Which Trails Game is the Best?

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ส.ค. 2024
  • Which Trails Game is the Best? (Spoilers!)
    0:00 - Intro
    1:00 - 10
    3:13 - 9
    5:06 - 8
    7:05 - 7
    9:05 - 6
    10:52 - 5
    12:52 - 4
    14:47 - 3
    16:45 - 2
    19:04 - 1
    A harder question than the chicken and the egg.
    Lately as the channel has grown, I’ve been getting a lot of people asking what my personal rankings of the Trails games are, or which Trails game do I think is best. And since there’s 10 games in the Series now, I thought the time was ripe to make a top 10.
    And that is honestly an extremely difficult (and intriguing) dilemma, because I’m sure many of you realise that I love all of these games. And it’s not really a case of which Trails game is best, it’s a case of which one is the “least best” if that makes sense.
    But I took the challenge, and I attempted to put them in a list derived from my own opinions and experiences with the games, and I’m quite happy with how it came out. I think it’s a fair reflection of what I believe is the best Trails game so far.
    And of course, I welcome you guys to (civilly) discuss which Trails game you think is best among yourselves. I’ve no doubt my opinion will differ to many others, so I’m looking forward to seeing those thoughts come out.
    Enjoy your weekend guys!
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Music Used
    Sen no Kiseki IV OST - Lyrical Amber
    Sen no Kiseki OST - Leisure Day
    Trails in the Sky (Sora no Kiseki) FC OST - Feelings Soar With the Wind
    Sen no Kiseki II OST - Blue Destination
    Sora no Kiseki the 3rd Evolution OST - Dreamy and Boisterous Holy Land
    Hajimari no Kiseki OST - Infinity Rage
    Zero no Kiseki OST - Get Over The Barrier
    Sen no Kiseki III OST (First Volume) - Start Line
    Sora no Kiseki SC OST - Hoshi no Arika (Instrumental Version)
    Sen no Kiseki IV OST - Radiant Hope
    Ao no Kiseki OST - True Bonds
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    If you enjoy this content, stay connected via:
    Twitter - / the_kiseki_nut
    Facebook - The-Kiseki-N...
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  • @TheKisekiNut
    @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +17

    Spoilers in this video you fine people!
    So I’ve been getting a lot of people sporadically asking me what, in my opinion, is the best Trails game. That is a very intriguing question, so I decided to tackle it this week and put out my thoughts. No doubt it will differ massively for other fans, but that’s the beauty of opinion, I welcome you all to share your rankings (in a civil matter of course). Have a good weekend!

    • @asaka616
      @asaka616 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      I feel some people are excited to crap of some of the games in this series and I don't know why. I find it weird when people phrase questions in that way.

    • @tachyonknight3913
      @tachyonknight3913 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Hello again, I know there is not much information on them yet, but would consider a video on the Garden/the Organisation from hajimari and three and nine. If not, maybe something related to swin and Nadia because of hajimari and potentially kuro

    • @zanetibbits1066
      @zanetibbits1066 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      i literally somehow agree with every ranking on this list. i do like joachim being this poor guy who was essentially raised into this cursed cult so he really had no choice but to be apart of it especially with mayor crois, mariabella, and the lawyer using him. so i do feel bad for him that he was truly a slave and didnt realize it. other than that difference this list is perfect. and yes, azure is a true masterpiece of the series thats just so epic in every way. thanks for all the vids

  • @drewferguson8324
    @drewferguson8324 3 ปีที่แล้ว +110

    If not for Cold Steel 1 I would also not be a Trails fan...

    • @deyon100
      @deyon100 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      I actually played them in order I saw a trailer on steam for trails of the sky and I bought it straight away and once I had a taste of this amazing series I bought all the ones I could buy and managed to play the crossbell titles and I finished trails of cold steel 4 just before Christmas now here I am waiting

    • @Haarwyvern
      @Haarwyvern 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      The opposite for me. I find it very bad. Poor writing, anime school/magic setting, Poor Persona like bonds, uninteresting characters (Rean the typical light Novel MC, the others aren't really better for me for most of them) and a world building really disappointing.. and 4 years later it was clear. Because there is 5 games before.
      I try Trails in the Sky and like it, it wasn't incredible but good enough To put me on the Road again.
      So Cold Steel 1 was the game which almost stop me haha.
      And today it's my least favorite after playing through the whole series.
      With cold steel 2 I find those two game really average. I think it's difficult to like it when you have a standard for anime/mangas. I've read a lot of them and CS1/2 dont make a good use of cliché like the others games, still classical but with a better writing.
      If we except some points of CS4.. which have the worst and the best of the serie.
      Not here to destroy CS1 but to explain my first impression of Trails Series by discovering CS1

    • @lucinae8510
      @lucinae8510 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      That's the opinion of three quarters of the fandom. Along with "Looking back at it, there are lots of flaws", and you know very well what they are.

    • @Panchito2696
      @Panchito2696 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Same bro, CS1 and CS2 hold a special place in my heart for they were the first games I ever played and what got me into the Trails series in the first place. I admit that both of them have shortcomings and obviously almost every other entry is better in every way, but I still like those games very much, and I was happy to revisit them again after tackling this series in order

    • @Jack_80
      @Jack_80 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      the first 2 sky games will always be my favorites. joshua and estelle are such great characters, and i like most of the other characters, besides that whiny little bitch tita. i find millium in cold steel to be a way better and more interesting character than tita, tita just literally made me cringe nonstop.

  • @bluemooncinco
    @bluemooncinco 3 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    I love how you explain everything you love and adore about the games you ranked at the bottom of the list, too, not just the top. Obviously we know you're all about Trails, so even the lower ranks are still favorites, which is something a lot of people can forget about when we discuss rankings. Big surprise to see Zero as your best entry point to the series, but I see where you're coming from! Definitely not a common thing, but I wish we could easily find out what percentage of players actually DID start here. Probably a lot higher in Japan, of course. I was pretty sure we'd line up pretty closely here, given how smoothly our podcast discussions went. (Also I KNEW Rixia would be on your Ao title card lol)

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Rixia was ALWAYS going to be somewhere on this list mate! Also I think I may have worded that segment poorly, when I said 'Introductory game', I see it as the best introduction to an arc rather than an entry point. I've always been an advocate of not starting with Zero personally. :)

  • @MultiBeveridge
    @MultiBeveridge 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Very interesting list. I don't think I would have any of these games at the same spot you gave them, but its great to see what people enjoy differently in each title. Keep up the great work

  • @michaelcrain-zamora3271
    @michaelcrain-zamora3271 3 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    The ending to Trails in the sky SC so far has hit the hardest for me. I still tear up when I hear that familiar tune...

  • @borgs101
    @borgs101 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Man this would be such a hard list to settle on.
    Well done, I am now conpletely caught up I love this series!!

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Very difficult indeed!

  • @02_Nman
    @02_Nman 3 ปีที่แล้ว +25

    Ah yes, ToCS 3 a.k.a Trails of some key character always watching Rean and friends from somewhere far hidden behind something. (and Rean slightly notices.)

    • @Rhovanion85
      @Rhovanion85 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Well, Sky's protagonists deal with Liberl problems and Zero/AO protagnists deal with Crossbell problems, but Rean's fate spreads over the entire Zermuria. I wouldn't be surprised if he still plays an important role in the Kuro No Kiseki (the first game of the Calvard Arc)

    • @SGSensei
      @SGSensei 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@Rhovanion85 well there's a pretty good reason he's tied to Zemuria as he's tied to a certain someone who has sown or shown his influence through every arc

  • @DevilMayPie
    @DevilMayPie 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Another banger of a video from TKN! I haven’t played Hajimari yet but our rankings are nearly identical. Sad to see such a mix reception for CS4 and I understand why it’s not many people favorite but man does hit all the right notes for me.

