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[CrimsonFist]

• Release Date (Japan): 28th September, 2017
• Platforms: PS4
• Genre: RPG
• Developer: Falcom
• File Size: 38.759 GB
• Price: 7,800 yen

Open spoilers for previous titles are fine, please tag any Sen III spoilers

Story
The third game in the Sen No Kiseki (localised as Trails of Cold Steel) series, and eighth in the overarching Kiseki (Trails) series, Sen No Kiseki III continues the story of Rean Schwarzer. Set a year and a half after the conclusion of Sen no Kiseki 2, Rean is now a teacher at a branch school of Thors Military Academy, heading up a new Class VII, who will travel around the empire aboard their train, the Derfflinger, resolving crisis and putting out fires in Erebonia.

Since the civil war, Erebonia has been growing in strength, annexing North Ambria and growing far larger than it's long standing rival Calvard. Meanwhile Ouroborus has started moving to reclaim their Phantasmal Blaze Plan.

Gameplay
As with the previous titles in the series, Sen III is an NPC talking and headpatting simulator, with the primary mechanic of the game being walking around towns and talking to NPCs. It also features turn based combat and mech battles.

Screenshots

Media
Trailer (English Subbed Version)
Official Website

FAQ:

Is this in English?
No

Is this import friendly?
No

Is a localisation announced?
Not yet. It's Japanese only for now

Can I start with this one?
No, this is a continuation from Sen II, start with the first Sen No Kiseki game or Sora No Kiseki (Trails in the Sky).

All screenshots taken from the official website.

 

[Aeana]

I'm agonizing over this. I'm in the middle of Divinity: Original Sin 2 and I don't like dropping a game to start up another game. But... Sen 3.

 

[Erheller]

Gameplay
As with the previous titles in the series, Sen III is an NPC talking simulator, with the primary mechanic of the game being walking around towns and talking to NPCs. It also features turn based combat and mech battles.

It also features headpatting, I assume.

Spoiler

I'm unsubbing from this thread I don't belong here as an English-speaking casual

 

[CrimsonFist]

It also features headpatting, I assume.

Knew I'd forgotten something

 

[Eylos]

The wait for the xseed announcement

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Hope this turns out. I really can’t wait for the English release.

 

[PK Gaming]

The OP is sorely lacking in Hot Teacher Rean content. Don't worry though, I'm here to fix everything:

Those glasses aren't just an accessory; he apparently bought them in an attempt to impress his students. This dweeb...

 

[Kain-Nosgoth]

i'll just say, i hope estelle is in there!

Welp i'm out! Hope xseed will take this! Stay away from this NISA!

 

[RyougaSaotome]

The OP is sorely lacking in Hot Teacher Rean content. Don't worry though, I'm here to fix everything:



Those glasses aren't just an accessory; he apparently bought them in an attempt to impress his students. This dweeb...

lololol

prologue spoilers

Spoiler

They even call him out on it and he's like "c'mon guuuuuuuuysssss"

 

[sungahymn]

Any news or educated guesses about the Western release date?

 

[Novel Mike]

Playing it now, despite what I and others remember from translated interviews pre-release there certainly is some things that sounded great that are turning out to not be correct.

1. You don't have unlimited bonding points (one of the interviews said they were unlimited or something to that effect), I'm at free day 1 right now and I have 2 bonding points to use but 3 characters with events. It's possible there is a way to earn more but I'm doubting it since that would be a first but please correct me if I'm wrong someone else who is playing.

2. Seems about the same amount of voice acting as previous games. I remember specifically the interview was saying that a majority of the game was voiced and by what I've played and seen in streams that certainly doesn't seem to be the case.

Otherwise game is great so far, I can't read a lick of Japanese but I'm muddling through, if you played CS1/CS2 the gameplay itself is pretty much the same besides new features (like Brave Orders) but you've still got Orbments, arts, crafts, ect. Nothing to crazy although some nice small improvements in various things (like breaking crates and the like automatically gives you whatever items they held instead of having to pick them up).

