Games World

The Angelo Biancos are NOT too tough as they look, but you still need
to be quick on your feet. These Knights have a few attacks:

--JOUST STRIKE
--AERIAL JOUST STRIKE
--SHIELD SMACK

The Knights will spend most of the time guarding themselves (or flying
in the air). If you attack them from up front; they will block and then
smack you with their shield (or poke you with their joust) if you don't
move away. As for the floating Knight, he will spin around to do an
aerial joust strike, which you can simply evade. You can knock down the
floating Knight by using the Buster on him.

So how do you defeat these guys then? Simple! While they do have some
painful joust strikes, you can AVOID all that pain by simply rolling
BEHIND them. Yes, when you roll behind them, the Knights will NOT see
you and will assume you are in front of them. Assault them from the
back with a barrage of Streaks and aerial combos. Keep the pain raining
on them and then end the battle by using the Buster. That was easy!

Once you're done going cannibal on these fools, approach the yellow-
glowing pedestal in the next room to receive a new item: the ANIMA
MERCURY. This item will allow Nero to activate and move the Gyro Blades
inside the Large Hall. MISSION COMPLETE!

\ |_ _| __| __|_ _| _ \ \ |
|\/ | | \__ \\__ \ | ( | . |
_| _|___|____/____/___|\___/ _|\_|

__| _ \ \ | _ \ | __|__ __| __|
( ( | |\/ | __/ | _| | _|
\___|\___/ _| _|_| ____|___| _| ___|

=======================================================================
========================================================= ==============
=======================================================================

+++ MISSION 4 - COLD BLOODED +++

__ _______________________ _ __ ____
/ |/ / _/ __/ __/ _/ __ \/ |/ / / / /
/ /|_/ // /_\ \_\ \_/ // /_/ / / /_ _/
/_/ /_/___/___/___/___/\____/_/|_/ /_/

--MAIN OBJECTIVE: USE YOUR NEWLY EARNED POWERS TO GATHER THE FOUR GYRO
BLADES!

++AREA: LIBRARY

Approach the Gyro Blade inside the Library and use the Buster to
activate it. The only way to move the Gyro is to punch it with the
Devil-Bringer. The only problem is that when Nero punches the Gyro, it
only moves about a foot away each time.

The fastest way to move the Gyro is to attack it with the sword and
then punch it. When Nero strikes it, the Gyro will start spinning.
Punch the Gyro while it's spinning to hurl it like a pinball across the
room! Cool move, huh? Use the Gyro to break the door open and then
leave the Library back to the Gallery.

++AREA: GALLERY

--OBJECTIVE: USE THE GYRO BLADE AGAINST YOUR ENEMIES

More enemies will appear including a pair of Frosts. Not to worry!
Quickly approach the Gyro at the end of the room and activate it. Spin
the Gyro and then punch it to hurl the Gyro around the room like a
killer sawblade. The spinning Gyro will instantly kill the Scarecrows
and damage the Frosts like crazy! Continue using the Gyro Blades until
the room is clear. Now exit the area back to the Grand Hall.

++AREA: GRAND HALL

--OBJECTIVE: DESTROY THE SEALED COFFIN

Jump down to the lower floor of the Grand Hall. There is a Gyro Blade
at the front of the room, so approach and activate it! Hurl the Gyro
towards the coffin to destroy it. After the coffin is gone, there is
nothing else to do, so enter the Green door to the Large Hall.

++AREA: LARGE HALL

--OBJECTIVE: SOLVE THE GYRO BLADE PUZZLE

Alrighty, get ready for the easiest yet longest puzzle! Near the Green
doorway (where you entered) is a sealed off Gyro Blade at the end of
the wall. You'll need another Gyro Blade to break the seal.

Make your way to the middle of the Large Hall to find the Gyro Blade
altar. Two Gyro Blades are already in place, so activate one of them
and then hurl it towards the sealed wall. Remember to spin the blades
and then punch the Gyro so that it instantly kills all the scarecrows
that block the hall. Break the seal and then you'll release the third
(out of four) Gyro Blade.

With two Gyro Blades to move, Nero can only activate and move one Gyro
at a time. Hurl both Gyro Blades to the altar and place both of them
back into its place at the altar. One more to go! Now go to the other
side of the Large Hall and enter the Brown doorway to the next area.

++AREA: DINING ROOM

Whoa-oh! A pair of Biancos will appear in the area to crash the party!
Eliminate them the same way as in the previous mission to clear the
area. Now exit the Dining Room to encounter another puzzle.

--OBJECTIVE: USE THE GYRO BLADE AS A SHIELD

The adjacent hall will spew large fireballs every few seconds. Activate
the nearby Gyro and hurl it towards that hall. Stand behind the Gyro
and continue to hurl it towards the fire-spewing wall. Destroy the wall
to reveal a special treat. Approach the wall and examine it to find the
next Secret Mission!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

+++ SECRET MISSION 02: ALLEY OOP +++

This mission requires Nero to perform a mid-air Buster FIVE times
WITHOUT touching the ground! Let me explain how it works:

--Jump up and use the Grim Grip to grab one enemy
--Release the Lock-On button and press the CIRCLE BUTTON to perform a
mid-air Buster
--As soon as Nero throws the enemy down, quickly press and hold the
Lock-On button and do another Grim Grip while still in mid-air
--REPEAT UNTIL FINISHED

The timing for this move will take some practice, but once you figure
it out, I guarantee you will never stop using it in combat.

