C, use the Pod Program Wave to kill the machine behind a gate from the main street (Auto-Collect Item to pick up the loot),
so you don't need to go around the alleys to get to him. The other one is between the main street and the main square. Save-reload from main street to respawn.

Farm (DLC)	Forest - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Reset	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	10% / 5%	 20% / 10%	20% / 10%	30% / 15%	40% / 20%	50% / 25%	60% / 30%	70% / 40%	80% / 50%
After taking a fatal hit, get revived with X% of max HP with a probability of Y%.
Read the values in the table as X% / Y%.

This Chip does work on Very Hard difficulty too.
The Chip can work multiple times in a row (of course it becomes progressively less likely, statistically speaking).

Buy	Forest Camp / Emil's Shop.
Farm (Monsters)	Medium Biped / Medium Quadruped (Abandoned Factory underground).
Farm (DLC)	Desert - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Support Chips

Fast Cooldown	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	-2%	-4%	-8%	-10%	-15%	-20%	-25%	-35%	-50%
Pod Program Cooldown time -X%.
Buy	Pascal's Village / Emil's Shop.
Farm (monsters)	Small Stubby (Abandoned Factory underground).
Farm (DLC)	Forest - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Evade Range Up	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	+10%	+20%	+40%	+60%	+80%	+100%	+120%	+160%	200%
Increase Evade distance by +X%.
Buy	Valley Shop / Emil's Shop.
Farm (monsters)	Small Stubby (Desert).
Best location is most likely Pit Hollow (the area where you fought the local boss), since enemies respawn forever there.
Farm (DLC)	No repeatable +6 Chip sources known.
Forest - Rank 6 can reward you with a +3 Chip.
 

Moving Speed Up	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	+2%	+4%	+8%	+10%	+12%	+14%	+16%	+18%	+20%
Movement (running) speed increased by +X%.

This Chip doesn't really save you any significant time, even considering all the running around you'll do.
I know that 20% faster movement speed sounds like a significant increase, but it's barely noticeable.

Buy	Valley Shop / Emil's Shop.
Farm (monsters)	Small Biped (Desert).
Best location is most likely Pit Hollow (the area where you fought the local boss), since enemies respawn forever there.
Farm (DLC)	Flooded City - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Drop Rate Up	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	+10%	+20%	+30%	+40%	+50%	+60%	+70%	+80%	+90%
Drop Rate (Materials and Chips) from monsters increased by +X%. 
Buy	Pascal's Village / Emil's Shop.
Farm (monsters)	
Small Flyer (Amusement Park).

Farm (DLC)	No repeatable +6 Chip sources known.
 

EXP Gain Up	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	+2%	+4%	+8%	+10%	+20%	+30%	+50%	+80%	+100%
EXP received increased by +X%. 
Buy	Pascal's Village / Emil's Shop.
Farm (monsters)	Small Stubby (Amusement Park).
Farm (DLC)	No repeatable +6 Chip sources known.
 

Vengeance	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	10% / 5%	20% / 10%	30% / 15%	40% / 20%	50% / 25%	80% / 30%	100% / 25%	150% / 40%	200% / 50%
Inflicts X% of damage received to the enemy with a probability of Y%.
Read the values in the table as X% / Y%.
Buy	Valley Shop / Emil's Shop.
Farm (monsters)	Small Biped (Amusement Park).
Farm (DLC)	Desert - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Overclock	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	0.8	1.5	2	2.5	3	3.5	4	4.5	5.5
Slows down time after a "perfect evade" for X seconds.

You are free to move at regular speed during Overclock's effect.
Enemies can still hit you during Overclock.
Pod Programs (and the animation of their execution) are slowed down just like enemies during Overclock.

Buy	Valley Shop / Emil's Shop.
Farm (monsters)	
Small Flyer (Abandoned Factory underground).

A somewhat decent location is on Route C, on top of the smashing machines beyond the second hack-door
(get to it from the "Furnace" access point), since they are not too far away from the access point and they can drop up to +4 Chips.

Farm (DLC)	Forest - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Taunt Up	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	180%	200%	240%	280%	300%	350%	400%	450%	500%
Increases all damage input and output (except Counter) to X% of base damage.

Increasing damage to 180% for example equals to a 1.8x multiplier. Maximum effect is 500%, so it's a 5x multiplier.

NOTE: Taunt Up Chips do not stack their effects, even though the game claims that they do. For maximum effect you must have Taunt Up +8.

Buy	Valley Shop / Emil's Shop.
Farm (monsters)	
Small Flyer / Medium Flyer (Desert).

You can use Route C and kill the two Medium Flyers just outside and to the left when you leave the Oil Field (the first "oasis").

Alternatively, you can use Chapter 03-01 (Route B) and clear all the Medium Flyers and Small Flyers you can find in Desert: Center.
This yields overall more Taunt Up Chips, although a lot of them will be of lower Level and there is a lot of walking around to do.

Farm (DLC)	Desert - Special Rank (+6 Chip).
 

Auto-use Item	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	+10%	+15%	+20%	+30%	+40%	+50%	+60%	+80%	+100%
When taking a hit that reduces HP below 30%, automatically use a Recovery Item with +X% effect compared to its normal effect.

Items are used in order from the least effective (Small Recovery) to the strongest ones available.
This Chip can only be equipped on Easy/Normal/Hard.
This Chip does not trigger while your HP are being drained during Berserker mode (it does trigger after Berserker mode ends though).

Buy	Valley Shop / Emil's Shop.
Farm (monsters)	
Multi-tier Type (City Ruins / Desert).

Reverse-jointed Goliath (City Ruins).
This one may be a better choice: while there aren't many of them (one always near the "electricity tower"), on Route C they can at least drop +2/+3 Chips.

Farm (DLC)	No repeatable +6 Chip sources known.
Chip	Cost	Effect	Buy
Auto-Collect Items	6	Automatically pick up Collection Points and enemy-dropped Chips.	Devola's Shop.
Item Scan	6	Reveal position of treasure chests and Collection Points on the minimap.	Many shops sell this item (for example Resistance Camp) after Chapter 04 (NG+/Route B).
Evasive System	6	
Slows down time for everyone (yourself included) when an "orb" (enemy projectile) approaches you.

Devola's Shop
Note: it doesn't work during "shmup" (flight unit) sequences.
Zooming out the camera can easily prevent getting hit by orbs from behind you.
The Bullet Rupture ability of certain weapons (Ancient Overlord, etc.) is of much greater help when dealing with orbs than this Chip.
Bullet Detonation	6	When you get hit by an "orb" (enemy projectile), all nearby orbs automatically explode.	Devola's Shop.
Note: the in-game description says "strike enemy bullets to detonate them". The actual effect is what I wrote (you need to get hit by orbs, and take damage from them, to detonate the nearby ones).
It's basically the same effect as Bullet Rupture, except that you need to get hit by orbs to activate this Chip (not an option on Very Hard), whereas Bullet Rupture detonates orbs by striking them with your weapon.

This Chip does work during "shmup" (flight unit) sequences.
Chip	Cost	Effect	Buy
Auto-Attack	1	Automatically attack	
These Chips can only be equipped on Easy difficulty.

They do work during shmup/hacking sequences.

To activate them you need to press the Auto-Control button (same as Lock-On, but only when playing on Easy).

Auto-Evade is not perfect (it's damn near perfect during hacking sequences though).

Not sure what practical purpose Auto-Weapon Switch has.

All available for sale at various shops (Resistance Camp for example).
Auto-Fire	1	Automatically fire Pod
Auto-Evade	1	Automatically evade
Auto-Program	1	Automatically use Pod Programs
Auto-Weapon Switch	1	Automatically switch weapons
Chips (Continued)

Hacking Chips

This entire category of Chips starts becoming available only in Route B.

Hijack Boost	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	+1	+2	+3	+4	+5	+6	+7	+8	+9
Increase level of Remote-Controlled enemies by +X.
Buy	Resistance Camp / Emil's Shop (Route B).
Farm (monster)	
Small Stubby (Abandoned Factory).

Farm in Route C, and make sure you do so in the "original part" of the Abandoned Factory, and not in the underground area.

Farm (DLC)	No repeatable +6 Chip sources known.
 

Stun	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	5m / 3''	10m / 3''	10m / 3.5''	15m / 3.5''	15m / 4''	20m / 4''	20m / 4.5''	25m / 4.5''	25m / 5''
Hacked enemies will release electricity discharges with a range of X m (meters) for Y'' (seconds).
Buy	Resistance Camp / Emil's Shop (Route B).
Farm (monster)	
Medium Biped (Abandoned Factory Underground).

For +1 Level Chips, kill the Medium Quadruped (Abandoned Factory Underground) in Chapter 09 (Route A).
There is just one of these guys in a room full of dead android bodies. To get there, follow the path in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8_4eajk2Rc

Farm (DLC)	No repeatable +6 Chip sources known.
 

Combust	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	3	3.5	4	4.5	5	5.5	6	6.5	7
Ignite hacked enemies for X seconds.
Buy	Desert: Camp / Emil's Shop (Route B).
Farm (monster)	
Medium Exploder (Desert).

Farm in Pit Hollow (where you fought the local boss).

Farm (DLC)	No repeatable +6 Chip sources known.
 

Heal Drops Up	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Effect	10%	20%	30%	40%	50%	60%	70%	90%	100%
When killing an enemy with hacking, X% chances that they drop a recovery item.

Note: while I haven't tested this extensively, in my experience the item dropped is always a Small Recovery
(I tested it against various enemies, including an EMP Goliath Biped in Route C).

Note: on PC, as of the day of writing this, hitting the effect limit with this Chip will crash the game.

Buy	Pascal's Village / Emil's Shop.
Farm (monster)	
Small Flyer (Amusement Park).

You can farm in Route B, but also Route C if you use the rollercoaster ride (the latter is recommended; they can drop +4 Chips).

Farm (DLC)	No repeatable +6 Chip sources known.
Chip	Cost	Effect	Buy
Death Rattle	6	Makes enemies scream when defeated via hacking.	Devola's Shop.
Note: no practical purpose aside from the sadistic fun of it.
If you are wondering, it sounds like when the kamikaze enemies blow themselves up.
Weapons

In this section you'll find a list of all the weapons in the game. Before the actual list, I'll talk a bit about how weapons work in this game.

Weapons in this game

The two offensive tools of the game are the Pod (and their Programs), and the Weapons. You can equip two weapons in each Weapon "set", in your main menu. The first weapon will be your light-attack weapon; the second one will be the heavy-attack weapon.

Each weapon has a certain amount of maximum hits in a combo, displayed as "Lt X" and "Hv Y" (X and Y are two numbers). As a general rule, this isn't an important factor (let's be honest, we all button-mash the attack button without even noticing when a combo ends and another one starts).

During a battle, you can quickly switch between your weapon sets by pressing the D-Pad_Up. While this is possible (and nice to have), you will probably stick with the same weapon set most of the game.

Weapon Types

Weapons are divided in various "types": Small Swords, Large Swords, Spears, and Combat Bracers. Each of these "types" has its advantages and disadvantages, and all the weapons in the same category share the same animations.

This is rather important when playing the game, because certain animations are very useful in certain situations, while they can be completely counterproductive in others. An example would be the dodge-counter animation for Small Swords vs Spears: if you dodge-counter with a Small Sword, 2B will perform an upper-slash attack that launches the enemy in the air, IF the enemy can be staggered. The Spears' dodge-counter animation, on the other hand, consists of a 360°-swipe attack around 2B, which has a bit more range (as you would expect from a spear) than a Small Sword. If an enemy can't be staggered (and therefore launched in the air), dodge-countering with a Small Sword usually means walking into that enemy's attack. On the other hand, dodge-countering with the Spear will make 2B perform a counter that will actually connect with the enemy, do some damage, and allow you to dodge again away from the enemy's possible counterattack.

The dodge-counter animation is just an example, but probably the most significant one. As a matter of fact, as much as I support the idea that "each player has his own playstyle", in my opinion the Small Swords and Combat Bracer categories will outclass the other two most of the time, and that's for a very simple reason: they are faster, and therefore allow you to play safer. That's why I suggest sticking with either of these two categories as your primary (light attack) weapon.

On the other hand, I find Spears and Large Swords to be particularly useful for dodge-counter purposes, since they tend to either pierce through the enemy's defense (Large Swords), or clear up the area around you without you actually having to be too close to your target (Spears). Therefore, while I wouldn't normally use them, it's good to have them as a secondary (heavy attack) weapon, so that you can use them for dodge-counter purposes.

That being said, experimenting with each class will give you some pros and cons about them. However, when it comes to choosing the ultimate weapon for you, the most important factor is actually going to be their ability/effect, which we're going to discuss in a moment.

Upgrading Weapons

To upgrade weapons, you need to access one of the weapon shops in the game (for example the one in Resistance Camp) and use the Upgrade service. Upgrading weapons will cost Materials and a (relatively) small amount of money. Upgrading weapons has various consequences:

- It may increase the amount of hits in a combo for the weapon
- It will increase its attack power
- It will unlock the first ability at level 2, and the second ability at level 4

The maximum level of Weapons is level 4, but most weapon shops only allow you to upgrade them to level 3. The only weapon shop that allows you to upgrade to level 4 is the Masamune shop, located in a hidden (somewhat) room in the Forest Castle area. In particular, his shop is located in the room just below the last Access Point of the Forest Castle, and it's accessed by jumping down and left off the bridge on the right of the Access Point, and then pulling a block to the right to clear the way to his shop.

In any normal playthrough you will probably upgrade just a few weapons (ideally just two, the best ones), and leave the rest for later. For a list of all the Materials needed to upgrade every weapon from level 1 to level 4, please refer to the Materials section of this walkthrough.

Weapon Effects/Abilities

Each weapon has two abilities that you unlock by upgrading it. The first ability is unlocked at level 2 (after the first upgrade), while the second ability is unlocked at level 4 (after the last upgrade).

I completely ignored the importance of weapon abilities in my first playthrough, and this was a bad mistake. If you intend to play on higher difficulty settings, knowing how important certain abilities are will be crucial. Indeed, the argument "which is the best weapon?" can pretty much be solved by looking at which weapon has the best abilities. Let's take a look at said abilities in the table below.

Primary (Lv 2) Ability	Effect	Weapons with this ability
ATK Speed Up	Increases attacks speed.	Faith
Phoenix Dagger
Virtuous Contract
Cruel Oath
Phoenix Sword
Virtuous Treaty
Cruel Blood Oath
Phoenix Lance
Virtuous Dignity
Cruel Arrogance
Angel's Folly
Demon's Cry
Virtuous Grief
Cruel Lament
Critical +	Increases Critical Hit rate.	Iron Pipe
Ancient Overlord
Cypress Stick
Fang of the Twins
Spear of the Usurper
Endurance Up	Increases defense by 20%.
The effect stacks between equipped weapons with the same ability.	Beastbane
Type-3 Sword
Iron Will
Beastlord
Type-3 Blade
Beastcurse
Dragoon Lance
Type-3 Lance
Type-3 Fists
Stun Up	Increases stun values dealt to enemies.	Type-4O Sword
Engine Blade
Type-4O Blade
Type-4O Lance
Type-4O Fists
Emil's Head
Discount	Android-run shops prices -30%.
Owning the upgraded weapon is enough to have the effect active (don't need to equip it).	YoRHa-issue Blade
Robot Discount	Machine-run shops prices -10%.
Owning the upgraded weapons is enough to have the effect active (don't need to equip them).
The effect stacks with multiple weapons (max effect: -40%).	Machine Sword
Machine Axe
Machine Spear
Machine Heads
Secondary (Lv 4) Ability	Effect	Weapons with this ability
Bullet Absorb	Slash orbs (enemy projectiles) to recover some HP.	Faith
High Stun	Adds a high probability of stunning enemies.	Iron Pipe
Beast's Roar	Adds a visual "claw-attack" effect to your melee attacks.
It might have an effect on your weapon's range, but if it does it's very negligible. If it doesn't, it's just a visual modifier.	Beastbane
Beastlord
Beastcurse
Phoenix Flash	"Chance" of restoring HP when attacking enemies.
The probability of this happening is abysmal. This ability is not an alternative to the Offensive Heal Chip (not even close).	Phoenix Dagger
Phoenix Sword
Phoenix Lance
Bullet Rupture	Detonates nearby orbs (enemy projectiles) when you destroy one of them with a melee attack.	Ancient Overlord
Fang of the Twins
Energy Charge	After 4 seconds of idle time, your weapon is charged and acquires a blue-electricity glowing effect (visual modifier).
Moreover, for a few seconds after the charge your attack power will be increased by +20%.	Type-4O Sword
Type-4O Blade
Type-4O Lance
Type-4O Fists
Finish Blast	Detonates the final hit of close-range combos (must be light/heavy-hit only, ground combo).
The effect is virtually insignificant (barely noticeable actually).	Type-4 Sword
Type-3 Blade
Type-3 Lance
Type-3 Fists
Holy Blessing	Increases attack power by +20% when HP is max.	Virtuous Contract
Virtuous Treaty
Virtuous Dignity
Virtuous Grief
Dark Impulse	Increases attack power by +40% when HP is <30%.	Cruel Oath
Cruel Blood Oath
Cruel Arrogance
Cruel Lament
Pod Charge	Lowers Pod Program Cooldown period when attacking.
I honestly can't tell if this ability is bugged or its effect is simply so small that it can't even be noticed.	YoRHa-issue Blade
Machine Brand	Increases weapon attack power by defeating enemies.
The effect reaches a certain maximum values.
The values in the weapon tables below assume that Machine Brand is maxed, and as you can see even then they are not all that powerful.	Machine Sword
Machine Axe
Machine Spear
Machine Heads
Shift Avoid	Visual modifier for damage values (blue color, different font) and dash/dodge animation (blue-ghost effect).	Engine Blade
Hero Sigil	Visual modifier for damage values ("big bolded orange comic-sans" font) and treasure chests.	Cypress Stick
Steel Spine	Decreases chance of getting staggered from enemies' attacks.	Iron Will
Dragon Wings	Increases power of airborne combos.	Dragoon Lance
Turncoat	Chance to "subjugate" enemies when attacking them.
Subjugate here works the same as when hacking them, i.e. they will become your allies and hit other machines.	Spear of the Usurper
Angel's Mercy	Recover 30% of max HP when killing enemies with this weapon.
This ability always triggers, but the finishing hit must be done with this weapon.	Angel's Folly
Devil's Hatred	Creates an explosion after defeating an enemy with this weapon.
Said explosion has modest range around the enemy, but it will damage (relatively heavily) nearby enemies too.	Demon's Cry
Insanity	You can hear "someone" speaking (Emil) when attacking with this weapon.	Emil's Head
The Best Weapons

As I said before, you could make a case for each weapon, in theory, but let's keep it real: the Critical + weapons have BY FAR the best ability of all the weapons, due to how Critical works in this game (it deals 5x base damage, and there is a Chip (Critical Up) that can dramatically increase the frequency of critical hits).

The choice of which of these Critical+ weapons you prefer comes down to personal preference, mostly, but there is another very useful ability in the game, and that's Bullet Rupture. This ability can be a life saver in certain fights, especially on Very Hard where you can't really afford to get hit by some random bullet from the enemy.

The ability High Stun also has some good use, although by the time you can get it you will probably be strong enough as not to need it. It's still worth mentioning, if you want to do the DLC challenges (Flooded City in particular).

The other important factor is that you want strong but also fast weapons as your primary choice. Therefore, ideally, you would want a Small Sword or a Combat Bracer.

One weapon has all of these positive traits, and it's the Ancient Overlord: it's a small sword, it has Critical+, and it has Bullet Rupture. Moreover, it's one of the earliest weapons you can get (available at the very first weapon shop), and has good attack power values too. It really doesn't get any better than Ancient Overlord when it comes to practical aspects.

The Fang of the Twins is a Long Sword that also has Critical + and Bullet Rupture. It might be a worthy secondary weapon, but still comes second after Ancient Overlord in my opinion: the faster your combos, the more chances you have that one of the hits will be critical, and therefore a Small Sword (Ancient Overlord) is preferable. Still, in those few situations where you may prefer something "heavier", Fang of the Twins is a good candidate.

On the other hand, some people like other weapons for their side effects. For example, the Cypress Stick has a nice effect that changes the damage values to something more aesthetically pleasing than the raw white numbers on the screen. A lot of people (and I mean A LOT) prefer the Type 4O weapons because of their blue-electrical-glow effect, and that's fine too.

However, if we discuss what's the best weapon from a practical point of view, there isn't really a better choice than Ancient Overlord: it wins on every aspect, period.

The Iron Pipe has Critical + and High Stun, so it's ideal for power-playing against stronger enemies (only worth it against bosses actually).

Lastly, towards the end of your final playthrough you will probably start wanting to have a chipset with a Combat Bracer, since (only during Route C) you can do a fast-massive Taunt animation on Route C, and the animation with Combat Bracers is the fastest. I personally like Demon's Cry best, since its Devil's Hatred ability can help killing bunched-up enemies faster.

This doesn't mean that you shouldn't use other weapons if you prefer them. In fact, since the game is still quite easy even on Very Hard, even against the strongest enemies, it's not such a silly move to choose the weapon based on how much you like their animations or special effects. It's not practical, but this is a game that allows fancy choices rather than the best ones.

Small Swords

The table should be self-explanatory: level indicates the stats of the weapon at that level; attack is its attack power (range); combo is the number of hits in a combo (X-Y; the first number indicates the light attack combo hits, the second one is for the heavy attacks); ability-learned indicates the ability acquired at that level; materials is the amount of materials necessary to upgrade the weapon TO that level.

I have omitted the cost of the upgrades, since it's fixed for all: 2,500 G for the first upgrade, 5,000 G for the second upgrade, and 10,000 G for the final upgrade.

Just in case anyone is confused, the abilities learned at level 2 are kept when the weapon is upgraded. In other words, in the table you will read "-" at level 1 and at level 3 for each weapon, because they don't acquire any new ability at that level. A weapon level 1 never has an ability. A weapon at level 2 learns its first ability. A weapon at level 3 doesn't learn any new abilities, but still has the ability learned at level 2. A weapon level 4 learns its second ability, AND it still has the ability learned at level 2.

For the explanation of the effects of the abilities, please refer to the previous section.

Small Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Faith    	1	160-190	-	5-3	-
2	320-380	ATK Speed Up	5-3	Rusted Clump x 5, Warped Wire x 3, Pyrite x 5
3	448-532	-	6-3	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Broken Battery x 3, Meteorite Shard x 1
4	608-722	Bullet Absorb	7-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Broken Battery x 5, Large Battery x 3, Machine Arm x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Treasure in the "second tower" (third playthrough).
 

Small Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Iron Pipe	1	30-220	-	2-1	-
2	54-396	 Critical +	3-1	Copper Ore x 5, Broken Key x 5, Crystal x 5
3	84-616	-	4-2	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Small Gear x 3, Amber x 2
4	114-836	High Stun	5-2	Gold Ore x 2, Small Gear x 5, Large Gear x 3, Machine Arm x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	Fish it out of the sewers (the ones connecting City Ruins and the Amusement Park).

 

Small Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Beastbane	1	190-210	-	5-2	-
2	342-378	Endurance Up	6-2	Copper Ore x 5, Stretched Coil x 3, Pyrite x 5
3	532-588	-	6-3	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Stripped Screw x 3, Meteorite Shard x 1
4	722-798	Beast's Roar	7-3	Gold Ore x 2, Stripped Screw x 5, Pristine Screw x 3, Machine Arm x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Buy in Resistance Camp.
 

Small Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Phoenix Dagger	1	130-190	-	4-2	-
2	234-342	ATK Speed Up	5-2	Rusted Clump x 5, Broken Circuit x 5, Pearl x 3
3	364-532	-	6-2	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Crushed Nut x 3, Black Pearl x 2
4	494-722	Phoenix Flash	7-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Crushed Nut x 5, Clean Nut x 3, Machine Arm x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Treasure in City Ruins/Forest Kingdom (in the crevasse below the bridge connecting these two areas).
 

