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Trails of Cold Steel IV |OT| The End?!

Komatsu

Komatsu

Member
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Developer: Nihon Falcom
Publisher: NIS America
Platforms: PS4 (will be ported to Switch and PC next year)
Release Dates: October 27nd, 2020

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The game is a direct sequel to the prior three Trails of Cold Steel games, set two weeks after the final battle in Trails of Cold Steel III.

Juna, Kurt, and Altina awaken to find out that Rean Schwarzer was captured by his father, Giliath Osborne.Determined to rescue Rean and put a stop to Osborne's plans, Juna takes charge of Class VII and travels all over Crossbell and Erebonia to try and figure out what Ouroboros and Osborne's plans are. During their investigation, they discover that the governor-general of Crossbell, Rufus Albarea, had been using his position to find and take possession of the last remaining Divine Knight. The group finally discovers the location of the facility where Rean is being held at and stage a rescue mission. Upon arriving, they find Rean has already fully succumbed to his Ogre curse, but the presence of all of his friends allows him to reconstruct his heart and regain his senses. Still loyal to Rean, Crow decides to rejoin Rean's side. Osborne arrives and explains to them that since all of the Divine Knights have been awakened, they can begin the "Rivalry", which is a ritual that involves the Divine Knight holders battling each other until only one remains, with the survivor becoming the new vessel for the Great One, Ishmelga. Rean swears to put a stop to Osborne's plan as he makes his escape. [FROM THE WIKI]


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The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV - The End of Saga Reviews

The Erebonian Empire is on the brink of all out war! Taking place shortly after the ending of Trails of Cold Steel III, the heroes of Class VII find themselves against the full force of the Empire in an attempt to stop its path of total domination. Further, the hero of the Erebonian Civil War...
www.metacritic.com www.metacritic.com
 
Darkmakaimura

Darkmakaimura

Can You Imagine What SureAI Is Going To Do With Garfield?
Oh my scheisse, I almost forgot about this.

Quick and important (for me, anyways) question. Does this require a day one patch and how big is the patch?

I know when it released in Japan, it required a day one patch that was about 10GB in size. Some suspect that it contained a portion of the game in the patch.
 
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Darkmakaimura

Darkmakaimura

Can You Imagine What SureAI Is Going To Do With Garfield?
S

SLoWMoTIoN

Unconfirmed Member
SlimeGooGoo said:
I wish this series didn't had so much fan service, it would be so much better without
Click to expand...
I never started this series because I have to buy the other games. (first?) Also the haha meme.
 
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Darkmakaimura

Darkmakaimura

Can You Imagine What SureAI Is Going To Do With Garfield?
SlimeGooGoo said:
I wish this series didn't had so much fan service, it would be so much better without
Click to expand...
I'm legit lost on what you mean by this?

Anyways I know the fandom can be pretty fucking arrogant and annoying with some exceptions (Omgfloofy is pretty cool, for instance)
 
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Komatsu

Komatsu

Member
Lots of issues with the digital release. Myself and dozens of others can’t download the game and keep getting the dreaded “Can’t validate the license” error.
 
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Zheph

Zheph

Member
Oh man... not sure about that, 3 wasn't that great to me and 4 has an even bigger cast which I think is a huge flaw
 
Isa

Isa

Member
Komatsu said:
Lots of issues with the digital release. Myself and dozens of others can’t download the game and keep getting the dreaded “Can’t validate the license” error.
Click to expand...
Yeah it sucks. I've never seen it this bad. In all my time purchasing from PSN, most things will download early, with only a couple that I had to manually dl in my library or from the store. Genshin impact I had to wait until release day. But this is on another level. No dl, and its past the release date now with no update. This makes me far less confident about Sony's store going forward. I know its just a game, I've got other stuff to play, but what is the point of a pre-order to preload and play a game the moment it is released then? At this point its false advertising. We haven't gotten what we paid for.

Last I checked I can see both the standard and Collector's edition up on PSN available for purchase for me. Its still in my library though. Hopefully Sony get's their $#!7 together. These companies really need a better refund policy, ala Steam. Doubt it'll happen.
 
KàIRóS

KàIRóS

Member
My copy just arrived, I'm kinda surprised considering how awful Amazon has been with my deliveries lately, I also wasn't expecting a small artbook and soundtrack in the standard edition, nice little detail there NiSA.

I actually just finished Hajimari last week so I might as well replay this one in english, it's either that or keep selling my soul to Genshin Impact.
 
Komatsu

Komatsu

Member
I ended up buying a physical copy but haven't asked for a refund yet. Sony has admitted that NIS apparently did not have a hand in this clusterf****, not that NIS America helped in any way.
 
YeulEmeralda

YeulEmeralda

Linux User
The bloated cast. The 4 in a row boss battles.
Goddammit I hated this game so much.

