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[Zukuu]

If you grind in a Trails game, you are doing it wrong.

And you shouldn't have picked Hard. SC isn't properly balanced for it.

I like a challenge and I kinda like grinding too, but there is a limit to it obviously and the fighting system isn't in particular the most deep / interesting. The difficulty didn't bother me one bit, even though some fights boil down to pure luck (tutorial boss and one other). it's just that a game STILL doesn't level the character to your level is just not acceptable when it forces you to play with him/her. Combine that with the absolutely slow pace of story advancement and I just can't force myself to go on. And FC was way too easy. I actually beat that "unbeatable" story boss and didn't even sweat a bit. I didn't even know he was supposed to be unbeatable until I read about it in my LTTP thread.

The last story revelations was what somewhat redeemed FC in my book and kinda got me hooked and interested. Well that and the prospect of Estelle x Joshua, but they just didn't followed up in SC - not even 20h in. I have learned nothing new, seen nothing new and Joshua is still nowhere in sight. I can't see it picking up anytime soon, unless they do a 0 to 100 story pacing like in the end of FC.

I actually came into this thread to ask a similar question. I just finished FC and thought felt the story dragged on at a snails pace until the last 30 minutes or so of the game. I didn't enjoy the battle system as I felt it was slow an uninteresting as well. It's a little disappointing to hear that SC didn't change much from FC.

I would assume it wouldn't be worth picking up SC to complete the story since I didn't enjoy the time it took to get there?

You sound exactly like me, so I can only say from my perspective "NO". It's exactly like FC, if not even slower pacing wise.

 

[chaosblade]

I can't see it picking up anytime soon, unless they do a 0 to 100 story pacing like in the end of FC.

If you're grinding it will be well over 20 hours before this happens. It doesn't start to shift from the FC-like pacing until over halfway through the game. But even from that point on it's not as "dense" as FC's final chapter was.

 

[Mozendo]

The story after 20h or so is still less advanced than even in the first game, which is hard to actually accomplish.

Learning that there's an evil organization planing something in Liberl the first what 2-3 hours is less advanced than FC?

There is also NOTHING NEW. The exact same world and same battle system... just no.

IIRC FC & SC were originally going to be one game.

Why didn't they pick up the story of FC, right away? Why must it go back to be such a drag pacing wise? It's simply terrible.

This is a really unique opinion, everyone I know pretty much agrees the pacing is a lot better than FC.

 

[Basileus777]

This is a really unique opinion, everyone I know pretty much agrees the pacing is a lot better than FC.

Several people expressed similar viewpoints in the OT.

 

[Jolkien]

Catching up lower level character is not an issue in these games, at all. At the end I had a few high 50's low 60's and they catched up to my main party level around level 92 in like 8 fights.

 

[Mozendo]

Several people expressed similar viewpoints in the OT.

Oh, I never read the OT since I got the game 1-2 months after it came out.
Did they explain as to why the thought that way?

 

[encephalon]

SC would be better if

Spoiler

It actually was Estelle chasing after Joshua, coming across Ouroboros here and there, and eventually saving him - ... rather than the distant goal of somehow finding him while witnessing the various "tests" that weren't all that compelling as a plot device, only to be followed by him just showing up and rescuing her on the Glorious. At that point I felt the game had sort of betrayed its premise.

I'm also in the "FC was better" camp.

 

[chaosblade]

Oh, I never read the OT since I got the game 1-2 months after it came out.
Did they explain as to why the thought that way?

It's not so much the pacing that's a problem, but the writing in general.

General SC spoilers ahead.

Spoiler

The prologue and first chapter are alright, but chapters 2-4 really suffer from feeling like retreads. For starters, you are still limited to a single region that you already explored before. A reintroduction to the land is okay, but it's another five entire chapters and half or more of the game.

Chapters 2-4 are basically chapter 1 all over again. "Something fishy is going on, you might want to check it out." "Oh look, that mysterious organization that was so secretive practically nobody knew they existed a few months ago is blatantly behind everything that's happening and are introducing themselves to us one by one." By chapter 4 the characters even recognize this and point it out.