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Same here bud! CS4 is a beautiful game!

  • @Astray93
    @Astray93 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Your commentary on each one was perfect. Love how you set them apart by criteria, no game should be required to be the best at everything.
    I feel like I'm one of the rare non-doomer CS3 > CS4 people by now, but I think a future replay of the localized CS4-version will go a long way in making me like that one more.

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Separating them is very difficult for me, so I tried to look at the best strengths and the more pronounced weaknesses of each one (though there aren't many weaknesses for any of them). Glad the commentary resonated with you!

  • @smokyjo5245
    @smokyjo5245 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thank you for the description time stamps. I’m playing the games in chronological order, meaning I haven’t played anything past Zero no Kiseki until Geofront finishes Ao, but I still wanted to see the ranking without spoiling myself.

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I'm glad that the stamps were to your benefit, the last thing I want is someone getting spoiled on games they haven't played.

  • @haiqalamir2806
    @haiqalamir2806 3 ปีที่แล้ว +43

    Cold steel series will always be my favorite because it was the one that got me hook to the whole series but the revelation in Ao no Kiseki about what actually happen in Zero is the most mindf*ck that I ever experience in video games. The send-off in CSIV left me in tears and most people probably feel the same

  • @Terron29
    @Terron29 ปีที่แล้ว

    Your order is very similar to myself and for similar reasons too. Great job man. For me its sky sc that takes the crown followed very closely by azure. What a great series. bring on the rest. keep up the cool content man.

  • @HellFireRPGs
    @HellFireRPGs 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Hey mate. Great video! I just did my own ranking video and it was very interesting to see rankings from your point of view. I agree that the top three are clear standouts from the others.

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Thanks for watching bud, loved the new video you put out as well, it was eye-opening!

  • @gachalibra9243
    @gachalibra9243 3 ปีที่แล้ว +26

    "Worst at being the best to the best"
    I'm using this if I ever have children

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Do it, don't break their confidence!

  • @SuiteLifeofDioBrando
    @SuiteLifeofDioBrando 3 ปีที่แล้ว +20

    My personal favorite remains Cold Steel 3. Ao no Kiseki is pretty awsome too!

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Good choice! CS3 would of been in my top 3 if it's sequel didn't come out.

    • @nickmaestro
      @nickmaestro 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      I'm currently playing CS3, Chapter 4, Day 2 in Heimdallr. The best thing about CS3 is Le Guin. An absolute boss, and she flaunts it. I hope I get more of her in CS4.

  • @RomanJr316
    @RomanJr316 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    As usual another great Trails game by you, my friend. Unfortunately I was only able to watch 80% of it because I haven’t finished Cold Steel 4 and I haven’t started the one after CS4 Hajimari no Kiseki I think it’s called. I HOPE they eventually localize the Crossbell games and put Trails in the Sky 3rd on console because I don’t play PC games unfortunately. Btw, Happy New Year, brother. Looking forward to another good year of you educating me on the Trails series lol. Stay being awesome, brother.

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Glad you enjoyed it mate, have a great New Year! Here's hoping it's a bit better than the last one.

  • @ashenone8909
    @ashenone8909 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Sky FC was the first trails game I've played, and I pretty much followed the chronological order through the series. Just finished cold steel 4 a few days ago and the whole game feels like non-stop fan service, if you know what I mean ;) truly a wholesome, fitting end to this epic saga.

  • @DarkPhoenix89
    @DarkPhoenix89 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I really enjoyed this. Great job, man. Hajimari is higher up the list for me, but Azure easily makes my top 3 with Sen IV and Hajimari.

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Thanks for watching bud! Yeah I remember you said Hajimari was one of your favourites, I guess it just didn't hit me the same as many others. I'll have to play it again when it gets that English release and see if my opinion shifts at all.

  • @k.s854
    @k.s854 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Really enjoyed the video! I actually finished CS4 recently(after an year of playing nothing but Trails haha...) but this video still made me feel a bit nostalgic for the series, even though it hasn't been that long. I also don't have any Trails games that I dislike, I really love all of them, but if I have to rank the series: Sky FC

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks for watching bud, and glad you're having a solid time with Trails! Agree fully on CS4 too (as you saw).

  • @Xerxes126
    @Xerxes126 3 ปีที่แล้ว +42

    Haven't watched the video yet but I'm guessing Ao is gonna be #1

  • @wishuponamonkeyspaw2458
    @wishuponamonkeyspaw2458 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Storywise, I like the Crossbell arc the most. I've always loved the trails series' use of in-universe politics, and the autonomous state really lends itself to that. Zero was all about the state's internal affairs, showing you the corrupt and/or toothless local politics at work, while Azure focused on Crossbell's role and significance on the international stage.
    In terms of characters, I still prefer the Liberl crew the most, as slow a start as FC was, it drip fed us characters in a way that we got to know them all one at a time, and none of them ended up sidelined like most of class VII or the SSS, just chilling in the back waiting for their turn. Estelle's also the best protagonist, Lloyd's time is divided between being a good character and being a harem MC, and Rean is essentially Joshua with the serial numbers filed off, handed a mech and made the centerpiece of the story.
    On that note, while I generally like the execution in the Crossbell duology more, it's pretty blatant how the villains of Zero and Azure are basically copies of Weissman and Colonel Richard, respectively. I don't think noticing the similarities of the professor and the doctor needs much delving into, but when you break them down, Alan and Dieter are no less similar. Both are well-respected individuals in positions of power, seeking political prominence in their countries and to use the power of a local sept-terrion to make their nation a notable actor on the international stage. Both are also mere pawns of other people's machinations at the end of the day.

  • @christianfondelius978
    @christianfondelius978 3 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    Difficult question. I love every entry, ive played. But i will always have a stronger connection to the cold steel ark, since i played them first.

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Definitely understandable, as I said in this video, it's because of CS1 that I'm a Trails fan.

  • @cyanlos01
    @cyanlos01 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I dunno about you, but one of the reasons why I loved Sky FC was "because" it was slow at the start. It felt so chill that I could enjoy it after a hard day at work and it helped destress me just fine. It even made Rolent feel intimate, like an actual lived-in place, and I loved exploring it and talking to all the people there.

  • @KnightCrown
    @KnightCrown ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Finally finished Reverie and now I can watch most of this playlist's video yay

  • @mhasemore
    @mhasemore 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Great list. Sky SC and CS IV are my top two - My highest rankings go by how emotional the game got me, along with how satisfying the ending was. That's why I put CS II pretty high for me personally.

  • @andrewstencel
    @andrewstencel 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Sky 3rd evo (or with the voice patch on pc) is one of the greatest treats on gaming, after beating the first two titles.
    It is both a fan service story and character wise, that I couldn't wish I had another way.

  • @notmyrealname2235
    @notmyrealname2235 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Damn a big hitter this early in the year? Looks like 2021 will be pretty good

  • @christophersmith7057
    @christophersmith7057 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Always love hearing your opinion Kiseki Nut. Totally a wonderful and very understandable analysis of all 10 titles. You hit a lot of the fine points I enjoy about each game in the series, citing them as yours as well. Also a big fan of how you started this too saying, "This isn't ranked worst to best, it's less best to most best." Pretty much did the same for the character tier list I did after beating CS4. Their is so much to love about these games and they do so many things better then many other RPGs out there. This series is my personal benchmark for RPG standards and I am excited to hear what you think of the future titles that are coming when we get them!

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Glad you enjoyed it mate! And yes, it truly is a Series like no other, and I had to say that because I don't want people getting the impression that I hate some of the games, which couldn't be further from the truth. We've got another great year ahead of us as Trails fans I'm sure!

