The Legend of Heroes Thread - Trails of Cold Steel in the Sky

[Reinhardt]

The cast was not endearing. The game also introduces a bunch of party members but doesn't do anything with them like what CS did with Class VII.

class vii was endearing?

 

[Val the Moofia Boss]

The cast was not endearing. The game also introduces a bunch of party members but doesn't do anything with them like what CS did with Class VII.

class vii was endearing?

They were to me. Jusis and Gaius were cool bros. I disliked Machias at first but then came to sympathize with him. Elliot was also a good friend. Laura was bae. Fie, Sara, Milium, and Crow were funny. And the game got me very invested in Rean. The only characters I were indifferent to were Alisa and Emma. I was disappointed that they got sidelined in CS3. They felt like a brotherhood of true friends.

 

[Reinhardt]

meh

 

[Nelka]

 

[Valestein]

The cast was not endearing. The game also introduces a bunch of party members but doesn't do anything with them like what CS did with Class VII.

class vii was endearing?

It has Sara, that's all you need.

 

[Lyre Mors]

I will be getting Kuro 2

Dude, just stop. You've got a problem.

 

[Valestein]

I haven't played any Kiseki since CS4. These greedy Jap jews aren't discounting their games on Steam enough for my liking.

 

[Lyre Mors]

I haven't played any Kiseki since CS4. These greedy Jap jews aren't discounting their games on Steam enough for my liking.

You know Sara is in Reverie, right?

 

[Valestein]

I haven't played any Kiseki since CS4. These greedy Jap jews aren't discounting their games on Steam enough for my liking.

You know Sara is in Reverie, right?

Yeah, that'll be my next Kiseki purchase sure. Sara = guaranteed buy.

 

[Lyre Mors]

Sara really should have been the canon romantic interest for Rean. I'd let her groom me any day.

 

[Valestein]

Sara really should have been the canon romantic interest for Rean. I'd let her groom me any day.

Rean definitely needed some one on one instruction and it doesn't any better than from a prime cut North Ambrian hunnie.

 

[Rean]

I'm making my return, babes.
Everyone on their best behavior.

Val the Moofia Boss NO spoilerinos.

 

[Rean]

They were to me. Jusis and Gaius were cool bros. I disliked Machias at first but then came to sympathize with him. Elliot was also a good friend. Laura was bae. Fie, Sara, Milium, and Crow were funny. And the game got me very invested in Rean. The only characters I were indifferent to were Alisa and Emma. I was disappointed that they got sidelined in CS3. They felt like a brotherhood of true friends.

It's ok. I'm here to shed light and exact justice absolute.

Hallelujah! Daybreak has arrived and it belongs on my hard drive (alongside Maxie's virginity)!

 

[Lyre Mors]

I started Daybreak early on Monday with the fan translation. Switched over to the official translation today. It's glorious so far at 13 hours in. Fantastic change of pace. Reminds me a lot of the Crossbell duology in a good way. Van is the Trails protagonist I've always wanted.

By the way Val the Moofia Boss, we can save you some money and time on Kuro II. It's supposed to be the most egregious and worst game in the entire series about not moving things forward overarching plot-wise. Kuro 1 might just be a good stopping point for you in this series. It's never going to give you what you want. I'm personally looking forward to seeing what all the complaining is about when it comes to II. My guess is I'll end up liking it, especially if it is character and side-story centric, ala Sky 3rd and Reverie. The gameplay is supposed to be excellent too.

 

[Rean]

I hope this series becomes eternal, like the Ouroboros of Japanese games.
Ys has already been left behind. Final Fantasy's ripe for a dethronement.

 

[Lyre Mors]

Ys has already been left behind.

Nonsense! We've got Ys X on October 25th, and it's lookin gooooood.

But really, plenty has happened in the 6 years of the Septium calendar we've witnessed. TONS has happened in terms of Zemuria, and even more in individual character's lives and relationships. The only thing that really unnecessarily drew things out in the series for me was Cold Steel being 4 games instead of 2.

 

[Val the Moofia Boss]

It's supposed to be the most egregious and worst game in the entire series

I learned long ago that the fanbase's opinions are not credible. They said SC and Ao were masterpieces when they were mediocre at best. They said Kuro 1 was a return to form when it wasn't. They said CS2 was the worst game when it was the best. I've long since stopped caring about the "plot moving forward". And on and on. Kuro 2 seems to have much more likeable playable characters, and from what I hear has a gameplay area where you can focus on the combat and character building which sounds fun.

 

[Lyre Mors]

learned long ago that the fanbase's opinions are not credible.

I didn't acquire this opinion from the "fanbase" but rather another singular trusted source. He said the game is the worst, but he loved it. But I agree for the most part (except I think I'll like Kuro 1 way more than you). My favorites are generally cited as the "worst" by the "fanbase."

