I like the cast of both Sky and CS, I also feel its kinda unfair to compare the cast since SC is still fresh in our minds and we've only seen half/third of the CS cast development.
I think part of what hurts the development of the cast in CS is the limited bonding points, I continued to s/l to see them all including seeing everyones everything at the festival. It honestly feels like a mistake to have bp be limited.
Alisa gets better in that she, like every new member of the cast, develops a personality mid-way thru chapter 1.
Tech-head, bitter, high ideals vs her natural inclinations with reguards to people, the struggle to grasp the huge mountain of mistake and intrigue her mother's in (apple did not fall far from the tree ala Laura and Estelle here).
If anything, the jarring difference between the boring cookie-cutter Tsun-Tsun from before and the more nuanced, realistic personality later that got rendered down to get that shows how subtle their characterization is, and how far it can fall if not defended....
I'm not sure if I agree with the idea of a larger country meaning that you have to have more cast members. That might work on a basic logical scale but not on a "game" scale as you can see with Cold Steel it didn't really work out when it came to giving you a bigger reason to connect with characters other than just spending some time doing small things with them. Many characters who are introduced then disappear for large sections of the game (deliberately split up by the plot, as well). Take Jusis, who
basically dumps his life story on you in Chapter 2, and then he might as well not be there for the rest of the story
, or Gaius who literally and figuratively vanishes into the wind after Chapter 3.
I mean the game literally sets them as "bonding events" that you have to aim for; talk about a packaged experience that really is the only way you can work in these relationships with such a large number of people that would normally be unwieldy to deal with. And you can miss so, so many of these events. To me, "focus" isn't something that you can choose to ignore in favor of something else, it's a necessary thing that a game must have if you want to emphasize characters and their connections. I think the game should've been structured in a more focused way instead of going for the self-insert style.
When it comes to Rean.
Ultimately all he does is be a nice guy though. Take the event between Alisa and Rean in Chapter 3 where Alisa basically tells you her whole life story. What on earth has Rean done to earn such a response?
Machias and Jusis come to an understanding because of Machias eavesdropping, not because Rean has done anything for instance (though he does guilt-trip them pretty hard by getting injured) yet he receives credit from his other classmates and Sara keeps shoving him into leadership roles all the same.
He's inquisitive and humble to a ridiculous level, I think that kind of behavior doesn't really lend itself to someone trusting you with their heaviest stuff. Like I said before, it feels really unnatural, bestowing this god status of personability on such a guy where everyone feels the need to pander to you and trust you unconditionally when you haven't the guts, words or actions to show for it (or barely proven anything so far).
Hell, pretty much every chapter is a group effort from everyone involved thinking on it now yet many times Alisa is all ready to spill the beans to you like you've known her for a long time. So weird. All those moments between you and her would've been the same if you had swapped Rean with any other character.
Reading stuff like this, it makes me consider if Private Action/Slinkin' factor has affected this, as Rean
cannot be the boyfriend/best pal/cool brother/etc when those happen but must wait for the slinkin'. I hope we get some more "set" relationships and great Trails-Ass Trails conversations in 2 and 3. "Emma, we need to talk about this."
But i have no clue where this idea that he hasn't earned the respect of his peers and instructors when he's done so much for all of them comes from, as class 7 would be nowhere near where they were without him.
Nyoro already nailed all the gripes I have with Rean, but this is the worst offender. When you start attributing the development of an entire cast of characters to a single character, you've got a problem.
Nyoro already nailed all the gripes I have with Rean, but this is the worst offender. When you start attributing the development of an entire cast of characters to a single character, you've got a problem.
Rean's problem is that Falcom wanted to have both a silent protagonist ala Persona and a real character and Rean awkwardly rides the line between the two. I'm hoping they'll make him more of a character with less silent protagonist influence in the sequel.
Rean's problem is that Falcom wanted to have both a silent protagonist ala Persona and a real character and Rean awkwardly rides the line between the two. I'm hoping they'll make him more of a character with less silent protagonist influence in the sequel.
