The Über-Smurf, Indalecio

"Gabriel," is it? Foo. The guy's name is Indalecio, and he's a smurf. The final battle of Star Ocean Second Evolution is truly underwhelming, if you've levelled up enough. (If you haven't, say, you're only around 102, he'll wipe the floor with you.)

We took him down with Claude (118), Rena (117), Chisato (53) and Precis (115). Rena was limited to the spells Faerie Light, Condition Cure, Raise Dead, Haste, Reflection, Angel Feather and Star Flare, and I should have turned off all her attacking spells. Claude was the leader, and he used Mirror Blade exclusively (L Button). Precis was set to use Hammer Slammer or Rocket Punch. Chisato, the lowest-ranking member of the team, was there to guarantee piling on, personal fouls, late hits and extra gouging, but in fact she used 100,000 Volts until she ran out of MP, then switched to knees, elbows, head bumps and low kicks.

The only tactic we used against Gabriel was to hit him hard, fast and often from all sides, which makes for a short, boring battle with no finesse whatsoever — if it works. Military historians will recognize the Powell Doctrine, but frankly, we were just lucky. Indalecio has one Game Over spell, if you give him a quarter second to escape your onslaught.

Star Ocean is supposed to have over twenty endings, i.e., scenes that play out and explain the fates of all your company once the game is won. Chisato was lonely and down in the dumps in Hilton. Leon the Pointless was playing with the other kids in Lecour. Precis got hit on in a bar by two lumpkins who ignored Celine, to their peril. Claude rejoined the service and went away for a few months, while Rena promised he'd be a daddy by the time he got back. (The last time I played this, on PS1, Celine was at home getting ready for another treasure hunt.) No idea what the other endings are, but I missed finding Opera Vectra this time around, too.

Colossal waste of time, if you ask me!