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I think you need to ask yourself how much of the stuff from Zero/Ao that comes up during the Sen games is explicitly said and how much of it you filled in yourself due your prior knowledge of the events. When I thought about that, I was actually surprised at how much they don't explicitly say, even in Sen 2.

That's what I said though, having the information to fill in stuff is what makes Sen way more interesting. The game won't shut up about the trade conference in Crossbell for example, but for people who didn't play Ao this event basically doesn't mean anything, it's just political background noise. Same with the Olivier/Osborne rivalry, or everything that has to do with Galeria Fortress or a bazillion other things. All I'm saying is that Sen on its own is okay. The Kiseki flavor makes it better than okay, and that's kind of stripped away with so much background knowledge missing.

 

[MaximumSpider]

This is going to go nicely with Persona 5.

Spoiler

;_;

 

[vall03]

Does the Sen I&II have save/load compatibility between PS3 and Vita?

 

[Hours Left]

Always happy to hear about more Trails games. I'll definitely be getting this.

Not to sound like a broken record, but I do hope we get the entire canon series eventually. I want to play them all!

 

[DeliciousDoc]

Does the Sen I&II have save/load compatibility between PS3 and Vita?

I spent a lot of time looking this up recently since the shop I was in had a cheap version of sen 1 for ps3 and a cheap version of sen 2 for vita.

according to a gamefaq topic they are compatible. There was a debate on how it would actually work. They linked to somesort of q and a on the website that I could not personally check since I suck at copy and pasting on smart phones. Supposedly cross platform save transfers without buying the game twice for one version appears possible.

I have not been able to personally check cross saving as I am still playing trails 1 and have 6 games to play in chronical order before I get to sen. I also do not currently have a pc or a tv.

Hopefully someone from xseed can give an official response.

 

[freikugeln]

So for those who imported it,how does the game stack up?Going by mk2 reviews looks like it had a more lukewarm reception than the previous games.

 

[Nightengale]

So for those who imported it,how does the game stack up?Going by mk2 reviews looks like it had a more lukewarm reception than the previous games.

These kind of things are pretty subjective. I like Sen a lot, but I feel that it's a weaker standalone experience because of how things lead-up to a sequel, because the pacing's slower here and there, and because the story pivots itself around students in a school.

I personally think that it's a weaker start than Zero, but I think Zero is the best 'opener' of the 3 story arcs in Kiseki anyway (FC, Zero, Sen) I however, like Sen as much as I do FC, even if the characters in Sen are less memorable to me than the characters of Sora.

P.S. I've only played Sora FC, Zero & 20+ hours of Sen.

 

[RyougaSaotome]

Excellent. I was initially one of those folks saying Sen has to come after Zero, but in retrospect I think Sen -> Zero/Ao is perfectly fine as well. Hell, I know folks who did Zero/Ao, FC SC 3rd Sen. And they fell in love with the series.

And I think XSEED did a bang up job of explaining why the they have to do it this way. It makes sense.

No complaints from me.

Sen is good, but it's a slower burn than SC. It takes its time getting to the meat of things (partially cause it has to due to being a completely new location and completely separate cast), but when it gets good, it's great.

Sen II just sprints from the beginning.

 

[luka]

i hope xseed has been no-so-subtly encouraging falcom to finally port the chinese pc version of ao. i've been waiting to play that one for a long time now

 

[Jimrpg]

Vita lives!

No ps4/PC version?

 

[Nightengale]

Vita lives!

No ps4/PC version?

Those versions don't natively exist without someone porting them.

 

[pje122]

The Sen games can easily be played and understood on their own. XSEED is obviously going to do the "No previous knowledge required! Just jump in!"- marketing, which is understandable, Falcom does the same thing in Japan.

Skipping three games worth of world-building and story threads is a harsh compromise though, can't spin that. Osborne is basically going to be a newly introduced character for western players lol. Many events in Sen 1+2 won't mean anything to someone who didn't play the Crossbell games. The gaiden chapter in Sen 2 is going to be a random episode that makes no sense. The connection to previous games is the most interesting part of the Sen story to me, it's pretty much the Crossbell B-side and not exactly very strong on its own. Missing out on that is rather unfortunate.

