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[TheBaronOfNA]

I like social links and I don't mind school settings, so this is music for my ears.

Also, more RPG should have Social Link stuff and thank God we live in an era where is common.

 

[Reveirg]

I like social links and I don't mind school settings, so this is music for my ears.

Also, more RPG should have Social Link stuff and thank God we live in an era where is common.

I think it works in some games (Persona) but less in others (Valkyria Chronicles 2). I hope Sen falls more in line with the former.

 

[Nightengale]

I think it works in some games (Persona) but less in others (Valkyria Chronicles 2). I hope Sen falls more in line with the former.

I'd say it's somewhere in between.

There's times in Sen where there's stuff that feels really anime in a not too positive way, but aside from that, I felt that the school itself was built well.

 

[Shouta]

I like school settings, but I'm curious about this whole Bond system. Is it more or less the same as social links or expanded?

It's basically Social Links. In addition to usual story stuff, in battle you can pair up your characters to form a linked duo. These two gain additional skills like covering each other when taking damage, healing MP/HP in certain situations, follow-up strikes when you attack an enemy, etc. What skills they have depend at their disposal depends on that level. You can choose not to do Bonds to upgrade their bond levels but you'll be limited in skills in your pairs. It should be noted that Bond levels are not just for the main character and rest of the cast. They exist between the other cast members too.

I don't think they're nearly as important as they are in Persona as you can still get by in the game with just the basic pair skills.

 

[Hours Left]

It's basically Social Links. In addition to usual story stuff, in battle you can pair up your characters to form a linked duo. These two gain additional skills like covering each other when taking damage, healing MP/HP in certain situations, follow-up strikes when you attack an enemy, etc. What skills they have depend at their disposal depends on that level. You can choose not to do Bonds to upgrade their bond levels but you'll be limited in skills in your pairs. It should be noted that Bond levels are not just for the main character and rest of the cast. They exist between the other cast members too.

I don't think they're nearly as important as they are in Persona as you can still get by in the game with just the basic pair skills.

Can you make a bond between any two characters? Or are the pairings predetermined?

 

[Aeana]

Can you make a bond between any two characters? Or are the pairings predetermined?

Bond events are only between the lead character and other characters, but strategy links in battle can be between any two characters.

 

[Hours Left]

Bond events are only between the lead character and other characters, but strategy links in battle can be between any two characters.

Hmmm, disappointing but not unexpected.

Does any of this carry over to Sen II?

 

[Nightengale]

For what it's worth, the relationship development doesn't center around Rean.

Although they aren't bond events, there's plenty of non-MC x non-MC bonding that is part of the ongoing narrative.

Some more so than others though. Not all relatonships are equal. :/

 

[Aeana]

Hmmm, disappointing but not unexpected.

Does any of this carry over to Sen II?

Not really. You can solidify one bond near the end of Sen 1, and this affects one or two scenes in Sen 2, but otherwise the bonds are set to a certain level at the start of Sen 2 and you raise them further. Sen 2 actually has ways to raise the bonds between other pairs of characters, but these are special battles rather than dialog events.

 

[Shouta]

Hmmm, disappointing but not unexpected.

Does any of this carry over to Sen II?

Some, yes. But it's handled slightly differently in that game because of the story.

Edit: What Aeana said.

For what it's worth, the relationship development doesn't center around Rean. Although they aren't bond events, there's plenty of non-MC x non-MC bonding that is part of the ongoing narrative.

Yep. A lot of that shows up in the main narrative and gets addressed directly.

 

[Hours Left]

Not really. You can solidify one bond near the end of Sen 1, and this affects one or two scenes in Sen 2, but otherwise the bonds are set to a certain level at the start of Sen 2 and you raise them further. Sen 2 actually has ways to raise the bonds between other pairs of characters, but these are special battles rather than dialog events.

Some, yes. But it's handled slightly differently in that game because of the story.

Edit: What Aeana said.



Yep. A lot of that shows up in the main narrative and gets addressed directly.

Thanks.

If Rean has bond scenes with all the characters in Sen II, that's crazy. Doesn't the game have 25+ playable characters? Not to mention the non-MC bonds, even though they're just battle related. Sen II seems really amazing.

 

[Dice//]

My pooper is buttered.

 

[Shouta]

Thanks.

If Rean has bond scenes with all the characters in Sen II, that's crazy. Doesn't the game have 25+ playable characters? Not to mention the non-MC bonds, even though they're just battle related. Sen II seems really amazing.

Just the playable characters. That's 17 playable chars in addition to rean.

 

[Hours Left]

Just the playable characters. That's 17 playable chars in addition to rean.

17 is still a lot. Cool.

I definitely saw some people throwing around numbers over 20 though. Maybe just some inflated expectations? Wasn't there an update that added more party members?

 

[Shouta]

Oops, I mean 18 total if you include Rean in that number. >_> Tired.

The 18 number is for the main scenario of the game. The additional ones aren't a part of that.

