[Disgaeamad]

Just finished chapter 4 there. All I can say is that was pure Kiseki, and I want moooooooooore.

[Hasemo]

Final chapter here, will proceed to the last few levels after clearing all the quests. I should be done today. Will post full impressions after clearing the game.

[luca1980]

Final chapter here, will proceed to the last few levels after clearing all the quests. I should be done today. Will post full impressions after clearing the game.

Already final chapter??? That was fast!!

[Hasemo]

Already final chapter??? That was fast!!

Vivid (who is lurking here) beat the game a few hours ago with 25 hours on the clock. I'm around 20 hours in myself, but from what we've heard from Viv and Ryouga, there's a huge amount of the post game (new game+) content.

[Aeana]

I'm so behind! I haven't really been able to sit down and devote more than an hour to the game at any given time so far.
On the bright side, my LE finally shipped.

[Vivid]

Final chapter here, will proceed to the last few levels after clearing all the quests. I should be done today. Will post full impressions after clearing the game.

Don't believe anything until you can make a Clear Save.

[Parakeetman]

Really am digging this game, its been a while since Ive played an action platformer like this. Great music as expected of a falcom game.

[Dark Schala]

Based on the positivity in here, I decided to snag an LE for myself. I think everyone'll be done by the time I get it and decide to play it though. Haha.

I hope it's fun later on. Some of you aren't making Chapter 1 sound very good, including the first boss.

On the bright side, my LE finally shipped.

From HMV? Yikes. Probably won't use them for Xillia 2, then.

[Hasemo]

Don't believe anything until you can make a Clear Save.

Yeah, I just noticed that. Guess I'll finish it tomorrow.

[Disgaeamad]

I hope it's fun later on. Some of you aren't making Chapter 1 sound very good, including the first boss..

I definitely didn't think it wasn't fun, just wanted to nitpick on a few bits I felt could've been better, and from what I gather that seems to be how everyone else felt as well. It really does get more fun as you go on though, been having a blast for a good few chapters now.

[RyougaSaotome]

I definitely didn't think it wasn't fun, just wanted to nitpick on a few bits I felt could've been better, and from what I gather that seems to be how everyone else felt as well. It really does get more fun as you go on though, been having a blast for a good few chapters now.

Seconded. I also really dig the seasonal system. Leves tend to feel completely new based on what season you select.

[Disgaeamad]

End-game spoilers: I feel slightly stupid for not expecting all of this post-game content despite there being a bunch of signs making it obvious. Pretty happy that it's not over yet! The blatant THIS STORY IS NOT OVER YET did make me lol though.

[Hasemo]

Finally got my clear save file. 26 hours 22 minutes and awesome ride until the very end. I didn't like the level design all that much at the beginning but after I while they've started to be more and more fun.
I agree with people saying that changing seasons gives levels a fresh feeling. A few were so drastic I didn't even notice that the layout is the same.
Most of the bosses were so-so and unlike the Ys games I didn't die even once. To be honest, I've rarely had to use bentos during the fights. So, if someone wants a challenge, start on Hard. Normal is much easier than the usual "Falcom normal".
As for the other aspects, I really like the quests which didn't feel like your forced fetch-quests found in many RPGs nowadays. Other than that, the characters, overall setting the design changes of surroundings and enemies were the high points of the game.
Nayuta was certainly the best story-action RPG I've played in the last few years, no doubt about that. There is some new stuff in the new game+, but since you start from the beginning I think I'll do it later. inFamous, inFamous 2 and some other games that I've tried clearing twice in a row taught me, that if I do it right after I finish for the first time, it doesn't feel fun at all.

[Reluctant-Hero]

Nayuta was certainly the best story-action RPG I've played in the last few years, no doubt about that. There is some new stuff in the new game+, but since you start from the beginning I think I'll do it later. inFamous, inFamous 2 and some other games that I've tried clearing twice in a row taught me, that if I do it right after I finish for the first time, it doesn't feel fun at all.

Glad to hear the game is excellent overall. Really hoping for an English localization on this one.

[Aeana]

I haven't been able to play most of the weekend, but I did just finally sit down and fight the second boss and finished chapter 2. That boss was much better than the first, at least.

[encephalon]

Great that the story is trails-esque, ... but is it trails good?

