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[Holundrian]

I finished Zero

Spoiler

Goddamnit, in typical Falcom fashion almost none of the many questions that popped up during the game were answered. I still enjoyed the ride a great deal.
The payoff to Renne's story was great and probably my favorite plotline within the game.
Zero really is kind of a true taste of the type of payoff only long running series with interconnected worlds can offer.

Suffice to say I loved all the character an was really into the more focused 4 characters especially coming of from Cold Steel II and XV not doing it as well. The breath of fresh air I needed.

I got to see 2 final bond moments because of reloading and making use of point manipulation through combine craft which is Elie and Randy. Well while there's not much interesting to say about the Elie one it's your usual romantic moment getting interrupted type of deal. Randy's was great. I loved the small touch they did on his portrait(at least I believe they did) when he talks about his past at the Yaeger corps.
He goes all super dark, slightly blood lusty gaze. Dude was my favorite character probably.

Enjoyed my time immensely I was trying to figure out the whole time what the overarching story in Zero is going to be but in the end everything was very much just character stories and different people crossing paths in this city somewhat like a vignette of character lives.

But now to all the questions x_X_
- What was Kilikas true aim in visiting Crossbell, no way she's here to scout the entertainment stuff it has to offer
- Who killed Guy?
- Lechter what's your deal?
- Eoria and Rin are you guys going to be important?
- I need to know more about Randy's Yaeger stories....
- Yin/Rixia what was actually the end goal of your contract and what you're going to do now that Ruvarche is kind of destroyed?
- Kea why were you glowing, do you have firefly dna?
- etc etc etc

Now I could immediately go on to Ao to get some of these answered but honestly I need a break and cleanse my gaming palate with something that isn't an RPG.

 

[SephLuis]

I finished Zero
Now I could immediately go on to Ao to get some of these answered but honestly I need a break and cleanse my gaming palate with something that isn't an RPG.

Most of the questions are for Ao. I think Zero is great in the sense that it's a mostly complete story with just enough questions to justify the sequel. It's not like the endings of TitS FC or CS I.

Dare I recommend Yakuza 0 as a palate cleanser ? It's still a RPG but very, very different from everything else.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

She feels out of place in Trails of Sky somewhat, err... "realistic" narrative. I wouldn't have minded her much if she was just an NPC, but she's really weird in places like the final dungeon.

Though it's interesting to note the difference in portrayal when it comes to child characters between CS and Tits. It's both hilarious and kinda disturbing.

Actually, she rather does. Garbo stats, crappy orbment setup, FC 3rd chapter:

Spoiler

she totally borks up her grandfather's rescue at the tower and is only there in Leiston for tech knowhow.

She's an undertrained combat-untalented kid and the game hammers that home constantly.

FC doesn't really have fishing though. There is one point in the game where you can fish, but it doesn't really become a feature until SC, and perhaps later games.

In fact FC doesn't really have much at all in the way of minigame type things.

"I AM A GODDESS OF FISHING!"

 

[apd_ng]

How to I catch Eels in Zero? They keep running away t___t

 

[Nyoro SF]

How to I catch Eels in Zero? They keep running away t___t

The most powerful technology known in RPGs that predates the Zemurian ancient civilization.

Spoiler

Save and Reload

 

[Holundrian]

Most of the questions are for Ao. I think Zero is great in the sense that it's a mostly complete story with just enough questions to justify the sequel. It's not like the endings of TitS FC or CS I.

Dare I recommend Yakuza 0 as a palate cleanser ? It's still a RPG but very, very different from everything else.

Yeah I actually loved Zero I didn't mind and usually don't mind that style of story telling(one where there isn't a clear A plot storyline that has a clear thread running through from beginning to end) and it works better the farther you go into these large world connecting series.

As for palate cleanser Y0 has actually been decided as my January game since I platinumed Y5 when it hit ps+. My heart bleeds for Gravity Rush 2 but you can't escape the Yakuza life. Really the only thing will be me probably not finishing Y0 before Nioh hits delaying the return to Ao even more. Maybe a good thing. I'm really overdosed on dem JRPGs after going through the string of P5, Cold Steel II, XV and now Zero.

