Revisiting Cold Steel 1 and 2
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ส.ค. 2020
- Revisiting Cold Steel 1 and 2 - Spoilers for all games before Cold Steel 3!
And we come full circle, back to one of the games that started it all for me. With Cold Steel 4 a couple of months away, I wanted to get a second perspective on this arc, especially the first half. It would give me the chance to clarify hazy plot points, and answer some pressing issues I had on my first playthroughs.
I don't think anyone who has watched my videos will need to know, but I strongly suggest playing these games before Cold Steel 3 or Cold Steel 4. If anyone has qualms about playing Cold Steel for the first time or starting their Trails journey with Cold Steel 1, I have no doubt the first game is still a good entry point.
Cold Steel 1 and 2 are fast becoming one of the most popular entry points for new fans of the series, providing the balance between visual appeal and solid JRPG experience. They also fulfil their roles as Trails games in the same light, giving notable links to the other arcs.
As I’ve said before, Cold Steel 1 was my first foray in to the series, and it holds a special place in my heart for that reason. Cold Steel 2 was also an excellent experience, but I felt it was the weakest in the series thus far for a number of reasons. As a result, it became the one game I have wanted to replay through the most.
Since I’ve now played all the other arcs in the fantastic Trails Series, I felt it was the perfect time to replay the latest story through Erebonia, giving myself a sort of refresher course on this part of the Trails narrative. Since I had the benefit of playing the Sky and Crossbell arcs back to back, I felt it was only fair to do the same with Cold Steel.
That being said, let’s rejoin the members of Class VII, and delve in to our revisit of Cold Steel 1 and 2!
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Music Used:
Sen no Kiseki OST - Leisure Day
Sen no Kiseki OST - The Decisive Collision
Sen no Kiseki OST - To Become the Foundation of the World
Sen no Kiseki OST - Atrocious Raid
Sen no Kiseki II OST - Blue Destination
Sen no Kiseki II OST - Awakening Will
Sen no Kiseki II OST - Season of Departure
Sen no Kiseki II OST - Wintry Arrival
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As some of you fine people may know, I’ve recently completed a third and second playthrough of Cold Steel 1 and 2 respectively. And you know me, that means I have to make a video about it, so here it is!
Spoilers for:
The Sky Arc
The Crossbell Arc
Cold Steel 1 and 2 (and some of 3 as well)
Hope you guys enjoy this one!
Some small counter-arguments: nothing negative just a few personal opinion's:
1. Rean O. Schawzer as leader: He plays as a middle ground for everyone to eventually take that important first step in they're development.
A. Jusis/Machais: Being an adopted orphan to nobility helps him understand the viewpoint of two youths who have suffered cause of the nobility's overuse of stating they're greatness.
B. Laura/Fie(and himself): Laura doesn't get why these two, who have incredible potential are holding back on purpose. Since it goes again'st her beliefs that is the point of that small conflict.
C. Gaius/Emma: They're in erebonia with an idea of what they want/need to do but no path to get there. His help formed a small idea they could by that lead to they're power ups in CS3 and onward.
D. Elliot/Alisa: They're tied heavily to they're families histories,situations and identities, all rean can tell them is they're themselves before the familial names they're tied to.
Traits/Personality are leader-like qualities that are necessary in a story, i think he is more of a: Leader who can brings the best in others can in turn bring out the best in himself.
Thanks for putting together this great look back. I really enjoy all of your Kiseki content! But now I need pro help. I was definitely going to play CS3 prior to CS4 launch, but I had been thinking of going all the way back to CS1 and you might have sold me on it. Can you share how long your CS1/2 replays were? Trying to decide if I should go all the way back if the replay time were a good bit shorter vs the initial playthroughs...
@@cedeankematick Thank you for watching my man! If I remember correctly, CS1 took me about 70 hours, and CS2 took me 55 hours. I was using a guide for all of the extra stuff too (hidden quests etc.). A lot of turbo mode involved!
@@cedeankematick Did you already play the Liberl and Crossbell arcs ? If you really have the time, I restarted the whole Legend of Heroes series back in march (when the lockdown began, had quite some time to kill back then...), and playing the whole series is very enjoyable... Not mentionning the fact that there won't be any guides available at CS4 launch, so there's no real need to rush and play this one first. Took about 60h/game to finish the 7 first games, and about 90h on CS3. Good game ;)
The Kiseki Nut Great I think I’m sold. Appreciate your awesome work once again very great insights into this fantastic series. 👍🏻
Man, when you think about it Olivert really is one of the most baller characters in all of gaming.
A thing I love about Cold Steel is some of the subtlest ways you can observe the characters grow. For example, CS1 Fie in combat sounds pretty much like a robot, whereas in CS2 her voice has much more emotion, and she just sounds like she enjoys herself much more in general. Jusis in CS1 says "what a waste of time" after a battle won, and in CS2 he says "what a waste of OUR time" - as he has now accepted the fact that he's part of the group, and Class VII clearly has his respect and affection now. Their time is now valuable as well.
Same subtlety can be observed when you interact with your friends during free time (but not in bonding events). My absolute favourite happens just before arresting Duke Albarea; Machias knows how much it tears Jusis apart, because his own father is also a major political figure, and also the only parent he has left - so if tables were turned, Machias could've found himself in the same situation. And instead of spouting exposition (...like it usually does, dear god, does Rean EVER shut up???), the game lets you simply find them sitting together on board of the Courageous. And also Millium is there for extra adorable points.
Great point! I actually remember seeing that moment with them on the courageous. It would of made a good bonding event between the two of them, but alas it stayed as an in game text exchange. But the fact it was given it's due credit was a nice touch.
never noticed those little after battle differences! tha'ts actually awesome. well copped! :)
@@TheKisekiNut I could never say no to more content between my favourite grumps! Bonding events between other members of Class VII would've been great, I think I remember helping Emma find Fie back in CS1, so they could study together? It really made an impression on me and I don't recall doing anything of the sort later. In CS1 and 2 it was kinda easier to believe the friendship between everyone, because they were together almost every day. But I'm just about to wrap up CS3 and it hits me how much more I'd like to know about everyone staying in touch for the past year. On one hand what we got makes sense narratively (Rean doesn't see, Rean doesn't know), but on the other - I finally heard Jusis call Machias... well, "Machias" and not "Regnitz", and I just want to know what they'd been up to to prompt that change SO BAD. Not to mention, any conversation with Alisa in it that doesn't revert to "you like Rean don't you" would be fantastic.
I also noticed that. At first I was taken aback by how different Fie sounded, I even looked up if it was a different VA but nope. It was just Fie, having settled and grown into her new family. She definitely showed more emotion. I thought that was really neat
Ahhh shit dude, that part where Rean breaks down in front of Towa gets me every damn time. Great work as always man, been a while since I played these, so this was a nice blast of nostalgia.
That scene is so powerful. It demonstrates the perception of Towa as well. She is a side character at the end of the day, but she's also very important for moments like this. I was a big fan of her development in CS2 overall.
I'm agree with you. This two games needs more chemistry between Class VII members. It would be more fantastic.
I get your criticisms of CS1 in regards to Rean not feeling like a true leader. I could be wrong but I think that was part of why Rean was the one who ended up solving a lot of the issues Class VII had together. I think they were trying to convey that Sara could see he had natural leadership potential which is why she always paired the problem students like Jusis/Machias and Laura/Fie together because he had the ability to get them to work through their problems even though he may not have seen his leadership qualities, Sara did.
I think part of what you were talking about with Class VII not doing more activities together was because of all of the other students at Thors. There is bonding with other classmates part from Rean, just not with other Class VII students. For example Laura and Monica's friendship at the swimming club, Machias' friend at the Chess club, Ferris and Alisa going from rivals to best friends. This is so you care more when you reunite with your old classmates in CS2 as well as to show how the divide between noble and commoner can be overcome as they all unite toward one cause in the second game.
Both very good points. I think my issue is that he's thrust in to that role so quickly. If he displayed his natural leadership abilities throughout the course of the first game, and it just slowly coalesced over time then I'd be more open to it. For me, the role of Rean as 'leader' felt too forced at first, but that's an interesting perspective indeed.
