General Trails thread (Trails of Cold Steel 4 (PS4) out now).

[Rapier]

The PC ports are great, they add plenty of qualities of life and work well in many different resolutions. I have the Sky trilogy and CS 1 & 2 on Steam and can vouch for their quality.

[Jedi]

On 1/20/2020 at 6:07 AM, Etheus said:

Eesh. That's quite prohibitive given that these span multiple console gens and I'd be dealing with inflated amazon prices.

 

Edit:

Well, it looks like Steam may be the best/cheapest route to experience the franchise, provided the PC ports are any good.

PC ports are very good, they've added tons of content to each of them. 

Also the timeline order is generally. The 3 Sky games, then the 2 Crossbell games which happen roughly before and at the same time as the first 2 Cold Steel games, then the 2nd two Cold Steel games. Crossbell hasn't been officially localized yet, but there is a big patch in the works for Zero No Kiseki and it's sequel game Ao No Kiseki has a competent patch already. Not to mention that Falcom is porting/updating those two to PS4, with hints that they'll finally be localized.

Then next is what is coming out in Japan, Hajimari which is basically both a continuation of Crossbell and Cold Steel and the general series all at the same time.

Cold Steel 4 also hasn't been localized yet but we have a loyal fan and their transcription power so we can play along with that if people wish.

People generally recommend you start with either Sky FC or CS1, but if you start with CS1 you'll probably want to backtrack, even if CS3 does introduce stuff that's new to the Erebonian cast but not to older players, it still is a lot of info to take in.

Edited January 27, 2020 by Jedi

[Fabulously Olivier]

1 hour ago, Jedi said:

PC ports are very good, they've added tons of content to each of them. 

Also the timeline order is generally. The 3 Sky games, then the 2 Crossbell games which happen roughly before and at the same time as the first 2 Cold Steel games, then the 2nd two Cold Steel games. Crossbell hasn't been officially localized yet, but there is a big patch in the works for Zero No Kiseki and it's sequel game Ao No Kiseki has a competent patch already. Not to mention that Falcom is porting/updating those two to PS4, with hints that they'll finally be localized.

Then next is what is coming out in Japan, Hajimari which is basically both a continuation of Crossbell and Cold Steel and the general series all at the same time.

Cold Steel 4 also hasn't been localized yet but we have a loyal fan and their transcription power so we can play along with that if people wish.

People generally recommend you start with either Sky FC or CS1, but if you start with CS1 you'll probably want to backtrack, even if CS3 does introduce stuff that's new to the Erebonian cast but not to older players, it still is a lot of info to take in.

I picked up Sky 1-3 today. They have a Steam sale up.

[Rapier]

Judging from how Zero and Ao are going to be released on China by 5/28, CS3's port will be released on March and CS4's port is being worked on, I hope we get all localizations by the end of 2022.

 

[Fabulously Olivier]

I finished Sky FC last night. Will play through the Three Houses Cindered Shadows dlc before starting Sky SC.

 

Really love how the story all tied together in the end. 

 

Also, Olivier is my favorite. He just chews all of the scenery... in the entire world.

[Codename Shrimp]

https://www.gematsu.com/2020/03/the-legend-of-heroes-trails-of-cold-steel-iii-pc-demo-now-available-worldwide-switch-demo-available-in-japan

time to try this

[Codename Shrimp]

https://old.reddit.com/r/Falcom/comments/fg46ov/trails_from_zero_geofront_translation_releasing/

H Y P E

@Armagon @DragonFlames @Falcom Knight

[Armagon]

18 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

https://old.reddit.com/r/Falcom/comments/fg46ov/trails_from_zero_geofront_translation_releasing/

H Y P E

@Armagon @DragonFlames @Falcom Knight

Yoooo

Let's hope I can save transfer so I can get NG+ bonuses.

[DragonFlames]

4 hours ago, Shrimperor said:

https://old.reddit.com/r/Falcom/comments/fg46ov/trails_from_zero_geofront_translation_releasing/

H Y P E

@Armagon @DragonFlames @Falcom Knight

Awesome!
Crossbell here we come!

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

Woohoo, it's great!

Though Idk, if it would run well on my laptop well unless the system requirememts are identical to Sky triology.

[Armagon]

6 hours ago, Falcom Knight said:

Woohoo, it's great!

Though Idk, if it would run well on my laptop well unless the system requirememts are identical to Sky triology.

Given Crossbell is on the PSP and using the same engine as Sky, your PC should be able to handle it.

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

5 hours ago, Armagon said:

Given Crossbell is on the PSP and using the same engine as Sky, your PC should be able to handle it.

Then it should!

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

It's impossible to purchase this game from this site.

[NSSKG151]

Looks like I am going to be playing Zero no Kiseki next week since there is a translation patch coming out. People have been telling me to play the Crossbell games before Cold Steel 3 and CS3 isn't coming out on Switch until sometime in spring anyways.

[Fabulously Olivier]

On 3/9/2020 at 6:41 PM, Shrimperor said:

https://old.reddit.com/r/Falcom/comments/fg46ov/trails_from_zero_geofront_translation_releasing/

H Y P E

@Armagon @DragonFlames @Falcom Knight

Is there any way for me to obtain the game legitimately on PC? I'm very much not for emulation, and I do view this developer as one worth supporting.

