Lurker > ZeldaTPLink

I feel like some people are being very pessimistic about what the show is going to skip. I've seen someone say they'll skip Drum Island and just have Chopper join somewhere else.

The show is not actually skipping that much content. Besides the Gaimon chapter (lol), it hasn't skipped a single arc so far. Biggest removal was the fight against Krieg, and I think most agree that wasn't a big loss.

I do think they will need more than 8 episodes next season if they want to at least keep the pacing, though. If you go by chapter count, it will take 10 episodes in order to adapt from Loguetown all the end to Alabasta, assuming the same pacing.

I love this show just because my mother watched it with me, and she is completely not into anime/manga, or cartoons/comics in general. She loved it, and we both enjoyed bonding with each other over something I've enjoyed for years but she had never understood why.

The actual show is maybe a 8.5/10 in my book quality-wise, but it gets a 10/10 in terms of personal feelings just for that.

XIII_Rocks posted...

(Scene was great, don't get me wrong, just...god damn.)

Anyway. I watched the rest and I'm sad it's over. They Return of the King'd the ending of the season a bit but it set up a lot of stuff. I really wanted more scenes of the main cast on the boat together bantering with each other. Those scenes, usually at the beginnings and ends of episodes, were the ones I enjoyed most. I suppose because they were already condensing so much into such a comparatively short space of time, but still - hope to see a little more of that in s2. The show was almost always great when it was the main guys talking and then it cut away to Coby or Zeff or Buggy and it lost something.

I guess I'm somewhat into One Piece now? Like I've been watching clips on youtube and stuff. But it seems impenetrably long. It's weird to have a growing obsession that I'm not likely to cultivate further.

Not enough ship banter scenes is a classic fan complaint about the manga too.

Panthera posted...

Sky 3 isn't really an option for me, I don't use my (shitty ancient) laptop for gaming beyond emulating old stuff (which is how I played Sky 1+2), I don't want to have set up an account and payment shit for Steam or whatever for one single game and unless I missed something only the PC version got an English release. Given how much I enjoyed Zero despite not playing 3rd first I think I'm fine anyway, the only thing in Zero that felt like I was missing out on was the reference to Phantasma which I only know of as the setting to 3rd, but that was basically just an example to illustrate Joachim's mind reading, I didn't feel confused by having not played the relevant game. I already knew Renne's backstory beyond what SC tells you from reading about it online and I think Zero makes it pretty clear by the end regardless. If there was anything else it literally didn't even register as noteworthy, or it felt like a background reference (I'm pretty sure there's a bunch of places/people in this series that will never matter as more than background details despite being referenced multiple times) or just something that would be dealt with later (which I imagine fits if people say some stuff 3rd builds to is still just being built to a billion games later).

Watch a video of Star Door 15. That's the big thing you missed from 3rd in terms of plot that relates to Zero. Yes you read it but the emotional punch can only be gotten from seeing it.

I'd maybe watch Star Door 14 too. It's mostly a tease but seems very relevant to the story as a whole.

There is also a door that mostly builds to Cold Steel. Forgot the number, but felt like must-see material for Cold Steel. Not for Crossbell though. If you wanna see it look for the Olivier/Osborne door.

Rest are mostly backstory doors or characterization doors. I e. theres one that shows Kilika's thought process towards becoming a spy, but doesn't really add any new plot info.

I think 3rd is by far the weakest game in the series I have played, but I've noticed I'm the minority opinion.

I started playing Hollow Knight (actually restarted, since I started and dropped last year) and I think I'll be doing that for a change. But I made this topic for the two Crossbell games so I guess I just keep bumping it until I start Azure.

Toph

Mega_Mana posted...

You double-image-posted. Is this the chest you were referencing?

Sun Fort - First Stratum
EP Charge II
An unassuming-looking, middle-aged scholar who turns out to be evil? " with "An unassuming-looking, middle-aged scholar who turns out to be evil? In MY Trails game?! ...It's more likely than you think.

Yes, I fixed the post. Thanks.

Ok some bullet points:

FC: 57h
SC: 91h
3rd: 58h
Zero: 77h

So far: 283 h

I actually took as many days to beat Zero as I did FC. But I played 20 more hours. This means I'm playing more hours a day (though there have been 3 holiday days this month, that may be a factor). I need to slow down, though, this isn't healthy. I'll probably force myself to play fewer hours/day next game.

Now where do I rank this? This is tricky.

Remember when I said FC was my favorite game because of the insane worldbuilding? Zero did it again. I absolutely care about Crossbell and its people. Now FC was more subversive for how it avoided even trying to be epic, but Zero is more fun because it did not.

The longer hours speak for this game: this is the most fun one in the series so far. Battle system, exploration, the plot, everything is so entertaining. The battle system has been nearly perfected, I hardly see it getting much better. Just bring back Haze and let me move my characters in battle already. Crossbell is my favorite location in the series. And the plot isn't super elaborate but it's thrilling and full of political intrigue, which I love.

Where this game does not beat the others is when I try to look at the "artsy" stuff though, namely character arcs. I had more fun playing this, but I care more about Estelle and Joshua's story. That one resonated with me like nothing else did, and the Renne plotline is a second, actually being the most emotional part of Zero (hey, kudos to Zero for pulling off the conclusion, but I'm waiting to see it set up something as good as that on its own). The villain is fun, but he doesn't hold a candle to Weissmann, or to Richard (but I'll take him over whatever that thing from 3rd was).

All in all, Zero is a better videogame, but FC and SC are a better story. But it's 1 vs 2, so let's see if Azure can lift this duology to that level in terms of story too.

I do have good things to say about the characters, though. While I don't like any of the main 4 as much as Estelle (or Olivier, or Renne), I REALLY like the group. They are not as deep or as quotable maybe, but they are such a pleasant bunch. All of them are people I'd like to hang out irl. They get along well, they don't bicker, they always contribute. I enjoy seeing them trying to solve cases and I enjoy seeing them chat. I was expecting them to follow anime stereotypes (i e. Randy being an annoying pervert or Elie being a rich fop) but nah, they are just nice people.

I don't even know how to rank them anymore. Randy was my favorite at the start, but the other 3 caught up. Elie is just a sweetheart, similar to Kloe, but she's got a little more snark which makes her more entertaining. Tio is also snarky too and when you learn her story you just want to give her a hug. She is basically just a good person who wants to be happy. And Lloyd is a stereotypical shonen hero but he has a trait I love, which is being intelligent and good at figuring things out. I enjoy competing with him to try to figure out the cases, and he often makes incredibly good insights that throw everything upside down.

Anyway, great game, Trails continues to deliver.

Final boss time

Ok who do I bring

the storyteller in me wants to bring the SSS four because this is their game. But the fanboy in me wants the best duo

ok you know what, it will be like, 5 games until I get to use Estelle and Josh again? Let's use them

Also Lloyd cuz he's the MC and doesn't depend on status like Randy (chances are the final boss will be immune to everything)

And Elie cuz shes more OP than everyone else combined

let's GO

(also Tio's support craft is great and Josh's a shit. Though I dunno about Estelle's support craft because I haven't dropped her from the party a single time since the dungeon started)

(ok Josh's not bad but it seems to only hit when I'm facing something immune to delay. Would rather have him in the front spamming dual strike)

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/4/9/AAO9CbAAE2lV.jpg

I cross the Bridge of Ending Tension and enter the Tunnel of Final Confrontations

Eh Guenter I dunno if you are really rocking that priest look. Might want to lose the scientist glasses

The game tries to hype Guenter by having Josh say he's crazier than Weissmann. I can buy it, but I need to see it first. Weissmann was something else.

""The rules of the cult forbid me from revealing our lore but I own the cult so who cares""

The reveal is that KeA is 500 years old. The other reveal is not even the Big Bad of this game knows where she came from. I guess you'll have to ask the Big Bad of the next game

So they aint satanists, they are just atheists

I'm not sure how I feel about the game trying to paint atheists as evil tho

I mean, sure the guy's actions speak for him, but there aren't any "good" atheists in this setting to compare him to. So it's a strawman.

