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The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel (PC) |OT| Enter Erebonia
- Thread starter jj984jj
- Start date
Heh, yeah, it's a little grating sometimes. A bunch of his disputes with his classmates (most of them, really) are just the other party being totally unreasonable, but Rean treats each conflict like he's backed his car over someone's dog.
ResourcefulStar
Neo Member
He can be quite blunt when dealing with Sara (at least in his thoughts), if I remember right.
It didn't bother me with Joshua, since it always felt like he was (FC/SC)
compensating for the bad things he did in the past
Shake Appeal
Member
Granted I'm only in Chapter 3, but this has already been touched on when
he talks to Jusis at night about their respective personalities. Rean is aware of this issue with himself.
Finished! Thoroughly enjoyed it. I'll write up some thoughts about it this weekend, but for now, I just want to say (Cold Steel Final Chapter/Ending spoilers): Rean can be such a dork sometimes, but his
"Bank of Rean has the highest interest rate on the continent" line was brilliant. Superb delivery from Sean Chiplock, and will definitely go down as one of my favorite Trails quotes.
ResourcefulStar
Neo Member
I don't remember these particular enemies, but the Art sounds like Demonic Scythe, which has a chance of causing instant KO. There are accessories that block this effect, but they may be out of your price range at the moment (or even unavailable at this point of the story). Getting a triple advantage and wiping the enemies out before they get to act is generally the best approach to dealing with KO-inflicting enemies in random encounters.
The answer is to not block it but to prevent them from casting it to begin with
Many characters have a Craft with the effect Impede, which cancels arts. Rean's Automn Leaf Cutter, Jusis' Rapid Thrust, Fie's Sweep and Alisa's Flamberge for example.
Or get accessories that prevent Deathblow.
Burning Justice
the superior princess
I seem to be getting a Swordtail every single time I fish in both the Trista pond and river.
I definitely remember being able to get more fish than that on the PS3 version, even at the beginning of the game...
EDIT: Never mind, after, like, 15 attempts, finally got something else. Weird...
I definitely remember being able to get more fish than that on the PS3 version, even at the beginning of the game...
EDIT: Never mind, after, like, 15 attempts, finally got something else. Weird...
You can get 3 fish total and that's including a very rare one in the trista river. Don't bother you'll be able to find all the fish, it serves no purpose to try to get three fish at the beginning instead of the two common one. They haven't change a thing about the fishing between PS3/Vita version and PC.
Burning Justice
the superior princess
yeah, I must've been misremembering. I think I recall catching a Catfish at the beginning of the game in the PS3 version, maybe that was the rare one.
At the very least I know the pond behind the school can and will contain fish from other regions as you progress through the game... not sure if that applies to the river too. It's one of the things that will cross over into a New Game+ (among some other things) even if you don't carry over notebook data.
Ultimadrago
Member
Yeah, I didn't know this before playing on PC, but I was able to get the 19 fish on my first day of fishing between the pond and river since I was on a New Game+ file. (Thanks Steam person!)
It was nice to not have to worry about fishing again until the day the final unique fish arrived.
I'm 10 hours in now and I have to say this is a really great port. Turbo mode is amazing, framerate is stable even at 4K, controller works perfectly and all the added settings like fov slider are amazing.
The only thing missing for me are high res fonts. Text looks very blurry in conversations but that's just a minor thing.
The game itself is bit weird after just playing TitS 1-3. It feels a lot slower and I'm missing the several facial expressions what made the characters so amazing.
I'm sure it gets better a lot later on.
The only thing missing for me are high res fonts. Text looks very blurry in conversations but that's just a minor thing.
The game itself is bit weird after just playing TitS 1-3. It feels a lot slower and I'm missing the several facial expressions what made the characters so amazing.
I'm sure it gets better a lot later on.
I'm exactly there right now. Playing on hard difficulty. If you want my save PM me.
Burning Justice
the superior princess
Ah... I was playing NG+ on PS3. That's why.
Yeah, the 3D models just don't compare to the character art from the original trilogy. They're far less expressive.
Shake Appeal
Member
Every reference to Crossbell in this game hurts my heart. I don't know what I'm supposed to know or not know? I don't get these references.
(I am in deep on this game: 60 hours played with a lot of Turbo and I'm only halfway through Chapter 4.)
(I am in deep on this game: 60 hours played with a lot of Turbo and I'm only halfway through Chapter 4.)
Every reference to Crossbell in this game hurts my heart. I don't know what I'm supposed to know or not know? I don't get these references.
(I am in deep on this game: 60 hours played with a lot of Turbo and I'm only halfway through Chapter 4.)
Don't worry about it. Playing Cold Steel before Crossbell arguably works just as well or even better than playing Crossbell first, since they both spoil each other. Honestly, some of the stuff Crossbell spoils about CS is worse than the stuff CS spoils about Crossbell.
