I haven't played a trails game before but I've played tons of other similar games like FF, Tales, etc. Is this game supposed to have a bunch of grinding right up front? I seem like I'm woefully underleveled for the creatures that are attacking me sometimes. I'm doing the rabbit thing monster at the farm and when he calls in the extras I just die in one round as I never get another turn. I'm like level 5. I might think it's my playstyle but the dying in 1 round, not much I can do about that.
Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter |OT| The Journey of 1,000 Hours Begins with a Single Game
ShaiKhulud1989
Gold Member
Realtime and turn-based battle system are actually acting in sync, that's the main trait of the battle system. You start in real time and then when the button is flashing it's a good time to turn on TBS mode. Honestly, works kinda snappy and smart (also it's some sort of fusion of previous Trails combat systems, but I've barely finished first 3 games and can't say that I'm a good judge on that).
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Hector Hall
Member
I am very experienced with these games and that fight was though. Had to repeat it 4-5 times. In Trails there's no grinding, once your level outclasses the enemies one the amount of XP they give you reduces dramatically so no point grinding. There's always one strategy or more that works, have your characters with full HP when he invoques more and the S Crafts ready to unleash both.
Lorianus
Member
The XP you get scales in trails -> you are underleveld ? -> one tiny monster suddenly gives you like 1k XP until you are in it's level range -> at that point the XP gets reduced to something like 1/10th -> the game makes sure of it that grinding atleast for XP is meaningless and that you dont outlevel the content.
Also make sure that you fully utilize all thats given to you, cancel enemy arts with skills that have impede in it's description, modify the turn order with stuns and skills that have delay in their description ect, earth guard art is pretty broken in early game and through the whole game usefull for harder fights.
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Jinzo Prime
Gold Member
Make sure you a popping Overdrive when it procs, this is the tutorial for the mechanic. Use Flicker and line up all the enemies with the right stick to hit them all, the hitbox is very generous. Hit Triangle or Circle (Y or B) after (Overdrive) Flicker to follow up. Use Estelle's S-Craft when surrounded. Some of the enemies will waste thier turn playing dead, giving you a gap if you need to heal. Items don't have a cast time, use them if you're about to faint.
If you are still struggling, equip 2 Earth orbs on Estelle for Earth Guard, an Art that gives you and your party a damage shield.
mèx
Gold Member
This. Don't just spam crafts and arts based on the damage. Read what each craft does, many of the effects like Steal Bonus, Delay, Impede and others are extremely useful.
I'm still in Chapter 1 doing the first bracer missions. In the original I didn't bother speaking to all NPCs so I'm taking my time with this remake to do that. Game feels good to play, it's basically FC with a Daybreak coat of paint and a new shader.
I feel like the field combat is a bit too simple with respect to Daybreak 2, but I'm preferring the turn based combat since you are not limited to the being close to the party members to perform link attacks.
The production value seems to be higher than usual, I've already seen quite a few mocapped scenes and it's just the beginning.
The vibe of Sky is still all there and it's immaculate, the remastered soundtrack seems to be solid. Koguchi did a good work in remastering Ishibashi tracks, he would be proud. I have listened to some other tracks on YouTube, there are a few tracks in which the originals are better but in general it's solid work.
The translation flows well and I'm not smelling any fanfiction bullshit like in Daybreak (for now, we will see). I'm still getting used to the new Japanese voice actors, it's not about the performance (it's great), just that it's weird they had to change them.
The PC port is extremely solid, it's not as good as Durante's team efforts but that's a high bar to reach. For example, things that are missing:
- Auto save customization options.
- Being able to disable targeting with the right stick in turn based combat. In Daybreak you can disable that and be able to target exclusively with the D-Pad, which would be my preferred way to play. Alas this is not possible here.
- No DLSS. They seem to have TAA so why not include it? DLSS was a huge improvement over the normal TAA in Daybreak 2.