How to I catch Eels in Zero? They keep running away t___t

I did it at the fishing spot at the crossbell harbor using worms/mimizu.

 

[apd_ng]

Yeah I actually loved Zero I didn't mind and usually don't mind that style of story telling(one where there isn't a clear A plot storyline that has a clear thread running through from beginning to end) and it works better the farther you go into these large world connecting series.

As for palate cleanser Y0 has actually been decided as my January game since I platinumed Y5 when it hit ps+. My heart bleeds for Gravity Rush 2 but you can't escape the Yakuza life. Really the only thing will be me probably not finishing Y0 before Nioh hits delaying the return to Ao even more. Maybe a good thing. I'm really overdosed on dem JRPGs after going through the string of P5, Cold Steel II, XV and now Zero.



I did it at the fishing spot at the crossbell harbor using worms/mimizu.

Overdose your plate even more when Dragon Quest VIII comes out in 2 weeks

 

[Holundrian]

Overdose your plate even more when Dragon Quest VIII comes out in 2 weeks

Already played the 3ds remake(I'd say I even 100% it only thing I didn't do was finding something that relied on some especially bs rng

Spoiler

rainbow colored Stella, I think was the name of the fairy, found all the other ones though

) when it came out in JP even for the first time cause I never owned a PS2, was a great game, those menu's though... DQXI pls update menu navigation x_X. I still need to find a good deal on VII though if it weren't for the region lock on the 3ds I'd probably already own it along side SMT Final but until I find a good deal I'll bide my time.

 

[apd_ng]

Already played the 3ds remake(I'd say I even 100% it only thing I didn't do was finding something that relied on some especially bs rng

Spoiler

rainbow Stella I think was the name of the fairy

) when it came out in JP even for the first time cause I never owned a PS2, was a great game, those menu's though... DQXI pls update menu navigation x_X.
I still need to find a good deal on VII though.

Are they still slow and ancient anddddd inefficient as hell like DQ7? ohgod ~____~

 

[Holundrian]

Are they still slow and ancient anddddd inefficient as hell like DQ7? ohgod ~____~

Menus yes, Alchemy is majorly painful to do especially when you do it for the money. I think battles are faster now though from what I've been told. And from what I could gather it's far easier to max level because monsters show up in the field and it employs the same spawning algorithm like in DQ9 where it's depending on your camera view. So you can manipulate spawns by looking aware at certain spawn points until the monster you needs spawns. Made the grind pretty fun.

Taking it back to Zero though, so until Y0 comes out I'll probably do some work on Zero's platinum still. Just wanted to ask if anyone had Nightmare run tips/quartz setups/etc. I'm happy I got the finish under or at level 40 trophy. That was a major pain in the end making me kill certain party members during key fights so they don't receive exp and go over.

 

[PK Gaming]

Could you fish in Chapter 2 of FC?

I had to return the Fishing Rod I borrowed for that one quest, but I didn't actually go out of my way to fish stuff

 

[Glitter and Gold]

Could you fish in Chapter 2 of FC?

I had to return the Fishing Rod I borrowed for that one quest, but I didn't actually go out of my way to fish stuff

Yeah. I think that's the only point you can in the first game and there's a trophy attached to it.

 

[thestopsign]

End of SC Spoilers:

Spoiler

Man, it took me 6 tries to beat Loewe and when I did it was by complete luck. I eventually put a Poppet accessory on Kloe so she could die and then full heal everyone at a point in the fight and she ended up being the only one left alive with all 3 copies of Loewe still up and one of his robo flunkies. I pop her S-Break and manage to top up most of my guys and I have Zane True Distend himself followed by a 4-man Thunder God Kick to kill off 3 of the 4 remaining baddies. It came down completely to accidental positioning of where all of Loewe's clones were and a cheap trick with a one-time use accessory. I'm thinking Kevin maybe would have made the fight a bit easier than Kloe, because he can prevent the AoE damage entirely with his S-Break, but I didn't want to run all the way back to change characters.

