Real time is 2:53:31 from new game to final hit on Shuyin. I forgot to do the final save but my chat and I discovered with previous attempts that the ingame timer is not accurate with new game plus. When I got a new PB earlier this month real time 2:55:05, my final save was 3:10 which struck me as odd. My old PB/WR real time was 2:56:43 and final save was 3:10. It didn't make sense to me or the chat. I mentioned that Jisaku (previous WR holder) real time was 2:54:02 and final save was 3:08. Shouldn't my new PB final save file be a 3:09 instead of 3:10? It wouldn't be fair to deny a run, were the game time there, that was faster in real time but potentially on par or a minute slower in game if the game timer were to still be used with new game plus.

I've been working on this game for about two years. I picked it up right after AGDQ 2012. The route certainly went through some drastic changes over time. It went from using the Alchemist mix ability (which was a terrible idea), to using items, to using items and catnip, and ultimately using five Iron Dukes.

Originally I had the world record back in September 2012 but the run was rejected due to poor video quality. That was my own fault. So I struggled with getting a recorded run before the bounty ran up. Unfortunately I didn't get a recorded run and the bounty expired.

New Years Eve 2012, I learned that there was another new game plus runner. Jisaku. My nemesis for about a year and a half. The man who used five Iron Dukes. The man who had the world record by two minutes. Needless to say, I didn't like him. He had no desire to submit his run. That's fine but at the time, I was burning with anger. Women, got to watch out for them.

I was not keen on the Iron Duke strategy but I knew it worked. Eventually I stopped being hardheaded and got to work. I once tried a three Iron Duke strat. Failed. I started routing a four Iron Duke strat. Didn't even try a full run and decided to go get the fifth one.

I was never able to finish watching Jisaku's run because Twitch didn't load the video all the way. So I had to bullcrap my way through. I was doing well but some parts of the run didn't go well. Luckily Goran360, a new game X-2 runner, came in and helped out.

He said to use Dark Knights for Rikku and Paine. Originally I thought it was a stupid idea but it worked since Lady Luck was doing way too much damage to Yuna because I learned their Critical ability in a previous playthrough. He also helped with the equipment for the girls.

So all in all, this new game plus run is filled with Jisaku's strats and Goran360's suggestions. Thanks to both.

Overall, this run can be improved but as of right now, I am satisfied and I'll come back to it later. Once I get Real Emotion out of my head...