 

[Hours Left]

Oops, I mean 18 total if you include Rean in that number. >_> Tired.

The 18 number is for the main scenario of the game. The additional ones aren't a part of that.

Ah, got it. Thanks for the info.

 

[Bladenic]

I'm a fan of social links/bonding events and I think Sen looks awesome and I like Trails battle system. So if we get it for sure in 2015, it's already one of my most anticipated games (alongside SC of fucking course finally). Not a big fan of a lot of the female designs I've seen from Sen though (I like the males quite a bit), but I've seen some in Sen II that I really like. I just hope that if we do get Sen, that Sen II is a sure localization that won't take years like SC.

Wonder if Sen will get a full localization aka dub and all, or just the JP VA. I'm fine with either honestly.

 

[chaosblade]

I'm a fan of social links/bonding events and I think Sen looks awesome and I like Trails battle system. So if we get it for sure in 2015, it's already one of my most anticipated games (alongside SC of fucking course finally). Not a big fan of a lot of the female designs I've seen from Sen though (I like the males quite a bit), but I've seen some in Sen II that I really like. I just hope that if we do get Sen, that Sen II is a sure localization that won't take years like SC.

Wonder if Sen will get a full localization aka dub and all, or just the JP VA. I'm fine with either honestly.

XSEED hasn't been able to get the Japanese VA for any Falcom game yet, doubt they will with this one either.

 

[krYlon]

Eugh, social links and schools.
I hope Tokyo Xanadu doesn't go in that direction too; the art, setting and charcters are not making me hopeful to be honest.

It seems like this is the direction Falcom in general are going in though.

 

[Nightengale]

Eugh, social links and schools.
I hope Tokyo Xanadu doesn't go in that direction too; the art, setting and charcters are not making me hopeful to be honest.

It seems like this is the direction Falcom in general are going in though.

Sen II isn't about schools.

And frankly, from playing Sora FC, it's honestly somewhat obvious that Falcom wanted to make a game utilising an academy/school setting since... years ago.

 

[ULTROS!]

How would one rank Corpse Party: Blood Drive to Blood Covered (CP1) and Book of Shadows (CP2)?

 

[Syril]

Seeing the party members in Sen no Kiseki, does anyone else feel like the school uniforms are really stifling to the character design? I really like everyone's outfits in Trails in the Sky, so everyone having the same red jacket (or red vest in a couple of cases) looks really boring.

 

[krYlon]

Sen II isn't about schools.

And frankly, from playing Sora FC, it's honestly somewhat obvious that Falcom wanted to make a game utilising an academy/school setting since... years ago.

Yeah I'm being overly dramatic. But there has definitely been a tonal and philosophical game design and aesthetic shift from Falcom in recent times due I guess from the success of the Kiseki games. I just don't want them to go too far. The art they've shown for Tokyo Xanadu has me a little worried.

We'll see how it turns out.

 

[Varion]

How would one rank Corpse Party: Blood Drive to Blood Covered (CP1) and Book of Shadows (CP2)?

CP1 > BD > BoS probably. BD is a very different beast to both of them in a lot of ways, but it was still a ton of fun to go through. I enjoyed BoS, but the move from sprite-based exploration and the fact it was largely bonus material meant the tension was all gone made it a weaker game for me.

Seeing the party members in Sen no Kiseki, does anyone else feel like the school uniforms are really stifling to the character design? I really like everyone's outfits in Trails in the Sky, so everyone having the same red jacket (or red vest in a couple of cases) looks really boring.

It kind of was, there's just not much you can do about it because school setting = uniforms. It was great seeing them all in unique outfits for Sen 2, though.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

Seeing the party members in Sen no Kiseki, does anyone else feel like the school uniforms are really stifling to the character design? I really like everyone's outfits in Trails in the Sky, so everyone having the same red jacket (or red vest in a couple of cases) looks really boring.

The "boxed-in" archetypes done in a Generime™ fashion is a worse factor IMO.

 

[chaosblade]

Seeing the party members in Sen no Kiseki, does anyone else feel like the school uniforms are really stifling to the character design? I really like everyone's outfits in Trails in the Sky, so everyone having the same red jacket (or red vest in a couple of cases) looks really boring.

Yeah, I don't really like anything about how Sen looks (overall style or character designs). Add in the social link stuff and it's just bleh.

I'm still interested in it, if there is a physical PS3 release I'll probably pick it up as a "vote with my wallet" sort of thing and put if off until other games in the series get localized, but I'd have much rather seen them pick up the series in order since the Crossbell games look a lot better to me.

 

[Shouta]

Seeing the party members in Sen no Kiseki, does anyone else feel like the school uniforms are really stifling to the character design? I really like everyone's outfits in Trails in the Sky, so everyone having the same red jacket (or red vest in a couple of cases) looks really boring.

It's only really as stifling as other games with a school setting are. In other words, how much you like to pay attention to differences and how much you like the art style, lol. There are lots of little things that are different in the costume design despite the vest being standard. A lot more personality shows up in these designs than others in a similar situation, IMO.

