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[Vamphuntr]

Regarding party speculation for CS3, here's what we know so far from Kondo's Dengeki interview:

Spoiler

- The story picks up 1.5 years after the CS2 ending, Class VII has graduated and everyone has gone their separate ways (translation: this is just like how CS2 starts, with everyone split up and Rean on his own)

- Rean is still working under Osborne trying to find his own way. Based on the key art and the screens, he's probably still paired up with Altina

- Sara is no longer an instructor at Thors

- The two new characters in the key visual seem to be Thors students, but he doesn't comment on the actual nature of the uniform, the girl with green hair in one of the screens is a character who has a connection to Rean as well (translation: more harem bait zzzzzzzzzz)

- There will be returning characters from the Liberl games who will join the party

- A certain "someone" from the Crossbell games will have a role in the story

- Rean's remaining mysteries will be revealed

- The new Brave Order system has to do with commands Rean can issue so he's definitely the main character again lol

Here's what we can assume based on stuff from CS2 as well:

Spoiler

- Fie still has a big role to play if they're going to do story stuff regarding Zephyr

- Laura and Gauis are probably going to be involved in the story at some point if they want the rivalries to play out with those two generals they introduced in CS2

- If Altina is a party member, it seems unlikely Millium will be, but she'll probably play a role in Altina's storyline

- Elliot sucks no one gives a fuck about him (haha made you read!!!)

Thanks for this!

As for the CS2 connection

Spoiler

It's pretty obvious Fie will important even if she's not playable as Zephyr tell her they want to bring their boss back in the last dungeon of CSII. I guess it might be linked to Osborne resurrection?

Spoiler

Altina is no surprise seems they were together in the Divertissement Epilgoue. I guess the main character from the Crossbell games will Be Lloyd as he asks Rean his name and vow to remember it

Spoiler

Sara not being a teacher anymore was already known. She goes back to being a bracer with Toval in the ending and you can see Fie with them in one of the picture during the credits

Spoiler

Oliver better be playable in this one and I hope Angela and Sharon are back they were the best part of CSII

 

[Eylos]

No lies detected here.

Indeed

 

[Scrooge McDuck]

Thanks for this!

As for the CS2 connection

Spoiler

It's pretty obvious Fie will important even if she's not playable as Zephyr tell her they want to bring their boss back in the last dungeon of CSII. I guess it might be linked to Osborne resurrection?

Spoiler

Altina is no surprise seems they were together in the Divertissement Epilgoue. I guess the main character from the Crossbell games will Be Lloyd as he asks Rean his name and vow to remember it

Spoiler

Sara not being a teacher anymore was already known. She goes back to being a bracer with Toval in the ending and you can see Fie with them in one of the picture during the credits

Spoiler

Oliver better be playable in this one and I hope Angela and Sharon are back they were the best part of CSII

duckroll hasn't completely finished the game yet, AFAIK.

 

[duckroll]

Yeah I have the epilogue to go. Just gotta get it over with.

 

[Zephyx]

Yeah I have the epilogue to go. Just gotta get it over with.

Rean's harem increases by 1 every chapter so expect the same on the epilogue.

Question re Crossbell/end of Ao:

Spoiler

If Sen III starts 1.5 years later after Sen II, then we'd probably have the liberation of Crossbell at the end of Sen III right? Not really sure regarding the date but I believe it was mentioned during Ao's ending. Wonder how will that happen..

 

[omgfloofy]

Spoiler

If Sen III starts 1.5 years later after Sen II, then we'd probably have the liberation of Crossbell at the end of Sen III right? Not really sure regarding the date but I believe it was mentioned during Ao's ending. Wonder how will that happen..

End of Ao spoiler:

Spoiler

Correct. The liberation hasn't happened yet, but we're definitely closer to it happening. IIRC, Crossbell's liberation happens in 1207. Depending on the scale of time for Sen III and *when* in 1206 this begins, it may happen on-screen in the game.

 

[Brandon F]

GAF you have convinced me finally. I want to play Cold Steel 1/2.

They sound incredible, and am dying to play them. Seems its worthwhile to experience the Trails in the Sky games first to avoid eventual spoilers and to appreciate the worldbuilding further as I play CS.

Just wondering how vital/worthwhile it actually is to do so? Also how concerned should I be(if at all) regarding missables in Sky FC/SC? I am told it is chock full of them and a guide is recommended.

