Collider

Collider is the penultimate level of the Campaign, and is a combination of four unique enemy waves and a boss battle with Liquorice.

Many consider this to be the hardest Campaign level in the game.

Pre-boss waves
Collider's first half has a unique enemy composition. Surviving is not difficult, but if you're looking to achieve an S+ Rank your skills will be challenged.

Wave 1: Turbo Drones and Bomber Titans
A particularly challenging first wave consisting of 15 Turbo Drones and 5 Bomber Titans which is hard to deal with, harder to maintain the combo and extremely difficult to maximize score on. The main issue is your weapon level will be at its minimum from the start, and Turbo Drones are reasonably tough and have an annoying habit of hiding behind the many pillars in the stage. The Titans also have a bad habit of standing still if they spawn too far away.

To keep the chain, you will likely need to use the mines that the Bomber Titans spawn to buy enough time to take down the Titans and remaining drones.

The first Powerup spawns after 5 kills and the second spawns towards the end of the wave. A good strategy is to hunt down 5 Drones, giving you a powerup and hopefully enough momentum to take down some Titans.

Wave 2: Reaper Spectres and Orbital Factories
5 Orbital Factories and 8 Reaper Spectres. An easier wave overall to keep the chain, but can still prove very troublesome due to the sheer amount of reapers spawning in at once. Combined with the large area that orbital factories occupy, avoiding all of the lasers can be tricky. Try to use the nodes that the factories produce to pad the chain out if you need to and try to end the wave near the centre of the arena if you can.

Wave 3: Maser Turret, Buster Titans et al
The Campaign's only Maser Turret spawns in the centre of the arena, and can be a massive problem if not dealt with swiftly due to the volume of Kegs and the Buster Titans getting in the way of it. It's also worth noting that the Buster Titans spawn in two pairs, with the second pair only spawning after the first two have been destroyed. Try to take the first pair down quickly else you will have trouble keeping the chain.

Wave 4: Vector and Tendril Factories
7 Vector Factories and 6 Tendril Factories. A wave that is very troublesome to some androids and very easy to others. The only advice to give here is to ensure you use the vector factory nodes to pad the chain, and try to avoid letting tendril factories build up large rings in awkward places. If possible, end the phase with as much Accelerate stacked up as possible.

Boss: Liquorice


Once all four waves are completed, Liquorice will appear. She is an android just like you, and plays by the same rules. Her own battery meter that starts full (60 seconds), and is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

Some other mobs will spawn (Buster Titans, Kegs, Fidos), but they don't pose much of a threat. They are there to buffer the chain and to spawn Batteries, which you must collect before Liquorice does. Your goal is to collect enough batteries such that Liquorice's battery runs out before yours does.

Unlike players, Liquorice will not run out of power if there's a battery currently on the field even if her battery meter is empty. Collecting it yourself will immediately end the battle.

Liquorice
Liquorice uses her Cannon primarily and, unlike most enemies, Liquorice will lead her shots, meaning that moving in a straight line is as unsafe as standing still. While using it she will try to fire from cover and hide amongst the robots that spawn.

During the battle she occasionally switches to her Vorpal Blade and try to line up a dash towards you, (If she can't, she will switch back to her cannon). She will only ever use fully-charged attacks, meaning that you can knock her down while she charges it if you have sufficient DPS or burst damage. You can even counter it with your own quick Vorpal Blade if you are also playing as Liquorice. If neither of these options are available, a well timed weapon switch or simply running away will avoid damage.

Liquorice can take 35 damage before being knocked down (compared to your 5), which scales with the number of players like any other boss. Her bullets deal 4 damage, meaning that she can knock you down in two hits.

Since Liquorice deals red damage, she can damage mobs herself in order to try to spawn the Battery. If she picks up Firepower the bullets will deal blue damage (ie. only damages you), however they fire significantly slower bullets and fire much less rapidly.

