This test was done not only to show off the Essentia 2000's basic attack and put in comparison with the ones of the other party members but also for other three purposes:
1) To show how effective the basic attacks of this version, can be while taking advantage of their full potential through PERFECT HITS.
2) To put the result in comparison with the ones obtained while using the Beat Downs, which are the buffed versions of the basic attacks pre-1.25.
3) To take this chance to show the difficulty required to achieve a PERFECT HIT on NORMAL MODE in comparison to STORY MODE.

NOTE: PERFECT HITS inflict a major amount of damage and make recover 4 MP.

This test and the others were done on 1.25.2 at the recommended level while using the default combat system on every party member (Imbue Affinity ON & Deep Strike OFF).

The battle was done against the Flasher, a mini-boss that you're able to fight in the mid-late game that is well known to be a tanky mob. Perfect to test and understand how much effective the basic attacks are at their full potential in comparison to the Beat Downs. To achieve this, the difficulty was reduced by activating STORY MODE (Easy Mode). This mode reduces the HP of the enemies and makes the mini-games easier to inflict more damage and to have more chances to avoid/reduce it when attacked. This means that, in this video, I fought a less tanky version of the Flasher and that I managed to get more PERFECT HITS thanks to the easier mini-games. For the sake of the video, I also activated ASSIST MODE. which gives infinite Time Energy, to slow down the minigames and make my job to achieve more PERFECT HITS possible.

The tests involving the Beat Downs, are the following ones:
1) [ Ссылка ]
2) [ Ссылка ] (this is focused on Alex's and Essentia 2K'S where I don't limit myself as I did in the first example)
These were done while being on STORY MODE and while using ASSIST MODE as well. Even the weakest Beat Downs can inflict more damage of PERFECT HIT of a basic attack. If you watched the second example, It would be important to point out that Alex's Beat Down is exploitable in that way because of STORY MODE and ASSIST MODE activated at the same time. On NORMAL MODE, that Beat Down is more difficult and because of that, it's not that exploitable (more balanced as consequence).

The test to achieve PERFECT HITS on NORMAL MODE is the following one:
1) [ Ссылка ]
ASSIST MODE was used here as well. While using ASSIST MODE, they're a mixed bag here. It's enough easy to get them with some minigames like Alex's and Essentia 2k's; with others like Vella's, Chondra's, and Claudio's is possible, but they can be easily missed because of a pixel if you're not careful; and then, there is Michael's which is in the same boat like previous ones mentioned, but more difficult. And this is with the help of ASSIST MODE, which slows down the minigames. Trying to achieve that without it is way harder and a risk to make you waste time if you try to rely on them. It's more convenient to rely on the Beat Down on the matter.

PERFECT HITS, as also GOOD HITS, can be useful in the early game, when the mobs are weaker and when the MP is too low to use Beat Down constantly, but they become more useless through the game until they reach a final point like the one you could see in the battle against the Flasher. On NORMAL MODE, for example, facing the first dungeon and especially, the first actual boss the game, will make you understand that the Beat Downs are more reliable in terms of damage and convenience. STORY MODE can make this situation better, but even with this difficulty mode, you will end up relying on the Beat Downs at a certain point during the mid-game. If you start to get used to them from the very beginning, you're going to have a better experience in terms of combat through the game. The only exception is for Essentia 2K, most likely because the minigame associated with her Beat Down is the most difficult between the Beat Down's unless you have ASSIST MODE activated. It's also one of the longest, making the minigame of the basic attack, which is quicker, easier, and effective as much the Beat Down, more convenient to use in this case.

I would like to share also these two videos where I faced the first actual boss (Golden Alpaca) of the game to make you understand how relying on basic attacks and fighting without the Fast-Forward feature, can change the pace and the length of the battles. I want only to point out that I'm underleveled of 5 levels here, even though it's only important to take into consideration the difference of length between the two attempts.
1) [ Ссылка ]
2) [ Ссылка ]
If you want to see how much the battle would last at the recommended level in a normal condition, check this out: [ Ссылка ]

свернуть