Any 'ending' issues by ignoring a completist play?
What transfers from FC to SC and anything to keep in mind?
Actually any general tips before diving in?
Screw that plan and just start with Cold Steel 1 and play Sky later, the appreciation will be equally met in reverse?

This is gonna be a long journey, could use some support and upfront tips!

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

GAF you have convinced me finally. I want to play Cold Steel 1/2.

They sound incredible, and am dying to play them. Seems its worthwhile to experience the Trails in the Sky games first to avoid eventual spoilers and to appreciate the worldbuilding further as I play CS.

Just wondering how vital/worthwhile it actually is to do so? Also how concerned should I be(if at all) regarding missables in Sky FC/SC? I am told it is chock full of them and a guide is recommended.

Any 'ending' issues by ignoring a completist play?
What transfers from FC to SC and anything to keep in mind?
Actually any general tips before diving in?
Screw that plan and just start with Cold Steel 1 and play Sky later, the appreciation will be equally met in reverse?

This is gonna be a long journey, could use some support and upfront tips!

It's not essential to play the Sky games, although many people consider them better games (although opinions tend to be split, and Cold Steel II in particular is really well liked). There's definitely stuff in Cold Steel that pays off more if you've played the Sky games, but there's no point where you'd be lost. So it's really up to you. I would recommend them just on the basis of the fact that I love them, and you do gain a better love and understanding for the saga by playing them in order.

There's a lot of missable stuff, but it's up to you if you really want to be concerned for that. It's mostly hidden quests and books that you can miss out on. You'll be missing out on some additional story/world building flavor, but nothing that will severely hamper your experience. If you're being diligent about talking to people you can get most stuff without a guide, but some of the games do have one or two bits that might be really easy to miss on unless you're following a guide. It's really up to how you decide you want to approach the games.

There are no ending issues, because the games all have a single ending.

The transfers from FC to SC are Estelle's level (but the minimum at the start of SC is 35, and the max is 40, so if you somehow beat FC with a level below 35, you'll just start at 35, and if you had wasted hours of your life grinding up above 40, you'll start at 40), characters who you helped on their quests in the first game will remember you in SC and have different dialogue, and if you get a max bracer rank (basically a perfect playthrough where you didn't miss anything and made every correct choice during events/side quests which had choices) you'll get some bonus items.

Playing Cold Steel first and then going back to the Sky games is definitely workable. Some moments will be spoiled, but most of the big emotional beats aren't touched on at all. There will be some places where you can gain a different perspective since you know where things are going, but you'll also lose out on some mysterious character motivations since you'll already know who those characters are.

 

[Brandon F]

It's not essential to play the Sky games, although many people consider them better games (although opinions tend to be split, and Cold Steel II in particular is really well liked). There's definitely stuff in Cold Steel that pays off more if you've played the Sky games, but there's no point where you'd be lost. So it's really up to you. I would recommend them just on the basis of the fact that I love them, and you do gain a better love and understanding for the saga by playing them in order.

There's a lot of missable stuff, but it's up to you if you really want to be concerned for that. It's mostly hidden quests and books that you can miss out on. You'll be missing out on some additional story/world building flavor, but nothing that will severely hamper your experience. If you're being diligent about talking to people you can get most stuff without a guide, but some of the games do have one or two bits that might be really easy to miss on unless you're following a guide. It's really up to how you decide you want to approach the games.

There are no ending issues, because the games all have a single ending.

The transfers from FC to SC are Estelle's level (but the minimum at the start of SC is 35, and the max is 40, so if you somehow beat FC with a level below 35, you'll just start at 35, and if you had wasted hours of your life grinding up above 40, you'll start at 40), characters who you helped on their quests in the first game will remember you in SC and have different dialogue, and if you get a max bracer rank (basically a perfect playthrough where you didn't miss anything and made every correct choice during events/side quests which had choices) you'll get some bonus items.

Playing Cold Steel first and then going back to the Sky games is definitely workable. Some moments will be spoiled, but most of the big emotional beats aren't touched on at all. There will be some places where you can gain a different perspective since you know where things are going, but you'll also lose out on some mysterious character motivations since you'll already know who those characters are.

Perfect! Thanks, I will just dive into FC for now and play by release order. I think I would appreciate the details without futzing up the timeline of events by skipping ahead in games.