[Darkmakaimura]

Hm, is there not a big enough community to have a general Kiseki thread? I thought I might ask about some language in Ao no Kiseki that I'm not sure I'm getting right ... Unless I'm reading it incorrectly, it seems like it's hinting that the "society" is connected to the D>G sect in that they are antagonistic? The "society" destroyed a lodge, and D>G sect set out to annihilate all power wielding individuals under the support of the "society?" I'm at the doll factory ...

Nayuta and the "Trails" games are separate so it wouldn't really have any bearings here.

[encephalon]

Nayuta and the "Trails" games are separate so it wouldn't really have any bearings here.

Realized I didn't search for "Trails," but you caught me before I decided to migrate my post. :( I'll do it anyways though.

[Aeana]

Hm, is there not a big enough community to have a general Kiseki thread? I thought I might ask about some language in Ao no Kiseki that I'm not sure I'm getting right ... Unless I'm reading it incorrectly, it seems like it's hinting that the "society" is connected to the D>G sect in that they are antagonistic? The "society" destroyed a lodge, and D>G sect set out to annihilate all power wielding individuals under the support of the "society?" I'm at the doll factory ...

No, there's definitely not a big enough community.

As for your question, yes, DG is against the society because they are against the goddess. You haven't played SnK 1-3 yet, right?

[encephalon]

Eh, well I inadvertently bumped the Trails in the Sky community thread while trying to migrate my "off-topic" discussion.

No, I haven't played them yet. The reason why it threw me off was because given the 直接の繋がりがない　language, I was expecting a more positive relationship .... Thank you very much.

I've played XSEED's localization of FC. After FC I said "I don't want to wait!" and jumped into Zero from there ... I know this isn't the conventional way of doing things, but for the most part I think it's going okay. I was planning on waiting for XSEED to localize SC before jumping into the sequel to FC, but maybe I should just go ahead and play it after Ao anyways ...

[RyougaSaotome]

Eh, well I inadvertently bumped the Trails in the Sky community thread while trying to migrate my "off-topic" discussion. No, I haven't played them yet. The reason why it threw me off was because given the 直接の繋がりがない　language, I was expecting a more positive relationship .... Thank you very much. I've played XSEED's localization of FC. After FC I said "I don't want to wait!" and jumped into Zero from there ... I know this isn't the conventional way of doing things, but for the most part I think it's going okay. I was planning on waiting for XSEED to localize SC before jumping into the sequel to FC, but maybe I should just go ahead and play it after Ao anyways ...

That's a shame though. Zero and Ao kind of spoil a lot of big reveals in SC and 3rd. =(

[encephalon]

I'm aware of that, but I'm okay with it. SC and 3rd will have the effect of playing prequels for me, which is perfectly fine.

[Aeana]

The areas certainly have become more interesting as time goes on. I'm doing Hynemel in winter and the levels are pretty neat. I also really like the kamaitachi sword move I just learned. The more I play, the more and more I am reminded of PSX-era platformers and action RPGs. It's a nice feeling.

[Darkmakaimura]

The areas certainly have become more interesting as time goes on. I'm doing Hynemel in winter and the levels are pretty neat. I also really like the kamaitachi sword move I just learned. The more I play, the more and more I am reminded of PSX-era platformers and action RPGs. It's a nice feeling.

Yeah, I'm with you. I love those Klonoa type platformers and Clockwork Knight for the Saturn or more recently, a bit like LittleBigPlanet.

[Bebpo]

My copy should be coming in the mail today. Since the lot of you are pretty far into it already or have finished it, can you confirm that there's no spoilers for SC & beyond in this? Planning on playing this after I finish Time Travelers.

[Dark Schala]

My LE shipped today. Won't be getting it for a few weeks, though, and I'm kinda happy since I'll have to play through Growlanser starting Wednesday.

Well, since everyone says it's getting better as you go through the game, the bosses must be improving, then. :)

The seasonal approach to gameplay sounds good. The last game I played with that kind of stuff was probably Oracle of Seasons (*is probably forgetting a game or two in there, but that's the game it reminds me of*). And I'm glad that someone said that the quests aren't merely fetch quests or that the quests actually seem to matter. I've gotten pretty tired of fetch quests lately.

[Aeana]

My LE shipped today. Won't be getting it for a few weeks, though, and I'm kinda happy since I'll have to play through Growlanser starting Wednesday. Well, since everyone says it's getting better as you go through the game, the bosses must be improving, then. :) The seasonal approach to gameplay sounds good. The last game I played with that kind of stuff was probably Oracle of Seasons (*is probably forgetting a game or two in there, but that's the game it reminds me of*). And I'm glad that someone said that the quests aren't merely fetch quests or that the quests actually seem to matter. I've gotten pretty tired of fetch quests lately.

