Dive to the Heart

Choose Carefully

After the opening cutscene, you are left in control of Sora, the hero of our story. Step forward using the Left Analog Stick like the mysterious voice suggests. The voice offers you a series of of choices between a sword, a staff, and a shield. You must now choose one to keep and one to give up. Use the Circle Button to jump up onto the platforms and make your decisions using the X Button to confirm your selections. You can also use the Right Analog Stick to move the game’s camera.

Sora’s Starting Stats

The combination you choose will determine Sora’s starting stats, the order in which he will learn abilities through level-up, and which stats will be increased during level-up.

Battle Bravely

Once you’ve confirmed your choices, the darkness engulfs the platform and takes you to the next section of Dive to the Heart. Here, you’ll be given a brief battle tutorial. Use the X Button to attack foes while selecting the Attack Command from the Command Menu located at the bottom left corner of the screen. Once you’ve defeated one Shadow, the rest will disappear.

Now the Lock-on feature is explained. By pressing the R1 Button, you can toggle the Lock-on target. Several more Shadows will appear, but with the new Lock-on feature, defeating them should be easy.

Examine Closely

You’ll be transported to a new section of Dive to the Heart in which you’ll be introduced to the Triangle Command in the Command Menu. The Triangle Command will change depending on different situations throughout the game. At this point, it will primarily read Examine. It will also change to say Open when near a Treasure Chest.

Examine the transparent door at the back of the platform. You won’t be able to open it yet, but examining it will cause a Treasure Chest to appear nearby. Walk up to it and select the Open Command to open the Treasure Chest. Another part of the door will become solid and a box will appear. You can push it toward the door by walking toward it. You can also break it open using the Attack Command in the Command Menu. When you break it open, a Potion will fall out and a barrel will appear in the distance.

A new piece of the Lock-on feature is explained at this point. While locked on, you can press the L2 Button and R2 Button to switch between targets on the field. Lock-on to the door, then switch your target to the barrel. Destroy the barrel to complete the door, and then examine it again.

Plan Accordingly

On the other side of the door, you’ll encounter Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie, three inhabitants of the Destiny Islands. Each of them has a question for you and a series of answers available to choose. The answers you give will determine how quickly Sora will level up during the game. But don’t get too hasty, because your answers will also determine how quickly your enemies become stronger.

You’ll notice that when Sora approaches a person, a Triangle Command appears with the Talk Command in the Command Menu. Use this command to speak with people throughout the game.

Questions & Pacing

The lists below explain which answers result in which leveling pace. We selected a medium pace, which is a good pace to go at for beginners, but again, you should choose the speed that you think would best suit you.

Fight Fiercely

Once you’ve made your decisions, you’ll be brought back to Dive to the Heart for another brief battle. Once you defeat the Shadows that appear, a light will shine down from above, revealing a Save Point. Save Points allow you to save your progress, and also fully restore your HP and MP. It is important to save your game frequently, so it’s a good idea to save every time you locate a Save Point.

A set of stairs leading up to a far off platform will also be revealed. After you have saved your game, proceed up the stairs and walk into the center of the platform.

Boss: Darkside

HP: 240 / EXP: 18

Darkside is a fairly simple boss, seeing as he is the first boss in the entire game. His size is intimidating enough, but that’s really the only intimidating thing about him. His attacks are rare and few in between, and if you do happen to get hit by one, the damage is minimal. That does not mean that you should get careless when fighting him.

Darkside’s primary attack involves slamming his fist into the ground, creating a dark portal through which more of the enemies you fought before can appear. Your primary target throughout the battle should be Darkside’s hand, although it’s a good idea to switch targets to the Shadows he summons whenever the hand rises out of reach. The Shadows, when defeated, drop HP Orbs, which are always a useful thing to have.

Darkside uses another attack periodically in which he launches energy beams from the heart-shaped hole in his chest. These beams are probably the most devastating attack that Darkside uses, but they’re pretty simple to dodge and even if you do get hit, the amount of damage they do is not overwhelming. You can even try to time your attacks correctly to strike at one of the beams before it hits you, earning you a few extra Tech Points.

Continue to Destiny Islands >