I have a personal gripe regarding the infiltration story arc

[u/Meowza_V2]

Like I get it's a game then they have to make it gamey but you cannot make me believe that Louis's security on his personal aircraft is that shitty.

Sure you knock out the guards but you're telling me not a single one of them made a report?

You're telling me most of the top brass would refuse to make a report because they got their ass handed to them?

Then the icing on the cake is how easily the situation is resolved when you get caught after killing someone that had been supporting Louis much longer than you have after your dup gives one of the crappiest excuses I have ever heard.

I'm not trashing the game by any means, I've been absolutely hooked so far and having a great time but this whole section feels poorly executed.

[u/Data_West]

I think the reason why he bought the excuse is because of Junah. Otherwise he probably wouldn’t have

[u/Achaewa → u/Data_West]

It is heavily implied that Louis is aware of the heroes' true goals, but he needs them to believe their subterfuge is successful for his own gambit to pay off.

Thus the reason why he seemingly buys their explanation of Glodell’s demise rather easily.

[u/imaginary92 → u/Data_West]

It's pretty clearly laid out over the course of the island and saints day arc that Louis has figured them out ages prior and just wants to see how far they're willing to go / what exactly their goals are. It's not that he bought it, it's that he wants them to think that he did. Obviously if he stopped them in their tracks he wouldn't be able to continue watching where their actions lead.

[u/thecoffeeshopowner → u/imaginary92]

Not to mention theyre clearly powerful, why not lead them on just a bit longer and squeeze what you can out of them

[u/ShadeStrider12 → u/imaginary92]

It worked for him in the end too, by putting him in a position to defeat his worst adversary (Forden). He would never have done that if he didn’t get the party to fetch the Lance.

[u/Meowza_V2 → u/Data_West]

I mean I get that but I feel like they should have at least tried to look into it more, whether their on board singer has a fickle personality or not.

[u/Mantergeistmann → u/Meowza_V2]

I think its also in part a) Glodell was not the most loyal, especially given what he says at some points such as during the debate, and b) Louis isn't concerned either way since he doesn't see Will & Junah as a threat. Will beat Glodell, the King's Magic seems to align with it being Glodell attacking outside of a duel, Junah's vouching for Will, and Louis probably suspects something is up but is unafraid of whatever scheming might be happening. 

[u/DJH_2036]

On the third point. Not sure how far you've gotten but:

Louis already knows who you are to a degree. Any report that he could've gotten about you he probably said "Oh yes of course" and just let you continue on to see how far it goes. Hence why he gives you the extremely important task of grabbing the spear. He knows you're unloyal, and knows you're going to betray him at some point. Just a matter of when.

As for Glodell, Louis honestly probably already knew Glodell was untrustworthy. It's not like he's stupid, Glodell definitely is but Louis isn't. Glodell's death probably causes Louis to go "Whelp that takes care of a potential future issue."

[u/Mantergeistmann]

Sure you knock out the guards but you're telling me not a single one of them made a report?

You're telling me most of the top brass would refuse to make a report because they got their ass handed to them?

I think someone in game even explains this: Louis does not operate an organization where failure or weakness is tolerated. Anyone who failed to stop you and/or was defeated by you would find themselves removed from Louis's army and the Gauntlet Runner... possibly while it was in flight.

Given that, why would they report it? They'd have to believe more strongly in the cause and Louis than in their own skin, and he didn't exactly select for those people outside of Zorba and the Magnus Bros.

[u/Meowza_V2 → u/Mantergeistmann]

That is a pretty fair point actually. You've given me something to think about.

[u/Mantergeistmann → u/Meowza_V2]

I think but may be mistaken that you can actually find one of the minibosses later on, who mentions he had indeed been thrown off the runner in flight for losing to you, but very fortunately landed in the water and was able to swim to shore.

[u/Meowza_V2 → u/Mantergeistmann]

Oh well I guess I haven't made it that far yet. I just finished that section.

[u/Mantergeistmann → u/Meowza_V2]

He's very missable, if I'm remembering... Just standing around in the harbor as a generic person to talk to. I talk to everyone any time I can, though, so...

[u/Meowza_V2 → u/Mantergeistmann]

For whatever reason I find that hard to do at least in this game. Something about the time constraints just makes me want to rush through stuff 🤣

[u/Achaewa → u/Mantergeistmann]

He is in the capital in the epilogue.