I was just about to post about how much I liked the third boss. And the second boss was a big improvement over the first. The game is definitely hitting its stride now. I just wish you had some of the stuff that makes it so interesting (particularly sword moves) from the start.

As far as quests go, there are only a couple per chapter and they're always something special. I really prefer this over the approach taken in other Kiseki games, which really overload you with quests - especially the Crossbell games.

[RyougaSaotome]

I was just about to post about how much I liked the third boss. And the second boss was a big improvement over the first. The game is definitely hitting its stride now. I just wish you had some of the stuff that makes it so interesting (particularly sword moves) from the start. As far as quests go, there are only a couple per chapter and they're always something special. I really prefer this over the approach taken in other Kiseki games, which really overload you with quests - especially the Crossbell games.

Agreed on the quests. There's not nearly as many as there are in the Crossbell series, but each one is pretty different from the last and gives you a good chance to get to know the characters.

The smaller island setting let them focus on each of the townsfolk. Really digging that.

[Bebpo]

Got my copy along with the pre-order JDK Band live dvd. Woohoooo.


So yeah, story-wise, does it tie into Sora no Kiseki/Zero no Kiseki/Ao no Kiseki? Should I wait 3 years to play this and go through SC/3rd/Zero/Ao first? Or will I get as much out of it/not be spoiled if I play Nayuta first and then SC/3rd/Zero/Ao? Very, very weary of hitting any big spoilers in a series as long as this.

[Aeana]

Well, I just finished chapter 4 and there's been no ties whatsoever. I can't speak for the rest of the game.
But Kondo did say that it's a separate game, so I wouldn't expect there to be any serious ties. If there's anything there, it'll probably only be noticeable by people who have actually played the other games.

[Bebpo]

Thanks. That's really all I wanted to hear. Will start this over the weekend. Looking forward to it!

[Aeana]

Finallyyy. I surprisingly got the summer soundtrack, I didn't expect to get one of those at all.

[Disgaeamad]

Fired up Infinity mode, and it turns out that enemies and bosses level up alongside with you, which basically lets you carry over everything from your previous save without being the least bit broken. Enemies in the first area were taking a good beating and dealing out a bunch of damage even with my best equipment on, so it might actually end up being a good challenge afterall to make up for the lack of it in other difficulties.

[LuuKyK]

Finallyyy. I surprisingly got the summer soundtrack, I didn't expect to get one of those at all.

Yay, nice Aeana! :D

What's that Ys Celceta thing up there? o_O

[Aeana]

Yay, nice Aeana! :D What's that Ys Celceta thing up there? o_O

It's just an info pamphlet. Has a couple of screenshots, some character info.

[Famassu]

Could this be doable for XSeed? I mean, in a way that it's wouldn't quite require the kind of effort that localizing SC, The Third, Zero and Ao. If it doesn't have any ties to past games, it shouldn't matter if those are out yet or not.

I just want more Kiseki. ;__;

[Aeana]

Could this be doable for XSeed? I mean, in a way that it's wouldn't quite require the kind of effort that localizing SC, The Third, Zero and Ao. If it doesn't have any ties to past games, it shouldn't matter if those are out yet or not. I just want more Kiseki. ;__;

As far as I've played (end of chapter 5), the amount of dialog is considerably less than the other Kiseki games, but there's still a fair bit - especially the NPC dialog which changes often. I don't think they'll do it, though, simply because it's on PSP.

[Aeana]

I guess everybody else is pretty much done with the game.



I finished the game today. I've kept mostly to myself as I've played, because I know that my opinions of games change quite a lot as I play through them. Now that I'm done, it's easier to formulate complete thoughts on the game.

Nayuta no Kiseki is a game that both underwhelms and dramatically impresses throughout. Going into the game, I had tempered my expectations because Falcom does not have a very good track-record with non-Ys action RPGs, for reasons that I cannot fathom. With that in mind, as I started the game, I was somewhat impressed. The pacing and feel of the combat was much better than games like Zwei and Gurumin, and even the improved Zwei 2. However, it wasn't long into the first chapter that my opinion started to drop. I didn't feel like I had enough options, and the stage design left quite a lot to be desired. My disappointment peaked with the first boss of the game, which is absolutely terrible - not even just by Falcom standards, but in general.

