Koudelka (PSX) - Part 1

In late 90's, Survival-Horror Genre is trend thanks to Capcom with their Resident Evil. Middle-schooler me and High-schooler me didn't taste any of this kind of game except Parasite Eve 2. A couple year ago, i caught another one albeit in RPG sense. It's Koudelka (2000).

I have no idea what picture is exactly that. That circle thing looks like ornamental roundshield as part of concrete wall to me. By the way, Koudelka is name of the first protagonist in case you're thinking really hard what it means. The game is in 4 CDs and i'm gonna review it till the end of 2nd CD. So, let The Sacnoth's Survival Horror RPG begin!

 

The game begin with CGI scene: after knock that gate with no-one's respond, Koudelka bring her horse to the other side of this building.    

 

She has prepared a rope attaching at part of rooftop! Why she bothers knocking first then? To make sure the building is vacant? Then, i suspect she is an empty-building thief. That's no good occupation for RPG's protagonist besides Cloud in FF7 as terrorist.

 

Then she climbs to the top and sounds bit astounded how big this place is. She thinks "Imagine how much fortune i can reap here. I'll be rich, b***h!". You can see how gorgeous or scary this place is, depending on your perspective.

 

Shortly after that, she fell and manage to grab a window's roof. But leaving her equipment free-fall to the ground thus making her inventory to minimum. On the bright side, she can carry more loot on this state.

Inside of that window is a room with badly-wounded blonde guy. He call Koudelka angel for flirty reason, obviously. Little did he know that she is just another thief like himself. He state that he's not dead yet and has something to do while trying to point his gun toward Koudelka. It's "I kill you so we can be in after-life together!" kind of romance, huh?!     

 

Actually, what he point his gun at isn't Koudelka but the monster that attacked him before. I'm bit surprised with how dense Koudelka is. I mean how come you don't feel monster's presence earlier what's with it hissing and growling a much. For her denseness, the monster rewards her with swipe claw that knocked away her. But not before she stab her knife at its solar plexus. The blonde guy shoot at the monster but not slow it down then he throws his revolver at Koudelka and tell her to use it. Thus first battle ensues.    

 

I think you get the idea of the gameplay a bit. Basically, Koudelka's battle phase is like tactical RPG albeit in tight/narrow field to make battle's pace fast. It's akin to Inindo - Way of the Ninja (SNES). As Koudelka is using revolver right now, it's unimportant to move next to the monster. So i choose attack then wait. Rinse and repeat. The monster is significantly less threatening than when in CGI scene. It just move toward Koudelka so short, occasionally buff itself. But it's already dead before reach Koudelka. Maybe some of you will think "Why not using magic? That be cool". At this time, Koudelka has Heal and stats-buff spells so it's pointless for now. But after defeating this monster, she get 'Flare' spell which is fire magic.

 

After that 1st battle, i make Koudelka talks to Edward, the blonde guy. She kind of reluctant to heal the dying guy. But he is 2nd party member also the only way to make progress is to go behind door where Edward leaning to. If he turns corpse, it's troublesome to move him away from the door. So, basically she help herself too.

Here comes the exploring phase! Notice circled 's' symbol on left of area's name! That means you can make temporary save here by pressing circle button at the moment you enter this area. So no need to worry about finding ink ribbons and typewriter, or notepad to save your game here. By the way, Koudelka is steered by actual direction system instead of tank control ones. Good news for those who hate tank control!

After i walk Koudelka a bit, then blurring flash happens. It's random encounter a la Final Fantasy series! Luckily, she and Edward only encounter giant tumila and giant cockroach. Yes, they're disgusting but they're hardly as bad as undead or yōkai. I gave the revolver to Edward while Koudelka resolve the battle with shanking. The revolver is belong to Edward in the beginning, afterall.

After that bug extermination, Koudelka get level up where i can spend 4 stats points into these 8 stats. According to AP Explanation (by pressing R2):

·         Strength (Str) determines a character's physical attack power, including using guns. Sure, why not?!

·         Vitality (Vit) determines a character's physical defend power and maximum Hit Points (HP). So it's really vital (*sic*).

·         Dexterity (Dex) determines a character's physical attack accuracy.

·         Agility (Agl) determines a character's how swift he/she takes his/her turn.

·         Intelligence (Int) determines a character's magical attack power.

·         Piety (Pie) determines a character's magical defend power and maximum Mana/Magic Points (MP). Strangely, not only high piety will makes someone takes less damage from magic, but also take less healing from heal spell. But you can compensate this problem by making high-Int character do the healing magic.

·         Mind (Mnd) determines a character's magical attack accuracy. Healing magic is always accurate, i think.

·         Luck (Luc) determines how lucky a character is. My guess is: it determines how often enemy encounter (as group) and how often/good you get loot from enemies (as individual who lands the killing blow).

I found a Dirk behind boat picture. Do i pick it up? Of course i do. This question protocol here is another Survival-Horror game's specialty. In some of them (including Koudelka & Resident Evil), it's relevant to limited-capacity inventory. While in T.R.A.G/Hard Edge, and Silent Hill that have unlimited-capacity ones, it becomes irrelevant. If i have unlimited item storage in my bag/cloth/etc, i will take everything for sure! In game though. I'm not real-life kleptomaniac, you know!

