Well, I've certainly adjusted my expectations lol.
I'm sure I'll enjoy it as much as the first game but reading entire pages where literally every comment is only pointing out negative things definitely made it drop in my priorities. For some reason I was under the impression that this was a significant improvement over the first which obviously doesn't seem to be true.
Apologies, much of that is probably me. In terms of gameplay it is an improvement and there characters do develop a fair amount, though most of this seems to beer between the games rather than during the second one. It was my inability ultimately to invest the the school environment and Class VII overall that really held back my enjoyment. The story had a few high points but it was usually an awful lot of nothing before and after that made it hard to appreciate them.
Basically, just ignore me and make your own mind up. Clearly many people feel very differently about how good an entry to the series this was. I'm still hopeful CS3 can give
If you really read the criticism and judged by your knowledge on the first game and think yeah those are kind of dealbreakers to get the game now, good on you. I think it's a good thing when a discussion helps people like that. Better than painting an inaccurate picture.
Playing a game with good timing only helps one's enjoyment of it.
There think there a significant improvements in the game over the first, but I also have the perspective that -because- this is a sequel which both expects and sort of requires one to have played the previous game and liked it to get the most out of this, there are also significant issues which undermine what the game wants to be - issues which did not exist in the first game because it didn't have those ambitions.
CS1 is a less ambitious game, it might be less interesting to some people because of the scope and tone, but the game design and the world building in it was completely consistent with what it wanted to be. CS2 is a much more ambitious game, has more expectations because of direction the first game went in, and might be far more interesting to some people because of the expanded scope and change in tone, but the game design and the world building is far more inconsistent with what it wants to be, because much of it is in fact still held back by the format the first game established, since it is far harder to make a completely different sort of game as a sequel if you want to ship it just one year later.
That's how I feel right now about CS2, and I really don't think that is an unreasonable or hyperbolic stance. This makes playing through the beats of CS2 more frustrating for me when I see the weaknesses exposed, and of course I'll talk about it.
There think there a significant improvements in the game over the first, but I also have the perspective that -because- this is a sequel which both expects and sort of requires one to have played the previous game and liked it to get the most out of this, there are also significant issues which undermine what the game wants to be - issues which did not exist in the first game because it didn't have those ambitions.
CS1 is a less ambitious game, it might be less interesting to some people because of the scope and tone, but the game design and the world building in it was completely consistent with what it wanted to be. CS2 is a much more ambitious game, has more expectations because of direction the first game went in, and might be far more interesting to some people because of the expanded scope and change in tone, but the game design and the world building is far more inconsistent with what it wants to be, because much of it is in fact still held back by the format the first game established, since it is far harder to make a completely different sort of game as a sequel if you want to ship it just one year later.
That's how I feel right now about CS2, and I really don't think that is an unreasonable or hyperbolic stance. This makes playing through the beats of CS2 more frustrating for me when I see the weaknesses exposed, and of course I'll talk about it.
OK this puts it rather well. The end of the first game felt like everything had changed and it was all getting much more serious. Then by halfway thorough you realise nothing is any different and your still on one big class trip.
The scenes after the finale finally had me thinking again that we'd broken free of that and our actions were going to have serious consequences, then next thing I'm
back at school having fetch questing fur a few market day
It's fine to prefer SC to CS2, but saying that they can't even be compared on equal footing. I loved SC to death (hell, I waited 4 long years to get a chance to play it), and I think it's a fantastic game, but I also thought CS2 was a slightly better one.
If you think that SC is a better game, I think that's fine, and I won't try to convince you otherwise. But I have a hard time seeing how you can say that it's ridiculous to even put the games on the same level.
It's fine to prefer SC to CS2, but saying that they can't even be compared on equal footing. I loved SC to death (hell, I waited 4 long years to get a chance to play it), and I think it's a fantastic game, but I also thought CS2 was a slightly better one.
If you think that SC is a better game, I think that's fine, and I won't try to convince you otherwise. But I have a hard time seeing how you can say that it's ridiculous to even put the games on the same level.
Well for one nobody has given any reasons yet :-x. People just say CS was somehow better paced. No arguments, just people playing the "sacre bleu" card.