I love how Estelle and Joshua are much more calm and collected while facing this monster than the other 4. The shit they went through. This is like tuesday to them

Hartmann was helping the cult because they had evidence that he went to a child brothel. I'm not sure if I'm more disgusted at the reveal or marveled at the series' continuity

Next one: the kids in Renne's mind at SD15 were both real and fake. She used Gnosis to absorb the personality of kids around her and create splits in her own personality. Weird.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/5/0/AAO9CbAAE2lW.jpg

Unlawful occupation of property, dude. That's what makes villains fall.

Ok with the hair and the eyes I'm starting to buy the look more

phase 1 beaten. now time for him to turn into things

Dude can look into characters' minds to copy abilities from past games' final bosses. Now THAT'S an useful skill. Especially in a series like Trails

Big Bad reveals his trap card. He let the heroes come to him because once he beats them, KeA will want to come for them. It's the reversal of the damsel in distress play. Capture Spider Man to lure Mary Jane out

Of course that means you must be confident that you can beat spider-man though. But this guy apparently can

Another villain admits he did NOT kill Guy. Another plot for the next game. I'm starting to feel this is going to be something minor and none of the major villains will be the culprit. Like it will be some anti-villain civilian or something

Lloyd exposes Guenter's status as a small time villain. I think that hurt even more than Estelle's speech at Wiessman

And this is why Orobouros didn't even bother to recruit this guy

They break through his evil eye like it's glass. No need for a Loewe bail out this time. Small time villain indeed

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/5/1/AAO9CbAAE2lX.jpg

Oh shit he went alt-right. He went alt-right! Take him down!

The falling battlefield pieces are pretty cool

This is a tough fight. He almost TPK'd me with his s-craft, if it wasn't for Estelle being a bit far away

Estelle and Josh use a combo craft and deal 6666 damage. The boss immediately changes forms and becomes golden. Perfect timing lol

what is this anime in my trails. The guy is making backflips for no reason at all

Tio misses the timing the first time by casting earth wall right after everyone gets KO'd. But the second time she casts it right as the boss starts casting something. Perfect

He then casts 3 spells in one turn, ignores my earth wall and leaves Lloyd at 100 HP and everyone else down. Last zeram powder. Let's go

Trails from Zero ends with Estelle, Joshua, Lloyd and Elie using a team rush. Perfection

I mean I hope it ended cuz this was the most difficult final boss in the series and it wasn't even close. It only took one try but had a lot of close calls

(SC Loewe still harder though)

Boss still alive shit shit shit

Where's Cassius Bright when you need him

Oh yes, it won't be Trails from Zero if somebody doesn't bail us right after we think we beat the boss ourselves. Renne to the rescue!

I'm okay with Renne stealing my kill.

theres a phase 3 but its like in FC. everybody gets max CP and it's just a victory lap

Trails 4: beaten (on hard difficulty)

Then Estelle takes over the scene to remind everyone why she is still the best trails character

Peter Mater defying Renne's orders is a nice touch. It is linked to her mind, so it's showing what she feels

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/5/2/AAO9CbAAE2lY.jpg

GG

Plot of Sky arc: finally completed

This scene is catharsis in videogame form

And now for the usual epilogue greetings and attaboys

perhaps with a sudden snap of fingers and an Orobouros reveal. Maybe

Nah it's just Grace, with her camera

You know if Renne appears in the newspaper her parents will larn she's alive, right

lol the photo is all sprites. I was expecting an anime photo

Lloyd talking about finding the truth reminds me of Miles Edgeworth.

The PCs actually got to adopt KeA, apparently

The credits roll. No orobouros reveal this time, huh.

Cya in Trails 5. Same thread, some time later this week prob. Or maybe a couple weeks.

So we learn the cult is ancient. It's also the one responsible for summoning demons. Wonder if this is any related to the stuff in Trails 3rd of if it's just a coincidence. The demons there had a very specific explanation that is probably not present here.

I mean, other than the devs wanting to reuse assets from that game ofc

on another note it's pretty impressive that we are four games in (getting to 5 soon) and we are pretty much using the same engine, gameplay system, and stuff, which minor changes each game. Like, it's the 4th time i'm controlling Josh and Estelle and they are using the same moves, with the same sprites. Most series tend to build everything again from scratch way sooner than that. And I don't think that's necessarily better: trails built a system that worked, and it's using it as long as it can.

And it leads to stuff like Estelle and Joshua's combo craft. A new mechanic which uses things the characters already had, and fits their themes like a glove

We get to the next scene from the intro, where Lloyd's cheesy speech is slightly change to account for the fact KeA was not, in fact, kidnapped in the end

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/3/6/AAO9CbAAE2lI.jpg

chest-kun may have a point

It's funny that the villain of this game likes to fish too.

We are going to eventually find out the Grandmaster of Orobouros also likes to fish, aren't we

Estelle lost Wheel of Time

I was prepared to be pissed. But then I realized he new s-craft is the same as her father's. Which is really cool

I've always thought it was cool how Cassius abandoned sword fighting to use a staff, and ended up creating a Bright style of staff fighting that was inherited by his daughter

She is not a master of the sword like her dad once was, she is a master of the staff like he is

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/3/7/AAO9CbAAE2lJ.jpg

You can run, but you can't hide

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/3/7/AAO9CbAAE2lJ.jpg

My point exactly. And the blue hair! And the glasses! Come on!

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/3/8/AAO9CbAAE2lK.jpg

I'd listen to her

oh cool people turning into demons. We are now Tales of Berseria

is this the biggest dungeon in the series so far? because it feels like it

we find the missing people in some cells

if I was writing this game I'd make Gilbert randomly appear in one of the cells with no explanation. Just for the gag.

we find the mafia godfather, imprisoned with some of his goons. Lloyd then proceeds to give him the verbal beatdown of the century. Yeah guy, let it all out, those assholes have been giving you the slip all game

the bad news is that the strongest of the bunch is missing, which can only mean one thing. he's gonna come as a zombie/demon version of himself

but we also let them out because we are the good guys. And because they make for good recurring villains, I suppose

Randy's support craft is good but it also makes him look like the biggest kill stealer of trails. we are here busting our asses for a dozen turns then he shows up from nowhere to get the last hit and take the kill.

Lloyd when about to face a giant demon with a sword and two dragon minions: "You are under arrest for obstruction of justice!"

Cops.

this time it's an actual tough boss. He manages to take all of Estelle's HP in one hit when she has 194 CP

Estelle makes a Gilbert reference. I'll take it.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/3/9/AAO9CbAAE2lL.jpg

Jokes on you chest, I'm not playing for achivements

Time to beat Garcia. I wasn't expecting him to be the penultimate boss, but it works. Definitely more threatening than Ernest

He goes out like an absolute chump though. Which means theres another round

multi-phase penultimate bosses are not very... common in gaming

Awesome. The 2nd round is avoided because Randy makes him snap out of it by talking about shared jagger experiences

Garcia is a shithead, but he's a cool shithead

UshiromiyaEva posted...

It doesn't really matter what change they make, they've shown want they are willing to do.

Then again this is late stage capitalism, everybody is willing to do extremely stupid shit for just a little more money.

Companies need to lawyer up because there is a risk of this happening with any service providers.

Thor 4 could be better but I felt for Jane Foster's story and that's something the film did pretty well so it gets a pass to me.

Hot take all MCU movies are good in some ways and it's possible to enjoy them with the right mindset or set of personal tastes. It's possible to hate at least half of them though. It boils down to luck.

Like I enjoyed the hell of AoU when I first saw it but looking back to memory everything about it feels dumb af.

I loved MoM even though I agree it's stupid in a bunch of ways but the main stuff it did clicked to me.

Now Shang-Chi bored me for at least half the run. But I saw it alone on the coach and wasn't in a good mood that time. Maybe if it was an amazing movie I would have loved it, but it was a mid tier movie so I didn't care much.

That isn't to say we should rewatch the films to reevaluate them cuz who the hell has time for that but lately I'm feeling more detatched to ranking films like this.

Eternals is flawed by is ok.

MoM shouldn't even be in the list.

Real answer is IM2.

Lloyd gets his bonding scene with Elie. It's pretty sweet, and it's more about Lloyd than it is about Elie, really. How he still feel like he's stuck in his brother's shadow, but Elie lifts him up.