I found Ogden and Bessy Hartman, the keeper of this Monastery. Mr. & Mrs. Hartman here tells us about monster's appearance lately (Thanks Captains Obvious!). Mrs. Hartman offer the party potato soup. I never taste one in my whole lifetime! Koudelka politely refuse, though. Also Mr. Hartman gives Handgun bullets! Did you think we have unlimited bullet to shoot in this game?! You, silly!

But then Edward got stomachache. Koudelka sensed that potato soup is poisoned, so that's the reason behind her refusal. But don't worry! Soon, Koudelka cures Edward even though there's no poison-removing spell or we don't have antidote yet. She tells him not to rush back to the traitorous couple there as she think it's better for us to fake our death so we can reveal what their secret better. I disagree with her. Why we don't go back to those old couple then squeeze every little bit of facts from them? They're just human. No big deal.

 

Well, shoot! They lock the door now. Well played, there! By the way, how come she know that we need Red Key to unlock this door? Because she's psychic. Or she's really professional thief.

So we go back to the kitchen then encounter 3 baldy-marionette's ghosts or whatever these transparent creature. Apparently, you can slash them with ordinary knife and bleed green splash, here

 

The ghosts drop whiskey! I can imagine Captain Haddock will become a ghostbuster for alcoholic loot, in this monastery. But, what benefit we can have by stocking this alcohol beverage?

Basically, it's Phoenix Down with drunkening effect. Got it! 

 

It's another encounter. But what are these? Are they angels?! I assume so because they're really similar with Bayonetta's enemies. Not only they're serene faces with wings but also susceptible 9 mm bullets. So, yeah! They're angel. Evil ones.

 

I found a sledgehammer. Without hesitation, i rename it to become 'Homewrecker'. Here's another special thing that Koudelka has than any other RPG, you can rename items, equipments, and weapons. Not important key item, though.

Of course something's not right when there's a man lies before you, Koudelka!

Oh, right. A boss fight. Really ugly-looking monster on top that. Because it's in herb garden, it must be plant monster. As you know that plant are weak against fire. So, the strategy to defeat it: use fire. Both fire magic and gunfire work well against this monster. Just, don't forget to reload the gun by using handgun bullet item! After you defeat this atrocious being, you get the water magic 'Geyser'.

 

Actually the man isn't dead yet. He just knocked out cold after attacked by the plant monster. He is James, the irritating priest. Why i call him irritating? Because:

·         At first, he don't believe that Koudelka and Edward save his life (by killing the boss monster).

·         He insists that the despicable couple is purely kind-hearted as fellow pious christian because they treat him good not like when they try to poison Koudelka and Edward.

·         He believes that he's always in God's protection while he ventures this monastery. But he joins the party as precaution measure. Yes, he is smug is, my point.

Then the font is filled with holy water now that the boss monster perishes. It serves as permanent savepoint, which you can save your progress here and fill party's HP and MP! It may sounds cruel to face the boss first then you can save your progress. But you can save in temporary savepoint before this point though you can't refill party's HP and MP by saving with this mean. Also, the boss fight isn't difficult.

Heavy_meleedare05.wav. I make Edward ditch his gun with his very fists to save bullets for tougher fight. Furthermore, his handgun proficiency has leveled up.

 

See that handgun icon on right column! It's level 2 now. When a character's weapon proficiency goes to level 2, he/she unlocks 2-hit attack with related weapon. Though the special attack is executed by chance and i guess Luck stats determine it. So right now, Edward has chance to shoot twice with revolver and that mean he can waste the bullet unnecessarily. You don't increase the weapon proficiency by raking experience from enemies. But, by using it frequently a kin to Elder Scroll series. Everytime a character using weapon, the experience (number besides the level) increase by 40. When it reaches 1000, that related-weapon proficiency is leveling up. Max level is: 3 (it allow you to unlock 3-hit attack, certainly). The same proficiency system goes to spell too. Instead of multi-hit attack, leveling up magic proficiency will allow a character to cast bigger effect magic but with bigger cost. Furthermore, Lvl 2 healing/damaging magic effects 2 adjacent target and Lvl 3 healing/damaging magic effects 3 adjacent target. Now that there's mean to refill party's MP for free, so don't hesitate to spam magic spell!      

 

I suggest you spam stat-buff spells especially 'FortifyAgl' before healing/damaging spell. Because unlike healing/damaging ones, stat-buff magic's effect aren't determined by Int, only by magic proficiency. So, Edward who has the lowest Int can use stat-buff magics as good as anyone else. Why 'FortifyAgl' magic? Because you can lower Boss's Agl thus making it so slow (by casting it to Boss many-many times) that it get barely chance to do anything and your party can do whatever you want moreover most boss is alone. Why, yes! I have completed this game before. So trust me that 'FortifyAgl' at max lvl can make any boss fight easy even Gargoyle, the optional boss! But maybe to use stat-buff spells to lower enemy's stats, you have to consider about caster's Mnd stats.