I still think it would have worked better to move chapter 3 to chapter 2. That would have made the stuff with Renne much more surprisingly and meaningful, since the game makes her role blatantly obvious from the very beginning due to how the first two chapters played out. I also would have appreciated a chapter where you are investigating the aftermath of one of their experiments rather than conveniently catching them in the act every single time.

SC would be better if

Spoiler

It actually was Estelle chasing after Joshua, coming across Ouroboros here and there, and eventually saving him - ... rather than the distant goal of somehow finding him while witnessing the various "tests" that weren't all that compelling as a plot device, only to be followed by him just showing up and rescuing her on the Glorious. At that point I felt the game had sort of betrayed its premise.

I'm also in the "FC was better" camp.

Spoiler

That scene would have worked better with multiple outcomes. If Estelle loses Joshua jumps in and saves the day. If she draws the two work together and win. If Estelle wins Joshua shows up to help her and realizes she already won. Then it proceeds as is from there. Really takes a lot away from Estelle's display of badassery on the Glorious when Joshua has to step in to save her.

But yeah, I basically agree with you as a whole. Still enjoyed SC plenty, but I think the storytelling was better in FC.

 

[encephalon]

It's not so much the pacing that's a problem, but the writing in general.

General SC spoilers ahead.

Spoiler

The prologue and first chapter are alright, but chapters 2-4 really suffer from feeling like retreads. For starters, you are still limited to a single region that you already explored before. A reintroduction to the land is okay, but it's another five entire chapters and half or more of the game.

Chapters 2-4 are basically chapter 1 all over again. "Something fishy is going on, you might want to check it out." "Oh look, that mysterious organization that was so secretive practically nobody knew they existed a few months ago is blatantly behind everything that's happening and are introducing themselves to us one by one." By chapter 4 the characters even recognize this and point it out.

I still think it would have worked better to move chapter 3 to chapter 2. That would have made the stuff with Renne much more surprisingly and meaningful, since the game makes her role blatantly obvious from the very beginning due to how the first two chapters played out. I also would have appreciated a chapter where you are investigating the aftermath of one of their experiments rather than conveniently catching them in the act every single time.

Spoiler

That scene would have worked better with multiple outcomes. If Estelle loses Joshua jumps in and saves the day. If she draws the two work together and win. If Estelle wins Joshua shows up to help her and realizes she already won. Then it proceeds as is from there. Really takes a lot away from Estelle's display of badassery on the Glorious when Joshua has to step in to save her.

But yeah, I basically agree with you as a whole. Still enjoyed SC plenty, but I think the storytelling was better in FC.

I agree, that would have been a great way to handle it.

 

[SolVanderlyn]

I feel like SC's second half is the best stretch of any of the localized Trails games. All of the payoff from the first two games comes to a head and it even starts to set up the story arc in Erebonia.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

I like to rationalize it as SC was almost "too much good", (to quote myself from elsewhere)

Spoiler

If I allowed myself to second guess the writers, one and two wouldn't resolve to anything definitively Oroboros, with the Phantom Thief appearing in 2 but not revealing his affiliation yet. THEN we get 3's wham for Estelle, and 4's bigger wham for us.

Then Chapter 7 is us fighting only Renne as the towers popped off after each fight anyways.

FC is a slight bit better than SC for this (FC is written with really nice tempo changing)

SC would be better if

Spoiler

It actually was Estelle chasing after Joshua, coming across Ouroboros here and there, and eventually saving him - ... rather than the distant goal of somehow finding him while witnessing the various "tests" that weren't all that compelling as a plot device, only to be followed by him just showing up and rescuing her on the Glorious. At that point I felt the game had sort of betrayed its premise.

I'm also in the "FC was better" camp.

Spoiler

One of the major themes of the early SC game was Estelle not fixating on personal wants, plus Joshua (thought he) didn't want to be found. I've found it hard to imagine it as not being part of the maturing process; that and to show their constant reliance on each other.

 

[encephalon]

This might be considered sacrilege, but I think the new Evo character art is better than the original FC/SC games. I guess I might have made a mistake by not picking Hard, but I'm enjoying the game so far. And the voices are fine, for the most part. It makes it a breeze to play. The new music is also fine so far.