And I say this thinking the statement is slightly hyperbole cause to me the sagas aren't worlds apart in quality. That said, well I already explained what and where my issues with CS in comparison to Sky lie, don't want to repeat myself really.
Again if that's the extent of the argument what can people do.
Apologies, much of that is probably me. In terms of gameplay it is an improvement and there characters do develop a fair amount, though most of this seems to beer between the games rather than during the second one. It was my inability ultimately to invest the the school environment and Class VII overall that really held back my enjoyment. The story had a few high points but it was usually an awful lot of nothing before and after that made it hard to appreciate them.
Basically, just ignore me and make your own mind up. Clearly many people feel very differently about how good an entry to the series this was. I'm still hopeful CS3 can give
OK this puts it rather well. The end of the first game felt like everything had changed and it was all getting much more serious. Then by halfway thorough you realise nothing is any different and your still on one big class trip.
The scenes after the finale finally had me thinking again that we'd broken free of that and our actions were going to have serious consequences, then next thing I'm
back at school having fetch questing fur a few market day
Yeah, this really bugs me. Though I'm usually extremely sensitive to spoilers I'm glad to know this beforehand.
I was fully expecting CS2 to carry on the momentum from CS1's ending. Oh well.
Chances are CS3 is going to be largely new areas. Even if it's not, there is very clearly a time skip between 2 and 3, a lot of things could change in the meantime for even the older areas.
rejoining Rean early in the next game as events draw them back together. It will be pretty contrived.
In all honesty I expect them to cook up more fresh environments for CSIII, it's enough to reuse them for two games. Actually, having the horse and bike in CSII, combined with fast travel via airship, made reusing the areas fine to me- I loved belting around the highways on the bike.
Criticisms are all valid. I don't see anyone discussing their favorite characters, story beats they liked, gameplay elements, what might be next for the series, etc. I just found it overly sour compared to most every other game thread on GAF. People are allowed to discuss what they want, and nobody is trying to direct this thread otherwise, but I just found it bizarre how the game seemed to do a 180 and get demonized all of a sudden. This post sounds passive aggressive but it really isn't - I'm just making commentary.
To be clear, I found the 60+ hour sequel of almost no consequence and constant teasing a problem as well. It feels like CS/CSII together are the "FC" of the Cold Steel series. That is a long ass first chapter. I still enjoyed the game, but it didn't seem to pick up until towards the end, and this was supposed to be the game when shit went down. It was equally as frustrating as revisiting old areas in SC only to find an Enforcer and beat them, which was a similarly low point in the series for me. Both these low points at least had the value of introducing new and interesting villains, however - and CSII's airship interlude made the context of those encounters all the more interesting.
CSII is still a better game than SC for me for a number of reasons. It has neat minigames (loved snowboarding). It has a cast of villains I care about beyond their cool or menacing factor. It has shakeups to the gameplay of the first that make it feel less like a retread despite re-using many of the same areas, such as
recruiting for the airship (Suikoden flashbacks!)
, new side roads, a motorcycle, towns feeling different under occupation/fog/what have you.
Its tone is marginally darker than the other games, but not enough for the war theme they were going for, so I definitely feel the criticisms towards the "saturday morning cartoon" nonsense. The typical Trails fare does not fit a war story, period. Either change it to fit or don't do something you can't create believable stakes for. Despite this, I still feel like, overall, the game feels refined compared to SC.
Initially I placed this game below SC, but now I'd put them on equal footing. SC had a great second half, but it was clearly the conclusion of the Liberl story. CSII also had a very cool second half, but it was still building up to the finale, plus the
I think I like CS2 over SC as well. I prefer the setting of the Sora games,(Especially the end game) but I think the structure of CS2 overall makes it way more enjoyable for me to playthrough
I feel that's something that it doesn't get enough credit for in here. Even if it's similar in story progression, the way the gameplay is structured is a lot more open than previous Kiseki games and as a result I feel there's a lot more room to 'make your own fun' on replays. There's a lot more room to take on challenging content while controlling your level than in the sora games, in which character growth is a lot more controlled.
