Chapter 2-6: Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth

As you carry along down this corridor – hopefully with your Freeze Ghoulies! Soup Tin still intact – you should manage to spot another 1881 barrel at the end of the row with a collection bucket underneath it. Crack it open rather quickly and you’ll find three unfavorable Soup Tins along with a Shocker Blocker! Super Soup with the most important element following suit; a single Glowing Spider that harbors the Ghouly Key inside of him. While this Ghouly is still frozen in his tracks, take him out and the key will be exposed once he’s defeated. Without the Freeze Ghoulies! Soup Tin this Spider can lead you around the Cellar as your time grows thin, leaving you to vulnerable for a hit from a Ghouly and ultimately a touch from the Reaper. Just as your Freeze Ghoulies! Soup Tin starts to wear thin, avoid the negative Soups and grab the Shocker Blocker! Soup Tin. While the Skeleton wielding the Book is likely on your tail, take care of him efficiently and then head to the now-open Challenge Door.

As you approach the door your Shocker Blocker! Soup Tin will jump in to protect you against the Super Scary Shock waiting inside. Sit back and wait for the Challenge to solve and then get ready to increase your Ghoulies Defeated score, because we’re not finished just yet. Taking note of the One-Hit Wonder! Soup Tin to the left, ignore it for now and begin touring the Cellar and cracking open every 1881 barrel in a clockwise motion. Once you’ve managed that, rush back to the open Challenge Door and you’ll spot a collection of bottles atop a crate to the right. Grab the bottles and work your way to the One-Hit Wonder! Soup Tin referred to above. Once you turn around you should manage to confront all of the Ghoulies with a killer bottle like you’ve done to the Haunted Door the last time we were down here. Branch off to other objects once you’ve depleted your supply of bottles until all of the Ghoulies are defeated, then work your way back through the Challenge Door to the Archives.

CONCOCTION TO A CURE?

Jar in hand, Cooper searches through the aisles of the Archives to come across Amber, depressed and slumped up against a nearby shelf. “Hey Amber! I’ve got a potion off the cook that should bring you back to your beautiful self!” Cooper unfastened the lid and stands over Amber, “I’ve just gotta spray a few drops over you…” Cooper tilts the jar over top of Ambers head where a thick glob gathers in the middle and hangs precariously over the edge. Meanwhile, back in the Kitchen Ma Soupswill examines her Pepper grinder to find something dangerously askew! A large X on the label reveals that the contents inside didn’t add quite the zest to the recipe that she was hoping for! The wrong ingredient! She’s given Cooper the wrong ingredient! Little can be done to remedy that fatal error however, as Cooper pours the concoctions contents all over Ambers face as he empties the jar. Withdrawing himself from Ambers side, Cooper stands back as his face turns ghostly white.

Without recourse, the concoction begins to set the transformation sequence into motion. In a dozen quick flashes Amber is left to the mercy of whatever the results of the clueless concoction might be. Soon a steady green smoke begins to steam off of Amber in heavy thick globs. Amber looks up toward Cooper with a look of utter contempt as she becomes enveloped entirely by the plumes of smog. Standing wide-eyed and slack jawed Cooper is frozen in fear watching as the ill-fated ingredients come together in a disastrous recipe. Absentmindedly Cooper drops the jar as the glass shatters against the cool Archives floor. The smoke begins to form a large whirling pillar in the center of the room as Amber is thrown round inside, her grunts and strains barely heard over the large claps of thunder that illuminate the room. A final explosion signifies the end of the transformation as a gigantic and monstrous-looking Ghouly Amber falls to the Archive floor. I don’t think she wants a kiss, Cooper…

YE OLDE ARCHIVES

Before you’re given a second to react you’ll soon find yourself in the midst of a battle, with your beloved on one side of the Archives and yourself the opposite in showdown style. Ogre-Amber is a force to be reckoned with; if you give her the chance you’ll find yourself on the receiving end of one of her powerful punches which take a fifth of your energy at 10 damage each! To make matters worse, Amber is also extremely fast in this form, leaving you struggling to set out any span of distance before she plays catch up. If she manages to knock you off your feet you’ll have very little time to react and in most cases Amber will continue laying on the damage before you can even compose yourself! Don’t let her daunting frame get to you too much though; there’s a rather easy way to drain her energy instead of your own… As the battle begins Amber will spend the first few seconds bellowing out a Ghoulish roar that renders herself invulnerable and leaves you some leeway to get your affairs in order.

Use these precious seconds to whip yourself around and you’ll manage to see a large green crate directly behind your starting position. Quickly smash the crate without picking up the Super Soups and then follow the route to the left along the bookcase corridor. Once you round the bend you should manage to spot a single cardboard box, pick it up and keep moving forward away from Amber. Once you spot her coming around the bend, take careful aim and send the box hurtling towards her to bring her health down to 70; a sight better than the previous 100. Continue down the corridor and then work your way back to the center of the room to find the three Miniature Cooper! tins. Release a single Mini-Cooper at a time and use the Super Cooper! Soup found at Ambers starting position to evade capture. Each Mini-Cooper has the potential to deliver 40 damage in a quick succession, if used proficiently you’ll have her defeated before reaching for a third tin!

RETURNING WITH A REMEDIED REMEDY

As Amber lies on the ground dazed and confused, a triumphant Cooper washes his hands of the entire mix-up. Before he’s gotten a chance to celebrate however a stirring Amber delivers a stunning blow as she rises from the ground. Knocked back several meters, Cooper stares up to find Amber directly over top of him! She extends her arms toward the helpless lad as he cries out in vain. This looks like the end of our poor unlikely hero! Fortunately before the situation is given the chance to turn for the worse, Ma Soupswil bursts through the door holding a curious concoction which Amber notices immediately. Using this slight distraction to his advantage, Cooper eases his way out from between Ambers legs and watches the standoff from afar. “Keep away from ‘im, you fiend!” Ma shouts as she points a defiant finger at Amber, only to be returned with an Ogre-sized roar. Taking careful aim, Soupswil tosses the remedied remedy directly at Ambers’ face where it splatters on impact!

A dozen quick flashes zap around Ambers body just as before, rather than a Ghoulish green pillar of smog rising up however, Amber is enveloped in a thick pink fog that soon fills the Archives. With a brilliant flash and a deafening wallop the smoke dissipates, revealing a confused and cured Amber in the center of the action, looking herself over and clearly satisfied with what she’s seeing. Cooper runs over to Amber, finally glad to have her in his arms once more as the couple embrace. Cocking their heads to the side the couple leans in for a kiss, only to cop out at the last second and share a grateful hug instead. After their remedied reunion, Ma Soupswill steps up to apologize, “So sorry ’bout that, me dears. A slight mix up with me ingredients. Still, no real harm done!” Cooper rubs his head as Ma points toward the wall, “There be a door in that there bookcase! Up the stairs an’ back to the hallway. Yer must leave this ‘orrible place! Take care me darlin’s!” Right, let’s get on with it!

Optimal Super Scary Score Assessment:

Ghoulies Defeated: 380+ Ghoulies total. 280+ for this Chapter alone.
Time Taken: >1 Hour 15 minutes total play time. >55 minutes for this Chapter alone.

Next: The Riddle