Also they almost kiss

Now to watch the two other bonding scenes on youtube, because you can only bond with whatever character you befriended the most, and you need to replay the game if you want to see the other scenes. This is the series now, character development scenes gated behind friendship systems, and romances that will never be canon since the player might see something else instead

(yes I've heard this will get worse as the series progresses and the devs work harder to compete with Persona in the harem market)

Randy's bonding scene is more about Randy, because in this version, Lloyd already reached his character arc conclusions by himself (though he does mention them)

We get Randy's full backstory. That he killed a shitload of people was possible to imagine, but the most interesting bit is the reason he was kicked out of the CGF: because he didn't want to ever touch a gun again. That's a really cool reveal. Thanks Youtube!

Tio's scene is even less about Lloyd. There's a bit of him talking about his bro, but it's not much. It's mostly Tio worried that she might get called away from Crossbell if the situation keeps escalating, and a follow up on his "promise to make her a promise" that he made early. It's pretty sweet, and some light ship teasing too.

Aside from the dual shipping (Lloyd x Elie is my only ship at this point), I kind of want to imagine those 3 scenes all happened, because they have some really great character bits, tbh. Meh.

zombie soldiers are arming bombs at the gate so we are going there to try to disarm them. It's nice this is an option, but if this is where the good guys' "plan" is at, we are screwed

Oh ok they are hoping for non-zombie soldiers to arrive and bail us. Fair.

time to defend the bank from the incoming state attack. For capitalism!

the soldiers make a funny girly cry when we knock them down

The Chinese mafia watches us from the roof while going "hehehehe, impressive" like freaks

Grace also watches from the roof. Articles incoming tomorrow

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/9/8/0/AAO9CbAAE2TE.jpg

The cabal of Zemurian journalists cannot be stopped

next is office Mireille, the de facto commander of the west gate since the real commander is an useless politician

She hits hard but isn't particularly bulky. Randy is pissed though

Even Lechter is watching huh

Randy's rage gives him 200 cp and I use it to unleash a max Death Scorpion on the next wave, almost taking it down

And Lloyd finishes it off, before they even attack, with a Flare Butterfly, courtesy of Elie's turn accelerate

We win, but now we get to see the protagonists tired since this game demands all major conflicts are won in cutscenes, preferrably with someone else showing up to save us

The big bad shows up, possessing the body of a random soldier. Interesting

So KeA is their holy child. Huh

We don't get saved. Instead, the McGuffin Child turns herself in

She glows. The bad guys may have a point

Then the PCs make heatfelt speeches and convince her not to turn herself in. Cool. Except we are all gonna die now

Then Arios to the rescue! The game reminds us once again of its kickass sprite animations

And a few other NPCs

A lot of NPCs, actually. It's that part where the entire cast shows up to help the PCs

There is some poetry to the vipers and the testaments finally working together

I mean they did in the prologue, but that was a long time ago

And the guild fixed the telephones. You can always count on the Bracer Guild's Phone Repair Service

But the Bid Bad escapes by unpossessing the random soldier. Ofc.

He has a mean evil laugh, though

But Estelle and Joshua already went to the final dungeon to take him down. It seems they still have that protagonist spirit

In the end, KeA did not get kidnapped at all. The quote at the start was just misleading.

The game uses that in an interesting way, though. Because now comes that time where it has to explain why the weaker PCs are going to face the Big Bad alone instead of the much more competent veterans.

Why, if the mcguffin girl DID NOT get kidnapped, then it makes much more sense to leave the veterans guarding her, since she is integral to the villains' plot. The game solves the Cassius Bright issue by subverting the rescue plot and giving Cassius Bright a logical reason to stay behind. And Lloyd gains points for being the one to come up with that plan. Brilliant.

Epic music plays and we drive to the final dungeon

Next we get a chase sequence with tanks as Noel appears to bails us and engages in tank vs tank warfare. This ending sequence keeps delivering

Estelle and Joshua opened the front gate of dungeon while we were coming. Can't clear the whole thing, though. No longer main characters and all.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/9/8/1/AAO9CbAAE2TF.jpg

That's a goal to strive for. Especially since "half decent" is better than 99.99% of police

We finally arrive at the in medias res scene, except I'M PRETTY SURE Estelle/Josh weren't with us last time. Alternate timline? Whatever I'll take it.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/9/8/2/AAO9CbAAE2TG.png

NOW we are talking

Oh yes KeA said that about Ilya in my playthrough but I'd forgotten what the reference was.

I was thinking she was talking about Rixia since she went to the auction.

Note: I'm posting this in a discord chat where one of the readers hasn't started the series yet, so I'm using "they" pronouns with Yin most of the time (except when I put it in spoiler tags).

The balloon selling guy is lowkey one of the best npcs. the world may be about to explore, he's just happy to be giving people some balloons

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/1/0/AAO9CbAAE2NS.jpg

When NPCs become self-aware

apparently the testaments floated the idea of attacking the vipers now that they are weak from the infighting, but Wazy veto'd it. Heh.

Lloyd has a little scene at his brother's grave. The game's opening theme starts playing

The cathedral's priest is declaring that is the Gralsritter come take the Magical Bell of Hell, he won't let them.

Heh. I'd love to see Kevin run into this guy.

Lloyd and Dudley talking on phone to share results is cool. Dudley is a jerk, but now that he's on our side, it's a nice dynamic

Dudley hints that the doc is the bad guy. Called it. There isn't a huge pool of plausible characters with face portraits to pick from, tbh. And a specialist in pharmacology and neurology? Heh.

Dudley is showing why he is a good detective, though. He just goes and remembers the connection between the doc and the villain of Chapter 2, who now is clear was also under the effect of Gnosis

Gnosis is this game's version of Weissman finger snap, I guess. It's behind everything.

Did the bad guys just make the hospital hostage or something

The bus to the hospital was, though. This is starting to look like a zombie movie

We are attacked by mindless super mafiosos. Yup. Zombie movie.

Yin to the rescue!

Lloyd: "Yin, wanna be our nakama?"
Yin: "lol ok"

Lloyd and his ability to make the best decision even when all common sense is yelling against it

Yin joins the party!

Just in time for Zombie Hospital: The Movie

Yin's orbment is mirage, the only element that was missing

They also come with a weird 5-2-2 line which I've never seen in the series before. It's both good and bad at magic.

though their ats is not great. But their attack is huge

The bus people are being kept hostage in the dorms

Lloyd: "We will save the nurse who has a face portrait and everyone else too!"

theres a little character thing about how the hospital resident who is always cool because she's great at tests is freaking out, while the resident who is not that much of an ace but is used to working for a calm doctor is handling this situation more easily. Soft skills.

I like Yin but their crafts aren't fantastic and the one that looks cool (basically Dudley's insta death with a slightly lower chance) doesn't work because all the mafiosos are immune to it. And they always start the battle positioned in a way that Yin's AoE attacks don't hit more than one person. Meh.

Rixia lets out her real voice in one of her victory quotes. Heh.

We run into a politician, who demands we escort him alone to safety and leave everyone else to die. Scum.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/1/1/AAO9CbAAE2NT.jpg

Nurse with a face portrait is being surrounded by a pack of cthulhus. Just a normal day in jrpgs
Lloyd is so angry he kills one of the cthulhus before the battle even starts

Ok Yin's crafts are great when the enemies aren't specifically designed to avoid them

The research ward is about as large as the rest of the hospital combined, even though it didnt look like that from the outside

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/1/2/AAO9CbAAE2NU.jpg

tempting

We meet the mastermind behind everything... the guy we arrested in chapter 2

new boss song

ngl A Dude in a Suit is an uncommon boss, but this was a cool fight

the boss escapes by jumping from the 8th floor window and being rescued by a dragon. Showoff

We get some files. One reveals the speaker has been blackmailed by the bad guys the whole time, and also teases a certain Start Door

The other is a list of kidnapped chhildren, Including Renne

So the cult is responsible for Star Door 15. I say kill them all with fire

And theres KeA, our mcguffin girl

Renne is basically Evil Kilika at this point. She knows everything and is 10 steps ahead of everyone

jumping out of windows is modern society's best means of transportation

You guys need to be glad shes on your side. I think

Yin leaves the party. WIll return next game!