Ultimadrago
Member
Speaking of Crossbell, who was the character designer for it and where are they now? I'm finding the character art a good evolution from Sky's simpler, vanilla art and actually find Cold Steel a step down in that regard.
Maybe it's even the same person, I don't know.
Maybe it's even the same person, I don't know.
Katsumi Enami did Zero. I'm not sure who did the new characters in Ao (I'm not even sure it's ever been revealed), but it was a different artist mimicking Enami's style.
Ultimadrago
Member
Ah, thank you. I'm indeed speaking of Zero thus far. Sad to hear they changed them for Ao.
Edit: They did Baccano!'s character design too? *exclaims gibberish* I love Baccano!
Sinh_Magnus
Member
I have the artbook for the Sky trilogy/Crosbell games and indeed they changed designer when going from Zero to Ao. Zero's guy (Enami is called I think) is the one who did Baccano!.
I don't know if Ao's guy is the one from Cold Steel, but the style is similar. To be fair, even if Enami's work for Zero was great, there were relevant npcs that lacked art, and were added in Ao.
I don't know if Ao's guy is the one from Cold Steel, but the style is similar. To be fair, even if Enami's work for Zero was great, there were relevant npcs that lacked art, and were added in Ao.
The new designs fit very well - the new artist did a good job. I wouldn't have known that they weren't done by Enami if it wasn't pointed out to me.
I started with the PS3 version of Cold Steel, wound up finishing it twice and getting the Platinum before making any real progress in FC on PC. Worked out fine for me (though I've enjoyed FC, this clicked much sooner and I much preferred the combat over Sky's).
SolVanderlyn
Thanos acquires the fully powered Infinity Gauntlet in The Avengers: Infinity War, but loses when all the superheroes team up together to stop him.
Honestly the only Trails series you can't start with is Zero/Ao, which feels like a sequel to Sky in all sorts of ways. Cold Steel happens at the same time as Zero/Ao and features a different cast and a new self contained (but still very related) story. You'll miss out on references here and there, but you can always make up for that by playing the other games afterward - the references work in reverse, too!
Honestly, I think even knowing that I will still wait for the fan translation of Zero. The game seems so much more interesting than Cold Steel (though I will probably love that one as well). So I'd rather spoil the inferior one first. I'm planning to go Zero -> CS1 -> Ao (when the translation + editing of that one is done, so around 2020, I guess
) -> CS2 -> CS3Sinh_Magnus
Member
Honestly, I think even knowing that I will still wait for the fan translation of Zero. The game seems so much more interesting than Cold Steel (though I will probably love that one as well). So I'd rather spoil the inferior one first. I'm planning to go Zero -> CS1 -> Ao (when the translation + editing of that one is done, so around 2020, I guess
I understand your point, but I wouldn't recommend this order. Zero's story is pretty self contained and playing Cold Steel after it wouldn't make much sense. Ao's story is the one more relevant for Cold Steel 1/2. And even so, I wouldn't recommend waiting for Ao to play Cold Steel.
Playing Ao after playing Cold Steel made me realize how much Cold Steel conflicts pale in comparison to Crosbell. Don't get me wrong, I really like Cold Steel 1/2, but I understand why japanese fans felt disappointed when going from crossbell to erebonia.
Even a bad Trails game is still a Trails game. And as I said, I'd rather not spoil the potentially better one. Even with all it's Anime pseudo-high school Harem stuff, Cold Steel is (from what I have read here) probably still a lovingly crafted game with lots of interesting NPCs and great world building. Even a few spoilers and a better plot to compare it with, isn't going to ``ruin'' much of that basic "Trails" formula.
Honestly, I think even knowing that I will still wait for the fan translation of Zero. The game seems so much more interesting than Cold Steel (though I will probably love that one as well). So I'd rather spoil the inferior one first. I'm planning to go Zero -> CS1 -> Ao (when the translation + editing of that one is done, so around 2020, I guess
well, if you could stand "not quite right" grammar for Zero and "horrible Google Translated" for Ao, you could play them right now in English
well, if you could stand "not quite right" grammar for Zero and "horrible Google Translated" for Ao, you could play them right now in English
The spreadsheet is not google translated. It's the untranslated bits they added for a patch that's google translated. Which makes the whole translation a horrible mix. Every character becomes a cyborg.
So if you need to play Ao now in English the spreadsheet is the best way. The literal translation in Zero isn't even the worst part, it's the editing. Text that doesn't fit in textboxes, random font size changes and untranslated menu's.
It was nice to see Zero and Ao in action, but it's definitely not recommendable in the current state. The translation groups working on Zero/Ao will deliver a way better script.
To add on to this, if you must play Ao with a spreadsheet, make sure you at least get the corrected version. The original version didn't always adhere to established series terminology, with stuff like translating "Treasure" as "Master".
chaosblade
Unconfirmed Member
The third practical exam is the first fight that feels kind of bullshit on hard.