Also I do agree on the other students needing that characterisation considering their eventual role in Cold Steel 2, but when the Class VII members aren't involved in their club activities for example, that was the time when they could have the members of Class VII do activities together. Or simply add side story events ala Tokyo Xanadu EX+. I needed a bit more from Class VII as a whole in that first game in order to believe they were really friends who were growing together. At times they felt indifferent to each other, especially in Act 1 of CS2 where everyone seems thrilled to see Rean again, but don't say anything outside of a general statement ('I'm so glad we're together again') to the other members accompanying him. I understand that's limited because the player has to make a choice on the characters they bring with them, but I feel it demonstrates the issue I had with CS1.
Finding that balance though is a notable challenge, and I think Falcom conveyed the multiple relationships as best as they could without bloating the games.
I think CS suffered from the desire of making Rean a second Lloyd. That was my first feeling when I started playing CS1, and it only went in CS3, I was playing Lloyd again. Different background yet very much alike. And Rean deserved to have his own personality, which he grows after a while but it was a little disappointing to begin with. In general, I felt the connections between class 7 members comparing to what they were between the SSS members, espacially after KeA's arrival, were a huge downgrade. And it's a shame, because each character is well develloped in itself, just not as much as we would want when they are together.
@@TheKisekiNut I got a question after cold steel 4 Is a new series call trails of the beginning do you understand what does it mean since already did cold steel 4 be after those events
@@tyresewilson7399 some things happen after CS4, so Hajimari no Kiseki is the clossing act of Western Zemuria arc
Class VII was an experiment and Sara used Rean as the core specimen. Didn't make any big announcements. IIRC, his unusual social standing made him the one who could relate to everyone else.
Rean ended up bringing the group together and they decided one by one. If you recall, he says multiple times, when did he become leader?
I was okay with how Rean progressed because Sara is obviously the superman of Sen 1 and her facetious attitude helped everyone gravitate toward Rean, the anchor of the group. Who says he needs to be a 'true' leader by one game? These kids are still growing up, even by CS4
You ever wonder how Gaius would be painting all the time but his canvas was always blank white?
He was painting the W I N D.
Dang, man. I actually finished playing my third playthrough of Cold Steel 2. The epilogue messed me up (not in a bad way). I suddenly teared up because of the meaning of the epilogue. The boss of the fight accompanied with the amazing ost. (Original) Class VII’s journey coming to an end made me tear up man. How they were bottling what they truly feel and had to let it all out just like with Millium. For me, their bond truly is a beautiful thing.
Couldn't have said it better myself! I must of been REALLY burnt out when I played this the first time, because I remember being frustrated as heck the first time around. Very happy I got to witness it's true meaning.
Another thing the Epilogue chapter gives you are the little moments where the last member of Class VII should be there, but isn't. The empty desk in the classroom, and the empty room in the dorms, all of which just makes that loss hit harder
The epilogue for Cold Steel 2 was definitely something that bothered me my first time through as well. I felt like it was just unnecessary padding at first because I was getting impatient with the game. But after looking at it through another lens, I realize just how important that part is, and it really does make for an incredible end to the first half of the arc.
Emma and Celine are my favorite characters from CS. I love how Emma’s “character arc” is “hidden” in CS1.
(A thing that just is possible because Falcom make a 10/10 world).
After CS2 I replay the game just to understand better her character and love it.
(Sorry for bad English)
Playing thru cs3 at the moment. I love that he's acknowledged as "not a leader" during the juno attack and the principal shows up and you say "yep, she's a leader"
The moment I love the most in CS1 is when visiting nord highland for the first time... I still remember the goosebumps when the vastness of field expand before me and the music is suit the scene perfectly.
I do agree that the Nord Highlands is beautiful, but it was waaaaay too big for me. I don't know I could have handled it without turbo mode.
That moment legit got me in the feels. Beautiful landscape and an even more beautiful theme. I've felt the need to look it up and listen to it again but I refuse to. Until I replay the game so I can feel the magic again
Thank you so much for the second playthrough and for making this video.
Thank you for taking the time to watch it good sir! :)
Great as always from you. Wish you'd focused on pre Rean parts of the saga in your materials, but always good to see anything Trails related.
I was considering that approach, but I was so taken aback by how dense I was to Cold Steel 2's ending especially, I ended up choosing that as the path for the video.
Rean leadership relies on sara's plot element: the unreliable teacher, who is both an ex bracer and jaeger, and everybody keeps asking why is she even a teacher. That means she saw something on him, probly based on the documents, historic and results who put him on class vii and the fact that he steps first when she asked the students if they were up to be tested in this weirdly built group.
Great breakdown bro 🙂👍🏽 !
Well said for the conclusion, we need to keep going forward, relentlessly.
Thanks for your support as always my man! :)
The reason I think a lot of people are annoyed about cold steel ending in their first playthrough is because we all thought the infernal castle was the last dungeon and we were at the end. So the rest feels like a drag. The 2nd playthrough you know where it ends so you aren't expecting the ending but expecting more
Wow! First time watching a video of yours. I didn't know you would be this good! Keep up the good work!
Thanks for watching mate, hope to see you around for more!
it's not meant to offend you but it's kinda refreshing seeing someone as you who always seems to be knowing everything when it comes to the Kiseki verse missing such obvious things
you deserve so much more love for your work ❤️
Not at all mate! I couldn't believe it either. As I was playing through the epilogue for the second time, I was smacking my head out of necessity considering how dense I was the first time around. That's the beauty of Trails though, you're always learning new things!
I cried when Millium cried for the first time. God, I love these games.
I wish they could just tell me what the towns on the Southwest coast of Erebonia are. They're unlabelled!
Probably destroyed by Osborne, wouldn't worry about it.
@@TheKisekiNut I guess, I want to accept this but the completionist in me says no!
@@TheKisekiNut btw is there a way to play the crossbell arc? is there any english fan translation out there? thats the last one before the 4rd chapter come out...
@@hypocritelife8018 geofront.esterior.net/
check out the Geofront, they've done a translation that rivals an official localisation for Zero, and they're working on Ao as we speak. It should give you all the info you need to buy the game and apply the patch.
I find this moment ridiculous tbh. Dunno the english word for "mise en scène (it's french) but it was so bad in CS1&2 that I litteraly laugh here. Even if I know the meaning of this
Now that I'm playing CS3 I'm glad it's better.
Just wanted to pitch in. Found your channel and I love it! Thanks for making it!
Thank you for the kind words mate! Hoping to have you around for the long haul. :)
I love this series I first was introduced to this series in 2013
And now you're stuck with us for the rest of time! :)
Fantastic take on the finale to CS2. I know it is often regarded as the least favorite among Trails fans, but I loved it for the same conclusions you came to on your second playthrough. It felt like coming home, if that makes any sense.
Also, a really interesting look at Rean's role. He has a very strong sense of right and wrong, and he encourages his friends and classmates constantly. And as you said, he doesn't really earn his spot as leader so much as he has it thrust upon him. To me, that makes him much more suited to being a support character, which isn't to say he's not important or not necessary by any means. I wonder where they'll take him as we close out the series...
This is definitely something that we can discuss more in the podcast! :)
Cold Steel 1 and Kiseki 2’s final boss themes are unimaginably epic.
Azure Arbitrator is a journey in music form
Great Power is pure art
Definitely love the epilogue from CS2, the battle atmosphere and music with Loa Luciferia is so great.
The following scene when Millium start to cry, hit so hard for me and end up crying together with them :')
It really is the perfect way to end CS2, glad I got to witness it once again and see it's true meaning. :)
Here's why Rean makes sense being thrust to the center of the class, and why it had to be him to help with the class conflicts.
From the very beginning Rean was the most assertive at taking on Class 7s challenges. He stepped foward first after the orienteering exercise because he's driven by the need to get stronger to control his inner ogre and the guilt he feels for being a burden on his family that caused him to semi run away from his adopted family household. And something all of his classmates pick up on very quickly is he's self sacrificial to fault that disturbs them a little, he's very humble, driven and is "bottling" something up that they can never quite figure out.