The day was saved! Except not.

We go back home and KeA hasn't been kidnapped yet. The devs surely like to hold expectations

We call the bracer guild, and hear it get attacked on the phone. Just normal day for a bracer guild
Bracer guild receptionist is one of the most hazardous jobs ever

Next, we are attacked too. The PCs get ready to escape with the mcguffin kid and the other kid, while Dudley and Sergei guards our backs. Sergei grabs a shotgun because he's cool like that.

Oh nice the country's army has been zombified too

Yin said she had someone to protect. Turns out it's Ilya

The NPCs stay behind so the PCs can escape. Classic.

zombifying half the country's army is smart, but that means the other half can form a barrier against you

We area attacked by 10 mafia goons and Randy wants to run away. No, you idiot, 10 goons isn't that much at this level! Damn PCs who can't powergame

Then the Richest Man in Zemuria decides he also wants to participate in the Last Minute Rescue thing and does just that

no way all those plebs will participate in heroic action and he won't get to buy his way into it too

the time stamps showing every scene is a cool feature

we are now in the bank, which is a safe zone. Well not safe from hacking, but the hacker is our friend so it's cool

The bank provides item shops so we can prepare for the final dungeon. Convenient

The internet says you have to give fish to the cat, Coppe, in all chapters including the prologue in order to gain a Gemini Gem at the end of the game

I'm positive the internet is wrong, because I did not give Coppe fish in the prologue, and the Gemini Gem is currently sitting in my inventory

It also greatly changes my plans for quartz because 50% cut on casting time is not easy to ignore. Tio is about to turn into a crazy powerful shadow blade casting machine

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/0/4/AAO9CbAAE2NM.jpg

a dog is a dog

TIme for the final orbment setups! I stopped doing this every chapter since the days of FC, but I'll be danmed if I don't at least show the endgame ones

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/0/5/AAO9CbAAE2NN.jpg

Tio is a merciless magical cannon. This setup strikes a delicate balance between pure damage and efficiency. Because cancer gem instead of mind 3 reduces damage output a little bit to release an extra slot, which guarantees both Genesis Flood and Shadow Blade (not the strongest AoE ever, but still really strong), as well as some secondary options in space, mirage and wind. And she casts fast. Really fast. And can cast all day too, thanks to all the extra EP. I also intend to give her one of the two ultimate pieces of armor I'm allowed to craft, since it raises ATS. The other one is probably going to Elie. Offense is the best defense.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/0/6/AAO9CbAAE2NO.jpg

Now I was surprised by this Elie, but it worked out. Fire and Wind just have good synergy in this game. Elie gets Thunder Cyclone, one of the best AoE options, and Crimson Ray, the highest damage spell in the game, which is just great for bosses. It is more physical than usual, but hey, Elie's Cross Mirage is good. Leo Gem allows me to give her a weaker gladiator item so the strongest one can go to Tio, who needs it since she's the new Kevin. Alternatively, keep the strongest one on Elie and make her an ever better CP battery. We'll see what works best.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/0/7/AAO9CbAAE2NP.jpg

I was going to place Yggdrasil somewhere. Lloyd is not a caster, but if someone weak to earth (or to fire) shows up, he can step in. And Taurus Gem makes him bulkier while giving the game's equivallent of Earth Wall (Aidios Bless Earth Wall!). Aries Gem + Attack 3 give him obscene offensive power, Invigorate makes up for the fact I gave everyone else the Gladiator items. I considred Sagittarius Gem instead of Evade for a while, but honestly I dont need more movement. Petrify likely being replaced for Defense at the final boss, though.

Update: I posted this image then realized I had lost Yggdrasil, so the version that went in has Lloyd with HP 3 instead of Taurus Gem, and the later goes to Randy, who puts it in place of Strike.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/0/8/AAO9CbAAE2NQ.jpg

And this is where I get to ignore the magic system. Virgo Gem could be good on Lloyd, but Lloyd is busy being a paladin so Randy can abuse it instead. HP is just an useful orbment that also lets Randy heal (ok I did not FULLY ignore the magic system), the rest is staple. Detection is too good in the overworld to miss, but it will be replaced by one of Defense or Sagit Gem when we get to the bosses (to be decided) .

I sell a bunch of unused sepith and buy two Evergreens from Imelda. Lloyd and Randy now have a nice 45% evasion

the girls get grails locket. Immunity to status is important when you are the main healers

everyone gets a gladiator item, but I only have 3, so Lloyd gets Shizuku's brooch.

ok now I'm done crafting the setup that will trivialize all of the game's remaining combat unless the devs are jerks. Back to the game.

I've noticed Zero is a lot more picky about who gets to have character portraits compared to the Sky games. The bracers and the bracer receptionist, for example, are all characters who would have gotten portraits in Sky.

pyresword posted...

Dudley definitely has the best S-Craft in the series and no I will not be taking questions or comments.

#WheelofTime4Life

I gain a steam achievment from killing 8 enemies in one move. Thanks to Tio and her Genesis Flood versus a bunch of robots

we are attacked by a mecha on the way to Maconi's office. The kind that used to appear in SC.

We face the boss of Chapter 4. Compared to the 10 optional bosses I just killed, this is a massive joke. It ends with Dudley taking off his coat to punch it so hard it sinks to the ground (cool s-craft)

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/0/2/AAO9CbAAE2Aq.jpg

Yes I get it Lloyd

there is a funny interaction where Elie accidentally lets out that they have been to the auction and Dudley is surprisingly sporting about it

the room is full of files proving the mafia's all crimes, but we can't use anything since we are invading without a warrant

well, we can't use anything for proof but we could always use it to find out where shit will go down next and stop it

Lloyd finds the files he needs, but also his bro's badge inside a mafia chests. The plot thickens

so there is one mysterious person behind everything. Is it someone I know?

I'm gonna go and guess the doctor because it would be yet another twist with an evil blue haired dude

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/0/3/AAO9CbAAE2Ar.jpg

The difference between the hero and the non-hero

Yes, let's bring the bracers!

Dudley is gonna get the 1st div to work behind the leadership's backs, we are gonna call the bracers, and now we have ourselves a task force

Lloyd and Dudley have a scene where they bond over Lloyd's bro, and Lloyd announces he's putting the mission ahead of any pursue of revenge. Atta boy

Chapter 4: "War on drugs always fails, fictional or real": beaten

Meanwhile, Renne is at her computer, which is about the most dangerous place she can be at. For everyone else.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/0/4/AAO9CbAAE2As.jpg

No. No parties. Bad Renne! Bad!

We meet the dollmaker, who is some old dude. Although the timing is convenient, I don't think he is our main villain, but I could be wrong.

She implies Orobouros is not behind this. Huh

Doubt.gif. Orobouros is always behind it, even if they are not behind it

We get a name drop. Professor Novartis. The guy who built the Peter Mater, I suppose. And who has always been supplying archaisms to the mafia for unknown reasons

It's that jerkass who appeared in Door 14 and was obssessing about wanting to continue to watch Renne

Note to self: when someone introduces themselves at The Professor, shoot on head immediately

Renne: "let's get some tea"
No. No tea! Tea is bad! Bad Renne!!

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/0/5/AAO9CbAAE2At.jpg

That's a chapter name alright

Arios joins the "bonding over Lloyd brother" party

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/0/6/AAO9CbAAE2Au.jpg

You know a team up is powerful by the hair color variety

All those secondary bracers getting full voice acting out of nowhere is funny. Now all they need are face portraits to reach the Grant Tier of Relevance

So I'm facing a bunch of optional bosses that are available right now. Among them, I stumble upon a thing called Sage Creepy Sheep

It's one of the most horrible battles I've ever fought

This thing has huge HP and defense. It has 3 moves, one that deals massive damage and always puts your party member to sleep, one that deals even more damage, and one that raises the target's attack but lowers its defense. Its speed is also huge so it often gets double turns. It's immune to all status except AT delays, which sounds good until I remember there are TEN of them and they tend to spread around to surround your party members. They are weak to fire but with huge HP and speed, they can kill your fire caster before they finish casting.

The only silver lining is that they spam the defense lowering move more than it's practical, so their DPS is manageable, and the fight tests your ability to heal and revive your party. Elie once again saves the day with a gladiator belt.