However, it does seem like you're constantly bringing up how annoyed you are about the "plot not moving forward." So it seems like something you care about quite a bit.

 

[Rean]

I feel like a $20 whore being torn between you guys. I frequently agree with points you both make.

CS is peak Kiseki. But it also wore out its welcome.

I think a straighter laser-focus and permanent shift to Erebonia would make the games infinitely better. There's a little bit too much jumping around.

 

[Lyre Mors]

I think a straighter laser-focus and permanent shift to Erebonia would make the games infinitely better. There's a little bit too much jumping around.

The series is kind of defined by exploring the different cultures and geography of the continent though. That's one of the reasons I love it so much. I feel like people who don't want this are genuinely wasting their time playing the wrong series of videogames. Zemuria as a whole is the main character of the entire series.

 

[Rean]

I think a straighter laser-focus and permanent shift to Erebonia would make the games infinitely better. There's a little bit too much jumping around.

The series is kind of defined by exploring the different cultures and geography of the continent though. That's one of the reasons I love it so much. I feel like people who don't want this are genuinely wasting their time playing the wrong series of videogames. Zemuria is the main character of the entire series.

You're right, and I do love getting to know all about the Zemuria setting they've built, but it's getting a bit too obvious with the 'write as you make' videogame curse.

This is an extremely common writing trope that has been around since time immemorial, but it kind of batters immersion when it comes to the continuous setting they're trying to pull off. First, it was pretty much just Liberl, if you recall the first Sky games. Then, places and parts of the setting were inserted as needed to expand the world, rather than them being there by default.

It's starting to feel a bit like 'this successive part of the continent will be the most important yet!' rather than 'every location is equally important'. The latter is, of course, a monumental undertaking, and requires prewriting pretty much an entire world lore. We're already way past that.

Note that we know next to nothing about the world outside Zemuria, despite it not being the whole world! Which is why I think picking a region and sticking with its continuous development would serve everyone much better.

 

[Lyre Mors]

but it's getting a bit too obvious with the 'write as you make' videogame curse.

I mean, in some ways, maybe. But in general, the seeds of Calvard were planted in my mind the moment I met Zin and Kilika in FC. The seeds of Erebonia with the embassy and Olivier. There's incredibly important things in regards to Osborne we learn in 3rd that don't come to fruition until 4-5 games later, that tie directly into the culture of Erebonia. I think there's been pretty general ideas of what these places were like from the first game in the series, and I think that's pretty damn impressive for the most part.

From what I've seen so far, Calvard is matching up with the expectations that began to form eleven games ago in my mind. Before I had any idea we'd ever get to actually adventure there.

 

[Val the Moofia Boss]

I think Calvard actually should be a multi-country arc, as the Calvard that was described in Sky and Crossbell was being invaded and just as imperialistic as Erebonia. A Calvard arc would be about a character rediscovering his true Calvardian heritage before the revolution and taking up the sword of his great grandfather and becoming a Zorro figure, fighting against the triads and a powerful state of politicians and oil barons and having to flee, travelling to the wasteland of the East, finding some hangers on in the dying villages there, slaying evil warlords, finding the cure to restore the land so the Easterners can go back home, finding the long lost heir to Calvard's throne in hiding, bringing him back and overthrowing the corrupt government and restoring Calvard back to how it should have been, bringing peace and stability back to the region as a whole. Everyone gets their lands and prestige back.

 

[Rean]

om what I've seen so far, Calvard is matching up with the expectations that began to form eleven games ago in my mind.

Maybe you're right. I shall relay my thoughts post Daybreak.

I think Calvard actually should be a multi-country arc, as the Calvard that was described in Sky and Crossbell was being invaded and just as imperialistic as Erebonia. A Calvard arc would be about a character rediscovering his true Calvardian heritage before the revolution and taking up the sword of his great grandfather and becoming a Zorro figure, fighting against the triads and a powerful state of politicians and oil barons and having to flee, travelling to the wasteland of the East, finding some hangers on in the dying villages there, slaying evil warlords, finding the cure to restore the land so the Easterners can go back home, finding the long lost heir to Calvard's throne in hiding, bringing him back and overthrowing the corrupt government and restoring Calvard back to how it should have been, bringing peace and stability back to the region as a whole. Everyone gets their lands and prestige back.

While your premise sounds cool, I once again disagree with your character-centric concepts, and this is coming from someone in love with Rean. More grand-scale, less character-focus would serve everyone better. Do I love Kiseki characters? Fuck yeah. They're more developed than in any other game, period. But I do think that adding more onto the pile is risking severe bloating and sidelining past MCs even more.
How to fix this problem? Instead of introducing 20 more characters, have someone like Rixia be the MC.

 

[Rean]

Holy shit, the PC port has MSAA with SGSAA support? Another win by Durante, haven't seen this in any non-indie game in over a decade.