I like to rationalize it as SC was almost "too much good", (to quote myself from elsewhere)

Spoiler

If I allowed myself to second guess the writers, one and two wouldn't resolve to anything definitively Oroboros, with the Phantom Thief appearing in 2 but not revealing his affiliation yet. THEN we get 3's wham for Estelle, and 4's bigger wham for us.

Then Chapter 7 is us fighting only Renne as the towers popped off after each fight anyways.

FC is a slight bit better than SC for this (FC is written with really nice tempo changing)

Spoiler

One of the major themes of the early SC game was Estelle not fixating on personal wants, plus Joshua (thought he) didn't want to be found. I've found it hard to imagine it as not being part of the maturing process; that and to show their constant reliance on each other.

But it's

Spoiler

Joshua that was foolish, not Estelle. I don't really agree with the notion that her search for him was in any way a sign of immaturity, whether he wanted to be found or not.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

This might be considered sacrilege, but I think the new Evo character art is better than the original FC/SC games. I guess I might have made a mistake by not picking Hard, but I'm enjoying the game so far. And the voices are fine, for the most part. It makes it a breeze to play. The new music is also fine so far.



But it's

Spoiler

Joshua that was foolish, not Estelle. I don't really agree with the notion that her search for him was in any way a sign of immaturity, whether he wanted to be found or not.

Spoiler

It's obvious at a glance yes, but Estelle knew well enough (maturing) to NOT harp on that. Notice how he was finger-wagged afterwards and she stood up for him, she knew not to press this issue (and for what end is that finger-wagging, you know?)

Doing her duty as part of the forces of justice on the ground in that action everyone seemed to come to a consensus made sense. I remember Cassius specifically mentioning Joshua didn't want to be found yet anyways(?)

It's an ugly, rational decision, one an adult must make.

 

[Gu4n]

In The 3rd Evo, they added

Spoiler

Arianrhod as an optional boss fight

for NG+. Unexpected, but I'm psyched enough to go through the game to twice.

 

[preta]

In The 3rd Evo, they added

Spoiler

Arianrhod as an optional boss fight

for NG+. Unexpected, but I'm psyched enough to go through the game to twice.

Wow, that is pretty unexpected. Is it in the arena or something?

Also, is Star Door 14 voiced?

 

[SolVanderlyn]

I still need to beat FC Evo. My Japanese is much better than it was even five or six months ago and I still can't muster the desire to boot it up. I even find myself pining for the Steam version instead.

Full voiced is super nice, though. It really is.

 

[theMrCravens]

LTTP, but finished Trails FC on Hard blind.

I really thought GAF was overrating this, but surprised how good it turned out to be.

Really fun characters (and scenes) compared to most recent JRPGS.
Chapter 2 was so well designed.

Spoiler

loved the Academy part, but that abandoned haunted school was a missed opportunity for Chapter finale

Music is soooo good.

That crazy long-tier final dungeon and boss though. Very awesome.
Took me 3 days to fully explore and clear those monster chests.
Didn't expect

Spoiler

3 fights in a row

boss, but I beat it on first run (no retries).
It got pretty crazy, and basically had to use up all of my inventory items.

The game's balance was way off on Hard though.
Sometimes too easy, then nearly impossible for no reason. I'm assuming Normal is simply piss-easy ?

Anyway, great game.
I'll pick up SC in a few months for sure. (when more fresh and ready to tackle)

 

[Gu4n]

Wow, that is pretty unexpected. Is it in the arena or something?

Also, is Star Door 14 voiced?

Probably, but we'll need someone to play through the entire game twice first to confirm.

I've only complete Moon Door 1 myself so far this morning, so I'm still far, far off. But I'm keeping tabs on a Japanese player who is progressing smoothly through the game -- he's almost at Star Door 14. Through him, I know at least Star Door 2 is voiced, so I have no doubt 14 will be as well.

 

[omgfloofy]

The game's balance was way off on Hard though.
Sometimes too easy, then nearly impossible for no reason. I'm assuming Normal is simply piss-easy ?

The Sora trilogy was never balanced for difficulty modes, actually. As a result Hard and Nightmare are very, very difficult and unbalanced to a degree. (Nightmare actually has very much a reliance on RNG and you preparing for an end chapter fight at the start of the chapter.)