I won, but at what cost. I think I revived my party members at least 8 times and uses s-crafts at least 20 times.

It drops a Cancer Gem. Which is part of a horoscope series, but i'm pretty sure this one being the award wasn't a coincidence. This boss fight was cancer.

Creepy Sheep power escalation is the biggest hazard of Zemuria. I feel like by the end of this series they will be spamming s-crafts and casting Avalon Gate every turn.

the first division is investigating the airport but refuses to say what for. Hmmm

I do a quest for helping the gravekeeper get some flowers for Lloyd's brother grave. It's an emotional scene that comes out of nowhere, but it's nice

And we also see a scene of Estelle and Joshua taking Arios's blind daughter to get ice cream, and it's cuteness overload

I do a bunch of endgame objectives

• Catching every fish in the game. With the help of a guide, ofc. Lloyd is not the greatest fisher in all of Crossbell. This is useful too since I trade one of the fish to the local cat for an Action 3 (my fourth one), and apparently the ultimate fish can be traded for a Scent next chapter

(which is lowkey the best quartz in the game. Which is weird until you realize that must be compensation for removing Haze)

• I beat 3 quests monsters which give manuals for extra combo crafts with the non-Lloyd party members. They are hard, though. Especially the two beholders that spam mirage spells

• I also beat the remaining challenge chests, including the aforementioned Cancer Sheep, and also a couple others. Weirdly, the lv 40 battle, which I leave for last, is the easiest (even though my party is only lv 33). It's tough, but it's very predictable and it helps that I did this last cuz now I have 6 combo crafts to pick from.

now back to the main game

we start investigating the people who took drugs, but it turns out all of them are missing
that's a pattern all right. but not a particularly useful one

Dudley calls us: "You idiots. Are you guys the reason shit is happening at the mafia?"
Llloyd: "what shit happening at the mafia?"
Dudley: "Uh never mind. Just stay away from it!"
PCs: [go check it]

The mafia building is completely empty except for Dudley. This is getting more convoluted by the minute.

Someone placed bombs in the airport which forced the entire first division to stop watching the mafia and go deal with it. Which is when the mafia left

Ok I know bombs at an airport are a big deal, but I'd have left at least a beat cop or something near the mafia building. The fact a simple distraction ploy was THIS succesful doesn't say good things about the 1st div's competence

though I'm guessing the top brass who ordered the entire police to stop watching the mafia are the ones behind this

Yeah, that was it. Wow I'm sorry for those guys

weird that the state has a tight grip over the police EXCEPT the SSS though. I'd figured at this point they would have started trying to control it too.

Lloyd does an epic speech where he announces he'll investigate the building even if it's illegal. It even has the classic "I'm ready to surrender my badge" cop show stuff

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/9/8/AAO9CbAAE2Am.jpg

Dudley arranges his glasses. I think that's a sign he liked it

We are gonna make you a nakama sooner or later, Dudley

Dudley joins the party!

Or rather, we have become his party

Dudley's orbment is time element. The other times we have time orbments they belonged to some real broody heroes with tragic pasts. Let's see if this is the case too

Dudley has a healing craft called Tough Love. lol

We found a porn magazine some mafia goons were reading. Randy stops to fulfill some important business

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/9/9/AAO9CbAAE2An.jpg

Lloyd: "wait, I saw something between the pages"
No Lloyd you didn't. Please.

Or nvm it's a note with a password

this dungeon has no enemies, instead it's one big puzzle game

oh there aren't mafiosos, but there are monsters. Fair enough

one of Dudley's crafts deals instant death at 100% chance. That's it. He just goes and kills the enemy. If it's not immune to deathblows, that is. And it looks very cool too.

Tio has learned Kevin's s-craft and lowkey climbed 3 positions in the party member usefulness rankings

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/0/0/AAO9CbAAE2Ao.jpg

... whyyyyyyyy

We learn Don Marconi just loves dumb dungeon puzzles. Figures. He always sounded like a creep
Oh hey, Orobouros archaisms. Took long enough

the question is whether the mafia just bought them in the black market, or if Orobouros is actually supplying them

we find a t-material and I leave the dungeon to go upgrade Tio's staff. Dudley is NOT PLEASED at the detour

Dudley my dude, pointless sidequests in the middle of important missions is how PCs roll. Didn't you want to be a PC? Get used to it

Is it just me or are those archaisms way weaker than the monsters in the other side of the dungeon?

or maybe it was because I was using scent so it was harder to get battles with advantage. Still, they are going down rather easily

give Dudley a Leo gem and spam the insta kill bullet. OP as fuck

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/0/1/AAO9CbAAE2Ap.jpg

That's... a good point

Raka_Putra posted...

https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/14/23873628/unity-death-threats-john-riccitiello

...oh

Welp, they messed with gamers.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/0/2/AAO9CbAAE1pO.jpg

Well shit

ok I take it back, Lechter is a good character. I'm sorry Lechter fans, wherever you are. This shit is hilarious

Lechter: "It's clear that this hand of mine takes that straight flush of yours and flushes it straight down the drain"

10/10

Gantz gives away that he's doing drugs. I was starting to think it was that after noticing all the people getting skill buffs were losers of some kind.

Lloyd decides to check Gantaz belonging for drugs and this is starting to feel like real police

Dude is taking some blue pills. Could be worse. They could be red ones.

Sergei figures out the cases are connected and I'm disappointed at Lloyd for not noticing it first

Dudley arrives and reveals the 1st div is onto the drugs too but politicians told them to stop investigating

Sergei then earns his character portrait in one scene by completely bending Dudley like wet paper and forcing him to work for us

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/0/3/AAO9CbAAE1pP.jpg

It's the Lloyd show now, Dudley. You did not learn the easy way before, so you'll learn the hard way now.

Sergei: "and don't forget to say thank you to the PCs"

Dudley: "I... don't like you guys but i'll let you help me, ok? BAKA!"

I do a little quest about stopping a woman from running away to Calvard. We follow her all the way into the train. Hey, isn't this 7 games too soon to see Calvard?

the Republican faction guy is a massive asshole, but unlike the Imperial one, he's an unimportant asshole

We go meet the Doctor with a Face Portrait, who says he'll tyry to find out what those blue pills do
He has something even better than science to offer us, though: rumors

This one is that the one behind all is a satanist cult. and possibly Orobouros

Tio seems to be connected to the drug somehow too. maybe they tested it on her?

Yep, shes connected alright. she faints on the way back

the entire party telling Tio she doesn't have to reveal her past if she doesn't wanna is precious

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/0/4/AAO9CbAAE1pQ.jpg

It's never not time to roast Lloyd

Welp, Tio just went and won the sad past contest, at least for this playable cast

An interesting thing about people that these games get right is how we are all full of traumas, but they don't hit at the same time. So while the other 3 are broken at times, they can support Tio when she is the one having a moment, and they do that well

I'm saying this because Randy in particular seems very traumatized by his own past, but he's managing to be chill when mentioning it himself. And Elie was having a breakdown two chapters ago, but here she can be emotional support just fine.

Anyway, satanist guys are complete assholes. Someone call Kevin

Such a great cast

Estelle and Joshua were better, but they were two. The rest of the cast was an amalgamation of great characters with one note arcs, and mediocre characters. But here there are 4 very good ones with a solid dynamic.

Heck, jury is still out on Estelle/Josh being better because they only reached those highs in the second game

Look at what you did, Lloyd. Your cheesiness made Tio cry

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/0/5/AAO9CbAAE1pR.jpg

Anelace: [pukes rainbows]

Time for more reveals. We learn Arios used to be a cop.

whats up with those god tier bracers and their former positions in military

it makes sense why Arios babysits Lloyd now, though

This cult's name is gonna be a pain to write in this diary. Imma just go with DG

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/0/6/AAO9CbAAE1pS.jpg

The cult thing was so serious they called God

Imagine Arios and Cassius working together

Sergei tries to join the party but Lloyd convinces him to stay behind as mission control. Damn!