Rean's problem is that Falcom wanted to have both a silent protagonist ala Persona and a real character and Rean awkwardly rides the line between the two. I'm hoping they'll make him more of a character with less silent protagonist influence in the sequel.
Somehow Yu worked better for me in Persona (let's face it, this is as Persona as Falcom can get). Yeah, he was silent but options in events worked better that way. Still on Chapter 2 so things may change here.
Honestly I liked how they handled Rean. I was able to project myself onto him fairly well if anything I would like the game to open up MORE player choice and have his personality shaped more by that.
Also something completely random I came across googling Cold Steel
A screenshot from 2 I don't think there's any spoilers here but I haven't played it so I couldn't tell you xD. What are you doing Fie there's snow on the ground why are you wearing that little clothing when there is snow on the ground? On a less humorous note for a character who was built around practicality, laziness, and the easiest way this outfit goes completely against her personality. I hope that's an optional outfit.
Not my kind of story device, since it's never done right, at least in anime-related mediums. All in all, I really just wanted to see what makes Class VII, Class VII. Not Class Rean.
I'm speaking from the perspective of having played the sequel as well, mind you.
I could probably name only a few series where they do interpersonal relationships properly. Putting aside the overall package, the Tales series actually does a decent job of them, though I'll say the skits are probably the biggest reason as to why.
I could probably name only a few series where they do interpersonal relationships properly. Putting aside the overall package, the Tales series actually does a decent job of them, though I'll say the skits are probably the biggest reason as to why.
Forcing the characters into different parties and having the different linked victory quotes was a nice try on this front, I think. And the occasional free-time events that involved other characters were nice. Mainly though, I liked that the free-time events and general just going around and talking to people at school seemed to give the characters a life beyond just being in Class VII, so we saw how they interacted with people that weren't really all that plot important. Sometimes they brought in other Class VII characters too, like going around with Fie delivering flowers and Machias' chess club event, which was nice.
I do wish the field study parties had been mixed up a little more than just "Rean and maybe one other character gets swapped" so we could have seen some other interactions though.
Only getting to see Laura and Fie be in the same party once was a crime.
Managed to get 4 bonding events in my first playthrough and looking at the guide, it looks like I'll be able to hit the other 8 bonding events assuming I max everyone else's link levels. Super glad I don't have to repeat the last dungeon multiple times.
Sara's was my favorite bonding event by far. Weird romance aside, its always nice to learn new things about her, especially about her homeland.
Somehow Yu worked better for me in Persona (let's face it, this is as Persona as Falcom can get). Yeah, he was silent but options in events worked better that way. Still on Chapter 2 so things may change here.
Wait you're only on chapter 2 and you're judging the characters that strongly? There is still a lot of game left to play without even taking CS2 into effect.
Wait you're only on chapter 2 and you're judging the characters that strongly? There is still a lot of game left to play without even taking CS2 into effect.
Managed to get 4 bonding events in my first playthrough and looking at the guide, it looks like I'll be able to hit the other 8 bonding events assuming I max everyone else's link levels. Super glad I don't have to repeat the last dungeon multiple times.
Sara's was my favorite bonding event by far. Weird romance aside, its always nice to learn new things about her, especially about her homeland.
Rean's problem is that Falcom wanted to have both a silent protagonist ala Persona and a real character and Rean awkwardly rides the line between the two. I'm hoping they'll make him more of a character with less silent protagonist influence in the sequel.
I finished the 100 Hours trophy in the last chapter of my Nightmare playthrough. Fast Forwarding through everything and being able to rofl-stomp every fight with my power characters/having all the stuff/gear made the game go by so fast, and even still, I didn't blow past the 100 hour mark until RIGHT at the very end of my second playthrough.
Literally, finished at 102 hours after I watched the final sequences.
Tomboy girl changes quite a bit and she is both interesting and fun character from the start. Joshua is brooding but he is interesting at least and his story unfolds pretty well. At the same stage in FC as in CS1 I was a lot more invested in chars and they were more interesting.
