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

[catfood]

Do character models finally have an ass or is it still flat pancakes??

They've had asses since CS3.

Looks flat as fuk to me. Only image I could find on google though.

Looks like typical jap ass.

 

[Valestein]

Finally starting Trails in Reverie today. The only question is what's the next Trails game after that, whether Crossbell or Daybreak after.

 

[Lyre Mors]

You haven't played the Crossbell games yet? You gotta get on that. Daybreak is fantastic, but I'd definitely play those first. You should really be playing them before Reverie even.

 

[Valestein]

You haven't played the Crossbell games yet? You gotta get on that. Daybreak is fantastic, but I'd definitely play those first. You should really be playing them before Reverie even.

It's case of my being too cheap to have gotten them, even during sale(Reverie is the priciest game I've gotten in a while). I've played the original three Liberl games and CS1-4 thus far.

 

[Valestein]

I gotta say, Noel and her hotpants are really enticing me to play the Crossbell games.

 

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Finally starting Trails in Reverie today. The only question is what's the next Trails game after that, whether Crossbell or Daybreak after.

They're both mediocre story wise and the gameplay isn't very fun, but Kuro has higher fidelity visuals, and you get to visit twice as many locations as Crossbell, so Kuro would be my recommendation.

 

[Rean]

Do character models finally have an ass or is it still flat pancakes??

Assets good enough for me.

 

[Lyre Mors]

I'm around 60 hours into Daybreak. I don't want to attempt to formulate a comprehensive analysis or anything of the sort at this point. What I will say is this is what the Crossbell duology was to the Sky trilogy in a lot of ways. It captures a lot of what I found refreshing in the Crossbell duology when I departed the Sky games. Great fresh investment in the new setting, unusual profession for the main cast, crucial callbacks to the previous games that don't intrude - but are much appreciated, changes in the battle system, a protagonist who has their wits about them without being garishly optimistic at all times. It of course has the general structure of a Trails game, which honestly, I wish they'd throw a curveball at us at some point and just not do it this way. I get it though. To explore a setting, get to know its denizens, have event related changes in dialogue: this is Trails. Overall, as someone who primarily appreciates this series as a narrative created through world building and character development, I think this game is fantastic.

My major gripe with it is that while I love the new battle system, the game is overall easier than every previous game in the series even on Nightmare. This is a serious problem. Everything about the new system is very satisfying to engage with, from the new orbment system, to how battles actually play out. It's just far too easy overall, especially with prior knowledge of the systems of the series. It's not a deal breaker for me at all, and there have been at least a few very challenging fights on Nightmare. It's just that you'd think at this point, Falcom would have learned to put in a difficulty setting that is truly challenging, particularly to the veterans of the series. Really hope to see a positive change in this in Daybreak II.

Overall though, maybe my favorite game in the series since Zero. I loved my time in Erebonian, but it stretched way too thin. Liberl and Erebonian are my least favorite settings in the series (still love them very much), whereas Crossbell and Calvard are my favorite. They bring a uniqueness to the genre that just hasn't been explored much at all.

 

[Yuber]

Do character models finally have an ass or is it still flat pancakes??

Assets good enough for me.

Even I have a bigger ass than that, need some meat on her bones ffs

 

[Valestein]

The moment Trails into Reverie truly begins.

I've been enjoying the game thus far, the three separate and interconnecting stories are pretty nice. "C" is my fave protag of the bunch.

 

[Valestein]

Speaking of "C", i hope there's no disturbing implications with him running around with a bunch of kids, especially since one of them is already a molestation victim.

 

[Ysaye]

Speaking of "C", i hope there's no disturbing implications with him running around with a bunch of kids, especially since one of them is already a molestation victim.

I also can't but help think of a certain current English prince when it comes to "C" and the latest images of him with his bunch of underage girls in Farewell Zemuria do little to reduce that....

 

[dutchwench]

What exactly was the Epstein Foundation researching

 

[Jermu]

What exactly was the Epstein Foundation researching

also orbal technology and shit theres probably wiki article about that

 

[mediocrepoet]

The moment Trails into Reverie truly begins.

I've been enjoying the game thus far, the three separate and interconnecting stories are pretty nice. "C" is my fave protag of the bunch.

"C" my ass. That's at least a G.

 

[Valestein]

Damn, I didn't know Reverie was going to be this good.

The Purple Lightning is thicc in all the right spots.

 

[newtmonkey]

Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes II (PC Engine)
I really liked what I've played of LoH VI (aka Sora no Kiseki aka Trails in the Sky), so I decided to go back and play the series in order. I completed DS:TLoH last year, and while I didn't care much for it, it was charming enough for me to finish it.

TLoHII starts out with a great first impression. The main character is the son of the hero of the first game, and the game takes place in the same world and pretty much uses all the same maps. During Chapter 0, you are sent all over the world to deliver letters from your father to the rulers of other lands, which is basically just an excuse for you to check up on what's happened since the previous game, and to visit all the locations so you can then warp to them using your "Warp Wing."