Sara chooses him to help the Student Council for 2 reasons. A) in a class divided by social status, he's kind of both a Noble and a Commoner, so he can be the most understanding of everyone's background. And also Sara is a good observant teacher who could see Rean was lost and desperately "looking for something" and had nothing to latch on to. It had been a month and he still hadn't committed to a club. He could of joined the fencing club, but he would of felt as 8 Leaves begginer 'drop out' he'd be dirtying the name of real swordmanship enthusiasts in a club with them.
So Sara gives him something that plays to his sacrificial nature and that helps brace the class for the field studies. And it works brilliantly. He takes ownership of something which helps him start to stand out on his very first field study.
Emma couldn't help Jusis and Machius cause she's very much a reserved beta with a lot to hide, and Machius is kind of a misogynist. Fie was also extremely reserved and disinterested early on, and to Giaus the entire Eribonian class culture was foreign to him. And he's just not assertive enough to break apart to classes biggest hot heads.
Sara swapped the groups Rean was in because he shined as a leader in Group A. And between his level but assertive head, and his self sacrifice heroism, it snapped Machius and Jusis out of their fighting enough to understand each other better.
Reans now officially got to shine as a natural leader with everyone at least once and their starting to look up to him that way even though he's never claimed to be in charge and no one appointed him leader (except Sara kinda).
Machius and Elliot couldn't help Laura and Fie overcome their problems because quite frankly they aren't warriors, and their conflict was more nuanced and quite in ways Machius could never understand.
When Rean joins their group, he's already gained a good reputation among them, and spent a lot of time with Laura and Fie individually. There extra embarrassed and motivated to overcome their differences because they know they are the problem students now cause they know what Sara is doing. Rean doesn't let them give up on working together when it looks bad then hearing Elliots origin pushes Laura over the edge to know what she has to do.
The more time goes by, the more they all see how reliable Rean is and the more they understand what makes him tick as they learn about his ogre form.
It makes sense that it had to be Rean and that they love and near worship Rean. Rean is a great guy who earns it.
I liked the last dungeon of Cold Steel 2. Though they establish that it is meaningless, it gives you a chance to use everyone in the game one last time. Its like that optional dungeon in an RPG, except its mandatory. I also like that it addressed minor things, like Princess Alfin finally getting a weapon. It was one last hurrah for Class 7 and their allies.
Great video Also that Gaius call out was funny as hell bc it's true 😂🙏
I know I disrespect my man Gaius so many times, but my goodness he's just wasted in the first 2 games. Good thing he becomes a bad-ass later on.
@@TheKisekiNut i really like gaius but they really wasted so much time till they gave him anything.
When I had done my completion of the second game I definitely thought it was the weakest. I still do to some extent for a few reasons like Rean not being my favorite protagonist in Trails and the story being hit or miss at times, but I I will always remember my second play through and combing through as many of the bonding events as I could.
That scene where Rean breaks down in front of Towa is still really hard to watch just because of how much Rean has had to go through up until now, and then the scene when they defeat Loa Luciferia absolutely breaks my heart because it feels like something that these characters have been needing to do (it's especially gut wrenching when you have done Milliums bonding events)
Fighting White Shadow, knowing its last Class VII fight together as a class was already so emotional. No rewards, no real new answers, just empty trial for them to fulfil. But its was so important to them nontheless. And then crowning Milium character arc torn last pieces of my heart shields and i started sobbing.
There are only a several few games which left me so teared up at the end. Well done Cold Steel II, well done Falcom.
Millium crying for the first time is a HEART-WRENCHER! So well done.
About your problems with Cold Steel 1. I didn't had the same problems, because Rean's position as the center of the class doesn't make sense because he is a leader to me, but because he is a friend. Rean is someone that is easy on the others in various aspects, he is empathetic, he does what he can for people, he knows how to listen, when to speak, etc... But that doesn't make his flaws disappear for himself and for other people. For instance, there are multiple times in the games where they brought it up that Rean taking so much upon himself because of the student council is weird and that even though he is willing, it looks like he is lost. They trust Rean because he is a good friend and has a good head on his shoulder most of the time, but they also recognize that he is weak-willed, self-conscious and insecure. They are constantly worried about his mental state and its part of his arc and the relationship of class VII as a whole that they are supportive of this and that Rean eventually does grow to be the leader that everyone wants him to be.
About the other aspects though, I agree to some extent. I think the main problem is that we're so centered on Rean's perspective that its hard not to feel like he is essential to the narrative. But I'd say that he is not the one doing the heavy lifting to make amends between the Class VII members. Laura and Fie had to talk it out and punch it out with each other first and foremost. Machias has to see where Jusis came from and understand his backstory more to come to accept him. So even though Rean is always there, I don't really think he is detrimental to these issues. But I do take issue on the fact that we have so few moments between the other members as a whole. We're referenced these relationships in passing very quickly, but never get to delve into them deeper and I think this is something we should have had more of. For instance, its a shame that the trip to Ymir at the end of the game is relegated to the drama CD. That despite having bonds with each other, there are no events between the other Class VII members, they only have events with Rean. There are certainly a lot of ways Falcom could have done these characters more justice.
Also, I really appreciate your take on the ending of Cold Steel 2. There is a lot I love about the game (for instance, I like the open nature of Act II, something I know a lot of people are not fans of), but this ending and epilogue made me Cold Steel 2 my favorite of the series and its kinda sad how usually everyone thinks its an empty ending, when it really isn't.
Well said. I especially agree with the drama cd part. When I heard about it, I did all I could to find it translated, because I wanted to see how class 7 was just being with each other, and not worrying about this or that.
It's great to hear your thoughts on this! I think for me when I look at a leader, I immediately look at the traditional trope. If I was in a member of Class VII's shoes for example, I'd look at Rean as the empathetic and approachable member, but he wouldn't be a person I would follow in to hell. And I don't think that's something I can easily shake. No doubt Rean moulds in to a good leader over the course of Cold Steel, but the fact that he's chosen so quickly makes little sense to me.
I have to disagree with Rean's role in the reconciliation between members in Cold Steel 1 though. The members that have issues clearly display those fractured relationships when Rean is not there, Machias and Jusis nearly came to blows on their first field study, and Laura and Fie performed poorly on their one as well. When Rean is eventually grouped with those members, they were able to finally sort it out, because Rean acts as the catalyst whereby they can do the heavy lifting. He gets wounded by that monster which compels Jusis and Machias to try and put their issues aside out of guilt, and he retreats from the front line to force Laura and Fie to work together and realise their differences. That's my issue, those event would never happen if Rean wasn't there, which puts an over-reliance on him to sort the issue out when I feel those moments should come around from another source.
It's definitely my main issue with the first game and to an extent the second as well, but it is far better in the second half of the arc.
Also you're completely correct on the drama CD. The first one especially needed to be in the game in my opinion, plenty of plot elements that carry over to CS2 and also events that contribute to Class VII's growth together. Very happy that I read it.
I appreciate your opinion though, I love discussing counter arguments on aspects like this! :)
The Kiseki Nut the drama cd is also explicitly referenced in cold steel two and I remember being super confused when I was playing it and I was “we never visited reans home did we?”. But your comment on how rean is relied on too much is something I noticed as I played as well. Later on he definitely earns it but they just pick him lol. However imo it was likely a side effect of the existence of the binding events. The events require that not only the player (rean) initiate them manually but that they also be present to see the outcome. I didn’t hate them at first but by cs3 I realized that the game would probably be better if they just weren’t there. From the playthroughs I saw of 4 it seems like it’s even worse on that front which is why it doesn’t surprise me that hajimari doesn’t seem to have them and they likely won’t be back. Looking forward to cold steel 4 localization though.
@@TheKisekiNut Rean being picked as the leader made some sense to me.
Sara knows Fie won't work, and its known Jusis & Machias have issues with one another. Elliot is too weak, being openly dependent on others. Alisa is shown to be easy to anger.
This leaves Laura, Gaius, Rean, and Emma.