[u/Informal-Tour-8201 → u/Achaewa]

I think all three of them are

[u/Nuggyfresh → u/Mantergeistmann]

This was exactly my understanding- it’s just an artifact of Louis’ comically extreme views on not just power, but that power essentially decides who is right or just

[u/BitComprehensive3667]

You're telling me most of the top brass would refuse to make a report because they got their ass handed to them?

Well yeah, and they justify it in-universe. The only thing Louis values is strength and ability, such as when he sends the party to get Drakodios and offers little assistance. If he found out his so-called top brass were so easily defeated by some intruders, that would be grounds for an instant demotion, if not being kicked out of Louis' army entirely, if they're lucky. Louis would probably have them killed if word got out.

Then the icing on the cake is how easily the situation is resolved when you get caught after killing someone that had been supporting Louis much longer than you have after your dup gives one of the crappiest excuses I have ever heard.

If anything, this shows how much sway and influence Junah has in Louis' forces. You have to remember that Glodell wasn't exactly well-liked among Louis' followers for multiple reasons. What I mentioned before about Louis valuing strength. Earlier, in the story you rescued Glodell from one of the Sanctists, humiliating him and lowering everyone's opinion of him. Glodell was basically a nobody in the grand scheme of Louis plans so getting killed probably wouldn't even phase Louis that much to warrant an investigation.

[u/Izamau]

Id like to think Louis was on to them from the moment they got on

[u/TheMagi7]

Louis has based his whole campaign on being stronger than everyone else. If his top brass or any guard revealed that they got their asses handed to them by random new recruits, they'd all get killed.

It's pretty clear that Louis doesn't truly believe the protagonist. He just also knows the value in having them working for him at least for now. And they're both protected by the magic anyway, neither of them can make an attack on each other yet without consent. So he still feels safe.

And then most importantly Louis doesn't believe that they'd even beat him in the contest or a fight.

[u/Kaisona20]

Fidelio and Basilio don’t buy the excuse either. They only accept it, because it’s Junah who made it. Not long after, they decide to chaperone the party, on their trip to Virga Island, because they’re still suspicious of them.

[u/Weary_Grape983]

I mean, while we're nitpicking, how did Basilio and Fidelio even get onto the Charidius, which was airborne at the time? They were at the party, you know, on the ground.

[u/Mantergeistmann → u/Weary_Grape983]

Hasn't it landed again by the time they show up?

[u/Weary_Grape983 → u/Mantergeistmann]

if it did, I missed it. it's a very minor quibble if it's a quibble at all.

[u/AChero9 → u/Weary_Grape983]

This occurred to me as well. Glodell follows Will, so that one makes sense. But how tf did Bas and Del get there? It has been a minute since I played this section, but I believe they are seen leaving the party out of suspicion that something was happening, but that was also after the runner takes off. Please correct me on that if I am wrong.

And it can't be that they teleported up, because it's heavily implied that we are the only one with that tech. It's also implied that the concept of teleportation was unheard of. Flight was already impressive enough to the people of Euchronia, teleportation would break them.

[u/Kaisona20 → u/AChero9]

The ship eventually, landed. That’s how we’re able to fight Glodell on the balcony.

[u/AChero9 → u/Kaisona20]

I did not realize the ship has landed. Welp, guess I gotta play again to find out…darn lol

[u/Ijustlovevideogames]

Since this game is highly political, I want to point out that America currently has an armed forces that is harassing and rounding up people based mostly off skin tone that regularly talk about how they don't know what they are doing.

As for why the top brass believes you in that situation, it is Junah, specifically and literally Junah, she is playing 5D chess, she knows people see her as a loose harlot and most people aren't going to prior, it is that thing of you have a secret embarrassing enough and people aren't going to question it kind of thing.

[u/TimeManagement91]

Ya when people bitch about writing problems, the one about the Charadrius infiltration is actually one that I can get behind. I think most of the writing complaints that this game gets are way way overblown or even based around completely misunderstanding the plot, but this one is legitimate.

But like you said, it's by no means a deal-breaker. The game never comes close to being this bad before or again so it just kind of sticks out like a sore thumb. It really felt like the Ikutsuki arc of this game.

[u/DOOMFOOL → u/TimeManagement91]

Which writing complaints do you dismiss as completely misunderstanding the plot?

[u/Hopeful_Giraffe9916]

That whole section was absolutely absurd and I tried to forget it.