    • @christophersmith7057
      @christophersmith7057 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@TheKisekiNut still have trouble believing we got another X amount of years left of this. Kondo and friends are crazy people to undertake this kind of journey! Here is hoping the East half is as amazing as the West half is!

  • @HIIIMM2
    @HIIIMM2 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    After reading the comments I'm glad that a lot here also considered Ao to be their best trails, for me the ranking goes
    Ao > Sky 3rd > Sky SC > CS IV > Zero > Sky FC > CS III > CS II > CS I
    I know I'm kinda harsh with CS but Sky FC introduced me into the series and imo it's hard to top that experience
    Now why Ao is the best one? Amazing Story ( Ofc just like the others but a little better for me). The characters in the crossbell arc are more well written and well developed throughout the series. And don't forget they have Combi Crafts!

  • @FloPe97
    @FloPe97 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Skipped over the Hajimari and CS4 parts as im currently playing CS4 (as i dont have a PS4) but i have to agree with basically everything you said honestly. I do personally rank Sky FC above CS2 still because i honestly dont mind a game being chill, slow and longwinded - probably because i also didnt really expect anything insane from it as it was the game that introduced me to Trails about 2 years ago, so going in with the perspective that this is probably just a chill adventure across a region with two lovable protags helped me not get impatient with it - but the climactic moments both story and characterwise in the later games that profit BIG off of the long introduction are just even better.
    One aspect of Azure especially that cements it VERY firmly into my personal Top5 games of all time (possibly a little higher, maybe Top3 even with geofront QOL improvements etc) aside from its already incredible other aspects (i do firmly believe that it has the best orbmentsystem and in general probably mechanically my favourite so far) is also the OST. Azure has one of only 3 or 4 OSTs where i can genuinly just put a playlist of the entire game on random and let it play through my entire workday without a single one of the tracks being one i want to skip because the entire OST as a whole is just THAT incredible.

  • @victorparedes2319
    @victorparedes2319 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Amazing list

  • @chrisweech5857
    @chrisweech5857 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Saw Azure being at the top from a mile away, but that reveal with KeA changing fate was lightning in a bottle, going to be hard to top that.

  • @fishbb292
    @fishbb292 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    I literally closed my eyes during the Cold Steel 4 part because I'm still waiting for the localized PC Version and now I'm all the more excited to play it!!!

  • @Dor_Z
    @Dor_Z 3 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    my first ever Legend of Heroes game was A Tear of Vermillion than I played the other 2 games and because of that I got into Trails in the Sky, after that the rest is history xD
    my favorite cast of characters are the SSS but I dont have a favorite game I love them all.

    • @pigifi
      @pigifi 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Me too. A Tear of Vermilion was my first introduction to the Legend of Heroes series. The title was just "Legend of Heroes". Played the other two games in the trilogy. When I heard of Trails in the Sky FC in PSP from the same guy who introduced me to A Tear of Vermilion, I played and got hooked ever since.

    • @DCASPER923
      @DCASPER923 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Does tear of vermillion tie in with the other legend of heroes games

    • @Dor_Z
      @Dor_Z 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@DCASPER923 only with the other 2 games in the trilogy, so the first one is - Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch, then A Tear of Vermillion and the last one is Song of the ocean. all part of the LoH
      Gagharv trilogy.

    • @DCASPER923
      @DCASPER923 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@Dor_Z ok thank you because I’ve only played tear of vermillion and cold steel 1,2,3 and 4. I’m trying to play the others as we speak just haven’t found a way to play trails of azure and etc in English

    • @Dor_Z
      @Dor_Z 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@DCASPER923 there is a PC translation for Azure but its BAD but the Geofront Team are working on their own so best wait for that one

  • @evd7733
    @evd7733 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    From the way you were describing Cold Steel IV, i truly cannot wait for the PC ports of Cold Steel IV.

    • @th3hermit208
      @th3hermit208 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      I wish I waited a bit b4 I played cold steel 3, the wait for 4 on pc is painful 😫😫

    • @darknesswave100
      @darknesswave100 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      From somebody that's played 4 already I 100% agree with what he said about 4. The wait will be worth it

    • @danielfielke3895
      @danielfielke3895 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@th3hermit208, play through 3 again while you wait, the Gral of Erebos has a completely different feel when you know what's coming.
      First time through it pumps you up, second time through is escalating dread.

    • @th3hermit208
      @th3hermit208 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@danielfielke3895 while I wait I’m playing every other trails game again and the cold steel ones on nightmare, hopefully a date for pc will be determined by then 😆

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I hope you enjoy it! Just know that it a polarising game, my thoughts on it might not echo with you. But I adored it from start to finish.

  • @corile627
    @corile627 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    My ranking below. I would definitely say that strong characters are the most important part of the series for me which probably does a reasonable job of explaining my order?
    Sky SC > Azure > Sky The 3rd > CS3 > Zero > CS4/Sky FC > CS1 > CS2.
    Having a really hard time separating Sky FC and CS4 because I finished CS4 somewhat recently and also the games are just very different in terms of style and what I enjoy about them. Also haven't played Hajimari which is why it's not here.

  • @marcoalmada666
    @marcoalmada666 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Some spoilers ahead...
    Great video as always. I've skipped Hajimari and Ao no kiseki parts because I have not played. I've finished Zero no Kiseki yesterday and Joachim is probably the most sick villain in the series. I mean beating Weissmann in that aspect is not easy.
    Cold of steel IV is probably my favourite, one of my favourite scenes was Rean achieving the divine blade level. It shows how much he develops through the games.
    I will try to start Ao no kiseki this weekend.
    Still no news for a localization of hajimari?

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Agreed, Joachim is a detestable character, but that just shows how well written he is.
      No news on Hajimari yet, but you can be sure I'll put a video out when it happens (and it's a case of 'when', not 'if' in my opinion).

    • @cesarpietrocalathaki9539
      @cesarpietrocalathaki9539 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Joachim have a "dramatic" moment at the end, Weissman doesn't have any.

  • @rladudgns15
    @rladudgns15 3 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    I see trails in the sky trilogy as one big game. I love it to death. The people of Liberl are just so quirky, funny, and endearing. Soundtrack has that orchestra feel, and diversity that are progressively getting more scarce in modern Falcom sound team (they're still great though). You will not find this much of a lovable people in Crossbell or Erebonia. The sense of liveliness and characteristics of each town really stands out, and you can feel the culture there. I can totally see how Estelle and Joshua growing up to be bracers while they're living in Rolent. The sense of immersion is something that I wasn't able to experience in any western RPGs. A lot of people just don't realize Falcom CEO's heavy involvement in the Liberl arc made such a huge difference in a sense of how lived in Liberl feels (I'm not saying CEO Kondo wasn't involved in future project). Crossbell has more intricate and higher quality storyline, but I was never able to feel real connection with the people there. Team chemistry was better in Crossbell arc, but in terms of immersion, Liberl arc is unbeatable. I think I feel this kind of immersion more in Ys series now that CEO Kondo is more involved in Ys series. I think I'm just generally a huge fan of CEO Kondo's project.

  • @michiyaslana5974
    @michiyaslana5974 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    In a way, Cold Steel 3 was my first. In a way. My friend had been recommending the series for a while, and I finally bit the bait when a demo of CS3 dropped on switch. I liked the combat, the events seemed captivating, but what REALLY sold it for me was the fact that I had no goddamn clue who all those people (the original Class VII) were, and yet somehow that short section in the prologue managed to make me excited for their reunion. At that point, I knew I had something special on my hands, and I went right back to CS1.

    • @RyanBancroft
      @RyanBancroft 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Now THAT is a wonderful story. Thank you for sharing this. I've often wondered how those scenes so common to the Trails series would hit for someone coming into the experience at a late point. You're right - this is truly special, and Falcom has succeeded at conveying that at any point in the story. So awesome.