Small Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Ancient Overlord	1	150-185	-	4-2	-
2	
270-333

 Critical +	5-2	Rusted Clump x 5, Broken Circuit x 5, Warped Wire x 5
3	420-518	-	6-2	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Small Gear x 3, Amber x 2
4	570-703	Bullet Rupture	7-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Small Gear x 5, Large Gear x 3, Machine Arm x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Buy in Resistance Camp.
 

Small Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Type-4O Sword	1	170-180	-	5-3	-
2	306-324	Stun Up 	6-3	Rusted Clump x 5, Broken Circuit x 5, Pearl x 3
3	476-504	-	7-3	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Broken Battery x 3, Black Pearl x 2
4	646-684	Energy Charge	7-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Broken Battery x 5, Large Battery x 3, Machine Arm x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Complete Quest # 23 - Find a Present.
 

Small Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Type-3 Sword	1	130-220	-	3-1	-
2	234-396	Endurance Up 	4-1	Copper Ore x 5, Broken Key x 5, Crystal x 5
3	364-616	-	5-2	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Rusty Bolt x 3, Amber x 2 
4	494-836	Finish Blast	7-3	Gold Ore x 2, Rusty Bolt x 5, New Bolt x 3, Machine Arm x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Buy in Resistance Camp (Devola's shop).
 

Small Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Virtuous Contract	1	150-180	-	4-2	-
2	270-324	ATK Speed Up	5-2	Rusted Clump x 5, Beast Hide x 5, Crystal x 5
3	420-504	-	6-3	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Severed Cable x 3, Amber x 2
4	570-684	Holy Blessing	7-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Severed Cable x 5, Pristine Cable x 3, Machine Arm x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	Starting weapon.
 

Small Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Cruel Oath	1	150-180	-	4-2	-
2	270-324	ATK Speed Up 	5-2	Copper Ore x 5, Beast Hide x 5, Crystal x 5
3	420-504	-	6-3	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Small Gear x 3, Amber x 2
4	570-684	Dark Impulse	7-3	Gold Ore x 2, Small Gear x 5, Large Gear x 3, Machine Arm x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	Automatically received at the start of the second playthrough.
 

Small Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
YoRHa-issue Blade	1	150-180	-	4-2	-
2	270-324	Discount 	5-2	Rusted Clump x 5, Broken Key x 5, Stretched Coil x 5 
3	420-504	-	6-3	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Rusty Bolt x 3, Pyrite x 3 
4	570-684	Pod Charge	7-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Rusty Bolt x 5, New Bolt x 3, Machine Arm x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	Complete Quest # 38 - 11B's Memento.
 

Small Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Machine Sword	1	140-210	-	4-1	-
2	252-378	Robot Discount	4-1	Copper Ore x 5, Broken Key x 5, Crystal x 5 
3	392-588	-	5-2	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Dented Socket x 3, Amber x 2
4	532-798	Machine Brand	6-3	Gold Ore x 2, Dented Socket x 5, Sturdy Socket x 3, Machine Arm x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	Buy in Pascal's Village.
 

Small Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Engine Blade	1	160-200	-	5-3	-
2	288-360	Stun Up 	6-3	Rusted Clump x 5, Broken Circuit x 5, Pearl x 3
3	448-560	-	6-3	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Broken Battery x 3, Black Pearl x 2 
4	608-760	Shift Avoid	7-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Broken Battery x 5, Large Battery x 3, Machine Arm x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	Treasure in Abandoned Factory underground (area unlocked only later in the story).
 

Small Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Cypress Stick	1	60-80	-	4-1	-
2	108-144	Critical + 	5-2	Copper Ore x 5, Broken Key x 5, Stretched Coil x 5
3	168-224	-	6-3	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Severed Cable x 3, Pyrite x 3
4	228-304	Hero Sigil	7-3	Gold Ore x 2, Severed Cable x 5, Pristine Cable x 3, Machine Arm x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	Treasure in Forest Kingdom (forest area - second half).
Large Swords

 

Large Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Iron Will	1	250-400	-	1-1 	-
2	450-720	Endurance Up 	2-1	Rusted Clump x 5, Broken Key x 5, Pyrite x 5
3	700-1,120	-	2-2	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Broken Battery x 3, Meteorite Shard x 1
4	950-1,520	Steel Spine	3-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Broken Battery x 5, Large Battery x 3, Machine Torso x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Scanner treasure in Flooded City (picture: http://i.imgur.com/dSGeiVF.jpg).

 

Large Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Fang of the Twins	1	310-320	-	2-2	-
2	558-576	Critical +	2-2	Copper Ore x 5, Broken Key x 5, Crystal x 5
3	868-896	-	3-3	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Severed Cable x 3, Amber x 2
4	1,176-1,216	Bullet Rupture	4-3	Gold Ore x 2, Severed Cable x 5, Pristine Cable x 3, Machine Torso x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	Treasure in Desert: Housing Complex.
 

Large Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Beastlord	1	320-350	-	2-2	-
2	576-630	Endurance Up	2-2	Copper Ore x 5, Warped Wire x 3, Pyrite x 5
3	896-980	-	3-3	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Stripped Screw x 3, Meteorite Shard x 1
4	1,216-1,330	Beast's Roar	4-3	Gold Ore x 2, Stripped Screw x 5, Pristine Screw x 3, Machine Torso x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Buy in Resistance Camp.
 

Large Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Phoenix Sword	1	270-340	-	2-2	-
2	486-612	ATK Speed Up 	2-2	Rusted Clump x 5, Broken Circuit x 5, Pearl x 3
3	756-952	-	3-3	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Crushed Nut x 3, Black Pearl x 2
4	1,026-1,292	Phoenix Flash	4-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Crushed Nut x 5, Clean Nut x 3, Machine Torso x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Treasure in City Ruins (hack-chest; requires second playthrough).
 

Large Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Type-4O Blade	1	320-330	-	2-2	-
2	576-594	Stun Up	2-2	Rusted Clump x 5, Broken Circuit x 5, Pearl x 3
3	896-924	-	3-3	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Broken Battery x 3, Black Pearl x 2
4	1,216-1,254	Energy Charge	4-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Broken Battery x 5, Large Battery x 3, Machine Torso x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Reward for Quest # 25 - Data Analysis Freak 2.
 

Large Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Type-3 Blade	1	280-360	-	1-1	-
2	504-648	Endurance Up	2-2	Copper Ore x 5, Broken Key x 5, Crystal x 5
3	784-1,008	-	3-3	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Rusty Bolt x 3, Amber x 2
4	1,064-1,368	Finish Blast	4-3	Gold Ore x 2, Rusty Bolt x 5, New Bolt x 3, Machine Torso x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Buy in Resistance Camp (Devola's shop).
 

Large Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Virtuous Treaty	1	300-330	-	2-2	-
2	540-594	ATK Speed Up	2-2	Rusted Clump x 5, Beast Hide x 5, Crystal x 5
3	840-924	-	3-3	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Warped Wire x 5, Amber x 2
4	1,140-1,254	Holy Blessing	4-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Severed Cable x 5, Pristine Cable x 3, Machine Torso x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	Treasure in Abandoned Factory (available after reaching City Ruins for the first time).
 

Large Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Cruel Blood Oath	1	300-330	-	2-2	-
2	540-594	ATK Speed Up	2-2	Copper Ore x 5, Beast Hide x 5, Stretched Coil x 5
3	840-924	-	3-3	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Small Gear x 3, Pyrite x 3
4	1,140-1,254	Dark Impulse	4-3	Gold Ore x 2, Small Gear x 5, Large Gear x 3, Machine Torso x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	Treasure in Desert (first area, underground, beyond a hack-door; requires second playthrough).
 

Large Sword	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Machine Axe	1	280-350	-	2-1	-
2	504-630	Robot Discount	2-1	Copper Ore x 5, Broken Key x 5, Crystal x 5
3	784-980	-	2-2	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Dented Socket x 3, Amber x 2
4	1,064-1,330	Machine Brand	3-3	Gold Ore x 2, Dented Socket x 5, Sturdy Socket x 3, Machine Torso x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	Buy in Pascal's Village.
Spears

 

Spear	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Phoenix Lance	1	210-250	-	4-2	-
2	378-450	ATK Speed Up	5-2	Rusted Clump x 5, Broken Circuit x 5, Pearl x 3
3	588-700	-	6-3	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Crushed Nut x 3, Black Pearl x 2
4	798-950	Phoenix Flash	6-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Crushed Nut x 5, Clean Nut x 3, Machine Leg x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	
Scanner treasure in Desert (second area) (picture: http://i.imgur.com/a4k86Ux.jpg).



 

Spear	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Beastcurse	1	240-265	-	3-1	-
2	432-477	Endurance Up	4-1	Copper Ore x 5, Stretched Coil x 3, Pyrite x 5
3	672-742	-	5-2	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Stripped Screw x 3, Meteorite Shard x 1
4	912-1,007	Beast's Roar	6-3	Gold Ore x 2, Stripped Screw x 5, Pristine Screw x 3, Machine Leg x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Treasure in Forest Castle (hack-chest; requires second playthrough).
 

Spear	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Dragoon Lance	1	250-260	-	3-2	-
2	450-468	Endurance Up	4-2	Rusted Clump x 5, Broken Circuit x 5, Warped Wire x 5
3	700-728	-	5-3	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Crushed Nut x 3, Pyrite x 3
4	950-988	Dragon Wings	6-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Crushed Nut x 5, Clean Nut x 3, Machine Leg x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Treasure in the Forest Kingdom.
 

Spear	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Spear of the Usurper	1	220-270	-	4-2	-
2	396-486	Critical +	5-2	Copper Ore x 5, Broken Key x 5, Stretched Coil x 5
3	616-756	-	6-3	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Rusty Bolt x 3, Pyrite x 3
4	836-1,026	Turncoat	6-3	Gold Ore x 2, Rusty Bolt x 5, New Bolt x 3, Machine Leg x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	Reward for Quest # 48 - Heritage of the Past.
 

Spear	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Type-4O Lance	1	240-250	-	3-2	-
2	432-450	Stun Up	4-2	Rusted Clump x 5, Broken Circuit x 5, Pearl x 3 
3	672-700	-	5-3	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Broken Battery x 3, Black Pearl x 2
4	912-950	Energy Charge	6-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Broken Battery x 5, Large Battery x 3, Machine Leg x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Reward for Quest # 43 - YoRHa's Betrayal.
 

Spear	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Type-3 Lance	1	200-280	-	3-1	-
2	360-504	Endurance Up	4-1	Copper Ore x 5, Broken Key x 5, Crystal x 5
3	560-784	-	5-2	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Rusty Bolt x 3, Amber x 2
4	760-1,1064	Finish Blast	6-3	Gold Ore x 2, Rusty Bolt x 5, New Bolt x 3, Machine Leg x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Treasure in Flooded City.
 

Spear	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Virtuous Dignity	1	220-240	-	3-2	-
2	396-432	ATK Speed Up	4-2	Rusted Clump x 5, Beast Hide x 5, Crystal x 5
3	616-672	-	5-2	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Warped Wire x 5, Amber x 2
4	836-912	Holy Blessing	6-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Severed Cable x 5, Pristine Cable x 3, Machine Leg x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	Treasure in City Ruins (accessed from a detour in the sewers connecting the City Ruins and the Amusement Park).
 

Spear	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Cruel Arrogance	1	220-240	-	3-2 	-
2	396-432	ATK Speed Up	4-2	Copper Ore x 5, Beast Hide x 5, Stretched Coil x 5
3	616-672	-	5-2	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Small Gear x 3, Pyrite x 3
4	836-912	Dark Impulse	6-3	Gold Ore x 2, Small Gear x 5, Large Gear x 3, Machine Leg x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	Treasure in Abandoned Factory underground (beyond a hack-door; requires second playthrough).
 

Spear	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Machine Spear	1	210-260	-	3-1	-
2	378-468	Robot Discount	4-1	Copper Ore x 5, Broken Key x 5, Crystal x 5
3	588-728	-	5-2	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Dented Socket x 3, Amber x 2
4	798-988	Machine Brand	6-3	Gold Ore x 2, Dented Socket x 5, Sturdy Socket x 3, Machine Leg x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	Buy in Pascal's Village.
Weapons (Continued)

Combat Bracers

 

Combat Bracer	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Bare Fists	1	100-100	-	4-1	-
Obtain	Available by default (it's a no-weapon-equipped "weapon").
 

Combat Bracer	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Angel's Folly	1	150-165	-	5-2	-
2	270-297	ATK Speed Up	6-2	Rusted Clump x 5, Warped Wire x 3, Pyrite x 5
3	420-462	-	7-3	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Stripped Screw x 3, Meteorite Shard x 1
4	570-627	Angel's Mercy	8-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Stripped Screw x 5, Pristine Screw x 3, Machine Head x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Buy from Emil's shop (fast pattern).
 

Combat Bracer	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Demon's Cry	1	100-180	-	5-2	-
2	180-324	ATK Speed Up	6-2	Copper Ore x 5, Stretched Coil x 3, Pearl x 3
3	280-504	-	7-3	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Small Gear x 3, Black Pearl x 2
4	380-684	Devil's Hatred	8-3	Gold Ore x 2, Small Gear x 5, Large Gear x 3, Machine Head x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Treasure in Amusement Park (underground below opera house; hack-chest; requires second playthrough).
 

Combat Bracer	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Type-4O Fists	1	140-150	-	5-2	-
2	252-270	Stun Up	6-2	Rusted Clump x 5, Broken Circuit x 5, Pearl x 3
3	392-420	-	7-3	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Broken Battery x 3, Black Pearl x 2
4	532-570	Energy Charge	8-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Broken Battery x 5, Large Battery x 3, Machine Head x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Treasure in Resistance Camp (hack-chest; requires second playthrough).
 

Combat Bracer	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Type-3 Fists	1	110-170	-	3-1	-
2	198-306	Endurance Up	4-1	Copper Ore x 5, Broken Key x 5, Crystal x 5
3	308-476	-	6-2	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Rusty Bolt x 3, Amber x 2
4	418-646	Finish Blast	8-3	Gold Ore x 2, Rusty Bolt x 5, New Bolt x 3, Machine Head x 2, Meteorite x 1
Obtain	Buy from Emil's shop (fast pattern).
 

Combat Bracer	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Virtuous Grief	1	120-150	-	5-2	-
2	216-270	ATK Speed Up	6-2	Rusted Clump x 5, Beast Hide x 5, Crystal x 5
3	336-420	-	7-3	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Severed Cable x 3, Amber x 2
4	456-570	Holy Blessing	8-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Severed Cable x 5, Pristine Cable x 3, Machine Head x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	Treasure in Forest Kingdom.
 

Combat Bracer	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Cruel Lament	1	120-150	-	5-2	-
2	216-270	ATK Speed Up	6-2	Copper Ore x 5, Beast Hide x 5, Warped Wire x 5
3	336-420	-	7-3	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Small Gear x 3, Pyrite x 3
4	456-570	Dark Impulse	8-3	Gold Ore x 2, Small Gear x 5, Large Gear x 3, Machine Head x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	Reward from Masamune (Forest Castle weapon shop) for upgrading any weapon to level 4 for the first time.
 

Combat Bracer	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Machine Heads	1	110-160	-	3-1	-
2	198-288	Robot Discount	4-1	Copper Ore x 5, Broken Key x 5, Crystal x 5
3	308-448	-	6-2	Iron Ore x 4, Silver Ore x 3, Dented Socket x 3, Amber x 2
4	418-608	Machine Brand	7-3	Gold Ore x 2, Dented Socket x 5, Sturdy Socket x 3, Machine Head x 2, Moldavite x 1 
Obtain	Buy from Pascal's shop in Pascal's Village (third playthrough).
 

Combat Bracer	Level	Attack	Ability learned	Combo	Materials
Emil's Head	1	120-150	-	5-2	-
2	216-270	Stun Up	6-2	Rusted Clump x 5, Broken Key x 5, Crystal x 5
3	336-420	-	6-3	Dented Plate x 4, Titanium Alloy x 3, Severed Cable x 3, Amber x 2
4	456-570	Insanity	8-3	Memory Alloy x 2, Severed Cable x 5, Pristine Cable x 3, Machine Head x 2, Moldavite x 1
Obtain	Dropped by secret boss Emil.
Pods

Pods will be your ranged weapon throughout the game. By default you start with one Pod, Pod A, but you will be able to find Pod C within a few hours of the story, and then later also Pod B. We'll get to the specific location of Pods in a section down below, but for now let's focus on generalities.

 

What can a Pod do?

There are three main functions of Pods:

Regular Fire (by default assigned to R1; I recommend switching it to L2): hold down the Fire button, and the Pod will fire in the direction you are facing. You can control the camera, and therefore where the Pod fires, by using RS
Pod Programs (L1): by pressing this button, the Pod will use its special ability called "Pod Program". You can assign different Pod Programs to your Pods from the Skills tab of the pause menu. Your first Pod Program will just be Laser for a while, but later you will unlock some really strong and interesting ones. We'll list them specifically in a dedicated section below
Toggle Light and Taunt (by default assigned to L3; I strongly recommend switching it to R1, since tapping L3 to Taunt is very uncomfortable): press the corresponding button to turn on the Pod's light; press it again to turn it off. Turn it on and off repeatedly in the face of enemies, and you'll Taunt them
Dodge-Counter: it's possible to perform a dodge-counter with the Pod's Fire attack button (a dodge-counter is when you dodge just before an enemy attack hits you, and you can then counterattack with either a light/heavy hit or a Pod shot). The dodge-counter with Pods is actually rather strong, but it loses its utility later on due to its long recovery animation
You can pet the Pod too ("stroke" the touchpad on PS4; flick the mouse on PC), but this does nothing practical aside from a cute animation
 

Pods locations and regular Fire attacks

Pod's regular Fire should not be underestimated: while each individual hit of the Pod is weaker than melee attacks, the continuous damage output from Pod Fire adds up very quickly, and can sometimes be the main source of damage against certain enemies (such as airborne ones).

Each Pod has its own unique Fire animation, which comes with pros and cons. It's worth pointing out that by upgrading your Pods (they start at level 1 but can be upgraded to level 4; unfortunately you won't have the Materials to do so, realistically, until after finishing the game) you increase their base damage output by an apparently limited amount (from 150 to 180; doesn't seem particularly good now, does it?), but the real upgrade consists in the ability to charge the Pod's regular base attacks, or at least add a "special charged" version of the regular attack. This becomes a game-changer, particularly with Pod B (the best one on the long run).

Different situations will call for different Pods, but in general we will be relying mostly on Pod A and Pod B. So here are the locations, regular Fire attacks with their pros and cons, and the charged attacks of each Pod.

Pod A
Pod A is available by default, and will be your primary Pod until later, when Pod B will be upgraded. Pod A's basic attacks consist in a continuous stream of bullet (Gatling gun) which have the longest range of all Pods (in fact, of all attacks in the game). The constant stream of bullets also means a continuous source of damage, over and over again, which is great to kill individual enemies.

The main drawback of Pod A is that it needs to be aimed specifically against enemies. While this isn't a big deal if you play on Normal, on Hard/Very Hard it will be a bit trickier to aim the camera, and therefore the Pod, against the enemies (anything above Normal doesn't allow lock-on). In general it's still quite easy to aim against enemies, even without lock-on; just one particular enemy (Linked-sphere Type), due to its physical nature (a long snake with just one small weak spot that moves around all the time), will be particularly annoying and make Pod A rather ineffective.

Pod A's charged attacks consist of a single "bomb" bullet, which is released as soon as you first attack, and then a second charged attack (hold down Fire and let it charge) will release more Bombs when you stop attacking/release the Fire button. It's possible to actually chain multiple consecutive "bombs" if you tap the Fire button instead of holding it down. It's a bit tedious, but effective if you like this attack (it does twice the damage of a standard bullet). Truth be told, this is actually by far the worst of the charged attacks (which is probably fair, considering that the Gatling gun is probably the best regular attack of the three).

Pod B
Pod B will be the third and last Pod you can find, chronologically speaking. It can be found as a moderately-uncommon (but not too rare either) reward for fishing in Flooded City. See picture below for a possible location where you can find it. If you can't find it right away, keep trying -- eventually you'll catch it.

(http://i.imgur.com/FxCfQSL.jpg)


Pod B's base attack is a Laser attack. At first glance it may seem like this is an inferior version of Pod A in all of its aspects: it has much shorter range (medium-long, but nowhere near Pod A's reach), and lower hit-per-second (and therefore damage per second) rate (the Laser does continuous damage, but less so than Pod A's bullets).

Pod B has two not-so-obvious pros though: the first one is that it has a slight auto-aim feature, which means that the laser deviates from its "straight forward" direction and "bends" towards an enemy a bit; this certainly helps, but it's not its main quality. The best hidden feature of Pod B is that is has the ability of piercing through enemies in its line of action. If, ideally, you were dealing with enemies in a line, Pod B's laser would be able to hit them all (whereas Pod A would only hit the first one). This can be particularly helpful in side-scrolling sections (2D-style areas), but also against certain enemies like the Linked-sphere Type (an enemy that is invulnerable in all its parts except for a moving weak spot) since the laser, unlike the gatling gun Pod A, won't be stopped just because it hit a "shielded" part.

Where Pod B really shines though is in its charged attack. Unlike Pod A, with Pod B you need to hold down the Fire button for a few seconds, and after that you'll start hearing a "charging" sound. You can release the charged attack early on, or later; if you wait until the charge is complete the attack will be stronger. In any case, Pod B's charged attack consists of a multitude of bullets that will bounce all around you, attacking any enemy that happens to be in their path. It's arguably the best of the three charged attacks.

It goes without saying, but since the charge needs a bit of time to be accumulated, with Pod B you don't want to tap the Fire button (like you would to make better use of Pod A's charged attack); instead, ideally, you want to release the charge as soon as it's ready. A bit of practice will teach you how long you should hold the Fire button before releasing it.

Pod C
Pod C is the second Pod you can acquire, and it's actually quite strong. It can be found in the Desert: Center, as early as this location first becomes available. See picture below for an exact location:

(http://i.imgur.com/FaZChtF.png)



Pod C's regular Fire attack consists in homing Missiles that do good damage and auto-aim with a good degree of accuracy (even without Lock-on).

The biggest drawback is that its rate of fire is the slowest of all Pods, and therefore its overall damage output is usually not the best. Its other problem is the relatively short range. It can do well against Linked-sphere Type enemies, but like against all enemies it's a very hit-or-miss situation with Pod C. I personally didn't use Pod C much because I found that Pod A's regular stream of bullets allows for a much more consistent damage output.

Upgrading Pod C considerably increases its range, in addition to adding the charge attack.

Pod C's charged attack is a devastating "rain of bombs" that fall from the sky and hit a decently-large area around you; moreover, after the first explosion there will still be some smaller bombs on the ground, which will explode after a few more seconds. This attack, like Pod B's charged attack, happens after holding down the Fire button for a while and waiting for the "charge" to be complete.

While the attack is certainly powerful, it has two "problems" when compared to Pod B's charged attack. The first and most obvious problem is that it covers a slightly smaller area than Pod B's bouncing balls (especially the airborne space). The second problem is more practical: unfortunately, as strong as the attack is, it has the side effect of covering the screen with explosions which will hide enemies from your view. This second problem doesn't seem like a big deal at first, but it can be really dangerous to have enemies hidden behind the fire of Pod C's charged attack in certain situations, like for instance in DLC fights or when you are playing on Very Hard. This is actually the main deal-breaker for Pod C, the main reason why it results practically inferior to Pod B even though in theory it could have been even stronger.

Flight Units "Pods"

Just as a curiosity note, it's actually possible to switch between "Pods" even during Flight-Units sequences, and doing so will actually change the attack of the Flight Unit itself. This is pretty cool, but as it turns out, the Pod A (gatling) attack is by far the best one in Flight Units, with no exceptions (the other two don't come even close). Still, it can be fun to switch weapons in Flight Units, just for fun.

Pod Programs

You can set a Pod Program on each of your three Pods at any time from the Skills tab of your main menu. By default you will only be able to use Laser (it becomes available during the fight against the "buzzsaw" boss early on), but many different Pod Programs can be acquired via shop, found in specific locations, or even obtained as rewards from quests.