 

While the party chit-chatting about poetry and religion related stuff that i'm not so understand, few gunshots happen. Luckily, no one gets hurt otherwise i have to do healing again. Edward accuses the couple is culprit of this assassination but James insists that they're not. Seriously, James?! -_-

 

At the end of that corridor i found this locked-by-mysterious-force door. No other way, then?

Nah it's another boss fight. This time against demonic eye. They aren't definitely beholder, though. Beholder is big eyeball demon with round shape unlike these demons. The one blue eye is weak to Fire magic while the red one is weak to water magic. This is not difficult battle unless Koudelka is low on MP and you refuse to use replenishment items like in my case here.

Beside the door become unlocked, i get Rapier, Tabarl, J Ring and wind magic, Tornado. Hooray!

 Down the corridor, a CGI scene is triggered. A white haired girl with white dress appear. Edward  calls and chases her.

 Edward will falls to his death if Koudelka not grab his arm. The girl is obviously a ghost. Have you not learn anything from horror movie, Edward? After she float a bit, she disperse into a wall there. That's as creepy as freak, man!

At the same corridor, i enter a room where this chest lies. I don't know the combination even though i search for clue everywhere when i'm at final part of the game. If you will be so kindly, tell me in comments!

There is a door besides the combination-locked chest that leads to this door and another scene triggered. Koudelka tell her crews that the reason she go here is because she hear plead of one-specific female spirit's voice (i insist that plundering fortune here is her second objective :P). So, she try to be spirit's median hoping she can contact with her "client". You can guess that's terrible idea what with so many tortured spirits loitering around here. Eventually, a mean evil spirit possess her but soon she can ejects it. There's a closet here. When i open it...  

BOOO! Even though this is the 2nd time i open this goddamn closet, i get jump scared. Hope you too because i'm douchebag. Then it's another boss battle.

The mummy is less scary than before especially when James hit her with club that looks like the one which wield by cavemen. From many RPG or any fantasy medieval media that i consume, I know that Priests or clerics are supposed to wield blunt weapon, right?! Moreover, the club can inflict poison status. So it's worthy to use. All she does are casting magic instead of choking you or any other creepy mean of attack. Also she is vulnerable to wind magic. After she is finished, you got earth magic, Megalith. That's mean we got all element magic in this game! Now the cabinet's "occupant" is gone, you can get rope ladder inside of it. The rope ladder is used on the end of corridor where Edward almost fall off. Onward!   

 Everyone can use any weapon. But you have to mind about wearing certain weapon will affect stats on wearer (the weapon proficiency comes later!) just like other equipment (cloth & accessory). For example, Edward here wields dark rapier and when change to Air Tabar, his Dex & Agl will go down while Str & Vit will go up. Other things that you have to consider about the arsenal: the element of weapon and its durability. Light weapon is totally scrap to me because it will heals enemy (other than zombies and zombie dog) instead of damaging them. There is no durability status on melee weapon unlike Dark Soul, so you kind of have to guess whether the melee weapon that you currently wield is used often or not. If yes than prepare to have spare of it (especially with the same category). To summarize the combatfare: magic use MP which can be replenished by items or in permanent savepoints, ranged weapons use ammo, and melee weapons can/will break according to how many time they are used. It's kind of unfair for RPG. But i think this is the survival aspect of this game, right?! You can also see that i invest too many points on Edward's piety hoping he can cast magic more which is very stupid decision (should put them to Vit, instead). But investing on Edward's Luck seems good decision to increase chance of gaining loot.

"Something's not right" said Koudelka. I wonder what is that?

  Of course, it another boss battle. Duh! This time the party fight against their ghastly doppelgangers which are in green tone and leg-less. Early clone battle also occurs in Castlevania: Symphony of The Night. So, i'm not surprised. Anyway they got wiped pretty easy thanks to Koudelka's Lvl 2 Flare.

 See that big damage! Also thanks to fake Edward's and fake Koudelka's position, they receive such big fiery under their butts. But fake James is the sensible ones, he separates from the other and able to cast healing magic on himself. (*slow clap*)

 After that clone battle, we get items and 'revive' spell. Also another permanent savepoint! So far so good. Let's go to that door!

 But first, other cutscene! The party talk about dead bodies around this part, some are old and other are fresh. The fresh ones most likely the evil pair's successful "deed". Then James (once again) denies that and states that victims deserve to die because they're thieves and liars likes Koudelka and Edward. See the reason why i really hate this priest, reader! Oh, what's that, James? You're Bishop? Well freak you anyway! You aren't supposed to disrespect the dead unless you have through zombie apocalypse or necromorph catastrophe, Mr Holy Jerk!

 Behind that door is a room where our heroes fall because floor is crumbling. Oh, Joy!

 And that's the end of Disc 1 also my first part of my review. You can read the second part later. In the mean time, stay away from old buildings! Unless you want some unlucky adventure like Koudelka and Co. have.