This is because the PC version originally didn't have difficulty modes at all, and they were added as an 'extra perk' to the PSP version.

When you get to Zero and Ao is the first time you get to a properly balanced set of difficulty modes for the games.

 

[Nyoro SF]

When you get to Zero and Ao is the first time you get to a properly balanced set of difficulty modes for the games.

Oooh, nice. I think I'll try Zero on Hard and see how it goes.

 

[theMrCravens]

Any reason I'd want to keep my FC game clear save file for Trails SC ?
Are there perks or whatever ?

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

Any reason I'd want to keep my FC game clear save file for Trails SC ?
Are there perks or whatever ?

Yes. Importing will get you bonus items if you got max BP, as well as add dialogue with certain characters if you completed their sidequests in FC.

 

[theMrCravens]

Yes. Importing will get you bonus items if you got max BP, as well as add dialogue with certain characters if you completed their sidequests in FC.

Alright. Sounds good.
I think I reached top Bracer rank, but not sure if that's considered max BP.

 

[Thud]

Alright. Sounds good.
I think I reached top Bracer rank, but not sure if that's considered max BP.

Max BP is 368.

 

[encephalon]

Given the fact that FC and SC seem to have been made easier with the Evo titles, is Hard mode recommended for the Evo versions?

 

[Gu4n]

Given the fact that FC and SC seem to have been made easier with the Evo titles, is Hard mode recommended for the Evo versions?

That depends on whether you're aiming for Platinum Trophy. If not, Hard mode is recommended. If you do, finishing the game on level 40 or below (FC) or 90 and below (SC) on Hard becomes, well, hard. I still have to beat

Spoiler

Richard and Träumerei

below level 40 on Hard in FC. I did beat

Spoiler

Lorence

, but that took me 10+ tries.

That said, The 3rd Evo on Normal is a breeze. You gain levels at the speed of light and Tita's insane strength + AoE + (with advantage) critical attack wipes out mobs in one shot.

 

[encephalon]

That depends on whether you're aiming for Platinum Trophy. If not, Hard mode is recommended. If you do, finishing the game on level 40 or below (FC) or 90 and below (SC) on Hard becomes, well, hard. I still have to beat

Spoiler

Richard and Träumerei

below level 40 on Hard in FC. I did beat

Spoiler

Lorence

, but that took me 10+ tries.

That said, The 3rd Evo on Normal is a breeze. You gain levels at the speed of light and Tita's insane strength + AoE + (with advantage) critical attack wipes out mobs in one shot.

Thankfully, for my sanity's sake, I don't care about trophies. But it seems like I won't hit those levels anyways. But maybe I'll leave hard mode for "next time."

 

[Gu4n]

Thankfully, for my sanity's sake, I don't care about trophies. But it seems like I won't hit those levels anyways. But maybe I'll leave hard mode for "next time."

For each battle advantage you get, you get double the experience points. Combined with Shiny Pom hunting you'll fairly easy hit the experience cap.

I don't particularly care for trophies, but enjoy the meta-challenges they offer, like complete your Monster Book.

 

[Winnie the Pimp]

Since i already own the PSP physical copy of FC and haven't played it yet, i was gonna grab the PSN (EU) version to play both games on my Vita, and sell the physical version!

Thing is, i just noticed that FC has somehow DISAPPEARED from the EU PSN???!!!

What gives? SC is still available, has Xseed pulled it from PSN for some reason? Anyone know anything here?

 

[flowsnake]

It was published by Ghostlight wasn't it?

 

[Winnie the Pimp]

It was published by Ghostlight wasn't it?

Yeah quite possible, though i only saw the Xseed logo for the SC site on PSN hmm....

Either way, so maybe it was Ghostlight then who had to pull it?

 

[Gu4n]

They're working on it. I asked them last week, but hearing it's still not back is odd. I'll try again.

 

[Winnie the Pimp]

They're working on it. I asked them last week, but hearing it's still not back is odd. I'll try again.

Oh ok so they ARE aware of it at least then... Hopefully they will get it back on.
Tx mate

 

[encephalon]

I tried to play EDIV Akai Shizuku Win ver, after EGG refused to take my money and I realized that there didn't seem to be a PC-98 version of V.