Fortunately, after the first chapter, the game begins to improve rapidly. As you get stars from completing objectives in each level, you can learn new sword abilities which very dramatically improve combat (some of which that should have absolutely been available from the start), and the level design in the second continent and beyond gets much more interesting and varied. It was starting around there that I started to really have a great time just platforming in the levels. When Ys 7 turned out to have no platforming at all, I was really disappointed because I felt that there was a lot more that Falcom could do with it that wasn't accomplished in Ys6, YsF or YsO. Thankfully, platforming is a huge focus in this game - so much that it actually reminded me of 32-bit era platformers like Klonoa quite often. Indeed, were I to attempt to describe Nayuta no Kiseki to someone, my first instinct would be to say something like "imagine if Klonoa and Ys had a baby." It also reminds me quite a fair bit of same-era action RPGs like Brave Fencer Musashi and Dew Prism. Another thing that impressed me here was how different the seasonal variations of stages can be, often taking you through very different routes and sections of the levels. I was worried that each of these would be the same level, just with a different skin, but that's really not the case, thankfully.

I think that the most marked improvement that the game made after the first chapter was in the boss fights, though. The bosses after the first were all much more interesting and fun. It was on the third boss fight that I finally realized what Kondo meant when he said that they wanted the bosses to all feel like final boss fights. They tend to have multiple forms where you must apply drastically different strategies from the last, and they are just really fun to fight. The normal difficulty mode isn't really all that difficult, but I was frequently underleveled, so I was often in situations where the damage I was doing didn't really feel sufficient, and the fights ended up playing out long enough that I would still find myself in danger after a while. As you progress in the game, you learn new "gear crafts" for Noi, and these come into play in really interesting ways in these fights. The lack of any when you fight the first boss is most likely one of the reasons why it's so bland.

Despite being a totally different kind of game, Nayuta no Kiseki still manages to feel very much like a Kiseki game, too. It's an interesting accomplishment for Falcom, and it actually made me think more deeply about what the series is to me and what I like about it. The storytelling is of course one of the most important facets of the series, and I feel that the "Kiseki method" is definitely in full effect here, but the story being told is actually not very Kiseki-like at all. I think that's actually one of the more interesting accomplishments of the game, actually; the storyline itself is one that is not incredibly unfamiliar to RPG veterans, but the way it's told is very different and refreshing compared to how it's been done before, and very much in line with the way things have been done in the other Kiseki games.

Other Kiseki-isms have made it into Nayuta as well, such as quests and cooking, but again, both take a form that's just a little different from past games. Quests are delivered to Nayuta's personal mailbox, and there are only 2-3 per chapter (a stark difference from the other Kiseki games which overload you with at 6-7 per chapter on average). Each quest has a meaningful reward, and you're never asked to do something as trivial as killing x number of y enemy. Cooking is a little stripped down compared to Zero/Ao. You simply have Nayuta's sister show you how to cook a meal, and from then on you can do it yourself when you're away from home, as long as you're not in a stage. To eat food in a stage, you can place it in lunch box slots that are accessible via the submenu. You're limited to 1 slot to begin with, but it can be expanded up to 6 over the course of the game.

After a slow start, I really came to love the game quite a lot by the end. I had a great time, and I'm considering starting up the new game+ mode, which seems to add quite a lot of stuff that wasn't available in the first play.

[Reluctant-Hero]

As far as I've played (end of chapter 5), the amount of dialog is considerably less than the other Kiseki games, but there's still a fair bit - especially the NPC dialog which changes often. I don't think they'll do it, though, simply because it's on PSP.

Damn... I know you're right. Another excellent JP PSP game that I'll never be able to enjoy, right there alongside 7th Dragon 2020.

At least I've got Ys Seven & Growlanser IV to satisfy my JRPG needs... for now.

[Yuterald]

Indeed, were I to attempt to describe Nayuta no Kiseki to someone, my first instinct would be to say something like "imagine if Klonoa and Ys had a baby." It also reminds me quite a fair bit of same-era action RPGs like Brave Fencer Musashi and Dew Prism.

