Alright, I'm sure somebody has covered the entire game, (which, if you need a guide for, i don't know what to do for you, since the author makes the way to get to the end of each level blatantly obvious) so that is why i will only cover the bosses (and yes, for any of you that have noticed, I am the same guy who had problems w/ stage 6 of AWW1, but I think we all know that that demon fight is INSANELY hard). One thing that players who have completed the game on the lower difficulties may notice in hard mode boss fights is that you can't be nearly as aggressive as you were in the lower modes. Being too aggressive will lead to a lot of frustration and presses of the replay button, and finesse is the key to hard level fights. Remember, my friends, the all-important tale of the tortoise and the hare....
Quema Tormenta Boss 1, found in Stage 1: "Escape"
Environmental Hazards/Traps/Difficulties: Nothing that can harm Vandheere, but it is, at times, difficult to get the room to maneuver.
Layout of Arena: Pretty dull, just a large, open square.
Beginning of Fight: a dialogue scene between Vandheere and Quema that takes place to the far left.
General Information/Attack Pattern: Quema will use huge explosions to harm Vandheere. You can tell when these explosions are about to occur when the ground underneath Vandheere begins to glow red, and when Quema begins to raise his arm slowly. He is invulnerable to attacks during this series explosions, and if you try to hit him, he will create 2 explosions in rapid succession, which are every hard to dodge. After about 7 or 8 of these, he will charge up a large, red, glowing ball of energy, which does big damage if it connects. Glowing red rigs taht contract into Quema signal that he is about to fire this projectile, and only a charged jump will clear it.
Recommended Weapon: N/A (only Original Longsword available)
Reward: Blade of Water
Easy as pie, even on hard. As in the other difficulty levels, you will have to dodge the huge explosions of fire shooting up from the ground by running to either the left or right (preferrably which ever will afford more room). To dodge these easily, look at Quema's arms. When he is about to create an explosion, he will slowly raise his arm. That is your que to get out of the way, as stated above. Quema will use about 7 or 8 (not sure of the exact number, if somebody will tell me I will edit) of these explosions, and then fire a massive, red, glowing energy ball across the bottom of the screen. You know he will fire this ball when a large, glowing red ring appears surrounding him and quickli contracts into him, followed by two more, each smaller than the previous. Once you see the first ring, begin to charge a jump. Once he fires, jump, and move towards Quema in the process. Quema will fall to the ground, exhausted from the strain the fire-wielding has put on his body. Hold down z, which is the punch attack combo button, and if all goes as planned, you should take about 1/3 of his life away. Soon, he will again become invulnerable to attacks, and will force you away from him with a wave of red energy. You don't need to dodge this though, because it doesn't hurt Vandheere, and merely forces him backward. With the loss of health, there will be no change in Quema's attack pattern, and all you need to do is repeat the above stated twice more to finish him off. Get through the last dialogue scene, and to Blackmist with him!
Vindstot* Boss 2, found in Stage 2: "Gusty Valley"
Environmental Hazards/Traps/Difficulties: It can be slightly troublesome to get from the floor to the platform where Vindstot is
in the first half of the fight.
Layout of Arena: In the first half of the fight, there is a central platform that holds Vindstot. It is high in the air, and to get to it you will need to strike swicthes placed on the sides of two trapdoors at the bottom of the arena, which will blow Vandheere up to the platform with a powerful updraft. In the second half of the fight, you are on a large platform, with spikes below on the left and right sides of the platform.
Beginning of fight: The fight is initiated with a dialogue scene between Vandheere and Vindstot on the floating platform.