:/

 

[Shouta]

That's what I said though, having the information to fill in stuff is what makes Sen way more interesting. The game won't shut up about the trade conference in Crossbell for example, but for people who didn't play Ao this event basically doesn't mean anything, it's just political background noise. Same with the Olivier/Osborne rivalry, or everything that has to do with Galeria Fortress or a bazillion other things. All I'm saying is that Sen on its own is okay. The Kiseki flavor makes it better than okay, and that's kind of stripped away with so much background knowledge missing.

That's still you looking at it with the viewpoint of having experienced the previous games though. All of that stuff will look different to a user without it. "Why does this happen?" "What is the relationship between these chars?" "What's the significance of that"

I can definitely say there'll be quite a few things that players going from CS to Zero/Ao are going to go whoa about when they experience it for the first time.

 

[HK-47]

So how many of this series ARE on PC? Cause playing Trails made me hope the rest would follow.

 

[Aeana]

So how many of this series ARE on PC? Cause playing Trails made me hope the rest would follow.

FC, SC, 3rd, Zero, and Ao have PC versions. FC, SC, and 3rd have official Falcom PC versions, whereas Zero and Ao have Chinese PC ports of the PSP games. They're direct ports. Falcom released Zero PC in Japanese, but hasn't released Ao PC in Japanese (yet?).

 

[Elios83]

Wait, is Trails in the Sky SC still scheduled for this summer?
Then they're skipping three games in the series and localizing directly Cold Steel this fall?

 

[Foffy]

I'm more shocked it's coming out THIS YEAR.

I would have imagined 2024 at the rate Trails Second Chapter was going..

 

[Aeana]

I'm more shocked it's coming out THIS YEAR.

I would have imagined 2024 at the rate Trails Second Chapter was going..

SC's difficulties seem to have not affected Cold Steel very much. Different people working on them up until now.

 

[Nightengale]

So how many of this series ARE on PC? Cause playing Trails made me hope the rest would follow.

Liberl Kingdom Arc:
Trails in the Sky First Chapter (PC, PSP, PS3, PSVita)
Trails in the Sky Second Chapter (PC, PSP, PS3)

--FC/SC is technically a duology that closes the main story arc in the first two games----

Trails in the Sky The Third (PC, PSP, PS3)

Crossbell Arc:
Zero no Kiseki ( PSP,PC)
Ao no Kiseki (PSP, PC[Chinese port])

Erebonia Arc:
Trails of Cold Steel 1 (PS3, PSVita)
Trails of Cold Steel 2 (PS3, PSVita)

 

[Rpgmonkey]

Hmm, so Sen II (sorta) works without playing Zero and Ao? I mostly got through Sen fine despite having only played FC to 3rd (with some minor knowledge about characters and locations from Zero and Ao), but I was a little concerned about Sen II being too confusing and never bought it. Can't remember if I ever got around to asking this question in the import thread.

It's on sale too, kinda tempted...

 

[Aeana]

Hmm, so Sen II (sorta) works without playing Zero and Ao? I mostly got through Sen fine despite having only played FC to 3rd (with some minor knowledge about characters and locations from Zero and Ao), but I was a little concerned about Sen II being too confusing and never bought it. Can't remember if I ever got around to asking this question in the import thread.

It's on sale too, kinda tempted...

I strongly believe you can do them in any order and you'll have a good time either way. You don't want to skip Zero/Ao for good, though. If you opt to do Sen 2 first, you should do Zero/Ao afterward!

 

[threelights]

So, I'll be starting the series around the time they release SC (so I can do FC into SC), and by the looks of it, all the connections and stuff, is it like in the Ys games? Where they reference other stuff and you learn about different parts of the lore and world with each game, and they relate to one another, but you can still play them in any order and understand it?
Except of course for FC leading into SC (and Sen I leading into Sen II).