The only shops that sells Pod Programs are actually the one in The Bunker's Terminal area and the Maintenance Shop in Resistance Camp (the same two that can upgrade Pods). Their "inventory" is the same throughout the entire game, i.e. you won't unlock new purchasable Pod Programs from them later on. Every Pod Program has a base cost of 10,000 G each.

Generalities
After using a Pod Program, a "Cooldown" period will start, and you won't be able to use another Pod Program until the Cooldown ends (you can resume regular Fire and Pod's light right away though). How long this Cooldown is depends on two factors: the Pod Program you used (some don't even have a Cooldown period at all; others will make you wait forever), and whether or not you charged the Pod Program (we'll talk about charging in a moment).

On the contrary, neither the level of your Pod (level 1-4), nor the actual Pod used (Pod A/B/C), have any effect on the length of Cooldown. Likewise, using or not using the other Pod functions (Fire/Light) has no impact on the Cooldown speed. Lastly, switching Pods won't stop the Cooldown either.

It's important to know that you can charge your Pod Programs. To do so, you must have more than one Pod -- with two Pods you can charge a Pod Program to level 2, and with three Pods you can charge it to level 3. Every Pod that participated in the charge will enter the Cooldown period, but thankfully the Cooldown itself is scaled down a bit: if you charge the Program to level 2, Cooldown will be 1.5x times longer (and not twice as long) for each of the two Pods; if you charge it to level 3, it will last 2x its base time (and not three times as long) for each of the three Pods.

This is useful, especially with Programs like Laser, where charging the Program to level 1 will release one Laser, charging it to level 2 will release two Lasers, and charging it to level 3 will release 3 Lasers -- it's more effective (and convenient) to release a single triple-charged (= charged to level 3) Laser rather than releasing its level-1 (non-charged) version with Pod A, then switch to Pod B and use Laser (level 1) again, then switch to Pod C and use Laser (level 1) again -- this will have an overall longer Cooldown period, and is obviously less "smooth" from a practical gameplay point of view.

With other Programs, in certain circumstances it might be better to avoid charging it, and releasing it multiple times might be a better solution instead. This is very rare though, and it's mostly true for the defensive Programs (like P Shield and M Shield), where you may want the shield to block certain specific attacks (moreover, the cumulative effect of a triple-charged P/M Shield is actually inferior to the sum of the three individual effects of single-charged P/M Shield).

As I mentioned earlier, Cooldown will happen on all your Pods at all times regardless of which one you are currently using. It's possible, for example, to use a Pod Program with Pod A (which now enters Cooldown period), then switch to Pod B and use it for whatever reason -- even though you are not actually "using" Pod A anymore, Pod A will still continue its Cooldown in the background. This is very useful, because it means that you don't need to be using an "idle" (i.e. undergoing Cooldown) Pod for the Pod to actually complete its Cooldown.

The number displayed on the screen during a Cooldown is a relative-time number, i.e. it doesn't display how many real-life seconds/milliseconds/centiseconds it will take. Roughly speaking, a Cooldown time of 1,250 equals to approximately 20 real-life seconds.

The Skill Salve item can halve the Cooldown period while their effect is active. There are also Fast Cooldown Chips that have the same effect when at level 8 (it stacks with Speed Salve), but since Pod Programs become obsolete by the time you can get these Chips, they aren't really worth the trouble.

You can "cancel" a Pod Program charge by shooting with the Fire button during the charge.

Pod Programs are not affected by Ranged Attack Up enhancements.

Lastly, know that you can't use the Pod's light (and therefore Taunt with the Pod) during the Pod Program charge. You can resume Firing and using the light/Taunting after the Pod Program is released, even if the Pod Program's effect is still taking place.

List
The list of Pod Programs is rather long, but the same can't be said for the list of useful Pod Programs. Many Pod Programs are "occasionally useful", and many can be used for casual fun. However, if we're talking about Pod Programs to use specifically in situations where they can make a difference, then the list becomes even shorter. Let's check them out, one by one.

Pod Program	Effect	Location	Cooldown (single charge)	Useful for...
R010: Laser	Shoots a Laser beam (straight forward).
Charge lv 2/3: shoots two/three beams.	Acquired early in the story.	1,250	Very basic, but strong and useful early on.
R020: Mirage	Slashes enemies around you.
Charged = wider area of effect.	Buy from Maintenance Shop.	580	Potentially good against airborne enemies, but not particularly great.
R030: Hammer	Summons a hammer to smash down enemies in a relatively small area.
Charged lv 2/3: summon two/three hammers.	Buy from Maintenance Shop.	580	Strong individual attack...if it hits.
R040: Blade	Summon a blade that will spin around you, damaging enemies that come in contact with it. The effect lasts for 10 seconds.
Charge lv 2/3: summons more blades for greater damage-per-second output (duration is still 10 seconds).	Buy from Maintenance Shop.	1,250	Actually very strong against "melee" enemies.
R050: Spear	Summons spears that hit enemies in a line.
Charge lv 2/3: summons two/three lines of spears.	Buy from Maintenance Shop.	580	The unreliable position of the spears, low damage output, slow animation, all contribute to making this Program quite bad.
A060: P Shield	Protects against all types of physical damage. Electricity is considered physical damage.
Duration at level 1/2/3: 4/6/8 seconds.	Buy from Maintenance Shop.	1,250	Invaluable when necessary.
R070: M Shield	Protects against all types of "magic" damage. This includes orbs (both types), laser attacks, and shockwaves on the ground.
Duration at level 1/2/3: 4/6/8 seconds.	Buy from Maintenance Shop.	1,250	Invaluable when necessary.
A080: Wave	Slams the ground and emits a strong shockwave that hits all enemies on the exact same height as you. Even the smallest height difference will null the shockwave's damage unfortunately.
Charge lv 2/3: increase both the power of the shockwave and its radius.	Reward for quest "A Wandering Couple".	570	Excellent for crowd-control and large groups of enemies.
A090: Wire	Throws a wire at an enemy and makes you dash towards the enemy.
Charge lv 2/3: increase maximum range.	Reward for quest "Amnesia".	-	No practical use.
A100: Decoy	Summons a "Decoy" image that distracts enemies from you. Meanwhile, the Pod(s) will use gatling gun attacks on the attracted enemies. It lasts 7 seconds.
Charge lv 2/3: two/three Pods fire while decoy is active; duration doesn't increase.	Found in City Ruins during third playthrough/Route C (http://i.imgur.com/avYZbPd.jpg.	1,310	Doesn't last long enough to have practical uses.
A110: Slow	Slows down the enemies in the area of effect. Duration is 4 seconds.
Charge lv 2/3: radius of effect increased, but duration remains 4 seconds.	Reward for quest "Data Analysis Freak 2".	1,250	Doesn't last long enough to have practical uses.
A120: Repair	Creates a small area on the ground where, if you stand on it, you will recover a bit of HP every second. The small area doesn't follow you around, so you must remain in position to receive the healing (horrible, I know).
Charge lv 2/3: increase HP recovered.	Reward for quest "Sorting Trouble 3".	1,200	No practical use: other forms of healing are far superior.
The only potential use could be between waves of enemies in the DLC, to keep Berserker mode active.
A130: Bomb	Summons multiple Bombs that will be fired in the direction you are facing.
Charge lv 2/3: increase amount of Bombs/duration of the attack.	Reward for quest "Find a Present".	740	Extremely effective against regular enemies and bosses, single enemies and large crowds.
A140: Gravity	Creates an area where enemies will be attracted-to and bunched up together. It lasts for about 4 seconds.
Charge lv 2/3: increases radius, but not duration.	Reward for quest "Retrieve the Confidential Intel".	1,250	Rarely useful in situations where killing enemies (especially Small Flyer that tend to scatter around) quickly is important.
Useless otherwise due to its short duration.
A150: Volt	Stuns an enemy for about 7 seconds, and deals damage in the first part of the animation.
Charge lv 2/3: increases both the damage and the stun time to about 10/15 seconds respectively.	Found in Amusement Park during third playthrough/Route C (http://i.imgur.com/helafOF.jpg)	580	Damage is negligible, but the stun effect is powerful. Sadly, it doesn't really work on bosses.
A160: Missile	Rides a summoned missile to ram the enemies.
Charge lv 2/3: slightly increase distance and damage output.	Found in Abandoned Factory during third playthrough/Route C (http://i.imgur.com/Wh4kDVu.jpg)	580	No practical use.
A170: Scanner	Hold down the Pod Program button to use the Scanner. The closer you are to a dying android or a treasure, the higher the frequency of the sound emitted by the Scanner. When close enough, it will focus the Pod's light on the android/treasure.
Cannot be charged.	Acquired automatically in Chapter 08.	-	It's the only way to reveal "Scanner Treasures" (they are otherwise invisible).

For a list of Scanner Treasures in the various areas, please refer to the walkthrough.
Upgrading Pods

Upgrading Pods is something that you can do at two shops: the one in the Terminal area of The Bunker, and the equivalent Maintenance Shop in Resistance Camp. Upgrading the Pods beyond level 1 will increase their overall offensive power, but also add a "charged attack". In Pod C's case, it also significantly increases its range.

Unfortunately you won't have the Materials to upgrade your Pods until a long way into your first playthrough, and even then it'll be a while before you can fully upgrade Pods to level 4. Upgrading all Pods to level 4 is arguably grindy and time-consuming, because the Materials required to upgrade them are sometimes rare, and other times completely missable. If you play your cards right (loot all treasures and complete all quests), then farming for Pod-upgrade Materials won't be very time-consuming (still much worse than Weapon upgrades though, since you can buy almost all of the Materials to upgrade Weapons), but if you accidentally sell said rare/unique (therefore missable) Materials, you may be completely screwed.

If you ever find yourself in a situation where you have to make a choice on which Pod to upgrade, Pod B should be given the top priority because it is, on the long run, the best of the three (mainly for its charged attack).

Upgrading each Pod from level 1 to level 2 will cost 2,500 G; from level 2 to level 3 it's another 5,000 G; from level 3 to level 4 it's another 10,000 G.

Pod	Level	Power	Materials
Pod A	1	150	-
2	165	Tree Seed x 10, Mushroom x 10, Pure Water x 10, Natural Rubber x 10, Powerup Part S x 1
3	172	Plant Seed x 5, Eagle Eggs x 5, Tanning Agent x 5, Filler Metal x 5, Powerup Part M x 1
4	180	Tree Sap x 3, Giant Egg x 3, Dye x 3, Machine Oil x 3, Powerup Part L x 1
 

Pod	Level	Power	Materials
Pod B	1	150	-
2	165	Tree Seed x 10, Torn Book x 10, Natural Rubber x 10, Simple Gadget x 10, Powerup Part S x 1
3	172	Plant Seed x 5, Tech Manual x 5, Filler Metal x 5, Elaborate Gadget x 5, Powerup Part M x 1
4	180	Tree Sap x 3, Thick Dictionary x 3, Machine Oil x 3, Complex Gadget x 3, Powerup Part L x 1
 

Pod	Level	Power	Materials
Pod C	1	150	-
2	165	Mushroom x 10, Torn Book x 10, Pure Water x 10, Simple Gadget x 10, Powerup Part S x 1
3	172	Eagle Eggs x 5, Tech Manual x 5, Tanning Agent x 5, Elaborate Gadget x 5, Powerup Part M x 1
4	180	Giant Egg x 3, Thick Dictionary x 3, Dye x 3, Complex Gadget x 3, Powerup Part L x 1
Materials

A lot of Materials are available for sale during/at the end of your third playthrough/Route C. Since there is virtually no reason to bother with farming Materials ahead of time, even though a lot of Materials can also be dropped by enemies I won't be listing these drops. Likewise, a lot of Materials may also be found in chests and rewarded from completing quests: again, since you can buy them easily later on, it's almost entirely pointless to bother with listing such locations.

Therefore I'll only be listing specific locations for the Materials that can't be purchased (eventually) from shops.

I will, however, add a column listing how many units of each Material you need to make all the possible upgrades in the game (this includes both Weapon and Pod upgrades).

I will also differentiate, in two separate tables, the Materials used for upgrades, and the Materials that are only used for money (their description explicitly says that they "can be exchanged for money").

For a short recap of the missable / rare Materials, refer to the Important Gampeplay Information section. I have highlighted them in the following table/list with red/orange colors respectively.

One of the shops that sells these Materials is Emil's Shop. The shop-NPC is a minor spoiler, but I'll use the spoiler tag anyway. He will be revealed in Chapter 07.

The "route indication" in parenthesis after the shop location means "this item will become available for sale once you have reached this point". For example, "(Route B)" means "you need to have started Route B to be able to buy this item from this shop"; "(after Route C)" means you must have completed Route C (basically post-ending game content) to be able to buy those items. If no indication is present, the item is available by default from the start.

Material	Obtain	Required
Copper Ore	Buy in Amusement Park.	100
Iron Ore	Buy in Amusement Park.	80
Silver Ore	Buy in Amusement Park.	60
Gold Ore	Buy in Amusement Park (after Route C).	40
Rusted Clump	Emil's Shop.	95
Dented Plate	Emil's Shop (Route B).	76
Titanium Alloy	Emil's Shop (Route B).	57
Memory Alloy	Emil's Shop (Route C).	38
Beast Hide	
Dropped by animals.

A good location to farm these is in Forest Kingdom - Forest.
The far-west area of the second half of the forest, where the quest Turf War takes place, offers many animals in a secluded space.
You can respawn these animals by jumping off the nearby cliff (jump off the big tree root) -- you'll respawn in their same area too.
Farm after obtaining the Quality Sachet and Choice Sachet items if possible, so animals won't attack you.

40
Broken Key	Emil's Shop	75
Warped Wire	Emil's Shop	34
Stretched Coil	Emil's Shop	34
Broken Circuit	Emil's Shop.	50
Stripped Screw	Emil's Shop.	32
Pristine Screw	Emil's Shop (Route C).	12
Small Gear	Emil's Shop (Route B).	56
Large Gear	Emil's Shop (Route C).	21
Rusty Bolt	Emil's Shop (Route B).	48
New Bolt	Emil's Shop (Route C).	18
Crushed Nut	Emil's Shop (Route B).	32
Clean Nut	Emil's Shop (Route C).	12
Dented Socket	Emil's Shop (Route B).	32
Sturdy Socket	Emil's Shop (Route C).	12
Severed Cable	Emil's Shop (Route B).	50
Pristine Cable	Emil's Shop (Route C).	21
Broken Battery	Emil's Shop (Route B).	56
Large Battery	Emil's Shop (Route C).	21
Machine Arm	Pascal's Shop (Route C).	26
Machine Leg	Pascal's Shop (Route C).	18
Machine Torso	Pascal's Shop (Route C).	18
Machine Head	Pascal's Shop (Route C).	16
Crystal	Buy in Amusement Park.	80
Pearl	Buy in Amusement Park (Route C).	27
Black Pearl	Buy in Amusement Park (after Route C).	18
Pyrite	Buy in Amusement Park (Route C).	51
Amber	Buy in Amusement Park (after Route C).	34
Moldavite	Buy in Amusement Park (after Route C).	20
Meteorite	Half-wit Inventor's Shop.	19
Meteorite Shard	Half-wit Inventor's Shop.	6
Simple Gadget	
Mostly obtained from Scanner Treasures (there is more than enough to do all the upgrades).
Refer to the walkthrough for a list. Use CTRL+F (search function) of your browser, and search "Simple Gadget".

If you need to farm them, they are extremely (idiotic-developer-level) rare Collection Points in these locations:
1. The king's "cradle" in Forest Castle: Royal Chamber (Chapter 07-01, Route A, confirmed). Picture: http://i.imgur.com/J3OoiWq.jpg
2. City Ruins: third floor of the building southwest. It's beyond a wall; see picture for reference. Picture: http://i.imgur.com/QPmhpMw.jpg
3. City Ruins: on top of Engel's (the giant Goliath's) "arm" (Chapter 07-01, Route A, confirmed). Picture: http://i.imgur.com/1RuA5cO.jpg

20
Elaborate Gadget	
Three obtained from Scanner Treasures.
Five obtained from the quest Sorting Trouble 2.
Five obtained from the quest Reconnaissance Squad.
Two obtained for clearing 40 levels of the Arcade minigame (Route B).

If you need to farm them, they are an excruciatingly (game-hate-inducing-level) rare Collection Points in the same locations as Simple Gadgets.
Just take the Simple Gadget's rarity and imagine it even worse.

10
Complex Gadget	
Infinite supply of four at the time can be obtained by picking up the quest objects for The Weapon Dealer's Request (Chapter 2).
Do the upgrades you need before speaking with the quest-NPC. Rinse and repeat.

If you need to actually farm them for whatever reason (maybe you want 99 of each item?),
they are even rarer pick-ups from the same Collection Points as the other two.

6
Powerup Part S	
One is from the quest Robo Dojo - Red Belt.
One more from the quest Anemone's Past.

A theoretically infinite supply comes from the Small Stubby Golden Robot of City Ruins, but he can be farmed via Chapter Select
(I've tested Chapter 07-01, Route B) only before you complete the side-event.
He always drops this item, but once you complete the side event you won't be able to respawn him ever again.

3
Powerup Part M	Three of them found in three separate chests (Route B and C). Refer to story walkthrough for more information.
Can be farmed, slowly but infinitely, one at the time, from the hack-chest on the fourth floor of the Flooded City "recovery unit" tower (Chapter 15-02).	3
Powerup Part L	Dropped by Gold Bunny statue in Amusement Park.	3
Tree Seed	Buy in Amusement Park.	20
Plant Seed	Buy in Amusement Park.	10
Tree Sap	Buy in Amusement Park.	6
Mushroom	Collection Point in Forest Kingdom - Forest.	20
Eagle Eggs	Collection Point in Forest Kingdom - Forest.	10
Giant Egg	Collection Point in Forest Kingdom - Forest.	6
Torn Book	Buy in Amusement Park (Route C).	20
Tech Manual	Buy in Amusement Park (after Route C).	10
Thick Dictionary	Buy in Amusement Park (after Route C).	6
Pure Water	Collection Point in Flooded City.	20
Tanning Agent	Buy in Amusement Park.	10
Dye	Buy in Amusement Park.	6
Natural Rubber	Buy in Amusement Park (Route C).	20
Machine Oil	Buy in Amusement Park (after Route C).	6
Filler Metal	Buy in Amusement Park (after Route C).	10
Material	Obtain	Sale Price (Route A)
Moose Meat	Dropped by moose animals.	500 G
W. Moose Meat	Dropped by white moose animals (rare animal) (Route B/C only?).	1,000 G
Boar Meat	Dropped by boar animals.	15,000 G
W. Boar Meat	Dropped by white boar animals (rare animal) (Route B/C only?).	15,000 G
Shattered Earring	Collection Point in Amusement Park.
Also given by two friendly NPCs in the same area (Route A/B). 	500 G
Drab Bracelet	Collection Point in Amusement Park.
Also given by two friendly NPCs in the same area (Route A/B).  	1,000 G
Lovely Choker	Collection Point in Amusement Park. 	2,500 G
Precious Earrings	Collection Point in Amusement Park.	4,000 G
Desert Rose	Collection Point in Desert areas.	7,500 G
Ancient Mask	Collection Point in Desert areas. 	7,500 G
Machine Core	"Rare" (relatively) drop from enemies. Higher-level enemies drop this more often.	10,000 G
Pascal's Core (Route C spoiler)	Chapter 14 spoilers: when Pascal asks you to erase his memories or kill him, kill him.	50,000 G
Children's Core	Pascal's Shop (Route C).	50,000 G
Pascal's Book (Route C spoiler)	Chapter 14 spoilers: when Pascal asks you to erase his memories or kill him, walk away.
Then check Pascal's Village to find this item as Collection Point.
See picture: http://i.imgur.com/fNqZOkr.jpg	50,000 G
Consumable Items

Item (Recovery)	Effect	Location
Small Recovery	Recover 25% of max HP.	Buy (Resistance Camp and others).
Medium Recovery	Recover 50% of max HP.
Large Recovery	Recover 75% of max HP.	Buy (Resistance Camp and others) (after Chapter 05).
Full Recovery	Recovery 100% of max HP.	Buy (Forest Camp) (Route B).
Visual Cure	Heal visual abnormalities.	Buy (Resistance Camp and others) (after Chapter 04 (NG+/Route B)).
Aural Cure	Heal aural/hearing abnormalities.
Cure Manipulation	Heal control abnormalities (can't dodge/can't use certain attacks).
Cure All	Heal all abnormalities.	Buy (Forest Camp) (Route B).
Cure All + Heal All	Recover 100% of max HP and heal all abnormalities.	Buy (Forest Camp) (Route B).
Item (Enhancement)	Effect	Location
Volt-Proof Salve	Prevents damage from electricity (30 seconds).	Buy (Resistance Camp and others) (after Chapter 04 (NG+/Route B)).
Melee Attack Up (S)	Doubles physical damage (15 seconds).	Buy (Resistance Camp and others).
Melee Attack Up (L)	Doubles physical damage (30 seconds).	Buy (Resistance Camp and others) (after Chapter 05).
Ranged Attack Up (S)	Doubles ranged (Pod Fire) damage (15 seconds).	Buy (Resistance Camp and others).
Ranged Attack Up (L)	Doubles ranged (Pod Fire) damage (30 seconds).	Buy (Resistance Camp and others) (after Chapter 05).
Melee Defense Up (S)	Halves physical damage received (15 seconds).	Buy (Resistance Camp and others).
Melee Defense Up (L)	Halves physical damage received (30 seconds).	Buy (Resistance Camp and others) (after Chapter 05).
Ranged Defense Up (S)	Halves ranged damage received (15 seconds).	Buy (Resistance Camp and others).
Ranged Defense Up (L)	Halves ranged damage received (30 seconds).	Buy (Resistance Camp and others) (after Chapter 05).
Skill Salve (S)	Doubles Pod Program Cooldown speed (15 seconds).	Buy (Devola's Shop) (Chapter 08+).
Skill Salve (L)	Doubles Pod Program Cooldown speed (30 seconds).	Buy (Devola's Shop) (Route C).
Impact Bracer (S)	Prevents staggering from received attacks (15 seconds).	Buy (Devola's Shop) (Chapter 08+).
Impact Bracer (L)	Prevents staggering from received attacks (30 seconds).	Buy (Devola's Shop) (Route C).
Popola's Liquor	Recover 100% of max HP; physical damage +50%;
minor Visual disturbance effect.	
Speak with Popola in Resistance Camp (Route C)
(only after completing the quest "The Twins' Request").

You can obtain more copies of this item by speaking with Popola again.
You will only be able to own one copy of this item at the time though
(if you already have one in your inventory, you won't be able to receive more).

Item (Support)	Effect	Location
Speed Salve (S)	Increase movement (running) speed (15 seconds).
The increment is modest.	Devola's Shop (Chapter 08+).
Speed Salve (L)	Increase movement (running) speed (30 seconds).
The increment is modest.	Devola's Shop (Route C).
Animal Bait	
Use it near wild animals to be able to ride them.

The "Sachet" items will make Animal Bait obsolete later on.

Buy (Resistance Camp and others).
Small G Luck+	Money dropped by enemies +50% (30 seconds).	Devola's Shop (Chapter 08+).
Large G Luck+	Money dropped by enemies +50% (60 seconds).	Devola's Shop (Route C).
E-Drug	
Random visual/hearing ailments
along with random enhancements.

No practical use.

Buy from Desert: Oil Field shop
(after the quest Jackass's Research).
Forbidden Fruit	
Lowers player level by 10.

Stats (HP, attack, defense) are consequentially lowered.

DLC-exclusive item.
You receive 10 the first time you complete Flooded City's Special Rank.
You receive one more each time you complete Flooded City's Special Rank again.
Accessories & Costumes

To equip Accessories/Costumes you simply need to access them from the Key Items of your inventory, and then "use" (equip) them. Most of them are for fashion purposes only, although a few do have some practical effects too.