Copy and paste this URL to see how to complete this mission:
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/usermovies/173403.html

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Once you're done swingin' the hammer on that mission, exit the room to
the next area.

++AREA: LARGE HALL

More scarecrows will appear here. Eliminate them to disperse the red
energy and to reveal a fiery blue mechanism. Strike the mechanism to
open the doorway and then approach the fourth Gyro Blade.

Activate the Blade and hurl it towards its place in the Gyro Blade
altar (while slicing the scarecrows in the hall with it) to solve this
puzzle! Now enter the newly opened doorway to encounter a new boss...?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------- ------------------

+++ BOSS BATTLE: BAEL +++

____ ___ ________
/ __ )/ | / ____/ /
/ __ / /| | / __/ / /
/ /_/ / ___ |/ /___/ /___
/_____/_/ |_/_____/_____/

The battle begins with Nero battling the Rusalka twins. They rarely
inflict any damage, so keep using the Streak on them until the REAL
boss finally shows his big fat slimy ass.

Battling Bael is very similar to battling Cerberus from DMC3 (only
without the three heads). Bael has a bevy of attacks:

--ICE SPIKES
--ICE RAIN
--CHOMP-AND-CHOMP
--ICE DECOY
--BODY STOMP

All of Bael's attacks are easy to evade. Run to the left or right side
of Bael to avoid getting damaged from his mouth attacks. Use the Devil-
Bringer to grapple closer and use aerial combos on him. That's pretty
much it. When Bael loses a large chunk of health, he expands his body
and then disappears, leaving only the Rusalka twins.

Damage the twins (watch out for their blade swipes) until Bael shows up
again. Another way to bring Bael out of hiding is to grab one of the
twins. Most of the time, the twins just flitter around the area. But
when one of them starts floating towards you, it means she'll grab and
freeze you. Use the Grim Grip and then use the Buster to shove Bael
from his hiding spot.

Continue to evade his ice attacks and AVOID standing in front of him.
When he jumps up, his shadow will indicate that he'll drop on top of
you, so quickly roll away and continue pounding some combos until his
health has been depleted.

Once Bael is down for the count, approach him and use the Devil-Bringer
to trigger the final blow towards this big fat blob. Once it's all done
and over with, collect those Red Orbs and exit the courtyard to
complete the mission.

\ |_ _| __| __|_ _| _ \ \ |
|\/ | | \__ \\__ \ | ( | . |
_| _|___|____/____/___|\___/ _|\_|

__| _ \ \ | _ \ | __|__ __| __|
( ( | |\/ | __/ | _| | _|
\___|\___/ _| _|_| ____|___| _| ___|

=======================================================================
======================================================= ================

+++ MISSION 5: TRISAGION +++

__ _______________________ _ __ ____
/ |/ / _/ __/ __/ _/ __ \/ |/ / / __/
/ /|_/ // /_\ \_\ \_/ // /_/ / / /__ \
/_/ /_/___/___/___/___/\____/_/|_/ /____/

--MAIN OBJECTIVE: OBTAIN THE WING TALISMAN

++AREA: SOLDIER'S GRAVEYARD

--NEW ENEMY: MEPHISTO
It may seem a little bit difficult at first to kill the Mephisto
enemies, but there is only one way to do it: use the mid-air Buster.
Yup, avoid trying to do mid-air combos or shooting at it. Instead, jump
towards Mephisto and use a mid-air Buster to punch him.

It'll take a few tries to jump close to them, but all it takes is a few
Buster punches to the cranium to reveal its true lizard form. Keep
using mid-air Busters on Mephisto until its lizard form falls to the
ground. From there, use whatever combos you want on it to kill it! Kill
both of these things to clear the area.

--OBJECTIVE: USE THE RUSALKA CORPSE TO FIND A SECRET MISSION

Destroy all of the tombstones and pillars to get Red Orbs. Near the
exit stairway is a metal fence on both sides. Destroy the fence and
then go under the stairs to find another Secret Mission door!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

+++ SECRET MISSION 03: NONVIOLENT RESISTANCE +++

For this mission, Nero is required to raise his Stylish ranking without
using any attacks. WHO WITH THE WHAT WITH THE HEY NOW?!?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Once the Secret Mission is done (or not), exit the graveyard to the
next area.

++AREA: MASTER'S CHAMBER

More Biancos will show up to greet you, so greet them back with a sword
to the cranium! Once you're done splattering their shields, the Rusalka
Corpse will indicate that there is another Secret Mission in the room.

Approach the fireplace and jump above it. Destroy the mirror to reveal
a secret alcove to another Secret Mission!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

+++ SECRET MISSION 10: PUPPET MASTER +++

For this mission, Nero must use ONE Gyro Blade to destroy FIVE
pedestals located in the Large Hall. Activate the Gyro, attack it to
spin it, and then punch it to hurl it across the room. Destroy all five
pedestals within two minutes to complete the mission. Trust me, this
will be too easy.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Once that's done, exit the room to encounter the Biancos again. Kill
them off (or don't) and then exit the room to a familiar place.