Once you hit Chapter 1, though, the game becomes an unbelievable grind. The first game, too, was very grindy during the first two chapters (it literally had level requirements for plot flags), but combat was quick and levels came quickly. TLoHII is not so kind. Everything is tied to your level. When you enter a new area, you are either at the required minimum level, and can somewhat comfortably progress, or you are below that level and your attacks are reduced to inflicting a single point of damage (!) to regular enemies. This is true for the bosses at the end of each chapter, too.

What's worse is that the game is ridiculously stingy with EXP and gold. By the time you reach Chapter 1, you will be around level 5, and gaining even a single level requires winning 20-30 battles. Buying even a single upgrade for your equipment can take 5-10 battles. It's so bad, that I figured there must be something wrong. Maybe the game expects you to rely on spells early on? Nope. The only solution is to grind, grind, grind.

I've completed dozens of RPGs, both on PC and console, and can count the number that have actually required grinding just to make progress on one hand: Dragon Warrior (NES) and Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes (PC Engine). Now I can add one more, and it is by far the worst example of forced grinding I've yet to experience.

However, I've read that the game eases up a bit once you reach Chapter 2, and I just cleared Chapter 1 earlier today, so I'll stick with it. I'd really like to get this one over with so I can play TLoH III (Shiroki Majo aka White Witch).

 

[dutchwench]

Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes II (PC Engine)
I really liked what I've played of LoH VI (aka Sora no Kiseki aka Trails in the Sky), so I decided to go back and play the series in order. I completed DS:TLoH last year, and while I didn't care much for it, it was charming enough for me to finish it.

TLoHII starts out with a great first impression. The main character is the son of the hero of the first game, and the game takes place in the same world and pretty much uses all the same maps. During Chapter 0, you are sent all over the world to deliver letters from your father to the rulers of other lands, which is basically just an excuse for you to check up on what's happened since the previous game, and to visit all the locations so you can then warp to them using your "Warp Wing."

Once you hit Chapter 1, though, the game becomes an unbelievable grind. The first game, too, was very grindy during the first two chapters (it literally had level requirements for plot flags), but combat was quick and levels came quickly. TLoHII is not so kind. Everything is tied to your level. When you enter a new area, you are either at the required minimum level, and can somewhat comfortably progress, or you are below that level and your attacks are reduced to inflicting a single point of damage (!) to regular enemies. This is true for the bosses at the end of each chapter, too.

What's worse is that the game is ridiculously stingy with EXP and gold. By the time you reach Chapter 1, you will be around level 5, and gaining even a single level requires winning 20-30 battles. Buying even a single upgrade for your equipment can take 5-10 battles. It's so bad, that I figured there must be something wrong. Maybe the game expects you to rely on spells early on? Nope. The only solution is to grind, grind, grind.

I've completed dozens of RPGs, both on PC and console, and can count the number that have actually required grinding just to make progress on one hand: Dragon Warrior (NES) and Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes (PC Engine). Now I can add one more, and it is by far the worst example of forced grinding I've yet to experience.

However, I've read that the game eases up a bit once you reach Chapter 2, and I just cleared Chapter 1 earlier today, so I'll stick with it. I'd really like to get this one over with so I can play TLoH III (Shiroki Majo aka White Witch).

A Japanese playthrough I just checked out had the player hitting level 17 and 20k gold in Chapter 1. Time to start grinding...

 

[newtmonkey]

dutchwench
Wow! That's a bit extreme haha. I managed to finish Chapter 1 at level 10, and even that took a LOT of grinding.

 

[Tse Tse Fly]

Can you play Kuro without finishing Cold Steel first? Will I miss anything? I'm still stuck on CS3, which I started a year ago, I don't think I will make it

 

[Atlantico]

Really nice overview and introduction to Legend of Heroes I - Dragonslayer

The rest of the series, II-V:

 

[Lyre Mors]

Can you play Kuro without finishing Cold Steel first? Will I miss anything? I'm still stuck on CS3, which I started a year ago, I don't think I will make i

You know the answer to this already, but I'll bite anyway: the events of CSIV and Reverie are heavily referenced in Daybreak and have rather large, far-reaching implications overall.You can certainly start Daybreak without playing them, but you'll be missing some things. If you can't make it through CSIV and Reverie (great games, imo), then read as detailed a synopsis as you can before hand or be prepared to be missing some fairly vital character and world-building context. Or just do that with CSIII - which I agree is a weaker entry in the series - and try to play the other two games.

 

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Can you play Kuro without finishing Cold Steel first?

Yes.

 

[Valestein]

Finally got around to buying Trails from Zero. Will get started on that when im done with my playing of the recent Doom rerelease.

 

[Valestein]

Went ahead and bought Trails into Azure on sale as well cuz fuck it. Anyone here tried Nayuta? It's not a LOH game but still.