    • @mariosmatzoros3553
      @mariosmatzoros3553 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I recommend playing trails in the sky and the crosbell games too.

    • @michiyaslana5974
      @michiyaslana5974 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@mariosmatzoros3553 Oh I did, or at least I'm on my way. Midway through Sky the third at the moment.

  • @caromatla5597
    @caromatla5597 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Are going to make a video about the best openings, 1 to 10 of the game's?
    p.s. are you going to play persona 4 golden on pc, to see what came before before persona 5.
    p.p.s. would be cool to see a opening ranking lore wise.
    keep up the work, you where one of the youtubers that made me buy the trails in the sky game's (still need to play them, but p4g am i playing right now but after that i'll be play in through the sky game's.)
    keep doing there good and fun video's.

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      I do indeed have P4G on my radar. I'm gradually eating through my backlog, and I'll get to it eventually I'm sure.

  • @matthewcab67
    @matthewcab67 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Ao is definitely my favorite Trails game, it just has so many crazy and heartbreaking moments, and my favorite ending in any of the arcs (this includes Sky’s ending and CS4’s ending)

    • @matthewcab67
      @matthewcab67 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      The game also has best girl Rixia soooooo 😤😤👌👌👌

  • @RyanBancroft
    @RyanBancroft 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Excellent analysis; thank you for the top-shelf content. CS4 is the most mixed experience for me. The first 45 or so hours, before rescuing Rean, were unbelievably slow, wandering, and almost pointless feeling. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for it, but I stopped playing the game numerous times during that period. Once I hit my stride in the back 2/3rds of the game, though (and also once I dropped it to Very Easy because the immensity of battles felt like a chore; I'm pretty sure this cut over 20 hours off of the total play time), the story hit quite a stride for me.
    No game in the series, or really any series I've played, has succeeded at achieving the functional scale of this game. We have upwards of 100 (certainly more if you include non-playables/the entire Thors network) very capable characters, and the task set before them pushed them all to their utmost. The planning and execution of the strategies they put into motion was incredible. Their will to overcome, and the power of their bonds (which went in this game more than any other from a nice sentiment to a deeply resonant Truth), was so profoundly on display, it was awe inspiring. These games prove that, when we unite, we are unstoppable.
    It's hard for me to overstate this point, as CS4 is the only game where I genuinely felt this. I think the whole CS arc, more than any of the other arcs, was about everyone, not just the protagonists (which is one reason I think someone like Rean, a ridiculously capable catalyst and binder of people with a quality-of-self complex, not a spotlight-seeker, was the perfect fit). And Falcom freaking succeeded at conveying that on a gut level. My respect knows no bounds.

  • @ashtontyler6242
    @ashtontyler6242 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Fantastic video, As a Trails fan myself It brings me nothing but Joy see Trails content being put out your love for the series is shown throughout your videos please keep up the great work. But I have to disagree on one little thing this is just my opinion but Old Class 7 is Better than New Class 7

    • @ExBlanc
      @ExBlanc 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      I do agree that New Class VII is better than Old Class VII, but as "A class"
      Old Class VII is better individually, which is more notable during CS3/4 now that are older and with their own new experience.

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Thanks for the kind words bud! If content gets the Series more love, then I'll keep spreading it. Naturally I'll do so for my own personal enjoyment as well.
      I respect that opinion as well, I know a lot of people will disagree with me on various aspects but that's the beauty of this Series, we can discuss it till we're old and we still won't touch on everything.

  • @Draxila225
    @Draxila225 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    how would you place the new kuro games in your ranking?

  • @StarlightKidX
    @StarlightKidX 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Look, I loved every single entry in this series so it's gonna be difficult to determine which is my absol-
    Sky SC
    Cold Steel 1 and 2
    Ao
    Sky FC
    Cold Steel 3 and 4
    Zero
    Sky the 3rd
    Waiting for Hajimawari to be localized.

  • @jaceatkinson6456
    @jaceatkinson6456 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    I began this video knowing your number 1 spot. Your not all that secretive about your love for ao no kiseki. However I can't honestly argue with any of your points in between. And I was hard pressed to come up with a rebuttle. In the end, I have to agree with the whole list. But my personal favorite is cold steel 4 instead of ao no. But their pretty much same ranking so yeah. Thanks for the vid!

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Yeah, any frequent viewer would know exactly what the number 1 would be, but I have no qualms in putting it there. It will take something special to top Ao!

  • @Ajkidshaw704
    @Ajkidshaw704 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Crazy thing and I know a lot of people played cold steel 1 as there first game, my first was actually trails in the sky fc and I fell in love almost instantly idk maybe because i love to read you know

  • @thecognitiverambler8911
    @thecognitiverambler8911 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Love your list and even though our rankings are different, I think you and I have very similar criticisms (and lack thereof) of the various titles. I haven't played CSIV or Hajimari, but my ranking excluding those titles is:
    8. CSI - you said it all; still a fantastic game, and was not my entry point like so many others.
    7. CSII - you again said it all.
    6. Sky3 - This is hard for me because I think this game is SO good and has some insane moments through the doors. Also arguably the best gameplay in the entire series honestly, but I was bugged by the dungeon crawler format. Even though the game won me over (I was REALLY miffed at first); it still always rang true to me that this series is the absolute gold-standard of world building. So when you take that world away from me I'm less-than-a-happy camper. I actually hated Kevin in Sky 2. This game corrected me right quick on my assessment.
    5. CIII - So solid, but what I've learned about myself is that I really prefer smaller, more intimate main cast. This game again has some fantastic moments, but it just feels spread so thin to me, and it's really hard to give everyone the spotlight they deserve.
    4. Ao - This game is so damn good, and the tension during the Orchis Tower conference was a masterclass in good story telling. I'm less of a sucker for mind-f*cks though, so I guess a lot of the stuff deeper in didn't land as home for me. I like the world-building, character building, and political intrigue more than just pure "big". Still a damn.good.entry.
    3. Sky 2 - This game is by far my favorite "climax" game. Some huge moments and emotional ones. Estelle and Joshua's reunion was another masterclass - this time in dialogue.
    2. Zero - I actually think this might be the best game in the entire series. Even though it's the fourth chronologically - and masterfully works with its source material, it stands curiously well on its own. The cast is intimate, and utterly top-notch. And while the other games have their infamous cliff-hangers, this title has its own resolution. It really is the full package, and I think if I had to try to win a skeptic with one of the three titles, this would be the one I recommend. This game blew me away.
    1. Sky 1 - I don't think I'll ever run into a trails fan who puts this game at the tippy-top of the list like I do. My opinion here is probably drenched in bias. This was *my* entry point. But I don't think that's it. Most people hate the slow burn, but I live for the slow burn. I absolutely love it. I bought the game whimsically back in 2014, and I had no idea what to expect. But unlike so many others, the game hooked me immediately. The characters, the music, the gameplay, it all felt nostalgic to me, even when I was experiencing it for the first time. This game is the foundation of everything we love about this series. Strong extremely well-written and developed characters. Who get to freely play off of each other without any interruption of optional dialogue systems (I'm not a fan). I know I'm a weirdo, but I was never a skeptic, I could feel the quality in the game's writing immediately, and I never lost my trust that it was leading me somewhere worth while. And above all the other titles, this one really feels like a journey. Because that's exactly what it is. There's no looping and circling the same places over and over (which is still fine, love the series) but this one really sends you on the full tour of the kingdom. Sky 1 made me fall in love with RPGs again, and moreover this series. For me it, it keeps its place! Nothing else in the entire series hit me like that ending.