++AREA: TORTURE CHAMBER

Approach the fiery blue mechanism and strike it to open the metal gate
and lower the spikes. Now activate the Gyro and hurl it to the other
side and destroy the pedestal to trigger a cutscene.

++AREA: PRISON DEPTHS

--OBJECTIVE: OBTAIN THE WING TALISMAN

Two Mephistos will appear, so get to it and Buster them to death! With
both of them gone, approach the mantle and grab the WING TALISMAN. This
item enables Nero to jump to super high places that have a red-glowing
crest on it. Jump on the first red crest and jump up to the next one.

As you jump higher, you'll notice that there are ledges near each
crest. If you can direct Nero to make him land on the ledge, you will
find a few goodies like Red Orbs and a Red Orb statue. Now jump your
way out of the chasm back to the Torture Chamber.

++AREA: TORTURE CHAMBER

Scarecrows and Mephistos will show up to bug you. Bust out the Buster
and show them the backdoor bugaloo to clear the area. Exit back to the
Large Hall.

++AREA: LARGE HALL

Three Frosts will be waiting for you in the halls, so be ready to fight
back. Eliminate the Frosts and exit back out to the Grand Hall.

++AREA: GRAND HALL

Approach the red crest (where you destroyed the coffin) and jump to the
chandelier above. Strike the base of the chandelier to trigger a
cutscene. Now enter the newly opened path and go down the stairs.

See that glowing green thing behind the metal bars? Use the Grim Grip
to grab a Vital Star S! Now exit the room to a new area.

++AREA: UNDERGROUND LABORATORY

Go all the way to end of the path to complete the mission.

\ |_ _| __| __|_ _| _ \ \ |
|\/ | | \__ \\__ \ | ( | . |
_| _|___|____/____/___|\___/ _|\_|

__| _ \ \ | _ \ | __|__ __| __|
( ( | |\/ | __/ | _| | _|
\___|\___/ _| _|_| ____|___| _| ___|

=======================================================================
========================================================= ==============
=======================================================================

+++ MISSION 6: RESURRECTION +++

__ _______________________ _ __ ____
/ |/ / _/ __/ __/ _/ __ \/ |/ / / __/
/ /|_/ // /_\ \_\ \_/ // /_/ / / / _ \
/_/ /_/___/___/___/___/\____/_/|_/ \___/

--MAIN OBJECTIVE: RELEASE THE TRUE POWER THAT RESIDES WITHIN

--OBJECTIVE: FIND THE BLUE ORB FRAGMENT

Enter the chasm but DO NOT jump down just yet! To the left of the
screen is a Blue Orb Fragment sitting and waiting to be taken.
Carefully walk around the ledge and then grab it. Now jump down to the
bottom of the laboratory. Ignore the red Combat Adjusticator and enter
the next area.

++AREA: R & D ACCESS

--NEW ENEMY: CUTLASS
These enemies "swim" under and around the area. All Nero has to do is
simply grab them with the Grim Grip so that he can inflict some damage.
Use the Buster on them to shorten the battle. Once all of them are
fried, exit the area through the other doorway.

++AREA: GAME ROOM

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

+++ LIAR'S DICE PUZZLE +++

The concept of this "puzzle" is really simple. In order for Nero to
exit, he needs to roll the dice. Whatever number it lands on is how
many spaces his "shadow" can move. Understand it so far?

There are five different colors on the board and each one gives you a
certain "prize":

--RED CIRCLE
This is NOT the one you want to land on. If your shadow lands on this
circle, prepare to face off against some baddies.

--WHITE CIRCLE
This is a freebie. It allows Nero to roll the dice again.

--BLUE CIRCLE
This one is also a freebie. Chests will appear on the floor that
contains goodies like Orbs.

--YELLOW CIRCLE
If you land on this circle, Nero will automatically be transported to
another Yellow circle further down the board. Consider yourself lucky
if you get this one!

It doesn't matter where Nero stands. When you approach the dice, watch
the number that appears on top. Strike the dice when the number you
want appears on top (but you have to be quick) and that number will be
the number of spaces that Nero's shadow can move. Make it all the way
to the end to finish this piece of crap puzzle.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Before you enter the doorway to the next area, access the nearby
Divinity Statue first! Stock up on stuff and then exit.

++AREA: CONTAINMENT ROOM

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------- --------------

+++ BOSS BATTLE: AGNUS'S MIRROR +++

___ _______ ____ _______
/ | / ____/ | / / / / / ___/
/ /| |/ / __/ |/ / / / /\__ \
/ ___ / /_/ / /| / /_/ /___/ /
/_/ |_\____/_/ |_/\____//____/

The point of this battle is to shatter the large glass mirror that
Agnus is standing behind to win the battle. See those large flying
swords (called Gladius)? They can be painful if you don't evade them
properly.

Use the Grim Grip to grab them in mid-air and then immediately use the
Buster to throw it at the mirror. That's it! That's all you have to do
for this battle, so evade the sword attacks, and then grapple and throw
them at the mirror until it finally shatters to a million pieces. Oh
yeah, and watch out for that electric shock on the floor! I can't make
it sound any easier than that, so GET TO IT ALREADY.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------- ------------------

++AREA: FORIS FALLS

--OBJECTIVE: GET TO THE FORIS FALLS ENTRANCE
--OBJECTIVE: FIND THE BLUE ORB FRAGMENT

Approach the blue mechanism and strike it to trigger a cutscene. From
there, go upstairs and move towards the ledge near the exit door.
You'll notice a floating Blue Orb Fragment. Do you see it?