But KeA is cute. DO IT FOR HER GET OVER THE BARRIER
 
JayK47

JayK47

Member
Nearing the end of this game and it couldn't come quick enough. After playing through the first 3 games, I can't stand the dialog anymore and am skipping through most of it. It is literally the same crap over and over and I do not care about 90%+ of the characters enough to listen to their backstories. The character roster is so insanely bloated in this game. Literally every single character from the past 3 games are playable as well as half of the damn NPC from past games. In typical Trails fashion, many of the characters on your team are enemies turned friends (and vise versa). Your team is still being treated like kids needing to be trained and tested. Half of the fights are still just teaching moments and "congratulations you have grown so much since last time we fought".

I really enjoyed the first two games as I was new to the Trails series. After playing the first two games, I picked up the 3rd game. I did not enjoy the 3rd game near as much as the first two, in fact I found it annoying most of the time. It then ends on a cliffhanger and you are damn near required to buy the 4th game to wrap up the story. And here we are. I really wish I would have left the series after the 2nd game. However, that is hard to do when you are enjoying a series. Who could have guessed the 3rd and 4th games would be so bad after the first two were so good?
 
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Shouta

Shouta

Member
CS3 and 4 have tons of dialog, character, and general story issues since Falcom fucked up hard in CS1 and CS2. The cast was too big and their writing style got twisted to accommodate trying to appeal to the otaku crowd. This in turn affected the story and made it feel impersonal to the characters. Then in an effort to deal with it and the bloat, they tropified their writing even more so than they did in the two previous series which lead us to how CS3 and CS4 turned out. We should have gotten personal interactions for each and every character all throughout the story but instead we got them being "tested" at every point.

It was really boneheaded decision to push so much character interaction, and thus development, into bonding events. Everything got centered around Rean and thus left nothing for them to explore in the story itself. Class 7, in particular, suffers the most because they have little interaction with each other that doesn't involve Rean. Like aside from Millium and Jusis, do any of the female and male Class 7 members have a relationship with each other? Even New Class 7 runs into this issue beyond the first part of CS3. Kurt and Yuna looked like they might have an actual relationship (platonic and romantic) but they threw that out the window as well. This gets extended to their interactions with the villains too.

That said, of the 4 main Cold Steel games, CS3 and CS4 are still my favorite ones because of the gameplay and the excitement it brings if you're following the overall Trails story. Getting to see the Sky and Crossbell crew was pretty great too they are mostly intact as well. CS1 is fine as a setup game, for the most part, but CS2 really botched that civil war story arc badly. It doesn't add anything to the character relationships either despite having so much time to potentially do that as well. That's part of the reason why I don't really hate CS3 and CS4 for their issues on the writing department. The base should have been created with CS1 and CS2 but it wasn't at all.

Thankfully, Tales of Creation actually kind of rectifies issues that the series has been having recently. The compartmentalization they did in the game helped character interaction a lot and gave them time to explore the characters a bit more individually without MC-kun being a major factor in it. It makes the huge cast very manageable from a writing perspective too. It's by far the best game since Ao.

JayK47 JayK47 Since you started with CS1 and CS2, I'd highly recommend going back to play Sky or play the fan translations of the Crossbell games. They are much stronger games and will give you a better idea of what the series is really capable of.
 
Darkmakaimura

Darkmakaimura

Can You Imagine What SureAI Is Going To Do With Garfield?
My love is waning slightly for this series mainly due to what I know about Hajimari no Kiseki. Really tired of the it's not real, it's just a simulation and/or robots trope.

One full past game in the series already did that.
 
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Shouta

Shouta

Member
Darkmakaimura said:
My love is waning slightly for this series mainly due to what I know about Hajimari no Kiseki. Really tired of the it's not real, it's just a simulation and/or robots trope.
Click to expand...

Your spoiler isn't correct at all if I'm correct at what you're thinking. I finished Hajimari too. =p
 
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JayK47

JayK47

Member
Shouta said:
JayK47 JayK47 Since you started with CS1 and CS2, I'd highly recommend going back to play Sky or play the fan translations of the Crossbell games. They are much stronger games and will give you a better idea of what the series is really capable of.
Click to expand...

I do not doubt they are better games. A lot of reviewers seem to agree. It is getting harder to find time for jRPGs and the only reason I played CS3 and CS4 is because I really like 1 and 2. However, I think I am done with the Trails series after CS4. I much prefer Tales and Atelier and really do not have time for much else.
 
yurqqa

yurqqa

Member
Reading the messages above I got a feeling that I should just drop Trails of cold steel 2 that I'm playing now (it feels just like reuse of assets from ToCS 2 with more teen drama).