I was really close a few other times with the last (first?) version of Loewe still alive and he one-shot my whole party with one of his S-Breaks, I was about to throw my controller into a wall.

 

[Young Magus]

I finished Zero

Now I could immediately go on to Ao to get some of these answered but honestly I need a break and cleanse my gaming palate with something that isn't an RPG.

First off,

to my bro. Glad you enjoyed it.

Second:
Naw fuck that start Ao now

 

[Nyoro SF]

First off,

to my bro. Glad you enjoyed it.

Second:
Naw fuck that start Ao now

Yeah Holundrian. You won't be able to resist forever.
Give in to your conflicting passions....

 

[Young Magus]

Yeah Holundrian. You won't be able to resist forever.
Give in to your conflicting passions....

Better do it now before it grows into an
Unfathomed Force

 

[CertifiedFP]

So uh, is it normal for everyone who joins my party in TiTS to be way over the level of the main two? Is it some gameplay-story integration of how everyone says they're not ready? Or am I not fighting enough trash-mobs?

Also TBH I'm actually getting somewhat annoyed with how it's constantly toying with my party composition. Easily one of the things I've hated in JRPGs ever since suffering through FF13.

 

[Nyoro SF]

So uh, is it normal for everyone who joins my party in TiTS to be way over the level of the main two? Is it some gameplay-story integration of how everyone says they're not ready? Or am I not fighting enough trash-mobs?

Also TBH I'm actually getting somewhat annoyed with how it's constantly toying with my party composition. Easily one of the things I've hated in JRPGs ever since suffering through FF13.

To explain both of those:
1) Yes it's to show that the temporary characters are stronger and better than you.
2) The party composition changing serves as a small introduction for each character and sometimes their setting too. In the sequel, you get way more freedom and choice with your party selections and then a lot of the questions get answered regarding some of the characters or their original settings. It's extremely well done.

 

[Holundrian]

First off,

to my bro. Glad you enjoyed it.

Second:
Naw fuck that start Ao now

Yeah Holundrian. You won't be able to resist forever.
Give in to your conflicting passions....

Haha, I don't want to ruin the experience through fatigue but man that trailer is pretty hype I admit. Also wouldn't feel right moving into Ao without having that perfect save import file so it would still have to wait until my rush nightmare run anyway(Which I estimate is probably going to be around 10 hours or less).

By the way what are the save import rewards for Ao?

 

[Paches]

Cold Steel ENDING:

Spoiler

Wow, so we go full on fucking Xenogears and we get THAT ending? They are just forcing me to insta-purchase Cold Steel 2 right now, aren't they? Shit.

 

[PK Gaming]

Cold Steel ENDING:

Spoiler

Wow, so we go full on fucking Xenogears and we get THAT ending? They are just forcing me to insta-purchase Cold Steel 2 right now, aren't they? Shit.

 

[Thoraxes]

Cold Steel ENDING:

Spoiler

Wow, so we go full on fucking Xenogears and we get THAT ending? They are just forcing me to insta-purchase Cold Steel 2 right now, aren't they? Shit.

Yeah man. Do it!

That whole last bit I was like:

(CS1 end spoilers)

Spoiler

"Oh shit, that looks like a FUCKING MECH. DUDE THIS IS AWESOME. Too bad it's out of commission."
"Oh shit if I get to go in that, this would be the RADDEST SHIT EVER. I wonder if it has a cockpit?"
"Oh shit am I going to go in? George says there's a cockpit?"
"OH SHIT AM I GOING TO GO IN?"
"Oh shit is this really happening?"
"Oooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh shiiiiiittttttttttt."