Oh my...please don't say such things. Klonoa and Ys had a baby!? The feel of 32-bit era action adventure games!? Brave Fencer and Threads of Fate vibes? O_O

Man, I've had my eye on this game since it was announced and hearing all this isn't helping me, lol! Now I'm going to be ultra depressed because we'll probably never see a localization for this game. =(

[Eusis]

Well, I wonder if a digital-only release would be doable? Though it looks nice enough I bet you could mildly spruce it up for Vita and have no trouble selling it there and bringing it to the US. Hell, I imagine if they can get this released on ANYTHING else our chances of seeing it would be really, really good especially with news of the quantity of text being at a more reasonable level.

[Dark Schala]

Great detailed impressions, Aeana. Nice to see that the bosses pick up after the first one, and it's good that its combat seems decent after you pick up new attacks and stuff. I'm also very glad to once again hear that quests are more substantial than 'hay gaiz kill 2 monsters for me thx".

I'll assume that the music is more along the lines of Kiseki than Ys or Zwei/Gurumin.

Can't wait to get my copy in the mail a week or two from now but I have to finish GL4 first.

Fired up Infinity mode, and it turns out that enemies and bosses level up alongside with you, which basically lets you carry over everything from your previous save without being the least bit broken. Enemies in the first area were taking a good beating and dealing out a bunch of damage even with my best equipment on, so it might actually end up being a good challenge afterall to make up for the lack of it in other difficulties.

This sounds very fun to me.

[Disgaeamad]

I'll just add that you get 1 or 2 more quests per chapter in NG+, and they're mostly as good as the others, so you can look forward to that.

I'll assume that the music is more along the lines of Kiseki than Ys or Zwei/Gurumin.

I'd say the events scenes are definitely more along the lines of what you'd hear in Kiseki (there's some stuff that really reminds me of 3rd in there), but the stage and boss fight themes are more along the lines of what you'd hear in an Ys game. Final fight's the only exception in that I've never really heard any other track quite like it (but I haven't played Zero/Ao yet so maybe it's like something in there), and I absolutely love it.

This sounds very fun to me.

It really is, it's great just getting to run about from the get-go with all of your skills, gear crafts and arts knowing enemies aren't just gonna fall over in your wake. There's also a weird thrill in knowing that you're guaranteed to die in 3 or so hits once you hit chapter 3, especially on a no items run.

[Aeana]

I neglected to mention the music, I realize now. I agree with Disgaeamad about the event music as well as the town themes being very Kiseki-esque. Stage themes vary - there are some that definitely would sound at home in the Crossbell saga, but others are fairly unique for Falcom, in honesty. I'm much more partial to the more electronic stage themes than the rocking ones, personally. I really like this and this for instance. The synth in the former (as well as this) should sound familiar to anybody who loves Yonemitsu's work. This one reminds me a lot of the music in the later Mega Man X games, just perhaps with a violin instead of a guitar on the lead. I love most of the stage songs quite a lot, so if I keep this up I'll probably end up linking all of them. (._. )

Then there's the title music, which is just absolutely gorgeous.

[Disgaeamad]

Then there's the title music, which is just absolutely gorgeous.

A thousand times, yes. Spent about two hours just on the title screen after finishing the game just letting that play in the background, it's a really nice track.

Also, there's this one stage theme that's pretty much Masquerade of Lies remixed a little bit, which I like way more than Masquerade of Lies.

[Aeana]

Oh yeah, I had that thought when I was playing and then totally forgot about it.

[Aeana]

If anyone's interested, omgfloofy is streaming at http://www.twitch.tv/sanctuarycrew

[luca1980]

Desperately needs a us release....vita/psp or anything!!!

[RyougaSaotome]

Just hit the mid point of chapter 6

Looooooving this game. It just feels so good. v_v

[hamauzu kaito]

This game has three stand outs for me:

Story: Story is a bit tired but for some reason it reels me back in, so I guess it's good.

Music: OMG! Whenever I want to stop playing cause I'm tired the music draws me back in. This game really has some beautiful tracks! Who is the composer?

Practice: This is the second game that I have tried playing in Japanese (the first is FF Type-0). While I struggle to play Type-0 for more than an hour at a time despite how great of a game it is, this games language is way easier to understand. Minimal unknown words and lots of dialogue = good japanese practice. Actually I cannot believe how much they talk in this game. I am looking at some of everyones completion times and there is no way I am going to make that because I talk to too many people and I am guessing that I read Japanese a lot slower.

Overall: This is a good game, definitely surprising presentation as I am not familiar with Falcom, and is thoroughly filling my JRPG void as I tire of WRPGs.