Trails of Cold Steel is an anime game. But it's not anime.
The characters in it act like actual characters and not a conglomeration of annoying bullshit tropes.
I hate Trails in the Sky with every fiber of my being. Trails of Cold Steel is one of the best jrpgs I have ever played.
E: W/R/T plot progression in Cold Steel, at a certain point shit gets real and all that worldbuilding pays off in just an incredible way due to how much you've become a part of the people and places in question. Aside from one thing that is very stupid but even despite that.
I would actually take a jrpg where you're playing a kid going to a military academy that is literally entirely that. No big looming threat, no sudden betrayals or supernatural incursions. Just going to class and making friends and dealing with rivals. Field studies could still be in to change it up some and get you a broader understanding of the country. End of the year you have a class project to work on. Then you finish the year and go home, game over. Next game is the next year.
Because I loved it when Cold Steel was simply doing that. It was relaxing. The writing was also good enough that I actually enjoyed learning all these things about the country and the other students/teachers.
Not that I didn't like what it became. But Cold Steel 2 is very very different thematically. Still good, but not as laid back.
There's actual plot and progress through Trails the Sky too. I just guess people expect every rpg to be some epic god slaying world spanning adventures instead of more grounded and localized stories like Legend of Heroes or Atelier games that focus on single kingdoms and local politics.
Those kinds of stories are fine, but I see no evidence of one existing in this game. I'm 1.25 Chapters away from finishing the game and I don't even know who the central antagonist is, what Cassius is doing or where he is, how these events in individual kingdoms are connected, who the black coats are, etc. Instead I know all the history of these various provinces, what kind of society the Liberl Kingdom had and has, and a lot of detail on exactly how this world's magical equipment functioned before and after the introduction of orbal technology. That is not a story, that's worldbuilding.
It is bad writing to worldbuild for the sake of worldbuilding at the cost of the actual story and that is exactly what Trails in the Sky 1 is doing. I have yet to see anything that suggests this game was ever written as something meant to stand alone, because everything just suggests I could have skipped it and gone straight to #2 when the story actually starts.
Cold Steel does a lousy cliffhanger ending to lead into Cold Steel 2, but it's nowhere near as bad as Sky. Definitely a lot more character focused, as the relationship between the Class 7 members is one of the driving factors.
Also, as a warning, (and Aistan will confirm) the game starts out excessively anime, but very quickly gets over that.
Having finished Trails in the Sky trilogy recently and being currently on the back half of Trails of Cold Steel 1, I don't think the bolded part is true.
Nah, it's super anime in the "power of friendship" etc way, but very not anime in the way it is in the very beginning.
3DS: 1607-3034-6970
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DragkoniasThat Guy Who Does StuffYou Know, There. Registered Userregular
I need to finish Cold Steel but the grade system along with missables give me completionist anxiety.
.
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DemonStaceyTTODewback's DaughterIn love with the TaySwayRegistered Userregular
There's actual plot and progress through Trails the Sky too. I just guess people expect every rpg to be some epic god slaying world spanning adventures instead of more grounded and localized stories like Legend of Heroes or Atelier games that focus on single kingdoms and local politics.
Those kinds of stories are fine, but I see no evidence of one existing in this game. I'm 1.25 Chapters away from finishing the game and I don't even know who the central antagonist is, what Cassius is doing or where he is, how these events in individual kingdoms are connected, who the black coats are, etc. Instead I know all the history of these various provinces, what kind of society the Liberl Kingdom had and has, and a lot of detail on exactly how this world's magical equipment functioned before and after the introduction of orbal technology. That is not a story, that's worldbuilding.
It is bad writing to worldbuild for the sake of worldbuilding at the cost of the actual story and that is exactly what Trails in the Sky 1 is doing. I have yet to see anything that suggests this game was ever written as something meant to stand alone, because everything just suggests I could have skipped it and gone straight to #2 when the story actually starts.
Cold Steel does a lousy cliffhanger ending to lead into Cold Steel 2, but it's nowhere near as bad as Sky. Definitely a lot more character focused, as the relationship between the Class 7 members is one of the driving factors.
Also, as a warning, (and Aistan will confirm) the game starts out excessively anime, but very quickly gets over that.
I would make a VERY big argument that the whole game is EXTREMELY FUCKING ANIME.
Like always and forever. That's basically it's thing.