  • @TheXDanielify
    @TheXDanielify 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Looking Forward to watch this Video after I Played Cold Steel 4! Currently on Chapter 4 in Cold Steel 3.

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Enjoy the rest of the arc!

  • @arcanegale285
    @arcanegale285 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    2:08 this is gonna be my new catchphrase

  • @relaxingred2090
    @relaxingred2090 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    The best summary for Cold Steel 1 I've ever heard is exactly what you said. That it shot it self in the foot several times with making the class too big and unable to see all bonding events on a first playthrough.
    As for CS2: contradicting the third faction thing they pushed by helping out the Imperial army because of the Noble Alliance hurting the general populace.
    FUCKING THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT!!!
    Class VII's goal as a third faction was always helping out classmates whether it'd be friends or family and mainly keeping the war's effects on the general population to a minimum hence the bracer tasks they kept doing. Their goal was never to defeat the Noble Alliance like the Imperial Army's was.

  • @spazr7194
    @spazr7194 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Hey man, please help me out, I know how passionate you are about Trails and have to ask, is it possible to only play the cold steel games 1-4 and still enjoy what trails has to offer? I know i would enjoy it more if I played the others, but really dont have the time to go back and play all those other games

    • @BasedVidya
      @BasedVidya 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      You can do it, but it's not recommended. You can play cold steel 1 and 2 just fine, but I can't imagine playing cold steel 3 without playing the other games. It would not be nearly as impactful and enjoyable. I'm sure it'd be a good game, but not incredible. So many characters and locations come back in the very first act.

  • @mattmilliken1510
    @mattmilliken1510 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I was luckily able to get both CB games patched with geofront before the site took them down and I'm really trying to get back into Zero now. On the old direct translation I go roughly to the auction before giving up, it wasn't a completely illegible translation it just wasn't great. Then, before CS3, I watched the entirety of Lady Virgilia's recap series which, essentially spoiled the entirety of crossbell for me. So as you mention what a great reveal Weissman was in sky fc, I remember how that felt. All I had heard was there was a big cliffhanger, but I went in completely unspoiled and that was what made me invest 100% into this series. I had played both cs1 and 2 at that point but the end of sky fc hooked me for life. Now I'm trying to get thru Crossbell and while I hardly remember most of the finer points, the biggest things about it have already been spoiled. I know who the villains are, I know the ultimate fate of the city, etc, but there was no way to avoid that having played the later CS games. I know I'll enjoy the geofront translated cb games it just sucks those big narrative moments won't pack the punch that they could have.

  • @nickmaestro
    @nickmaestro 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I'm in chapter 4/Heimdallr in CS3 first playthrough. I've played all the previous titles. All that to say, Principal Le Guin is freaking awesome. Says whatever she wants and massively overpowered. I hope I get more of her in CS4. Anyways, of all the games I've played, Sky SC and Ao No Kiseki are tie for the best in the series. I'm pretty sure CS4 will hijack those spots.

  • @themasterdou
    @themasterdou 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I'm thinking about starting to play the Trails franchise, but I don't know where to start, there are too many titles. not to mention the limiting factor of having the PC as my only gaming platform. Which game would you recommend for a newcomer to the franchise?

  • @DerekReveres
    @DerekReveres 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    I noticed for Cold Steel 2 you mentioned you finally got around to a second playthrough -- did you see the "extra" scene that you can only get during the Epilogue on a NG+? It's not a lot.... but it's a great nod back to Trails in the Sky the 3rd and was one more tiny thing about that game that I loved. If you miss it it's not big deal, the same info is revealed through Cold Steel 3 but might seem like it was an off-screen scene when in fact it's not.

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      I've seen it my man, I'd be a failure as a Trails TH-camr if I didn't. :)

  • @CarDaMax1770
    @CarDaMax1770 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Ohh, yet another video from my favourite youtuber that covers the Trail series... that I can't watch cuz I'm a pc player still waiting for the release of Cold steel 4. sigh. Don't mind me, I'm just gonna leave a like, a comment and let the video running muted in the background
    T-T

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      You can my man. Just skip over the games you haven't played, that's why I've put a ranking template and chapters for each game so you can easily skip over if you need to.

  • @nihilistictanuki6947
    @nihilistictanuki6947 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Nice ranking. I have only completed the Sky titles so far and just finished Cold Steel III last weekend. Next week with the Steam release I will finally go for Cold Steel IV \o/
    Ranking so far...
    1. Sky SC
    2. Cold Steel III
    3. Cold Steel II
    4. Sky
    5. Cold Steel
    6. Sky 3rd
    (I think they are all great so far but Sky SC is my most favorite and Sky 3rd my least favorite)
    Unfortunately the others I haven't played and hope for an official western release...

  • @josek998
    @josek998 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    I want to know how it was for hajimari to play it with the overlay and if you would reccomend

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      It's decent, basically like playing with subtitles. The only thing that's a bit fiddly is the maintenance with orbments, but they have an in built equipment menu which will tell you what each item is. So you might have small moments where you'll be sorting out equipment, but in terms of story I can't fault it. Just know you're playing on rails, there's no freedom to go where you want unless you want to get lost.

  • @jameslindsay5889
    @jameslindsay5889 ปีที่แล้ว

    Yeah I really wanted to play CS1 as i love the look of it. Having read up on the series I decided to pick up all 3 sky game on pc. Finished the Sky FC the other day and straight onto SC. I'm loving the Sky arc so far. I've ordered Trails from zero and will pick up Trails to Azure when it releases and play them all in order.

  • @daniel_cornelio
    @daniel_cornelio 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    For me is cs2>cs4>hajimari>cs3>sc>ao>cs>3rd>zero>fc I enjoy cs2 the most finding the classmates you spend so much time in cs and the I remember you song hit hard, all are a really good games but I have a problem with the crossbell arc being a small cast I don't know why they didn't develop further ellie I find her the less develop character in the cast, also have a problem with the villains in both games, ao bonding event are the worst decision in the arc the character past of rixia wazy are in this bonding event you don't know what are you gonna get unless you keep a record of the points to get them. Zero for me was save for being my least favorite game for the renne arc

  • @marcustodd2910
    @marcustodd2910 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I haven't played hajimari/reverie or CS4 yet and I'm only halfway through CS3 so I skipped those sections and can't say where I would rank them yet, but otherwise I agree with this ranking almost 100%. I put CS1 slightly ahead of Sky FC but only slightly. I also started with CS1 and then afterwards decided I needed to go back and play all of them too.

  • @blackmanlistening7909
    @blackmanlistening7909 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    ahhhh Good Job, glad you didnt let The graphics decide your number one!

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hell no, while graphics are a factor in my enjoyment, they're significantly lower than the likes of story, characters or world-building.

  • @ScottMakesGames
    @ScottMakesGames 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Ah I so wanted to watch this but must avoid spoilers as I want to play through the games myself. If you have a video or could make a video helping a newcomer get into the whole franchise it would be fun to watch.

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Good choice! I couldn't feasibly do a video like this without spoilers, but you can always come back once you've played them yourself!