News of the night mafia war has arrived, and the bracer guild is ready to deploy their biggest force:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/2/9/6/AAO9CbAAE1pI.jpg

time to go question Cao. We arrived at Dudley failing to get anything from him, lacking the proper protagonism to pull it off. Watch and learn, Dudley

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/2/9/7/AAO9CbAAE1pJ.jpg

Lloyd gives no fucks

We question Cao, and I somehow think he's giving truthful answers. While hiding a bunch of important stuff, ofc

Lloyd says they go to Revache next. Seriously, no fucks at all

We learn one of the Vipers also took whatever the mafia goons took and used it to beat up one of the stronger gang members.

Wald telling the guy to go to the hospital asap is kind of sweet

We dont get much info from Revache, other than another hint that this attack doesn't feel like them. But they are sworn enemies of the SSS at this point so help will be unlikely

A wild Grace appears. Time for the press to prove themselves useful before the game ends

It took 6 chapters, but we are FINALLY doing the Nial routine

Tio points out that mafia making moves that pull them away from making money is weird

Grace's reveal mostly boils down to the top brass of Revache not being behind this, but doesn't say who is

And Lloyd figures out everything else, as always

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/2/9/8/AAO9CbAAE1pK.jpg

I dunno Lloyd, a Fullitzer sounds like a big deal

we get a follow up on the gambler's case and Grace just announces shes joining the party. The lady understands the power of protagonism. If you want a Fullitzer, follow the PCs.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/2/9/9/AAO9CbAAE1pL.jpg

Grace has a funny reaction when we try to enter the theater

We go see who Gantz is having a heated poker match with... it's Lechter

Oh shit poor Gantz

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/0/0/AAO9CbAAE1pM.jpg

You idiot. Don't you know that's the weakest possible hand in fictional poker matches? You should have folded

Never play the second best possible hand in a dramatic scene about a card game

_stingers_ posted...

huh

My bad, I meant liquid nitrogen. That's a joke I had seen somewhere else. It means he's really chill.

I'd repost the whole thing but it's too much work with all those images.

catesdb posted...

dude don't spoil anything FOR US

I'm assuming you at least played zero and azure.

if theres one mechanic I never give a damn about in rpgs, it's cooking. which is why I'm stroingly considering skipping the cooking quest from chapter 4. or at least half-assing it.

Well I half-ass it, but making Elie make a ton of ultra dangerous food was funny

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/4/9/AAO9CbAAE1Sh.jpg

Mystery Inc arrives at a new haunted house

this place feels like a zelda dungeon

Lloyd's Rising Sun scraft is really cool. And strong.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/5/0/AAO9CbAAE1Si.jpg

I remove Elie from the party for a while because I feel bad for her being afraid of ghosts, but I can't. She's too OP. The party sucks without her

and other members aren't bad, they just arent an infinite CP battery who also gives people extra turns

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/5/1/AAO9CbAAE1Sj.jpg

when you know the game doesn't care about keeping resources from you anymore

we end the biggest infestation of ghosts ever by stopping a bell from moving

this was basically the way the devs found to reuse the bestiary from Trails 3rd

next mission is to find a guy who sent to Crossbell to gamble and never returned. I'm guessing he became indebted to the wrong people.

Noel drops us at the city and leaves the party. Meh. It was fun while it lasted.

so the story is that the miner was blessed with infinite luck and is now living a life of luxury from the casino, and no one knows how thats possible

this game is getting more supernatural by the minute

ok, minor spoiler time. I've looked at the list of sept-terrions out of curiosity (though I didn't look at details), so I know the next element is mirage. Mirage is knowledge.

So far we have KeA who has the ability to learn how to cook without being taught, and a gambler who can predict the cards in a game. It seems the name of the game will be characters having the ability to know things they shouldn't.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/5/2/AAO9CbAAE1Sk.jpg

this is it. She finally got kidnapped, didn't she

She did not. I feel like the devs are doing it on purpose. Like any veteran videogame player should be expecting keA to become a damsel in distress any minute.

Grimwood has been investigating a story about kids who were kidnapped, to see if KeA is among them. She's not. |'m betting Renne was, though

Aaaaand more cases of businesspeople learning info they shouldn't. That's the pattern. Our mcguffin dunnit.

Sergei and the lawyer say the PCs need to send KeA to a foster care, to their dismay.

Just send her to Cassius, I'm sure he won't mind adopting yet another mysterious child
meanwhile, at the Chinese mafia...

we learn the other mafia has also been getting more skilled at fighting

This Cao guy has nitroglicerine instead of blood

Thorn posted...

Well, for Estelle and Joshua at the studio, again, the Bracer Board comes in clutch. For that one it says something like "Estelle & Joshua: Personal Business (Mainz Mountain Road)" or something. I don't think it gives you the studio outright, but it does tell you they're in a weird place.

but yes like tcaz i personally just check fucking everywhere lol

I suppose that gives the dialogue a creepy subtext then, since Estelle asks them what they are doing there and Lloyd says they are just stratching their legs because he doesn't want to admit they are stalking her and Joshua.

th3l3fty posted...

does not compute

Pass.

Well I suppose I'm talking to nocs more often lately.

But I'm still trying to filter what seems relevant and what is not. I e. random shopkeepers are more likely to be ignored, unless it's the ones Ive noticed have ongoing plots (like ice cream girl).

I'm using a guide to check for major optional dialogues which I've missed, and watching a let's play video to see them.

I love how whenever Lloyd and co go to a particularly remote place to meet other characters, they usually get asked "what the hell are you doing here?" and their answer is always some lame excuse like "I dunno just stretching my legs". Because logically, there is zero story justification for say, going to Rosermberg studio in the middle of the festival. You just go there because you read a guide saying Estelle/Josh will be there at a certain point of time and you can read a nice piece of dialogue.
I's almost as if the game designers are lampshading how stupid this is

nice set of scenes, though. Particularly all the Bestelle stuff

Well back to chapter 4, and this time I intend to at least use said guide and trust that it lists the more important scenes. I've also learned from this endeavor which characters are more likely to be treasure troves of content and which aren't, so I don't have to talk to everyone every time

so I spend a good one hour optimizing quartz configurations (including catching a fish that has an EP Cut 3 inside it), now that I can buy lv 3 quartz on shops. I'm satisfied with the outcome. Tio can now cast high level AoE space, mirage and time arts, which will be op next dungeon. Elie is a bit less stacked in power but she has more element variety (and Elie spends half the time spamming holy bullet anyway). The other 3 get the standard physical attack package

also for the first time in the series, you can frely switch party members between one battle and the next. So instead of equipping 4 characters and swtiching quartz whenever I decide to go to base and switch characters, I went and equipped all 5 characters for the whole chapter. This requires a bigger inventory of quartz, but I'll spend less time reequipping characters in the long run

I walk into a funny scene where a nun is trying to convince the local weapon smuggler into sending her daughter to sunday school. But the woman disagrees since the kid can already calculate the profits from selling rifles so she doesn't need anymore studying

I do a quest in the hospital to make a necklace so Arios's daughter can give it to her dad. She rewards me with a stone she found. The stone is one of the best accessories in the game.

Love based quests always give OP rewards for some reason

Wazy when meeting Noel for the first time:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/9/8/AAO9CbAAE1Gy.jpg

those people need to join the party permanently so I can get more interactions like this

and apparently he enjoys having women yell at him. Too much information.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/9/9/AAO9CbAAE1Gz.jpg

Hmm not sure if I ship it yet, but I thank Randy for bringing up the possibility

Time for another Ricky and Anton quest. Ugh.

Anton is in love with Fran. Because he's always in love with the receptionist of the organization the PCs are part of. I guess that's the pattern the series is going with

The joke is that Fran's sister is in the party now, so if Anton ends up being a creep about it, he's gonna suffer

the entire quest is some dumb romcom routine that leads to nowhere. though it does give some nice characterization on both the sisters

fighting one of those challenge chest monsters. The ice ones. The strat is to have Randy and Noel spam at delay while the other two girls use magic.