I loved Trails in the Sky (especially the 1st one - it also went downhill from there). Should I play Trails of Zero and wait for upcoming Azure translation instead of ToCS ?
 
bigedole

bigedole

Member
I do think the cast was way too big, but as someone who just platinumed this last night I definitely feel it is worth playing if you enjoy the Trails series at all. I found the combat fun and the story high points were really good. Tons of bloat to get through, but fast forward/skip make that really simple. Very much enjoyed the game and recommend to any fan of the series. Hoping for a Hajimari announcement soon!
 
Shouta

Shouta

Member
yurqqa said:
Reading the messages above I got a feeling that I should just drop Trails of cold steel 2 that I'm playing now (it feels just like reuse of assets from ToCS 2 with more teen drama).

I loved Trails in the Sky (especially the 1st one - it also went downhill from there). Should I play Trails of Zero and wait for upcoming Azure translation instead of ToCS ?
Click to expand...

Cold Steel games are good but with the caveat that they're pretty bloated and aren't the carefully planned and executed titles like some of the other games are. If bloat is a gamebreaker for you then stopping after CS2 is fine. If you like the series for various individual aspects, there's still a lot of that in the games so it's worth going through, just skip past the rote stuff.
 
Darkmakaimura

Darkmakaimura

Can You Imagine What SureAI Is Going To Do With Garfield?
Shouta said:
Your spoiler isn't correct at all if I'm correct at what you're thinking. I finished Hajimari too. =p
Click to expand...
I'd love if you could explain the whole Elysion / True Reverie Corridor thing and the not-real-but-robots thing because it all sounded to similar to Phantasma from Trails in the Sky the 3rd.
 
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Shouta

Shouta

Member
Darkmakaimura said:
I'd love if you could explain the whole Elysion / True Reverie Corridor thing and the not-real-but-robots thing because it all sounded to similar to Phantasma from Trails in the Sky the 3rd.
Click to expand...

Do you want the full spoiler? If so I'll put it below just ignore it if you, and others, want to experience it in Hajimari yourselves.

Again - Spoilers for Hajimari no Kiseki. Do not read if you don't want to be spoiled

Just to quickly explain each piece,

Elysion was a system that could predict future events by simulating every potential scenario that could occur. In essence, it's the computer version of what Musse does when she's coming up with plans. However, because of the advancement of orbal technology converging with the mana of the leylines across all of Erebonia, it gave birth to a system that gained sentience and could influence reality itself. It was a technological singularity. Its power was enormous and it allowed it to do impossible things essentially. All of the crazy shit that happens in the game is the result of the system having that ability. The exact mechanics of how it makes it a reality aren't exactly explained though, lol.

As for the True Reverie Corridor, it's a system under the control of the Black Reverie Mirror (or however it will be translated as). The Black Reverie Mirror is also known as the "Observer of the Land of Erebos." If that sounds familiar, then you're probably already figured out what it is. The Black Records by Azoth are the Black Reverie Mirror. They are one in the same. Its function is to maintain observe and maintain the integrity of reality, particularly in Erebonia. It does so by influencing the people of Erebonia via information and occasionally directly getting involved. The Reverie Corridor itself was a place used to strengthen the people it deemed necessary for its goals, typically by drawing them in and letting them train there. That would translate into the real world and gave those people the power to alter the course of history.

Both of these system had the ability to view and interfere with reality and this leads to the post-game of Hajimari. While the Elysion system was stopped within the main story, it had let loose something prior to that because the system predicted the existence of Azoth and it trying to maintain reality as it should be That thing tried to encroach on the Corridor, causing dimensional issues that could potentially spill out into the real world. As for what that thing is, play the game to find out. =P The Phantasma comparisons are only valid on a gameplay front and the general details. It's another dimension separated from reality and it has an administrating entity is about all that it has in common. The Corridor's function is very different than that of the Phantasma overall. It's definitely not a simulation either.

As for the robots part, I'm not sure what part you're referring to because the series has giant orbots already, lol.
 
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Darkmakaimura

Darkmakaimura

Can You Imagine What SureAI Is Going To Do With Garfield?
Shouta said:
Do you want the full spoiler? If so I'll put it below just ignore it if you, and others, want to experience it in Hajimari yourselves.

Again - Spoilers for Hajimari no Kiseki. Do not read if you don't want to be spoiler

Just to quickly explain each piece,

Elysion was a system that could predict future events by simulating every potential scenario that could occur. In essence, it's the computer version of what Musse does when she's coming up with plans. However, because of the advancement of orbal technology converging with the mana of the leylines across all of Erebonia, it gave birth to a system that gained sentience and could influence reality itself. It was a technological singularity. Its power was enormous and it allowed it to do impossible things essentially. All of the crazy shit that happens in the game is the result of the system having that ability. The exact mechanics of how it makes it a reality aren't exactly explained though, lol.