A lot of people criticize the battle system as being "broken" since if you min max for damage you can do absurd amounts in one turn, but I think the game is actually pretty balanced before late game. Taking on the Cryptids at around level 70 my first run with only the quartz available up until that point was some of the most fun I've had within the battle systems of these games.
Criticisms are all valid. I don't see anyone discussing their favorite characters, story beats they liked, gameplay elements, what might be next for the series, etc. I just found it overly sour compared to most every other game thread on GAF. People are allowed to discuss what they want, and nobody is trying to direct this thread otherwise, but I just found it bizarre how the game seemed to do a 180 and get demonized all of a sudden. This post sounds passive aggressive but it really isn't - I'm just making commentary.
Criticisms are all valid. I don't see anyone discussing their favorite characters, story beats they liked, gameplay elements, what might be next for the series, etc. I just found it overly sour compared to most every other game thread on GAF. People are allowed to discuss what they want, and nobody is trying to direct this thread otherwise, but I just found it bizarre how the game seemed to do a 180 and get demonized all of a sudden. This post sounds passive aggressive but it really isn't - I'm just making commentary.
I guess when people don't shrug of every shortcoming and don't try to convince people that the newest entry in a series is the next coming of jesus, while downplaying that past entries aren't that great and downplaying the elements that made past entries great(like story and characters) then that's demonizing lel
FFXV thread jab if it was too subtle
.
It may be hard to believe from being stuck in the bubble of certain other threads but I can only echo what was already said. I think all the people bothering to write in here enjoy CSII a great deal despite all the issues we have with the game.
Again it's one of my favorites in a year with Dark Souls III, The Witness, Persona 5, Blood and Wine(How is that not high praise?). It probably only comes behind the Witness and Persona 5 for me in the way that it occupies my mind. In the larger landscapes of recent JRPGs it still ranks pretty fucking high given that it still does so many things right that other games fall short of. The game sends me on a journey and gives me characters I can care about which seems like an insanely high bar when I look at the stuff that got released in the last 5 years.
Srsly dunno what to tell people. How much more context needs to be given for pointing out flaws to not count as being negative. It's just simply recognizing that the game isn't perfect while it still being pretty damn good.
I guess when people don't shrug of every shortcoming and don't try to convince people that the newest entry in a series is the next coming of jesus, while downplaying that past entries aren't that great and downplaying the elements that made past entries great(like story and characters) then that's demonizing lel
Come on, no need to apologize. I'm reading the thread because I want opinions.
Yeah, this really bugs me. Though I'm usually extremely sensitive to spoilers I'm glad to know this beforehand.
I was fully expecting CS2 to carry on the momentum from CS1's ending. Oh well.
Criticisms are all valid. I don't see anyone discussing their favorite characters, story beats they liked, gameplay elements, what might be next for the series, etc. I just found it overly sour compared to most every other game thread on GAF. People are allowed to discuss what they want, and nobody is trying to direct this thread otherwise, but I just found it bizarre how the game seemed to do a 180 and get demonized all of a sudden. This post sounds passive aggressive but it really isn't - I'm just making commentary.
To be clear, I found the 60+ hour sequel of almost no consequence and constant teasing a problem as well. It feels like CS/CSII together are the "FC" of the Cold Steel series. That is a long ass first chapter. I still enjoyed the game, but it didn't seem to pick up until towards the end, and this was supposed to be the game when shit went down. It was equally as frustrating as revisiting old areas in SC only to find an Enforcer and beat them, which was a similarly low point in the series for me. Both these low points at least had the value of introducing new and interesting villains, however - and CSII's airship interlude made the context of those encounters all the more interesting.
CSII is still a better game than SC for me for a number of reasons. It has neat minigames (loved snowboarding). It has a cast of villains I care about beyond their cool or menacing factor. It has shakeups to the gameplay of the first that make it feel less like a retread despite re-using many of the same areas, such as
recruiting for the airship (Suikoden flashbacks!)
, new side roads, a motorcycle, towns feeling different under occupation/fog/what have you.
Its tone is marginally darker than the other games, but not enough for the war theme they were going for, so I definitely feel the criticisms towards the "saturday morning cartoon" nonsense. The typical Trails fare does not fit a war story, period. Either change it to fit or don't do something you can't create believable stakes for. Despite this, I still feel like, overall, the game feels refined compared to SC.