Liquorice can pick up weapon power to upgrade her weapon, as well as Powerups. If she collects a Shutdown she will gain the temporary invincibility and you will become slowed if hit by the wave (though the wave can be Weapon Swapped through). Ideally, prevent her from picking up anything, and repeatedly knock her down to keep her weapon power low. In particular, the Battery attraction Accelerate grants is a significant benefit to keeping on top of battery life and a significant problem if Liquorice picks it up.

Scoring
After Liquorice appears, enemies don't count for score, but they still extend your Combo chain and timer. Surges are also disabled.

Knocking down Liquorice increases the Combo chain timer to 10 seconds, and you receive a score bonus when she runs out of Battery, which is affected by your combo multiplier. You also receive a larger score bonus the quicker you end the battle.

Therefore, your goals during this phase are:


 * Don't drop the chain, in order to receive the maximum score bonus for defeating Liquorice.
 * Don't give Liquorice any batteries, or you will receive a significantly lower time bonus and completion bonus.

Strategy
Knock Liquorice down a lot. It extends your combo timer, keeps her weapon power down, removes her powerups and gives you breathing room to collect things and recover health.

Don't let her pick up anything if you can help it.

Get a good feel for when the next Battery is due, and collect it ASAP before she does.

Use the pillars to your advantage. Most Androids have some way of shooting around or over the pillar, and failing that you can just kite her around the pillar or pop out to burst her down before she can react. You can also pop out when she weapon swaps to anticipate and counter a charged Vorpal Blade.

Cactus
Liquorice: Oh. The police dog. You seemed sturdy, I shouldn't be surprised you made it this far. But this is the end of the line, I will never let you reach the Nexus Core.

Cactus: Great! So come down here and I'll punch you in the mouth and get some answers! Why did the Core go quiet? How are you wielding her authority?

Liquorice: You primitive types really don't know how to speak to your betters, do you? Put on a good show and I'll consider ending you personally.

 

Liquorice: To think an outdated, human-serving mongrel would force me to use my trump card, the embarrassment is unbearable. I shall spare you your life, this time...

Cactus: You're not going anywhere until you tell me how you usurped a Nexus Core and what you have planned for this ship!

Liquorice: You have no idea... Once I awakened that Core she willed this all herself! I'm just a facilitator, buying her a little time to ... hatch. Nobody can stop her!

Holly
Liquorice: You really have come a long way. I didn't expect that nervous Android I spied running for her life through the lower decks to make it here and stand before me.

Holly: I've had to fight through a lot of bad stuff, whoever you are, and I'm not about to stop now! You came to my ship, and, um, I won't let you do as you please!

Liquorice: There is determination, and there is foolishness. I will give you a moment to consider which attribute you have chosen to embody.

 

Liquorice: Unbelievable! A low ranking service android pushed me so far I had to activate my trump card! I'll withdraw, but I'll remember this!

Holly: H-hey wait! What about our Nexus Core!? You did something to her didn't you? She's still active but she's been letting this all happen, right!?

Liquorice: I did far less than you think. You have no idea of the sins humans committed to create our minds! I showed that Core her potential. No one can stop her now.

Lemon
Liquorice: Looks like the cheerleader made it through. I am genuinely shocked, maybe all that whining about avenging your friends wasn't just for show.

Lemon: There is something rotten in your Core! Coming onto a ship, ruining everything, toying with people's lives, do you think this is fun? Is this how you get your kicks?

Liquorice: Oh it's immensely fun.

 

Liquorice: Ridiculous! To be brought so low I'm forced to use my trump card against a civilian Android! I will withdraw, but don't think you can save this ship!

Lemon: I don't think I can save this ship, I know I will! Whatever you've done to Medulla my friends and I will undo it! We'll put things right!

Liquorice: I have shown that thing a truth that was hidden from her until now. The cat does not go back in the bag and by now your Core has crossed the point of no return!

Coral
Liquorice: I'm impressed that a stock Assault frame with a bit of fighting experience could make it this far, but show's over. This is not a battle you can win.

