FALCOM - Trails in the Sky, Cold Steel, Ys Series (SPOILERS)

**Kaslo** · 2024-01-15 13:14

Ok, so I finally started Reverie so I can get it done before Daybreak and, I know I'm only a little bit in, but not really enjoying it.

Spoiler: show

**Odesseiron** · 2024-01-15 21:19

Originally Posted by Kaslo

Ok, so I finally started Reverie so I can get it done before Daybreak and, I know I'm only a little bit in, but not really enjoying it.

Spoiler: show

When I was reading how divisive Daybreak is (I finished it last year through the fan translation and am working my way through Crimson Sin) I was like, how are people "upset" over the new arc and new things they're trying versus the same thing we've been doing the last 5 games? Did you just want even more Rean? Even more Crossbell? Personally I couldn't wait to say goodbye to Crossbell and the Empire and Rean. I know it won't be forever, but hopefully at least for 3-4 games. Especially Rean. Do people like him? He's as boring as you can get for a MC. I think Van from Daybreak is my favorite by a country mile.

Yeah it's kinda cool having everyone all together. But until you get to like at least halfway through the game, it's like "What are we doing here?" It's like you said. Bad fanfiction. It'll start to make sense (as much as Trails does) and once more features open up in your hub there is some cool shit. Just make sure you do everything as there are some very nice teases as what's to come in the series. By the end and the time I had 100% completed it though, I was ready for it to be over. It almost overstays its welcome. There are some great character moments though. I still need to finish the NISA release since I bought the CE and never finished it.

While the games are fun and usually fun, the overall is always the same. The strongest guy is only the strongest til the NEXT strongest guy. The plots are always anime nonsense, sometimes more than others. I think out of all the plots Reverie to me was the dumbest. Even more dumb than a curse taking over an entire nation lol. It hits every trope and beats it relentlessly.

But goddammit I enjoy the hell out of them. I'm like 85% through Crimson Sin (Kuro 2) and apparently people hate it and I don't understand why. It builds on everything Daybreak did and improves/iterates. I guess it doesn't further the overall plot along like people wanted it to, but a lot of the characters have genuinely great moments.

There is a small subgroup of fans who just hate fuck the hell out the series and anything it attempts to do now. I know Unisuga leaving Falcom was a huge thing for people (and I agree, his music is 2nd to none and sorely missed), but let's be honest here. None of these games were ever going to win awards for best writing. I just don't get it sometimes. Just enjoy them for what they are. Guilty pleasure, fun weird fanservicey jrpgs.

**Ayn** · 2024-01-16 13:11

I actually do like Rean and his overall interactions with people. I do think his personality comes across a bit different with his Japanese VA. Don't know how to describe it other than his English VA sounds confident, which is at odds with his personality (frequent self doubt). Liked seeing him grow into the instructor role, though I still maintain (and have said throughout) that it would've felt more..natural, if there was a longer break between CS 2 and CS 3 -- or heck, if we'd taken a break from Erebonia in CS II, came back a few years later and hey he's an instructor.

I felt like Crossbell overstayed its welcome way more than Erebonia.

I didn't realize Daybreak was divisive. I'm looking forward to it and cutting free of the last arc. Seems like it's a fresh start with a handful of cameos that won't overly dominate it.

**Odesseiron** · 2024-01-16 16:00

Yeah I realized that last post probably makes me sound like I dislike the series (or Cold Steel) which is not the case. Just after 5 games with the same group/region I was ready for it to be done. I also never played them in Japanese, which I might do at some point when I eventually do a full series replay. I don't dislike Rean or his NA voice actor, but he is a little blasé/milquetoast for me.

I don't think Daybreak itself was divisive, it just suffered from poor sales. Not sure if that's from burnout or the changes in the series. There's also not a whole lot of mini games/activities in it, but the overall characters/story are great, which was more important IMO. I'm pretty sure it will sell strong over here when it launches, invigorating it. I'm hoping it gives Falcom a swift kick in the ass to get things translated more quickly. I doubt it, but Kondo has said more and more the Western community is becoming more important with the series as it goes on.

I'd say Kuro 2 will probably be more divisive, but being on the final chapter of it, the only reason I can see is that it doesn't really do much to advance the main Trails narrative, but focuses heavily on character development and adds tons of things to do and systems to an already pretty decent groundwork at that. I never found myself bored. Eye rolling, sure but that's almost a given lol.

I'm genuinely looking forward to the dub and seeing peoples reactions to it.

**Kaslo** · 2024-01-16 16:07

See I think the way Josh/Estelle were used in Crossbell/Erebonia arcs was about perfect for callbacks to previous games.

Crossbell and Erebonia were so intertwined that we've had 7 games covering all the same politics, I can understand how stale that is getting. I can somewhat feel it as I'm also playing the Crossbell games now(they are my current switch games), I feel like I know what generally is going to happen because its been told a few times in the Cold Steel games.

**Ayn** · 2024-01-17 00:48

Originally Posted by Odesseiron

Yeah I realized that last post probably makes me sound like I dislike the series (or Cold Steel) which is not the case. Just after 5 games with the same group/region I was ready for it to be done. I also never played them in Japanese, which I might do at some point when I eventually do a full series replay. I don't dislike Rean or his NA voice actor, but he is a little blasé/milquetoast for me.

I don't think Daybreak itself was divisive, it just suffered from poor sales. Not sure if that's from burnout or the changes in the series. There's also not a whole lot of mini games/activities in it, but the overall characters/story are great, which was more important IMO. I'm pretty sure it will sell strong over here when it launches, invigorating it. I'm hoping it gives Falcom a swift kick in the ass to get things translated more quickly. I doubt it, but Kondo has said more and more the Western community is becoming more important with the series as it goes on.