In order to retrieve it, face towards the Orb and then perform a Streak
to catapult Nero across the ledge. It will take a few tries to get it,
so just keep doing it!

Once you're done, exit the area.

++AREA: ANGEL CREATION

Enter into the factory to face off against a trio of Biancos. These
guys should be easy by now, so GET TO IT! Use the Buster on each of
them to kill them faster. After you've done the New Jersey meathook on
the Knights, make your way to the back of the room to see three cages.
Behind one of the cages is a Secret Mission doorway!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

+++ SECRET MISSION 04: TRACKING TREASURE DOWN +++

For this mission, Nero has two minutes to locate hidden areas of the
Grand Hall that contain gaggles of Red Orbs. Use the Rusalka Corpse to
the best of your ability to locate the random spaces.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Once you're done, continue up the pathway to encounter two more of the
Knights inside the large cage. Clean them up with your Buster style and
then get out of the cage.

In the next area, you'll face off against a large gaggle of Knights.
About 6-8 Knights will spawn (not all at once), so kill them all off to
clear the factory area. Now exit out to the next area.

++AREA UNDERGROUND LABORATORY

Jump all the way back to the top of the chasm and then make your way
back into the Grand Hall area.

++AREA: GRAND HALL

As soon as you enter the Grand Hall, enter through the door on the left
or right side of the destroyed painting.

++AREA: CENTRAL COURTYARD

Rev up the Red Queen because you'll encounter some Frosts again.
Approach and kill them off and then exit the area.

++AREA: FORIS FALLS

Make your way to the newly revealed entrance.

++AREA: FOREST ENTRANCE

Go all the way up the tunnel to the Forest area to complete the
mission. WOW.

\ |_ _| __| __|_ _| _ \ \ |
|\/ | | \__ \\__ \ | ( | . |
_| _|___|____/____/___|\___/ _|\_|

__| _ \ \ | _ \ | __|__ __| __|
( ( | |\/ | __/ | _| | _|
\___|\___/ _| _|_| ____|___| _| ___|

=======================================================================
========================================================= ==============

+++ MISSION 7: THE SHE-VIPER +++

__ _______________________ _ __ ____
/ |/ / _/ __/ __/ _/ __ \/ |/ / /_ /
/ /|_/ // /_\ \_\ \_/ // /_/ / / / /
/_/ /_/___/___/___/___/\____/_/|_/ /_/

--MAIN OBJECTIVE: PROCEED THROUGH THE FOREST OF RUIN

++AREA: FOREST ENTRANCE

In the forest area, there are large pods on the ground that looks like
cocoons. Destroy them to unleash a bunch of Red Orbs. This area is
clear of enemies, so its exploration time!

There is a large tree branch with cocoons and a Red Orb statue near the
gazebo. Approach the large gazebo in the center of the area and the
Rusalka Corpse will start buzzing off. In the center of the gazebo is a
doorway to a Secret Mission!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

+++ SECRET MISSION 08: ROYAL BLOCKER +++

This is more of a mission for Dante than Nero. For the mission, Dante
needs to do FIVE successful Royal Blocks using the Royal Guard ability.
Should be easy enough, right?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

++RED ORB FARMING NOTE:
You can start farming for Red Orbs in this mission. To gather 4,100+
Red Orbs in a few seconds, start this mission and then approach the Red
Orb statue. Rev up the Red Queen to max power, activate Devil Trigger
and start whacking away with regular combos until the statue shatters.
By doing this, you will gather around 4,100+ Red Orbs in under 20
seconds. From there, RESTART the mission and repeat this tactic until
you are satisfied with the amount you've accumulated.

Once you're done canoodling, make your way to the next area.

++AREA: WINDSWEPT VALLEY

--OBJECTIVE: FIND THE HOLY WATER

Before you jump down to the bottom of the mountain, make a left turn
and follow the ledges to the end to find a lone Holy Water sitting and
waiting for your ass. Now jump down to the bottom to encounter some new
baddies.

--NEW ENEMY: CHIMERA SEED
These things are a total joke. Simply grapple them and then use the
Buster to tear them to shreds. Too easy. In the area are two large
sealed doors that can only be opened with a Gyro Blade.

--OBJECTIVE: FIND THE GYRO BLADE

There's nothing else to do in the area, so go up the stairs and enter
the large building.

++AREA: RUINED CHURCH

In this area, the Chimera Seeds will morph with the scarecrows to form
a full Chimera enemy. Although they don't look any different, the
Chimera have the ability to use sharp blades even after Nero knocks
them down, so BE CAREFUL when fighting them!

Once you're done with these freaks, look to the right side of the room
to see glass walls that can be shattered. Shatter the glass wall to
reveal some more cocoons and a Combat Adjusticator (for Dante). Before
you go upstairs, there is another glass wall UNDER the stairs. If you
shatter the glass, you will be blocked by red tree bark but REMEMBER
this area! Now go up the stairs and activate the blue mechanism to
reveal a glowing pathway.