To be honest I personally didn't find the Costumes (or Accessories) in the game to be particularly interesting, except maybe for a few of the DLC ones. Here is a list:

Emil Bullets: DLC. When equipped, it transforms orbs into Emil-face-shaped orbs.
CEO Bullet:s DLC. When equipped, it transforms orbs into CEO-face-shaped orbs.
Revealing Outfit: DLC. This item (Route B spoiler) is for 2B
Young Man's Outfit: DLC. This item (Route B spoiler) is for 9S.
Destroyer Outfit: DLC. This item (Route C spoiler) is for A2.
Dress Module: buy from Emil's Shop. When equipped, it prevents clothes damage from using Self-Destruct.
Heavy Armor A: obtained at the end of Route C.
Heavy Armor B: obtained at the end of Route C.
Pink Ribbon: quest Lost Girl.
Blue Ribbon: quest Lost Girl.
Emil's Head: found in Emil's Residence.
Emil Mask: found in Emil's Residence.
Lunar Tear: quest Emil's Memories.
Alien Mask: bought at Half-wit Inventor's (Scientist Machine) shop.
Camouflage Goggles: obtained at the end of Route C.
A2 Wig: obtained at the end of Route C.
Sand Mask: DLC.
Proof of Oath: DLC. When equipped, you won't gain any EXP.
Masamune Mask: DLC. When equipped, hijacked (Remote-controlled) enemies' levels will be increased by +30.
Matsuda Mask: DLC.
Sato Mask: DLC.
White Hair: DLC.
Black Hair: DLC.
Brown Hair: DLC.
Red Hair : DLC.
Blue Hair : DLC.
Green Hair : DLC.
Purple Hair : DLC.
Ash Grey Hair : DLC.
Golden Hair : DLC.
Pastel Pink Hair : DLC.
Light Blue Hair : DLC.
Lime Green Hair : DLC.
Light Purple Hair : DLC.
Neon White Hair : DLC.
Neon Yellow Hair : DLC.
Neon Pink Hair : DLC.
Neon Blue Hair : DLC.
Neon Green Hair : DLC.
Neon Purple Hair : DLC.

Quests

In this section I will write down a list of the Quests available in the game, listed in the order as they appear in the Cleared Quests list/menu in-game. You will notice that the order of said list isn't even remotely close to the chronological order in which the quests appear in-game. Still, since having them in this order is the easiest way for you to cross-check your in-game list with the full list of quests, and see which ones you are missing, that's the order I'll be writing them into.

All the Quests of the game are already included, with proper strategies and explanations, in both the Walkthrough - Summarized and Walkthrough - Extended versions. The latter in particular has extended strategies and preparations. In the walkthrough I have also tried my best to optimize your exploration and minimize backtracking, so I've organized quest-clearing moments in efficient groups and routes so you don't have to keep going back and forth between multiple areas. On the contrary, I've tried to make sure you do as many things as possible each time you go to a certain area, as to reduce the travelling time needed.

Due to the nature of a Quest list, I can't provide this kind of help in this section. Therefore I will only focus on giving you the Quest list, and some essential steps to give you an idea on how long/hard a certain quest is. This section is meant as a reference, and mostly as an easy-checklist of which quests you already have and which ones you are missing. If you are trying to be efficient with your quests-duties, I strongly suggest that you check the walkthrough instead.

As a general rule, Quests cannot be done again on "new game+" / your second playthroughs / different Routes. Aside from three exceptions (story-related quests), every other quest in the game can only be completed once per save file. Bummer, considering that some quests have really nice rewards that would have made some (potential) farming considerably easier. On the plus side, one of the three repeatable quests is actually a source of a rare Material (Complex Gadget), which means that it will actually completely avoid the need for us to farm that Material at all (we can get the amount we need by replaying the quest using the Chapter Select feature; Chapter Select is unlocked after completing the game for the first time).

Some quests can be failed, but you can reset their progression/failure and try again using Chapter Select (sometimes you can try again immediately after failing). I'll mention this in the following list (and I've mentioned it in the walkthrough).

Two quests have a "branching option", i.e. they give you a choice on how to progress. The consequences of your actions/choices will be marked in your Quest "log", but since there aren't really "good" or "right" choices to make, unless you have a particular reason to care about them you don't really need to worry about which choice you make (in one of these two quests the reward is even the same regardless of your choice; in the other case the reward is different, but negligible anyway). I'll mention this in the following list (and I've mentioned it in the walkthrough).

While none of the quests are missable, two quests are related to missable content:

The fifth quest (Animal Care) is the only time of the game when you can pick up four missable key items (I'll mention them in the list below, and I've mentioned them in the walkthrough)
The last quest (Emil's Determination) is the only time of the game when you can get Ending Y (same)
As far as spoilers goes, I'll try to keep spoilers to a minimum. Do expect minor NPC-name-references though (in the previous line I used the spoiler tag to hide a "special NPC" 's name, but in the list below I won't be using spoiler tags). Aside from that NPC's name (which is a minor spoiler of Chapter 07), I won't write any other thing that I would consider spoilerous, so this section is relatively safe to read.

Quest # 01 - Jean-Paul's Melancholy
Chapter: 05-01.
Location: Jean-Paul (upper level of Pascal's Village).
Request: speak with another NPC in Pascal's Village (machine with makeup), then back to Jean-Paul. Then find two more machines in Desert: Housing Complex and Amusement Park. Report back to Jean-Paul. Speak with the other three NPCs again. Report back to the NPC near where Jean-Paul was.
Reward: Beast Hide x 5, Medium Recovery x 2; EXP Gain Up +3; 5,000 G; 500 EXP.

Quest # 02 - Machine Examination 1
Chapter: 05-03.
Location: fallen Goliath (Engels) in City Ruins.
Request: get a Pristine Screw (dropped by a special quest-enemy in the desert), then report back.
Reward: 3,000 G; 500 EXP; Engels 110B-Record 0005.

Quest # 03 - Machine Examination 2
Chapter: 05-03.
Location: follow-up on the previous quest.
Request: get the four items marked on the map and give them to the NPC.
After that you'll need to speak with the NPC a few more times (save and reload in-between chats; you can only have one conversation at the time) to end the quest. You need to be at least in Chapter 07 to be able to trigger the last conversation to end the quest.
Reward (first part): 5,000 G; 750 EXP; Engels 110-B Record 0010.
Reward (second part): Max HP Up +6 (Chip); Fast Cooldown +6 (Chip); Engels 110-B Record 0020.

Quest # 04 - Family Squabble
Chapter: 05-03.
Location: Mother Machine, on the path between Pascal's Village and City Ruins.
Request: escort the NPC, found in City Ruins, through four different fights. If the NPC dies, the quest is failed and you'll need to use Chapter Select to try again.
Reward: Medium Recovery, Impact Bracer (L), Broken Battery x 3; Deadly Heal +3 (Chip); 10,000 G; 750 EXP.

Quest # 05 - Animal Care
WARNING: four missable key items can only be obtained during this quest.
Chapter: 06-03.
Location: Animal-loving Machine in Forest Kingdom - Forest (first area, north side, about in the middle).
Request: first, find the quest NPC in Forest and fight him and his boar ally. Spare the animal once the fight ends. Then leave the area and come back to the NPC to receive the quest.
The actual request is to find the key item Medical Book in the Commercial Facility (area before the forest), but there are four more (useless, but unique and missable) key items you can find in the same area where the Medical Book is. Make sure to pick up all of those four extra items before completing the quest, since there won't be another chance later. See picture if necessary: http://i.imgur.com/RzFwQ6H.png. The items are: Cosmetics; Toothbrush; Writing Implement; Medical Journal (these four are on the ground level); Dietary Goods (this one is up on the balcony on the east side).

Qeest # 06 - Turf War
Chapter: 06-03.
Location: follow-up on the previous quest.
Request: kill the enemies (animals and a machine) in the marked area in the forest.
Reward: Animal Bait x 5, Full Recovery, Auto-Heal +5 (Chip); 10,000 G; 1,750 EXP; Record of Bestial Machine.

Quest # 07 - Robo Dojo - White Belt
Chapter: 05-01.
Location: Father Servo, on top of a building in City Ruins.
Request: fight him a first time. Then speak with him and defeat him again (he's level 20). If you die during the fight it won't be game over, you'll just "fail" the fight, survive with 1 HP, and you can try again after healing up. Then give him a Warped Wire.
Reward: Melee Attack Up (L), Small Gear x 3, Small Recovery; Weapon Attack Up (Chip); 3,000 G; 600 EXP.

Quest # 08 - Robo Dojo - Brown Belt
Chapter: 05-01.
Location: follow-up on the previous quest (walk away far enough after completing the previous one to trigger this one).
Request: defeat him, he's now level 30. If you die during the fight it won't be game over, you'll just "fail" the fight, survive with 1 HP, and you can try again after healing up. Then give him a Memory Alloy and a Broken Circuit.
Reward: Severed Cable x 3, Medium Recovery, Melee Defense Up (L); Melee Defense +1 (Chip); 3,000 G; 1,150 EXP.

Quest # 09 - Robo Dojo - Black Belt
Chapter: 05-01.
Location: follow-up on the previous quest (walk away far enough after completing the previous one to trigger this one).
Request: defeat him, he's now level 40. If you die during the fight it won't be game over, you'll just "fail" the fight, survive with 1 HP, and you can try again after healing up. Then give him one each of: Silver Ore, Pristine Screw, Broken Battery.
Reward: Broken Battery x 3, Ranged Attack Up (L), Large Recovery; Ranged Attack Up +2 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,280 EXP.

Quest # 10 - Robo Dojo - Red and White Belt
Chapter: 05-01.
Location: follow-up on the previous quest (walk away far enough after completing the previous one to trigger this one).
Request: defeat him, he's now level 50. If you die during the fight it won't be game over, you'll just "fail" the fight, survive with 1 HP, and you can try again after healing up. Then give him one each of: Gold Ore; Filler Metal; Pristine Cable; Large Battery.
Reward: Stripped Screw x 3, Full Recovery, Ranged Defense Up (L); Ranged Defense +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,500 EXP.

Quest # 11 - Robo Dojo - Red Belt
Chapter: 05-01.
Location: follow-up on the previous quest (walk away far enough after completing the previous one to trigger this one).
Request: defeat him, he's now level 60. After defeating him the first time, defeat him a second time. If you die during the first fight it won't be game over, you'll just "fail" the fight, survive with 1 HP, and you can try again after healing up. If you die during the second fight, it will be game over.
Reward: Memory Alloy x 5; Powerup Part S; 10,000 G; 2,000 EXP.

Quest # 12 - Lost Girl
Chapter: 05-01.
Location: Big Sister Machine (bottom level of Pascal's Village).
Request: find an NPC in the Desert, then escort this NPC through the desert. The NPC of this quest can't die. Then report back to the quest-giver.
Reward: Pink Ribbon, Blue Ribbon; 5,000 G; 750 EXP.

Quest # 13 - The Supply Trader's Request
Chapter: 02-01.
Location: Supply Trader (Resistance Camp). This is a mandatory story quest (repeatable with Chapter Select).
Request: fetch 1x Broken Key; 1x Small Gear; 1x Broken Circuit. Then bring them to him.
Reward: Warped Wire x 3, Amber x 2, Medium Recovery x 2, 3,000 G, 50 EXP.

Quest # 14 - The Manager's Request
Chapter: 04-01.
Location: Manager, in the back area, upper level.
Request: fetch an item in the Amusement Park, then hand it over.
Reward: Medium Recovery x 2, Tree Seed x 5, Animal Bait x 5; Anti-Chain Damage +3 (Chip); 3,000 G; 250 EXP.

Quest # 15 - Camp Development
Chapter: 06-05.
Location: Anemone, Resistance Camp.
Request: kill enemies in the target location, then report back.
Reward: Large G Luck+, Natural Rubber x 5, Torn Book x 5, Medium Recovery; Down Attack Up +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 320 EXP.

Quest # 16 - Anemone's Past
Chapter: 06-05.
Location: follow-up on the previous quest.
Request: fetch five items in the Abandoned Factory (http://i.imgur.com/h1BPAe1.jpg). On the way back you'll need to fight level-30 enemies.
Reward: Simple Gadget; Powerup Part S; 10,000 G; 430 EXP.

Quest # 17 - Amnesia
Chapter: 05-03 (Route B).
Location: android in City Ruins, inside building southwest (second floor).
Request: first, hack into the Pod located next to the quest-NPC. After that, speak with her as she's leaving.
Next, speak with an NPC in Resistance Camp.
Then speak with NPC near access point of Desert: Camp.
Then speak with NPC at the end of the northeastern exit of the underground tunnel of Desert: Camp.
Then report to the NPC and hack the Pod near her again.
Reward: Ranged Attack Up (L), Melee Attack Up (L), Tanning Agent x 5; Offensive Heal +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,300 EXP. Pod Program: Wire.

Quest # 18 - Resistance Disappearence
Chapter: 04-01.
Location: Resistance Member, in Resistance Camp (near Maintenance Shop).
Request: first you need to complete the quest "The Manager's Request" to have access to the back area of the Resistance Camp. After you do so, check the pillar in the back area of Resistance Camp. Then go to Desert: Camp and fight the level-30 / 35 enemies in a dead end
Then report to the NPC, who will give you a choice. Pick whichever option you want; the quest will progress regularly regardless.
Leave Resistance Camp on foot (barely walk out a bit), then come back and speak with a new NPC near the original quest-NPc to complete the quest.
Reward: Pyrite x 5, Medium Recovery x 2, Pearl x 3; Max HP Up +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,200 EXP)

Quest # 19 - Jackass's Research
Chapter: 04-01.
Location: Jackass, in Desert: Camp.
Request: kill four groups of enemies in various conditions.
After killing the four groups, teleport away from this location to receive an email; then come back to Jackass to receive the second part of the reward.
Reward (first part): Medium Recovery x 4; 4,000 G; 400 EXP.
Reward (second part): E-Drug x 5, 5,000 G, 500 EXP

Quest # 20 - Improving Communications
Chapter: 02-02.
NOTE: the quest expires if not done by the end of Chapter 04 (can always replay it with Chapter Select later).
Location: Commander, in The Bunker.
Request: fetch items in City Ruins (one each of Rusty Bolt, Small Gear, Broken Key), and then deliver them to Anemone in Resistance Camp.
Reward: Simple Gadget x 5, Medium Recovery x 3; 3,000 G; 320 EXP.

Quest # 21 - Investigating Communications
Chapter: 06-01.
Location: received when walking around the tower (near the Access Point "City Ruins: Near the Tower").
Request: kill the enemies near the Access Point in the Cave area.
Reward: 320 EXP.

Quest # 22 - Terminal Repairs
Chapter: 06-02.
Location: near the City: Near the Tower access point. Need to have completed the previous quest first.
Note: you must have done the quest "Investigating Communications" (the one that required you to clear the Access Point in the Deep Cave) before this one can be done.
Request: kill the enemies around the Access Point of City: Center.
Once done, examine the Access Point, then quit the Access Point menu to receive another call. After the chat, use any Access Point to read the email, which will end the quest and give you your reward.
Reward: Medium Recovery x 2, Simple Gadget x 3; 3,000 G; 600 EXP.

Quest # 23 - Find a Present
Chapter: 06-02.
Location: after completing the previous quest, fast travel to Resistance Camp and read the email "Operator 6O: Thanks for your help the other day!".
Request: fetch quest done in the Desert. After another chat, check your inbox to receive your reward from another email.
Reward: Amber x 4; Pod Program "A130: Bomb"; Type-4O Sword; 5,000 G; 800 EXP.

Quest # 24 - Data Analysis Freak
Chapter: 03-01 (Route B).
Location: Operator 21O (Bunker, Command Room).
Request: fetch an item in the Abandoned Factory, then read the email you will receive.
Reward: Medium Recovery x 2, Tech Manual x 3; 3,000 G; 1,150 EXP.

Quest # 25 - Data Analysis Freak 2
Chapter: 04-01 (Route B).
Location: you'll get this quest as you walk out of the Resistance Camp on foot, provided you are on the right Chapter and you have completed the previous quest.
Request: read the received email to add markers on your map, then fetch the items in Desert: Housing Complex (http://i.imgur.com/fi2aTFF.jpg).
Reward: Black Pearl x 4; Type-4O Blade (Weapon); 5,000 G; 1,430 EXP. Pod Program: Slow.

Quest # 26 - Lord of the Valley
Chapter: 06-03.
Location: Canyon Machine, located at the bottom of the Forest Zone, in the canyon/crevasse/valley. Spare him when asked to kill him.
Request: kill the level-50 machine in the crevasse.
Reward: Memory Alloy x 4, Clean Nut x 6; Last Stand +3 (Chip), Vengeance +3 (Chip), Taunt Up +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,500 EXP.

Quest # 27 - Vanquish the Bad Bot
Chapter: 14-01.
Location: Pascal, in Pascal's Village. This is a mandatory story quest (repeatable with Chapter Select).
Request: kill the target (lower level of Pascal's Village).
Reward: Medium Recovery x 2, Sturdy Socket x 3, Memory Alloy x 2; 3,000 G; 1,600 EXP.

Quest # 28 - Play With Us!
Chapter: 14-01.
Location: Children Machines, Pascal's Village (upper level).
Request: speak with the shop-owner here in Pascal's Village. Then travel to the Amusement Park and go fetch the necessary items (5x Toy Material).
Bring the items back to the shop-owner in Pascal's Village. Lastly, find the children in the village (highest level) and speak with them to receive your reward.
Reward: Silver Ore x 5, Plant Seed x 5; 3,000 G; 2,000 EXP.

Quest # 29 - Storage Element
Chapter: 14-01.
Location: Pascal, in Pascal's Village (after completing Play With Us!).
Request: fetch the Storage Element in the Abandoned Factory, then report to Pascal to complete the quest.
Reward: Full Recovery; Dye x 3; Moldavite x 2; Meteorite; 10,000 G; 2,000 EXP.

Quest # 30 - Half-wit Inventor
Chapter: 05-01.
Location: Scientist Machine, on the path between Amusement Park and Pascal's Village.
Request: donate a cumulative amount of 180,000 G (max 20,000 G at the time until 80,000 G).
Rewards (1,000 G+): Copper Ore, Rusted Clump, Broken Circuit.
Rewards (2,000 G+): Silver Ore, Down Attack Up (Chip).
Rewards (5,000 G+): Medium Recovery.
Rewards (10,000 G+): Meteorite; Reset +1 (Chip).
Rewards (20,000 G+): Speed Salve (L), Impact Bracer (L).
Rewards (35,000 G+): Choice Sachet.
Rewards (55,000 G+): Dented Plate, Crushed Nut.
Rewards (80,000 G+): Meteorite Shard; Charge Attack Up +3 (Chip).
Rewards (180,000 G): he opens up his shop; quest completed.

Quest # 31 - Idiot Savant
Chapter: 05-03 (Route B).
Location: Weird Machine (Pascal's Village).
Request: hack ths NPC.
Reward: Machine Core; Machine Head x 2; Machine Torso x 2; Machine Arm x 2; Machine Leg x 2; Hijack Boost +6 (Chip); 10,000 G; 1,300 EXP.

Quest # 32 - Game Dev Machine Lv. 1
Chapter: 04-04 (Route B).
Location: Amusement Park (underground area of the opera house).
Request: kill the target in Amusement Park to get the Tri-color Cable, then give it to the quest NPC.
Then do the hacking minigame and (spoiler = puzzle solution) walk into the wall on the left side to find a hole. Proceed through the hole to complete the quest.
Reward: Ranged Attack Up (L), Melee Attack Up (L), Medium Recovery, Rusted Clump x 5, Small Gear x 3; 5,000 G; 1,150 EXP.

Quest # 33 - Game Dev Machine Lv. 2
Chapter: 04-04 (Route B).
Location: follow-up on the previous quest.
Request: fetch another forced drop (Four-color Cable) in Abandoned Factory, then give it to the quest NPC.
Then do the hacking minigame and (spoiler = puzzle solution) simply go to the upper part of the area from the right side.
Reward: Large Recovery, Melee Defense Up (L), Ranged Defense Up (L); Titanium Alloy x 3; Pristine Cable x 3; Severed Cable x 3; 10,000 G; 1,430 EXP.

Quest # 34 - Game Dev Machine Lv. 3
Chapter: 04-04 (Route B).
Location: follow-up on the previous quest.
Request: fetch another forced drop (Five-color Cable) in Desert: Camp, then give it to the quest NPC.
Then do the hacking minigame and (spoiler = puzzle solution) of all the enemies, defeat one of those that appear on the right (second wave of enemies).
Reward: Memory Alloy x 3, Rusty Bolt x 3, New Bolt x 3; Hijack Boost +4 (Chip), Heal Drops Up +4 (Chip), Combust +4 (Chip), Stun +4 (Chip); 10,000 G; 1,900 EXP.

Quest # 35 - Speed Star
Chapter: 05-03.
Location: High-Speed Machine, in City Ruins (speak with him as he flies by; he's up in the air; approach him from the collapsed high bridge near Engels (the fallen Goliath)).
Request: beat the NPC in three different races. No Speed Salve (item) or Moving Speed Up (Chip) needed.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv2xZNr3970
Reward: Speed Salve (L), Dented Plate x 4, Rusty Bolt x 3, New Bolt; Moving Speed Up +3 (Chip); 10,000 G; 750 EXP.

Quest # 36 - Emil's Memories
Chapter: 06-03.
Location: Commercial Facility; examine Lunar Tear (white flower) to start quest.
Request: find four more Lunar Tears around the world. They are in Forest (http://i.imgur.com/BtRpzZb.png), Desert: Camp (reached from northwestern exit) (http://i.imgur.com/8lrmmxN.jpg), Amusement Park (http://i.imgur.com/iSSTZiE.jpg), Flooded City (http://i.imgur.com/XDbgcxk.jpg). Quest must be completed before boarding the flight units in Flooded City during the story (if not, do it another time with Chapter Select).
Reward: Lunar Tear; 1,550 EXP.

Quest # 37 - Photographs
Chapter: 05-03.
Location: Resistance Member, in Resistance Camp (out in the open area).
Request: reach the three locations in Desert, Amusement Park, and Forest, then report back to the NPC.
Reward: Speed Salve (L), Medium Recovery, Amber x 2, Pyrite x 3; Charge Attack +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 500 EXP.

Quest # 38 - 11B's Memento
Chapter: 02-02.
Location: The Bunker.
Request: fetch item (11B's Escape Plan) in Abandoned Factory, then report back to the NPC.
At the end of the quest you'll be prompted a choice (this choices is registered in your quest log). Whichever answer you pick, it'll be a happy ending and the reward will be the same.
Reward: YoRHa-issue Blade (weapon), Melee Defense Up (L), Ranged Defense Up (L), Melee Defense +6 (Chip), 5,000 G, 200 EXP.

Quest # 39 - Treasure Hunt at the Castle
Chapter: 07-01.
Location: machine near the gate between the Forest Kingdom and Pascal's Village (he's on the Pascal's Village's side of the gate).
Request: open the three "special" quest-chests in Forest Castle. Refer to map of the castle for treasures location: http://i.imgur.com/2WES3sW.jpg
Then open the back door southeast in Forest Castle, and kill the miniboss here (level 30 enemy) to get Letter to the Forest King.
Then report to the quest-NPC to end the quest.
Reward: Large Recovery, Moldavite x 2, Giant Egg x 3; 10,000 G; 1,280 EXP.

Quest # 40 - The Wandering Couple
Chapter: 05-01.
Location: androids at the bottom level of Pascal's Village.
Request: for the first part of the quest, fetch an item in the Abandoned Factory (Elaborated Gadget), then hand it over.
Then you need to find the androids in Flooded City and give them 50,000 G.
Then leave Flooded City and come back to find another android on the street. Speak with him and agree to help him to continue.
Then find another android in Amusement Park, give him a Memory Alloy to continue, and then agree to do what he asks to end the quest.
Reward (first part): Medium Recovery x 3, Pearl x 5; 5,000 G; 200 EXP.
Reward (second part): Full Recovery, Black Pearl x 4, Moldavite x 4; Overclock +3 (Chip); 10,000 G; 750 EXP; Pod Program "A080: Wave".