Thanks for the writeup! Looking forward to this.

Oh and what about difficulty selection? I am thinking Hard as I much prefer a challenge. Really don't want to steamroll this game, but also wish to avoid excessive grinding or specific orbment combos to succeed(Nightmare mode?). Thoughts?

 

[chaosblade]

Missables in the Sky games are definitely strategy guide-fodder. Most of the quests aren't too bad, but some of the books are kind of ridiculous. Most of them have very precise windows and no hints about their availability, and sometimes require you to do some very contrary or counter-intuitive things.

Travel all the way back to literally the other side of this large region at this specific time.

Or ignore what you were told to do during this rather intense story scenario and go somewhere entirely different to talk to an NPC that even offers meta commentary on the absurdity of what you're doing.

In terms of quests, if you are exploring and talking to everyone regularly, and doing the board quests ASAP, you should get most of them. There are some that require being in the right place at the right time to do, or require you to do them at a certain time to be able to get the best outcome though.

Oh and what about difficulty selection? I am thinking Hard as I much prefer a challenge. Really don't want to steamroll this game, but also wish to avoid excessive grinding or specific orbment combos to succeed(Nightmare mode?). Thoughts?

The Sky games are definitely balanced around normal. Harder difficulties are intended for people familiar with the game and are pretty big jumps in difficulty. Don't remember how FC's hard mode is but SC's will brutalize you, especially at the beginning. FC normal is pretty easy all the way through though, but I thought SC's normal difficulty was mostly okay for a first time through, if a bit easy at times. Most of the optional fights and some of the bosses can cause you some grief, or a lot if you are unprepared for them.

But yeah, a lot of people tried SC's hard mode on their first go, and noped their way to normal before finishing the prologue.



And the timing for playing FC and SC is pretty good. 3rd is slated for spring.

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

Oh and what about difficulty selection? I am thinking Hard as I much prefer a challenge. Really don't want to steamroll this game, but also wish to avoid excessive grinding or specific orbment combos to succeed(Nightmare mode?). Thoughts?

The Sky games were not balanced around difficulty modes, which were added in a later port. So I would probably just stick with Normal unless you want almost every boss to be an HP sponge. (This shifts in the other direction for Cold Steel where everything below Nightmare is fairly trivially easy)

Grinding is never really a thing in Trails games. The EXP system essentially makes grinding close to impossible unless you just want to waste time for no reason.

 

[iRAWRasaurus]

Glad to hear about the fan translation project for Zero and Ao being in good hands now. Looking forward to the results.

 

[PK Gaming]

I'm not too far into FC, but Hard mode has been really fun for me.

It really forces you to get good at inventory management and general survival.

 

[Holundrian]

My Zero and Ao Evo copies arrived. Hooray!

As with any JP game I make a game specific vocab deck and within the span of reaching the police headquarter I already had to note down 5 new ones :-x never change kiseki(By comparison for the entirety of P5 I maybe noted down about 50 new words).

A few years ago when SC wasn't released I tried to gauge if I could make my way through it after getting through Ni no Kuni pretty ok, the LP I watched slaughtered me x_X so I didn't try in the end. But now I feel up to the task. Still I guess this is going to be the most challenging one to get through, but what better game than these to keep the motivation high to understand every single thing they tell you !

As for first impressions, naturally not much but

Spoiler

I'm already invested in the NPCs, what a nice elderly couple. Definitely want to find and check up on them once I settle in.

 

[SephLuis]

My Zero and Ao Evo copies arrived. Hooray!

As with any JP game I make a game specific vocab deck and within the span of reaching the police headquarter I already had to note down 5 new ones :-x never change kiseki(By comparison for the entirety of P5 I maybe noted down about 50 new words).

A few years ago when SC wasn't released I tried to gauge if I could make my way through it after getting through Ni no Kuni pretty ok, the LP I watched slaughtered me x_X so I didn't try in the end. But now I feel up to the task. Still I guess this is going to be the most challenging one to get through, but what better game than these to keep the motivation high to understand every single thing they tell you !

As for first impressions, naturally not much but

Spoiler

I'm already invested in the NPCs, what a nice elderly couple. Definitely want to find and check up on them once I settle in.

Evo having voice acting helped me a lot. I was still surprised that I managed to get the gist of what was happening even during a few scenes without VA.