While Laura's over zealous training methods aren't yet known, she is the pinnacle of nobility, and is shown to be a natural leader from the tutorial mission... but considering what Class Seven is, having the pinnacle of nobility lead wouldn't accomplish Olivier's plan. (Plus, Machias...)
Gaius is an exceptional person - even able to get Patrick to back down... but he's an outsider.
This leaves Rean and Emma.
Rean and Fie were the only two who avoided Sara's trap. Fie saved herself, but Rean jumped in to save his new comrade, and unlike Emma he has combat training.
Yeah, it was kind of obvious that Rean has some issues of his own that he has to work through, based on that phone call/advice Sara gave to him in Chapter 1. It was those 'issues' that you can see why Rean himself doesn't feel like he's worthy of the trust (or other things) he was given by others.
It was sort of the reason why I never understood why some people was harping on Rean's case regarding how he tried to solve the family situation when he talked to Elise in Chapter 4 of CS1. Do I believe that his solution was correct? No, it's not. I feel like it was terrible of how he went about it. Do I feel like his family situation can be easily solved? No, it's not. The issue wasn't of how his family was treating him. The main issue was that his 'presence' was causing trouble for the family by the nobles. We've seen throughout the first game (and possibly the second game), in both the main story and side quest (like that side quest in Chapter 2, regarding getting a material for a ring) of how some of the nobles would screw over some/most people (including lower ranked nobles) with their authority. We even see this in Chapter 4, when Machias talked about his backstory (and the fact the nobles still messed with his sister despite his father having a high position). So I can see why Rean would like to avoid a situation with the nobles messing with the family.
It was obvious that Rean tries to find answers to his problems. Unfortunately, most of the time, it seems he either answers he gets are completely half-baked or just riddles (seriously, I really didn't buy that half-baked advice Victor gave Rean in CS1), or things gets happening that just aggravates the issues Rean already has. I guess that Rean is a cautionary tale of someone that has talent, but that talent can be squandered if the person is troubled mentally to not use it to its potential, or some one that tries to rush talent to where it can be damaging (good example is Celine in CS1, who (while understandable) kept rushing things).
Have to agree that I wished that CS1 and CS2 done more things to have the cast interact with each other more.
Playing Cold Steel 1 right now. Can't wait to be done.
Same. Playing through 2 right now. About 40 hours in. So far, loving it.
Yeah cold steel 1 is a slow burn. But 2 and 3 are fantastic
@@senera2000 yeah 2 is my favorite so far
My friend, congratulations on the quality of the analysis and thanks for the video! I want to play 1 and 2 on PS4 and 3 and 4 on Switch. My question is: Is carrying the previous game's choices on a save from one game to the next relevant? Does it change the story and relationships a lot?
I'm just now gonna step into cold steel 1 for ps4. Looking forward to this video and trying the series out
Two of my favs. I spent 300+ hours just beating both games on hard now it's time for my nightmare playthrough. I'm doing it on the first playthrough no new game plus to text my mastery of the battle system.
Just jumped on to like the video as I'm playing cold steel 1 at the moment will be back to watch it once I'm done with cold steel 2 😁
I appreciate the like, and see you in the near future! :)
I think that Rean being assigned leader was mostly due to him being a commoner who was as adopted by good nobility so he could sympathize and make friends with both sides of the diffuser that Class 7 was messing to address, which is something that no one else in the class had a similar ability to do (well, maybe Gaius or Emma due to being outsiders to the conflict altogether, but that just got them treated as commoners by default).
In that sense, him not having any strong goals except to find his place in the world helped by leaving him free to help everyone else also find out their own places in the world without conflicting with their own strong goals (especially as that philosophy meshed very well with the entire reason that Class 7 was put together in the first place).
What You just explained, basically the many new things you notice on a 2nd/3rd playthru of a Heavily Story-Driven & Character-Driven Game, Holy Hell, I Feel You on that. It isn't just the "I have a fresh take on what occurred" but alot more. When we play a Game, esp a Serialized Game w/ this much Depth, on the 1st Playthru we don't know what'll happen, we play & we find out. We usually play for max story completion (@ least I do), for the Challenge Aspect (@ least I do, meaning Nightmare on 1st Run on All of them), and Generally we go thru those things & then come to the end. We form our opinions on various things at that point.
But playing a Game a 2nd time, I can say that w/o a shadow of a doubt, there is So Much more things which we notice. This happened to me on my 2nd playthru of FF7R, on the 1st I played thru it, compared it to the OG FF7...but it's crazy how on the 2nd playthru, I picked up so much more on the subtleties between the character interactions, Alot of Character to Character Interactions & things they do, which, knowing the Story from start to finish, really Shed so much new light on Char Interactions, what those interactions mean, how much weight they carry, knowing how it ends, etc. Also, upon replaying FF7R, I paid ALOT more attention to how each of the characters act by themselves, in this case how Cloud acts, Barret, Tifa & Aerith act, where their actions stem from, what their idealogies or confusions mean, and it's nuts how much replaying and paying attention gives me so much I'd missed or not thought about, as well as Enjoying the 2nd/3rd Playthru in a completely different way as the 1st, helping me form a more Impactful and thorough opinion on characters, story elements, and everything as a whole.
Back in the day, if I completed a Deep JRpg on 1st Run, I always felt there was either 0 or almost no replay value in playing it again. For example, I used to think that the only true Replay Value in playing CS2 for the 2nd time would be to A.) Get the Platinum Trophy of Max Completion & B.) Fight the Boss only available on 2nd playthru & get all the Black Records Books. But now, I hold a complete 180 of that opinion on replay value. Playing Story-Heavy+Char-Driven JRpg games for the 2nd/3rd time hold tremendous replay value, as you're coming in w/ very preconceived Opinions, but as You're playing, You get so much new insight on various facets of the game, despite knowing the story & how it'll end. This is especially true when replays are done after waiting roughly 6 months since initial playthru, as Yes, trying to immediately replay the game certainly does feel boring & unfulfilling. But Replaying after months have gone by, everything refreshes, and You interpret everything in a fresh light.
it really is crazy how much you miss the first time around! Hours well spent I say.
Great video!
Hey TNK.. Just wanted to tell you that you're quickly becoming one of my all time favorite youtubers. I look forward to your videos every week because of your excellent content. You're smart, funny (well...sometimes ;) ), and you know your shit. You always have valid opinions on Kiseki games and are a well-rounded, overall bright voice in the community. Looking forward to see where you go next; I'll be along for the ride. Don't get discouraged and keep doing what you're doing!
Thank you for your kind words buddy! It pleases me greatly when people say they enjoy the content, and I'll continue to do so if it acts as a place where fans can come together to discuss Trails. If it brings more people in to the series, all the better! :)
I think CS2 has the best soundtrack imo. The courageous theme is epic. That being said CS1 also has great music.
My opinions on the glorification of Rean by class 7 were definitely similar to yours. I myself had played the series in release order, and it was frustrating as I knew Falcom was able to write those character relationships that weren’t centered around the MC, but Rean just felt like a “power fantasy” self insert or something. I think his character and Class 7 have all improved through the 3 games I’ve played so far, but I will always be disappointed with some of the character writing in the first two Cold Steel Games.
Awesome vid as always.
Thank you for watching as always mate, and for your comment! I'm just like you, I see the likes of the Sky and Crossbell arc and can't help but feel Class VII comes up short to those two groups. They're still top tier, and they're much better in the second half of CSII onwards to CSIV, but I definitely wanted a bit more.
But I think Falcom did as best as they could in terms of balancing time with the Thors students and Class VII themselves.
A very good video and excellent points. I started cs 1 in january, cs 2 in march and when i finished started cs3 then i replay twice each game then i play the sky and crossbell arc and replay cs3 another time and finally play cs4 currently waiting for hajimari. Cs 2 is my favorite game of all is the one i enjoy the most since the first time i played, i think the trails game you enjoy it most the second time you played the final scene for cs2 get me since the first time i played and get me more the next time because i thought old class seven was still around in cs3 as a whole thing that happened at the end of the game, i'm waiting for cs4 in october to play it at it's fullest
Thank you for the kind words mate, get hype for CS4, it's my personal second favourite in the whole series!
