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Neon White goes hard from the very first mission. But it is with mission 6 that you start to see that this game is just starting to kick things into the next gear. Without question, this mission contains some of the most diabolical levels in the game. Thankfully, along with the increase in difficulty comes an even greater level of flexibility. This stage really gives you some fun tools to work with, and it allows for some pretty interesting shortcuts.
There are two new types of demons introduced in this stage. A tripwire demon and a landmine demon. These stages are built around these enemy types. The tripwire demons bring a timing element to the stages, while the landmine demons operate as a dynamic launching pad. When it comes to the landmine demons, a number of the shortcuts are going to involve ignoring the green sections (which typically indicate the spot you are supposed to land on). Worry not, my friend, we will guide you through these shortcuts as they come along.
Hanging Gardens
At the end of the stage, after you have collected the two assault rifles, and the level is funneling you toward a red door, jump to the left (across the gap) instead. Now, while midair, you are going to want to use one of your assault rifle discards to fire a bomb through the left-most window.
Then, once you land, discard your final assault rifle and fire a bomb at the demon head in the room in front of you. Turn around: the level exit is down below you. All you need to do now is slam down on the exit (which will clear the surrounding enemies). This shortcut is a huge time saver.
Tangled
If you are finding this stage to be pretty difficult, don't feel bad; it is easily one of the most brutal stages in the game. That being said, this shortcut will help a bunch. Begin the stage as you normally would, until you get to the red door. Instead of blasting through the red door, you are going to use your shotgun's discard ability to take out the enemies you can see on the balcony to your left.
You should be able to arc over the balcony and take out all the tripwire demons and the green demon without ever touching down on the balcony itself. Then all you need to do is slam down on the enemies below and finish the stage as you normally would. However, as big a skip as the shortcut is, and it is a huge skip, getting the Ace is going to rely pretty heavily on you really getting the angle of your fireball ability down. Good luck!
Waterworks
The time skip on this one is pretty simple, but it also demands that you engage in some pretty clean shooting. Continue through the stage until you get to the canal section. When you see a reload card to your right, go to the left. Now, hop across the canal, shooting the tripwire demons as you go. Execute this shortcut well and you will almost certainly get that Ace medal!
Killswitch
This level's shortcut is at the very end of the stage. Instead of platforming along the right side of the structure at the end, just make sure to be standing near the red barrel when you shoot the tripwire demons. This will allow you to sail directly into the stage's exit.
Unfortunately, this is another one of those stages where the shortcut won't be able to do the heavy lifting. Getting the Ace medal here is going to be more about just cleaning up your approach and making your shots. Don't worry, with a little practice you will nail it.
Falling
After the first continuous falling section, there will be a reload card. That card leads to a hallway lined with tripwire demons. You don't want to run through the hallway section. Instead, you will want to look to your left and platform around this section. This shortcut will take you right to the final trapdoor. Shoot the green demon and then smash through the trapdoor and finish the stage as your typically would. You will easily obtain that Ace medal.
Shocker
There are two solid shortcuts in this stage. After you bounce off of the first two landmine demons, you will find yourself in a giant room with stairs leading down and around to the next one. However, as you know, using the stairs kills runs. So, instead, you are going to want to jump from the very corner of the ledge up above, and you will just barely be able to hit that green section of the landmine demon.
Almost immediately after the first shortcut, you will encounter a section where there are two landmine demons with a gap in between them. There is an archway to your left that travels over the gap. You will want to hit the green section of the first landmine demon to carry you over the gap, but then you are going to want to hit the section of the second landmine demon that is pointed toward the archway.
This will send you flying toward another landmine demon. From here on out, you are going to want to continue the stage as usual. Traveling under the arch will absolutely cut a ton of time off of your run. You will almost certainly claim that Ace medal if you master these two shortcuts.
Bouquet
After grabbing the two assault rifles, jump on the section of the next landmine that is pointing northeast (from your perspective). This will help you skip a giant section of the stage.
However, you will need to use the assault rifle’s discard ability to bomb two sets of enemies. There is a landmine to your left, and a cluster of demon heads to your right. Both groups of enemies are pretty far away. However, this shortcut is so substantial that you will even have time to stop and line these shots up.
Once you have taken both clusters of enemies out, continue the stage as you normally would. With this shortcut under your belt you will easily lay claim to that Ace medal.
Prepare
Continue the stage as usual, but when you get to the landmine demon with the green section aimed at sending you toward a set of enemies clustered around a red barrel, jump on the section that will send you to your right instead.
This will skip a significant section of the stage. However, you will need to shoot the red barrel you were previously facing, and a red barrel up above you. If you are sharp enough, you can hit both of these midair. Then, slam down on the enemies hovering around the treasure chest and finish the stage as you normally would.
Triptrack
After the section near the end of the stage where you take out a blue demon, continue down the canal. Now, you should be able to see a long line of tripwire demons to the left. You need to shoot the first one in this procession. Around midway down the canal will be your best shot.
From here, take out the yellow demon. Now, jump across the gap, discarding the handgun to get some extra distance. Land next to the giant demonic head, and take out the lone tripwire demon aimed at it. From here, just finish the stage by hopping from landmine demon to landmine demon as you would typically. This is a huge skip; master it and the Ace medal will be yours.
Race
There are a number of substantial shortcuts you can take in this stage. The first shortcut is right at the beginning of the stage. Almost immediately after you get the two sniper rifle cards, jump to your right and over the gap, using the discard ability of both cards to make it to the double canal section.
Then, almost immediately after that shortcut, you will grab two more sniper rifle cards. There will be a wooden platform to your right. Hop off of it and discard both cards to make it to the landmine demon in the distance. Now, just finish the stage normally, and you will claim that Ace medal.
Make sure to use the sniper rifle's dash to move through the first blue demon you encounter. Not only is this faster, but it actually activates the tripwire demons further down the line, which is what will allow you to get a sub-30 second time.