Initially I placed this game below SC, but now I'd put them on equal footing. SC had a great second half, but it was clearly the conclusion of the Liberl story. CSII also had a very cool second half, but it was still building up to the finale, plus the
I guess when people don't shrug of every shortcoming and don't try to convince people that the newest entry in a series is the next coming of jesus, while downplaying that past entries aren't that great and downplaying the elements that made past entries great(like story and characters) then that's demonizing lel
FFXV thread jab if it was too subtle
.
It may be hard to believe from being stuck in the bubble of certain other threads but I can only echo what was already said. I think all the people bothering to write in here enjoy CSII a great deal despite all the issues we have with the game.
Again it's one of my favorites in a year with Dark Souls III, The Witness, Persona 5, Blood and Wine(How is that not high praise?). It probably only comes behind the Witness and Persona 5 for me in the way that it occupies my mind. In the larger landscapes of recent JRPGs it still ranks pretty fucking high given that it still does so many things right that other games fall short of. The game sends me on a journey and gives me characters I can care about which seems like an insanely high bar when I look at the stuff that got released in the last 5 years.
Srsly dunno what to tell people. How much more context needs to be given for pointing out flaws to not count as being negative. It's just simply recognizing that the game isn't perfect while it still being pretty damn good.
I mean, I pretty much agree with you. I have the same criticisms/likes for the most part, and I definitely never said this game was the next coming of Jesus, lol. Again, I'm only calling it like I see it, and I'm not really complaining about it either. I came back mid discussion, so as a relative outsider it was like this for me
Honestly not sure what you're on about?
I see people saying we're being sooooo negative and demonizing the game, I'm simply pointing out that there is just a huge disconnect for me between that and what has generally actually being said in this thread.
Not sure how that's me being bad at taking criticism? What criticism? Is it about criticizing the demonization that some people say is going on in here(which I don't really see)? I'm confused.
I mean, I pretty much agree with you. I have the same criticisms/likes for the most part, and I definitely never said this game was the next coming of Jesus, lol. Again, I'm only calling it like I see it, and I'm not really complaining about it either. I came back mid discussion, so as a relative outsider it was like this for me
I mean again that's the thing I just don't see it how you can read all of that and see the worst timeline happening.
Dunno to me it's been largely level headed and tame.
Criticisms are all valid. I don't see anyone discussing their favorite characters, story beats they liked, gameplay elements, what might be next for the series, etc.
Honestly not sure what you're on about?
I see people saying we're being sooooo negative and demonizing the game, I'm simply pointing out that there is just a huge disconnect for me between that and what has generally actually being said in this thread.
Not sure how that's me being bad at taking criticism? What criticism? Is it about criticizing the demonization that some people say is going on in here(which I don't really see)? I'm confused.
No one is saying you have to "shrug off disappointments" or "treat the next game as the coming of jesus" or to downplay the past entries or their elements or whatever else you're suggesting in that post. In fact no one is saying you have to do anything at all! lol
People are just commenting on general negativity and lack of variety in opinion in the thread. Nothing more nothing less.
I don't know if you're taking it personally or what, but you seem to be projecting a lot onto that simple observation.
But that's not even true. I mean, it's factually untrue. We just have to go back a few pages and see that there is tons of variety in what people talk about. There's discussion about where the bonding system could go CS3, there's discussion about the bonding system in general, there's discussion about the high and low points of CS2, but somehow the moment a couple of people get to problematic parts of the game and start commenting about them in detail, SolDefender and Glitter & Whine show up to go "OMG OMG SO NEGATIVE HURRR" or "lol wow people are really nitpicking" etc. Go back every 10-20 pages in this thread. You will see the same thing over and over again. There's this constant cycle of discussion and every time it gets negative it's the SAME 2-3 people coming back suddenly going "oh I'm just ~commenting~ on it, why so negative?!"
Sorry, but you guys are the whiners, the rest of us are just enjoying playing the game and making observations as we play.
No one is saying you have to "shrug off disappointments" or "treat the next game as the coming of jesus" or to downplay the past entries or their elements or whatever else you're suggesting in that post.