HEED MY CALL VALIMAR THE ASHEN KNIGHT

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*RAISE MY HAND TO THE SKY AND SHOUT THE LINE AS THE CREDITS ROLL AS I BLAST THE DECISIVE COLLISION*

I stayed up for 20 hours finishing the game and went to work on no sleep because I got hyped as hell because of that ending and just couldn't stop.

 

[Young Magus]

By the way what are the save import rewards for Ao?

They ant shit.

Spoiler

Tho the biggest one is that you can get a lvl 3 team craft with whomever you paired up with from zero

 

[PK Gaming]

Yeah man. Do it!

That whole last bit I was like:

(CS1 end spoilers)

Spoiler

"Oh shit, that looks like a FUCKING MECH. DUDE THIS IS AWESOME. Too bad it's out of commission."
"Oh shit if I get to go in that, this would be the RADDEST SHIT EVER. I wonder if it has a cockpit?"
"Oh shit am I going to go in? George says there's a cockpit?"
"OH SHIT AM I GOING TO GO IN?"
"Oh shit is this really happening?"
"Oooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh shiiiiiittttttttttt."

HEED MY CALL VALIMAR THE ASHEN KNIGHT

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*RAISE MY HAND TO THE SKY AND SHOUT THE LINE AS THE CREDITS ROLL AS I BLAST THE DECISIVE COLLISION*

I stayed up for 20 hours finishing the game and went to work on no sleep because I got hyped as hell because of that ending and just couldn't stop.

Oh man, I remember live posting my experiences on LINE and not going to bed either

I'll never, ever forget the flurry of emotions I felt

Spoiler

The tension, the anticipation, the shock, THE BETRAYAL, the high action MECHA BOSS FIGHT and that final boss music

It was like Code Geass on crack.

 

[duckroll]

If only CS2 lived up to the final two hours of CS1. Lol.

 

[ShadowSoldier89]

If only CS2 lived up to the final two hours of CS1. Lol.

I liked CS2 waaaaaaay more than CS1. its low points were definitely lower, but the high points were much higher

 

[duckroll]

I liked CS2 waaaaaaay more than CS1. its low points were definitely lower, but the high points were much higher

That has no relevance to what I said though!

 

[ShadowSoldier89]

That has no relevance to what I said though!

but it does though, those final 2 hours were pretty epic, but CS2 surpasses them a lot.

Though honestly, I'm probably not nearly as high on the ending of CS1 as most. Much more enjoyed the turns FC took

 

[PK Gaming]

I don't blame CS2 for not living up to what was easily the best moment in Kiseki history

Hell, final bosses in general

 

[duckroll]

but it does though, those final 2 hours were pretty epic, but CS2 surpasses them a lot.

I don't think so at all. There are individual slices of moments throughout CS2 which are really, really good, but there is nothing in CS2 that has the momentum of those two hours. That's my biggest critique of CS2, the entire game, for the sort of story it wants to be, really has no momentum. It just bounces around.

 

[SolVanderlyn]

CS2 had an awesome final few hours/dungeon

Spoiler

and side story. The final FINAL dungeon felt like extra DLC, though. Not that I'm complaining about more content, but to tack on a procedurally generated dungeon after an ending like that with a boss that literally says "why are you fighting me bro" feels a bit extraneous

 

[Holundrian]

They ant shit.

Spoiler

Tho the biggest one is that you can get a lvl 3 team craft with whomever you paired up with from zero

Wait what? Do I have to prepare 3 Zero completion files to get all of them? Not that it's hard to do but man tedious.

 

[thestopsign]

OK, just fully beat SC. I'm ready to take a break from long RPGs for a while, the game really grinded with me towards the end. I still really enjoyed the battle system, music, and chapters 1-5. I could take or leave the whole ending sequence.

 

[Holundrian]

Since people are interested in this, I put together a ranking of characters sort by strength, based on comments from the games and from Kondo with additional help from Yotaka and Japanese fans. It's series-wide and thus contains spoilers: http://kiseki.wikia.com/wiki/Ranking of characters by strength

What about all the people missing in this list not enough data points to rank them or are they all just below A-?