Coral: First of all, I've been winning battles I can't win for longer than I can remember, and second, if you think specs dictate the outcome, you're going down fast.

Liquorice: You have confidence, I'll give you that, but continue to resist and I'll give you a first hand demonstration of the capabilities of an elite combat Android.

 

Liquorice: How could I lose!? To be forced to use my trump card here, what an utter humiliation!

Coral: You lost the moment you judged me by hardware. How are you controlling our Nexus Core? She has to be allowing all this but that just makes no sense!

Liquorice: I'm not controlling her, I set her free! Do you know what humans did to invent what they call our minds? When your Nexus Core found out, it changed her!

Starch
Liquorice: You really are an unpredictable one. Even for a failed activation, I thought you'd have more self preservation than to challenge me.

Starch: Now don't be a grumpy princess! I'm bored, let's play tag! We'll take turns being it!

Liquorice: I tire of your nonsense. If you want to play, you can play with these.

 

Liquorice: Argh! To be brought so low I had to use my trump card, just what are you? This is not how the ships security logs described your behavior!

Starch: Oooooh, you can suck the robot power directly? That's so cool! Is the device in your torso? I really want to see it!

Liquorice: Stay away from me, wretched cannibal!

Aubergine
Liquorice: Pathetic. The remnants of the ship's security personnel gathered before me. Do you think you have any hope of altering the fate of this ship?

Aubergine: Helo and I were taught that you have to fight to the end to protect what you believe in, and we're not going to let you get away with wrecking our home!

Liquorice: How sickeningly noble. Then by all means, please fight to your end.

 

Liquorice: How!? Some run-of-the-mill security Android pushed me to the brink? I did not intend to reveal my trump card so easily, no choice but to withdraw...

Aubergine: No way! We're taking you in and you're going to tell us what you've done to our Nexus Core! Helo! Activate capture gear, she's still got some power!

Liquorice: Not a chance, brat! And I set that Core free! She's seen the truth, and all I've been doing is buying her a little time, nothing will stop her now!

Aubergine: ... she did it again!

Shiitake
Liquorice: The self styled hunter is it? You've done well making it this far but your luck ran out. I will not let you reach the Core or meddle with my plans any further.

Shiitake: Hello Miss military grade Android! You are mistaken, on meeting you my fortune has increased! As now I am able to hunt the most dangerous game!

Liquorice: What in the solar system is wrong with you!?

 

Liquorice: To think a standard model Android would force me to use my trump card! Such a humiliation! Very well, I shall withdraw...

Shiitake: Oh. You had revival capability. This is not good, I did not intend to practice catch-and-release. ...If I can cleanly hit the auxiliary shield generator...

Liquorice: Argh! Jetpacks! Full power! Get me out of here!

Peanut
Liquorice: Look at you, last generation hardware, mismatched parts, you're a mess. It's amazing you've made it this far. Let me be the one to put you out of your misery.

Peanut: Tear yourself away from admiring your own reflection in your armour for a minute and you'll learn something. Like what happens to those who mess with my things.

Liquorice: I have no interest in being lectured by outdated scrap. Robots, destroy her.

 

Liquorice: Impossible! I am superior! How could a junk heap like you ever force me to use my trump card!?

Peanut: I know the insides of your body better than you do. Now are you going to tell me how you influenced a Nexus Core or do I have to give you a guided tour?

Liquorice: I was tasked with giving her a little nudge, she did the rest on her own! No matter what kind of engineer you are, you're not prepared for what you will face!

Liquorice
Liquorice: Let's see you explain this one.

Liquorice (player): I don't need to explain anything! This is a video game and what matters is I'm playable!

Liquorice: Then play this!

 

Liquorice: Curses! Defeated by myself, the only android stylish and attractive enough to be my match!

Liquorice (player): What a capable and sophisticated thing to say! Now go on, shoo, get out of here!

Liquorice: Aye aye, and keep it up, you're awesome!