People are just commenting on general negativity and lack of variety in opinion in the thread. Nothing more nothing less.
I don't know if you're taking it personally or what, but you seem to be projecting a lot onto that simple observation.
Dude don't take it too seriously that was a jab at how the FFXV thread has been with gold statements like "FF has never been about story" to get people to buy into XV.
I admit there is a little bit of saltiness in that jab because I basically have to wait years now for the hope that the next FF gets it right and gives me characters to love again and a real good journey to go on.
As for people commenting that's just the thing I've been saying the last few post. I just don't get what these people are on about. Like are they incapable of reading criticism without dismissing it as negativity? It's sooooo weird.
Just 5 pages ago I myself was saying this to someone else:
I think the negativity is stronger because people have come to expect more from these games. CS2 is probably still far beyond other JRPGs at moment, just feels like a big drop from TitS and even from CS1. If I wasn't going for A0 rank it'd be a lot tighter probably. Just can't believe the game started so slow and got slower.
Yup basically, only thing that surpassed that one for me is basically P5. When I get down to it I don't think I like many other JRPGs more than the trails series.
Even things like Bravely Default which I liked a ton I rank slightly below. But then I do admit I have investment bias. I just really like the world and all the mysteries they build up. It's hard to compare to other one off titles that may focus on different things anyway.
but somehow the moment a couple of people get to problematic parts of the game and start commenting about them in detail, SolDefender and Glitter & Whine show up to go "OMG OMG SO NEGATIVE HURRR" or "lol wow people are really nitpicking" etc. Go back every 10-20 pages in this thread. You will see the same thing over and over again. There's this constant cycle of discussion and every time it gets negative it's the SAME 2-3 people coming back suddenly going "oh I'm just ~commenting~ on it, why so negative?!"
Sorry, but you guys are the whiners, the rest of us are just enjoying playing the game and making observations as we play.
Why so vitriolic? No need for name calling or mockery of other users.
Either way, I do hope they fix the caveats this game has for the third entry, because there's a lot of potential in the Erebonia arc. I think it's safe to say we're done with the "higher level character saves you" trope by now, at least.
But that's not even true. I mean, it's factually untrue. We just have to go back a few pages and see that there is tons of variety in what people talk about. There's discussion about where the bonding system could go CS3, there's discussion about the bonding system in general, there's discussion about the high and low points of CS2, but somehow the moment a couple of people get to problematic parts of the game and start commenting about them in detail, SolDefender and Glitter & Whine show up to go "OMG OMG SO NEGATIVE HURRR" or "lol wow people are really nitpicking" etc. Go back every 10-20 pages in this thread. You will see the same thing over and over again. There's this constant cycle of discussion and every time it gets negative it's the SAME 2-3 people coming back suddenly going "oh I'm just ~commenting~ on it, why so negative?!"
Sorry, but you guys are the whiners, the rest of us are just enjoying playing the game and making observations as we play.
I mean it's not just me. If anything it seems to be a more common response to you and your style of posting. Maybe because you present your observations in a tone similar to posts like this. Needlessly obnoxious and derisive.
but I don't really want to get into it.I feel this is becoming personal so I'll just drop it and go elsewhere.
I mean it's not just me. If anything it seems to be a more common response to you and your style of posting. Maybe because you present your observations in a tone similar to posts like this. Needlessly obnoxious and derisive.
but I don't really want to get into it.I feel this is becoming personal so I'll just drop it and go elsewhere.
I mean that's the only time you even bother to respond to anything I post, so maybe that's why you feel that way? If I'm talking about the game, the characters I like, the parts of the game I enjoy, bam, no response. If I'm making a reasonable point about something without being antagonistic, ignored! Instead you want to fight with everyone who has a negative tone you don't like instead, and reply endlessly to point out how "negative" you think the thread is. That just sounds like whining to me! You don't seem to be interested in having a conversation at all.
Criticisms are all valid. I don't see anyone discussing their favorite characters, story beats they liked, gameplay elements, what might be next for the series, etc. I just found it overly sour compared to most every other game thread on GAF. People are allowed to discuss what they want, and nobody is trying to direct this thread otherwise, but I just found it bizarre how the game seemed to do a 180 and get demonized all of a sudden. This post sounds passive aggressive but it really isn't - I'm just making commentary.
