RemiLore: Now we're talking (and loving it)

So, this is one of those games; one of those games in which the first playthrough is the hardest and the most tedious by far, and exists solely to pave the way for further and more pleasant ones. RemiLore suddenly became oodles of fun after the credits rolled for the first time, and I've been on a roll (indeed) ever since. My first run was seven hours long, and full to the brim with untimely deaths; the half-dozen runs I polished off after that, on the other hand, never lasted more than one hour and didn't see me kick the bucket once. Talk about a serious change of fortune!

Of course, this is totally due to the many New Game + playing options, which allow the diligent player to toggle difficulty at will. After struggling like crazy during my first run, I wanted to have an easy ride, i.e. what I signed for in the first place; and lucky me, I finally got it thanks to the awesome Custom Load option, which lets you choose the weapon and Ultimate Spell of your choice and change them at any moment. I settled for Remi's Golden Broom, i.e. the most powerful weapon in the whole game, and the Flame spell, i.e. the best way to wipe a room clean in a matter of seconds. I conveniently switch to Bullet Onslaught for boss fights, just to be able to deal damage from a distance. I know that's cheap, but I just love it.

My vision — and experience — of RemiLore radically improved after I finished it; and had I known what I know now, I would probably had played my first run differently and spared myself a lot of hassle. And because I'm really just a kind soul, I'm gonna give you my personal advice for a comfortable first run, dear fellow gamers:

— Avoid what I dubbed 'Unreliable Random Rolls' like the plague. They look like floating papers, and they'll randomly grant you upgrades as readily as downgrades. You should avoid them entirely during your first run, because you cannot alleviate the bad consequences of downgrades during said first run. After I got an excellent weapon/Ultimate Spell switched to a lamer one and my MP and HP reduced a couple of times, I learnt my lesson. Painfully.

— Stick to a weapon that grants improved critical rate if you can: it really makes a HUGE difference on the battlefield. Also, stick to the three main offensive Ultimate Spells, namely Flame, Bullet Onslaught and Spiral Onslaught: they'll come in handy both during regular fights and boss fights.

— Your faithful book Lore shoots self-aiming bullets at regular intervals; that ability can be used to deal damage to bosses while taking the time to study their attack patterns. In fact, it can even be used to eliminate them entirely: I managed to finish off one boss that way, running and dashing around it while Lore did his thing. Perfect when your HP bar is nearly depleted.

— Dashing can be a lifesaver — literally. I usually charge like a bull and don't bother parrying or dodging in ARPGs; but this time, I used the B button like my life depended on it — which was actually the case. You just won't make it through that game in one piece if you don't Dash; so better get used to it right away. 

Overall, just keep in mind that your main goal during the first run is to make it alive. Fun will come afterwards! Once you get through the hassle of the first run, RemiLore becomes the perfect game for a gaming quickie, offering pint-sized yet fulfilling playthroughs. Such games are painfully rare these days, so I'll definitely cherish RemiLore — and hold onto my save data like my life depends on it!