Quickly make your way down the path before it disappears and exit
through the Emblem Door.

++AREA: RUINED VALLEY

Go up the metal stairs and catapult from ledge to ledge to a new
puzzle...if you can call it that.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

+++ DISAPPEARING FLOOR PUZZLE +++

This "puzzle" is almost similar to the Torture Chamber puzzle. After
Nero activates the blue mechanism, a set of floor tiles will appear.
After a few seconds, another set of floor tiles will appear and the
last set will DISAPPEAR. Understand how it works?

The only thing that will distract Nero are the two Mephistos floating
around. Avoid using aerial Busters on them and patiently wait for them
to get close to use a Buster. As the floor disappears, quickly jump to
the next set or else Nero will fall to the area below (Ruined
Lowlands). If he does fall to the bottom, Nero then needs to eliminate
a bunch of baddies in order to get back to the top.

--OBJECTIVE: FIND THE BLUE ORB FRAGMENT

As you do this puzzle, look above to see a Blue Orb Fragment floating
above the disappearing tiles. When Nero is close to it, use an Air Hike
to grab it. Back to the puzzle!

The key to this puzzle is patience. If you can't spend the time to
patiently wait, then your impatient ass deserves to keep falling to the
bottom of the goddamned pit! When the floor is about to disappear,
quickly move to the next appearing set of tiles or jump towards it.
Rotate the camera so that you don't miss the jump. Keep jumping on the
next set of tiles until the path towards the door opens up. From there,
get your impatient ass to the next area.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

++AREA: LAPIS RIVER

This area is completely clear of enemies, so just search for Red Orbs
all over the place. But DO NOT leave just yet!

--OBJECTIVE: FIND THE SECRET MISSION

Go all the way to the left side of the area (near the end of the
waterfall) and the Rusalka Corpse will start buzzing. Look for the lone
tree at the end of the path to find a Secret Mission doorway.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

+++ SECRET MISSION 05: SKY SCRAPER +++

For this mission, Nero has 60 seconds to jump to the very top of the
chasm to find a Blue Orb Fragment. Let me explain how it works:

There are a total of FIVE red crests to jump on. The fourth crest is
guarded by a steel cage and the fifth red crest looks impossible to
reach. Before you do this mission, Nero must have the AIR HIKE ability
or else he won't be able to reach the last red crest.

--RED CREST #1: Jump straight up and then use the Grim Grip to grapple
TWO grips in mid-air. When Nero grabs the second grip, direct him
towards the second crest.

--RED CREST #2: When Nero lands on this crest let him jump straight up
and then grapple TWO more Grim Grips and direct him towards the third
red crest.

--RED CREST #3: Jump straight up and you will see that the fourth crest
is guarded by a steel cage. Simply do a mid-air combo to break one side
of the cage. Fall back to the previous crest and then jump straight up
and direct Nero to the middle of the steel cage crest.

--RED CREST #4 (STEEL CAGE): Again, jump straight up and then use the
Grim Grip to grapple a single grip. As soon as Nero catapults higher,
use an Air Hike jump to jump to the last crest located ABOVE the Grim
Grip. The Air Hike jump is tricky and might cause you to fall all the
way back down to the bottom.

--RED CREST #5: Simply jump straight up and move Nero towards the
ledge. VOILA! Blue Orb Fragment Get!

Copy and paste this URL to see how it's done:
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/usermovies/181781.html

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Exit the area.

++AREA: ANCIENT PLAZA

Chimera will appear in the area, so start eliminating them! Clear the
area and then exit.

++AREA: WINDSWEPT VALLEY

You just found the Gyro Blade! Now activate it and hurl it at the
doorway to bust it open. Use the Gyro on the Chimera and then hurl the
Gyro at the other sealed doorway. When the path is open, head down the
stairs to the next area.

++AREA: RUINED VALLEY

Get ready for a semi-Indiana Jones type of chase. Quickly run down the
metal stairs to avoid getting chomped by Echidna. Destroy the cocoons
blocking the way and then make it all the way to the end of the path
and then exit out.

++AREA: FORGOTTEN RUINS

--OBJECTIVE: FIND THE BLUE ORB FRAGMENT

Approach the nearby blue Combat Adjusticator and start whacking away at
it with some hard combos. Keep attacking it until Nero receives an
ATOMIC rating to receive a Blue Orb Fragment! WOO-HOO!

Now continue down the path to encounter some more Chimera. Eliminate
them all and then access the Divinity Statue at the end of the path.
Stock up on stuff and then enter the next area for a boss battle!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------ -----------------

+++ BOSS BATTLE: ECHIDNA +++

______________ __________ _ _____
/ ____/ ____/ / / / _/ __ \/ | / / |
/ __/ / / / /_/ // // / / / |/ / /| |
/ /___/ /___/ __ // // /_/ / /| / ___ |
/_____/\____/_/ /_/___/_____/_/ |_/_/ |_|

Echidna likes to play it rough! The battle is not so difficult than the
battle with Bael but you still need to be fast with your evasion moves.
Echidna uses a couple of killer moves:

--VIPER SLAM
Echidna hovers around the arena and then quickly knocks you down. Use a
well-timed evasion roll to get out of the way of her attack or use a
Buster grab to smack her just as she gets close to you.

