I've gotten 100% for Story Mode. It was awesome, and tons of questions remain. So here are a few of my thoughts on some of the choice arcs:
If you haven't finished it yet, do not read the remainder of this post.
(spoilers below)
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- Overall, I think my favorite arc was Tao's. Her alternate ending was a bit melancholy with Torakaka rescuing her and her crying on Tora's back about how weak she is before falling asleep. In her true ending, she still couldn't beat Hazama, but her giving it her all resulted in the same conclusion. It put a heavy-hearted twist on the normally hyper Tao, and like Tora mentioned, she was still very much a kitten. She's got some growing up to do. Her Help Me! Professor Kokonoe episode was probably one of the funniest.
- I think the biggest surprise for me was Carl's. I expected more of the same from CT, with him being brainwashed and controlled by Nirvana, being pathetic and getting his ass kicked everywhere. Which still happened, but there was a big twist to the whole thing. Carl knew the whole time, but he also wasn't entirely wrong. Nirvana is still a Nox Nyctores, but it seems that his sister Ada was turned into the doll or at the absolute least powers Nirvana. Worse, Carl's father built off that "success" and turned Carl's mother into another one! The arc gave a lot of insight to why Nirvana is so protective of Carl. It seemed less that Nirvana was using Carl for her own ends and more than she was a big sister to him. I expect him to play a much bigger role if there is another sequel coming.
- The Tsubaki and Hakumen arcs were touching. Noel and Tsubaki are super bestest friends, but there was a good deal of raw emotion from Tsubaki. She got used and abused, cast aside and forced to keep going. The part where Hakumen connected with Tsubaki in the park, her at first getting all fangirl and finishing with him touching her for the first time in a really long while was nicely done. It wasn't too sappy, and it didn't feel like it came out of nowhere thanks the preceding arcs.
- As for the True Ending and overall story, I was amused that Litchi has turned "evil," but there were just a ton of questions at the end of this game. Bang's ending had Trinity telling him that he will get (or already has a Nox Nyctores and will be the one who breaks this world open). That is a big shift from Ranga/Noel/Jin who usually fill that role. He's been comedy relief most of the time.
There is also the reappearance of Nine (the sorceress and one of the Six Heroes) on the side of Hazama and Carl's evil father. They call her a phantom, but she's the only one besides maybe Rachel who has use of magic, and even then Rachel and Jubei have said they are no match for her "real sorcery." That leaves only Kokonoe as someone who can counter Nine. She's the daughter of Nine and Jubei, and it was mentioned in at least two arcs that she can use magic, but has abandoned it for science. I'm really curious why she abandoned her magical abilities, and what she intends to do with the huge stockpile of nuclear warheads. Kokonoe gets slandered by the other characters for running and hiding in her bunker and not using all of her talents.
Speaking of Sector Seven, how the hell did Makoto become their mole in the Library? That came out of nowhere with Tager's arc.
I guess the last comment would be about the Imperator herself. Ragna called her Saya, but he's done the same for Nu/Lambda and Noel too. Is the Imperator the real Saya, or just one more clone of her. I guess I would have to lean toward her being the real one with Jin commenting that she was the one who gave him the sword that until just recently drove him completely mad.
All in all, interesting stuff, and far more questions than answers this time around.
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(end spoilers)