Quest # 41 - Data on the Old World
Chapter: 05-03 (Route B).
Location: Pascal, in Pascal's Village (upper level).
Request: fetch an item available only after starting this quest, in City Ruins: the Nuclear Arms Manual (http://i.imgur.com/t7WUvl8.jpg).
Note: you can get additional rewards (+1,000 G) by speaking with Pascal after retrieving any Archive that belongs to the category "Old World Information".
You can end the quest in two different ways, and the reward and quest log will be affected accordingly. The first possibility is reporting to the Commander in The Bunker (your reward will be in 9S's room, as a Collection Point); the other possibility is reporting back to Pascal.
Reward (Commander): Large Recovery, Meteorite; Stun +6 (Chip); 5,000 G.
Reward (Pascal): Large Recovery, Skill Salve (L), Clean Nut x 3; Heal Drops Up +6 (Chip); 3,000 G; 1,300 EXP.

Quest # 42 - Culinary Researcher
Chapter: 06-05.
Location: Resistance Supply Trader, near entrance of the Forest area. Must have cleared Camp Development first.
Request: get one Deer Meat and one Boar Meat, then report back.
Reward: Melee Attack Up (L) x 2, Melee Defense Up (L) x 2, Ranged Attack Up (L) x 2, Ranged Defense Up (L) x 2, Large Recovery; 5,000 G; 600 EXP.

Quest # 43 - YoRHa's Betrayal
Chapter: 05-03.
Location: initiate this quest by reading the email "Operator 6O: Confidential Mission Details".
Request: kill the targets, which will be found in one (random) of the three possible locations marked on the map. Two of the locations are on a rooftop and on top of the Goliath; the other one is on the ground level.
Win two fights in two different locations, then speak with Anemone to end the quest.
Reward: 10,000 G; 400 EXP; Type-4O Lance (Weapon).

Quest # 44 - Reconnaissance Squad
Chapter: 13-01.
Location: android at the top floor of the library in Forest Castle.
Request: collect 95% Unit Data. See walkthrough/Unit Data section for more help.
Reward (total): Titanium Alloy x 5, Memory Alloy x 5, Clean Nut x 2, Large Battery x 2, Pristine Cable x 2, New Bolt x 2, Sturdy Socket x 2, Elaborate Gadget x 5, Cure All + Heal All x 1, Meteorite x 2, 25,000 G; 2,500 EXP.

Quest # 45 - Devola's Request
Chapter: 13-01.
Location: Devola, in Resistance Camp.
Request: deliver 5x Stripped Screw, 5x Small Gear, 1x Machine Oil.
Reward: Ranged Defense Up (L), Melee Defense Up (L), Large Recovery, Pure Water x 5, Mushroom x 5; 3,000 G; 1,670 EXP.

Quest # 46 - Popola's Errand
Chapter: 13-01.
Location: follow-up on the previous quest.
Request: fetch 5x Desert Rose, marked on the map. Deliver the items to the quest NPCs, then speak with Anemone to complete the quest.
Reward: Full Recovery, Gold Ore x 2, Meteorite Shard x 2, Meteorite x 2; 5,000 G; 2,000 EXP.

Quest # 47 - The Twins' Request
Chapter: 13-01.
Location: follow-up on the previous quest.
Request: fetch 5x Tree Sap.
Reward: Black Pearl x 2, Dye x 3; Popola's Booze; 10,000 G; 2,050 EXP.

Quest # 48 - Heritage of the Past
Chapter: 09-01.
Location: android in Desert: Center.
Request: find some treasures with the Scanner. Reference pictures: http://i.imgur.com/3jNYO3t.png and http://i.imgur.com/Zp8sTAN.jpg
Rewards (all): ("random book" Material (Thick Dictionary/Torn Book/Tech Manual), or Amber) x 3; Thick Dictionary x 3; 25,000 G; 1,050 EXP; Spear of the Usurper (Weapon).

Quest # 49 - Retrieve the Confidential Intel
Chapter: 05-03.
Location: Resistance Member. He's in a small room on the roof of a building in the City Ruins.
Request: kill three groups of enemies (this will auto-fetch the requested items), and then report back to the NPC.
Then fast-travel away to receive an email from the quest-giver, and then visit him again in the Desert: Housing Complex area.
Reward: Crushed Nut x 3, Dented Plate x 4, Large G Luck+, Skill Salve (L), Large Recovery; 5,000 G; 800 EXP; Pod Program "A140: Gravity".

Quest # 50 - Sorting Trouble
Chapter: 05-03.
Location: Resistance Member, back area of the Resistance Camp (must have completed Quest "The Manager's Request" first).
Request: move the boxes in the warehouse so you can access the chest with Package in it (http://i.imgur.com/yjHnLgu.png).
Reward: Rusted Clump x 5, Medium Recovery, Skill Salve (L); Evade Range Up +3 (Chip); 3,000 G; 350 EXP.

Quest # 51 - Sorting Trouble 2
Chapter: 13-01.
Location: follow-up on the previous quest.
Request: move the boxes to loot the two chests inside the warehouse (http://i.imgur.com/KBV3QGL.jpg).
Reward: Full Recovery, Elaborate Gadget x 5; Drop Rate Up +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,600 EXP.

Quest # 52 - Sorting Trouble 3
Chapter: 13-01.
Location: follow-up on the previous quest.
Request: speak with Jackass near Desert: Camp's Access Point. After that, go to the marked location in the City Ruins (just south of where you are) and reach the roof of the marked building to find more boxes to move (http://i.imgur.com/bviWhQY.jpg).
Reward: Machine Oil x 3, Complex Gadget x 3; 10,000 G; 1,900 EXP. Archive: Jackass's Bomb Recipe. Pod Program "A0120: Repair".

Quest # 53 - Stamp Collecting
Chapter: 05-03.
Location: friendly machine near Amusement Park's square entrance.
Request: find 10 Stamps (Collection Points and NPCs in the park). Also requires killing a lot of bunched-up level-20 enemies in the underground of the opera house for one Stamp.
Reward: Broken Circuit x 5, Precious Earrings, Large Recovery; Fast Cooldown +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,150 EXP.

Quest # 54 - Parade Escort
Chapter: 05-03.
Location: friendly machine in the eastern side of City Ruins (near the entrance to the sewers passage leading to Amusement Park).
Request: escort the NPCs. If all the NPCs die, the quest is failed but can be attempted again immediately after (as many times as you want). The enemies are level 35.
Reward: Dented Plate x 4, Dented Socket x 3, Large Recovery, Impact Bracer (L); Reset +3 (Chip); 10,000 G; 750 EXP.

Quest # 55 - Gathering Keepsakes
Chapter: 13-01.
Location: Resistance Member, in Resistance Camp.
Request: fetch items in Flooded City (Rusty Dog Tag), then Amusement Park (Damaged Dog Tag), then Factory Ruins (Dirty Dog Tag), then Desert: Center to fight two level-55 Tank enemies and get another item (Bloody Dog Tag).
Then report back to the NPC, and lastly visit the underground area of Commercial Facility (via Elevator Key, obtained from the quest Emil's Memories) to complete the quest.
Progression for now: just accept the quest.
Reward: Full Recovery, Meteorite x 2, Complex Gadget x 2; Max HP Up +6 (Chip); 10,000 G; 1,800 EXP.

Quest # 56 - The Weapon Dealer's Request
Chapter: 02-01.
Location: Weapons Trader (Resistance Camp). This is a mandatory story quest (repeatable with Chapter Select).
Task: check the small box next to him, then fetch 4x Complex Gadget which will be found as Collection Points in City Ruins. Then give them to the NPC to complete the quest.
Note: this quest is an excellent source of Complex Gadget to upgrade Pods, since it's repeatable and gives more than enough Complex Gadgets every time to upgrade a Pod.
Reward: Rusted Clump/Copper Ore x 5, Crystal x 5, Beast Hide x 5, 5,000 G, 50 EXP.

Quest # 57 - The Recluse
Chapter: 05-01.
Location: Pascal's Village, upper level.
Request: hack the nearby door.
Reward: Small Recovery, Ranged Attack Up (S), Machine Arm x 2; Evade Range Up +3 (Chip); 3,000 G; 1,300 EXP.

Quest # 58 - The Recluse Stays Home
Chapter: 05-01.
Location: follow-up on the previous quest (need to save-reload / leave and return).
Request: hack the nearby door.
Reward: Medium Recovery, Ranged Attack Up (L), Machine Leg x 2; Resilience +3 (Chip); 5,000 G; 1,650 EXP.

Quest # 59 - The Permanent Recluse
Chapter: 05-01.
Location: follow-up on the previous quest (need to save-reload / leave and return).
Request: hack the nearby door.
Reward: Large Recovery, Skill Salve (L), Machine Torso x 2; Damage Absorb +3 (Chip); 10,000 G; 2,000 EXP.

Quest # 60 - Emil's Determination
WARNING: missable Ending Y can be obtained only during this quest.
Chapter: 06-03.
Location: need to have all weapons upgraded to level 4; then the NPC will appear in Commercial Facility. Refer to the walkthrough for more information.
Request: kill a secret boss (level 99) in the Desert: Center.
Reward: nothing.

Side Events

There aren't many optional things to do aside from the regular Quests, but the few that are there are worth mentioning.

All of these side-events are included in both the summarized and the extended walkthrough.

Golden Robots

Warning: this side even is the only temporary infinite source of Powerup Part S. This item is necessary to upgrade Pods. You need three Powerup Part S in total; two of them are obtained from quests, and one can be obtained from the Small Stubby Golden Robot of City Ruins. You can use Chapter Select (unlocked after completing Route C for the first time) to reset this side event, but ONLY if you haven't completed it yet.

In other words, if you HAVEN'T completed the side event (i.e. if you haven't killed all three Golden Robot groups) you will be able to use Chapter Select to "reset" the side event progression, which means you can respawn the Small Stubby (Golden Robot) in City Ruins and get another Powerup Part S from him. I've tested this process (on Chapter 07-01, Route B), and I can confirm that it works as an infinite source of Powerup Part S.

You don't actually need to farm more than one Powerup Part S, since you will get one from the first (and possibly only) Small Stubby (Golden Robot) in City Ruins, and two more from quests -- that's the three we need for Pods, no more, no less. If for any reason you want (or need) to get multiple Powerup Part S, do NOT complete this side event until you are satisfied with your supply of said item.

Golden Robots

The Golden Robots are just what the name says: fully golden-palette-covered machines of a certain type (Small Stubby, Goliath Bipeds, and Tank). These enemies will appear for the first time, possibly, in Flooded City (Chapter 07), just before you use the Flight Units to continue with the story. The first encounter with these machines is in Flooded City, but it's unlikely that you'll be able to kill them there.

More likely than not, your actual first encounter will be in your second playthrough (NG+), on Route B, in City Ruins -- at this point you should have what it takes to defeat them.

While the enemies are relatively low-level (level 25, give or take), they will have an extraordinarily high amount of HP, which is why killing them will take forever if you don't have the right setup (Critical+Taunt, or a strong Counter Chip). Hacking (available in Route B) is a popular and easy way to get rid of these enemies too.

The three Golden Robots groups will be found (on Route B in this order):

City Ruins: just west of the City Ruins: Center access point. This is a group of 2x Goliath Bipeds and 1x Small Stubby. This Small Stubby is the one that drops the precious Powerup Part S -- make sure to pick it up when he drops it!
Desert: Housing Complex: in the open area before the local access point. This is a group of 1x Tank and 1x Small Stubby. Nothing special here.
Flooded City: on the main street. This is a group of 1x Goliath Biped and 1x "rocket" Small Stubby. This should be the last encounter with them.
On Route A you can already do this side-event to full completion, but the first group will be in Flooded City. The second/third group will both be already available after that. You can do them in any order. In this case, the Powerup Part S will still be dropped by the Small Stubby in City Ruins.

The most important thing about this side event is the Powerup Part S (missable Material). The other nice thing about these fights is that they give a series of unique Unit Data: Courageous Brother (first Small Stubby), Hateful Sister (second Small Stubby), Vengeful Child (third Small Stubby), Gold Tank, Gold Goliath Biped.

For strategies on these fights (done on Route B), please check the story walkthrough - extended:

First encounter (City Ruins)
Second encounter (Desert)
Third encounter (Flooded City)
Wise Machines

Not much of a side-event, but in Chapter 05 (Route B) you will find three red dots in City Ruins. These indicate the positions of the three "Wise Machines", which are nothing more than regular friendly machines. The picture below indicates their position:

(http://i.imgur.com/X7DPGQu.jpg)



This side event consists in hacking the three machines. After doing so, something will happen and you will then be able to collect your reward: a Hijack Boost +6 Chip. There are no other rewards from this side event (it's one of those "narrative is the reward" kind of thing).

This side event may apparently trigger again if you use Chapter Select. Personally, I was able to see the red dots on my map, but the machines weren't actually there to repeat the side event. Probably just a minor bug.

Flight Unit Message

In Chapter 13 (Route C), as well as other Route-C Chapters (early Route C spoiler: you must be playing as 9S), you can find a Flight Unit by the water in Flooded City. Examine this machine to receive an extra message.



Golden Bunny (Amusement Park Rabbit)

Ever since your first visit to the Amusement Park you'll be able to find and notice a "Golden Bunny statue" in the middle of the entrance square.



This statue hides a level-80 enemy, who will "wake up" (activate) only after taking a certain amount of damage. Theoretically (very theoretically) speaking, it's possible to defeat this enemy as early as your first visit to the Amusement Park. This, however, is virtually impossible without cheat codes, since your level will be so low at that point that all your attacks will do zero damage, and this will mean that you will never be able to wake up the bunny.

The Golden Bunny is mostly known because of the large amount of EXP he gives when defeated. So, obviously, everyone wants to try and defeat him as early as possible.

A lot of older videos show a particular method to wake up the bunny, which has since then been patched-out. The old method consisted in hacking into another machine in the festive square (this can be done on Route B), and then hacking the bunny while operating the first hacked machine. As of today, this method is no longer possible, and you won't be able to hack the bunny while operating the first hacked machine.

There aren't many other options out there, so the best you can do is wait until you are level 50+, at which point you can realistically wake up the bunny in a reasonable amount of time, provided that you have strong Chips to support your damage output. I've discussed this fight and farming method a bit more in-depth in a specific section of my walkthrough. Before I give you a link to it, beware that the fight has a gameplay spoiler about early Route B, so do not read that section until then (you wouldn't be able to wake up the bunny before then anyway). Here is that section.

Secret Bosses

The game has two secret bosses. The secret bosses are both level 99, so while it's possible to fight them as early as in Route B, it's strongly recommended that you wait until Route C before attempting them.

The two secret bosses are actually very easy fights once you are level 99 yourself and you have powerful Chips. In fact, they become almost too easy at that point. You may be tempted to try and kill them at lower levels for some extra challenge, but in truth this is more true for the first of the two bosses than for the second one (the second one is mostly luck-based, especially if you are playing on Very Hard, so it's more a matter of "how patient can you be?" than "how good are you?").

Once again, I have discussed both of these fights in-depth in the story walkthrough - extended section. The first and second secret boss feature significant spoilers about (respectively) early Route B/Route C (Chapter 12+), so do not peek around those sections if you haven't reached those points of the story yet. Besides, you probably have no business with these secret bosses until you have finished the game properly (Route C) anyway.

A very important note about the second secret boss is that Ending Y can be obtained if you "do something" (or rather, "not do something") during that fight. Ending Y is missable, because you can only fight the second secret boss once. Therefore, make sure you get Ending Y before overwriting your save file after killing the second secret boss.

First secret boss
Second secret boss
Endings (Spoiler-Free)

In this section I will list all the possible "Endings" of the game. As I explained a bit in the Gameplay Information sections, the only true Ending is actually Ending E.

The only point of the story when making a serious choice will lead to two separate endings will be at the very end, before the true final boss (in Route C, the "third playthrough"), and in that case you will obtain either Ending C or Ending D depending on your choice.

Going backwards from there, Ending B is actually just for completing the "second playthrough" (Route B), and Ending A is for completing the "first playthrough" (Route A). In reality, Ending A and B are just "half-game cutscenes", so they are not proper Endings at all -- just "end of the first part of the story", so to speak.

Every other Ending, from Ending F to Ending Z, is a "joke" Ending. In these cases, some "wrong actions" (like wandering off when you shouldn't have, or killing friendly foes that you shouldn't have killed) will prompt these "joke Endings", which are really just a short paragraph of text explaining what you did wrong followed by fast-forwarded credits and an auto-save (overwritten) of your game data.

You can read which Endings you have unlocked when you load up your save file, since they'll be listed on the save file's basic data and information.

One Ending, Ending Y, is missable. This Ending Y takes place very late -- since it requires a particular action while fighting an optional level-99 secret boss, you will likely be dealing with this in your post-ending (Ending E) game content clean-up. I'll make sure to remind you of it in the story walkthrough, when said fight takes place.

Every other joke Ending can, and indeed should, be obtained by using Chapter Select (a feature unlocked after completing Route C) -- while you could unlock them by doing the necessary actions during your regular playthrough, it's much better to wait until you unlock Chapter Select to get these Endings. The reason is simple: if you do it during your regular playthrough you will sometimes have to repeat relatively long sections of the story to get back to the point where you were before triggering the "joke" Ending. On the other hand, doing it with Chapter Select will only take a minute, so it's much faster. Besides, you probably don't want to be bothered and have to worry about these joke Endings all the time while trying to enjoy the "normal" story anyway.

The list below has all the Endings in the game. While I could easily keep this introduction spoiler-free, I will necessarily need to mention things about the story when describing how to obtain certain Endings. I will use the spoiler tag when necessary, so don't worry. Then again, as I just said, the Endings are best "collected" after you have finished Route C, which will allow you to quickly get all the joke Endings with Chapter Select.

Note: "Route B" means (early Route B spoiler) "you must be playing as 9S". Likewise, "Route A" means (early Route B spoiler) "you must be playing as 2B".

Ending A: Chapter 10 (Route A), story-related.
Ending B: Chapter 10 (Route B), story-related.
Ending C: Chapter 17 (Route C). Choose the second option before the final boss fight.
Ending D: Chapter 17 (Route C). Choose the first option before the final boss fight.

The dialogue in Ending D can be slightly different at the end, if you have done these things before: you have checked 2B's flight unit as 9S; you have deleted Pascal's memories as A2; you have chosen to stay/leave in the final "ending Novel" with 9S.
Ending E: Chapter 17 (Route C). You must have obtained Ending C and D first. Once you do, refer to the corresponding section of the walkthrough for more information.
Ending F: Chapter 01-03_2 (Route B). Defeat Engels like you normally would, but when you are in the "hacking virtual space" and need to repair yourself, let the 3-minutes-timer run out.
Ending G: Chapter 01-01_2 (Route B). Replay the "brother brother" sequence normally. Then at the very start with 9S, instead of going down the ladder to get into the flight unit, operate the nearby control panel to lower the crane's arm and wander off.
Ending H: Chapter 05-02 (Route A). From where you start, go to Amusement Park instead of City Ruins.
Ending I: Chapter 08-01_2 (Route A). Defeat Adam like you normally would. After winning, when you are supposed to go to 9S, leave the area.
Ending J: Chapter 09-01_3 (Route A). Speak with Pascal and head into the Abandoned Factory. In there, kill the "priest" machine that was supposed to lead you to the underground.
Ending K: Chapter 06-01 (Route A). You should have received an email from Jackass after the story events. The email is "Jackass: Fish". After reading it at any access point, visit Jackass at Desert: Camp and she'll give you the Mackerel (fish). Open your menu, and "use" the Mackerel (Items > Caught Fish).
Ending L: Chapter 10-01_3 (Route A). After the cutscene, leave the Resistance Camp area.
Ending M: Chapter 14-03. Instead of going to Pascal's Village, detour elsewhere (head for Abandoned Factory for example).
Ending N: Chapter 07-01 (Route A). Kill all the friendly machines in Pascal's Village, including the ones on the paths leading in/out of the village.
Ending O: Chapter 11-02. Walk away from your target destination (head for the Abandoned Factory for example).
Ending P: Chapter 11-06. You need to let the contamination reach 100%. Getting killed by enemy attacks won't work. In terms of real-time, it's considerably faster to head to the bridge leading to the Commercial Facility (so the game spikes up the contamination % for you) and wait there before crossing the bridge. If you want, however, you can just let the contamination go to 100% by waiting in Flooded City (it will take a lot longer in terms of real-time, but at least you don't need to repeat the walking section).
Ending Q: Chapter 11-07. Walk away from your target destination (head south towards the crater for example)
Ending R: Chapter 14-05. Kill the children machines in Abandoned Factory.
Ending S: Chapter 17-01. Hack into the tower to summon Devola and Popola. Then walk away from the target area (head for Resistance Camp for example).
Ending T: (any Chapter). Remove the OS Chip from your current Chipset.
Ending U: ((almost) any Chapter, for example 06-01). Self-Destruct in The Bunker.
Ending V: Chapter 17-01. Hack into the tower to summon Devola and Popola. Then let the hidden timer expire (don't walk away, don't die, don't complete the hacking).
Ending W: Chapter 01-01_1. Get killed in the opening shmup section (select difficulty to Very Hard if you are already at high level).
Ending X: Chapter 11-06. Play regularly until you arrive at Commercial Facility. Then, when you play as A2 and you are supposed to kill the androids around 2B, walk away instead of fighting.
Ending Y: (no Chapter). During the quest Emil's Determination, which leads to the second secret boss of the game (level 99), do not land the finishing blow on the boss when it's preparing to go ka-boom. For more information, check the story walkthrough for that mission. This is the only missable Ending of the game, since you can't replay the fight against this boss/you can't repeat the quest after successfully completing it once.
Ending Z: Chapter 14-01. Proceed to the Resistance Camp normally, kill the enemies around Pascal, and then decide to kill Pascal (select the second option, "Destroy Pascal"), then attack him dead).
Shops

There are several shops available in the game.

The items available for sale will increase as the story advances -- I'll have a column of the shops-tables to indicate when the items become available (if there is nothing written there (or rather, there is a dash " - ") it means that the item is available ever since the Shop is accessible). Please note that once you unlock an item, it will be available for sale even if you "backtrack in time" with Chapter Select. So, for example, if you use Chapter Select to return to the beginning of the game you will actually be able to purchase things that became available on Route C. In other words, once you unlock something in a shop, it will always be available at that shop even if you use Chapter Select to return to a point of the story before that item was available. This is useful, because it means you don't need to Chapter-Select to Route C every time you want to buy something that was originally unlocked in Route C -- if you are currently on Route A, and you had already unlocked that item in the shop before, you'll be able to purchase it.

The prices in the shops will vary depending on which "Route" of the game you are on. In the "first playthrough" (Route A) the prices are the lowest; in Route B they are increased by a factor of 1.5x; in Route C they are increased (compared to Route A) by a factor of up to 3x (varies from about 2x to 3x, depending on the case). This isn't always true, since certain items have a fixed cost that doesn't change depending on the Route. Re-selling prices (the money you get from selling items) also increase from Route A to Route C.

Lastly, every "android-run" Shop will have a -30% prices discount if you have the YoRHa-issue Blade weapon upgraded to level 2 (or higher) (you don't need to have this weapon equipped; simply owning it will work), since said weapon has (at level 2+) the ability "Discount" that has just this effect.

Similarly, every "machine-run" Shop will have a -10% price discount for every "machine" weapon you have upgraded to level 2 (again, owning them is enough). These discounts stack, and since there are four total "machine" weapons (three early on; the fourth one much later actually) this means that you can get up to a -40% prices discount. The "machine" weapons are: Machine Sword, Machine Axe, Machine Spear, Machine Heads.

If you are wondering if we can take advantage of the prices difference and/or discounts to somehow make a money exploit, the answer is actually yes. In fact, once you unlock Chapter Select (after completing the game properly, on Route C) you'll be able to make money quickly by doing just that: "buy low" (Route A, with discounts), "sell high" (Route C). More information on the process can be found in the corresponding section of the walkthrough.