--VIPER SEEDS
Echidna spreads her "legs" and starts laying eggs. Simply use the Grim
Grip to grapple near the vulva-looking sac and then use a Buster to
smack that sack up. Yes, I made it sound disgusting, so what?

--VIPER TENTACLES
Echidna plants herself on the ground and summons a bunch of her
tentacles from the ground to pound you. Catapult towards her head and
then whack, whack, whack!

--VIPER ANTENNAE
This is Echidna's only melee attack where she double-swings the antenna
on her head in circle. Use two back jumps to evade this cheap attack.

When she moves around the arena, catapult towards her head and then
start wailing at her body. From there, you'll be spending a lot of your
time evading and then attacking as soon as she stops. When she gets the
wind knocked out of her, grapple towards her and use the Buster to
trigger a special attack to reduce her health by 15%.

Just as she begins to lose more health, she starts glowing in a gold
color and starts hurling seeds at you. Ignore the seeds and continue
the assault until she gets knocked out. Once Echidna is out for the
count, jump up towards her and use the Buster to end the battle in
stylish fashion!

Nero will obtain the SEPHIROTHIC FRUIT which will allow him to disperse
the red tree barks blocking certain paths.

\ |_ _| __| __|_ _| _ \ \ |
|\/ | | \__ \\__ \ | ( | . |
_| _|___|____/____/___|\___/ _|\_|

__| _ \ \ | _ \ | __|__ __| __|
( ( | |\/ | __/ | _| | _|
\___|\___/ _| _|_| ____|___| _| ___|

=======================================================================
========================================================= ==============

+++ MISSION 8: PROFESSION OF FAITH +++

__ _______________________ _ __ ___
/ |/ / _/ __/ __/ _/ __ \/ |/ / ( _ )
/ /|_/ // /_\ \_\ \_/ // /_/ / / / _ |
/_/ /_/___/___/___/___/\____/_/|_/ \___/

--MAIN OBJECTIVE: EMBRACE THE LIGHT TO ESCAPE THE FOREST

++AREA: ANCIENT TRAINING GROUNDS

--OBJECTIVE: FIND THE BLUE ORB FRAGMENT

Make you way down the path towards the archway. As you pass under the
archway, the Rusalka Corpse will start buzzing. Look above the archway
to see a cocoon on the ceiling. Do a Kick Jump and then whack it to
reveal a Blue Orb Fragment underneath it.

To retrieve the Orb, go back out and jump on top of the pillar on the
right side of the archway entrance. Get in close to the Orb and then
use the Grim Grip to grab it! Now jump back down and continue through
the area. Eliminate the enemies in the way and exit to the next area.

++AREA: LAPIS RIVER

--OBJECTIVE: GO BACK TO THE RUINED CHURCH

The area is enemy-free, so collect more Red Orbs (and try out Secret
Mission 5 if you haven't done so). Exit through the northern side to
the next area.

++AREA: ANCIENT PLAZA

--NEW ENEMY: ASSAULT
These guys are the lizard version of the Frosts. They use a small
shield for protection and like to use ground attacks. But they're no
different than the Frosts, so just use mid-air Busters and aerial
combos to eliminate them all. When all of them are slaughtered, exit
out to the next area.

++ARE: WINDSWEPT VALLEY

Ignore the Gyro Blade (you don't need it) and just make your way up the
stairs to the Ruined Church.

++AREA: RUINED CHURCH

A large gaggle of Scarecrows, Chimeras, and Assaults will appear in the
area. Eliminate them with some Buster combos to clear the area. From
there, collect the remaining Red Orbs from the cocoons and walk up to
the red tree under the stairs to open a new path.

++AREA: THE LOST WOODS

Approach the mantle in the center of the area to encounter a REALLY
easy puzzle.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

+++ THE LOST WOODS PUZZLE +++

This puzzle is short and simple. There are three paths to follow: one
on the north, one on the east, and one on the west of the mantle. The
main point of this puzzle is to follow the light and find the way out
of the woods.

Nero needs to enter THREE different paths in order to solve the puzzle.
If he enters the wrong path, he enters the Hidden Pit and has to kill
some enemies to escape back to the Lost Woods entrance.

--OBJECTIVE: FIND THE BLUE ORB FRAGMENT

Believe it or not, there is a reason to enter the Hidden Pit! Enter the
wrong path (intentionally) to get transported to Hidden Pit. Kill all
the enemies but DO NOT exit yet! There is a Blue Orb Fragment floating
way high above the center of the area, so use an Air Hike to grab the
fragment. Now get outta there and solve the puzzle!

Here's how the puzzle works: look at the shadow of the altar. If the
shadow is pointing in a specific direction, go the OPPOSITE way. Enter
the path on the NORTH and this will lead Nero back to the Lost Woods
entrance. Now take the EAST path and then enter the WEST path to solve
the puzzle. Easy!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

++AREA: FORGOTTEN RUINS

Simply traverse the bridge all the way to the end and exit out. DO NOT
jump down the Forgotten Ruins bridge to the bottom! If you do, you have
to navigate all the way back to the Ruined Church!

