Current Events > Review in Progress: Trails of Cold Steel 3

(+) Yeah! (+)

@apolloooo @Leanaunfurled

While normally Im not really one to talk about a games length during a review, I think that length is particularly important when discussing Cold Steel III. The games long, but it doesnt feel nearly as padded as I expected it to, going in. The problem is, a significant portion of the games time is spent dealing with the fallout of events that happened in previous games. Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 lose a lot of impact if you havent played Trails in the Sky and the Crossbell duology respectively. Theyre still enjoyable in their own right, Im sure, but what might not feel like padding to me due to having the context behind these events might just feel like padding to someone else, that just wouldnt resonate with them nearly as much. To the games credit, it does give you enough context to these events so that you can at least understand them, but hearing about an event in a previous game versus experiencing it firsthand is completely different.

Speaking of foundations, Trails of Cold Steel III feels incredibly similar to the first Cold Steel, mirroring a large portion of its format. Players once again interact with a special Class VII at Thors Military Academy (this time, the newly founded Branch Campus), though this time with Rean as the teacher, helming a cast of new students. Youll help out around campus, have a free day, train in a dungeon, and then its off to Field Exercises to see the bulk of the chapters story. Some might call it safe, myself included, but it works. In fact, Ive seen more than my fair share of fans that played the original Japanese release claim that the title was Cold Steel I, but done right. I can certainly see why.

Perhaps one of my largest complaints with the original Cold Steel 1 and 2, was that the cast was spread a little too thin by the sheer number of characters that the plot had to juggle. As a result, I dont think any of the original Class VII and co. got nearly as much character development as the main teams from either Trails in the Sky or Crossbell. I think New Class VII is a much better implementation of the idea that Falcom attempted to execute with the original two games in the arc, partly thanks to the smaller size of both the class itself as well as the Thors Branch Campus. It certainly helps make each character more interesting from the outset, that every student and staff member at the Branch Campus are considered outcasts in the games society, lending itself well to a very colorful cast of characters both new and returning.

I dont think my feelings on the game will change all that much by the time the credits roll its already, by far, my favorite game in the Cold Steel arc of the series but well keep you updated with our final score when that time comes, nonetheless. Fans have waited two years for Cold Steel III to come west, and that wait is almost finally over.

https://www.rpgsite.net/preview/9078-the-legend-of-heroes-trails-of-cold-steel-3-review-in-progress

Sucks that I won't play it until closer to CS4 getting released over here. I hate having cliffhangers, and I'm not going to wait 2 years and have a game's events not be fresh in my mind when it finally comes.

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I think cold steel 3 is considered to be the weakest in the series, but it is still a good game nevertheless.

I only have PC tho ;_;
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Really, apollo? I hear a lot of people putting CSIII on par with Ao as the greatest, while most consider CSIV as a pile of "yikes." By Kiseki standards, anyway.

Can't believe it's finally almost here! :D :D :D

Leanaunfurled posted...

Really, apollo? I hear a lot of people putting CSIII on par with Ao as the greatest, while most consider CSIV as a pile of "yikes." By Kiseki standards, anyway.

Can't believe it's finally almost here! :D :D :D

yeah, i think i got it switched up >__> my bad
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apolloooo posted...

yeah, i think i got it switched up >__> my bad

That's probably the case. There are far too many Pom-Pom waving quotes about the game to suggest it's a weak entry in the series.

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Was interested in trying out this series but ew "Move".

Though if strategic placement were not as important as it is in let's say FF Tactics I could probably handle it (fuck you Dorter Slums)

Mberer posted...

Wait, whats wrong with move?

/shrug I personally think it's really fun lol

Mberer posted...

MelzezDoor posted...

Was interested in trying out this series but ew "Move".

Though if strategic placement were not as important as it is in let's say FF Tactics I could probably handle it (fuck you Dorter Slums)

Wait, whats wrong with move?

Nothing wrong with it. Games that have it usually are less enjoyable to me. Admittedly they are also the kind I find have steeper learning curves making it take too damn long to overcome challenges.

Wait hold up. There is a Trails of cold steel 4?
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Iodine posted...

Wait hold up. There is a Trails of cold steel 4?

Yeah, came out last year in Japan. Probably won't be 2021 until we see it.

Leanaunfurled posted...

Yeah, came out last year in Japan. Probably won't be 2021 until we see it.

There was only one year between Cold Steel and Cold Steel 2, that was with a smaller localisation team at Xseed.

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Alucard188 posted...

There was only one year between Cold Steel and Cold Steel 2, that was with a smaller localisation team at Xseed.

Hm, that's a good point. Maybe next fall/winter, then, if no delays occur. I really hope so, anyway. Despite the flaws I heard about it, I'm still fucking excited for the CS finale.

Leanaunfurled posted...

Hm, that's a good point. Maybe next fall/winter, then, if no delays occur. I really hope so, anyway. Despite the flaws I heard about it, I'm still fucking excited for the CS finale.

I haven't been keeping up with it. What flaws are in CS4? I've also heard that they aren't necessarily finished with the stories in the CS series.

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CSIII was supposed to be the last, but it was too massive so IV popped into existence. Similar to what happened with Sky, but I keep hearing how the pacing and filler content in IV is detrimental to it. That and they go overboard with the waifu harem thing.

And yeah, not everyone's character development is wrapped up. A Cold Steel "side" game like Sky The 3rd is being made right now to do that and help with the wait for Calvard.

Those fuckfaces need to bring the Crossbell games over. I like that there's a fan translation for both of them, but I want the official shit. Also, I have a confession to make: I've never played TitS The 3rd. I own it, but I've never played it.

I also have a bit of a love-hate relationship with the waifu harem thing. I like the harem as it allows you to choose the best waifu, but they don't work in some types of games. There's a lot of narrative dissonance in Cold Steel, because they spend the first two games setting up the canon couple to be Rean and Alisa, but they still allow you to be romantic with any of the others. It ruins the impact the canon relationship could have. It would be much worse if their relationship were as tied to the narrative as TitS is, so they at least save themselves this much headache.

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You hit the nail on the head my problem with the bonding elements and why. I read CSIII actually does them pretty well, but the Japanese audience complained. v_v

With The 3rd, you should give it a go if you find yourself with the time. It's pretty different in style, but it's a pretty important lore bridge, and still has tidbits that haven't been clarified on yet.