I can remember only one scene in Ao where the dialog becomes more complicated for a while, but outside of that you should be ok.

 

[BlueDogAnchorite]

I got to chapter 5 in Trail of Cold Steel. This game is addicting.

Spoiler

I still don't li ke Elliot

 

[Nightengale]

So, my general thoughts on what’s revealed so far on Cold Steel III:

Spoiler

Happy with Rean as a protagonist again. Unlike some of you all, I like Rean and I find his struggle interesting to go through and I hope that this time, with him clearly serving under a villain’s agenda, and him separated from his moral pillars, we’ll be able to see Rean with a more complex lense.

Spoiler

Happy with Altina as one of Rean’s partners this time. I rather enjoyed their dynamic in what little was shown, and for her to be… better dressed this time is a good thing.

Spoiler

Like the idea that Rean/Atina team include some new young bloods that they’re the seniors/mentors of.

Spoiler

Ambivalent on the new design of the two new members of Team Rean/Altina. They’re not bad or offensive (don’t mind skirts even if unrealistic, though pants are always plus points), but they don’t feel… striking or unique. Plus they remind me way too much of Nayuta no Kiseki.

Spoiler

Same feeling with green hair girl.

Spoiler

Don’t quite like the possibility that Blusis and Tonfan might be Thors-student or affiliate members assigned under Rean/Altina. Personally I don’t feel the need to introduce a student/school dynamic anymore to the “level” that Rean and co. are at. I’d rather they be Junior Ironbloods or some sort of RMP elite cadets or something.

Some random takeaways based on stuff shown with limited context:

Graphics look nice yesss. Finally out of the gutter to Tales-team level of graphics.

Spoiler

Alisa

looks nice.

Spoiler

LOL Sara did you raid Laura’s wardrobe or something? If you coloured Sara’s hair blue, I would almost guess that’s Laura instead of Sara.

Stuff shown are pretty cool, but I guess I wish I hadn’t already seen

Spoiler

Alisa’s upgraded look a while ago because I expected more Class VII upgraded reveals this time. I thirst to see new Fie, Sara, Jusis, Laura and Millium, primarily.

Spoiler

Wonder how much of Crossbell is recreated for CSIII… cuz you know… CROSSBELL REMAKE 2019.

Excited but cautiously concerned as well for seamless battle transition/etc. Never as easy as it sounds since it demands increase of play space as well. Same with trying to incorporate Valimar more seamlessly into battles.

Some random speculation/guesses/hopes for CSIII:

Spoiler

So, I’m speculating WHITE HAIRED SHADOW behind Rean in the key art is probably some new character masked white-haired dude that feels like Crow, fights like Crow, but is totally not Crow. Maybe it’s going to be a Rean clone or something.

Spoiler

I still suspect that Rean will not be the main protagonist for the entire game, but maybe 1/3rd or halfway through the game we’ll start seeing a second perspective from #TEAMOLIVIER that’s trying to make his own comeback against Osborne’s strong political position after CS2.

Spoiler

Game will culminate in some sort of weird CIVIL WAR storyline except this time it’s between Class VII friends as Jusis and (some friends) stand with Olivier to oppose Osborne whereas Rean and (some friends) stand with Osborne to oppose Olivier for fake drama before Rean realises he’s a huge idiot and defects to team Olivier.

Spoiler

There won’t be a Cold Steel IV. CSIII will mark the end of the Erebonia/Class VII storyline.Still unsure if this will mean the end of the Osborne storyline.

 

[PK Gaming]

Some random speculation/guesses/hopes for CSIII:

Spoiler

So, I’m speculating WHITE HAIRED SHADOW behind Rean in the key art is probably some new character masked white-haired dude that feels like Crow, fights like Crow, but is totally not Crow. Maybe it’s going to be a Rean clone or something.
storyline.

Yeah, I agree with all of this

Like there's no way the bolded is not happening

 

[Scrooge McDuck]

Yeah, I agree with all of this

Like there's no way the bolded is not happening

I'm still dreading that [Cold Steel II spoilers]

Spoiler

Crow would somehow be resurrected due to the whole Osborne and Rudger Claussell shenanigans. This backside of a white-haired person with clothes similar to but not quite like Crow is not alleviating my fears any. I'd totally prefer this kind of "he's not actually Crow!" misdirection, even if it'd turn out to be something lame like a twin or something.