@@TheKisekiNut thanks you for your videos, cold steel 4 es mi second favorite also, i follow your advice and order hajimari through treasure i hope it delivers soon but i think it Will take about two months
I remember feeling a somewhat similar way at the end of Cold Steel 2. I'd adored the game completely but the epilogue made everything feel very sudden (everyone leaving the academy all at the same time had me a bit confused), and the Reverie Corridor whilst fun initially also made me feel like the game was being dragged out a little too much. The post-boss scenes though really left a solid impression on me, and in general all the scenes where Class VII are together and just bonding as a class are when I feel like the cast is at their absolute strongest in Cold Steel. I'd probably enjoy playing them again, although not sure if I'll get around to it or not, but this video did remind me of just how much I enjoyed CS1 and 2.
Also I love the character recruitment Suikoden-esque gameplay mechanic they had in CS2. I always love that kinda thing!
Thank you for watching as always buddy, and glad it acted as a sort of trip down memory lane for you! :)
who do i turn in the books for rewards? the guide never really mentions who I give them to. any help would be appreciated.
Same as you I started with Cold Steel back in April 2019.
I played Cold Steel 1, 2 and 3 as they all released on ps4. Any gaps in my knowledge I used the wikia pages so I could further understand the world that had alreasy enchanted me.
After concluding Cold Steel 3 I then bought the Sky trilogy, and as of a couple of weeks ago concluded Sky 3rd and began Zero using the Geofront mod.
(If you haven't played Zero or haven't finished it, stop reading here)
The Schwarze Auction chapter has just concluded for me and I'm running around with KeA. Determined to get through Zero and Azure before Cold Steel 4.
Having played Cold Steel almost to completion and having filled my knowledge with the wikias, man...
EVERYTHING makes sense. Even knowing what will happen and the intricacies of each character and instant, it still gives me goosebumps.
Having returned Colin to the Hayworths I blubbed many tears when Renne emerged from Lloyd's closet. I'd praise Falcom, but they've made me cry with every Kiseki game (proud to admit it), but major props to the Geofront team for theor translation hitting the same emotions!
The Legend of Heroes (6), what a journey. What a privilege to have been able to experience. These stories I feel I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Dramatic, but that's just how I feel :)
These words here echo exactly how I feel about the series! Never has a collection of games made me feel emotion like the Trails series, and we've still got plenty more to go. :)
Hope you enjoy the rest of Zero, and Ao when you get to it!
That was very well said man. No Legends of heroes game in particular will end up being my favorite game ever, but the series as a whole... Those were 500h very well spent I think
@@RiriSion Thanks! (I pretty much gushed all over TKN's comment section, which is becoming a ritual with each video he releases 😅)
I was talking to my brother about the series and what I realised was this:
(Bearing in mind I'm almost in my 30s...)
My favourite ever game was always Final Fantasy IX - the themes of finding out one's heritage and a place to call home really resonated with me, as I was 9 when 9/11 happened suddenly a lot of my classmates (and even teachers) became very hostile towards me and my family. I frequently found myself with an identity crisis - being half British, half Palestinian, Muslim dad, Christian mum and both grandmothers being Jewish will do that 😂
Anyway, as I got older I found FF to get more stale. I remember being so disappointed with XII. The series felt like it had too much emphasis on names, but not how their world actually 'mattered'. Gran Kiltias Anastasis. Mount Bur-Omisace. Vermillion Peristyleum Akademia. Arecia Al-Rashia. The narrative was just lost.
Whilst not exactly cutting edge in terms of gameplay, Trails feels EXACTLY what Final Fantasy should have been after the 90s golden era. FF caused me to fall out of love with JRPGs - I played a few, but never really enjoyed them.
Kiseki single handedly revived the entire genre for me, and for that I will be eternally grateful
(My apologies for yet another essay. Was so not my intent 😅)
The main problem with FF, is that it's not really meant to be a J-RPG anymore. My personal favorite is FFX (probably the last that was so good), a lot of things in there were very powerful, it's to this date my favorite game ever. But from the 12th onwards, and because of the success of the Xth on PS2 I believe, they began to be commercial games, meant to be played by the larger public.
We have to remember not everybody (far from it actually) is into those games that takes a lot of time to read and even more time to finish (they are long even when english is your mother tongue). A lot of my friends aren't gamers and though they enjoyed playing FF for the most part they would not put the effort in the likes of Kiseki games require. For the others who are gamers, either their english level was average making it hard to follow a game with that amount of dialogues, or they speak english, love to play for hours, but on fortnite/fifa/COD... xD
While I don't agree on what you said about CS1 regarding Rean as a leader / chemistry with Class VII (I agree with Ken Ken). I really enjoyed this video, quality content as always. It was good to see that you changed your oppinion on CS II. After I finished CSIV and I played CS1/2 again, I felt like I missed so much. If I may ask, what is your 3 least favorite Trails game? one is CS2 but what is the other two?
Thanks for watching mate! I fully expected that some fans wouldn't agree with my takes, and that's fine. That's the beauty of differing opinions. As long as we communicate them respectfully there's no issue, discussion is needed in a series like this!
As of now, least favourite is Sky FC, then CS1 and then CS2. CS2 basically leap frogged the other two games. Saying they're my least favourite though is a bit vague, as I love every game in this fantastic series. I just felt the other titles conveyed the best themes of the games in more effective ways.
Ok, besides informative commentary, can we take a moment to appreciate The Kiseki Nut`s witty/humorous way with words and editing skills😂👌🏻
I appreciate that someone likes the dry humour. :)
@@TheKisekiNut I love random, seemingly unfitting edits in the midst of an informative video 😂😂😂 6:24 😎🤣
Man I remember when I first got this game on the PS Vita that when I was going through GameStop and just saw it sitting there. The second game was also sitting right by it, but I only had enough money for one, but I remember looking between the two and noticing fie and being like "hey that looks like cool character." So I decided to get the first one and the second one later. One of the best decisions I've made. I've come to really love the series, and I cannot wait for more fie in the new game. So pretty. I hope they keep it ambiguous who rean got with, because I think eventually his name will come up, because in my playthroughs of the game fie was waifu all the way
I respect CS2 for how dark that ending is for a series that doesn't really do dark endings: a duology about self determination and doing things for your own sake reveals that Crow was a patsy from the start and Rean will now lose his self determination to become a tool for the state. The reflection of this on a larger scale when you realize that resolving the civil war allows the Empire to return to what empires do best: invading and annexing neighboring small countries and eliminating their self determination.
Great video 👍 However as much as I love Trails, some of the slower parts of the game like the school festival ( or the ballroom scene in 3) can be just as challenging for a player to get through as any boss. I know they are necessary but they can really drag the game. On a different note, would it be great if they added narration to the books you collect on your playthrough. I would love to listen to the books as I m going through a doungen. Sorry for the post being so long.
i think there's actually another larger JRPG TH-camr who is doing just that. They recently released an audio book style video of Carnelia, and it might be up your alley if you're looking for something like that.
Great Video, I’m currently in the middle of getting the platinum for the first 3 games so I’m fully ready for CS4 all ready finished CS1 and on my Nightmare run on CS2
I will just say this THANK GOD the first two games share the same trophy list I’ve played both cold steel 1 and 2 Multiple times on PS3 Vita And PS4 and have gotten different trophy’s on each of them so the prospect of getting the platinum is no where near as stressful as it needs to be
Plus it definitely helps that the combat is very easy to break Especially in CS2 Once I Finally got Laura Back she NEVER left the main party again and with Domination+ Waterfall+ First turn Radiant Lion S-Craft most Bosses are a complete joke
One last quick criticism of the first game for me is I just wish they Split the teams up better in Each field study like you said why we never see Jusis and Elliot In a group or Elliot and Emma has always been weird to me
Thats mostly party balance but yeah the cast is so bloated that some combinations miss out.
rean got picked as a leader because his background as a commoner adopted by noble, half of class 7 is commoner and half is noble, he is put there by sara as a bridge
Keep it up idol,, I play this game because of you more power!! God bless 🙏
Keep playing the games, Falcom compels you to do so!