In addition to several lengthy posts about the things I thought were poor or repetitive about CSII in the last few pages, other comments that I made included that I thought the continued worldbuilding was good, that combat was a high point, that I liked various scenes (late game spoiler)
I described Victor vs Mcburn as 'awesome'
, that I liked various characters, (Sara, Oliver), that I like the mech combat, and that the bike made area reuse not bother me at all. This is all in the last few days since I finished it, and some of it in a direct reply to you on the previous page.
I don't see how me setting out arguments regarding a few flaws that I think run through the game is somehow contributing to 'demonising' TOCSII when I've also pointed out huge amounts of stuff that I clearly enjoyed too. Perhaps it's that the stuff that I liked tended not to be stuff that I felt needed a lot of explanation as to why I enjoyed it, whereas with a highly regarded rpg series, if I'm going to criticise an aspect that I feel runs through it, it seems fair to try and clarify my point as much as I can rather than shitpost-and-run. Even then, some posters have replied and I've conceded various points. Isn't that kinda the point of the thread?
I want to finish my 2nd playthrough before I do a full write up about my opinion of the game, just like I did with the first game. However I feel like the so called negativity and crtitcism I've read over the last week or so is spot on and I agree strongly with the majority of those points. The majority of the games problems fall around the entire bonding system, Rean being effectively a harem/light novel protagonist, and how the story, gameplay structure and setting is adapted and contructed to allow for those. The cast and games should probably have been condensed to the point it was one game also.
However to add to that, while I agree with said criticism, that does not mean I am down on the game as a whole. I really like the game, it's better than the first game and one if my favourites of the year. But just because you like something, it doesn't mean it's free from criticism. In fact if anything I judge it harsher than other things I'm not too fussed about because I care far the game and series, and it could be so much better.
It's one thing if someone says 'this is shit' and just craps all over it. But most issues I've seen (including my own) have been well explained, reasoned and justified. So even if you disagree, you should be able to see where the complaints are coming from and understand why people may feel that way.
Epic fail on my end. I'm near the end of the game, juwt started the Finale. I was just moving my save from PS3 to Vita for the first time this playthrough since I'm gonna be away for a little while. While doing so I realised, I ended playing on Hard and not on Nightmare. I'm gonna need to do a 3Rd playthrough. Dammit
Well I guess it doesn't take long to speed run. I got here in like 5-6 hours from the start of NG+, so it shouldn't be that much of an issue, and I'll be able to use the max Bonding Points and watch them at my leisure. I can also do the ending with an additional character. I did Laura first time, Sara this time. I guess I'll go Emma next time.
Ugh While i have problems i generally liked the game a lot and don't want to add another criticism. I just can't be ballsed to finished the final dungeon even with the mirrors. Honestly especially after getting the mirrors since they were the only thing i was aiming for. Doesn't help my vita bugged and crash after defeating a cryptid and i don't want to redo it especially since i hope i'm in the final stretch at 14. I will probably finish it later after finishing Hearts r after my save got erased its been long enough i won't hopefully mind the repeat scenes might play it on hard now. I just wish the final dungeon wasn't so tedious i didn't even mind the shrines because at least they provide some variation to the dungeons and there is "some" exploration. This is just shit and the game should have cut the dungeon leaving only the boss because fuck final dungeons and repeat enemies.
Ugh While i have problems i generally liked the game a lot and don't want to add another criticism. I just can't be ballsed to finished the final dungeon even with the mirrors. Honestly especially after getting the mirrors since they were the only thing i was aiming for. Doesn't help my vita bugged and crash after defeating a cryptid and i don't want to redo it especially since i hope i'm in the final stretch at 14. I will probably finish it later after finishing Hearts r after my save got erased its been long enough i won't hopefully mind the repeat scenes might play it on hard now. I just wish the final dungeon wasn't so tedious i didn't even mind the shrines because at least they provide some variation to the dungeons and there is "some" exploration. This is just shit and the game should have cut the dungeon leaving only the boss because fuck final dungeons and repeat enemies.
I liked the final dungeon. Opens up experimentation without subsequent playthroughs.