 

[Nightengale]

I'm still dreading that [Cold Steel II spoilers]

Spoiler

Crow would somehow be resurrected due to the whole Osborne and Rudger Claussell shenanigans. This backside of a white-haired person with clothes similar to but not quite like Crow is not alleviating my fears any. I'd totally prefer this kind of "he's not actually Crow!" misdirection, even if it'd turn out to be something lame like a twin or something.

I highly doubt it because for [CS2 spoilers]

Spoiler

Crow to come back alive undermines his death scene and the key takeout from that moment which was that his entire live struggle amounted to nothing and he's lost sight of what was most important for the sake of his revenge.

This is different for the other two characters because

Spoiler

even if they come back alive, they didn't die with any real lingering weight in the first place.

 

[Thoraxes]

I'm still dreading that [Cold Steel II spoilers]

Spoiler

Crow would somehow be resurrected due to the whole Osborne and Rudger Claussell shenanigans. This backside of a white-haired person with clothes similar to but not quite like Crow is not alleviating my fears any. I'd totally prefer this kind of "he's not actually Crow!" misdirection, even if it'd turn out to be something lame like a twin or something.

Just an FYI, while I think the hair totally looks like Rean (it's definitely Rean), the image of the back pose when I ripped it from the site was labeled xxxx.jpg, while the one of Rean with his face in it was rean.png

Edit: i'll rehost and add links to the images.

double-edit: if you enhance the brightness levels and sharpness, you can see he's holding something in both hands too, with something that looks like the end of a cane, or half of a hilt of a blade in the left hand, with the edge in the right.

 

[SolVanderlyn]

Just an FYI, while I think the hair totally looks like Rean (it's definitely Rean), the image of the back pose when I ripped it from the site was labeled xxxx.jpg, while the one of Rean with his face in it was rean.png

Edit: i'll rehost and add links to the images.

Spoiler

Young Osborne

 

[Nyoro SF]

Spoiler

Young Osborne

Hory pikkard balls why didn't I think of that

Or maybe

Spoiler

Dreichels?

 

[duckroll]

I don't understand all this weird speculation. At least to me, the intent of the CS2 ending was very clear and thematically it carries through to what we have seen in the promotion of CS3 so far. Maybe I'm totally off and Falcom will really do some weird totally stupid scifi thing but....

Spoiler

My interpretation is that CS1-2 is a complete story about the birth of Rean Schwarzer as who he will come to be remembered by history in Erebonia. What we see in the game as the insufferable goodie two shoes is who he really is - the bland boring self-insert light novel hero, but what history will remember and what others will see is the legendary larger than life hero of the country who worked both in the shadows and in the open to change the fate of the empire forever. He will be remembered as a man who did whatever it took, ultimately had no loyalty to any man, and stood toe to toe against Osborne himself at the, to make a future where everyone mattered.

Why? Because he's such a stupid insufferable naive goodie two shoes who happened to become friends with a loser revolutionary tryhard called Crow Armburst. The dreamer who thought he would make a difference who died for no reason at all. Or so he thought. He didn't die for no reason. He died creating who Rean would become. His ideals would become Rean's ideals for no reason other than because Rean refuses to live in a world where the dreams of his friends, no matter how stupid and idealistic, or even wrong, could just "fade away" because someone like Osborne who is stronger, more capable, and better prepared, willed it to be so. Rean cannot accept that it is "the way of the world" so he will find a new way.

Rean's reflection in CS3 looks like Crow because Crow lives on forever within Rean. There is no resurrection, no cloning, no magic arts involved.

Spoiler

Young Osborne

Hory pikkard balls why didn't I think of that

Or maybe

Spoiler

Dreichels?

These are both also probably true because

Spoiler

I fully believe that both Osborne and Rean are direct descendants of Dreichels himself, with purer blood than any current royal lineage. Rean might in fact be the incarnation of Dreichels himself. The games hint heavily at it.

 

[Nightengale]

BUT THE CLOTHING DESIGN ARE DIFFERENT1111

I totally get your interpretation. I have the same view and 100% agree with that.

But I feel like that doesn't stop the fair speculation based on the fact that we can see now that the design of the back of the coat for white hair is not the same as Rean's coat or that person's.