Okay, I waited the whole weekend to write this. Overall, great video that shows a lot of the positives and negatives of Cold Steel. I take issue with really only one point from your video, which I'll explain here. "Why is Rean the leader?" Well, in my opinion, he's really the only character that makes sense as the leader. As a start, we have to assume that Class VII is a social experiment meant to bridge the divide between classes - the game establishes this in Cold Steel I and III. (Spoilers ahead)
Rean Schwarzer is, and the game establishes this, someone that exists between the strata. He was raised as a noble - he understands noble culture - but his adopted father took pride in living like his citizens (albeit in a bigger house). He also lacks noble blood, and the other nobles knew this, meaning he got to see the ugly side of the nobility as well. He is someone who doesn't have strong views one way or the other about the nobility, because he loves his family and believes they exemplify the best qualities of nobles, while also understanding that the class system is incredibly flawed, and allows good people to be pushed down. Going into the year, Sara knows his background (roughly), so the fact that she pushes him into a leadership role makes a lot of sense. She's sees the potential in him to serve as that bridge between the classes.
Now, to address the 2nd point you made on this - why do the student accept him as a leader - this is a much more compelling point in my opinion - because I really can only counter with how I feel about the beginning. I would argue that most of the students don't really accept him as the leader, until he proves himself capable through his words and actions. The first field study is the hardest to demonstrate this. Sara has already, by this point, made him a leader of sorts. He handed out the student notebooks, and Sara had him help out the town on behalf of class VII. Clearly she sees him as a leader (which I explain above), so there is already some authority that he's entrusted with. Alisa accepts him because she just made up with him, doesn't want to create more problems, and most importantly, doesn't really want to be the center of attention herself. Even still, she's wary of him for most of the first field study and doesn't just "accept" the front he puts on. It really isn't until he leads them through the end of chapter 1 that she accepts him more openly. Laura also accepts the role Sara assigned to him, but still questions his capability throughout the field study, through his dedication to the sword. They aren't willing to accompany him into the old schoolhouse the first time (though Laura probably would have if he asked, mostly for the challenge). Additionally, the characters in the first field study, Alisa aside, are also some of the least antagonistic toward Rean at the beginning and are more amenable to accepting the role given to him.
Onto the 2nd field study (this is the last one i'll cover, I promise), Jusis and Machias are at each others throats, and to be clear, *NEITHER* of them accept Rean's leadership OR friendship. They both dislike Rean... a lot.... going into the field study and Rean has to talk them down by appealing to their desire to perform well on the field study to even get them to agree to work with Rean. Neither character has accepted Rean, but they are smart enough to know that, currently, they can't take the lead (though Jusis does kind of try iirc). They start to be more accepting when Rean is injured because of their mistakes *and* then when Jusis opens up to him, and they realize their own connections through being raised as a noble, but not entirely treated like one (though Jusis does actually have Noble blood, and is more respected, as a son of one of the four great houses). Additionally, again, Rean leads the students to rescue Machias, which was important to Jusis as well, so by the end of this chapter, Rean has shown, through his actions, that he is a capable leader of the group.
Your point about the characters only interacting with Rean and never with each other is one of my biggest problems with the game though, especially given how effectively Cold Steel III does this, even *with* bonding events. Sorry this turned out way longer than I expected.
TL;DR I think Rean isn't just thrust into leadership randomly. He made sense, because of his background, to be the leader, and proves himself capable of the task through the first two field studies.
Thank you for watching the video, and for your comment!
A very well thought out comment too, it makes a lot of sense. My main issue with Rean being the leader mostly stemmed from how quickly he is chosen for the role, it felt too forced for my liking. If Rean simply demonstrated his leadership abilities on the field studies (as you say he does), I would be a lot more open to it. I agree that Rean pretty much personifies what Class VII represents in terms of a grouping of backgrounds that eradicates the barriers of the Class system on a smaller scale, and in that regard he makes the most sense as the leader, but the game could have just fed him in to that role, at least in my opinion. In that way, he not only convinces the other Class VII members, but also convinces us as the player too.
I appreciate your response though, it's always great to get differing opinions on viewpoints! :)
@@TheKisekiNut it does all happen fairly quickly for sure, and a lot of the earlier character interactions feel forced. Even though they try and introduce the class piecemeal, I really think the game suffers from having too many characters forced on you at once. It makes the early part of cold steel really trop-ey and it takes a lot longer to get attached than with both the SSS and Estelle and joshua. I think they realized this with 3 as well, choosing only 3 students for rean at the start. This really gives them time to flesh out Juna and Kurt a bit more (though Kurt is woefully underutilized in CS 3. I wish the game was nicer to it's non-rean boys xD)
@@stefannelson5785 I was looking forward to kurt the most going into cs3 but he never did anything or got much backstory. Cedric also took the spotlight in a lot of his scenes.
Really wanted to see some mueller as well. Hope cs4 gives him something.
@@luminous3558 Hopefully they give him more of a chance to shine yeah. The arc he has is interesting too, even if it's never really developed. His insecurity comes from multiple sources and there is a lot that affects his personal vision and goal for himself in the upcoming game :).
I always interpreted the thing around Rean in 1 to be because the others see him as, in a way, the one most willing to work outside the box, since he was the first one to agree to participate in Class VII after orientation in the old schoolhouse. It struck me as a classic example of the bystander effect, and none of the others would have joined if he hadn't taken that plunge first. I think it was because he lacked a clear path in his mind he was a bit more flexible and more willing to go off the beaten path. For that reason, having a level of respect for Rean makes sense (especially as the influence of being in Class VII becomes increasingly apparent on each of them).
I do otherwise agree that I would have like to have seen more of the other characters taking central stage once in a while though.
So much similarly with you sir. Felt like I could have made so many of these videos especially the ones on the Cold Steel arc as I started there as well.
I had thankfully played the first Trails of the Sky when I picked up CS1 for the Vita and so I knew of the world and it was actually interesting playing the "other side" and cool to see Olivert in full 3D and the same person basically. It was such a fanserice moment in CS3 to see Tito and Agate together again. Had I played the Crossbell games, it would have been cool to revisit and see characters and if I knew who Lloyd is, the ending of CS2 would have been cooler.
I've finished all of Sky and CS1 and CS2 playing through Zero right now. I LOVE reading the Crossbell times and reading about evens happening in Erebonia and TRULY understanding it. If I had never played CS I wouldn't have known who Chancellor Osborn was and just brushed off any article that mentions him for example, this being especially relevant because both Zero and CS take place in 1204 SC. But I have SO much context for this world and this kind of connectedness is possibly my most favorite aspect of the series.
Aside, I had a fair bit of nitpicks that built while playing CS1 and 2 but the end hit me SO perfectly I've become completely compelled by the series. I couldn't understand how people could replay these 60 hour games and now it all makes sense. I really hope Sky comes to switch or Playstation so I have a proper reason to replay them.
One of these nit-picks. What's with regular people being able to sense others presence in an area or in a room on the other side of the door? Lloyd also does this in Zero. Honest question, of all the things this had always felt like it's betrayed the lore.
Welcome to the Trails Feels train, you're likely not gonna be leaving for a while. :)
Glad to hear you're enjoying the games too, keep at it and enjoy them.
I remember when I played Cold Steel 1 for the first time. I made it up to Heimdallr to learn about quartz slot. I wasn't aware of hidden quests and side quests. I just did all the recommended ones. Good 'ol days.
Quick note about the next Trails arc being another entry point for newcomers yet rewarding for veterans: I believe Kondo himself has stated in an interview that this is definitely their goal with the next game (that is providing an entry point). Also, for the video Falcom uploaded earlier today to commemorate the release of Hajimari I saw a few comments stating that they've waited for this moment since the Sky arc. So I expect you to be right on the money when it comes to the series' continuation.
