Yes, PicoDevimon, I’m back already. This time around, with the heroic tale of how I defeated the terrible Vamdemon, and liberated the captured Chosen. Also, I finally learned how to use my items during battle so basically everything is easier now. Turns out I only needed to select a square during the battle where none of my digimon were located.

Now that I gained a couple new allies, first thing I did was try them out in the side dungeons, to see what variable moves I could get. Piyomon enables me to learn “Birdramon” and “Garudamon”, moves that are super-effective against sky-based opponents, while Patamon enables “Angemon” and “HolyAngemon”, which are super-effective against the far more niche dark digimon. Still, since the main bosses of the game are almost all Dark, I kept him in my team.

I also cleared two dungeons using only baby levels, since I heard from the town gossip that the baby levels could learn healing-type moves, but I got none.

As can be seen here, Vamdemon is a bit more stylish than either Devimon (who’s basically hanging out in a tree stump) or Etemon (who has a solid rock fortress, far more utilitarian). Still a downgrade from his castle in the anime, but I guess he’s no longer top-dog. He’s not even second-best-dog.

My team this time around is two V-dramon and Takeru’s Patamon. While the V-dramon are powerful and have more life-points than any other digimon in my team, their reduced mobility and lack of options in Variable moves make me believe this’ll be the last time I’ll use them, and that I should change them for other, more versatile digimon. Still, they’ve been very useful while they lasted.

Vamdemon’s forces are mostly Nightmare Soldiers, Deep Savers and Metal Empire, including ToyAgumon, who has a hilarious defensive animation pictured above. Never let it be said that the developers of the Ryo games didn’t have a sense of humor.

It’s around 4 rounds now, which I would have lost were it not for finally figuring out how to use my healing items in battle.

Vamdemon’s appearence is a bit more dramatic than Devimon’s or Etemon’s, since he only appears after giving his welcoming speech. It’s interesting to see him so clearly subservient to another digimon, considering this is the same mon that stood up to a Great Demon Lord (well, an individual of the same species) in Adventure 02 without the slightest hint of fear.

And, showing once again their sense of humor, Vamdemon’s Variable Move is MarineAngemon, of all digimon. It’s a lethal joke because this guy stuns your digimon (one of the more useful moves in any game), but still.

I defeat Vamdemon and rescue the next batch of Chosen Children!… and for some reason Hikari is in her PJs. I guess bedtime is more strictly enforced in the Yagami household than in the Takaishi one, for a variety of possible reasons. Anyway, Yamato and Jou thank us (Jou in particular saying he thought they were done for), once again calling Ryo by his name. I’m assuming PicoDevimon has been babbling around, because otherwise I have no idea how this group or the previous one knew that.

Unlike every other Chosen Child up to now, Hikari is not smiling. Her cheeks are flushed, which along with her clothes seem to imply that the developers took her design from episode 21 for some reason. In-universe, though, it seems as if she’s sick once again. She begs us to save Taichi, after which Agumon reassures her that they’re sure to win. Agumon is also the one to ask the other digimon to join the party. Once again, I can’t help but feel that this is Agumon’s story more than Ryo’s, showing him as a leader to rely on when Taichi is gone. Perfectly in line with how he acted towards BlackWargreymon in 02.

Afterwards, a bridge appears to another location, and PicoDevimon panics and goes to report to Piedmon. I guess he’s moved up in the world of evil if he’s now reporting to an Ultimate-level rather than a Perfect-level.

In case you’re wondering, the digimon I got as rewards for clearing this dungeon were a Choromon and a ToyAgumon. Not the most powerful digimon around, but I love mechanical digimon so I’m fine with that.

Next time around, I’ll be facing Piedmon. See you soon!