Tales of the Rays Recollection: Chapter 5 and 6 Impressions

What could go right about a story set in a world set 200 years after main story, in a world in which every city is being attacked by monsters daily? Of course, nothing goes right. And things get really sad the moment main cast enters Asgard - land which is formely known as Tir Na Nog.

At the end of chapter 4 main cast arrives at Holy Altar, in which we see a see-through cascet containing Ix's body.

In chapter 5 we learn of Baldr's nature in this world, and Haze specifically tells that Baldr was no longer able to attack these monsters (let's call them "phantoms") with his sword, so her research team made a special lantern for him to use. It is said this lanter is multiplying his powers (which, as we learn in previous chapters, also lets other Reapers effectively fight against phantoms).

In here both Baldr and Kodama hear someone's voice, most likely, Nuadha's.

Wake up… before everything perishes.

Later when main cast is being attacked by phantoms again, suddenly Elnard starts seeing phantoms as people, and Baldr says he sees them as humans as well. Most importantly, phantoms take on appearance of his former comrades. When he notices both Karyas, Mercuria and Nuadha, he starts to plead not to attack them and even covers for phantom that he sees as Nuadha, all while others seem to see them as regular monsters. When Kodama passes behind Baldr and delivers a killing blow to a Nuadha-looking phantom, he notices some sort of stone is getting pulled into Baldr's lantern as phantom Nuadha's body perishes.

In the most recently released Chapter 6 Haze takes a note of this stone and tries to investigate it. Kodama says he hears something coming from this stone, and as he tries to listen to its sounds carefully he sees Nuadha's memories (from his point of view).

Haze concludes that this stone having said memories must mean these are coming from phantoms that used to be human, and Baldr only confirms that.

I think we can stop here with detailing the events, since this is so far the only thing we need to know.

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When Recollection was only announced I was already a bit confused by the wording and the main concept, as "you'd have to collect memories" was one of the things that we were told during the first presentation (back then the name for spheres players collect upon clearing the game wasn't decided on yet). It seemed odd… but the concept itself seemed appealing. Giving a new breath of fresh air to the playerbase in means of new game mode, but also having them remember the main game seemed like a cute treat for fans. But the main gimmick and idea still kind of bugged me - "this is a story set around memories"… Combined with the details of the setting it sounded awfully horrific.

But now we basically have a confirmation that all the phantoms that appeared to Baldr were indeed the people he used to know, and those people are now dead. I mean, nothing else to be expected from a world set 200 after the main plot, but at the same time, a bit too sad to see those characters who were given a new life, new opportunities to live on and live up to… end up this way.

And in this new chapter Haze gave the memory stone that Nuadha's phantom produced a proper name… which happens to be the same as the spheres we as players get for clearing Recollection quests.

Am I the only person who thinks the implication here is a bit too horrific?

Here's hoping they'll come up with a plan to ressurect all of them (yes, it sure is a reference to opening theme's title), but so far that sounds both unreasonable and unnecessary. I'd love to be proven wrong though.

Until then, this little detail will keep making me sad.

P.S. If we look back at the screenshots presented on Recollection website, we can see a bit more into what's going to happen right before the events of first chapter.

"We need to take those memories of Nexuses, which become cores of our enemies"

P.S.S. So far this plot seems to be moving in direction of them altering the past for the sake of their own time, however in Chapter 6, when Kodama thinks of this idea, Elnard scolds him for even thinking that, as "altering the past could erase the future (in which they live)". Where could this be going…
I could also see here an idea of them recruiting characters from Tir Na Nog to help them fight off against phantoms and make the world peaceful again (as suggested by the opening), but with Chapter 1's imagery that doesn't seem like a likely scenario… so far. Things may change if more details are brought to light.