She doesn't change much or at all in the first 8-10 hours of FC though. Come on, just be honest about it. You're more OK with their initial character tropes than you are with Sara's or Alisa's initial tropes is all.There's nothing wrong with that at all.
Rean's problem is that Falcom wanted to have both a silent protagonist ala Persona and a real character and Rean awkwardly rides the line between the two. I'm hoping they'll make him more of a character with less silent protagonist influence in the sequel.
I think the issue with Rean is more so folks inevitably lean in one direction making him look more awkward. Trying to keep on that line they defined in their writing of the scenario is really hard, especially for a series that has had protagonists that are super colorful. Personally, I think he rides the line pretty well by giving us the choices in who he interacts in private but still having a personality of his own. Whether or not you like or find him interesting is another issue entirely, lol.
I finished the 100 Hours trophy in the last chapter of my Nightmare playthrough. Fast Forwarding through everything and being able to rofl-stomp every fight with my power characters/having all the stuff/gear made the game go by so fast, and even still, I didn't blow past the 100 hour mark until RIGHT at the very end of my second playthrough.
Literally, finished at 102 hours after I watched the final sequences.
I always talked to everyone whenever I could. Lots of small side stories around the school that I was really interested in seeing play out.
Edit: And to be fair, there's still a lot of content left to go from where you are. Wouldn't be surprised if you managed to hit somewhere around 60 by the end.
North Ambria. The reason she keeps telling you to enjoy your youth and have fun is because North Ambria is a super shitty place run by Jaegers and her childhood sucked. So what Basileus basically said lol.
She doesn't change much or at all in the first 8-10 hours of FC though. Come on, just be honest about it. You're more OK with their initial character tropes than you are with Sara's or Alisa's initial tropes is all.There's nothing wrong with that at all.
I think the issue with Rean is more so folks inevitably lean in one direction making him look more awkward. Trying to keep on that line they defined in their writing of the scenario is really hard, especially for a series that has had protagonists that are super colorful. Personally, I think he rides the line pretty well by giving us the choices in who he interacts in private but still having a personality of his own. Whether or not you like or find him interesting is another issue entirely, lol.
Hmm... that's fair. In the first 8-10 hours they don't change much in FC and I guess I do like them a lot better. It's just I don't think I ran into anyone I really disliked (not talking villain behavior here ) in FC/SC where here the game hit me with whole bunch of people I really did not care for from the very start.
For Rean, I think he is presented too much "power of friendship" type of character and the fact that he is voiced doesn't help. They should have gone either all the way voiced and set character ala Tales or silent protag ala Persona. This whole middle line does not quite work and he comes out wishy-washy/lacking a spinal column.
I always talked to everyone whenever I could. Lots of small side stories around the school that I was really interested in seeing play out.
Edit: And to be fair, there's still a lot of content left to go from where you are. Wouldn't be surprised if you managed to hit somewhere around 60 by the end.
Yeah, I talked to NPCs as well (although not all of them). My issue, if you can call it that, is that I tend to read really fast. Hopefully I'll be around 100 hours played by the end of my second playthrough.
It took me over 100 hours. When I got some random trophy in the middle of talking to someone I was confused, and then checked the time and realized I had just hit 100 hours.
Regarding that Sara spoiler, I know a most of the people here have seen it, but I can't help but toss this link in again if there are others who haven't, since it'll help with understanding the immensity of what's being talked about.
Regarding that Sara spoiler, I know a most of the people here have seen it, but I can't help but toss this link in again if there are others who haven't, since it'll help with understanding the immensity of what's being talked about.
I hope that we can someday get the other Trails games. It'd be awesome to be able to replay cold steel with knowledge of 3rd/Zero/Azure and see what little details I missed out on.
I was sitting at work, running on two hours of sleep, just awestruck at how much I really liked it.
Like, I haven't been this infatuated with a game in a really, really long time, and having all these emotions of affection towards a game feels like something i've finally gotten back after all these years, thanks to this game. I forgot how good this feels.
