Close Encounter of the Third Kind

What's the difference between a melonpan and a pineapple bun?

As I’ve said before, this guide will only highlight the more difficult parts of the game. Nevermind I guess I’ll write a complete walkthrough. Having said that, here are some general tips to follow for any RPG:

• Pick up all items on the ground (the sparkly things)
• Talk to all NPC’s you encounter
• Save often, especially right before the parts with loops (good thing they have a load option in the menu)

Just by going with these rules you can probably go through most of the game without a guide. Apparently the game is MUCH shorter if you know where to go (took me 20~ hours on the first playthrough due to hours of wandering around). On another note, the names of the items are kept in Japanese because it would take me awhile to think of a proper English translation for some of them and it’s probably easier to just recognize the moonrunes. 

Chapter 1

• From start point, head right to the next area and enter the building on the bottom right of the pool.  Pick up the [灰色のカードキー] and return to the air raid shelter left of the school.
• Use the elevator on the left to get to B1. Enter the room on the top right and pick up the [黒いカードキー]. There’s a [傷薬] in the room on the bottom left. Go in the pipe from that room to access the room on the bottom right. There’s a [攻の実] and a [小麦] in there. Take the elevator on the right to get to B2.
• Go in the upper right room and enter the duct to the room on the upper left. Defeat the 2 Black Suits and pick up the [バルブ]. Before you leave pick up the [蜂蜜菓子] in the bottom room second from the left. Take the right elevator to head back to 1F. Head back to the room beside the pool.
• Save and exit for a boss battle against Fake Enomoto. Not too hard, just block when he’s using a gun and dash when he’s using a grenade or his special.

Note to self: pause when trying to take screenshots in battle

Chapter 2

• Head right and toggle the switch at the end. There’s a [蜂蜜菓子] in the room next to it. The room next to that contains a barrel with an [お酒] , and further left is a room with a healing point. The room across from the healing point contains an [毒用予防薬]. Head north to the next area.
• In front of the waterfall on the left is a [混乱用予防薬]. Toggle the switch on the right and head back in the previous area.
• Go into the room on the far left with 3 switches inside. Fiddle around with them until you get them all in the same direction. Go outside the room and toggle the switch on the left. Head south into the next area.
• The left or right stairs lead to a [気付け薬]. Go down the middle stairs, turn left and talk to the man blocking the door. Give him the [お酒] and he will move out of the way. Follow the path north for a [小麦] at the dead end. Head back and take the right path to the next area.
• Follow the path and enter the door under the left waterfall. Heal/save and exit the room. Pick up the [防の実] and toggle the switch in the right room. Head north for a boss battle against Fake Shizu.
• If you come back to this world later, you can pick up the [作品集　あ行] from the room across from the room with the alcohol barrel. These are needed to complete the Dengeki Encyclopedia, which will net you the Kasugai Kizuna card.

Chapter 3

•  Pick up the [蜂蜜菓子] and [傷薬] on the right half of the map, then proceed right to the next area.
• The way is blocked, so return to the starting point and talk to the security robot to recieve a [サイフ] and a [警備員の証明証]. Head back to the bridge and cross to the other side.
• Pick up the [気付け薬] north of the healing point, then keep on heading right until you get repelled by the barrier. You’ll need to find the 3 tailsman to disable it.
• First one is next to the healing point you just passed. Second is in the middle of the bridge. Third is north of the first healing point. Go back to the barrier and keep on heading right for a [攻の実].
• Cross the street and deactivate the 4th tailsman. Heal/save and cross the street again for a boss battle against Fake Stiyl Magnus. He hits pretty hard and can probably KO your characters in 4-5 hits if you’re not careful.
• Come back to this world to pick up the [作品集 か行], [蜂蜜菓子], and [ロッドメイス] behind the buildings north of where you fought Stiyl. You’ll need to talk to the person in the top right corner of the map to recieve the [作品集 か行].