Costumes have a whole tab now and you can even get different hair colors (maybe even styles?) I had no idea what it was but I have have the option for (hair spoiler? XD)

Spoiler

Red Hair for Rean, it looks weird lol

Also yes as other people have said, Rean can have glasses now and they do look awesome.

 

[kswiston]

Any news or educated guesses about the Western release date?

Next summer or fall?

 

[Erheller]

Any news or educated guesses about the Western release date?

No news; my best guess (read: bullshitting) is that we'll get it a year to a year and a half from now by XSEED. PC version will follow in around 6 months after a few delays due to porting.

 

[Sinh_Magnus]

I saw the first hour or so and Teacher Rean was definitely the best thing so far.

 

[purseowner]

Import should hopefully ship tomorrow, but I haven't played II yet, so I'm out of this thread for now.

Praise be to Falcom.

 

[Kalor]

Any news or educated guesses about the Western release date?

2019 or later. There's almost no way that it is earlier than that.

 

[The Wart]

I'm in the middle of TitS 3rd. Still have all of CS1 and 2 to go. Why am I looking at this thread. Pls halp

 

[kswiston]

2019 or later. There's almost no way that it is earlier than that.

Why do you think that it is so far off?

 

[iRAWRasaurus]

The wait for the xseed announcement

same

 

[Jiraiza]

Just checking myself out in the mirror. But man, the game looks so clean. Are there changes to the pro version? That might be why. Also, a lot of great QoL changes. And Falcom did what Atlus failed at in Persona 5: field chatter doesn't get interrupted when you interact with stuff!

The models also all look fantastic which helps with when the screen zooms in on the characters you speak to.

 

[Novel Mike]

2019 or later. There's almost no way that it is earlier than that.

Eh, I doubt that unless XSEED doesn't intend to start working on it until like mid next year or something. While many of us were thinking this was some crazy 150+ game it seems to be about the same length as the previous 2.

 

[purseowner]

Why do you think that it is so far off?

Falcom's policy that localisation efforts don't start until after the game releases in Japan.

 

[Cruixant]

Finally!

My copy was shipped today. Can't believe it's been three years already.

 

[Aeana]

Falcom's policy that localisation efforts don't start until after the game releases in Japan.

They let the Korean and Chinese translations start sooner than that. They really should let the English, too.

 

[Kain-Nosgoth]

Falcom's policy that localisation efforts don't start until after the game releases in Japan.

why is that exactly?

 

[Kalor]

Why do you think that it is so far off?

Largely due to what other people have mentioned with how Falcom hasn't let people work on an English localization until after release. Ys VIII came out a year later and Sen III likely has a larger script than that. Though for all we know XSEED or someone already are working on it.

 

[jello44]

same

thirded

Spoiler

Need more Sara

 

[Korigama]

why is that exactly?

No particular good reason for it. Their stubbornness about it makes even less sense when they clearly have interest in increasing the presence of their games in the West.

 

[Jolkien]

Oh how I wished I could read Japanese. Have fun everyone. Hopefully Xseed stick with the franchise and not someone else.

 

[DemWalls]

.

 

[Kysen]

Bought the game but as usual waiting for the ebook guide to be released. Too much miss-able stuff otherwise.

 

[kromeo]

I know who that blonde girl in the first picture looks like, just not sure why she would be dressed like that and riding a gundam

Cast looks a lot better when they're not all in school uniform

 

[Erheller]

I know who that blonde girl in the first picture looks like, just not sure why she would be dressed like that and riding a gundam

Cast looks a lot better when they're not all in school uniform

[3rd spoiler]

Spoiler

She rode a gundam in 3rd, though

 

[Tohsaka]

Probably gonna wait a month or so before I import this since I have too many other games to finish up, and I also kinda want to wait a bit for the Japanese wikis to be filled out so I don't miss any quests.

 

[Aters]

They let the Korean and Chinese translations start sooner than that. They really should let the English, too.

Not in this case. Chinese localizarion has not started yet. I heard everyone at the SCE translation center is busy with DQXI.