Lastly, as a minor warning, beware that two shops in the game are run by "special" NPCs that are somehow, possibly, a bit of a spoiler. Just in case you don't want the surprise to be ruined, I'll use the spoiler tag to hide their names.

The Bunker

The Bunker has two shops. One (or rather, several similar ones) is in your room (as well as other rooms); the other is in the Terminal area of The Bunker. Both Shops are affected by the Discount ability (YoRHa-issue Blade weapon level 2).

Consumable Item	Available	Route A	Route B	Route C
Small Recovery	-	100 G	150 G	300 G
Medium Recovery	-	200 G	300 G	600 G
Large Recovery	After Chapter 05.	400 G	600 G	900 G
Visual Cure	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Aural Cure	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Cure Manipulation	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Volt-Proof Salve	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Melee Attack Up (S)	-	100 G	150 G	200 G
Melee Attack Up (L)	After Chapter 05.	200 G	300 G	450 G
Ranged Attack Up (S)	-	100 G	150 G	200 G
Ranged Attack Up (L)	After Chapter 05.	200 G 	300 G 	450 G 
Melee Defense Up (S)	-	100 G	150 G	200 G
Melee Defense Up (L)	After Chapter 05. 	200 G 	300 G 	450 G 
Ranged Defense Up (S)	-	100 G	150 G	200 G
Ranged Defense Up (L)	After Chapter 05. 	200 G	300 G	450 G
Chip	Available	Any Route
HUD: HP Gauge	-	500 G
HUD: Sound Waves	-	5,000 G
HUD: Enemy Data 	-	500 G
HUD: Skill Gauge 	-	500 G
HUD: Text Log 	-	500 G
HUD: Mini-map 	-	500 G
HUD: EXP Gauge 	-	5,000 G
HUD: Save Points	-	500 G
HUD: Damage Values 	-	500 G
HUD: Objectives 	-	500 G
HUD: Control 	-	500 G
HUD: Fishing Spots 	-	5,000 G
Item Scan 	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	5,000 G
Auto-Attack 	-	500 G
Auto-Fire 	-	500 G
Auto-Evade 	-	500 G
Auto-Program 	-	500 G
Auto-Weapon Switch	-	500 G
The Maintenance Shop (Terminal area) allows you to Fuse Chips up to Level 6 and Upgrade Pods, among other things. It also sells Pod Programs and Storage upgrades (to increase your Chipset capacity). All items are available by default (from the beginning) at this shop.

Pod Program	Any Route
R010: Laser
(sold out by default)	-
R020: Mirage	10,000 G
R030: Hammer	10,000 G
R040: Blade	10,000 G
R050: Spear	10,000 G
A060: P Shield	10,000 G
R070: M Shield	10,000 G
Chipset Storage Upgrades	Any Route
+8 storage	5,000 G
+8 storage	5,000 G
+8 storage	10,000 G
+8 storage	10,000 G
+16 storage	20,000 G
+16 storage	20,000 G
+32 storage	30,000 G
 

Shops (Continued)

Resistance Camp

The Resistance Camp has up to four Shops. Three of them are available from the beginning (Item Shop, Weapon Shop, Maintenance Shop), while the fourth and last one becomes available only towards the end (Chapter 08). This last one is slightly "spoilerous" due to the name of the NPC owner, so I'll use the spoiler tag just in case you haven't reached Chapter 08 yet and don't want the surprise to be spoiled.

All of the Resistance Camp shops are affected by the Discount ability (YoRHa-issue Blade weapon level 2).

A special "shop" will open after completing Route C.

Consumable Item	Available	Route A	Route B	Route C
Small Recovery	-	100 G	150 G	300 G
Medium Recovery	-	200 G	300 G	600 G
Large Recovery	After Chapter 05.	400 G	600 G	900 G
Visual Cure	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Aural Cure	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Cure Manipulation	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Volt-Proof Salve	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Melee Attack Up (S)	-	100 G	150 G	200 G
Melee Attack Up (L)	After Chapter 05.	200 G	300 G	450 G
Ranged Attack Up (S)	-	100 G	150 G	200 G
Ranged Attack Up (L)	After Chapter 05.	200 G	300 G	450 G
Melee Defense Up (S)	-	100 G	150 G	200 G
Melee Defense Up (L)	After Chapter 05. 	200 G	300 G	450 G
Ranged Defense Up (S)	-	100 G	150 G	200 G
Ranged Defense Up (L)	After Chapter 05. 	200 G	300 G	450 G
Chip	Available	Any Route
HUD: HP Gauge	-	500 G
HUD: Sound Waves	-	5,000 G
HUD: Enemy Data 	-	500 G
HUD: Skill Gauge 	-	500 G
HUD: Text Log 	-	500 G
HUD: Mini-map 	-	500 G
HUD: EXP Gauge 	-	5,000 G
HUD: Save Points	-	500 G
HUD: Damage Values 	-	500 G
HUD: Objectives 	-	500 G
HUD: Control 	-	500 G
HUD: Fishing Spots 	-	5,000 G
Item Scan 	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	5,000 G
Auto-Attack 	-	500 G
Auto-Fire 	-	500 G
Auto-Evade 	-	500 G
Auto-Program 	-	500 G
Auto-Weapon Switch	-	500 G
Weapon Attack Up	-	500 G
Weapon Attack Up +1	After Chapter 05.	1,000 G
Weapon Attack Up +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Ranged Attack Up	-	500 G
Ranged Attack Up +1	After Chapter 05.	1,000 G
Ranged Attack Up +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Melee Defense	-	500 G
Melee Defense +1	After Chapter 05.	1,000 G
Melee Defense +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Ranged Defense	-	500 G
Ranged Defense +1	After Chapter 05.	1,000 G
Ranged Defense +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Max HP Up	-	500 G
Max HP Up +1	After Chapter 05.	1,000 G
Max HP Up +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Hijack Boost	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	500 G
Hijack Boost +1	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	1,000 G
Hijack Boost +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Stun	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	500 G
Stun +1	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	1,000 G
Stun +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Other Items	Available	Any Route
Animal Bait	-	100 G / 150 G / 250 G
Sachet	-	1,000 G
Sound Data 2	Route B.	1,000 G
Sound Data 3	Route C.	1,000 G
Sound Data 4	After obtaining Ending C or D.	1,000 G
Sound Data 5	After obtaining Endings C and D.	1,000 G
All Weapons are available from the start.

Weapon	Any Route
Beastbane	10,000 G
Ancient Overlord	15,000 G
Beastlord	15,000 G
The Maintenance Shop has the same services as in The Bunker: it sells Pod Programs and Storage upgrades for your Chipset (all available from the beginning), and it allows you to Upgrade Pods as well as Fuse Chips up to Level 6.

Pod Program	Any Route
R010: Laser
(sold out by default)	-
R020: Mirage	10,000 G
R030: Hammer	10,000 G
R040: Blade	10,000 G
R050: Spear	10,000 G
A060: P Shield	10,000 G
R070: M Shield	10,000 G
Chipset Storage Upgrades	Any Route
+8 storage	5,000 G
+8 storage	5,000 G
+8 storage	10,000 G
+8 storage	10,000 G
+16 storage	20,000 G
+16 storage	20,000 G
+32 storage	30,000 G
In Chapter 08 (Route A) a new shop becomes available. The shop isn't accessible in Route B, and becomes available again in Chapters 13-16 on Route C.

Devola's Shop
Weapon	Available	Any Route
Type-3 Sword	-	20,000 G
Type-3 Blade	-	20,000 G
Consumable Item	Available	Route A	Route C
Skill Salve (S)	-	150 G	300 G
Skill Salve (L)	Route C.	300 G	650 G
Impact Bracer (S)	-	150 G	300 G
Impact Bracer (L)	Route C.	300 G	650 G
Speed Salve (S)	-	150 G	300 G
Speed Salve (L)	Route C.	300 G	650 G
Small G Luck+	-	300 G	650 G
Large G Luck+	Route C.	600 G	1,300 G
Chip	Available	Any Route
Death Rattle	Route C.	5,000 G
Evasive System	-	5,000 G
Continuous Combo	-	5,000 G
Bullet Detonation	-	5,000 G
Auto-Collect Items	-	5,000 G
The "special shop" is run by the android NPC that has an "Emil head" mask on (Mysterious Woman). You spoke with this NPC early in your adventure, and it was the NPC that had some gameplay information for you the first time you came in the Resistance Camp. Said NPC has an Achievement/Trophy Shop after Route C. All of the Achievements/Trophies in the game can be purchased (and they will be regularly unlocked as if you obtained them legitimately) from this shop, for prices in the tens or hundreds of thousands G. That's actually cheap considering how easily you can make G in the game at that point. Whether to use said shop or not is up to you. I won't provide a shop table listing the prices, since acknowledging its existence is already more than this shop deserves.

Desert: Camp / Oil Field

The main shop of the Desert areas, in Desert: Camp, is just opposite the Access Point of the area Desert: Camp. A secondary "shop" is opened in the Oil Field after completing the quest Jackass's Research; it only sells one item.

Both of these shops are affected by the Discount ability (YoRHa-issue Blade weapon level 2).

Desert: Camp

Consumable Item	Available	Route A	Route B	Route C
Small Recovery	-	100 G	150 G	300 G
Medium Recovery	-	200 G	300 G	600 G
Large Recovery	After Chapter 05.	400 G	600 G	900 G
Visual Cure	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Aural Cure	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Cure Manipulation	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Volt-Proof Salve	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Melee Attack Up (S)	-	100 G	150 G	200 G
Melee Attack Up (L)	After Chapter 05.	200 G	300 G	450 G
Ranged Attack Up (S)	-	100 G	150 G	200 G
Ranged Attack Up (L)	After Chapter 05.	200 G	300 G	450 G
Melee Defense Up (S)	-	100 G	150 G	200 G
Melee Defense Up (L)	After Chapter 05. 	200 G	300 G	450 G
Ranged Defense Up (S)	-	100 G	150 G	200 G
Ranged Defense Up (L)	After Chapter 05. 	200 G	300 G	450 G
Chip	Available	Any Route
HUD: HP Gauge	-	500 G
HUD: Sound Waves	-	5,000 G
HUD: Enemy Data 	-	500 G
HUD: Skill Gauge 	-	500 G
HUD: Text Log 	-	500 G
HUD: Mini-map 	-	500 G
HUD: EXP Gauge 	-	5,000 G
HUD: Save Points	-	500 G
HUD: Damage Values 	-	500 G
HUD: Objectives 	-	500 G
HUD: Control 	-	500 G
HUD: Fishing Spots 	-	5,000 G
Item Scan 	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	5,000 G
Auto-Attack 	-	500 G
Auto-Fire 	-	500 G
Auto-Evade 	-	500 G
Auto-Program 	-	500 G
Auto-Weapon Switch	-	500 G
Down-Attack Up	-	500 G
Down-Attack Up +1	After Chapter 05.	1,000 G
Down-Attack Up +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Resilience	-	500 G
Resilience +1	After Chapter 05.	1,000 G
Resilience +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Counter	-	500 G
Counter +1	After Chapter 05.	1,000 G
Counter +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Charge Attack	-	500 G
Charge Attack +1	After Chapter 05.	1,000 G
Charge Attack +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Combust	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	500 G
Combust +1	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	1,000 G
Combust +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Other Items	Available	Any Route
Animal Bait	-	100 G / 150 G / 250 G
Sachet	-	1,000 G
Desert: Oil Field

Consumable Item	Available	Route A	Route B	Route C
E-Drug	After completing Jackass's Research.	300 G	450 G	650 G
Amusement Park

There is a somewhat "hidden" shop in the Amusement Park. It's located just past the gate you go through (on the right side of the main street), before going through the alleys that lead to the access point.

This shop is affected by Machine Discount abilities ("machine" weapons level 2).

Material	Available	Route A	Route B	Route C
Copper Ore	-	50 G	75 G	112 G
Iron Ore	-	500 G	750 G	1,125 G
Silver Ore	Route C.	2,500 G	3,750 G	5,625 G
Gold Ore	After Route C.	5,000 G	7,500 G	11,250 G
Crystal	-	500 G	750 G	1,125 G
Pearl	Route C	1,000 G	1,500 G	2,250 G
Black Pearl	After Route C.	5,000 G	7,500 G	11,250 G
Pyrite	Route C.	500 G	750 G	1,125 G
Amber	After Route C.	1,000 G	1,500 G	2,250 G
Moldavite	After Route C.	5,000 G	7,500 G	11,250 G
Tree Seed	-	50 G	75 G	112 G
Plant Seed112	-	50 G	75 G	112 G
Tree Sap	-	100 G	150 G	225 G
Torn Book	Route C.	100 G	150 G	225 G
Tech Manual	After Route C.	1,000 G	1,500 G	2,250 G
Thick Dictionary	After Route C.	10,000 G	15,000 G	22,500 G
Tanning Agent	Route C.	500 G	750 G	1,125 G
Dye	-	500 G	750 G	1,125 G
Natural Rubber	Route C.	1,000 G	1,500 G	2,250 G
Machine Oil	After Route C.	2,500 G	3,750 G	5,625 G
Filler Metal	After Route C.	5,000 G	7,500 G	11,250 G
Pascal's Village

There are two primary shops in Pascal's Village (a weapon shop and an item shop). In addition to them, one more shop can be opened by the Scientist Machine located on a platform on the path between Amusement Park and Pascal's Village, and yet another shop is run by Pascal in Route C.

In order to open the Scientist Machine's shop you will first need to complete the quest that he gives you, Half-wit Inventor, which requires you to give him 180,000 G.

In order to open Pascal's shop you will need to do a certain action in Chapter 14-05. In particular (heavy story spoilers!): you need to accept to reset Pascal's memories after the fight in the Abandoned Factory. If you made a different choice, his shop won't be available. You can still access it later (after Route C, once you have unlocked Chapter Select) by replaying Chapter 14-05, and making the "right" choice when you replay it.

Consumable Item	Available	Route A	Route B	Route C
Small Recovery	-	100 G	150 G	300 G
Medium Recovery	-	200 G	300 G	600 G
Large Recovery	After Chapter 05.	400 G	600 G	900 G
Visual Cure	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Aural Cure	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Cure Manipulation	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Volt-Proof Salve	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Melee Attack Up (S)	-	100 G	150 G	200 G
Melee Attack Up (L)	After Chapter 05.	200 G	300 G	450 G
Ranged Attack Up (S)	-	100 G	150 G	200 G
Ranged Attack Up (L)	After Chapter 05.	200 G	300 G	450 G
Melee Defense Up (S)	-	100 G	150 G	200 G
Melee Defense Up (L)	After Chapter 05. 	200 G	300 G	450 G
Ranged Defense Up (S)	-	100 G	150 G	200 G
Ranged Defense Up (L)	After Chapter 05. 	200 G	300 G	450 G
Chip	Available	Any Route
HUD: HP Gauge	-	500 G
HUD: Sound Waves	-	5,000 G
HUD: Enemy Data 	-	500 G
HUD: Skill Gauge 	-	500 G
HUD: Text Log 	-	500 G
HUD: Mini-map 	-	500 G
HUD: EXP Gauge 	-	5,000 G
HUD: Save Points	-	500 G
HUD: Damage Values 	-	500 G
HUD: Objectives 	-	500 G
HUD: Control 	-	500 G
HUD: Fishing Spots 	-	5,000 G
Item Scan 	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	5,000 G
Auto-Attack 	-	500 G
Auto-Fire 	-	500 G
Auto-Evade 	-	500 G
Auto-Program 	-	500 G
Auto-Weapon Switch	-	500 G
Fast Cooldown	-	2,500 G
Fast Cooldown +1	After Chapter 05.	5,000 G
Fast Cooldown +2	Route C.	10,000 G
Anti Chain Damage	-	500 G
Anti Chain Damage +1	After Chapter 05.	1,000 G
Anti Chain Damage +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Drop Rate Up	-	500 G
Drop Rate Up +1	After Chapter 05.	1,000 G
Drop Rate Up +2	Route C.	2,000 G
EXP Gain Up	-	2,500 G
EXP Gain Up +1	After Chapter 05.	5,000 G
EXP Gain Up +2	Route C.	10,000 G
Heal Drops Up	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	500 G
Heal Drops Up +1	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	1,000 G
Heal Drops Up +2	Route C.	2,000G
Combust	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	500 G
Combust +1	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	1,000 G
Combust +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Other Items	Available	Any Route
Animal Bait	-	100 G / 150 G / 250 G
Sachet	-	1,000 G
The three Weapons at the weapon shop are available from the start.

Weapon	Any Route
Machine Sword	15,000 G
Machine Axe	15,000 G
Machine Spear	15,000 G
After completing the quest Half-wit Inventor (requires investing 180,000 G; best done after Route C when money isn't a problem anymore), the Scientist Machine NPC will start up a small but useful shop.

Material	Available	Route A	Route B	Route C
Meteorite Shard	-	10,000 G	15,000 G	22,500 G
Meteorite	After Route C.	10,000 G	15,000 G	22,500 G
Accessory	Available	Any Route
Alien Mask	-	20,000 G
Pascal's shop becomes available (as I said earlier) in Route C, after Chapter 14-05, but only if (heavy Route C spoiler) you agree to erase his memories after the events at the Abandoned Factory. Also as I said earlier, if you made a different choice at that part of the story you can still access his shop if you later use Chapter Select to do the "correct" action in Chapter 14-05. All of the items for sale are available when the shop first becomes available, and since it can only be accessed on Route C there are no "route-related price fluctuations".

Weapon	Route C
Machine Heads	15,000 G
Material	Route C
Machine Arm	1,125 G
Machine Leg	1,125 G
Machine Torso	1,125 G
Machine Head	1,125 G
Children's Core	30,000 G
Forest Kingdom

Forest Kingdom has three available shops. One is the "Forest Camp" shop, and it's a shop located just before the entrance to the forest proper. This shop becomes available only after completing the quest "Camp Development". This shop is affected by the Discount ability (YoRHa-issue Blade weapon level 2).

Another shop is found at the bottom of the crevasse/canyon/valley in the forest area. This shop is available only after completing the quest Lord of the Valley, and it's also the only shop of the game that allows you to Fuse Chips to Level 7 and 8 (max level).

Lastly, in Forest Castle, in a hidden (so to speak) room just below of the access point "Forest Castle: Royal Chamber", there is the Masamune's weapon shop. While it doesn't sell anything unique, it's the only shop of the game that allows you to Upgrade Weapons to Level 4 (max level).

Both the "Valley Shop" and the "Masamune's Shop" are affected by the Machine Discount ability ("machine" weapons level 2).

Forest Camp

Consumable Item	Available	Route A	Route B	Route C
Small Recovery	-	100 G	150 G	300 G
Medium Recovery	-	200 G	300 G	600 G
Large Recovery	After Chapter 05.	400 G	600 G	900 G
Full Recovery	Route B.	500 G	750 G	1,200 G
Visual Cure	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Aural Cure	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Cure Manipulation	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Cure All Status	Route B.	300 G	400 G	600 G
Cure All + Heal All	Route B.	1,500 G	2,000 G	3,000 G
Volt-Proof Salve	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	150 G	200 G	300 G
Chip	Available	Any Route
HUD: HP Gauge	-	500 G
HUD: Sound Waves	-	5,000 G
HUD: Enemy Data 	-	500 G
HUD: Skill Gauge 	-	500 G
HUD: Text Log 	-	500 G
HUD: Mini-map 	-	500 G
HUD: EXP Gauge 	-	5,000 G
HUD: Save Points	-	500 G
HUD: Damage Values 	-	500 G
HUD: Objectives 	-	500 G
HUD: Control 	-	500 G
HUD: Fishing Spots 	-	5,000 G
Item Scan 	After Chapter 04 (Route B).	5,000 G
Auto-Attack 	-	500 G
Auto-Fire 	-	500 G
Auto-Evade 	-	500 G
Auto-Program 	-	500 G
Auto-Weapon Switch	-	500 G
Critical Up	-	2,500 G
Critical Up +1	-	5,000 G
Critical Up +2	Route C.	10,000 G
Auto-Heal	-	2,500 G
Auto-Heal +1	-	5,000 G
Auto-Heal+2	Route C.	10,000 G
Shock Wave	-	2,500 G
Shock Wave +1	-	5,000 G
Shock Wave +2	Route C.	10,000 G
Damage Absorb	-	2,500 G
Damage Absorb +1	-	5,000 G
Damage Absorb +2	Route C.	10,000 G
Reset	-	2,500 G
Reset +1	-	5,000 G
Reset +2	Route C.	10,000G
Other Items	Available	Any Route
Animal Bait	-	100 G / 150 G / 250 G
Sachet	-	1,000 G
Masamune's Shop

The three Weapons here are available from the start, but they are actually the same sold in Pascal's Village. The interesting thing about Masamune's Shop is that he can upgrade weapons to Level 4 (max level); it's the only shop in the game able to do so.

Weapon	Any Route
Machine Sword	15,000 G
Machine Axe	15,000 G
Machine Spear	15,000 G
Valley Shop

Note: this shop is often bugged. If the NPC doesn't seem to talk to you (you see the Circle-button prompt next to him, but pressing it doesn't seem to do anything), despite you having already completed the quest Lord of the Valley, what you need to do is simply open the pause menu (press Start), then close it -- he should talk to you now.

Chip	Available	Any Route
Offensive Heal	-	500 G
Offensive Heal +1	-	1,000 G
Offensive Heal +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Offensive Heal +3	Route C.	3,500 G
Offensive Heal +4	Route C.	5,000 G
Offensive Heal +5	After Route C.	7,500 G
Deadly Heal	-	2,500 G
Deadly Heal +1	-	5,000 G
Deadly Heal +2	Route C.	10,000 G
Deadly Heal +3	Route C.	20,000 G
Deadly Heal +4	Route C.	30,000 G
Deadly Heal +5	After Route C.	40,000 G
Evade Range Up	-	500 G
Evade Range Up +1	-	1,000 G
Evade Range Up +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Evade Range Up +3	Route C.	3,500 G
Evade Range Up +4	Route C.	5,000 G
Evade Range Up +5	After Route C.	7,500 G
Moving Speed Up	-	500 G
Moving Speed Up +1	-	1,000 G
Moving Speed Up +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Moving Speed Up +3	Route C.	3,500 G
Moving Speed Up +4	Route C.	5,000 G
Moving Speed Up +5	After Route C.	7,500 G
Last Stand	-	500 G
Last Stand +1	-	1,000 G
Last Stand +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Last Stand +3	Route C.	3,500 G
Last Stand +4	Route C.	5,000 G
Last Stand +5	After Route C.	7,500 G
Vengeance	-	500 G
Vengeance +1	-	1,000 G
Vengeance +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Vengeance +3	Route C.	3,500 G
Vengeance +4	Route C.	5,000 G
Vengeance +5	After Route C.	7,500 G
Overclock	-	2,500 G
Overclock +1	-	5,000 G
Overclock +2	Route C.	10,000 G
Overclock +3	Route C.	20,000 G
Overclock +4	Route C.	30,000 G
Overclock +5	After Route C.	40,000 G
Taunt Up	-	500 G
Taunt Up +1	-	1,000 G
Taunt Up +2	Route C.	2,000 G
Taunt Up +3	Route C.	3,500 G
Taunt Up +4	Route C.	5,000 G
Taunt Up +5	After Route C.	7,500 G
Auto-use Item	-	2,500 G
Auto-use Item +1	-	5,000 G
Auto-use Item +2	Route C.	10,000 G
Auto-use Item +3	Route C.	20,000 G
Auto-use Item +4	Route C.	30,000 G
Auto-use Item +5	After Route C.	40,000 G
(Minor Spoiler)'s Shop

This NPC isn't really a big spoiler, but it may come as a surprise during the events of Chapter 06. The shop is available in Chapter 07. This is Emil's Shop.

This Shop is a bit particular, because it sells four possible item lists (some of which are update as you progress with the story, like other shops). This shop isn't affected by discounts, but it does receive the influence of Route-related fluctuations (some of its items do anyway).

