Last time, we powered through the final boss rush to get some grub with Abdul. This time, we're loading a save before that happened to explore an alternate ending path.
We're back in Cairo, right before heading to Dio's mansion.
What happens if we pick this option?
Bradio: ...! Hey, you're not Steel! Did... did you call my name!? ???: Bradio... Please wake up... I'm waiting in room 606... Bradio: ...Who... was that? It sounded like a little girl...
Alicia: My name is Alicia. In this childish form, the things I'm saying to you may seem unbelievable, but... At the same time, I implore you to listen. Berlin: My name is Berlin. I've been watching your back this whole time as a member of the Speedwagon Foundation. Bradio:This sounds sketc- Berlin:I made sure Stroheim was called to Italy. Bradio:...Okay, a good start... Berlin: I'm not your enemy... Relax. This girl is an orphan that Mr. Steel has been looking after since before she was even born. Her soul, in truth, is that of a woman who died 10 years ago... That of my lover. Bradio:Now you're losing me... Berlin:-frown- Alicia: In the destined path ahead... Though I don't know the specific details... Many of your friends will perish. Bradio: !... Berlin: You might think you can change it if you try... but unfortunately, it's fact. There's nothing to be done. Their souls may live on, but that's it. They can't "break the rules" as we did. Bradio: What do you mean?
Berlin: That's the circle of life. Alicia:Don't- Berlin:It rules us all... Alicia:-sigh- Bradio:?? Alicia: I was able to use that energy... To animate this dead child's body and sustain myself through it. But those will-o'-the-wisps being born from people's souls is the universe's way of paying back for me using my power. Bradio: ...So... You can only live by stealing the lives of others? Alicia: ...Yes. After I died at Cape York 10 years ago, the Stand clung to this dead girl's body. Berlin: ...That's when Mr. Steel found her and raised her until today. Unfortunately, Mr. Steel was murdered... Thankfully, his Stand was able to call me in time to save this girl, but... Bradio: ...And? What do you need with me?
This ending path is unavailable unless the party's total FP is above 50; Cascada was sitting at 95 and Bradio's at 91 at this point. That's from playing with a guide open and making sure to do just about everything. 50 might be pretty tough if you're playing like a normal person.
Berlin: These are corpses of my construction. Alicia: ............ Berlin: With our Stand power, we can revive up to three of these people at a time. Then, before the Joestars deal the final blow to Dio, only you can settle this whole mess. Bradio: You can raise the dead!? Berlin: I'm sure you met him... "Stroheim", at the port town in Hong Kong? Not to mention "Speedwagon" in Calcutta... "Dire" in Aswan... All of them were resuscitated by yours truly. Bradio: ...! Berlin: That is my Stand power. I can refine corpses into workable "bodies"... Mr. Steel adds in memories, or their "mind"... And once she adds a "soul", they're complete.
Bradio: How so? Alicia: ......people... killed by... Bradio: ? Alicia: ...People... that are meant to be... killed... by Dio... Bradio: Wha... Berlin: There's no need for concern. Their deaths are already fated. People whose blood was sucked by Dio... People killed under his orders... Even people killed in traffic accidents... It's guaranteed that at least 3 people will die during this struggle. Bradio: ...Y-you're kidding! You mean you want to exchange innocent people's souls for my friends' lives!? Berlin: Calm down. As I said, there's no way to prevent these deaths.
We only get the following bit if we took the Submarine Route:
Raul and DJ Inc were also just callously manipulating human life for their own gains... though in a less altruistic way, certainly. Also I don't think DJ Inc ever actually says that specific line in the game (or at least, in the English translation), which blunts this a bit.
Obviously.
If you didn't meet Stroheim, Speedwagon, or Dire, they're also options here. If you went out of your way to kill Stroheim instead of simply avoiding him, then there's also one very special extra option that I'll leave you to discover on your own.
Why would you ever take Messina and Loggins??
If you do pick Yes here, it's back on the normal route. Forget that.
This whole path has a few divergence points. This is one of them.
