Chapter 7: Maximum Overdrive
Back in the Lair, Sparks informs you that he's discovered a tube train that leads to the inner core of Maximum Inc. It's time to catch a ride!
On the Map screen your Skull should already be on the Train Station, but if not it's on the far right.
Tube Train
Here the objective is to reach the front of the train. Enemies will obviously try to stop you, but keep pushing. You need to jump between carriages, the blue "link" between them can not be stood on. Once you reach the front of the train you'll face off against another large Spider Bot.
Mid-Boss: Spider Bot
While this fight is basically the same as the other Spider Bots, there is no cover here and his blasts pack a wallop. Equip your Homing Missiles and keep activating your Armour to minimise the damage you take.
Even with all your Weapon Upgrades, this bot can take a lot of punishment. It also doesn't help that Drones keep distracting your fire. Keep blasting away though, and after a while he'll go down.
Maximum’s Core
A few steps into Maximum and Graft appears. He's in an upgraded version of the Warehouse mech.
Mid-Boss Fight: Graft
While Graft's mech might be upgraded, the battle is exactly the same as in the Warehouse. Use the same techniques and you'll have him beat in no time.
With Graft defeated, drop down the elevator shaft (there is a 1-Up at the top of it). The green square on your left can be broken to find a Health and Ammo Kit as well as a Full Spirit Skull and Full Ammo Pack. Head right through the two doors for a battle with Legion BIOT Mk. 2.
Mid-Boss Fight: Legion BIOT Mk. 2
Again, this fight is exactly the same as the last time, so you should have no trouble here. Just remember to keep that Armour up.
With the battle over, jump up into the room on the left. Smash the green block in the top left and head right through the passage, dropping down the other side. Head all the way right and prepare of the final battle!
Final Boss Fight: Maxwell Madison Sr.
This is the big one. Maxwell Sr. has several stages for you to contend with, each with its own technique to overcome.
Form 1
In his first form, Max's head will lower and he'll shoot a Spread blast at you. The two arms will also lower, sending electric bolts across the floor when they connect. These bolts are VERY powerful, so when you see the arms drop be ready to jump out of the way.
Blast the arms and the head. When the skeletal structure around the eyes is gone, the head it is no longer vulnerable. Keep shooting the arms until they fall, but be careful because they will continue to move for a moment, pause, and then fall. If they fall on you they will cause a lot of damage. Use whichever weapon you feel works best for you, but I'd recommend the Breaker or Homing Missiles.
Form 2
With the arms destroyed, they will fall and smash through the floor, their top sections poking out. On these you will see several red nodes. Each of these needs to be destroyed. The energy that crackles around the arms is deadly though, so be careful.
It’s best to use your physical attacks to destroy the nodes. Take out the outmost ones first, and then ones on the inside of the arms, as when the arms are destroyed completely the floor on either side of them will fall away, leaving only the centre. You don't want to be standing on the side sections when they fall.
Form 3
This next part can be very tricky! Max's skull will lower revealing a spinal cord. You need to Rope onto one of the walls and blast the cord to destroy it. However, aiming correctly can be difficult. The best bet is probably the Homing Missiles, but hold Up as you fire, otherwise the Missiles will just go for the skull, causing no damage. Using any other weapon you’ll have to aim diagonally upward to hit the cord.
As soon as you see the head start to rise, jump back to the centre platform as energy bolts like those the arms produced earlier will run down the walls, knocking you off and killing you instantly.
Form 4
With the spinal cord destroyed the skull will fall off the screen. The Phantom wonders if Max Sr. is destroyed, but no such luck.
When you're back in control you'll find yourself standing atop the skull, a flow of sludge rising with you.
You need to move upward using the floating platforms while avoiding Max’s blasts and trying to not fall into the sludge. Max himself can not harm you, so you can stand atop him, but if he moves to the edge of the screen it will push you off.
Equip the Homing Missiles and concentrate on not falling, only blasting when it's safe. After a while the skull will explode and fall off the screen.
Congratulations!
You have saved Metropia, and the world. You truly are the Ghost Who Walks, The Man Who Can Not Die.
The Phantom!