- Not sure why but shadows look weird in this game if you look them from above. Not sure if it's related to some settings of if it's hardcoded like that.
- No pop-up option for when a music track starts playing.
- You cannot fully customize the controller binds.
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Boneless
Member
Turn based?
Is it actually? Or is this like FF7 remake saying it has a turn based option.
Skifi28
Gold Member
This is always my experience in the early fights. Your character lacks the tools (arts-crafts) as well as important stats like evasion and crit.
ShaiKhulud1989
Gold Member
jshackles
Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
When you're in the field, you press a button to attack, and another button to activate turn-based battles. The idea is that you can get in a few solid hits or stun an enemy in "action combat" before going into battle for real-real, or that you can wipe out smaller monsters that are well below your level in a few hits. If you want, you can activate turn-based battle after a single hit to an enemy. Bosses and other "big" enemies, you get launched directly into turn-based mode.
It's a pretty cool system, and you'll definitely be doing most battles turn-based. Turn based combat itself is literally old-school turn based.
On the left-hand side of the battle screen, you see the turn order from top to bottom. Different turn positions have bonuses (the blue and green hearts, in this case) which indicate that when that character's turn arrives, they'll heal some EP (used for casting spells) or CP (used for casting super moves). The second blue heart bonus is going to a monster here, so one strategy would be to try to delay that monster's turn so that the EP bonus for that turn slot gets pushed on to one of your own characters for maximum benefit. The bonuses are randomly generated but are used to keep fights fresh and interesting to avoid the "press X to win" that most JRPGs eventually get to.
As others mentioned above, some fights (mostly boss fights) can be absolutely brutally difficult if you don't actually take advantage of your character's move sets or control the battle turn order. You're free to position your characters (when it's their turn) because most attacks need to be lined up correctly to work optimally. Some attacks go in a straight line, some a circle around the character, some in a cone in front, etc.
I hear people complain a lot of times that they wished JRPGs just kept refining turn based combat after Final Fantasy X. If you've thought that before, this game is here to restore your faith in the genre.
mèx
Gold Member
Nope, they switched from PhyreEngine to the Falcom Devoloper Kit Engine with Trails through Daybreak.
Sky 1st Chapter uses the same engine with very few changes. The change in looks is mostly due to shader work.
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graywolf323
Gold Member
looks like they fixed it overnight, I'll have to pick the game up and play it this afternoon (I'm going to a MTG Spider-Man prerelease event later this morning)seems all the DLC is broken on PS5 (I got the deluxe edition) its just costumes and hair and shit but I mean... If I didn't want to use that stuff I wouldn't have bought it
Does this mean that sidequests are largely useless then if the game caps you so you don't get too strong? It sounds like it because if you did them all you'd just start getting no xp from them after a while.
Hector Hall
Member
No, the games are divided in chapters and you more or less need the sidequests I that chapter to earn money and have the required XP to be in the curve. If you don't do any sidequests you will be underpowered and have less money that you should to have the most up to date gear.
Lorianus
Member
Sidequests dont reward XP anyway its for Mira, Gear, Quartz and Bracer Points Ranking.
DeceptiveAlarm
Member
I'm glad i read this. I never played a trails game. So your saying I can't use the action combat the whole game then? The only turn-based I ever enjoyed was expedition 33. This is basically straight turned based? No action cues like a mario rpg or 33? And action combat is just to start?When you're in the field, you press a button to attack, and another button to activate turn-based battles. The idea is that you can get in a few solid hits or stun an enemy in "action combat" before going into battle for real-real, or that you can wipe out smaller monsters that are well below your level in a few hits. If you want, you can activate turn-based battle after a single hit to an enemy. Bosses and other "big" enemies, you get launched directly into turn-based mode.
It's a pretty cool system, and you'll definitely be doing most battles turn-based. Turn based combat itself is literally old-school turn based.