 

[BassForever]

XSEED hasn't been able to get the Japanese VA for any Falcom game yet, doubt they will with this one either.

They got the va for ys origins opening fwiw

 

[chaosblade]

They got the va for ys origins opening fwiw

That's actually not the original VA.

 

[BassForever]

That's actually not the original VA.

Oh... then why did they leave it in Japanese? Or was that just made up Ys language?

 

[Yeshua]

Oh... then why did they leave it in Japanese? Or was that just made up Ys language?

It's in French, actually the Japanese version is in French as well just with another VA.

Spoiler

As a French I have to say both version are pretty much impossible to understand.

 

[chaosblade]

Oh... then why did they leave it in Japanese? Or was that just made up Ys language?

It's French. Originally French with a Japanese accent which sounded really weird, now French with... I forgot what nationality they said the VA was. Polish maybe?

 

[TheSlySoul]

I really enjoyed Corpse Party, so I am looking forward to the third game.

 

[wrowa]

Speaking about Sen, how are the load times in that one? I thought the load times when entering buildings in Ys Celceta were unbearable, which was okay, since most of the time you are busy slashing monsters anyway. It would be quite annoying in a more traditonal RPG like Sen, though. (This is all assuming that Celceta and Sen are running in the same engine to begin with)

 

[chaosblade]

Speaking about Sen, how are the load times in that one? I thought the load times when entering buildings in Ys Celceta were unbearable, which was okay, since most of the time you are busy slashing monsters anyway. It would be quite annoying in a more traditonal RPG like Sen, though. (This is all assuming that Celceta and Sen are running in the same engine to begin with)

Before the patch they were atrocious on Vita. Saw a video that demonstrated them, was pretty funny, going through several load screens to exit a building (leave room -> load -> go downstairs -> load -> leave building -> load) it took like 2 minutes.

Not sure how they are now, or how the PS3 version was.

 

[Shouta]

Load times were patched for Vita, PS3 was fine from the get go or it was patched too but I can't remember, lol.

 

[Stark]

Is there any big difference visually between the two versions?

 

[Shouta]

Not that I know of.

 

[Varion]

Before the patch they were atrocious on Vita. Saw a video that demonstrated them, was pretty funny, going through several load screens to exit a building (leave room -> load -> go downstairs -> load -> leave building -> load) it took like 2 minutes.

Not sure how they are now, or how the PS3 version was.

They're still a little on the slow side, but hardly end of the world levels or anything. I don't believe the PS3 version's have got any faster at all since release, and the Vita version's were basically brought in line with the PS3's.

Sen 2's load times definitely felt faster than the original's, though. They definitely must've done some optimisation there, though it's a shame they apparently didn't patch it back into the original.

 

[BassForever]

It's in French, actually the Japanese version is in French as well just with another VA.

It's French. Originally French with a Japanese accent which sounded really weird, now French with... I forgot what nationality they said the VA was. Polish maybe?

.

Thanks for filling me in

 

[Blusby]

However, yes, it is Trails of Cold Steel, which I am fairly certain is Sen no Kiseki.

I don't even know how someone can play Sen without having played Zero & Ao first.

 

[zakujanai]

I don't even know how someone can play Sen without having played Zero & Ao first.

Put it in your Vita and turn it on?

 

[Acquiescence]

Are these all Vita games or what's the deal here? I know Blood Drive is anyway.

 

[flowsnake]

I don't even know how someone can play Sen without having played Zero & Ao first.

Reading the rest of this thread is a good way to start.

 

[Psycho_Mantis]

Are these all Vita games or what's the deal here? I know Blood Drive is anyway.

CP BD is PSV
XN don't know but its either PSV or PSV/4
ToCS is PSV/3

 

[names2hard4you]

CP BD is PSV
XN don't know but its either PSV or PSV/4
ToCS is PSV/3

I think Xanadu is PC only, only if they made some port that I don't know about. The others you got right

 

[Varion]

XN don't know but its either PSV or PSV/4

Xanadu Next is a PC game. Well, that and N-Gage, but somehow I don't think they're localising that one.

 

[Korialstrasz]

Xanadu Next is a PC game. Well, that and N-Gage, but somehow I don't think they're localising that one.

The N-Gage version got localized ages ago.

 

[GamingBird]

has anyone finished playing tokyo abyss?

if so, can you reveal if there is any romance between the MC and other characters?

Spoiler

(similar to demon gaze?)

if not exactly similar, can you provide more details?

 

[è£ ç”²æ‚ªé¬¼æ‘æ­£]

I don't even know how someone can play Sen without having played Zero & Ao first.

I think it's weird too but if I try to imagine playing through the game as a standalone experience it mostly works.

The thing is that Sen is kind of a weak game and to me at least it really needed the rich Kiseki background to make it a worthwhile experience, without it it's just a somewhat competently made JRPG but nothing more. Being the B-side to the Crossbell games is what made this arc interesting, for western players it has to stand on its own, and I really don't think it does a very good job at that.