 

[SolVanderlyn]

Rean is

Spoiler

definitely the direct reincarnation, descendant, or at the very least spiritual successor of Dreichels.

I wanna know where all the

Spoiler

vampire

stuff is gonna fit in. Has anyone compiled a list of the New Game+ Black Book stuff or whatever it was called?

Emma's

Spoiler

"I'll bring you back" Naruto/Sasuke story is something I have zero hype for, but I fully expect that it may surprise me with SHOCKING REVELATIONS™ due to the nature of the witches and the history of Erebonia and all of that

 

[Scrooge McDuck]

I don't understand all this weird speculation. At least to me, the intent of the CS2 ending was very clear and thematically it carries through to what we have seen in the promotion of CS3 so far. Maybe I'm totally off and Falcom will really do some weird totally stupid scifi thing but....

[spoiler snip]

Well yea, plotwise and thematically, what I assume/hope would happen is not that far from yours. However, it would also not be the first time I follow long-running Japanese fiction that suddenly goes totally stupid whatever thing instead of going the sensible direction. I kinda trust Falcom not to do that to the series, honestly, but I've been hurt so much...!

 

[Moonlight]

I actually like Rean, but otherwise mostly agree on Duckroll's take on the matter. Really doubtful they're taking it in any dumb

Spoiler

resurrection/baity/plot twisty direction

. Pretty sure it's Rean in some distant point in the story and the change in coat is a symbolic thing. All the other theories really don't strike me as Trails' style of story development, anyways.

Well yea, plotwise and thematically, what I assume/hope would happen is not that far from yours. However, it would also not be the first time I follow long-running Japanese fiction that suddenly goes totally stupid whatever thing instead of going the sensible direction. I kinda trust Falcom not to do that to the series, honestly, but I've been hurt so much...!

It's already been going as long as it has without much dumb stuff, have more faith!

 

[PK Gaming]

I don't understand all this weird speculation. At least to me, the intent of the CS2 ending was very clear and thematically it carries through to what we have seen in the promotion of CS3 so far. Maybe I'm totally off and Falcom will really do some weird totally stupid scifi thing but....

Spoiler

My interpretation is that CS1-2 is a complete story about the birth of Rean Schwarzer as who he will come to be remembered by history in Erebonia. What we see in the game as the insufferable goodie two shoes is who he really is - the bland boring self-insert light novel hero, but what history will remember and what others will see is the legendary larger than life hero of the country who worked both in the shadows and in the open to change the fate of the empire forever. He will be remembered as a man who did whatever it took, ultimately had no loyalty to any man, and stood toe to toe against Osborne himself at the, to make a future where everyone mattered.

Why? Because he's such a stupid insufferable naive goodie two shoes who happened to become friends with a loser revolutionary tryhard called Crow Armburst. The dreamer who thought he would make a difference who died for no reason at all. Or so he thought. He didn't die for no reason. He died creating who Rean would become. His ideals would become Rean's ideals for no reason other than because Rean refuses to live in a world where the dreams of his friends, no matter how stupid and idealistic, or even wrong, could just "fade away" because someone like Osborne who is stronger, more capable, and better prepared, willed it to be so. Rean cannot accept that it is "the way of the world" so he will find a new way.

Rean's reflection in CS3 looks like Crow because Crow lives on forever within Rean. There is no resurrection, no cloning, no magic arts involved.

These are both also probably true because

Spoiler

I fully believe that both Osborne and Rean are direct descendants of Dreichels himself, with purer blood than any current royal lineage. Rean might in fact be the incarnation of Dreichels himself. The games hint heavily at it.

I... I think there's something in my eye

 

[duckroll]

Yeah I totally get why some people like Rean. I mean it's not a mystery. Characters like his in Light Novels -are- popular for a reason. I just find that sort of characterization really annoying and it's a matter of personal taste that I think Rean is a fucking terrible character.

But that doesn't mean I don't get what Falcom wants to do with him and why it "works" for the story Cold Steel is.

 

[Nightengale]

I put out that speculation of a dumb Full Frontal plot twist, but I'd be the first to be really glad to be wrong about it. I liked masked characters, but not one at the expense at faux-pretense of a [CS2 spoiler]

Spoiler

character that has served his story/character purpose and is better off dead

That being said, I would LOL if it turns out [XXX] was really the visage of [duckroll speculation]

Spoiler

Crow's legacy living on within Rean

because that would imply that Rean has full-on reality distortion googles when it comes to

Spoiler

Crow, because the Crow in his mind is somehow dressed more stylishly than the reality.