On the left-hand side of the battle screen, you see the turn order from top to bottom. Different turn positions have bonuses (the blue and green hearts, in this case) which indicate that when that character's turn arrives, they'll heal some EP (used for casting spells) or CP (used for casting super moves). The second blue heart bonus is going to a monster here, so one strategy would be to try to delay that monster's turn so that the EP bonus for that turn slot gets pushed on to one of your own characters for maximum benefit. The bonuses are randomly generated but are used to keep fights fresh and interesting to avoid the "press X to win" that most JRPGs eventually get to.
As others mentioned above, some fights (mostly boss fights) can be absolutely brutally difficult if you don't actually take advantage of your character's move sets or control the battle turn order. You're free to position your characters (when it's their turn) because most attacks need to be lined up correctly to work optimally. Some attacks go in a straight line, some a circle around the character, some in a cone in front, etc.
I hear people complain a lot of times that they wished JRPGs just kept refining turn based combat after Final Fantasy X. If you've thought that before, this game is here to restore your faith in the genre.
There is action against the smaller things, it appears to be all turn based against the bigger monsters.
This game is so confusing with their systems if you haven't played one of these games before, lol. I'm guessing it's going to have a high dropoff rate a few hours in because the game does such a poor job explaining all of this stuff.
For the person asking if this turn based combat is as good as Exp 33, it is not, but there are not many games to that level.
Gambit2483
Member
How is no one talking about the NS2 edition of this game? This is basically one of the few/only current gen Switch 2 games running @ 4k/60fps docked and 1080p/60fps handheld.I think docked may be using dynamic resolutions and the 60fps isn't locked but it's damn near close enough and looks/runs amazingly (for the most part). Definitely one of the best ways to play this game, esp with handheld mode.
jshackles
Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
I'm playing on Switch 2, but exclusively in handheld mode. Having a game like this that uses the full tablet resolution and a locked 60fps feels so great.
Danjin44
The nicest person on this forum
I love E33 but I don't agree with that at all, there many turn based combat system I actually like more than E33's turn based combat.
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Hector Hall
Member
Mother of God, Expedition 33 turn based combat is basically a Neverending collection of QTE to dodge/block enemy memorizing their attack animations while waiting for your turn. To compare that to this or Daybreak 2 is ashaming.
Danjin44
The nicest person on this forum
I LOVED E33 it was fantastic game but man some of these hyperbolic takes for this game just too much.....E33's combat is fun but I also feel that its combat made for people who dont like turn based. For someone like me who does like turn based combat a lot there are MANY other turn based combat out there that I like more than E33's combat.
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Hector Hall
Member
Yeah, I also liked a lot Expedition 33. Art Design, game world and lore, BSO, aesthetic, even the plot was ultra cool until the last reveals that drag it down a bit.
But precisely the turn combat system wasn't one of its stronger points. Totally reliant on the QTE to dodge/block, and the pictos system while deep enough it was a far shot of the best the JRPG genre has to offer.
But precisely the turn combat system wasn't one of its stronger points. Totally reliant on the QTE to dodge/block, and the pictos system while deep enough it was a far shot of the best the JRPG genre has to offer.
Yeah, unfortunately this game has an actual combat system unlike abomination 33. It's so confusing that I can't just click one button and feel so full of myself because of managing such gargantuan task
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I've been playing turn based games for 30+ years since the classics like Heroes of Might and Magic and X-Com. Exp 33 maybe wasn't the deepest but I thought it was fun. Love turn based games, and it was something different for once.Yeah, unfortunately this game has an actual combat system unlike abomination 33. It's so confusing that I can't just click one button and feel so full of myself because of managing such gargantuan task
I'm just giving my opinion on my first Trails game. I didn't say it wasn't fun, just that 'to me' as someone playing both games this year for the first time it's not 'as fun'. And that the systems in the game are not well explained to someone not familiar with the series. Like the stuff above:
a) where sidequests don't give XP
b) that grinding monsters is useless
c) that the rewards and money are critical to getting stronger
That is not typical RPG behavior, so you can see why it would be confusing to a first timer. I'm still playing the game, please take no offense. I thought Exp 33 also did a poor job explaining their systems, I was like 1/2 way through the game before I totally understood the picto system completely. Whereas something like BG3 I understood everything pretty much right off the bat.