++AREA: ANCIENT TRAINING GROUNDS

As soon as you enter the area, a variety of scarecrows and Assaults
will appear. Take on the lizards first and then deal with the
scarecrows. Once that's done, approach the Divinity Statue and stock up
on stuff because the next boss battle is gonna be a doozy!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------- ----------------

+++ BOSS BATTLE: ANGELO CREDO +++

__________ __________ ____
/ ____/ __ \/ ____/ __ \/ __ \
/ / / /_/ / __/ / / / / / / /
/ /___/ _, _/ /___/ /_/ / /_/ /
\____/_/ |_/_____/_____/\____/

Angelo Credo is not as tough as the other Knights that you've
encountered but he is still quite dangerous. AC has some damaging
attacks up his sleeve:

--FOUR-HIT COMBO
He'll usually retaliate with this combo if he blocks your attacks. To
avoid getting hit, jump back FOUR times while still locked-on him to
evade the combo.

--DOWNWARD STRIKE
If you break Credo's guard, he'll fall back for a second. If Nero
doesn't attack him immediately after the guard break, Credo will slam
his sword down on Nero. It's a sneaky move, so jump back if you can't
counter from the guard break!

--CRESCENT FIRE SLASH
This also a retaliation attack where he jumps up and does a crescent
slash on the floor. Simply jump straight up or back to avoid getting
hit by this cheap attack.

--JOUST PROJECTILES
When AC zooms to the other side of the arena, he'll shout "Show me what
you got!" and start throwing large jousts at you. Use the Buster grab
to snatch the joust and throw it back at him (or evade if you miss).

Just like the battles with the other Knights, the main tactic is to
break Credo's guard by using the Streak on him. When he falls back from
the attack, immediately do a High Roller on him and then perform an
aerial combo and a mid-air Buster to knock him down.

Simply evade his attacks and then keep trying to break his guard and
using the Buster. Follow this tactic and you should be able to defeat
him WITHOUT using Devil Trigger. After the battle, Nero will receive
the AEGIS SHIELD. This item will allow Nero to use enemies as shields.

\ |_ _| __| __|_ _| _ \ \ |
|\/ | | \__ \\__ \ | ( | . |
_| _|___|____/____/___|\___/ _|\_|

__| _ \ \ | _ \ | __|__ __| __|
( ( | |\/ | __/ | _| | _|
\___|\___/ _| _|_| ____|___| _| ___|

=======================================================================
========================================================= ==============

+++ MISSION 9: FOR YOU +++

__ _______________________ _ __ ___
/ |/ / _/ __/ __/ _/ __ \/ |/ / / _ \
/ /|_/ // /_\ \_\ \_/ // /_/ / / \_, /
/_/ /_/___/___/___/___/\____/_/|_/ /___/

--MAIN OBJECTIVE: LOCATE THE CAPTIVE KYRIE!

++AREA: GRAN ALBUM BRIDGE

Enter the next area and destroy the furniture for some Red Orbs. Exit
out to the next bridge and prepare to meet a new enemy.

--NEW ENEMY: ALTO ANGELO
These guys are 'roided up versions of Bianco Angelo. Alto is
accompanied by two Knights and they have a new attack. The new attack
consists of them falling back and then rushing at you with their
jousts. Simply evade all three rush attacks and then defeat them the
same usual way: from behind.

Be careful of Alto Angelo though, because he likes to use charged-up
sword strikes which can be quite annoying if you aren't watching him.
Use a Buster on Alto Angelo to defeat him. Now enter the next building.

++AREA: GRAND HALL

--OBJECTIVE: FIND THE BLUE ORB FRAGMENT

There are a couple of things to find in the Grand Hall. To the right
side of the entrance is a hidden Devil Star S sitting in the corner. On
the left side of the hall is a blue Combat Adjusticator. Whack away at
it with some mixed combos until Nero receives a SMOKIN' rating to
unleash a Blue Orb Fragment!

Now that you've collected all the stuff, exit outside to trigger a
cutscene. From there, go back inside the Grand Hall and enter the newly
opened doorway (watch out for those lasers) and go upstairs.

++AREA: KEY CHAMBER

--OBJECTIVE: FIND THE KEY OF CRONUS

As soon as you enter, get ready! Alto Angelo and his crew make a
surprise ambush, so get to it! Eliminate Alto and the boys to unlock a
new item. Approach the altar and get the KEY OF CRONUS. This item
enables Nero to slow down time to a minimum when he activates a Chrono
Slicer in the area.

Exit the area by activating the Chrono Slicer and then carefully get
through the lasers and go upstairs.

++AREA: THE GAUNTLET

The Rusalka Corpse will start buzzing as you enter the Gauntlet. Stand
in the middle of the metal fence on the floor and a large gaggle of Red
Orbs will come flying down. Now approach the blue mechanism and
activate it to start the Gauntlet challenge.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

+++ THE GAUNTLET CHALLENGE +++

--FIRST FLOOR: SCARECROWS
Defeat the scarecrows to activate the elevator to the second floor. At
the top, you'll notice a Blue Orb Fragment. Ignore it for now and exit.
Use the Chrono Slicer and carefully maneuver your way to the next
elevator.

--SECOND FLOOR: FROSTS
Four Frosts will appear in this challenge, so bust out the hard combos
and eliminate them! On the next floor, use the Chrono Slicer and then
maneuver around the lasers to the next elevator.