I'd say Kuro 2 will probably be more divisive, but being on the final chapter of it, the only reason I can see is that it doesn't really do much to advance the main Trails narrative, but focuses heavily on character development and adds tons of things to do and systems to an already pretty decent groundwork at that. I never found myself bored. Eye rolling, sure but that's almost a given lol.

I'm genuinely looking forward to the dub and seeing peoples reactions to it.

Nah, I didn't read it like that, but I've also seen you post a while in this thread. I'm actually with you on being ready to leave the region. Though I wonder if CS3/4 had been one game as intended originally if it'd be a little different.

I'll toggle back and forth between Japanese and English sometimes. Some people sound better, some I prefer English. For example, I think the Albareas nail it with the English VA's. Crossbell crew sounds better to me in Japanese (though Randy's a bro in either).

Daybreak sounds like what I'd expect. The first game of a new arc I don't have high expectations for, but more of a 'laying the groundwork'. Sky took forever to get going. Cold Steel 1 was the same way. Zero was a bit better, but perhaps in part that you got the whole cast pretty early.

To Kaslo, agreed on how Josh/Estelle were used.

**Odesseiron** · 2024-01-17 21:44

60 hours later, done with Kuro no Kiseki 2. Don't regret it at all, and by the time it comes out in late 2025 or 2026 I'll probably have forgotten most of it anyway lol. Imagine 4 years ago me coming in this thread not knowing anything, now I have played all the translated stuff and stuff not available yet.

I wanted to finish it before the Persona 3 remake dropped and then basically I have a month to finish that monster before FF7R2 comes out.

The fan translation was fairly decent and while there were some typos and some liberal use of language I'm sure, I was easily able to follow the story. The absolute largest compliment I can give this arc is the new engine. It's IMMEDIATELY noticeable in Daybreak and in Kuro 2 they clearly learned from the first game. Some of the action sequences were legitimately great. While Reverie looks quite a bit better than Cold Steel 4, the engine is clearly at its limit in terms of animation and the amount of rendering it can do. Spells and abilities look great. You don't really feel the need to use high speed mode aside from when grinding. Music was a bit whatever, but between what was added in and out of combat, it kept me very entertained.

Do you remember what the jump from Cold Steel 2 > 3 was? And it was like HOLY SHIT, TEXTURES! It's like that but way better.

Doesn't do a whole lot for the overall story and is more character focused, but that's fine by me. not every game needs to be a huge development. Though at this point with all the mysteries in the series and not much getting answered with all the characters, it feels a bit like the show Lost at times. This is a bit of a minor gripe and not a spoiler by any means, but I think they're paralleling the real world a bit too much as the series continues with some of the themes.

Bring on Kai no Kiseki and the fan translation! hahaha

**Gokulo** · 2024-01-28 04:32

https://twitter.com/NoisyPixelNews/s...17856456307187

Hopefully it's more cameo than party members...

**Ayn** · 2024-01-28 19:56

Yeah.. unless there's a good reason, I'd be ok with them appearing in say, one of the limited scenarios/doors like Skys 3 / Reverie had.

Preferably I'd like a time skip of more than a year or 2.

**Gokulo** · 2024-02-14 12:18

https://twitter.com/NISAmerica/statu...27048842932726

**Cream Soda** · 2024-02-14 12:49

Originally Posted by Odesseiron

60 hours later, done with Kuro no Kiseki 2. Don't regret it at all, and by the time it comes out in late 2025 or 2026 I'll probably have forgotten most of it anyway lol. Imagine 4 years ago me coming in this thread not knowing anything, now I have played all the translated stuff and stuff not available yet.

I wanted to finish it before the Persona 3 remake dropped and then basically I have a month to finish that monster before FF7R2 comes out.

The fan translation was fairly decent and while there were some typos and some liberal use of language I'm sure, I was easily able to follow the story. The absolute largest compliment I can give this arc is the new engine. It's IMMEDIATELY noticeable in Daybreak and in Kuro 2 they clearly learned from the first game. Some of the action sequences were legitimately great. While Reverie looks quite a bit better than Cold Steel 4, the engine is clearly at its limit in terms of animation and the amount of rendering it can do. Spells and abilities look great. You don't really feel the need to use high speed mode aside from when grinding. Music was a bit whatever, but between what was added in and out of combat, it kept me very entertained.

Do you remember what the jump from Cold Steel 2 > 3 was? And it was like HOLY SHIT, TEXTURES! It's like that but way better.

Doesn't do a whole lot for the overall story and is more character focused, but that's fine by me. not every game needs to be a huge development. Though at this point with all the mysteries in the series and not much getting answered with all the characters, it feels a bit like the show Lost at times. This is a bit of a minor gripe and not a spoiler by any means, but I think they're paralleling the real world a bit too much as the series continues with some of the themes.

Bring on Kai no Kiseki and the fan translation! hahaha

this year is just too stacked, i'll just wait for the official; dropping the biggest yakuza game ever a month before ff7 rebirth like excuse me why?

**Yuri-G** · 2024-02-14 13:45

Originally Posted by Gokulo

https://twitter.com/NISAmerica/statu...27048842932726

finally! so hyped over this announcement

**Odesseiron** · 2024-02-14 21:57

Originally Posted by Cream Soda

this year is just too stacked, i'll just wait for the official; dropping the biggest yakuza game ever a month before ff7 rebirth like excuse me why?

Because I still need to get around to finish LaD 1. I'm still on Persona 3, and I know I won't finish that for another few days. I'm in no rush to play through LaD 1 and 2. I'll wait til later in the year and there's not much to play. The front half of the year is stacked, but not a whole lot confirmed for June and after, unless I'm mistaken, so having 2 80+ hour games will be nice.