Three tries and I haven't even seen a character get a third turn before failing the conditions.
Edit: Okay, I'm guessing something wasn't right. Restarted the game and then it was fairly easy, they weren't dealing 1500-2000 damage per hit anymore.
So the enemies can use area arts almost instantly (before I can get any opportunity to impede), some pretty strong crafts including area ones, and are fairly fast in general. But I'm not supposed to use any arts and can't let anyone get KO'd, even though they can KO Machias or Elliot in two attacks if the RNG is even slightly unfavorable.
Three tries and I haven't even seen a character get a third turn before failing the conditions.
Edit: Okay, I'm guessing something wasn't right. Restarted the game and then it was fairly easy, they weren't dealing 1500-2000 damage per hit anymore.
I finished the game (my first in the Trails series), and I really liked it, on balance. The world building is great, and the writing is deft despite the anime cliches. I liked the relative absence of stereotypical RPGs villains. There are dueling power structures with incompatible goals, but few mustache-twirling sociopaths.
I dunno how much I approve of the difficulty fluctuations, though. I played on hard, and 99% of the battles were trivially easy - but the remaining 1% were pretty annoying. Couldn't they have let you slide the difficulty around any time you wanted, since it's just a straightforward stat multiplier? I think I would have preferred to play most of the game on nightmare, with the option to drop it down to normal for bosses I didn't feel like grinding through.
I dunno how much I approve of the difficulty fluctuations, though. I played on hard, and 99% of the battles were trivially easy - but the remaining 1% were pretty annoying. Couldn't they have let you slide the difficulty around any time you wanted, since it's just a straightforward stat multiplier? I think I would have preferred to play most of the game on nightmare, with the option to drop it down to normal for bosses I didn't feel like grinding through.
Yeah, that was my experience with hard as well. Although to be fair, usually it's not grinding that is the solution, but better preparation instead. But indeed annoying.
Now play the Trails in the Sky trilogy while waiting for Cold Steel 2, featuring better characters and less anime cliches
Yeah, that was my experience with hard as well. Although to be fair, usually it's not grinding that is the solution, but better preparation instead. But indeed annoying.
Now play the Trails in the Sky trilogy while waiting for Cold Steel 2, featuring better characters and less anime cliches
I didn't mean grinding for levels - poor word choice I my part. I meant reloading repeatedly until I found a strategy that worked. Some of the boss battles are quite long, so fiddling around with different strategies can be really time consuming.
I've actually borrowed a friend's mostly-unused Vita and bought Cold Steel 2 on it (aside - WTF is Fie's outfit in that game?). I am not a patient person.
Ah yeah, that is definitely true.
I think there were only 3 bossfights I had problems with on Hard.
That fucker in the Chapter 5 school house
That Nosferatu in Chapter 5 where you have no way to get Nightmare resistance accessories after you meet him
The V and C back-to-back fight in Chapter 6 who instakill you with their S-Crafts.
That Nosferatu in Chapter 5 where you have no way to get Nightmare resistance accessories after you meet him
The V and C back-to-back fight in Chapter 6 who instakill you with their S-Crafts.
I don't think I could play Cold Steel 2 without the extra bells and whistles and QoL features of the PC version.
Couldn't agree more - enjoy the Bestelle journey!Now play the Trails in the Sky trilogy while waiting for Cold Steel 2, featuring better characters and less anime cliches
Yeah the lack of a fast-forward button in particular is somewhat difficult to get used to. I'm doing my best to persevere. If not, I may take your suggestion and go for the apparently better Sky trilogy while I wait for the PC version of CS 2.
I think those were the fights that game me trouble as well (with the addition of
the Chapter 2 school house boss
V and C fight
Shake Appeal
Member
My in-game clock is about to tick past 70 hours. I'm starting Chapter 5.
The funny thing is that without Turbo Mode I likely wouldn't have fought as many battles and talked to every single NPC, so I guess it balances out that way
Shake Appeal
Member
Yep. Although Sky has pretty much trained me to talk to every single NPC twice between story scenes, turbo makes it far more efficient.The funny thing is that without Turbo Mode I likely wouldn't have fought as many battles and talked to every single NPC, so I guess it balances out that way
I feel like it's a big missed opportunity actually. One NPC could have said from the very beginning that they take security very seriously and that all first shots are always blanks.
That would have been funny because i don't think you would have immediatly thought back at the very start of the game and when it happens we would have been like... "Oh ! Yeah ! I actually knew it !"
I don't think that's my weakest Trails gme... The Third REALLY didn't convinced me a lot. But it's way below FC and SC for sure ! To be honest, i was just happy to finally be out of Liberl so either way i really liked Cold Steel.
PS : My in game clock is about 280 hours....... Yeah i don't understand either. I mean i have the bad habit to let the game paused for a long period of time but it never happened to this extend !