 

[ULTROS!]

What is the reception of Sen no Kiseki anyway? AFAIK:

- The story doesn't have the Trails in the Sky FC climax/twist but it's decent to good
- The orb system has been simplified
- The school cast was pulled of well unlike the school cast of Type-0

 

[cj_iwakura]

What is the reception of Sen no Kiseki anyway? AFAIK:

- The story doesn't have the Trails in the Sky FC climax/twist but it's decent to good
- The orb system has been simplified
- The school cast was pulled of well unlike the school cast of Type-0

There's a demo on the JPSN. I had a lot of fun with it.

 

[Aeana]

What is the reception of Sen no Kiseki anyway? AFAIK:

- The story doesn't have the Trails in the Sky FC climax/twist but it's decent to good
- The orb system has been simplified
- The school cast was pulled of well unlike the school cast of Type-0

Being completely honest, Sen 1 is my least favorite game in the series. But that's with the disclaimer that I am super tired of high school settings and social mechanics in games to start with. The game takes a long time to escalate to anything of interest, and resets itself in each chapter up until a certain point. Any time it feels like something is going to happen, it's time to go back to school and do the same thing again. The first several chapters follow the same framework of social period -> explore old school house -> do special training -> do field assignment. Fortunately, the game does deviate from that eventually, and it's really quite fun at that point.

Sen 2 is one of my favorite Kiseki games by far. If not #1, then #2 after 3rd. Just amazing.

 

[Rpgmonkey]

I strongly believe you can do them in any order and you'll have a good time either way. You don't want to skip Zero/Ao for good, though. If you opt to do Sen 2 first, you should do Zero/Ao afterward!

Cool, I guess I'll go ahead and buy it then.

I want to get Zero and Ao but since they made a Japanese version of the Zero PC port, I wanted to get them both on PC, so I've been waiting for Ao to also get one so I can buy and play both in succession.

 

[thorsilver]

Wow, what a day for XSEED!

Just in case the XSEED members here read this, I want you to know I'll be buying both the PS3 and Vita versions of both games, even I'll almost certainly be playing them both entirely on the Vita, just to show support for the series.

I've also bought TiTS 4 times at this point -- PSN x 2 (for my NA PSP, then later my UK Vita), Steam and GOG, and I'm sure I'll end up doing the same for SC whenever that hits (PLEASE be soon!).

XSEED, you're going to take a serious chunk out of my salary in 2015, but I don't mind at all Keep 'em coming!

 

[charlequin]

I think once the games actually start rolling out, people who have been waiting for the games will start feeling the way we do in terms of us getting a better handle on it. I'm thrilled; I love the Trails series to death, so the better we can get with the series (so long as it's well supported) and its process, the happier I am.

It's appreciated. I think this was a good call and I'll definitely be picking up TOCS when it hits.

 

[zakujanai]

PS3? What is this 2010?

I'm going to assume this is ironically lampooning the kind of people who make this idiotic statement and not actually a serious comment.

If serious though, just don't buy it?

 

[Shouta]

What is the reception of Sen no Kiseki anyway? AFAIK:

- The story doesn't have the Trails in the Sky FC climax/twist but it's decent to good
- The orb system has been simplified
- The school cast was pulled of well unlike the school cast of Type-0

They're great. I'd probably put Sen I/II (as one game) up there with either Zero or Ao though not Zero + Ao together. At the very least, behind those Zero/Ao and ahead of the Sora trilogy, at least personally.

 

[Inuhanyou]

Okay, i havent played literally anything of these games, my first falcom game(i think?) was going to be either Tokyo Xanadu(whenever it got localized) or Ys 8(or PS4)

But now that these are being annoucned, i'm wondering if i'll go okay just playing the PS3 versions of the Cold Steel series?

Is it a ciel no surge type of bullshit where your just confused about events, or is it that they mention things that just have a different impact depending on if you've played the other games in the series?