Unrelated: Been playing BoF3 off and on. Man that game just let's you miss permanent stats like crazy. If you don't manage to get the first 2 masters you get swept up into the story and unable to go back to get them for quite some time. And the next actual master that pops up requires having a shit ton of weapons so I'd need to come back to that one later. Going to end up spending half the levels in the game masterless.
I would actually take a jrpg where you're playing a kid going to a military academy that is literally entirely that. No big looming threat, no sudden betrayals or supernatural incursions. Just going to class and making friends and dealing with rivals. Field studies could still be in to change it up some and get you a broader understanding of the country. End of the year you have a class project to work on. Then you finish the year and go home, game over. Next game is the next year.
Because I loved it when Cold Steel was simply doing that. It was relaxing. The writing was also good enough that I actually enjoyed learning all these things about the country and the other students/teachers.
Not that I didn't like what it became. But Cold Steel 2 is very very different thematically. Still good, but not as laid back.
Thats basically what i felt about the beginning of ff8. I could have dealt with more of the garden and seed stuff before it went all crazy off the rails.
I don't know, how many Hyperdimension Neptunia games have you played
you are not tricking me into googling this
That is a wise decision
Put your hand onto my Nep
When I Nep you Nep we Nep
Look, I may be lost to anime
But I will never Nep
+5
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DemonStaceyTTODewback's DaughterIn love with the TaySwayRegistered Userregular
edited August 2017
Yo the rest of this year into next year looks to be pretty rad, especially if you're down with the filthy weebness.
Ys VIII, .hack//GU(4 games!!!) and XC2(ok this one is questionable and definitely has some NO ANIME instead of NO, ANIME going on) to end out the year.
Leading into next year which already has Ni No Kuni 2(right at the start of the year!) DQXI, KH3(fuck you let a man dream), Yakuza 6 and Cold Steel 3 lined up.
That's... pretty damn good. Especially since other stuff is sure to pop up throughout the year.
I'm most excited for Yakuza and Ys VIII. I'd lump KH3 in there, but I don't think it'll be coming out any time soon.
I tried a little of the first Ni No Kuni, but the gameplay really turned me off of it. I've never really cared much about Dragon Quest, and I haven't yet finished the first Trails in the Sky game much less any of the Cold Steel games. I'll probably pick up the .hack//GU collection when it comes out just to have it in my collection.
I'm most excited for Yakuza and Ys VIII. I'd lump KH3 in there, but I don't think it'll be coming out any time soon.
I tried a little of the first Ni No Kuni, but the gameplay really turned me off of it. I've never really cared much about Dragon Quest, and I haven't yet finished the first Trails in the Sky game much less any of the Cold Steel games. I'll probably pick up the .hack//GU collection when it comes out just to have it in my collection.
*gasp* You're telling me you don't believe Nomura and Square when they say it is officially a 2018 release?! Well I never...
And Ni No Kuni 2 looks to be making some big changes from the first game. Both in the combat and in the general mechanics. But I can totally understand be wary after the first one. I absolutely adored the first one. Heck I named my one dog after a character in it I loved it so much. However, when someone tells me they didn't like it for any one of it's flaws I'm just like "yea that makes perfect sense".
Yo the rest of this year into next year looks to be pretty rad, especially if you're down with the filthy weebness.
Ys VIII, .hack//GU(4 games!!!) and XC2(ok this one is questionable and definitely has some NO ANIME instead of NO, ANIME going on) to end out the year.
Leading into next year which already has Ni No Kuni 2(right at the start of the year!) DQXI, KH3(fuck you let a man dream), Yakuza 6 and Cold Steel 3 lined up.
That's... pretty damn good. Especially since other stuff is sure to pop up throughout the year.
Like non-stop jurpage. So many hours.
The entire .Hack//GU series going for 50 is pretty great value.
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DragkoniasThat Guy Who Does StuffYou Know, There. Registered Userregular
Also next year when it comes time to release, Nomura will tell us Kingdom Hearts 3 is the friends we made along the way.
Yo the rest of this year into next year looks to be pretty rad, especially if you're down with the filthy weebness.
Ys VIII, .hack//GU(4 games!!!) and XC2(ok this one is questionable and definitely has some NO ANIME instead of NO, ANIME going on) to end out the year.
Leading into next year which already has Ni No Kuni 2(right at the start of the year!) DQXI, KH3(fuck you let a man dream), Yakuza 6 and Cold Steel 3 lined up.
That's... pretty damn good. Especially since other stuff is sure to pop up throughout the year.