I actually read that in his A9VG interview! He acknowledges that there are 3 separate fanbases in Japan, the ones who grew up with Sky, then Crossbell and then Cold Steel. Kondo expects something similar to happen with the new arc, but he indeed did say that each new arc will be a separate narrative that new players can get invested in too. This of course could be pandering, I mean Falcom needs to sell games at the end of the day, but as long as they get a good balance between veteran and new-comer like they did with CS1, then I'll be happy.
Funny thing is, the 1st half and 2nd half of Cold Steel follows identical formulas.
CS1 and CS3 follows a blissful school life and separation
CS2 and CS4 follows through a war and ending it.
Of course, there are more similarities but those mentioned above is the gist of the Erebonia Arc
Now that think about it Rutger said even Rean doesn’t have the traits of a leader before they storm that naval base
I can’t wait for CS4!!!
Me too brotha lol
Damn I'm barely on CS1! I started off with FC and I don't regret that choice because Liberl and Crossbell arcs are great!
I really wanna play the Crossbell duology but I’m not sure how to go about getting them. Can you please point me in the right direction? I am looking for them both with English patches as I don’t know Japanese.
The Geofront's patch of Zero is your best bet to start:
geofront.esterior.net/
There's their website, it will give you all you need to buy the game, and instructions on how to apply the patch. It took me all of 20 minutes to get it sorted>
They're working on Ao as we speak, which will likely be completed some time in 2021.
Now I'm curious. Which game(s) did you think CS2 surpassed with your improved opinion of the epilogue?
As of now, Sky FC is my least favourite, followed by CS1 and then CS2. But calling them my least favourite isn't a true reflection of how good they are, they're still amazing games in their own rights.
I think since Reans the main character and hes pretty much vechal that you experience the story in. That's why he has to be in those scenes because you'll get all this development that happened on screen instead off it.
what's your new ranking of the games like now? Quite curious to compare seeing how cs2 is my least favorite.
Playing these games the first time, I thought there was no way I would ever do a new game+. Now, I may have to go back down that rabbit hole.
i am starting trails from cold steel rn, admittedly its kinda dragging for me (im at chapter 4) but im looking forward to when it pays off.
A game series gotta be doing something right if it has managed to convince its fans to buy at least 2 games to experience a complete story for each arc. With the first one as pure setup.
My favorite song btw is Holy Soul Holy Spirit. But I'm playing Zero right now and I really love it's whole ost.
As someone who is starting at the beginning of the whole trails series and has no issues with spoiling things for myself lol. If you are a reader I would suggest giving the wheel of time series a shot. It’s a dense series indeed, but when you talked about how the main character got kinda shoved into a leader role, it made me think of the one character Perrin from wheel of time. If you are not a reader, it will be getting adapted by Amazon prime and the first season should be out this year. But the parts I am thinking about happen in the later books. It start around book 4 if I remember correctly
@@TheKisekiNut yeah the way you described that main character situation just made me instantly think of parrin and how he Constantly is going these people have a brain why aren’t they using it. They know the answer and how they can go around fixing or handling it.
I do agree with the chemistry aspect of class vll, on first chapter of 3 while in second half of 2(... It's better not to ask lol I just love the prospect of Rean being a actual "leader" by teaching his students how to operate mechs and stuff, and so far 3 looks promising if making the new class vll have their own chemistry)
I poured 100's of hours and played through most of the cold steel games multiple times. Really looking forward to the other titles that falcom releases in 2023. I'm honestly happy I got to experience such a wonderful universe.
I stumbled on to Trails in the Sky on a whim because I had this weird thing called the PSP and nothing to play on it. So I googled best games to play on the PSP and came across that one (along with Jean D'Arc, a very good game as well, I might add)
Ever since then, I became absolutely captivated with the series. Sky FC is so good to me on so many levels and is still probably my favorite, though I still need to play Ao when that gets finished by the Geofront team and CSIV here in October. Long story short: it's my favorite series of all time, and I love revisiting these games. I love Class VII, and I love that these stories exist. Ahhhh I just never want the series to end!!
It is amazing how a series can just catch you without realising it. I don't think I'll ever get that same feeling with a series again!
as a long time fan are you getting the collector's edition for cold steel 4
Ordered it the day it was announced mate! No way I'm letting it escape my grasp.
Cold Steel 2 is my favorite. All the other games may beat it in narrative. But I just find it the most fun.
I know a lot of people who consider it their favourite in the series, it's quite polarising a title. I'm just glad I played it through for a second time.
I started CS1 and part way in started the Sky series. I need to redo the series before 4 comes to pc lol. Ugh i no lifed those games when i was on a furlough and even just after work. I am hoping to return to the series and be reinvigorated to the series.
You explained the ending of II beautifully. Also, you mentioned II was no longer your least favorite Trails game after replaying it. Just out of curiousity which is your least favorite?
I think least favourite is a disservice, as I love all these games. But my least favourite as of now is Sky FC, followed by CS1, and then CS2.
@@TheKisekiNut god I did love the ending to sky first chapter though. I IMMEDIATELY went onto second chapter. Did not expect that ending like....at all lol. I was so pleasantly surprised. :)
Interesting analysis! My biggest problem with cs2 was that it hid plot relevant stuff for cs3 behind new game plus, while really being too long to motivate doing that
Oh goodness yes, the new game plus plot was a bit too much for CS2. I didn't want to mention that because I've done so in a previous video, but please don't do that again Falcom!
Now we got CS4 with some BS normal and true ending hidden behind arbitrary sidequest completion in the final chapter and then a highly missable epilogue cutscene that only triggers if you reload your completed save file with no hint or prompt that tells you to do so.
I went straight into NG+ without seeing it the first time around.
They really gotta chill with this type of nonsense.
At least I'm not the only one who thought the majority of CS2 epilogue was redundant. The final boss fight and dungeon could have been completely cut out. The epilogue would have been better with just cut scenes IMO. The final scenes of CS2 where Rean returns to Thors after his mission at Crossbell and where old class VII depart were only needed in the epilogue IMO. Great content as always, Kiseki
Thanks for watching buddy! I'm very happy I replayed CS2 especially, the Epilogue took a much more deep meaning, which is insane considering I was not a big fan the first time around. I think that demonstrates that these games are meant to be played twice at least to get the full perspective.
I know this is old video but when you said attack on Bank by RC and School festival are at the same time, I thought maybe I remember it wrong but when I checked fandom, Thors festival is several months later after Dieter staged that attack by RC. Or dunno.
I think Sky focused more on the group, while Cold Steel is more about Rean's journey. That's why it can seem like the others are neglected. I agree, but I think it was neccessary and I see it as them being victims of prioritization. Falcom didn't feel like there was enough room to add more cutscenes, and Rean was the first priority, so they went for a minimalist route for the others. You often see them being together on free days and you can sense what is going on if you read their dialogues. One relationship that comes to mind is Fie and Emma. Emma would often look out for Fie on free days, and not just with schoolwork. When I look at this in hindsight after getting a greater understanding of Emma throughout CS2-3, it makes so much sense to Emma's character. Emma is someone who never slacks off and she hates taking risks. She often scolds Celine and the other witches for being reckless and not taking precautiouns. So she was watching over Fie, the weakest link (excluding combat) to make sure that she didn't cause any trouble or were holding class 7 back.
About Rean as a leader:
I completely disagree about Rean being a bad leader. Even on day 1, I think he was showing signs, although they weren't super obvious. He partied up with Elliot and Gaius instead of running off. Because of his martial artist background and being a bit more extroverted, he took charge in most of the conversations. After Jusis insulted Machias, he was the one who tried to make them calm down, by either grabbing Machias or telling Jusis off. It was also Rean who accepted his position in class 7 first, after Sara asked them all to confirm. Everybody also knew that Rean had instinctly tried to protect Alisa during that incident, which is what a leader does.
Rean is not a perfect leader like Lloyd, but he's the best leader of class 7 by a huge margin. Even at the start he was the best candidate. Fie and Elliot have several obvious flaws. Machias and Jusis were too hot-headed and arrogant, although Jusis started showing potential in CS2. Alisa is a bit like Jusis. Gaius and Emma seemed like they wanted to be more in the shadows because of their backgrounds, and neither can measure up to Rean anyway. Laura was the only other reasonable candidate, but Rean was a better choice because he's more extroverted, easier to talk to, less intimidating, more open minded and attentive to others needs.