I love how Shadow Blade was incredibly lame in the Sky games, now its this super cool, super poweful time spell

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/0/0/AAO9CbAAE1G0.jpg

I win, but the chest has one last revenge

Also beat the lv 25 boss from ursula road, this time by benching Randy since its immune to all status. It's somehow harder the the other boss, who was lv 30

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/0/1/AAO9CbAAE1G1.jpg

I run into a wallmaster

advantage of having a party member who is a military official: a party tank

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/0/2/AAO9CbAAE1G2.jpg

the tank will warp me anywhere I wanna go. would be nice if I had figured out where it was parked before doing almost every quest for this day, though

I do a quest for recovering books. When I'm met with the classic Trails Boss that Spams Earthquakes When Hit. I look online and apparently the only easy way to beat it is to farm everyone to 200 cp and delete the boss in the first turn. That's how you know the devs screwed up a boss design

yeah you can attack 1 by 1, but there are 5, they take a long time to die and their attack is already high when not spamming earthquakes (and one of them will always be doing it). Also they are immune to the entire status table.

this chapter in a nutshell: do humiliatting chores while Noel tags along and reacts with "wow I didn't know THAT was part of you guys' job too"

It's worth to go everywhere with KeA just to see her reacting to cast members. Some priceless interactions come from it. For example:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/8/6/AAO9CbAAE0z2.jpg

or this:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/8/7/AAO9CbAAE0z3.jpg

Or of course, this:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/8/8/AAO9CbAAE0z4.jpg

Imagine if Anelace met her. She might explode.

The guild offers to take care of KeA in the place of the SSS, since they have more resources. KeA then just goes and rejects Estelle's offer since she likes the PCs more. The later tries to hide it but it's clear she's not used to being rejected by kids

Sorry Estelle, no longer being a protagonist has its price

Apparently KeA is also one of the few people in the verse who likes acerbic tomatoes

We take her to the church to see if they can restores her memories

I'd call Zin, but his techniques tend to involve punching so it's probably not a good idea

she only remembers a dark place with a light above her. Well in the opening she appears in what looks to be a glass tube, so maybe its that

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/8/9/AAO9CbAAE0z5.jpg

No, it was an internet hidden quest guide that did

cuz otherwise I'd never go back to church again after going to the town

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/9/0/AAO9CbAAE0z6.jpg

And this is how copaganda begins

I have to answer a quiz and the one answer I get wrong is, ironically, when I say the police's role is to protect citizens. Still thinking as a bracer, I guess

KeA makes Lloyd answer why he joined the police, and we get a late development on his plot from the prologue

KeA can summon Zeit in battle. Sure, why not

We meet Cecile, who has a shipper's meltdown over the idea Lloyd may have a daughter

Called it. The lazy doctor is pivotal to the plot.

Well, not really. He doesn't have an easy answer, and the little kid doesn't really enjoy the idea of spending a week in a hospital

Silly PCs, the only way to learn the truth about McGuffin girl is to tackle the plot

The kid leaves the hospital alone. Of course this would happen
.
The kid wants to fish. Don't let the guild learn that, or they might recruit her

Nope, she doesn't get kidnapped just yet. Instead she makes friends with Arios' daughter

So what I'm understanding here is that KeA has Estelle levels of social ability

meanwhile, in the mafia night chat, evil plans are made

Intermission: beaten

we learn KeA is either a genius chef or has magical learning abilities. I'm going with the later
next quest is to investigate some haunted ruins. To Elie's horror

Chapter 4: "Who you gonna call? Not the police, obviously"

Noel joins the party again! And this time shes available for overworld stuff. We are gonna have an actual playable cast of more than 4 characters by the time this duology ends, book it.

this is some quality sprite animation

Her name is KeA. I'm guessing her dad is Elon Musk.

The alarm sounds. Yeah ofc they are not letting us leave without a fight or ten

But I wanted to see the auctiooooooon

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/2/3/AAO9CbAAE0xT.jpg

Does Lloyd get a penalty in battle for fighting while carrying a little girl

Welp, at least we get Wazy again

oh ok Lloyd droops her on the floor before battles

The girl follows rule #1 in the guide not to be a terrible escort: follow orders

also she jumps with joy when we kill bad guys. this girl is cool.

Wazy lampshades that Lloyd and co are friends with every weirdo in Crossbell

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/2/4/AAO9CbAAE0xU.jpg

You know you need to start focusing when Lechter tells you to get serious

Oh yes, the classic cat decoy. How many times has this series done that already? 3? 4?

I think only SC didn't do it but I could be wrong

I never thought I'd say that, but Lechter is a bro. Not that I have any idea what his motivations are

KeA keeps getting all my Team Rushes for some reason

Nobody:
Wazy: "Arrivederci!"

We are attacked by a bunch of mafiosos. i'm just getting read to drop the s-crafts on them when they pull out machine guns

Aaaaand time for another "who will bail us out this time" guessing game

I'm gonna go with the darkhorse and say "KeA reveals superpowers and knocks them out/teleports everyone to somewhere else", because that's a classic trope

Random boomerangs show up and hit the enemies. Ok.

I'm guessing Yin then. That was gonna be my guess before I thought of the darkhorse

The mafia has good publicity in this setting. But I think terrorizing tourists in the most popular resort of the country will do a lot of damage to it. Who the hell is KeA to make them willing to do all that to get her back? That's the million dollar question

We are cornered with no means to escape the island. Then a mafioso with a face portrait shows up. I guess we have to take him down to unlock a bridge to the next area or whatever

He comes with a big squad but I have the only thing more broken than and s-craft: a combo craft. it cleans house

KeA jumps in joy and raises everyone's attack and speed mid battle. i'll take it

Boss has very high stats but this is one of the cases where high stats don't help if your minions are made of paper and you aren't immune to chrono down. which Wazy is able to spam as a craft

Boss gets up again and I'm tired of this routine. Especially because it just means someone will bail us out AGAIN. For like the 7th time in this chapter

He casually drops that Randy used to be a jaeger. Nice, I love when bosses do that

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/2/5/AAO9CbAAE0xV.jpg

Randy and the boss go Super Saiyajin

But before they can make a 50 episode long fight, police dog and police chief show up, the later doing anything at all for the first time in this game

Plot twist: the mafia didn't know the girl was in there. Or at least Garcia didn't

Hartmann leaves and almost everyone follows him. Auction: busted

Oh yeah the boomerangs (actually chakrams) were from Kilika. I knew I'd seen them before

The two spies have a heart to heart. International treaties are made.

the party doesn't give any fucks about Randy's dark backstory. They are nakama

Chapter 3: "The longest and most confusing filler in history": beaten

We get a cutscene of Elie and Tio pampering KeA with new clothes and stuff. It's cute

meanwhile the guys talk, and I guess the gist of it is that the "bomb" Yin mentioned was KeA, because someone slipped her among the auction items without the mafia knowing, and when they opened that trunk, it would have looked like Revache/Speaker Hartmann are selling humans. As much as this is an illegal auction, a lot of the people in it are civilians. It could have caused a massive political shitstorm.

And for whatever reason, Yin helped prevent it by giving us the hint.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/2/6/AAO9CbAAE0xW.jpg

now I wish this happened because an army of A-rank bracers sounds fun

And the mafia makes a truce with us. Convenient

I gotta agree with the PCs, KeA is adorable

Lloyd shows massive character development and announces he'll ask the bracer guild for help with the KeA thing.

Just what Estelle and Josh need, another mysterious child

Intermission: KeA - begins
An intermission? Interesting

I gotta pick another character. I pick Randy, basically taking turns now

Ok let's be real now. KeA is totally getting kinapped. Probably at the end of this intermission. The In medias res section at the start mentioned rescuing a girl (could be Renne, but I don't feel it). Plus it's too soon to get a happily ever after. This girl is important and someone will come to get her.

Kilika's speech about Arc en Ciel is so good I'm here wondering if she actually works as an entertainment producer besides just using it as a decoy

Kilika is also way more human when she gets a voice actor. And when she's talking about art instead of just being an efficient drone. I love this character

cool quote about how a professional works, too. From the most professional character in the whole series.

Lechter just goes and admits he works for Hitler when first asked. Huh.

That's not a uh... conventional way to do spy work. Though he doesn't outright admit he is a spy. Well that's our "hidden genius" character for ya. He will be completely useless for the entire game then we'll learn he fulfilled his mission by the time the story ends.