Like non-stop jurpage. So many hours.
The entire .Hack//GU series going for 50 is pretty great value.
Yea. It seems like it will be perfect to just slot one of them into each month that doesn't have a big release that I'm looking forward to and should really help me stay full of games through to next summer at least. I didn't even realize how close I was to escaping this gameless hell I've been trapped in until I made that list earlier. And it looks like it could end up being an even better period of non-stop gaming than the one earlier this year.
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Steam Switch FC: 2799-7909-4852
The characters in it act like actual characters and not a conglomeration of annoying bullshit tropes.
I hate Trails in the Sky with every fiber of my being. Trails of Cold Steel is one of the best jrpgs I have ever played.
E: W/R/T plot progression in Cold Steel, at a certain point shit gets real and all that worldbuilding pays off in just an incredible way due to how much you've become a part of the people and places in question. Aside from one thing that is very stupid but even despite that.
it can always be more anime
always
Steam Switch FC: 2799-7909-4852
you are not tricking me into googling this
Because I loved it when Cold Steel was simply doing that. It was relaxing. The writing was also good enough that I actually enjoyed learning all these things about the country and the other students/teachers.
Not that I didn't like what it became. But Cold Steel 2 is very very different thematically. Still good, but not as laid back.
Nah, it's super anime in the "power of friendship" etc way, but very not anime in the way it is in the very beginning.
3DS: 1607-3034-6970
.
I would make a VERY big argument that the whole game is EXTREMELY FUCKING ANIME.
Like always and forever. That's basically it's thing.
Unrelated: Been playing BoF3 off and on. Man that game just let's you miss permanent stats like crazy. If you don't manage to get the first 2 masters you get swept up into the story and unable to go back to get them for quite some time. And the next actual master that pops up requires having a shit ton of weapons so I'd need to come back to that one later. Going to end up spending half the levels in the game masterless.
Thats basically what i felt about the beginning of ff8. I could have dealt with more of the garden and seed stuff before it went all crazy off the rails.
Steam: https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198004484595
Let the Nep flow through you AJ
Become one with the Nep
That is a wise decision
Put your hand onto my Nep
When I Nep you Nep we Nep
Someone stop this man.
Mods please
Look, I may be lost to anime
But I will never Nep
Ys VIII, .hack//GU(4 games!!!) and XC2(ok this one is questionable and definitely has some NO ANIME instead of NO, ANIME going on) to end out the year.
Leading into next year which already has Ni No Kuni 2(right at the start of the year!) DQXI, KH3(fuck you let a man dream), Yakuza 6 and Cold Steel 3 lined up.
That's... pretty damn good. Especially since other stuff is sure to pop up throughout the year.
Like non-stop jurpage. So many hours.
I tried a little of the first Ni No Kuni, but the gameplay really turned me off of it. I've never really cared much about Dragon Quest, and I haven't yet finished the first Trails in the Sky game much less any of the Cold Steel games. I'll probably pick up the .hack//GU collection when it comes out just to have it in my collection.
I won't lie, I saw it on the list and decided against adding it to mine... for now.
*gasp* You're telling me you don't believe Nomura and Square when they say it is officially a 2018 release?! Well I never...
And Ni No Kuni 2 looks to be making some big changes from the first game. Both in the combat and in the general mechanics. But I can totally understand be wary after the first one. I absolutely adored the first one. Heck I named my one dog after a character in it I loved it so much. However, when someone tells me they didn't like it for any one of it's flaws I'm just like "yea that makes perfect sense".
I have serious doubts about a spring or even summer release
Oh yea me too. I was talking about the year of 2018 in general.
Oh, okay, when you wrote "into next year" I assumed, like, first half.
Oh whoops yea that's a bit misleading. Probably should have said "through next year" or something.
My b!
Looking into my crystal ball here...
Oh, looks like it's going to be bad
Ok, but let me pitch you a podcast idea
Let Me Tell You About Hyperdimension Neptunia
Steam Switch FC: 2799-7909-4852
that was enough
The entire .Hack//GU series going for 50 is pretty great value.
3DS: 1607-3034-6970
Yea. It seems like it will be perfect to just slot one of them into each month that doesn't have a big release that I'm looking forward to and should really help me stay full of games through to next summer at least. I didn't even realize how close I was to escaping this gameless hell I've been trapped in until I made that list earlier. And it looks like it could end up being an even better period of non-stop gaming than the one earlier this year.
the nep has always been in you, you need only embrace it