I finished so much that first run that I could probably finish the Platinum in 20 hours on NG+.
Also [CS1 ending spoiler]
I fucking LOVE mechs. Probably more than any human should. And the way the music fit that aesthetic of the mech combat was fantastic.
My friend got a huge kick out of me texting him every time something awesome happened.
I'm just saving that for my third runthrough, for after I finish Nightmare. Since I gotta get that trophy anyways, figure i'll sell off my entire inventory from two playthroughs and start with the 300k bonus. Then omelettes till I die.
Anyone fearing Platinuming this game since it requires a second playthrough, don't be. I've played the second playthrough for about 10 hours and I'm already in Chapter 5, this while having done all the quests again (+ fishing whenever possible + opening all treasure chests + collecting the Red Moon Rose novellas again + doing all the bonding events I didn't in the first time around). Being able to fast forward through all the discussions & skipping some side stuff that doesn't need to be done twice really saves A LOT of time. Of course it helps that I'm one-shotting all enemies & most bosses as well (especially when Laura is involved). Though my first playthrough seems to have been a bit slower than other people's (I was almost 90 hours in before the credits rolled), this seems to be going at a pace that is something like 1/7th of the first playthrough.
there is a save after the concert before the dance, reload that save to get all those trophies. At that point if you have a save you can go back and go on a bike ride and use your festival tickets with other characters redoing the final dungeon to get more trophies. You're better off just replaying the game though will be less frustrating
Also the final fish can only be gotten if you have 1-19, then talk to the fish dude by the river for a cutscene to catch the final one.
You only need to redo the last dungeon if you want to do the final bonding stuff with characters who don't fulfill the requirements for the final bonding stuff at that point. So you'd need to go back and redo
who you spend time with during the festival, you need to spend 2 tickets & have full link lvl for class vii people other than crow & milllium, so thats a little over 5000exp, for the others it's a bit less
.
For the characters for which you have fulfilled the requirements, you can just save just before the
dance/afterparty
and just load that save & fast forward to the point where you choose who to bond with.
For those of y'all who wonders "hmm, what are the non-Crossbell-related connective tissues that ties the Sora no Kiseki 3rd with Trails of Cold Steel?" are in luck, since the first of the two doors that are most strongly connected to Trails of Cold Steel's story have been translated as part of this week's Translation Tuesday.
Cross-posting from the SC thread. I repeat [SC ENDING SPOILER. DO NOT WATCH IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED SC OR IF YOU DON'T CARE]:
Random personal opinion on this. I think it's better to be watched after finishing Cold Steel 1.
When you start a new game you'll be given 5 points to spend on the ability to carry over different things. These things range from carrying over bonds to carrying levels to maxing out bond points each day. Each additional compounded NG+ will get you an additional 5 points. It's possible to carry over your money, items, levels, and link levels with the points from 1 playthrough.
When you start a new game you'll be given 5 points to spend on the ability to carry over different things. These things range from carrying over bonds to carrying levels to maxing out bond points each day. Each additional compounded NG+ will get you an additional 5 points. It's possible to carry over your money, items, levels, and link levels with the points from 1 playthrough.
Kenneth is one of the best NPCs. I kinda felt bad since nobody was in the club (Rean is an honorary member I guess) but he just didn't give a fuck either way.
Kenneth is one of the best NPCs. I kinda felt bad since nobody was in the club (Rean is an honorary member I guess) but he just didn't give a fuck either way.
For those of y'all who wonders "hmm, what are the non-Crossbell-related connective tissues that ties the Sora no Kiseki 3rd with Trails of Cold Steel?" are in luck, since the first of the two doors that are most strongly connected to Trails of Cold Steel's story have been translated as part of this week's Translation Tuesday.
Cross-posting from the SC thread. I repeat [SC ENDING SPOILER. DO NOT WATCH IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED SC OR IF YOU DON'T CARE]:
Random personal opinion on this. I think it's better to be watched after finishing Cold Steel 1.