--THIRD FLOOR: ASSAULTS
Eliminate the lizards in high style to complete the Gauntlet challenge.
If you were able to get through the whole thing with little damage,
then good for you!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Exit out and power up at the Divinity Statue because this next boss
battle will either be a breeze or a pain in the ass.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------- --------------

+++ BOSS BATTLE: ANGELO AGNUS +++

___ _______ ____ _______
/ | / ____/ | / / / / / ___/
/ /| |/ / __/ |/ / / / /\__ \
/ ___ / /_/ / /| / /_/ /___/ /
/_/ |_\____/_/ |_/\____//____/

Angelo Agnus is much tougher (and WAY cheaper) than Angelo Credo and
you'll see it when you get to this point in the game. Be sure to stock
up on lots of Vital Stars because this is gonna be a long battle. AA
uses some devastating moves:

--GLADIUS STRIKE
Agnus will summon a bunch of swords (just like the last time you fought
him) and throw them at you. Remember, grab the swords with the Grim
Grip and then use the Buster to throw them at him.

--CUTLASS STRIKE
Agnus summons two Cutlass fish and then starts swinging them at you.

--FIREBALL PROJECTILES
For this attack, Agnus will hurl fireballs at you. Yes, it's a super
lame attack, but you still have to roll away to avoid getting hit.

--SOUL SUCKER
He prepares for this attack by saying "Your power will be mine!" If you
can damage him before he initiates this attack, then he won't grab you.
If he DOES grab you, he absorbs about 10% of your health. CHEAP.

--SOUL ERASER ("TIME TO DIE!")
This is Agnus' most annoyingly cheapest attack. He turns green and then
uses an explosion of energy to suck a large amount of health out of
Nero. As soon as you see him do this, catapult towards him and then
smack him until he falls back or else you'll pay dearly.

Catapult up to Agnus and start wailing away with aerial combos. Evade
the attacks I mentioned above (including his face grab move) and keep
the pressure on him so that he doesn't use his cheap life-sucking
attacks. When he gets knocked out, grab him with the Buster to trigger
a cool grab move. Repeat until Agnus falls on his st-t-t-tuttering ass.

\ |_ _| __| __|_ _| _ \ \ |
|\/ | | \__ \\__ \ | ( | . |
_| _|___|____/____/___|\___/ _|\_|

__| _ \ \ | _ \ | __|__ __| __|
( ( | |\/ | __/ | _| | _|
\___|\___/ _| _|_| ____|___| _| ___|

=======================================================================
========================================================= ==============

+++ MISSION 10: WRAPPED IN GLORY +++

__ _______________________ _ __ ______
/ |/ / _/ __/ __/ _/ __ \/ |/ / < / _ \
/ /|_/ // /_\ \_\ \_/ // /_/ / / / / // /
/_/ /_/___/___/___/___/\____/_/|_/ /_/\___/

--MAIN OBJECTIVE: END THE AMBITIONS OF HIS HOLINESS

Exit Agnus' room and go back to the Gauntlet. Stock up on stuff from
the Divinity statue if you need to and enter the elevator to encounter
a new enemy!

--NEW ENEMY: FAUST
Faust is bigger version of the Mephisto and has some painful laser
swipes. Faust is usually accompanied by two Mephistos but defeating him
is still the same. Use mid-air Busters to punch him in the face. Keep
punching him until he reveals his true form and falls to the ground.
Wail away with hard combos until they all perish.

--OBJECTIVE: EXIT THE BUILDING

As soon as that's done, the elevator will descend to the second floor.
Use the Chrono Slicer and maneuver around the lasers to the next
elevator. Activate the blue mechanism to reveal the exit. Use the
Chrono Slicer to freeze the lasers and then jump down the newly
revealed exit to the bottom of the Gauntlet. DO NOT LEAVE THE AREA JUST
YET! There's Blue Orb fragment to retrieve.

--OBJECTIVE: FIND THE BLUE ORB FRAGMENT

After jumping down to the Gauntlet, approach the blue mechanism and
activate it to bring the elevator back down. Take the elevator to the
second floor and then use the Chrono Slicer to get into the next
elevator. Take the second elevator to the third floor.

After the elevator stops, jump down to the second floor and rotate the
camera to find a Blue Orb fragment floating near the elevator shaft.
Simply jump towards it to retrieve it. Now jump down and exit the area.

++AREA: KEY CHAMBER

Alto and his boys make ANOTHER surprise ambush. Use the Chrono Slicer
to slow down time and use it to defeat Alto (or just escape).

++AREA: GRAND HALL

Exit out of the Grand Hall to the newly revealed bridge. Cross the
bridge and enter the next building.

++AREA: SECURITY CORRIDOR

--OBJECTIVE: FIND THE SECRET MISSION

You got a ton of lasers that are moving and are at a set pattern. It's
almost similar to the laser puzzle from Resident Evil 4. Use the Chrono
Slicer and maneuver your way past the lasers. Jump over the ones that
are low and run under the ones that are high. Simple, right?

When you make it to the other side, the Rusalka Corpse will start
buzzing. Approach the wall near the Chrono Slicer to find a Secret
Mission door.