 

[CertifiedFP]

Hmm, noticed the Lionheart Edition of ToCS for Vita is only $40 on Amazon. Worth picking up to have on hand once I get through the first two TiTS? Or should I wait for a possible PS4 and/or PC port of Cold Steel in case I end up too fatigued to go into TiTS2 right away?

 

[Holundrian]

Hmm, noticed the Lionheart Edition of ToCS for Vita is only $40 on Amazon. Worth picking up to have on hand once I get through the first two TiTS? Or should I wait for a possible PS4 and/or PC port of Cold Steel in case I end up too fatigued to go into TiTS2 right away?

Not sure how rare it is but I'd say if your time horizon for wanting to play CSI is at least two years away wait. I think chances are within the year after Sen III releases a PS4 port announcement of the first 2 Cold Steel games might be possible.
If you plan to play it somewhere within 2017 buy it now.

 

[preta]

I don't blame CS2 for not living up to what was easily the best moment in Kiseki history

Hell, final bosses in general

Hey, you haven't even played Ao yet though...

 

[duckroll]

Hmm, noticed the Lionheart Edition of ToCS for Vita is only $40 on Amazon. Worth picking up to have on hand once I get through the first two TiTS? Or should I wait for a possible PS4 and/or PC port of Cold Steel in case I end up too fatigued to go into TiTS2 right away?

I don't think there will be a PC port anytime soon. Possibly never. I think a PS4 remaster is very likely though. I'm also not sure if the Vita version is the way to go with this...

But the Lionheart Edition is really nice.

 

[TR_]

By the way what are the save import rewards for Ao?

You get some extra dialogue based on who you choose at the tower. Also, I think it's the only way to get a perfect save file where all final bonding events can be available in a single playthrough.

 

[Gu4n]

What about all the people missing in this list not enough data points to rank them or are they all just below A-?

Yeah. I added them to the page, so with Zero and Ao characters only filtered from the list, the full list looks as follows:

Spoiler

S∞
---

S4
- Lance Maiden
- Toval's other goddess
- McBurn (demon)
- Georg Weissmann (angel)

S3
- Cassius Bright (sword)
- War God
- Rutger Claussell

SS
- Leonhardt
- Arios MacLaine
- ---
- Victor S. Arseid

S
- Cassius Bright (staff)

A+
- Kevin Graham
- Rufina Argent
- ---

A
- Walter
- Kilika Rouran
- --
- Rixia Mao
- Zane Vathek
- Bleublanc
- Luciola
- Renne Hayworth
- Wazy Hemisphere
- Duvalie
- Xeno
- Leonidas
- Sharon Kreuger
- Rufus Albarea

A-
- --
- Campanella [?]
- Kurt Nardin
- --
- Maximillian Cid
- Phillipp Reinard
- Mueller Vander
- General Morgan
- Joshua Bright
- --
- Alan Richard
- Rean Schwarzer (Spirit Fused)
- Crow Armbrust
- Neithardt
- Vulcan
- Sara Valestein
- Claire Rieveldt

B+
- Agate Crosner
- Scherazard Harvey
- Julia Schwarz
- Ries Argent
- Scarlet
- Toval Randonneur
- Olivert Reise Arnor

B
- Estelle Bright
- Anelace Elfead
- Kanone Amalthea
- Carna
- Grant
- ---
- ---
- Lloyd Bannings
- Laura S. Arseid
- Fie Claussell
- Rean Schwarzer
- Angelica Rogner

B-
- Klaudia von Auslese
- Gaius Worzel
- Jusis Albarea
- Emma Millstein
- Patrick T. Hyarms

C+
- ---
- ---
- Alisa Reinford
- Machias Regnitz
- Elliot Craig
- Towa Herschel

C
- Kyle Capua
- Don Capua
- Deen
- Rais
- Rocco

C-
- Gilbert Stein
- Josette Capua
- Elise Schwarzer

D+
- Tita Russell
- Alfin Reise Arnor

 

[Glitter and Gold]

What criteria is that list based on exactly?