This is what happened.

No matter what compatibility settings I try, nothing seems to work. : ( I guess it wasn't meant to be. The PSP versions don't look quite as bad as people seem to think, but being the superficial person that I am, the moody PC intro draws me in far more than the cheesy songs in the PSP versions. They just seem tonally different.

 

[Gu4n]

I tried to play EDIV Akai Shizuku Win ver, after EGG refused to take my money and I realized that there didn't seem to be a PC-98 version of V.

This is what happened.

No matter what compatibility settings I try, nothing seems to work. : ( I guess it wasn't meant to be. The PSP versions don't look quite as bad as people seem to think, but being the superficial person that I am, the moody PC intro draws me in far more than the cheesy songs in the PSP versions. They just seem tonally different.

Akai Shizuku runs flawlessly on my Windows 10 using DxWnd.

 

[encephalon]

Akai Shizuku runs flawlessly on my Windows 10 using DxWnd.

Thank you! I got it to work.

 

[Hobbun]

Well, just started Chapter III in FC. Have finished up the

Spoiler

Temp Librarian quests

and just got

Spoiler

Tita

for the second time. About to continue with the main story for a bit, until more sidequests open up.

I am really enjoying the story of FC now, moving MUCH better than the earlier chapters.

This is my first experience with the Legend of Heroes games and I would say the only issue I have with it is all the missable aspects. I know it’s a ‘me thing’, but I am one who likes to complete all the quests, especially if there is a benefit of some sort, and have never liked when extra quests/goodies get locked off if you didn’t do a certain action or by a certain time. I find myself having to follow the FAQs for it closely, which I would prefer to not have to do.

This is of course just ‘my’ opinion, but I would rather Falcom either eliminate the missable sidequests (just keep main story) or don’t make any of them missable. Of course I would prefer option two, as I feel the sidequests are important to the characterization of the world and story, but do we really need to lock off quests after a certain amount of time? And

Spoiler

why is the game designed that you visit each region and can never come back (at least in that game)? Especially with the technology of the airship?

But besides that, like I said, I am really enjoying the game now and certainly plan to play through SC, and eventually Cold Steel 1 & 2.

 

[Eylos]

i'm in the last chapter of FC, for now i liked more CS, but stelle is a way better main character than Rean

 

[Reluctant-Hero]

Jest curious, what are you all playing FC & SC on? PC?

I'm currently playing Cold Steel, only in Chapter 3, but I plan on finally digging into FC after I finish CS. I've fallen in love with this world.

 

[Korigama]

Jest curious, what are you all playing FC & SC on? PC?

I'm currently playing Cold Steel, only in Chapter 3, but I plan on finally digging into FC after I finish CS. I've fallen in love with this world.

I'm playing FC on PC, last left off at the very start of Chapter 1. Still on Chapter 4 in CS.

 

[Hobbun]

Jest curious, what are you all playing FC & SC on? PC?

I'm currently playing Cold Steel, only in Chapter 3, but I plan on finally digging into FC after I finish CS. I've fallen in love with this world.

I'm playing FC on my Vita. Will do the same with SC.

 

[Reluctant-Hero]

I'm playing FC on PC, last left off at the very start of Chapter 1. Still on Chapter 4 in CS.

I'm playing FC on my Vita. Will do the same with SC.

I booted up FC on my Vita just now and couldn't stand the bluriness. Gonna to have to go with PC for the clean graphics.

 

[Hobbun]

I booted up FC on my Vita just now and couldn't stand the bluriness. Gonna to have to go with PC for the clean graphics.

Yeah, I did notice more blurriness from when I played through my PSP, but I got used to it. The menus are all still very clear and easily readable.

Compared to the PC, I can't compare. But the PC is obviously going to have much better graphics. I will need to play on the PC for the 3rd.

 

[Winnie the Pimp]

That kinda sucks to hear as i was planning on eventually playing the whole series on my Vita

I'd go with Steam BUT, these days i just don't get much alone time on PC so it would take me years to finish one RPG on that (not kidding here) while on a handheld i can easily finish one in a couple months! That is once this annoying matter with GhostLight and the game not actually being on EU PSN has cleared...