 

[Jiraiza]

I love exploring the rooms. Tita's in particular (I don't think this counts as a spoiler, but feel free to PM if it does). Spot the cameos!

Everything just looks so good (I must've said this the third time by now), you can actually examine signs and stuff in detail; it's great.

 

[Eylos]

4k 30 fps on pro?

 

[kromeo]

[3rd spoiler]

Spoiler

She rode a gundam in 3rd, though

I was thinking it was the princess lol, the post above makes it pretty clear who it is though

 

[MKIL65]

The wait for the xseed announcement

 

[Theswweet]

C'mon, Amazon. Ship my Kiseki Box. Do it!

This anticipation is murder.

 

[Shouta]

I'm really impressed with the graphics and animation leap they did for this game. It's very nice looking so far. I'm slightly annoyed at them not letting me choose the pace dialogue comes at certain cutscenes but that's mostly because it makes translating a little harder.

I kinda also don't like mapping each of the categories to buttons instead of the standard menu.

 

[PK Gaming]

Take my word with a grain of salt since i'm just watching streams but... I gotta say, CS3 has really stepped up over CS1/2 in terms of setting and game flow. You're still constrained by a similar Free Time --> Field Trip cycle, but the execution just seems so much better. They added new wrinkles too, where Rean + Old Class VII member go on missions, and so far they've been the highlight of the experience. Lots of things happen in this game and you get the benefit of taking things at your own pace, talking to NPCs, fishing, doing quests, etc.

Not a spoiler but, places the game takes you so far:

Spoiler

For the first time, you're not just trapped in Erebonia. You visit Crossbell, Parm, and a place I wouldn't DARE spoil.

Game just seems great!

 

[Holundrian]

Gotta wait until next week :-x but this was my most hyped release this year after dq11 for a long time hope it fulfills what I want out of it.
After this the next thing on the horizon for my hype is probably MHW or Ni no Kuni 2.

 

[Balfour]

Any news or educated guesses about the Western release date?

Probs not until the end of next year at the earliest going off the assumption XSEED hasn't even started yet. It doesn't even sound like they got the rights to do it yet

I am currently going through it now trying to guess what is going on lol

 

[Dragoon En Regalia]

Hearing nicer things about the game's pacing, even in Chapter 1, is great. Spoilers/hype-cycle info seems to suggest we saw maybe a quarter of the game before launch, so who knows if this will be the full conclusion to Erebonia or if there's a bit more to go (a la Liberl and Trails 3rd).

Now we just need an OST album announcement. I can live with Falcom Music Channel rips of course.

 

[encephalon]

I'm agonizing over this. I'm in the middle of Divinity: Original Sin 2 and I don't like dropping a game to start up another game. But... Sen 3.

Follow your heart.

Spoiler

Your heart says Sen III.

 

[Thoraxes]

My Kiseki-BOX with acrylic Tita stand already departed Tokyo, so hopefully I'll have it by Friday at the earliest!

Playing it now, despite what I and others remember from translated interviews pre-release there certainly is some things that sounded great that are turning out to not be correct.

1. You don't have unlimited bonding points (one of the interviews said they were unlimited or something to that effect), I'm at free day 1 right now and I have 2 bonding points to use but 3 characters with events. It's possible there is a way to earn more but I'm doubting it since that would be a first but please correct me if I'm wrong someone else who is playing.

Iirc you can always see every event now, just only get link points with those who you use your bonding points on. My copy is going be here by the end of the week so I guess I'll know soon for sure, but you should try that.

 

[encephalon]

I hope the box that will inevitably be left hanging on my door won't get soaked in this rain...

 

[varkuriru]

Now we just need an OST album announcement. I can live with Falcom Music Channel rips of course.

My totally unfounded theory is that the OST will release in itunes in a month. I checked the date on the one for Ys 8, hope I am wrong cause I want now!

 

[Tohsaka]

Is this 60FPS like Ys VIII and Tokyo Xanadu eX+? I know those were Vita ports and this isn't, but the higher framerate would still be nice.