General Information/Attack Pattern: This fight is divided into two halves, for each you will have to utterly deplete Vindstot's life bar. In the first half, Vindstot will hover over the platform in the center of the arena, hurling wind projectiles at you that have the ability to pass through floors, ceilings and walls. After enough projectiles are thrown, whe will become exhausted and fall onto the platform. This is the only time Vindstot is vulnerable to attacks in the first half of the fight, and it is your signal to wail on her. Soon, though, she will charge up a wave of energy that will both injure Vandheere for about 1/5 of his life bar and knock him off the platform. If you see the telltale beige rings contracting and expanding near her, get off the platform. After this, she will resume hurling wind projectiles. You will notice that as her life decreases, the number of and rate at which the wind projectiles are thrown will increase dramatically, making it almost impossible to dodge all of them. In the second half, you are on platform, and Vindstot will draw the Blade of Wind, signaling the introduction of melee in her attack pattern. Vindstot will walk towards you slowly, and if she gets close enough, she will initiate a devastating 4-hit melee combo (which can be countered after the 1st strike) that takes about 4/5's of Vandheere's life bar and sends him flying, which can be a problem in a location with spikes below on the left and right sides of the platform. After enough time has elapsed, Vindstot will throw a tornadoe that will blow Vandheere off the edge of the platform and into the spikes if it is not jumped. Your jump will need to be charged to clear the tornadoe. If Vindstot is damaged quickly enough after firing the tornadoe, she will fire a second one, making it nearly impossible to clear both. Directly after the tornadoe, she will teleport back to the center of the platform. Vindstot is vulnerable to attacks at any point in this half of the fight. If you knock her off the edge, she will unleash a damaging wave of beige energy like the one from the first half of the fight and teleport back to the center of the platform. Once she teleports back to the center of the arena, she will resume walking towards Vandheere slowly.
Recommended Weapon: Blade of Water
Reward Weapon: Blade of Wind
Recommended Strategy: I would strongly recommend bringing the Blade of Water to this fight, because its special will make the first half of the fight a breeze. In fact, you don't need to dodge a single one of those wind discs Vindstot throws if you execute correctly. I would recommend staying on that little floating platform Vindstot hovers above. Even if each and every one of the first series of wind discs hits Vandheere, it won't kill him (and luckily for you, your health and energy are completely replenished for the second half of the fight). That's not to say it wouldn't be a good idea to try to dodge some of the discs. If you wish to do so, i would recommend standing at the end of the ledge, back facing Vindstot (there's a glitch in the game where Vindstot's discs will actually pull Vandheere to Vindstot if his back is facing her), and charging up a jump. As soon as she throws one disc, jump straight up, and attack to gain more height at the peak of your jump. She will most likely throw another disc that will soar just over Vandheere's head about 2/3's of the way down. Once you hit the ground, charge your next jump and repeat the process. If you manage to stay on the ledge until Vindstot becomes exhausted and falls onto the ledge, move as close as possible and use the Blade of Water special. This will take about 3/5's of Vindstot's life bar (if she is damaged by all 3 jets of water). Then, keep pounding away with the punch combo. If you execute correctly, this will have taken her entire life bar and started the 2nd half of the fight. If you failed, she will perform the attacks mentioned above, and you will need to dodge the wind projectiles and wait for your opportunity to get back on the platform and finish her off. For the second half of the fight, i recommend keeping your distance and whittling her down with energy projectiles (s key). Never throw more than five between tornadoes, however, lest you trigger the glitch mentioned above. Wait for each projectile to strike Vindstot before firing the next. Then, charge up a jump to clear the tornadoe she will fire. If you feel you are skilled enough, you may want to try to add a melee combo to prolong her advance and get a little extra damage in, but sticking with projectiles is your safest bet. Once you have defeated her, skip through the last dialogue scene and send Vindstot back from whence she came!
Smoking Martillo Boss 3, found in Stage 3: "Fuego Mountain"
Environmental Hazards/Traps/Difficulties: Space is not a problem here, but should you fall off the edge of the platform, be prepared for a cannonball into lava.
Layout of Arena: Pretty straightforward, large, wide platform over a boiling pit of lava.
Beginning of Fight: again, a dialogue scene.
General Information/Attack Pattern: I defeated Smoking Martillo before he stopped using the first component of his attack pattern, which was to teleport in a puff of smoke to where you are and begin attacking immediately. The elapsed time between his disappearance and reappearance is about 1.5 seconds. He will teleport to the side of you that is nearer to the point he teleported from, so face that point when he teleports. I will get back to him now that I have beaten the game and learn the rest of his attack pattern, but for now, this is all I can post.
Recommended Weapon: Original Longsword
Reward Weapon: Blade of Fire
Recommended Strategy: Wait for him to teleport. When he does, take note of the amount of time between disappearance and reappearance, and use that knowledge to your advantage. Quickly break his combo with attacks of your own, preferrabbly a sword or punch combo, and then wait for him to teleport. Now that you know the amount of time ti takes for Smoking Martillo to teleport, attack about when he should reappear, and deal out a combo. Reapeat this until he is defeated.
I will add the last 2 bosses later, but right now i need a break...