I don't have any problems with how he was thrown into the leader role. I thought it was a very natural process. At first it seemed like Sara was just messing with him. I don't think the others saw him as their leader back then. IMO he wasn't regarded as their leader until he got Valimar. Before that, he was slowly growing into an informal leader role, and even if we say that he was the defacto leader by month 3 or so, I think it would have been justified, because he had by then shown all the qualities I mentioned. You did say that he didn't have a purpose in life, but in this context I don't think it matters and noone was as committed to Thors as him, and he was often the person to take charge on field studies. That was a lot more important. But I think your point is valid in explaining his shortcomings in leading and keeping the group together after Thors.
I agree that the Rean solves everything trope was laid on a bit thick, but I don't think it was as bad as it was perceived. He was the first person who tried to intervene when Machias and Jusis were going at eachother, so he showed some potential there. With Laura and Fie he didn't really do anything. He just happened to be there. And he was important for Alisa's growth simply because he was the person who triggered her immature tendencies.
You're not the first who have complained about Rean being treated differently in CS2, but remember that he flew away from them after being destroyed in battle. And they knew that he had a huge target on his back. They also knew that Rean was the kind of person who could easily get into trouble. We can also assume that they all got to say somewhat proper goodbyes with the other members. Now in hindsight we know that Crow never cared about the war. He became totally apathetic after he had shot Osborne, which was his life goal, and he helped Rean throughout CS2 many times, and more importantly, he didn't kill him although he easily could have. So in hindsight Rean was lucky to be alive. He should have died, but Crow allowed him to live. Being fully aware of what kind of danger Rean was in, don't you think it was reasonable for the others to be extra worried about him? I think so. Plus, he had Valimar. And again, because the games focuses on Rean, you don't really get to see the interactions of the other members. This doesn't mean that they don't occur though.
I agree on the best quality ost lmao, cant get enough of afterschool hours from CS1 lol. Always played them when im outsidr
Crazy amount of top tier songs on the Cold Steel OST!
Just about to finish Trails to Zero for the first time, going to move on to Azure, and then going to replay the Cold Steel games in the hope of finishing them before IV. I have a lot of work ahead of me, but god do I love this series, and I’m glad I’m finally playing through Crossbell.
I salute you, push forward relentlessly!
That will be a little less than 300h of gaming before the end of october. Enjoy !
RiriSion normally I’d say it would be too much, but I’m still not back to work yet, and so I have plenty of free time. I should be finishing up Azure tomorrow (my god, what a game) and I’ve been playing Cold Steel 1 a bit these last few days as an occasional change of pace from Crossbell (currently in Chapter 2), and so honestly, I probably’ll have all of this done in September, all things panning our how I think they will.
I have way too much free time on my hands. Lol
I just have gotten into this great series with only CS1 + 2 under my belt, and I can honestly say that I love them. Ok the epilogue for 2 is WAY TOO LONG but I would gladly do it again ... after playing the rest of the games
Well. A relevant point for choosing Rein would be to have a double belonging. A fluid identity: noble - yet adopted. Unlike Yusis, Rein is more pragmatic about it, has a higher emotional intelligence. It copes well with an ambiguous position in the hybrid system of royal aristocracy and bureaucratic meritocracy. He's good at everything, and genius at nothing (with the exception of his latent swordman potential). With this, he would be able to absorb dramas on a wider spectrum than the others, with identities too marked by the hierarchical system. Primary difficulty to be overcome by other Class VII students. But of course, in reality, there is a deification with less real justification. Very good review!
I feel like the double edged sword of each trails game is that they are reflective of whatever anime series were popular around the time they were made.
In the case of Cold Steel, anime like Naruto and My Hero Academia have huge and ever expanding casts that are tied to one main protagonist, leading to many characters going undeveloped. I didn't even make the connection until I started seeing MHA.
Well already done 1 and 2 and now want to do 3 before Cold Steel 4
I started by playing CS1 and CS2, then I planned to follow the series and play CS3 but I learned that I had to play the Sky games to fully understand that game. Long story short, I'm now playing Ao, and would like to refresh my CS1 and CS2 memories, so this video comes at a very great moment. That said, hopefully it doesn't spoil a lot from Ao haha.
Don't worry mate, I mark the Ao spoiler when it happens. :)
I'd just finished the first two when I finally got a Switch, so I've been a bit distracted. Which may a good thing since my potato laptop was having issues w/ CSIII anyway. I may end up having to buy it on Switch instead. Playing the demo of the third game, it feels kinda weird. I'm guessing the changes grow on you...?
Cold Steel III is the best in the Cold Steel arc to many people. It's my second favourite behind CS IV, but it is fantastic. I feel a lot of the issues from CS1 in regards to characterisation were fixed in the game, and the plot is top tier. The only issue I really have with CS III is that the game is exploitable because of the new combat mechanics - that being said, if you enjoyed the other games I'm confident that this one will grow on you.
I am planning on doing the same before the 4th releases this October, luckily I still have plenty of time!
Do it, do it, do it, do it! Totally worth it in my opinion.
The Kiseki Nut oh I totally will bro I promise you that much, I love this series so much!
I beat all 4 and about to buy reverie.. needed a quick refresher
I agree their chemistry wasn't the best in the series but I admit I had to hold back tears at the end of CS 2 when Millium cried.
I wanted to play the Sky and Crossbell arcs after that, but since I don't have a PC and my ps vita is busted, I had to settle for watching a summary online. Is there any other way I can play the other two arcs?
I'm afraid I don't know any other way you can play the two other arcs, but a summary is still better than nothing. I always say that PC is the best if you want as wide an access as possible to the Trails games. It'll pretty much be the de facto platform when Geofront finish their Ao patch, as all games will be available on the PC by that point.
My entry into this series was strange to say the least I got cs1 and 2 one day but because I knew it had a connected story I watched the whole sky trilogy which isn't the same as playing it but I still enjoyed it, playing cold steel 1 was a fun time and while I felt it was slow paced when it hit it hit hard mainly the ending, through the whole game crow was an okay character for me wasn't bad but not amazing, when the ending happened he became ten time more interesting and in cs2 he became one of my favorite characters due to his backstory and how fighting for the nobles was his was of taking responsibility for what he caused, I also really enjoyed his relationship with Dean as he really acted like and good friend to him even though they were enemies which made his death all the more sad to me and how rean just snaps to Osbourne at the end just made it harder (sorry for this being so long)
I'm just thinking, Trails of Cold Steel 3 or maybe 4 is a continuation and also trying to fix all "the missing part". Maybe.
Hearing your takes was interesting, especially the ones regarding CS2. I can appreciate its epilogue just a little bit more now, but the reverie corridor from a gameplay standpoint drags it down alot for me, especially after having fought all cryptids when I could in my second playthrough. (Side note: Also the dang fishing sidequest AAAA) I replayed CS1 and CS2 before playing CS3, and with CS2 I found that Act 1 and the epilogue in particular were the parts that I couldn't get into all that much.
That being said, I could appreciate them more as both starting points for the trails series as well as Trails parts 6 and 7. These two games may be at the bottom for me, but I still found them to be fun to revisit nonetheless.
They are definitely divisive games, and I can see both sides. But I personally will never change my tune that the arc itself is still stellar (especially the second half) despite my overall thoughts on it as the weakest of the 3. The role of CS1 especially is becoming more and more notable as well as we go further in, becoming that start point that many new fans will need.
@@TheKisekiNut Although I've yet to play CS4, I can agree so far that the second half is fantastic. I personally started out with the sky trilogy (going into CS1/2 followed by Zero/Azure), but when I got to CS1 I will admit that on my first run I was addicted, finishing the game in less than a week. So, while I'm personally more of a release order advocate, if CS1 is able to bring in more fans, I certainly won't complain.
Fully agree, these games had the strongest ost