 

Unfortunately, it isn't available on Steam.

Edited March 11, 2020 by Etheus

[Codename Shrimp]

15 minutes ago, Etheus said:

Is there any way for me to obtain the game legitimately on PC?

Dlsite

Guide on how to use that site

Howevet alot of people have trouble using it since it doesn't accept paypal. My suggestion would be to pirate it and then double dip on another Falcom game or something to support them, if you can't get it from dlsite

Edited March 11, 2020 by Shrimperor

[Fabulously Olivier]

5 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

Dlsite

Howevet alot of people have trouble using it since it doesn't accept paypal. My suggestion would be to pirate it and then double dip on another Falcom game or something to support them, if you can't get it from dlsite

Sigh. For now, I guess it's my intention to wait and see if those Crossbell games are officially ported. If they are going to give them to China, why not us?

[Armagon]

39 minutes ago, Etheus said:

If they are going to give them to China, why not us?

iirc, the localizers for Crossbell were a Chinese company and they kinda hogged the rights. Could be wrong though. Either way, Crossbell Kai is most likely getting localized.

____________

Anyways, in regards to the new translation patch, it seems like the PC version is coming out first while the PSP version is coming out later, which is unfortunate for me since i own the latter. Though to be fair, the PSP version already had a viable translation patch.

[Cure Naga]

I thought that the psp version was never coming out because of translation issues? I don't think that's official though. We will probably getting that answer on release day I would imagine though.

 

[Rapier]

The patch's been released in Geofront's site already. Go grab it!

I'm just unpacking the Vita voices for the PC version so I can start playing properly. I can't wait.

[Jedi]

Hajimari stuff so likely most of this will be in spoilers. Do not click unless you either do not care for spoilers or have gotten through AO and CS4

Spoiler

Two of the three plots have official names. 

http://www.falcomromancia.com/hajimari-no-kiseki-teaser-site-translation/

https://www.falcom.co.jp/hajimari/

Lloyd's Story is The Day of Reindependence which is explaining what AO's ending teases at which is actually taking Crossbell back. 

Rean's is called Lost Symbol which seems to focus mostly on Erebonian Mysteries, among other details we know, he seems to be at odds with his sister Elise, and there is a mysterious man who is probably among the hermits (two of whom are Three and Nine from a novel in CS4). Who may be the normal ending of CS4 version of Rean. Which ties into the next part. Gaius, Emma and Sara are stated to be trying to figure stuff out at the Nord Highlands as well. 

It's also being more and more implied that Ouroboros is trying to make one timeline where everything goes their way, which is why their plans always seem to succeed despite the heroes efforts besides a few key points. There's also the question if KeA's interference in Zero No Kiseki will have any part of it.

We don't know the Hermits plot yet. No name has been teased.
 

 

[Rapier]

So, I'm at Zero's final dungeon already and I just want to talk and read about the game. My impressions aren't really spoilerish, but they talk about the progression of the game and such, so I'll hide them.
 

Spoiler

 

Boy, I missed the same sensation that the Sky games gave me, and Zero was spot on. It introduced its setting very well, showed nicely the kinds of problems Crossbell has and introduced interesting side-characters.

The thing is, I can't say the same about its main cast. Very little is explored about their pasts and motivations beyond a few expositions between chapters. After that, I swear I could exchange any party member other than Lloyd for any of the side-characters and the story would go on normally. As far as I noticed, the narrative really struggles between exploring Crossbell's problems (which it does well), introducing the characters (done well) and building them up (not really done well, imo), and then it jumps to its worst mistake: Leading to the main issue way too late in the game.

For example

Spoiler

KeA is introduced way too late. We don't have that many reasons to actually care about her other than "basic empathy for cute child with a troubled past". And yet she's so central to everything, and everyone loves her by Chapter 4 and the Finale (and not just in a "basic empathy for cute child" way).

D...G (sidenote: I love Gnosis' song) is introduced very, very late and came out of nowhere, even though it's so central to the plot of Zero (and I'm guessing Ao). Joachim is a bootleg Weissman in many ways, there is no build-up for him and we have no reasons to care about him other than "yeah he's just another guy standing in our way".

I like D...G in theory but the way it's presented at the game's latest hour, without any build up, ruined them for me. Although I think Zero wouldn't work without a reference to them, and I'm glad it didn't end like Sky FC, where suddenly the plot thickens a lot and there's this cliffhanger that only SC answers. It needed to be a bigger game than it is in order to cover everything it wanted.

Other than that, it might be a bit of a bias from my part, but I loved its OST. Formidable Enemy and Demonic Dive are easily some of my favorite battle themes from the entire series, although CS1 and SC compete for best OST overall imo.

 

[Armagon]

Yes, it's legit. There's a trailer. LET'S GOOO!

[Rapier]

This is such a fucking good time to be a Trails fan. I'll start playing Ao for real, then go for CS2 (and maybe reread CS1 stuff, since I only remember the plot roughly) and catch up with everyone.

[NSSKG151]

Lots of good Trails information coming out recently. Looking forward to CS4 coming out to the west next year. Though I haven't played CS3 yet (my only option is to play it on Switch though the port for that isn't coming until the end of June) but I have been enjoying playing the fan translation for Trails from Zero.