As for the True Reverie Corridor, it's a system under the control of the Black Reverie Mirror (or however it will be translated as). The Black Reverie Mirror is also known as the "Observer of the Land of Erebos." If that sounds familiar, then you're probably already figured out what it is. The Black Records by Azoth are the Black Reverie Mirror. They are one in the same. Its function is to maintain observe and maintain the integrity of reality, particularly in Erebonia. It does so by influencing the people of Erebonia via information and occasionally directly getting involved. The Reverie Corridor itself was a place used to strengthen the people it deemed necessary for its goals, typically by drawing them in and letting them train there. That would translate into the real world and gave those people the power to alter the course of history.

Both of these system had the ability to view and interfere with reality and this leads to the post-game of Hajimari. While the Elysion system was stopped within the main story, it had let loose something prior to that because the system predicted the existence of Azoth and it trying to maintain reality as it should be That thing tried to encroach on the Corridor, causing dimensional issues that could potentially spill out into the real world. As for what that thing is, play the game to find out. =P The Phantasma comparisons are only valid on a gameplay front and the general details. It's another dimension separated from reality and it has an administrating entity is about all that it has in common. The Corridor's function is very different than that of the Phantasma overall. It's definitely not a simulation either.

As for the robots part, I'm not sure what part you're referring to because the series has giant orbots already, lol.
Click to expand...
Still sounds a bit too similar to Sky 3rd and Phantasma to me. Remember Phantasma was also spilling over into the real world or was about to, as Anima Mundus claimed.

Problem too is the story is getting very convoluted. What is the implication of all these technological systems/virtual realities or whatever you want to call them having power over the real world?

It worries me they might go down a Star Ocean route.

What's even real in the game anymore? Do we even know if Devils from Gehenna actually exist, for instance, or are they just illusions? Is Zemuria even real in the sense it's not just a VR simulation? We know it has borders or may not be a planet in the traditional sense as McBurn explains near the end of CS4.
 
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Shouta

Shouta

Member
Darkmakaimura said:
Still sounds a bit too similar to Sky 3rd and Phantasma to me. Remember Phantasma was also spilling over into the real world or was about to, as Anima Mundus claimed.

Problem too is the story is getting very convoluted. What is the implication of all these technological systems/virtual realities or whatever you want to call them having power over the real world?

It worries me they might go down a Star Ocean route.

What's even real in the game anymore? Do we even know if Devils from Gehenna actually exist, for instance, or are they just illusions? Is Zemuria even real in the sense it's not just a VR simulation? We know it has borders or may not be a planet in the traditional sense as McBurn explains near the end of CS4.
Click to expand...

Well, the spilling over into the real world is similar to but there's not much you can do with that setup that has real world stakes, lol. Otherwise, the details are pretty different, particularly the origins.

The story has been convoluted for awhile. It kind of started with Azure but it really got nutso with Cold Steel but that's also because they tried to cram so much into CS. They didn't give it to bake either so you got a lot of things that were half-assed or unexplored.

Nothing is virtual reality though. So not sure where you're getting virtual reality from. It's all extradimensional shit. It may well be a garden experiment but someone but it's dimensional and not VR.
 
Komatsu

Komatsu

Member
I love Falcom games, I really do, and I actually vastly preferred CS3 to 2 0 - Rean as an instructor was a cool concept. That said, I am leaking willpower to finish the game with how stupid some of the plot lines are and the whole "NOW WE MUST FIGHT BECAUSE OF THE CURSE - PS: I LOVE YOU" bullshit. I will play Hajimari, of course, but man they need new blood over there.
 
Darkmakaimura

Darkmakaimura

Can You Imagine What SureAI Is Going To Do With Garfield?
Shouta said:
Well, the spilling over into the real world is similar to but there's not much you can do with that setup that has real world stakes, lol. Otherwise, the details are pretty different, particularly the origins.

The story has been convoluted for awhile. It kind of started with Azure but it really got nutso with Cold Steel but that's also because they tried to cram so much into CS. They didn't give it to bake either so you got a lot of things that were half-assed or unexplored.

Nothing is virtual reality though. So not sure where you're getting virtual reality from. It's all extradimensional shit. It may well be a garden experiment but someone but it's dimensional and not VR.
Click to expand...
Yeah I guess VR is the wrong word but sort of like one in that while it's physically in another dimension, everything in it is created as an illusion. Sort of like a physical dream realm.... Phantasmal. And it's sort of created.

I hope we get to visit other actual realms in the Beyond like Gehenna at some point.

But yeah tbh I'm having so much trouble following the story nowadays.
 
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Darkmakaimura

Darkmakaimura

Can You Imagine What SureAI Is Going To Do With Garfield?
Does anyone have any idea when Cold Steel IV will be coming to PC? I really want to own this on GOG.
 
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