 

[Eylos]

That kinda sucks to hear as i was planning on eventually playing the whole series on my Vita

I'd go with Steam BUT, these days i just don't get much alone time on PC so it would take me years to finish one RPG on that (not kidding here) while on a handheld i can easily finish one in a couple months! That is once this annoying matter with GhostLight and the game not actually being on EU PSN has cleared...

well you can change for a US psn account in the vita, but that is a pain in the ass

 

[Aters]

SC is straight up a bad game until the last 15 hours or so. That pacing is really unacceptable, doesn't help that you've seen the same world before.

I still replay a bit of Trails of Zero and Azure once a while, but I never look back to SC once I finished it.

 

[Famassu]

SC is straight up a bad game until the last 15 hours or so.

Stop with your always hyperbolic BS. No, it's not a "straight up bad game" until the last 15 hours. The pacing could be a bit better, but all in all the "cases" in each town in SC are more interesting from the start than FC's saturday cartoony first half or most everything found in Trails of Cold Steel for the first few chapters (not that either of those are bad either). While it does get a bit old going to a different town in each chapter and then there's another baddie doing his/her thing, rince & repeat, the characters and events in each town/chapter can still have plenty of good & exciting moments and there are some good side quests, not to even mention lots of NPCs that are nice to see again. The familiarity of the locations doesn't work against the game, but mostly improves it.

 

[aravuus]

I do have to say that the beginning chapters of SC have probably been the low point of TiTS for me so far. I'm still enjoying it a lot and like Famassu mentioned, it's nice to see familiar NPCs around but... I dunno. Maybe it's

Spoiler

because Joshua isn't around

. Aside from meeting new NPCs,

Spoiler

Joshua and Estelle's interactions

were the best part of FC for me.

Curious to see how much better it gets. The main story obviously picks up when

Spoiler

the new town, new bad guy formula is dumped

, but as a whole, I can easily say I enjoyed FC a lot more - at least so far.

 

[Thoraxes]

Stop with your always hyperbolic BS. No, it's not a "straight up bad game" until the last 15 hours. The pacing could be a bit better, but all in all the "cases" in each town in SC are more interesting from the start than FC's saturday cartoony first half or most everything found in Trails of Cold Steel for the first few chapters (not that either of those are bad either). While it does get a bit old going to a different town in each chapter and then there's another baddie doing his/her thing, rince & repeat, the characters and events in each town/chapter can still have plenty of good & exciting moments and there are some good side quests, not to even mention lots of NPCs that are nice to see again. The familiarity of the locations doesn't work against the game, but mostly improves it.

I always treat these games like a good book to read that just happens to have a really fun battle system.

Like seriously. I usually always feel like I have to be constantly entertained with most games, or get bored or w/e, but with these games I like just being in that world, talking with the people that inhabit it, and finding out all the cool shit that's going on in the world. "How did these relationships progress?" or "Oh man, I wondered what happened after this thing from FC?" I always dig as deep as I can, and honestly I just love the way it's all set up. Most of the time those questions I have when I go to each location get totally fleshed out too, which feels rewarding and engaging. It's a series that always makes me want to slow down and smell the roses and I am more than happy for that.

Hell, the way Estelle's

Spoiler

independence

is fostered in SC is one of the reasons I love it so much.

 

[Hobbun]

Stop with your always hyperbolic BS. No, it's not a "straight up bad game" until the last 15 hours. The pacing could be a bit better, but all in all the "cases" in each town in SC are more interesting from the start than FC's saturday cartoony first half or most everything found in Trails of Cold Steel for the first few chapters (not that either of those are bad either). While it does get a bit old going to a different town in each chapter and then there's another baddie doing his/her thing, rince & repeat, the characters and events in each town/chapter can still have plenty of good & exciting moments and there are some good side quests, not to even mention lots of NPCs that are nice to see again. The familiarity of the locations doesn't work against the game, but mostly improves it.

Does SC have the same format where the previous region is locked off once you progress? What about with Trails of Cold Steel? Does it have something like that?

I hope not, at the least for Cold Steel. Especially considering that there airships (at least in regards to FC), which should allow you to re-visit regions.