ShaiKhulud1989
Gold Member
I will be that contrarian guy who will say that when the hype cools down, people will understand that from the purely game design standpoint E33 (and I loved it very much) is quite broken and, yes, overrated. It's very, and I mean very easy to break the overall combat with pictos even with lacking brain cells. Active dodging is just there because devs understood that otherwise they're making straight-up Persona. Combat in E33 is frankly not fun and annoying in the second half, that's why you're striving for that OP pictos builds to not touch the active parrying or dodging again.
Combat in 1st (I'm on Act 2) is way more nuanced and it's actually way more true to jRPG TBS roots. You start a fight is light realtime mode with two basic attacks to gather some power points and further propgress to turn-based combat without silly nods to Souls-games with narrow parry windows.
Plus, due to a solid semi-linear structure of the remake, it's more balanced and fair in it's difficulty curve on Normal. I just don't want to cheese or break it. You can't just overpower Estelle and crew because you need Quartz, special abilities and equipment in sync to overcome some bosses, not Quartz alone. Plus it's fun to try different combinations and they never (so far) leaning on the OP side.
Honestly, from pure jRPG standpoint 1st is way more enjoyable and carry the right progression pacing, instead of building some totally game-breaking things around Maelle 24/7.
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Ooooph. Switch 2 version apparently came in really hot. Has random stutters and it doesn't even have a graphics toggle for the advertised 1080/60 and 4k/30 modes.
Also reading through some of the posts. People are really in here trying to compare E33 to a Falcom game? Man, that game has caused some next level gamer brain rot.
Also reading through some of the posts. People are really in here trying to compare E33 to a Falcom game? Man, that game has caused some next level gamer brain rot.
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adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
These games getting speed up modes is probably one of the best QoL and every JRPG should have it.
DreamcastSkies
Gold Member
Is there an upgrade option for Switch to Switch 2?
jshackles
Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
There is. It cost $1 in the eShop.
Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter Nintendo Switch™ 2 Edition upgrade pack for Nintendo Switch 2 - Nintendo Official Site
Buy Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter Nintendo Switch™ 2 Edition upgrade pack and shop other great Nintendo products online at the official My Nintendo Store.
www.nintendo.com
STARSBarry
Gold Member
So I've started chapter 2 finally.
Few things to note, im playing on "normal" certain encounters even when leveled felt unbalanced or cheap. The first one to really stand out was the battle in the woods with the sky pirate and her goons.
Depending on what she decides to do your run can essentially be fucked over. Even when delay stacking and getting all her minions down she can just enter an enrage state that makes her so fast she gets 2 turns in a row before you can react. Combined with her ability to do heavy cone damage that means if you have 2 characters near each other your fucked.
It didnt feel fair, I tried several times while fully understanding the mechanics, I won because the AI decided on one attenpt not just have her spam her AOE attack over and over but use her self heal (which only heals her like 730)
Outside of that there's a few further "bumps" but nothing to that level that required RNG luck to pass. I have noticed a trend now for me to be speaking to fully voiced characters, but have my party be silent and text only. It feels really weird, like why have some characters voiced but the party's responses not?
Outside of that though the game is what I wanted in a Remake of this series, it falls in line with the more modern entries. Looking forward to them hopefully remaking the rest.
Few things to note, im playing on "normal" certain encounters even when leveled felt unbalanced or cheap. The first one to really stand out was the battle in the woods with the sky pirate and her goons.
Depending on what she decides to do your run can essentially be fucked over. Even when delay stacking and getting all her minions down she can just enter an enrage state that makes her so fast she gets 2 turns in a row before you can react. Combined with her ability to do heavy cone damage that means if you have 2 characters near each other your fucked.
