Chapter 1 - Suzaku under attack

Your characters start out with Life Bracelets, meaning they are bestowed with the Reraise status so game over is impossibe during this first mission. Keep in mind, however, that deaths still do affect the mission ranking. If it's the first time you play the game, it is recommended to enable the tutorials for the battles to come. The first objective is to find the Empire's Jammer that is blocking the Crystal's powers. Approach the gate and use Ace's Basic Attack to defeat the first Imperial Soldier. You can switch characters at any point, but it's up to you when to do it, unless this guide specifically recommends certain advantageous tactics. Upon defeating the soldier, collect the Phantoma it leaves behind; this recovers a small portion of your MP and deals a small dose of damage to any nearby targets (if there are any around - this time there won't be).

Continue and an Energy Wall will appear. This means you'll first have to defeat the enemies. In some other cases it can be necessary to gather Phantoma or defeating a specific enemy in order to continue. Lock on your enemies and defeat them with basic attacks. Locking on will also show your target's HP, allowing you to keep track of how many blows they can roughly sustain. Use the directional arrows left/right to swap between targets whenever multiple ones are available. Pressing down on the D-pad will automatically target the target closest to you, and pressing up targets the closest non-attackable target, like items or defeated enemies. The game also mentions the mechanics behind HP recovery: In order to (slowly) recover HP, stand still with your weapons lowered and no enemies nearby. In any case, defeat the two Imperial Soldiers and move on.

Note: A red icon appearing on targets when locked-on indicates they are vulnerable to an (instant death) Killsight attack. A yellow icon indicates a severe weakness, though no instant death; your attack will simply cause more damage than usual, a Breaksight attack. If you wish to switch characters, keep in mind this drains the Ability Bar somewhat. The Ability Bar can be charged by attacking enemies. Each character can furthermore use a unique ability (which also drains the bar).

Continue, defeat two more soldiers and proceed upstairs. Here, defeat the enemy leader to instantly end the battle. When you defeat enemy leaders, any surviving enemies will attempt to flee. They are marked with instant kill. If they fail to flee, surrender is their final option, which can net you items. Head up the stairs to the right to find a POTION, then approach the Healing Sigil. This cures all HP/MP/AP for all non-KO'd party members, but only has one usage. It doesn't really matter whether you use it in this mission or not.

Enter the next area and use magic if you like; holding down the button while magic-casting increases the spell's power. Defeat the soldiers and wait for a large ship to arrive. It obviously cannot be defeated at this time, so just run around a bit until it leaves. Go upstairs and search the ground nearby the fire for a MEMORY TAG. Head upstairs to find another Healing Sigil. Wait with using the device near the door and walk to the far right end of the area. Search the ground near the fense to find another MEMORY TAG. Head through the door to enter the next area.

An X-POTION can be found at the nearby barricade. Proceed over the walkway and defeat several Imperial Soldiers on the way. In the next area, use the Relic to save your game and - if you wish - re-adjust your equipment and tweak your abilities. You can find a MEMORY TAG on one of the dead soldiers nearby the stairs. Continue to the next area, defeat the soldiers and press the button on the platform to reach the other side of the open area. Here you'll face a somewhat tougher enemy, 2nd Ltn. Ernesto, which has a multi-colored life bar. Destroy it, then ride the elevator up to reach the cargo room of the flagship. Defeat the soldiers, walk through the Healing Sigil and enter the second cargo room. Make your way to the end, defeat 2nd. Ltn. van Dam and disable the Crystal Jammer. After this head back to the other side of the area to face several more Imperial Soldiers and Maj. Zurion. Defeating them will trigger a short scene.

Back outside, stay on the right side of the path and walk over one of the fallen containers to reach an ETHER. Continue to reach the square you were at earlier. When the Eidolon Bahamut flies away, look for a POTION where it was laying. Your Life Bracelets will have been shattered, so using the Relic to equip a new accessory is a good idea. Enter the next area when you're all set.

Search one of the nearby bodies for another MEMORY TAG, then approach the Nimrods and destroy them. Using Ace works fine, just dodge the missiles and regular machinegunfire. Be sure to snatch the HI-POTION upstairs. The door is locked, so continue down the path on the initial left side of the area. After the cutscene a boss battle ensues; the Eidolon Odin is automatically summoned.

Odin has several attacks, of which two basic offensive ones: Full Moon Slash (group slash) and Zantetsuken (chance of instant death). The longer you hold the button for Zantetsuken, the higher your chances of inflicting instant death. Leap is an evasive maneuver and Jinba Ittai closes the distance between Odin and its target. Dainsleif is fairly easily defeated by just repeatedly slashing it with Odin. The second phase of the fight requires you to combat it with your regular characters. Be sure to dodge the incoming rockets by noting the vague light coming from above; keep on the move during this time, continuously dodging sidewards. Keep on attacking Dainsleif regularly in the meantime and the fight should be won soon enough. You've now completed the first mission - congratulations!

Mission Completion Bonus: X-Potion