The way this shop works is like this:

Starting from Chapter 07, you will encounter the NPC of this shop running around in circles in the area of City Ruins directly south of the "Desert: Camp" access point. In order to stop the NPC from running away from you, you must shoot him (you won't kill him, don't worry). After doing so, eliminate any nearby enemies to be able to check the shop for the first time.
After speaking with the NPC/checking the shop for the first time, after leaving/coming back (using Fast-Travel will work; Save-Reload works too) in City Ruins the NPC's position will be reset. At this point there are three possibilities:

1. The NPC won't spawn.
2. He will spawn in his "slow pattern". This is the most common one, and his starting position will be on the western side of City Ruins (the western side is the one near the Abandoned Factory). This is also known as his "bad items".
3. He will spawn in his "fast pattern". You may be able to tell that his song/movement is faster than usual, but his position is also different since he will spawn outside the Resistance Camp (more on the eastern side of City Ruins). This is also known as his "good items".
As I said, using fast-travel will reset his position. I personally prefer to use Save-Reload (I save in Resistance Camp) when I want to spawn him, since it puts me close to where he is (you will almost always want the "fast pattern" shop).
Both his "slow pattern" and his "fast pattern" shop can have two possible items list: he can either sell the "Chips", or he can sell the "Materials" (in the "fast pattern", this item list contains also (and actually, at first, only) Weapons and the Dress Module (Accesory)). Which item catalog he has (Chips or Materials/Weapons/Accessory) is completely random, and there is nothing you can do to influence this.
Likewise, whether he doesn't spawn/spawns with the slow pattern/spawns with the fast pattern is completely random. You can, however, tell which pattern he's in by opening your main map and checking his position immediately as you spawn. Refer to the picture below to see where his starting positions are:
(http://i.imgur.com/OQo0xYT.jpg)



With that in mind, accessing the desired item catalog is basically a matter of luck. So, after speaking with the NPC once south of Desert: Camp's access point, what I recommend you to do is to fast-travel to Resistance Camp, save the game, and then check your map right away: if the NPC is in the right position for your needs, go stop him and hope he has the items (Chips or Materials/Weapons/Dress Module) you want. If not, reload until you get lucky.

I've investigated this shop's mechanics as much as I could, and trust me, there are no other factors that come into play here. Where you stop him in the city is completely irrelevant (I've tried and checked multiple times; it's all random).

I also want to point out that the very first time you stop him (south of Desert: Camp), speaking with him twice / checking his shop multiple times may change the type of items he has for sale. I often had him selling Chips the first time, and then Materials after another chat. This will not work after the first encounter, so don't try to speak with him again and again to try and change what he has to sell -- if he doesn't sell what you want, reloading is your only option.

So, here are the four possible item catalogs that you can find at Emil's Shop. I'll display the "bad items" first, and then the "good items".

"Bad" Material	Available	Route A	Route B	Route C
Rusted Clump	-	50 G	75 G	112 G
Dented Plate	Route B.	500 G	750 G	1,125 G
Titanium Alloy	Route B.	1,000 G	1,500 G	2,250 G
Broken Key	-	50 G	75 G	112 G
Warped Wire	-	50 G	75 G	112 G
Stretched Coil	-	50 G	75 G	112 G
Broken Circuit	-	50 G	75 G	112 G
Stripped Screw	-	500 G	750 G	1,125 G
Small Gear	Route B.	500 G	750 G	1,125 G
Rusty Bolt	Route B.	500 G	750 G	1,125 G
Crushed Nut	Route B.	500 G	750 G	1,125 G
Dented Socket	Route B.	500 G	750 G	1,125 G
Severed Cable	Route B.	500 G	750 G	1,125 G
Broken Battery	Route B.	500 G	750 G	1,125 G
"Low-Level" Chip	Available	Any Route
Weapon Attack Up +3	-	3,500 G
Down-Attack Up +3	-	3,500 G
Critical Up +3	-	20,000 G
Ranged Attack Up +3	-	3,500 G
Fast Cooldown +3	-	20,000 G
Melee Defense +3	-	3,500 G
Ranged Defense +3	-	3,500 G
Anti Chain Damage +3	-	3,500 G
Max HP Up +3	-	3,500 G
Offensive Heal +3	-	3,500 G
Deadly Heal +3	-	20,000 G
Auto-Heal +3	-	20,000 G
Evade Range Up +3	-	3,500 G
Moving Speed Up +3	-	3,500 G
Drop Rate Up +3	-	3,500 G
EXP Gain Up +3	-	20,000 G
Shock Wave +3	-	20,000 G
Last Stand +3	-	3,500 G
Damage Absorb +3	-	3,500 G
Vengeance +3	-	3,500 G
Reset +3	-	20,000 G
Overclock +3	-	20,000 G
Resilience +3	-	3,500 G
Counter +3	-	3,500 G
Taunt Up +3	-	3,500 G
Charge Attack +3	-	3,500 G
Auto-use Item +3	-	20,000 G
Hijack Boost +3	Route B.	3,500 G
Stun +3	Route B.	3,500 G
Combust +3	Route B.	3,500 G
Heal Drops Up +3	Route B.	3,500 G
The next two shops are the "good items" possibilities. Again, as I said earlier, you need him to be in his fast-movement pattern (starting position: just outside the Resistance Camp) for him to sell either of these two possible item catalogs.

Weapon	Available	Any Route
Type-3 Fists	-	20,000 G
Angel's Folly	-	25,000 G
"Good" Material	Available	Route A	Route B	Route C
Memory Alloy	Route C.	5,000 G	7,500 G	11,250 G
Pristine Screw	Route C.	5,000 G	7,500 G	11,250 G
Large Gear	Route C.	5,000 G	7,500 G	11,250 G
New Bolt	Route C.	5,000 G	7,500 G	11,250 G
Clean Nut	Route C.	5,000 G	7,500 G	11,250 G
Sturdy Socket	Route C.	5,000 G	7,500 G	11,250 G
Pristine Cable	Route C.	5,000 G	7,500 G	11,250 G
Large Battery	Route C.	5,000 G	7,500 G	11,250 G
Accessory	Available	Any Route
Dress Module	-	10,000 G
 

"High-Level" Chip	Available	Any Route
Weapon Attack Up +6	-	10,000 G
Down-Attack Up +6	-	10,000 G
Critical Up +6	-	50,000 G
Ranged Attack Up +6	-	10,000 G
Fast Cooldown +6	-	50,000 G
Melee Defense +6	-	10,000 G
Ranged Defense +6	-	10,000 G
Anti Chain Damage +6	-	10,000 G
Max HP Up +6	-	10,000 G
Offensive Heal +6	-	10,000 G
Deadly Heal +6	-	50,000 G
Auto-Heal +6	-	50,000 G
Evade Range Up +6	-	10,000 G
Moving Speed Up +6	-	10,000 G
Drop Rate Up +6	-	10,000 G
EXP Gain Up +6	-	50,000 G
Shock Wave +6	-	50,000 G
Last Stand +6	-	10,000 G
Damage Absorb +6	-	10,000 G
Vengeance +6	-	10,000 G
Reset +6	-	50,000 G
Overclock +6	-	50,000 G
Resilience +6	-	10,000 G
Counter +6	-	10,000 G
Taunt Up +6	-	10,000 G
Charge Attack +6	-	10,000 G
Auto-use Item +6	-	50,000 G
Hijack Boost +6	Route B.	10,000 G
Stun +6	Route B.	10,000 G
Combust +6	Route B.	10,000 G
Heal Drops Up +6	Route B.	10,000 G
Lastly, here are the lyrics to the song played by Emil.

My stuff's so cheap
that you will not believe how much you can save!
So swing on by
and then purchase things 'til you're broke.

Prices so low
that you need a great sword to slash them more
Any lower...would be illegal.
Really!

Every day's a sale!
Every sale's a win!
Buy stuff now or kick yourself later!

Every day's a sale!
Every sale's a win!
I won't even charge you or markup!

Every day's a sale!
Every sale's a win!
Better buy now or you'll cry all night!

Every day's a sale!
Every sale's a win!
Every day is great when you're me!

Intel

SPOILER WARNING: this whole section will necessarily contain some story spoilers out in the open. You have no reason to check this section at all before you have finished the game (third playthrough/Route C), so don't (or if you do, do so at your own risk). The Unit Data section is particularly dangerous, since it has names of enemies/bosses. Even the other sections, due to necessary story-related references, will contain some (minor, but still probably annoying) spoilers.

None of the Intel entries is missable.

Intel completion is arguably the most time-consuming aspect of the game, at least for completionists. While most of the Intel is actually easy to obtain, two Intel types will require a lot of time and patience to complete: the Unit Data, and the Fishing Encyclopedia. The former will actually be rather annoying for most people: while Fishing doesn't directly have any impact on anything else, Unit Data 95% completion is required for a quest, which in its turn is "required" (technically speaking there are other ways; practically speaking it's still the best option, probably) to obtain some Materials (Elaborate Gadget) to upgrade Pods.

Archives

(01-07) Pear Harbor Descent Records
All the seven Archives of this group are found in the same location. In particular, in Chapter 14-01 you need to go to the Resistance Camp, fight some enemies outside of it to continue with the story, and then speak with Anemone twice to advance more. After that, speak with Anemone a third time, and she will tell you that you can use the nearby computers. Do so (examine the computers) to obtain these entries (http://i.imgur.com/VESFjlV.jpg).

01. YoRHa: Gunner 16
02. YoRHa: Scanner 21
03. YoRHa: Attacker 4
04. YoRHa: Attacker 2
05. Resistance: Rose
06. Resistance: Anemone
07. Pearl Harbor Descent Summary

08. Letter to the Forest King: obtained during quest Treasure Hunt at the Castle.

09. 11B's Escape Plan: obtained during quest 11B's Memento.

10. Jackass's Bomb Recipe: obtained during quest Sorting Trouble 3.

(11-17) Saved Machine Records

11. Library Index: found in the "white library" in The Tower.
12. Human Server Records: found in the "white library" in The Tower.
13. Tower System Outline: found in the Flooded City's "recovery unit" tower.
14. Class 1 Patient Health Record: found in the "white library" in The Tower.
15. [Top Secret] Black Box: found in the Flooded City's "recovery unit" tower.
16. [Top Secret] Model No.2: received in The Tower during the story.
17. [Top Secret] YoRHa Disposal: received in The Tower during the story.

18. Weapon Shop Flyer: found in a hack chest in the canyon/crevasse/valley area (http://i.imgur.com/LUFaGY2.jpg).

(19-21) Engel's Memories
All of these three archives are obtained during the quests Machine Examination 1 and Machine Examination 2.

19. Engels 110-B Record 0005
20. Engels 110-B Record 0010
21. Engels 110-B Record 0020

22. Infant Machine's Memories: (unknown exact location). It's probably obtained automatically during the story in Route C.

(23-25) Data Saved on Server
All of these three archives are obtained during the story in Chapter 08 (NG+/Route B).

23. Shipping Records
24. YoRHa Body Storage Records
25. Council/YoRHa Records

26. A Pious Robot's Will: found in a hack chest in Abandoned Factory (second room when you enter the factory from City Ruins) (http://i.imgur.com/VcPTvkS.jpg).

27. Record of a Bestial Machine: obtained during quest Turf War.

28. [Top Secret] Project YoRHa: obtained during the story in Chapter 10 (NG+/Route B).

(29-55) Old World Information

29. Abandoned Factory Memo: found in a hack chest in Abandoned Factory underground (room accessed by jumping off (to the left) the first set of smashing-machines) (same room as the Engine Blade) (http://i.imgur.com/dXJfKUl.jpg).
30. Factory Cafeteria Sign: found in a hack chest in Abandoned Factory (about midway through) (http://i.imgur.com/hLatU8d.jpg).
31. Newspaper Scrap: found in a hack chest in Flooded City (building in the middle of the water) (http://i.imgur.com/3ueh9uS.jpg).
32. Filthy Lottery Ticket: found in a hack chest in Amusement Park (area around the access point) (http://i.imgur.com/Ql66TXb.jpg). 
33. Tattered Pamphlet: found in a hack chest in Amusement Park (area with the Tank miniboss) (http://i.imgur.com/FvwGvIk.jpg).
34. Rotten Info Sheet: found in a hack chest in Forest Kingdom (just outside Forest Castle) (http://i.imgur.com/b8ooROH.jpg).
35. Strange Doll: found in a hack chest in Forest Kingdom (Forest zone; middle/middle-east of the first half of the area) (http://i.imgur.com/ojYwdOr.jpg).
36. Bulletin Record: found in a hack chest in Desert: Housing Complex (http://i.imgur.com/ebJtEvV.jpg).
37. Paper Attached to Vehicle: found in a hack chest in City Ruins (near the truck on the path to Abandoned Factory) (http://i.imgur.com/McAcYc6.jpg).
38. Ragged DVD: found in a hack chest in City Ruins (building roof on the west side) (http://i.imgur.com/tN9P22L.jpg).
39. Department Store Flyer: found in a hack chest just outside of the Commercial Facility (http://i.imgur.com/Wa3VXLv.jpg).
40. Nuclear Arms Manual: obtained during quest Data on the Old World (http://i.imgur.com/t7WUvl8.jpg).

41. Mysterious Lithograph 1: found in a hack chest in Desert: Housing Complex (http://i.imgur.com/wqkWokQ.jpg).
42. Mysterious Lithograph 2: obtained during quest Heritage of the Past (http://i.imgur.com/Zp8sTAN.jpg).
43. Mysterious Lithograph 3: found in a hack chest in Desert: Center (http://i.imgur.com/lQBRAnm.jpg).
44. Mysterious Lithograph 4: found in a hack chest in Desert: Camp. To reach this one, go down the tunnels and take the southwestern exit. Then proceed, and make your way to this item by jumping and gliding off some ledges (http://i.imgur.com/x3rF7Nw.jpg).

45. Project Gestalt Report 1: found in the "white hacking space" sequence in Chapter 09 (NG+/Route B) (treasure 1: http://i.imgur.com/74ncSsN.png)
46. Project Gestalt Report 2: same as previous entry (treasure 2).
47. Project Gestalt Report 3: same as previous entry (treasure 3).
48. Project Gestalt Report 4: found in a hack chest in the dungeon leading to Emil's Residence (http://i.imgur.com/WzLcWF3.jpg).
49. Project Gestalt Report 5: found in a chest beyond the second hack-door in Abandoned Factory underground (http://i.imgur.com/oI7rffn.jpg).
50. Project Gestalt Report 6: found in a hack chest in Desert: Camp area. To reach this one, go down the tunnels and take the southwestern exit (http://i.imgur.com/nxFK5YX.jpg).
51. Project Gestalt Report 7: found in a hack chest in the dungeon leading to Emil's Residence (http://i.imgur.com/jiR6KPe.jpg).
52. Project Gestalt Report 8: found in a hack chest in Desert: Center (somewhere southeast) (http://i.imgur.com/zUJylCX.jpg).
53. Project Gestalt Report 9: found in a hack chest in The Tower (http://i.imgur.com/6xoYjXj.jpg).
54. Project Gestalt Report 10: found in a hack chest in the underground of the Commercial Facility (need Elevator Key, obtained from quest Emil's Memories, to reach it) (http://i.imgur.com/juLEwda.jpg).
55. Project Gestalt Report 11: found in a hack chest in The Tower (http://i.imgur.com/8onHpIx.jpg).

56. Machine Research Report: obtained during the story in Route C.

Tutorials

Note: the second category of Intel is actually Unit Data, but I'll leave that one for last since it's the longest.

Tutorials won't necessarily automatically be 100% by the time you are done playing. Personally, I was just missing the "Other Players' Bodies" since I played with Network OFF all the time.

01. Basic Controls.

02. Combat Controls.

03. Hacking.

04. Flight Unit Controls.

05. Animal Riding Controls.

06. System Menu.

07. Mini-Map.

08. Access Points.

09. Access Points: Transport.

10. Access Points: Unavailable. I think to get this one you need to try to fast-travel to an access point that is temporarily disabled. Chapter 08 has two of these right at the start.

11. Access Points: Inbox.

12. Access Points: Arcade.

13. Death and Recovery. You need to die (and recover your body maybe) to get this one I think.

14. Uploading upon Death. I think you need to die with Network ON.

15. Other Players' Bodies. You need to have Network ON and retrieve the body of another player for this one. A location with plenty of said bodies is just outside Emil's Residence.

16. Sub-quests.

17. Sub-quests Progress.

18. Debug Menu.

Weapon Stories

Very simply, each entry of this section is unlocked when you upgrade each weapon. It will automatically be 100% once you have all your weapons to level 4. Refer to the weapons section for more information on weapons locations/upgrades.

Picture Books

Another easy-100%. In this case, playing the game on Route B will unlock most of these entries. One more is obtained via a quest. The extra ones can be obtained with the DLC (the game will display 100% regardless of whether or not you have the DLC ones).

01. Spirit of Fire.

02. Treasured Items.

03. Parenticide.

04. The Kind King.

05. In the Deep Sea.

06. A Reason to Live.

07. Together.

08. Memories of War: do the quest Emil's Memories.

09. Restraints: obtained during the DLC.

10. Escape: obtained during the DLC.

11. Revenge: obtained during the DLC.

Fishing

A Fishing list/guide will be coming soon.

For now, I'll just tell you how Fishing works in this game. Simply enough, when you are near an area where you can Fish, you will see the "Start Fishing" button prompt on the screen. If you have the (completely useless) HUD: Fishing Spots Chip equipped, you will also have a notification in the upper-right corner of the screen when you are in an area where you can Fish.



There are no fishing rods or baits to use during the Fishing minigame. The mechanics are very simple:

Hold Circle in a fishing-area to enter "fishing mode".
Throw the Pod anywhere you want in the water.
When the Pod seems to be moving (you'll notice that it seems like something "bit" the Pod; you can even hear the water movements a bit), press X to retrieve the Pod. If you are fast enough, you will catch something. Note that the Pod won't always necessarily catch something; if after a few seconds he's not reacting, then retrieve it and try again.
There are no special strategies for fishing that I'm aware of. In fact, it's basically all random luck. Obviously, certain locations (and possibly specific spots in a certain location) will have certain types of "Fish" (or reward, in general) that can be found in only that spot.

A lot of speculation can be made, but to the best of my knowledge Fishing is just flat out all random (except, again, for the fact that certain areas have certain possible rewards). I've heard that fishing with certain Pods is better than others, and even that using certain Accessories/Costumes can improve the chances of catching certain Fish. The list of speculations is even longer than these two example, but as far as I know there are only anecdotes to back up the claims that there are ways to influence the rewards for Fishing. Therefore I strongly suggest that, if you care about Fishing at all, you just worry about where you throw your Pod to fish rather than wasting time trying to manipulate what is most likely a "non-manipulatable" RNG (random number generator). Or, in other words, don't try to change the outcome of something that is entirely based on luck -- just keep trying.

Just a couple of practical notes for when you go fishing. First, you may find it helpful to toggle the Pod light on, so you can see where you throw him a bit better (especially in darker areas). Second, sometimes you can actually catch things without the Pod moving/reacting at all (it seems like it's a failed catch, but he comes back with some reward). I don't know if this is a bug, or maybe I just missed it when the Pod moved in the water, but I just wanted to mention it in case you have the same thing occurring to you.

Also, keep in mind that Fishing rewards are basically useless for the most part. You can catch one unique Weapon (Iron Pipe) in the sewers passage between City Ruins and Amusement Park, and you can catch Pod B from Flooded City. Aside from these two rewards, every other reward (Fish or otherwise) is just some random collection item. Fish-rewards do sell for quite a bit of cash though, so Fishing is actually a decent early-game G-farming option. Still, it's not like you need much money (or any at all) early on anyway.

The best thing you can do if you care about full Fishing Encyclopedia is checking a list of the Fish available, and then YouTube-search their location. Unfortunately, due to the time-consuming nature of Fishing (and the fact that I'm already very late in publishing this walkthrough :D), for now I don't have a list of my own for Fishing. I plan to update this section in the near future, with a list and location of all the Fish in the game. Stay tuned!

Novel

Novels are interactive stories. Interactive is probably a big word to be honest, since they actually have very minor "branching" options, and in reality they don't really change much anyway.

There are only six Novels in total, and three of them are story-related. Three more are obtained from the "Pearl Harbor Descent Records" Archives, so if you have those Archives you will automatically also have those three Novels.

01. Memories of a Songstress.

02. Anemone: Encounter.
03. Anemone: Understanding.
04. Anemone: Separation.
These three are the ones tied to the "Pearl Harbor Descent Records" Archives.

05. 9S's Memories.

06. Devola & Popola's Memories.

Unit Data

Last, and most likely also "least" in terms of "favorite Intel", the Unit Data is basically the "enemy encyclopedia" of this game.

Getting 100% Unit Data is dreadfully boring and actually very time-consuming compared to everything else in this game. It's nowhere near the time commitment that similar "encyclopedia" entries require in some other games, but the rarity of certain enemies is in sharp contrast with how easily and accessible the remaining 99% of the content of Nier: Automata is.

When checking certain Unit Data entries, it'll be possible to toggle between multiple "versions" of a certain entry by pressing Triangle when the entry is selected. This is possible for all the entries that have multiple different "equipment" (for example, a Shield rather than a Torch). Do note that each of these versions is considered as a separate entity for the purpose of Unit Data completion %, so you will need all possible versions if you want 100%.

Different versions of an enemy typically have a different name, too. When this isn't the case, I will add a brief description in square brackets, so you known which version I'm talking about. For example, the Multi-tier Type enemies exist, among their various versions, in a "short body" and a "tall body" version. Since both of these versions share the same in-game name in the Unit Data, I will refer to them as Multi-tier Type [Short body version] and Multi-tier Type [Tall body version]. In-game, however, you will only read "Multi-tier Type" for their name. So, again, in case you are confused, those square brackets are MY description of the enemy version (to help you understand which one it is), but they are NOT in the in-game name.

I strongly suggest that you use the same Chapters that I mention here to find the enemies you are looking for. They are most likely available in other Chapters too, but don't risk it.

Assuming that the process doesn't drive me insane first, in future updates to the walkthrough I plan (hope) to add a location for every enemy in the game. For now I will focus on what is probably the only important entries, i.e. the ones that you don't most likely already have by killing regular enemies.

Standard Machines

I personally had all the Standard Machines by the time I finished my regular playthrough. Double-check if you have them all, just in case, but you shouldn't be missing any of them since they are all very common.

001. Small Stubby
002. Small Stubby: Gun-equipped
003. Small Stubby: Shield-equipped
004. Small Stubby: Electromagnetic-shield-equipped

005. Multi-tier Type [Short body]
006. Multi-tier Type: Gun-equipped
007. Multi-tier Type [Tall body]

008. Small Biped
009. Small Biped: Torch-equipped

010. Medium Biped
011. Medium Biped: Shield-equipped
012. Medium Biped: Electromagnetic Shield-equipped

013. Medium Quadruped [On four legs]
014. Medium Quadruped [On two legs]

015. Multi-leg Medium Model: Long-range
016. Multi-leg Medium Model: Close-range

017. Goliath Biped
018. Goliath Biped: Enhanced Legpower Model

019. Reverse-jointed Goliath

020. Small Flyer

021. Medium Flyer
022. Medium Flyer: Kamikaze Unit
023. Medium Flyer: Gunner x 2, Kamikaze x 2

024. Small Exploder

025. Medium Exploder

026. Small Sphere: Axe-equipped
027. Small Sphere: Drill-equipped
028. Small Sphere: Gun-equipped

029. Linked-sphere Type: Saw-equipped
030. Linked-sphere Type: Drill-equipped
031. Linked-sphere Type: Thorn-equipped
032. Linked-sphere Type: Gun-equipped

033. Rampaging Small Stubby

034. Rampaging Small Biped

035. Rampaging Medium Biped

Desert Machines

You should have most of these from regular gameplay. The only ones I was missing were some versions of the Medium Flyer.