But then I kind of enjoy the breaking the game aspect, like I did in Bravely Default.
As for people leaving for contrived reasons, I kind of agree that it's contrived that it was kind of everyone but some of them actually had pretty good reasons to do that. It felt like most of them were moving from Thors towards way more specialized education after they all reflected on the war that this was their best way to grow for coming challenges.
At least for Alisa, Machias, Laura.
I may have mentally censored this due to my apparent bias, but where in FC is it anywhere near as bad as there "fabulous fifteens" stuff or checking out 13 year olds in swim suits? I remember some line from Olivier to Tita but I'm sure that was people misreading the context or something. It was the first to go for "it's not really incest" bit but there are clear reasons why this one is worse in that respect.
I may have mentally censored this due to my apparent bias, but where in FC is it anywhere near as bad as there "fabulous fifteens" stuff or checking out 13 year olds in swim suits? I remember some line from Olivier to Tita but I'm sure that was people misreading the context or something. It was the first to go for "it's not really incest" bit but there are clear reasons why this one is worse in that respect.
I was mostly thinking back to the Ravens trying to pick up Estelle and Kloe, along with the guards at the palace hitting on Estelle (and Joshua) while disguised as a maid. There was also Dunan inviting Estelle back to his room for "tea" that night during the latter, and then her having it explained to her by the head maid just what he was trying to pull afterward.
It's entirely possible that that's the case, Olivier is very similar in his creepy awkward flirting and I didn't have a problem with that. What about the young buds watering hey garden line that she says to Millium though? I think even someone in the game says to her that that's too far.
I was mostly thinking back to the Ravens trying to pick up Estelle and Kloe, along with the guards at the palace hitting on Estelle (and Joshua) while disguised as a maid. There was also Dunan inviting Estelle back to his room for "tea" that night during the latter, and then her having it explained to her by the head maid just what he was trying to pull afterward.
Still haven't gotten to SC, but have indeed read about that...
Well the Duke is meant to be a creep, I'm hopeful that's not meant to be seen as acceptable in any way. The Ravens too are meant to be punks and so I assume this isn't meant to be acceptable.
I played through SC this time last year, and to be honest just didn't see it- I only ever saw Agate treat Tita like his lost little sister (or with the general weary regard of an adult for a lost kid they know they should look out for). Her family seem to joke about him being her boyfriend, and I wouldnt be surprised if she was crushing on him (being a little girl with a tough grown-up Bracer taking a interest in her as a surrogate little sister), but I don't remember Agate himself ever looking at her in that way, he's either inwardly focused on his own problems or outwardly focused on the mission at large.
Maybe I missed some scenes or something, but the only thing I thought was 'creepy' was her family suggesting stuff (and even then only to gently wind up Tita in the process), rather than the two characters themselves.
I know a lot of people aren't keen on Agate but I thought he really added a lot to the games as an example of a dogged Bracer doing what the guild does. Schera is more fun but Agate usually reminds everyone to be more professional, I kinda like that amongst the mix of characters, and thought his growing respect for Estelle was cool and he made a good early-campaign role model for the guild, it helped bring the Bracers to life for me beyond them finding lost pets and jewellery . It's probably for the same reason I like Toval and Sara, it's cool to see a multinational guild of licensed adventurers/investigators being comprised of a bunch of competent adventurer types, even if they aren't the main characters.
For the same reason, I like the way the journalists, academy staff, even mercs and soldiers in the Trails games are generally depicted as competent rather than entirely made up of buffoons. Some RPGs imply that anyone over the age of 20 is utterly incompetent and I like the way Trails largely kicks against that, even when using a young cast. It's cool to see people who've been doing a job for 20 years be at least passably competent at it if they've been doing it since before the hero(ine) was born- maybe that's my age talking but it makes for better game worlds and victories that feel earned.
To be honest I loved the whole main cast of FC/SC with the exception of Tita.
Playing the side chapter thing and while I dont know these characters, the dude gave a good impression: calm and collected; good observation on other party members he mentions. The girl however, what is that outfit, lol
Even not knowing what is happening, the whole thing is intriguing. All in all world building in the game is ace even though it is somewhat lacking.