 

[Aeana]

Tita's s-crafts are way better than most of the people above her, list invalidated.

 

[Gu4n]

What criteria is that list based on exactly?

Since people are interested in this, I put together a ranking of characters sort by strength, based on comments from the games and from Kondo with additional help from Yotaka and Japanese fans.

_

Tita's s-crafts are way better than most of the people above her, list invalidated.

Agreed. I think I had Tita and Agate fire off S-Crafts while the two other party members kept them buffed in The 3rd. That was amazing.

 

[Glitter and Gold]

I saw that. I'm just confused at how they came to some of the conclusions they did.

 

[ShadowSoldier89]

I don't think there will be a PC port anytime soon. Possibly never. I think a PS4 remaster is very likely though. I'm also not sure if the Vita version is the way to go with this...

But the Lionheart Edition is really nice.

I have the lionheart edition for PS3, I like it a lot more than the vita version since the PS3 copies have large full color manuals

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

That's a pretty neat list, and it's nice to see it going all the way down.

One thought that occurs to me, though: (CS2 finale)

Spoiler

Olivert and Toval are a full two tiers below Duvalie and Bleublanc on this list, yet in CS2 it seems like the story indicated that they'd basically be a match for each other, or at least close enough to not be too much of a difference. I could get them being one tier down, but it seems like they should at least be a little closer, right?

Where would Millium fit in? B tier?

 

[Nightengale]

That's a pretty neat list, and it's nice to see it going all the way down.

One thought that occurs to me, though: (CS2 finale)

Spoiler

Olivert and Toval are a full two tiers below Duvalie and Bleublanc on this list, yet in CS2 it seems like the story indicated that they'd basically be a match for each other, or at least close enough to not be too much of a difference. I could get them being one tier down, but it seems like they should at least be a little closer, right?

Where would Millium fit in? B tier?

Kiseki has way too much "I'm actually holding back/these ain't even my true power levels" to gauge at a very critical level.

For one, the two examples you cited, the first,

Spoiler

Duvalie

would be seen as undeserving of the level granted due to the fact that the story [CS2 spoiler]

Spoiler

treats her as what's effectively a comic relief half-the-time

, but towards the end, we do see that at full power

Spoiler

she's deserving of her ability, by being able to wreck half of Class VII caliber fighters if she actually put her heart into it

And I don't think I really need to elaborate on the 2nd character's demonstration of inconsistent power levels.

 

[Glitter and Gold]

Spoiler

Duvalie and Bleublanc

are consistent in that they're the strongest characters who are never allowed to win fights.

I guess the list seems iffy to me in that past a certain point I don't really think it makes sense to rank characters by power levels. It's good for making sense out of the top half though. But it seems like anyone in A and below has the potential to beat anyone else in that chunk if the narrative demands it

 

[duckroll]

That's because "power levels" don't really mean that much in Kiseki outside of certain inhuman exceptions. In the majority of cases, the narrative takes into consideration motivation, experience, and preparation. So anyone who is reasonably skilled, has more experienced, and is less cocky and more prepared, is in a position to win a fight or at the very least force a draw.

 

[Nightengale]

Spoiler

Duvalie and Bleublanc

are consistent in that they're the strongest characters who are never allowed to win fights.

I guess the list seems iffy to me in that past a certain point I don't really think it makes sense to rank characters by power levels. It's good for making sense out of the top half though. But it seems like anyone in A and below has the potential to beat anyone else in that chunk if the narrative demands it

There are stuff that we basically have to take a secondary opinion's validity on.

Based on [franchise spoiler]

Spoiler

Joshua's

own words, he is [franchise spoiler]

Spoiler

the weakest of the Enforcers in frontal combat, surpassed by even Renne, and unless specifically highlighted as a top-class one like Loewe or McBurn, the variance of strength between the average Enforcer appears to be negligible by lore.