It didnt feel fair, I tried several times while fully understanding the mechanics, I won because the AI decided on one attenpt not just have her spam her AOE attack over and over but use her self heal (which only heals her like 730)
Outside of that there's a few further "bumps" but nothing to that level that required RNG luck to pass. I have noticed a trend now for me to be speaking to fully voiced characters, but have my party be silent and text only. It feels really weird, like why have some characters voiced but the party's responses not?
Outside of that though the game is what I wanted in a Remake of this series, it falls in line with the more modern entries. Looking forward to them hopefully remaking the rest.
jshackles
Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
I've noticed this too, and you're right it's pretty jarring. It almost feels like it's a bug, but it was probably just a way for them to cheap out on paying voice actors.
Poppinfresh
Gold Member
There's no comparison. The worst Falcom game is still 100 times better than E33.
Poppinfresh
Gold Member
It's pretty standard for Falcom games. Not everything is voiced and what is voiced tends to be random.
ShaiKhulud1989
Gold Member
By the way
OH MY GOD THE COSTUMES (don't mind the brightness crush, it's Steam tonemapping issue with HDR)
OH MY GOD THE COSTUMES (don't mind the brightness crush, it's Steam tonemapping issue with HDR)
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jshackles
Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
The DLC costumes look goofy as hell, but I was happy to see that you can buy some cosmetics in-game for in-game (not real) money. Mostly just different hair colors and glasses and whatnot, but still nice to see they aren't totally nickel and diming people who just want Schera to be blonde.
kpopSuperstar
Member
So it's a remake, but how faithfully? FF7 remake is a different thing entirelly. Is it that extreme or does it hit all the same story beats and locations in the same way as the original?
jshackles
Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
Same story beats, same locations (just now fully realized in 3D and a lot more verticality!), same characters, and even the same script. I finished the original game last year, so it's still pretty fresh for me - this is as close to a 1:1 remake as you can get. The few differences I've personally noticed have been
- The action combat from Daybreak that wasn't in the original
- Additional dialog / banter between characters - during and after battles, when browsing shops ("what should I buy?" and "Hmm, which one are you going to pick?"), just generally more interaction between characters when they're not in cut scenes.
- As I mentioned before, the maps have more depth to them. Most of the original game's locations had a single plane, sometimes two that you could go back and forth on by like climbing stairs and stuff - this game's map fully realizes the 3D space. Hills, valleys, etc.
- No transitions / loading screens between towns and outside locations. The original had the like old-school Zelda thing of "go three maps to the east, then north from there", this game's world transitions seamlessly. You still have a loading screen going into buildings though.
- Sadly, no witty dialog from opened treasure chests. It was a bit silly, but that was a fun part of the original game that I kind of wish they would have included.
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ShadyAcshuns
Member
I'll be getting my copy on Monday.
Danjin44
The nicest person on this forum
Its niche game so dont expect lot reviews for this game...but it doesn't matter this game chunky demo which you can play and decide for yourself if the game is for you or not.
Touch fuzZy. get BizZay
Member
Looks like mine hasn't shipped. Tracking says "preparing order." Gotta love that when a game with a small print run that you ordered months ago looks like it's never gonna come.
Danjin44
The nicest person on this forum
In my case I got the game but my PS5 decided to die on me, so currently waiting for my new PS5 order to get here.
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Jinzo Prime
Gold Member
Chest messages were only in the localized releases of the original games, they were never in the Japanese original. GungHo is not going alter Falcom's game without permission, unlike XSEED.
touchfuzzy
Member
Yeah the game is great, I could see people struggling with not really understanding the combat though. It's all about turn order management, positioning, and stealing specials. And also you really shouldn't be using just straight standard attacks on any given turn unless you literally can't do anything else
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NanaMiku
Member
For Japanese dub, the voice actors are also different from the Evolution version (The PS Vita version that didn't get localized).