Chapter 4

• You’ll be able to use cards now. Go to the cafeteria to buy cards from Horo and fuse some. Talk to Kasugai when you’re ready to go to the next world.
•  Keep on walking north until you’re transported to Nogizaka’s house. There’s a [リセット・ワールド] card on the top left corner of this area. Take the right route to the next area.
• Pick up the [狼と香辛料] card in front of you and continue north to the next area.
• There’s a [蜂蜜菓子] in this area. Enter the house.
• 1st floor: head left for a [蜂蜜菓子] at a dead end. Go back to the main hall and head right to the next area. Follow the corridor until the first intersection. There’s a [蜂蜜菓子] on the right dead end. Continue going north to the next branching path. Pick up the [小麦] and head up the stairs.
• Pick up the [生命の輝石] card to your right and go south for a [傷薬] at a dead end. Continue south back to the main hall 2F. There’s a [小麦] on the left dead end. Go left and up the stairs to the balcony. There’s a [ラヴェル作曲　水の戯れ]. Go back down and continue north until you reach Haruka’s room. Pick up the [はにかみトライアングルBGM集] inside.
• Go back down the eastern stairs and go in the courtyard. Grab the [作品集　さ行] and [超絶技巧練習曲集] and give the 3 musical scores to the maid outside Haruka’s room. You will recieve the [学園のカギ] automatically.
• Head to the front gates to go back to the school. Remember to heal/save before as you will be pitted in a boss battle against Guard Captain.

Chapter 5

• Head left to be transported to one of the most annoying dungeons in the game, Rurunerugu.
• Only one of the levers will take you to the next level. The rest will cause your HP to decrease or transport you back to a earlier level.
• From start point, go right, then down, then left. Pull the lever at the end to get to 2F.
• Follow the path and take the left path at the split. Pull the right lever for a [嘘つきみーくんと壊れたまーちゃん]. Head back to the split, take the right path and pull the left lever to get to 3F.
• Head north at the intersection and pull the right lever for a [高級傷薬]. Head south and toggle the switch at the end. Go back to the intersection, turn right and toggle the switch at the end to recieve a [精神の実]. Head south back at the intersection and pull the 2nd lever on the right hand side to get to 4F.
• Head south and go in the 2nd pipe. Pull the lever below it to get to 5F.
• Go north at the intersection and pull the lever in the first room connected by the pipe to unlock the switch at 4F. Go right at the previous intersection and pull the lever at the end to go back to 4F. Head south from the switch to 5F and toggle the switch to collect the [作品集　た行]. Head back to 5F. Go south at the intersection and go in the pipe on the left. Pull the top then the bottom lever in the room to get a [体力の実]. Go in the right pipe and pull the bottom lever to get to 6F.
• Head south to get a [高級傷薬]. Go into the pipe, head south, and toggle the switch. Continue right and pull the left lever to get to 7F.
• Saving here is a must, as one wrong step will take you back to 1F. Each lever is labelled with a moonrune. Pull them in this order: エ ス カ リ ホ ル グ to teleport back to the school.
• Heal/save and proceed left for a boss battle against Sabato.

Chapter 6

• Search the apartment for a [高級傷薬], [封印用予防薬], and a [しにがみのバラッド]. Leave the apartment for a battle. Follow the path and you will be automatically transported to 3F.
• Head towards the apartment while avoiding the dark patches (decreases 50HP from your party). Pick up the [高級傷薬] and [封印用予防薬] along the way and enter the room.
• Pull the lever 2nd from the left to open the shutters to 4F. Head back and go up the stairs.
• Head towards the apartment area and pull the lever 2nd from the right this time. Avoid the cracks in the ground which will drop you back to 3F. Pick up the [作品集　な行] and [小麦] along the way. Head to 5F.
• Follow the corridor and pull the 2nd lever on the left. Enter the room and pull the leftmost lever. Head down to the basement.
• Pick up the [攻の実], [防の実], [封印用予防薬], and [混乱用予防薬]. Head back to 1F. Pick up the [封印用予防薬] and [高級傷薬] in front of the apartment. Go to the main entrance (with the white runes).
• Save before you proceed, as one wrong step will drop you to the basement. I’ve outlined the route here:

• Head outside. Heal/save and proceed right for a boss battle against Fake Kushieda Minori.

Well that’s it for now. Unexpectedly this took awhile as I’m playing through the game while writing the guide to make sure the facts are correct. Look forward to Part II!

Result of trying to capture the moment of the boss' special attack

Intro: A Certain Inefficient Method of Reading Moonrunes