    • @ScottMakesGames
      @ScottMakesGames 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      I’ll see you back on this video in a good few years then 😂

  • @iamgoakan
    @iamgoakan 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    As someone just recently dive into Trails series with CS1 to CS3 and watching the previous and newest games story on YT, getting to this series was something :)
    Now just waiting CS 4 and Hajimari to play and experience it again hands on XD

  • @zerosolis6664
    @zerosolis6664 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    If I had to rank my list, it would probably be fairly similar but with some moved around. For me, it's probably this:
    10. Sky FC
    9. Ao
    8. Zero
    7. CS2
    6. CS1
    5. Sky SC
    4. CS3
    3. CS4
    2. Sky the 3rd
    1. Hajimari.
    This is a REALLY HARD list for me to make especially with most of the games. Personally the Crossbell duology just did not hit me like Liberl and Erebonia did. I'd be here all day if I explained why I put each game where it is, so I'll just sum it up. My top 3 are CS4, Sky 3rd and Hajimari because of what they do. CS4 I thought was such an amazing end to the Erebonia arc, while giving a few chars from Liberl and Crossbell some closure in scenes and side quests. I also have played the series sort of backwards. Finished the entire Erebonia arc, played Sky, then finally Crossbell due to my limited knowledge and accessibility to the series throughout my journey through it. CS4 brought more emotion to me in the replay after I played Sky. And furthermore replaying again once I get the localized release will be even better! Because of how it wraps it all up in a nice ribbon, its retroactively able to be more enjoyable. This is why Hajimari is my #1 as well. It is a TRUE and full culmination of EVERYTHING up to this point, and really became one of my favorite games of all time. The True Reverie Corridor was also the most fun I've had in any turn based jrpg other than persona 5! Hajimari made me cry more than any other game in the series as well, and showed a lot of vulnerability in characters like the Crossbell cast, which I felt was SORELY missing from the duology. Like I said I'd be here all day so let me go back and talk about 3rd real quick.
    3rd. Ah 3rd. The game that spawned the "fan disc"/"skippable" meme. I love it. The 3rd shifted the focus away from Estelle and Joshua, as their story was finished for now, to someone who I felt I really needed to see more of. Kevin Graham. Now, I played Sky with Japanese voice over mods, and it just enhanced the experience. Kevin and Ries just had such an amazing dynamic, I loved the idea of Phantasma; the 3rd has some symbolism in it that I feel still can matter. And kondo has said Kevin's story is not quite over yet :). Kevin and Ries really had a harrowing past together and I felt like I could relate and connect to them a bit more than Estelle and Joshua. Seeing Kevin's transformation from a Heretic Hunter with a demonic Stigma to a true Dominion, a true holy knight, and when his real Stigma manifested, it was all just one of the coolest moments in any jrpg for me. It was also great because Kevin got to give Weissmann the business a SECOND TIME. He's probably still...salty 😜😜😜. So overall I know this was super long and it cant be long enough so I apologize if some of this isnt explained well, but I think we can all agree on one thing. We all love Kiseki and even the lower games on our list have something to love ❤ looking forward to Kuro with stars in my eyes for sure.

  • @haumai0610
    @haumai0610 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Ao is still my best game by far. I love the story, the relationship of charater (Love KeA and Lloyd) and the ending (is so fking good)

  • @ashleyward3277
    @ashleyward3277 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Of the seven games I've played so far, my personal ranking is:
    1) Cold Steel 3
    2) Sky SC
    3) Cold Steel 4
    4) Sky 3rd
    5) Cold Steel 2
    6) Cold Steel 1
    7) Sky FC
    Recently bought Zero and looking forward to finally playing that soon (courtesy of the Geofront patch), heard nothing but great things about the two Crossbell games. Hopefully by the time I have finished the Crossbell arc Hajimari will have been localised too.

  • @hrgaming4plebs570
    @hrgaming4plebs570 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I just finished CSIV and it was a great experience, my only complaint about the true end is the divine knights don't do the final blow, sure they're out of mana but would be nicer if the whole casts fighting the big bad just to stall it long enough for the Valimar and Ordine to recharge just for a finishing blow.
    Also the true end boss isn't split to enough parts for the whole casts, they should maybe make it 5 parts instead of 3 just so you could use more characters.

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      I think thematically it makes sense that the Divine Knights have no power at that point, as it's literally been taken out of them to fuse in to the incomplete Great One. So it's not like their energy is depleted, it's more that their energy no longer exists, and they're working off residue. Despite loving the Knights, I actually prefer that it's the characters who deal the final blow. The Knights did their work in the Rivalry, it's on humanity to finish it off.

    • @hrgaming4plebs570
      @hrgaming4plebs570 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@TheKisekiNut I'm still sad there's no one final attack as a send off for the series since there's no more divine knights after this.
      Kinda like how all Persona games since 3 have with the final bosses, one exclusive final move that you can't do elsewhere.

  • @DiegoRenault
    @DiegoRenault 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Enjoying all the comments! Great to read thru so many different views in a civilised manner.
    Spoilers.......ahead......
    I played everything except Hajimari and I mostly agree with your list.
    Though I would rank CS2 slightly higher due to Crow.
    For me, Sky 3 was the best of the Sky arc, for the story reveals and unique setting. Although of course the series cannot be looked upon and rated singularily from game to game but in its entirety.
    As for CS arc, CS4 is my fav due to the fact that Crow & Oliviert came back.
    My absolute fav is Ao, as the story in this arc was so dark and the protags so likeable. I also liked the gameplay and difficulty progression.
    Gameplay-wise CS4 is pretty much the best overall, given it is the newest addition (except Hajimari, as stated before...can't judge it yet 😖).
    The way all story ties come together in CS4 is phenomenal.
    As for the argument that for CS1 the grp was too big, I can't really understand this. In Suikoden II, we had 108 chars and as for me, I liked everyone and loved the fact of customization options for your party. 😉

  • @MGSmegafan
    @MGSmegafan 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Where can I down the PC version of Ao no Kiseki? Because it not the DLsite.

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Probably Joyoland, as they're ones who worked on the PC port. Probably best to wait till Geofront are done with the patch though, they'll give more info when it's done.

  • @darknesswave100
    @darknesswave100 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I'm partial to cold steel 4. I've only watched the sky games and havent played the crossbell ones so hopefully I'll be able to eventually. I'll admit though after cold steel 3 and 4 going through 1 and 2 is really difficult for me. They aren't bad games but I dont know 3 and 4 are just.....better to me. Class 7's overreliance on rean in 1 and 2 especially make the class seem like they cant stand on their own without rean. It's like by the time cold steel 3 comes around the class is FINALLY doing their own thing and yeah they still rely on rean a lot but more as a comrade instead of a messiah I guess

  • @SpitfireFK4189
    @SpitfireFK4189 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I finished my long long LONG marathon through the trails series the other day (except Hajimari), so, the timing of this video was impeccable to me :P
    My best to BEST-BEST list is quite similar to yours, except: CS IV 3rd, Sky SC 2nd, Ao 1st.
    CS IV SPOILERS AHEAD:
    I was wishing for CS IV to blow my mind when I first started it and take 1st place on my top, but, the Osborne true-intentions reveal put me off quite a lot...it made sense and it wasn't bad, but after that, Osborne didn't felt as oppressive to me anymore. In fact, when I fought him at the end, I didn't felt the same thrill compared as to when you fight him the first time which was a big drawback to me.
    Harem in CS, didn't mind much, but I hope they find a better way to handle romance in future titles if they keep going for it.

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      It's a truly special series, well worth binging!

  • @andrewstencel
    @andrewstencel ปีที่แล้ว

    Playing sky 3rd, I thought the cast/roster was big, but now halfway through CS4, my concepts changed. Damn, it's so refreshing and overwhelming at the same time.

    • @nediojon749
      @nediojon749 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Yeah I was sad when you meet everyone and then they are all like whelp ok I’m off to do my own thing, I’ll see you in the finale

  • @TaiketsuG
    @TaiketsuG 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Can mostly agree with that ranking (didnt play Crossbell for now sadly D:) but if i had to say what did "annoy" me in the CS series was the choice of making Rean a harem protag ._.
    Also a friend of mine did complain that in CS4 no1 dies, no1 is rly evil and all are alive at the end of it and everything is the fault of the curse which didnt sit well with him. I myself enjoyed Cs4 alot for the nostalgia and the great finale so im hoping Hajimari will do great^^

  • @jamiemcandrew7504
    @jamiemcandrew7504 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Can't see any issues here. They have done a fantastic job of the 1, 2 punch. The first game in the duo sets you up for a bigger and better game to follow.
    CS4 is the best out of the CS series, the only issue I have is the airship where you have a couple of hours of solid talking if you are paying attention and it takes the wind out of the sails, but after that it has the best set of battles in the series. I struggled so much on those battles as for the previous 3 games you could cheese the game with Fie and then you have 4 battles with characters you never used before and trying to work out how to use them the best.
    Playing though the Skies triology at the moment, just finished the tournament at the end of Sky, but agree with you about they sow a lot of seeds but the game is quite by the numbers.