036. Small Stubby: Saw-equipped
037. Small Stubby

038. Small Biped: Sword-equipped

039. Medium Biped: Sword-equipped
040. Medium Biped: Shield-equipped
041. Medium Biped: Electromagnetic Shield-equipped

042. Goliath Biped

043. Small Flyer

044. Medium Flyer
Route C (Chapter 13-02 confirmed). Go to Desert: Oil Field, and head into the main area (Desert: Center) from there. Once in the Desert: Center, stick near the wall on the left side, and you'll come across this enemy soon enough.
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/fNFFEaq.jpg
045. Medium Flyer: Kamikaze Unit
Chapter 07-02 Route B (as 9S) confirmed. Go to Desert: Center, and head southeast to find this enemy on some rocky ledges.
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/PP9zzgo.jpg
046. Medium Flyer: Gunner x 2, Kamikaze x 2
Chapter 07-02 Route B (as 9S) confirmed. Go to Desert: Center, and head east and a bit southeast to find these enemies near a small ledge near a chest.
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/tT87c1s.jpg

Amusement Park Machines

I personally had all of these Unit Data by the time I finished my regular playthrough.

047. Small Stubby

048. Small Biped

049. Medium Biped: Gun-equipped

050. Small Flyer

051. Medium Flyer
This one and the next two are found in the "recovery unit" tower in Chapter 16-02 (as 9S). They are mandatory enemies to kill to proceed.
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/Fq0IbVS.jpg
052. Medium Flyer: Kamikaze Unit
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/wFcVKvd.jpg
053. Medium Flyer: Gunner x 2, Kamikaze x 2
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/cFHGeDU.jpg

054. Rampaging Small Biped
Found in Route C.

055. Rampaging Medium Biped
Found in Route C.

Forest Kingdom Machines

Personally I was only missing the Medium Biped: Electromagnetic Shield-equipped.

056. Small Stubby

057. Small Biped: Spear-equipped

058. Medium Biped: Spear-equipped
059. Medium Biped: Shield-equipped
060. Medium Biped: Electromagnetic Shield-equipped.
Chapter 06-05 Route B (as 9S) confirmed. In Forest Castle, go left from the room below Masamune's Shop.
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/Xc3hMOh.jpg

061. Medium Quadruped [On four legs]
062. Medium Quadruped [On four legs with another machine riding on his back]
063. Medium Quadruped [On two legs]

064. Goliath Biped: Enhanced Legpower Model

065. Small Flyer

Factory Machines

These are the machines in the underground part of the factory. I had them all after my regular playthrough. You may be missing the Medium Quadruped though.

066. Small Stubby
067. Small Stubby: Kamikaze Unit

068. Small Biped: Torch-equipped
069. Small Biped: Axe-equipped

070. Medium Biped: Axe-equipped

071. Medium Quadruped
Chapter 09-02_02 confirmed. Found in a particular room full of dead android bodies. From the first access point of the underground, go right and continue by jumping up after a conveyor belt. After the conveyor belt, run to the right up some stairs, and fall in the gap in said stairs. After falling, go left to find a room with this enemy in it.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8_4eajk2Rc

072. Small Flyer

Village Machines

You need to speak with the respective machine to obtain their Unit Data. Do NOT kill/destroy them: it's both unnecessary and actually counterproductive (you don't get the Unit Data that way). I was personally only missing the Multi-tier Type and the Goliath ones. They should all be available in Chapter 07-01 Route A (as 2B).

073. Small Stubby

074. Multi-tier Type
Chapter 07-01 Route A (2B) confirmed. Speak with him, he's on the right side of the middle level.
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/PoKuzKW.jpg

075. Small Biped

076. Medium Biped

077. Goliath Biped
Chapter 07-01 Route A (2B) confirmed. Speak with him, he's on the bottom level.
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/okHOunM.jpg

078. Small Flyer

079. Small Sphere

080. Jean-Paul

081. Pascal [Standing]
082. Pascal [In hovering machine]

083. Father Machine
This one and the next two are automatically obtained after the quest Family Squabble.

084. Mother Machine

085. Child Machine

086. Big Sister Machine
This one as well as the next one are both automatically obtained after the quest Lost Girl.

087. Little Sister Machine

088. Scientist Machine
This one is automatically obtained after the quest Half-wit Inventor.

089. Weird Machine
This one is automatically obtained after the quest Idiot Savant.

Enhanced Machines

This is where the really annoying entries are. There is a high chance you'll spend more time for these ones than every other Unit Data entry combined.

090. Small Stubby

091. Multi-tier Type [Short body]
Chapter 13-02 confirmed. In Desert: Camp, go to the southwestern part of the main area to possibly find each of the three versions of this enemy (sometimes more than one at the time). They are not particularly rare, so just save at Desert: Camp, ride a nearby animal to the location where these guys might be, and reload if you don't get lucky. You should find them all in 10 minutes top.
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/OInxrIZ.png
092. Multi-tier Type: Gun-equipped
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/d1wv2Sj.png
093. Multi-tier Type [Tall body]
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/J615SyR.png

094. Small Biped

095. Medium Biped

096. Medium Quadruped [On four legs]
097. Medium Quadruped [On two legs]

098. Multi-leg Medium Model: Long-range
099. Multi-leg Medium Model: Close-range

100. Goliath Biped
101. Goliath Biped: Enhanced Legpower Model
Chapter 17-03 confirmed. While not terribly rare, getting to the possible location where this guy can spawn is rather time-consuming. If you want to skip a few Unit Data entries, this is a good candidate to skip. His only known location is in the very first room after the first set of smashing-machines in the Abandoned Factory underground, on Route C. You know you are in the right room if you find various "spider" (multi-legged) enemies in it. The Goliath Biped: Enhanced Legpower Model is a somewhat rare (or at least uncommon) enemy spawn in the same room. There is no fast way to get here, so you need to walk to this room all the way from the closest access point (which is Factory: Hangar).
While you go to his location, make sure to kill the enemies on the way. In particular, unit data 107 (Small Sphere: Axe-equipped) can be found in the area with the first set of smashing machines.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLdqQV1_kKE&feature=youtu.be

102. Reverse-jointed Goliath
Route B on Chapter 07-02 (as 9S) before boarding the flight units confirmed, but so far only confirmed in the presence of Golden Robots (they most likely have no influence on the spawn of this enemy, but I mentioned it just in case they actually do).
Chapter 17-03 Route C confirmed.
This is possibly the rarest enemy of the game. Definitely ignore this one is you don't care about 100% Unit Data. He spawns when the main road turns right (west).
NOTE: if you are hunting down this enemy in the area, make sure to also check if by any chance the Unit Data 109 (Small Sphere: Gun-equipped) and 113 (Linked-sphere Type: Thorn equipped) are in the area -- especially the latter is another rare one, and it would be a shame to waste an opportunity to get his data.
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/mDxo44p.jpg

103. Small Flyer

104. Medium Flyer
Chapter 17-03 confirmed. Go to Flooded City, and this enemy can be (frequently enough) one of the possible airborne enemies floating off the side of the main street.
105. Medium Flyer: Kamikaze Unit
Chapter 17-03 confirmed. Not too common, not too rare. Fast-travel to Desert: Oil Field, and ride the nearby animal to the southeastern side of Desert: Center. Just about on the same ledges where you could find the Medium Flyer: Kamikaze Unit of the Desert Machines.
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/xVD3nBL.jpg
106. Medium Flyer: Gunner x 2, Kamikaze x 2
Chapter 17-03 confirmed. Not too common, not too rare. Basically the same location as the previous one.
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/OVyiZtu.jpg

107. Small Sphere: Axe-equipped
Chapter 17-03 confirmed. He's easily found in the first smashing machines area of Abandoned Factory underground (he's not always there, but you'll get him within a few tries).
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/lQplOYx.jpg
108. Small Sphere: Drill-equipped
Chapter 17-03 confirmed. He's easily found in the Deep Cave, near the first fork leading to the alien ship.
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/cMeFHGS.jpg
109. Small Sphere: Gun-equipped
Chapter 17-03 confirmed. Go to Flooded City, and this enemy can be (frequently enough) one of the possible airborne enemies floating off the side the main street.
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/EOVabpw.jpg

110. Linked-sphere Type: Saw-equipped
Chapter 17-03 confirmed. Go to Forest: Royal Chamber, and go right across the gap from there. This enemy should be the first one you come across as soon as you return indoors after crossing the high bridge to the right of the access point. I personally found this enemy on my first try, so while I'm not sure on how rare he really is I'm inclined to believe he's not the worst of the bunch (plus it's near an access point).
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/qmzkfW3.jpg
111. Linked-sphere Type: Drill-equipped
Chapter 17-03 confirmed. Not too rare in my experience (not too common either though). Go to Desert: Oil Field, and hop on the nearest animal. Ride the animal to the southeastern area of Desert: Center, and this enemy will sometimes appear near a single rocky ledge in the middle of the same (the ledge is near a chest). This is the same location as Unit Data 046 (a Medium Flyer variant of the Desert), but this time it's on Route C.
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/J4wdphW.jpg
112. Linked-sphere Type: Gun-equipped
This one is a fixed spawn of Chapter 16-02 as 9S, in the Amusement Park "recovery unit" tower.
113. Linked-sphere Type: Thorn-equipped
Chapter 07-02 Route B (as 9S) confirmed before fighting the enemies in Flooded City (which is before the flight units become available).
Chapter 17-03 confirmed too.
This is one of the rarest enemies. Definitely skip this one if you don't care about 100% Unit Data. There is only one linked-sphere type enemy that can spawn in Flooded City at any given time, and you can easily check his "head" from afar: if he looks like he has a drill on the head, it's your enemy. If not (he has a gun), it's the non-enhanced gun-equipped linked-sphere type -- reload.
NOTE: while hunting down this one, make sure to also check for the other very rare enemy of the area, which is Unit Data 102 (Reverse-jointed Goliath).
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/Tq928vs.jpg

EMP Attack Machines

114. Small Stubby
Basically story-related/unmissable; it appears at the end of the sequence in Chapter 11-03.

115. Small Biped
Chapter 13-02 confirmed. Save the game at City Ruins: Center's Access Point, then look for this enemy near Engel's arm, in City Ruins.
Note that there can be regular Small Stubbies in the same location where this enemy is supposed to be, and they look exactly the same as the EMP type. The "special" ones (EMP type) are capable of a different attack (they can extend their neck or something like that), and are rare.
Many people have reported that you need to witness their EMP attack for it to count. I actually found this not to be true in my experience with this enemy (either they are wrong, or I completely missed seeing their EMP attack even though they actually did it; I tried twice though, and I'm at least 90% sure that I got Unit Data for this enemy without seeing him do the EMP attack). I can sort of confirm that for other EMP enemies you need to witness their EMP attack for it to count as an EMP machine though, so to avoid risking it I would try to see the attack before killing the enemies.
The question then becomes: how do I witness their attack? In my experience, they tend to use this attack when their health drops down a bit. Sometimes they just do it by default, but shooting them a bit seems to help. I personally used Pod A's regular attacks, and had no problems even at level 99 (maxed out Pod lv 4 too). Rarity-wise, I found these enemies basically all the time in the Chapter I wrote.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga7yYYd8ckk

116. Medium Biped
The easiest way to get these ones is from Chapter 11-03. Play the Chapter normally at first and defeat the three groups of enemies. Then, when the story marker is near the Access Point "City Ruins: Near Factory", save the game. Defeat the normal enemies here, and a cutscene will trigger, so you have now reached the point where a bunch of Small Stubbies (EMP) and Medium Bipeds (EMP) gang up on 2B. At this point the game switches perspective to 9S, who has to help 2B -- kill all the Small Stubbies (EMP) on the ground to clear up the area, and then shoot [but don't kill] the many Medium Bipeds left-overs -- at least one of them should soon use an EMP attack, at which point you can kill him to get this Unit Data.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYF5LjplpBA

117. Goliath Biped
Chapter 13-02 confirmed. Look for this one south of Desert: Camp's Access Point, in City Ruins (where Emil's Shop first spawns). He's always there in my experience.

Special Unit Machines

These are basically all the bosses. You will have all this data (unless you get a bug or something) naturally just by playing the game. Double-check just in case maybe.

Note that a lot of the boss's names will be written in Angelic language at first. Their "real" names will be "translated" later, automatically as you progress.

118. Marx

119. Engels

120. Adam: Final Battle
121. Adam: First Encounter
122. Adam: Battle in the Alien Ship

123. Eve: Final Battle [Second Phase]
124. Eve: First Encounter
125. Eve: Battle in the Alien Ship
126. Eve: Final Battle [First Phase]

127. Goliath Tank (Amusement Park)

128. Simone

129. Goliath Flyer

130. Grun

131. Immanuel

132. Ernst

133. Kierkegaard

134. So-Shi

135. Boku-Shi

136. Hegel [Airborne]
137. Hegel [Ground]

138. Goliath Tank

139. Auguste

140. Friedrich

141. Ko-Shi

142. Ro-Shi

143. Ko-Shi & Ro-Shi

144. Red Girl

Androids

This is another series of enemies that you fight either in the story or in quests. Double-check to be sure, but you should have them all already.

145. YoRHa (Standard Armament)

146. YoRHa (Heavy Armament) [Spear]
147. YoRHa (Heavy Armament) [Combat Bracer]

148. YoRHa (Flight Unit)

149. YoRHa (Operator)

150. 8B

151. 22B

152. 64B

153. 21O

154. 2B Copy

155. 9S

156. A2 [Long hair, Forest Castle boss]
157. A2 [Short hair, Ending D boss]

Peculiar Machines

These are basically all quest / side-event NPCs (enemies or just friendly NPCs). "Monster Type" (Unit Data 172) may be missing from your collection.

158. Courageous Brother
This entry and the next four (Gold Goliath Biped included) are all part of the Side Event "Golden Robots".

159. Hateful Sister

160. Vengeful Child

161. Gold Tank

162. Gold Goliath Biped

163. Goliath Tank (Desert)
Quest: Gathering Keepsakes.

164. Gunman Biped
This entry and the next two are all found during the quest Heritage of the Past.

165. Gunman Flyer

166. Gunman Stubby

167. Blood-drenched Machine
Quest: Resistance Disappearance.

168. Amusement Park Rabbit
Side Event "Golden Bunny".

169. Zombie Clown
Quest: Stamp Collecting.

170. Animal Machine
Quest: Turf War.

171. Gravekeeper
Quest: Treasure Hunt at the Castle.

172. Monster Type
This is a regular enemy found on Route C in the first waterfall area of the Forest Zone. He's not too rare at all (I usually find him when playing as 9S on Route C). He is certainly found in his location during the quest The Twins' Request, but I've encountered him many many times, randomly, after completing the quest. I can confirm his presence (he respawns) on Chapter 13-02 (after already completing the quest).
Picture: http://i.imgur.com/QDv9nA6.jpg

173. Dying Goliath Biped
Quest: Lord of the Valley.

Amicable Machines

More quest-related NPCs here.

174. Machine with a Dream
This entry and the next two are part of the quest Jean-Paul's Melancholy.

175. Machine in Love

176. Machine with Makeup

177. Romeo
This entry and the next one are part of the quest Stamp Collecting.

178. Juliet

179. Father Servo: Red Belt
This entry and the other "Father Servo" ones are part of the quest series "Robo Dojo".
180. Father Servo: White Belt
181. Father Servo: Brown Belt
182. Father Servo: Black Belt
183. Father Servo: Red and White Belt

184. Animal-loving Machine
Quest: Animal Care.

185. High-speed Machine
Quest: Speed Star.

186. Masamune
Upgrade any weapon to Level 4 at his shop (the only one that can do the level 3 -> 4 upgrade) in Forest Castle to get his Unit Data.

???

The three entries of this short group are the first and second secret boss of the game. Refer to the corresponding section of the walkthrough for more information.

187. Emil [Emil's Residence fight]
188. Emil Clones [Emil's Determination fight; airborne]
189. Emil Clones [Emil's Determination fight; ground]

Arcade

Expect early Route B spoilers in this section, since we're gonna be talking about hacking.

"Arcade" is basically a game mode where you can play the hacking minigames, freely or in "Challenge Mode". The Arcade minigames menu is available from Access Points when you are playing (early Route B spoiler) as 9S.

"Why would I even want to play this minigame if I don't even like hacking at all?" -- you probably don't have any reason and/or desire to play more hacking, but the reward for clearing 40 stages (you need to have unlocked 40 Hacking Games) in Challenge Mode is, among other less important things, 2x Elaborate Gadgets. This is a rare Material that, while it has other sources too, you may need to get from here. The rewards (this one included) from Arcade are one-time-only, so you can only ever get 2x Elaborate Gadgets from it. Moreover, there are enough Elaborate Gadgets from quests to do everything you need (they are used for Pod Upgrades), so even this reward is not necessarily something you are interested into.

Since there are no other benefits from clearing the Arcade, if you don't need those 2x Elaborate Gadgets you should probably ignore Arcade altogether. Unless you enjoy these minigames...yea.

Training Mode / Unlocking Hacking Games

The "Training" mode lets you access any of the 48 possible levels of the hacking minigame. Since it doesn't really have rewards on its own, this mode should probably be used as a "list" of the Hacking Games you have already unlocked.

The way Hacking Games work is very simple: whenever you hack an enemy, depending on the enemy type you'll play a random Hacking Game among a certain "pool" of possible Hacking Games associated with those enemies. For example, you may have noticed that the Hacking Games are always simple when you hack Small Stubbies (just one "enemy" orb shooting at you in a small square space), whereas hacking stronger enemies results into various different "more difficult" Hacking Games.

Indeed, that's basically how it works: depending on the enemy type, when hacking them you will receive a random Hacking Game which will then be added to the list of Hacking Games you can play in the Arcade menu.

Thankfully, getting all the possible Hacking Games is rather simple:

Hacking Games # 01-16 are found when playing against low-level enemies, but also hack-chests. By the time I was done clearing all the hack chests of the game, even though I basically never used hacking on enemies, I already had all of these Hacking Games.
Hacking Games # 17-32 are obtained against "medium-sized" enemies. These are probably the most time-consuming of the bunch, since I don't really know about a good location to farm them. Some possibilities include the crevasse/canyon (where the quest Lord of the Valley takes place), since it has a lot of Medium Biped enemies. The downside here is that they are bunched up together, so if one of them explodes there is a good chance that the others will blow up too. Also, there aren't really any close access points (the closest is City Ruins: Near the Tower, and you need to take the elevator and climb up some ledges to get back there).

Another possibility is the group of three Medium Quadrupeds across the bridge near the Forest Castle: Front access point. They are just three, but you can easily hit them from afar (so they don't notice you), Remote-Control them, and hack the other two after that. Then walk across the bridge to save and reload to respawn. There are most likely some other, better locations to get these ones -- at the moment I haven't really tried to find the best location, so I'll have to leave you with these ideas only. If you have some suggestions, feel free to let me know!
Hacking Games # 33-48 can be obtained easily, but not necessarily quickly, by replaying (via Chapter Select, which is a feature unlocked after the third playthrough/Route C) Chapter 03-03 (Route B, i.e. you must be playing as 9S). In this case, keep hacking the boss Adam in the Desert, and he won't actually die from it, and the fight won't advance to the next phase either. Make sure to set 2B's AI behaviour to "Passive", so she doesn't hit him either.
Challenge Mode

The essential things to know about Challenge Mode are:

You play consecutive Hacking Games in this mode. You can play only the Hacking Games you have already unlocked. So, for example, to play 40 stages and get the rewards for it you'll first need to unlock any 40 of the 48 Hacking Games available.
When you die or when you run out of Hacking Games to play, the Challenge Mode ends.
The rewards from Challenge Mode are one-time-only unfortunately, so this isn't an unlimited supply of Elaborate Gadgets.
The only important reward is for clearing 40 stages. The rewards for clearing less / more stages than that are completely useless common items/chips.
You can play on Easy, with Auto-Fire and Auto-Evade Chips, and still get your rewards. Take a hint...
In future updates to the walkthrough I may add some strategies for the various stages of the Hacking Games, but no promises here (let's just say that hacking wasn't my favorite thing about this game; it wasn't the thing I was best at, either).

Farming EXP and Money

There are several possible locations where you could farm EXP in the game. Of all of them, you actually just need one: doing regular quests and advancing with the story will naturally take you to level 50+ by the end of your last playthrough (Route C), and at that point you'll be able to farm in the best possible EXP location, which will take you to level 99 in just a few minutes.

There are some possible earlier "decent" farming locations too though. I strongly recommend against using the first two locations, unless you have a very specific need for extra levels "early" on: it's really silly to try to out-level challenges in a game where the most important aspect of the gameplay is a proper Chipset. If for whatever reason you need early levels:

Forest Castle: from the time when you first get here, you will see that this area (also the Forest Zone, actually) features a lot of enemies in small areas. This "high-density" of enemies allows for easy and fast kills with Pod Programs such as Bomb or Wave, thus resulting into a somewhat decent way to gain a few extra levels early on (early level 20+)
Pit Hollow: this is the location where you fight the local boss of the Desert: Housing Complex. Enemies here are level 30+, but they respawn forever. In theory, you could even let the game "auto-play" itself with Auto-Chip modes (on Easy difficulty), so you can farm passively while not really playing at all
XXXXXX City (actual name: Copied City; you go there in Chapter 08). If accessed on Route C, the area where you fought the local boss features level 50+ enemies that respawn forever. Then again, if you can survive farming here you can most likely kill the best EXP-farming location of the game, so...
Golden Bunny: once you are level 50+, the Golden Bunny statue in Amusement Park (he's level 80) will let you reach level 99 in no time. Note that a previous exploit (that allowed you to potentially kill this enemy at even lower levels) to kill this enemy via hacking has been patched (you can still kill him via hacking, but you need to awaken him first. To awaken him you need to do a lot of damage first, and that's why you must be level 50+). For more information, refer to the story walkthrough (NOTE: that section has early Route B spoilers), precisely here
It goes without saying, but make sure to have EXP Gain Up Chips to increase the EXP received while farming EXP, whatever method you choose.

Farming Money (G) in this game is theoretically possible in various ways, but one of them is by far the most effective: "buying low, selling high". Before getting into the "good" method, let's check some early solutions to money problems in the game:

First and foremost, don't buy useless things. Don't spend money on weapons, don't buy Pod Programs you don't need, don't buy Chips, don't Fuse Chips. If you simply hold on to your money, you'll have plenty enough when the time comes to spend them for important upgrades. In the story walkthrough (summarized and extended both) I'll make sure to let you know when important purchases are available
An early source of money is simply selling Materials you don't need (make sure you don't sell anything missable, rare, or anything you need to make important weapon upgrades). Moreover, you can get some easy extra cash by selling Fish (actual fish, or other junk you can get from fishing), as well as the "drops" from killed animals. Fishing is probably the best early-game source of extra money
Getting the Drop Rate Up +90% (maximum effect) effect on your Chips early on is also useful, since it will significantly increase the enemy drops. Among the enemy drops, rarely (more commonly against stronger enemies) but surely, you will occasionally find some "Machine Cores" Materials that sell for 10,000 G each! I'll let you know when you can get Drop Rate Up +90% easily early on in the story walkthrough (short answer: buy these Chips in Pascal's Village, in Chapter 05)
There are no "Money Drop Up" Chips, so you can't directly increase the money dropped by enemies. Also, while there is are a couple of items (Small/Large G Luck+) that can increase money dropped by enemies, these items are not readily available, and they barely increase the money dropped by +50%. They will never make an impact, so don't bother with them at all
After completing the game properly on Route C, you can get millions in a relatively short amount of time by "buying low, selling high" and using Chapter Select to your advantage. The core concept of this farming method is based on the fact that items purchased/sold on Route A have lower cost than items purchased/sold on Route B, and Route B in its turn has lower prices than Route C. Therefore, basically, if you buy something on Route A and resell it on Route C (you can "navigate" between Routes with Chapter Select) you will make a profit.

Depending on how effectively you do this trick, you can make up to a net profit of 0.875x the amount of G your invest on Route A (invest 100,000 G -> earn a total of 187,500, for a net profit of 87,500 G). For more information, check this section of the walkthrough.