I love the other speculation, that it's somehow Rean changing to a different coat later-in-the-game.

 

[BlueDogAnchorite]

Yeah I totally get why some people like Rean. I mean it's not a mystery. Characters like his in Light Novels -are- popular for a reason. I just find that sort of characterization really annoying and it's a matter of personal taste that I think Rean is a fucking terrible character.

But that doesn't mean I don't get what Falcom wants to do with him and why it "works" for the story Cold Steel is.

I like Rean

 

[SolVanderlyn]

Spoiler

I want badass mopey Rean from the Crossbell side story

Or at the very least for vestiges of that to show in headpat Rean

It's gonna be cool seeing how townsfolk react to you are the Ashen Chevalier. Crossbell citizens might hate you and Erebonians might praise you as the second coming of the emperor or whatever. I feel like no matter what happens, it would actually be very hard for Falcom to write Rean as a boring protagonist this time around

 

[Moonlight]

I actually hate most characters in Rean's archetype, lol. I just think the story manages to do enough interesting things with him to separate him from the pack. But I digress.

I love the other speculation, that it's somehow Rean changing to a different coat later-in-the-game.

I mean, [end of CS2 spoilers]

Spoiler

the white is associated with the Crossbell occupation forces. He could totally be like 'nah I don't need this anymore' when the story inevitably reaches the point he breaks off from the authority and puts on something else.

I think it's more practical than vampire Crow or 'dude who coincidentally looks exactly like Crow to generate random drama', at least!

(it being the ghost of Dreichels being embodied by Rean is the second most reasonable thing to me)

 

[Nyoro SF]

Spoiler

I want badass mopey Rean from the Crossbell side story

Or at the very least for vestiges of that to show in headpat Rean

(CS3)

Spoiler

I want Rean to be a cool military commander like Welkin. Sure he's sappy, but everyone likes Welkin.

A man can dream right? Rean needs to become cool, suave, and beetle-tastic. You can't give Orders on the battlefield if you're a sad doormat.

 

[PK Gaming]

Woah, woah, woah hold up, I can't stand LN protags. All that overwrought cynicism mixed in with over the top superpowers and inexplicable harems are incredibly obnoxious.

...

Okay some of that applies to Rean, but still! I probably wouldn't have liked him all that much if weren't his stellar voice acting, Xseed working their magic and making him more distinct in the NA version, and him having genuinely good scenes.

Also I kind of dig the goody-goody thing, especially when characters mock him for it. It's kind of rare nowadays!

 

[desmax]

CS III

Spoiler

Y'know, I was pretty sure that was "Crow" on the back of that teaser, even when it first showed up on the internet.

But looking closely, that hair looks more like Rean's than Crows, and his body proportions seems more close to him too.

I'm gonna be on team "Rean evil disguise"

 

[Thoraxes]

CS III

Spoiler

Y'know, I was pretty sure that was "Crow" on the back of that teaser, even when it first showed up on the internet.

But looking closely, that hair looks more like Rean's than Crows, and his body proportions seems more close to him too.

I'm gonna be on team "Rean evil disguise"

Spoiler

It has a bunch of key points of articulation of the hair of his character design, and an in-universe explanation to the hair color, that I find it really hard to be anyone else, lol. Given that he's holding something in that shot too, well, yeah.

IDK why people think it's Crow at all when there's a much more logical way to look at that image.

 

[Nightengale]

Well, the initial guess was definitely it being Rean, but in inverse colours. Symbolism of the ogre mode and all that, you know.

But then it turns out his white jacket doesn't look like that at all from behind, even with inversed colours. >_>

 

[SolVanderlyn]

Rean loses his awesome jacket to a Ganado in the first chapter.

 

[PK Gaming]

I'm starting to buy the

Spoiler

this is Rean at a later point in the story

theory

Damn, all this talk over some promotional art

 

[Thoraxes]

Rean loses his awesome jacket to a Ganado in the first chapter.

Nah, he totally loses it when he gambles on a coin flip.

I'm starting to buy the

Spoiler

this is Rean at a later point in the story

theory

Damn, all this talk over some promotional art

If you darken/enhance the image, you can make out

Spoiler

what's in his hands (I think it's a sword of some sort cause I see a hilt and tip maybe idk)

a little better too.