  • @Yarzu555
    @Yarzu555 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Haven't played Hajimari yet but yea I get a lot of this list. Still not 100% sure just because I feel like each of the 3 arcs just hit different. I will agree however that the finales all end well and I loved SC, ao and cs4, though I might put SC above cs4 just because I feel like emotionally it just hit harder. the Sky trilogy just did such a good job making you care about each of the characters.

  • @joeyisabsb1
    @joeyisabsb1 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    For me, my #1 is trails in the sky SC. Im also surprised to see cold steel 4 so high when a lot of ppl ive talked to said it was their least favorite. im currently playing through CS4 and enjoy it so far.

    • @saddocatto9245
      @saddocatto9245 ปีที่แล้ว

      if someone love avenger end game, then they will love cold steel 4. perfect end of an arc

    • @nediojon749
      @nediojon749 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      A lot of well I don’t want to say toxic fans because they aren’t really, simply just dislike cold steel in general and go after 4 because they believe that it is a compilation of all that’s wrong with the cold steel arc and will post multiple rants about it.

  • @garnetcess4652
    @garnetcess4652 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Funny how the only 3 Trails game i have completed are in the bottom 3. I’m playing Sky SC now. Just had to finish Liberl and Crossbell arcs to play Cold Steel III in my case

  • @ExBlanc
    @ExBlanc 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Totally, a very hard list due various factors.
    From my own opinion, I wouldn't be able to put Liberli and Crossbell too high, as a game in overall due...
    I don't have fun with the gameplay, but that is mostly due in fact, having less options than CS3/CS4/Haji, specially Haji.
    Admitelly, I would say the visuals also effect my option.

  • @averydawes7510
    @averydawes7510 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Awesome video!
    I've only played the Sky Arc and just finishing up the first have of the Erebonian ARC. Sadly haven't played Crossbell Arc because of not having a Western release.
    Totally agree with what you said about cold Steel 1. While it's still a really good game, you just don't really get to experience the connections between the characters enough, which to an extent makes sense because your playing the game through Rean's eyes. I also found imo that the characters weren't as good as those in the Sky Arc. I found a number of the main cast annoying. Just because the game has better graphics, mechanics, replayability, world/story imo it's still better than Sky the 3rd. Like you say its hit or miss depending on who plays it. For me i'm not a fan of being stuck in a dungeon the whole game, I like exploring the world so it was a huge downer for me. By no means is it bad though I still really enjoyed it and what story it did have was fantastic. I'm just finishing up CS 2. Its way better than CS 1. Again I agree with the negative things about it you said, but compared to CS1, for me it did everything that CS1 did just a little better in every way. I'm not sure yet if I feel it's better than Sky 1, but i'm probably biased cause Sky1 was my first game. Sky SC is easily my favorite game (of the 4.75 I have played thus far). The story is just incredible.
    #1 Sky SC
    #2 Sky
    #3 CS 2
    #4 CS
    #5 Sky 3rd
    I'm sure as i play the other games this will all change.

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks for watching mate! Hope the rest of the Series is to your liking (I'm sure it will be).

    • @Iamtheamazingmrg
      @Iamtheamazingmrg 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Its really easy to get the Japanese PC version of Zero and apply the Geofront patch to make that playable (although obviously a proper English release would be best!). It's Ao No Kiseki that I really want to get my hands on.

    • @averydawes7510
      @averydawes7510 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@Iamtheamazingmrg Yeah thats true. At some point I may do that, but for the time being I watched like a 9 hr Summary of Zero/AO so i wouldn't be confused in the Cold steel games. Maybe in the future I'll break down and do that but for now I still have the cold steel games to complete as well as Tales of Vesperia. I'm hoping that by the time i get through those they just announce a Western release of the Crossbell Arc, but I very much doubt it will happen.

    • @averydawes7510
      @averydawes7510 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Well as an update. Just finished CS2. Its way better than CS1. For the obvious it just being far more epic in pacing and story which is always true of the sequels in the Trails series. But for me the main reason it was better was because it improved on the issues of the characters I had in CS 1. I felt much more connected to the characters and could see their connections with each other more clearly. At the end of the day though Its still unfortunate that it took like a game and a half to actually enjoy some of the main cast who were initially annoying as opposed to Sky and a lot of rpg's in general where I enjoy the characters within the first few hours. I'm not saying I dislike all the CS characters, In fact a lot of the characters I love, especially some of the side characters. The issue for me was with about half of the playable characters coming off as annoying, either initially or continuously for a long time (Alisa, Machias, and Millium mostly). But like I said CS 2 was a huge improvement and The characters I already liked I came to love and the characters I disliked I came to mildly like. The other issue I had with CS/CS2 in general was that their were too many similarities in characters/story elements to Sky/Sky SC. Now I understand being in the same universe there are bound to be a lot of similarities, but some things were so similar that it made much of the story very predictable. But of course had I not played Sky beforehand I wouldn't being saying that.
      It might sound like I have a lot of issues with Cs but I'm really being nitpicky. They are still great games that I would 100% replay and recommend. As far as my ranking I posted earlier though it remains the same. I actually was gonna adjust CS2 to above Sky because it was just so epic..........but then the Epilogue happened. Now i'm perfectly fine with the decisions that were made in the epilogue, i'm sure because of all the events that have happened there could be logical explanation for it all. The issue I have is that there wasn't logical explanation. there wasn't explanation at all. And without a reasonable explanation the decisions made really didn't make sense. Not only that but there really wasn't good explanation on what was happening at all. It just left me confused and frustrated which was really buzzkill after the amazing finale. Again i'm sure there is perfectly good reason for the characters choices, the problem is without explaining that 1 those choices have been made and 2 why they have been made it doesn't make sense.
      But again still a fantastic game. If i were to rate them from S-F I would have Sky SC as S tier, Sky and CS 2 A tier, CS and Sky 3rd B tier.

  • @advmx3
    @advmx3 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    SO, we all agree that with the right quartz combination Laura is the most broken character in the series right?
    I broke her so much that by the end of CS4 in Nightmare on 1st run, she was stronger than her father. XD

  • @Darroc3
    @Darroc3 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    0:00 what a way to start the video.

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks for the content!
      In all seriousness, it was an interesting question so I thought it would be cool to do a video.

  • @dangox3370
    @dangox3370 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Cold Steel 3 is my favorite. I liked that the main cast was a lot smaller than in the previous two games so they get much more room for development. Plus the combat system is at its best in that game. even though the break mechanic is so easily exploitable... It's still fun.

  • @christinatolar4155
    @christinatolar4155 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I am about half way through Cold Steel IV so out of what I've completed, Cold Steel III is my favorite.

  • @zidiyang6540
    @zidiyang6540 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    As a player who played the series from fc till now.... I got to say...CS 1234 are not even close to the rest...naive and vague plot, 4 games to cover a main story that can be covered in 2, like fc n sc! embarrassing dialogues, like we got to save crow, when i didn't even talk to him once, and a main character fooling around with his girlfriends and female students when the whole world is on fire..... I played sky series and crossbell because i love those games, i played CS only because i just want to see the old faces again...