Bradio:(Wish I'd taken Kakyoin's sunglasses...)
Bradio:I'll do my best. Berlin:......Fine.
What we've got here is a good old fashioned solo boss rush.
Deep Purple is a fairly solid Stand to tackle this with. It can't nuke everything like Quicksilver, but Contaminate is almost as good and it's got respectable Short-range damage.
D'arby the Younger can be a hugely annoying boss due to the MindRead status he inflicts automatically. It tanks our accuracy unless he's immobilized by another effect or we use all-target attacks.
Nothing too crazy, though.
Vanilla Ice also a boss we can shut down almost entirely with just one or two statuses. I think making status effects feel useful late into an RPG - and especially against bosses - isn't too common. Usually I wouldn't even bother trying to poison or paralyze an enemy like this. Respectable design at work in 7th Stand User.
Well, it's damage...
If you just happen to have another Red Stone of Aja in your inventory, it's a pretty strong Light-element attack.
Being a vampire, he's pretty weak to it. Bringing any of the Ripple-users from the morgue pretty heavily tips the scales of this sequence in your favor.
Bradio:Even if I screw up, the rest'll have an easier time...
Dio: Killing a skilled Stand user such as you would be a waste. Be it wealth, power, or fame, I can grant you whatever you desire. After all, you had no ties to the Joestars from the very beginning... What reason do you have to risk your life for their cause? Make your choice. Bradio: ...The circumstances that brought me here... are unimportant. There's a man who would never use his powers to cause harm if he could help it... Another man who you put your flesh bud in, then hospitalized... An old man who loves to play pranks, an Egyptian who loves to tease, a hot-blooded man who risks life and limb to stop evil... Even a rude dog!
Dio: Hmph... And it is for that flimsy reason that you wish to oppose me, Dio, by yourself? Bradio: ...I'm not going to stoop to your level of villainy. You fight only for the sake of evil. To crush those weaker than you beneath your heels... No matter what fate has in store for me, I will never stoop to that level! That is my answer.
The big man himself,
You don't get any opportunities to heal between fights, which might be difficult if I hadn't cheated like crazy to defeat Ultimate Being Cars.
Hey, that move we got from defeating Amber worked!
I feel a little bad...
Dio:Nobody can out-smoke me, Dio! No... bod...... y......... Bradio: It's finally over... Steel: Not yet it isn't... Things aren't finished until the book called The Path To Heaven is destroyed. It should be in a library in the basement. Destroy it, and everything will be decided!
Dio wasn't the final final boss before, why would he be now?
Bradio:You can't even stop time. What makes you think you can win? Vins:I'll return fate to its natural course... I must!
Still not a threat.
Hey, maybe this thing is pretty good.
Naturally, you call out the name of whichever party member has the highest FP.
Polnareff: !! Kakyoin: W-what!? That can't be true, can it!? Mr. Joestar!! Joseph: .........The body was unmistakably his... Abdul: Underneath the mansion were the remains of many of Dio's servants... As well as the headless corpse of Dio himself. Jotaro: ......... Joseph: Under the bridge was Funky Party... And a woman, chador-clad and covered in blood... Kakyoin: ...That... that's not... Polnareff: I... I don't believe it!! It's probably just the lookalike that we found in the hotel! Joseph: ......... Abdul: ...According to the forensics, the teeth and DNA are a perfect match... It's definitely Funky Party. Polnareff: No... You're lying!! Jotaro: ......... Kakyoin: ...Why... Funky Party... Why!? Why did you go alone!? Why didn't you tell us anything!? Joseph: ......... Jotaro: ...I doubt we'll ever know it, but I'm sure there was a reason... A reason he risked it all... A reason he couldn't call us for help... No... A reason he didn't want us involved. Kakyoin: ...... Polnareff: Wuh... wahhh...
Some days, you just can't get rid of a book.
By going it alone, all we've done is fulfill Vins' goal for her. The universe is on another go-around, even with Abdul, Kakyoin, and Iggy alive. We can't let it end like this, can we?