 

[BassForever]

I agree with the speculation that

Spoiler

the backwards reflection isn't crow

that being said I still believe

Spoiler

Crow will be back, this series already established with Osborne that getting fucking sniped in the heart at worst is a minor set back. Heck I wouldn't be surprised if part of the reason Rean is working with Osborne is to discover the secret of his revival

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

I agree with the speculation that

Spoiler

the backwards reflection isn't crow

that being said I still believe

Spoiler

Crow will be back, this series already established with Osborne that getting fucking sniped in the heart at worst is a minor set back. Heck I wouldn't be surprised if part of the reason Rean is working with Osborne is to discover the secret of his revival

Spoiler

You don't write a death scene like that only to revive the character. That would be really cheap. Osborne wasn't even confirmed to be dead in CS1, and it was always obvious that he would be back.

 

[Gu4n]

Spoiler

You don't write a death scene like that only to revive the character. That would be really cheap. Osborne wasn't even confirmed to be dead in CS1, and it was always obvious that he would be back.

I think the truth might be somewhere in the middle. (CS2 spoiler)

Spoiler

Rean is undoubtedly interested in the secret of resurrection, a concept he's been confronted with twice now. He might look for it, and maybe he finds it and discovers what the cost for resurrection is.

(The 3rd spoiler)

Spoiler

The cost for resurrection is great since the Church, who lost their most valuable and talented Knight, accepted her loss since they got a Dominion in return.

 

[zakujanai]

I've not noticed anyone speculate on the Liberl cameos mentioned for CS3. I know there is one very obvious duo that it could be

Spoiler

(Anton and Ricky)

but who do people want to see? I'd rather like to see Agate personally but he doesn't seem like the type to venture far from Liberl. Other than that, Cassius or Schera would be awesome.

All I really want is

Spoiler

Mueller and Olivier

to be playable though.

 

[BassForever]

I've not noticed anyone speculate on the Liberl cameos mentioned for CS3. I know there is one very obvious duo that it could be

Spoiler

(Anton and Ricky)

but who do people want to see? I'd rather like to see Agate personally but he doesn't seem like the type to venture far from Liberl. Other than that, Cassius or Schera would be awesome.

All I really want is

Spoiler

Mueller and Olivier

to be playable though.

Those two being playable makes the most sense and I'm surprised it didn't happen in cs2.

 

[ShadowSoldier89]

I've not noticed anyone speculate on the Liberl cameos mentioned for CS3. I know there is one very obvious duo that it could be

Spoiler

(Anton and Ricky)

but who do people want to see? I'd rather like to see Agate personally but he doesn't seem like the type to venture far from Liberl. Other than that, Cassius or Schera would be awesome.

All I really want is

Spoiler

Mueller and Olivier

to be playable though.

I'd only really care about Estelle, Joshua, and Kloe, but I'm generally happy with what I got out of them already. I'm just worried about class vii at this point

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

I've not noticed anyone speculate on the Liberl cameos mentioned for CS3. I know there is one very obvious duo that it could be

Spoiler

(Anton and Ricky)

but who do people want to see? I'd rather like to see Agate personally but he doesn't seem like the type to venture far from Liberl. Other than that, Cassius or Schera would be awesome.

All I really want is

Spoiler

Mueller and Olivier

to be playable though.

My number one desire is to see Josette return.

Agate would be awesome, too, although I'm not sure what would lead him to showing up in Erebonia. But I guess they could always come up with something.

 

[Nightengale]

Returning Liberl characters is an easy wish for me.

I want Schera back. As a fan of the Olivier x Schera dynamic from Sky, I'd like to see more of their interaction, especially one where his capacity as a prince is more overt than not. Also, Schera and Sara would make a lovely drinking pair <3

And of course, Anelace for the potential dynamic with Rean, and maybe Laura/Jusis. If there's one thing I wished Cold Steel explored more, it was the whole "those with the path of sword" vibe thing that is only explored in Laura's route more so than others, and I'd love for another Eight Leaves to come in and shake things up. Also, Anelace is <3

A looooong shot would a small cameo by Aina just so we can see Schera, Sara, Thomas, Aina as the Alcohol Monster Brigade or something. And Olivier/Anton liver destruction Part II.