 

[Nightengale]

Okay, i havent played literally anything of these games, my first falcom game(i think?) was going to be either Tokyo Xanadu(whenever it got localized) or Ys 8(or PS4)

But now that these are being annoucned, i'm wondering if i'll go okay just playing the PS3 versions of the Cold Steel series?

Is it a ciel no surge type of bullshit where your just confused about events, or is it that they mention things that just have a different impact depending on if you've played the other games in the series?

You can jump straight in with Cold Steel, but I'd advice playing through Sky first.

 

[klee123]

Going to buy both versions of both games! Really glad the new games are coming out here.

 

[Inuhanyou]

You can jump straight in with Cold Steel, but I'd advice playing through Sky first.

What is sky?

 

[Psxphile]

Liberl Kingdom Arc:
Trails in the Sky First Chapter (PC, PSP, PS3, PSVita)
Trails in the Sky Second Chapter (PC, PSP, PS3)

--FC/SC is technically a duology that closes the main story arc in the first two games----

Trails in the Sky The Third (PC, PSP, PS3)

Crossbell Arc:
Zero no Kiseki ( PSP,PC)
Ao no Kiseki (PSP, PC[Chinese port])

Erebonia Arc:
Trails of Cold Steel 1 (PS3, PSVita)
Trails of Cold Steel 2 (PS3, PSVita)

Zero and Ao have PSVita ports too (the Evolution versions), same as First Chapter's soon-to-be-released port. Of course, as far as potential localizations goes those should be considered off-the-table.

 

[Pellegri Testament]

What is sky?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_Heroes

This might help a bit more with that question than someone taking the time to type everything out.

 

[Jomjom]

What the heck... I tried to go to XSEED's website but it took me to a viagra site. Anyone getting this?

 

[orthodoxy1095]

What the heck... I tried to go to XSEED's website but it took me to a viagra site. Anyone getting this?

Lol, just tried it, had the same problem.

 

[StarCreator]

What the heck... I tried to go to XSEED's website but it took me to a viagra site. Anyone getting this?

Apparently this happened four weeks ago or so and was fixed back then. Did it happen again?

 

[Ryan95]

What the heck... I tried to go to XSEED's website but it took me to a viagra site. Anyone getting this?

That's the same for me.

Spoiler

We're clearly all excited, XSEED included.

Maybe it's just a temporary issue, let's wait and see if it will be solved

 

[PirateKing]

I recently got the PSP version, I need to know what the difference between that and SC is? Is it a sequel?

Edit: Never mind, found out it's a sequel.

 

[RyougaSaotome]

Sen 2 is one of my favorite Kiseki games by far. If not #1, then #2 after 3rd. Just amazing.

Wow, I totally missed that you felt so strongly about 2, just as somebody who bloody adddoooorreeesss that game.

 

[Jomjom]

Ah I see the localization blog is on tumblr.

 

[Ravage]

I'm fully satisfied with the direction XSEED is taking after reading the blog post.

Can't decide to go PS3 or Vita though =.="

Has the patch brought down the PS3 loading time to Vita level?

 

[Aeana]

I'm fully satisfied with the direction XSEED is taking after reading the blog post.

Can't decide to go PS3 or Vita though =.="

Has the patch brought down the PS3 loading time to Vita level?

Vita loading times are worse than PS3 as far as I know.

 

[Ravage]

Vita loading times are worse than PS3 as far as I know.

Oh looks like I'm misinformed then. So is the PS3 version better in every way except portability?

 

[StereoVsn]

Vita loading times are worse than PS3 as far as I know.

Wasn't that supposed to get fixed with one of the patches?

 

[orthodoxy1095]

Vita loading times are worse than PS3 as far as I know.

What kind of loading times might I be looking at with the PSV version?

 

[AntiFacebook]

What good is releasing sen 1&2 if they skip 3 games?
It's worth nothing without the previous games in the series

 

[orthodoxy1095]

What good is releasing sen 1&2 if they skip 3 games?
It's worth nothing without the previous games in the series

Did you even read the blog post?