  • @saifuddinareeb657
    @saifuddinareeb657 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    How did you play Hajimari?

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Bought the Japanese version and played with the Zerofield overlay with PS Remote Play.

  • @khoringrimault596
    @khoringrimault596 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I have to say that I enjoyed the SC the most followed by AO and next cold steel 3. SC was very well written. I'm in the middle of cold steel 4 atm. Also, I know that there are a lot of Estelle haters, but I enjoyed her journey through liberl.

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      A lot of Estelle haters? That's news to me - she's one of the best!

    • @joeyisabsb1
      @joeyisabsb1 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I've not really seen any Estelle haters and I personally find her to be my favorite character in the entire series and I've played them all.

  • @dobadobadooo
    @dobadobadooo 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    I've only played the Cold Steel games (I'm still hoping for a remake of the Sky and Crossbell games), but out of those I would probably say my ranking of them goes CSII < CSIII < CS < CSIV.

  • @maddu8437
    @maddu8437 3 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    Although Sen 4 had some execution issues it is by far my number 1, followed by Sen 3
    Ao is a great game and I get why many people have it as their top, but in my opinion it has a huge plot flaw which I consider to be the worst in the series, and that is *spoilers for Ao*
    Everything involving Grimwood at the end. I honestly consider Grimwood to be the worst antagonist in the series and his “grand” reveal at the end ruined many story elements for me.
    He ruined the “mastermind” role by being very irrelevant and lacking in depth, he ruined the mystery of Guy’s death by not being important enough to Guy nor evil enough for it to make sense, he also ruined everything that was built up to that point since he easily gave up at the end just because Lloyd gave him the “good guys speech” despite resorting to MURDER to achieve his goals, and worst of all, he didn’t even die at the end.
    So yeah, great game, but it will never be at the top for me, but that’s just my opinion.

    • @RiriSion
      @RiriSion 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Grimwood was so irrelevant in the end I totally forgot about him... And you're right in everything you described. Who would you have pictured as the big bad villain of this one ? Arios would have been an incredible choice in my opinion...

    • @danielfielke3895
      @danielfielke3895 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      It's his irrelevance that makes him good, he's just a normal guy who lost everything that mattered. That emotional state allowed him to be dragged into the plan by Mariabell. Ian is an example of how grief can twist a person who doesn't have the support they need to get through it.
      It's the impact that adopting Pete and working with the SSS had on him after he killed Guy that started to change him, but he was already committed to the plan.
      His depth is there it's just left to the player to imagine it, to go from cold blooded murderer to what we see in Zero & Ao suggests a great deal of growth happened behind the scenes. Plus being forced to live with the guilt of what you have done is a far more painful punishment than death.

    • @maddu8437
      @maddu8437 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@RiriSion since you mentioned Arios, Grimwood’s entire backstory was pretty much a carbon copy of Arios, both lost family members and resorted to evil despite being good. The only difference is, Arios pulled off the traitor role much better since he makes you care about him waaaaay more than Grimwood ever could.
      As for the true “mastermind”, I think Mariabell would’ve been a perfect fit, especially since she’s the only “true villain” among Ao’s antagonists + she’s very manipulative and cunning.

    • @maddu8437
      @maddu8437 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@danielfielke3895 many stories try to pull off the “irrelevant character being the villain all along” cliche and I personally never found it appealing, Arios’s betrayal had a much bigger impact on me since I actually cared about him, and during both the Crossbell games it was pretty clear to me that they wanted me to care about Grimwood but failed miserably.
      You might be right about his character development, but I still think if he was made to be more important to the story everything would’ve been better.

    • @danielfielke3895
      @danielfielke3895 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      ​@@maddu8437, Arios is definitely the better character, no question. But then he's supposed to be.
      Ian isn't a cool character but he did a hell of a lot of heavy lifting behind the scenes. How could the Crois' have built all the crazy Geofront gizmos and Orchis tower without someone with Ian's skills?
      I think his reveal is supposed be a muted "no, not you too" pity moment rather than a big "you traitorous bastard" moment.
      I got the feeling he felt ashamed of his involvement when it was revealed.
      He's not the mastermind, he's just their legal 'IT' guy.
      But I could be completely wrong, just trying to present an alternate perspective. Bad writing can become good if you look at it from the right angle.

  • @Rhovanion85
    @Rhovanion85 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    My order so far.
    1) Trails in the Sky SC
    2) Trails to Azure
    3) Trails of Cold Steel 4
    4) Trails of Cold Steel 3
    7) Trails of Cold Steel 1
    5) Trails from Zero
    6) Trails in the Sky FC
    7) Trails in the Sky 3rd
    8) Trails of Cold Steel 2
    Note that 8 doesn't mean I think the game is bad. It means the others are better. I still liked Cold Steel 2 a lot! (But that battle theme, seriously wtf)

  • @vittoriopugliese3352
    @vittoriopugliese3352 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Did you like C, the one from Hajimari?

  • @Fogship
    @Fogship 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    what a surprise that your list is almost the same as mine lol

  • @blackdragoncyrus
    @blackdragoncyrus 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    So far, I would rank in terms of gameplay enjoymeny for me:
    #10. Trails of Cold Steel
    #09. Trails in the Sky
    #08. Trails of Cold Steel II
    #07. Trails in the Sky SC
    #06. Trails of Cold Steel III
    #05. Trails to Zero
    #04. Trails of Cold Steel IV
    #03. Trails in the Sky 3rd
    #02. Trails to Azure
    #01. Hajimari no Kiseki

  • @KudaGeatsune3821
    @KudaGeatsune3821 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Personally the Saddest moment for Me is the Death of pater mater forcing Renne to rely on her new family

  • @NY_Mountain_Man
    @NY_Mountain_Man 3 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    Sky FC: 9th place!
    .... Who hurt you? =/

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Love the game, but it got docked points because it didn't draw me in at first. I played Cold Steel 1 at the start of 2018, I bought Sky FC at the end of 2014.

  • @szymonzaremba3176
    @szymonzaremba3176 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    In my opinion FC deserved higher rank. Maybe above Trails of Cold S II. Has got solid history without big flying cities or mecha and i think Alan Richard is really good, underestimated antagonist character (not villain).

    • @TheKisekiNut
      @TheKisekiNut  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      I had to dock FC points on my personal list because of those first 10 hours. I love the game, but I played CS1 at the start of 2018 while I've had FC on my computer since the beginning of 2015, it didn't draw me in. It's only because of Cold Steel that I'm a Trails fan in the first place.

  • @siffumetsu271
    @siffumetsu271 ปีที่แล้ว

    Funny enough I stopped playing cold steel 1 when I got to the Nord highlands saw one of my friends playing cold steel 4 so I reached out to him and said how the 4th game compares he told me do not hope to a different number title play the games through and I promise you you won't be disappointed I did that and my god.... I've never been so hooked on a world in video games like this since I was a kid

  • @gachalibra9243
    @gachalibra9243 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    6 days late but eh I wanna comment, I've only finished 4 of the games but my list in terms of the games I've played are
    Cold steel I > Sky FC -> Cold Steel II (Best boy in Crow) -> Sky SC (Favorite game of all time)

  • @pigifi
    @pigifi 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    As much as I prefer the setting up games (FC, Zero, CS1 and CS3), I prefer the other more free roaming titles like SC, 3rd, Ao and CS2. This likely includes CS4 and Hajimari/Origins in the future due being able to revisit the places you visited and being able to add more variety with a bigger party member roster, meaning more replayability after reaching 100% completion. This is viewing it under the gaming aspect.
    As for the story aspect, the Sky, Crossbell and Cold Steel 3 and 4 stories are tied for me, surpassing Cold Steel 1 and 2 by a bit.