Progressing through Infernax might be a mixed experience, but Madness at the Core of Time is absolutely worth doing if you enjoy it. This optional ending is essentially the last one and is by far the most demanding to get. Thankfully, unlike me, you’re not going into Madness at the Core of Time blind and know what to expect. This is also the first ending, which means it can be considered the true ending.
Editor’s Note: This ending deals with a lot of late game concepts and will be filled with spoilers. Read on at your own risk.
Infernax – Madness at the Core of Time Trophy/Achievement Guide
Start a Good Moral Alignment Run
To get this ending you need to first make a character that is morally good. This step can be skipped if you were good enough to unlock every optional quest from the knights, otherwise you’ll need to make a new character and select every good option. I don’t know what the breaking point is, though I know on my original character I did three bad things and that seemingly prevented me from finishing the quest line.
Those who want to have a bit more fun, naming your character Axcedor or Gardakan will give you a unique character. Both characters are unique in their approach, like Axcedor can cheese enemies by hitting them through the walls and makes a number of bosses really easy, but lacks a shield to block projectiles. Gardakan gives you more range but his magic uses MP and might not be the best choice for players.
Finish Infernax like Normal
Play through this run like you would normally do, just make sure you do every quest the good way. This needs to go all the way to Belphegor in the Urzon Citadel and end with you killing him for the normal good ending.
Reload and Do the Knight Quests
In Darsov, Arkos and Kastski you’ll have garrisons where various knights are located. At this point they should all give quests, at least if you start in Darsov, so go through the quest line.
The last quest will involve killing the cult members at the various hideouts around Upel. When the final one is destroyed, one of the members will tell you where Robert, their leader, is located in the Combbelton Cemetery.
Obtaining the Necronomicon
After heading to Combbelton Cemetery and killing Robert you’ll see the Necronomicon on a podium, which is yours to take. Doing so will give you the trophy/achievement Trial by Fire and confirmation you’ve finished step one in this quest line.
Finish a Pure Evil Run
If you haven’t already, start another cycle and do the same, just this time you want to side with the cult. Again, I don’t know what the limit is, but I can say I did it with one good choice.
You’ll want to finish Infernax normally for the bad ending and then head back to Combbelton Cemetery to join Robbert in his attack on Darsov. This will conclude with a choice, either to kneel or kill Robbert. While not required for anything, kneeling will give an ending and start you prior to the offensive, which can be completed a second time for the other ending.
This will end with you getting the Necronomicon and a new quest to use it. This is done by simply going to fight Belphegor like usual. However, this time you’ll transform and have to fight Abbadon. Kill him to get another ending.
Finish a Pure Good Run
Reload the previous save file where your good character obtained the Necronomicon. What you need to do is exactly the same as the Pure Evil run, except this time you’ll be transported to another world. This place can be pretty demanding, hence why I suggest not doing it all at once, which will contain six Greater Demons and end with the Elder Demon Baphomet. When he is dead, you’ll unlock the pure good ending and now you should be able to get the true ending.
Visiting Gregor
Reload your save again and instead of going back in Urzon Citadel, head to Tohan Passage and visit Gregor. If you’ve done everything like I suggested, your Demonology should be at 95 percent. Sadly, I don’t know if you need the full 95 percent to unlock this ending, but I can say you need over 80 percent and Gregor will tell you to either work on it or to get ready for the final fight
Future
The final 5 percent comes from the future stages, which are a delightful reference to Contra. Finish it like normal and you’ll unlock the true end and learn that the Konami code works on the first screen to have a Contra run.
Video
If you don’t want to do all of this and just want to see the stage and ending, you can find it below.