Then he pretends he's about to kill them all and the entire party falls for it

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/2/1/AAO9CbAAE0xR.jpg

that would be troublesome (he totally knows doesn't he)

And he adds the part of working for Hitler as part of the joke, and now the characters don't believe it anymore. Sharp.

yeah ok Lechter gains a few points for me. Dude is Campanella levels of clever. I mean, Lloyd saw through Renne, but he couldn't see through Lechter.

my favorite meme is random npcs realizing Kilika is a spy but having no power to do anything about it

Tio's reaction at seeing the theme park is priceless

we scout the place where the auction is going to be held, and find the mafia preparing the security. heh

suddenly Lloyd hears a voice. "Find me"

I think that was in the game's intro? The plot develops

I do a quest for finding some guy's lost engagement ring. Standard stuff, except a bunch of people happened to drop rings all over the place in the same day, so I spend the time bringing wrong rings over and over. creative.

We fail to get a hotel room we can use to make plans (why don't we just go to some corner of the dock or something). Then Wazy shows up and offers his room. You know, the local delinquent. Offers his room in the mega luxurious hotel.

nice sequence with Wazy entering his room and the hotel maid fangirling

Wow ok, the guy is a host. Did not expect that

Who does it "for free". Wait, thats not a job, thats just picking up girls

I have to pick one person to go with Lloyd to the auction. I pick Elie, because I've already read on the game's friendship system and the fact it's connected with shipping. And I'm totally shipping those two at this point.

Plus let's be serious, it makes more sense story wise for Elie to be at the high class auction than soldier dude or tech girl

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/2/2/AAO9CbAAE0xS.jpg

Yeah ok the pick is already paying dividends. She looks hot

Lloyd and Elie manage to fool the guards by just by so soapy the guards get annoyed and let them pass

man, I feel like there is so much different dilogue you could get by picking Randy or Tio here that i'm just not seeing. This game goes the extra mile.

ngl, this section is fun, but it's the most plotless one in the game so far. They wanna go into the auction to "see crossbell's darkness". Like, it's obvious this is going to turn out to be important, but the initial excuse to come here is kind of forced

mafia grunt: "Rest assured, the securiry has everything under control"
undercover cops: "keep up with the good work, dude!"

We meet Kilika (again), who makes an info dump about hos this auction is one huge money laundry for elites from both Erebonia and Calvard

ofc, considering who she works for, I'm wondering what she came to launder. Or what launder she came to check on

She implies she is rooting for us to tear this whole place apart. Maybe. You're never sure with Kilika

Having her not be on the player's faction is kind of a refreshing experience, because until now, Kilika was a good guy by default, and now I'm not sure. In that sense, she is a reverse Lechter (who works for the big bad, but has all sorts of hints of anti-villainy going for him)

Lechter shows up out of nowhere and starts FISHING in the mansion pond

The Fisherman Guild... it seems their claws have reached even Erebonian intelligence

Lloyd hears the voice again, near the room where the goods are. They are selling people in this auction? Figures.

next, we walk into Hypocrisy: The Scene. With a couple finding out they are cheating one another at the same time

Next we jump into lechter feeding the mansion owner's fish (which he just stole) to the mansion owner's cat. lol

Garcia: "I have a feeling someone besides Heiyue is messing with us"
NOPE. It's just in your head. Move along.

Lloyd's disguise of Guy almost fails because Garcia might lowkey be the one who killed him. But then the daughter of the richest man in the series shows up to bail them

Auction time

Uh why does Imelda have a target on the back of her head? Oh wait it's a hair net.

Wazy shows up and reveals there are a bunch of guard dogs sleeping outside

The other mafia is attacking, apparently

Yup, there's Yin

Hey Yin we can't see the darkness of Crossbell if you wipe it out by yourself

Yin jumps out of the window. No Yin, stay and join our party danmit!

the game lets me rest on the sofas in this room to recover HP. While it's some nice QoL, I find it hilarious those characters would stop to nap on a sofa while breaking into the secret safe of the freaking mafia

The object we are looking for is inside a trunk right in the center of the room, without any other objects touching it. obviously

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the girl from the opening

A statue has been stolen from the city hall. It can't be... him. Please.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/1/5/AAO9CbAAE0xL.jpg

FOR FUCK'S SAKE

This is why you kill bosses when you get the chance to fight them, Estelle and Joshua.

We run into Dudley, who is mad he won't be able to do anything about the auction. I want to see the look on his face when he finds out the SSS cracked down on it

We go to the airport and meet some guys who are apparently from the Capua Company. They keep mentioning "Her Ladyship". Looks like Josette has moved on to tormenting some NPCs now

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/1/6/AAO9CbAAE0xM.jpg

Not yet, Randy

Though Beaublanc has surpassed himself. How did he even get this statue inside this room?

His final letters informs us he will stop messing with us because circustances have arrived. yeah, Phantasmal Blaze Plans and stuff

But he drops one more time to give us a rare quartz while pretending to be someone else. heh.

The party is worried they will stick out in the auction. Tio presents a solution:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/1/7/AAO9CbAAE0xN.jpg

if this was an anime convention a teenage girl wearing a cat suit might blend in, but alas, its not

We are going to Mishelam when this menace shows up again

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/1/8/AAO9CbAAE0xO.jpg

Lechter, back for another attempt at making out of the "Actually a Bad Character" tier of my list. Will he stop being fucking terrible? We'll see

At last, I hope it doesn't take too long for the party to realize he's a literal gestapo agent

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/1/9/AAO9CbAAE0xP.jpg

Which is why Randy is a great character, and that prick is not. You can't be TOO uncaring about everything and everyone.

And then Kilika arrives. This is getting good.

I just realized we have both Calvard and Erebonia intelligence agents entering the same boat rn

Well I checked the board thing (didn't know it existed) and caught Estelle randomly playing with some kids at the cathedral. Gonna use that more from now on. Shame that the game is past the halfway point.

catesdb posted...

if you want to see everything in crossbell, especially as you unlock more of the map, you really have to go everywhere, every time

it can be kind of exhausting, honestly

i definitely remember some hour-plus sessions that were purely catching up on NPC dialogue

great game though

This is just more effort than I'm willing to put into a videogame tbh. Especially a series that is already over 1000 h long.

Wow ok I certainly missed those scenes.

I just dont want to go to every location in the world map whenever something changes tbh. It's nice to bump into those from tine to time, though.

NFUN posted...

In Renne's chapter in SC you meet the Hayworth puppets

lol no way I'd remember what the puppets look like at this point.

seriously, this song is so good

Lloyd treating Renne as a kid when she is just one year younger than Tio is still weird

I mean, its not like 13 yo is an adult or anything, but it lacks consistency. Then again, he spent a long time trying to treat Tio as a kid before she made him stop

Renne looks at the missing kid as if she saw a ghost. Interesting

Someone she met in a certain Star Door, maybe?

Renne joins the party! Well not really, but she's following me now

cant use her in battle since Lloyd can't know she has the ability to deal 10k damage per turn

Renne successfully bullies some kid into remembering the kid we are looking for. Atta girl.

She then practically admits she is the hacker from the previous quest, knowing Lloyd can't focus on that because he has to look for the missing kid

Forvget it, Lloyd. This kind of foe is for the Estelles and Joshes to face, not you.

Which is why I'm crossing my fingers and hoping we randomly bump into those. Though knowing Renne, she'll ninja out of it before the game screen even reaches them

Renne figures out the entire case for me and at this point the PCs should just retire. They have already gotten humilliatted by Arios, Wolf-Kun, Kilika and now Renne, all in the same chapter.

We learn the kid sneaked into a random car then jumped out of it into the wilderness while the driver wasn't looking

Ok this kid is bad news. Enforcer Number 37 or whatever. Interrogate him.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/7/1/AAO9CbAAE0dv.jpg

Tio's room is now properly decorated

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/7/2/AAO9CbAAE0dw.jpg

Never change Renne

We find the kid, who promtly gets attacked by monsters. And that prompts Renne to reveal she has Power Levels in order to save him. Interesting.

We kill the boss and now the question is who the hell is this kid who got Renne to reveal her soft side?
Renne realizes she let it slip and throws a tantrum herself

Girl, you already revealed you are a pro hacker with an IQ of 200, the gig has been up for a while now. Just cut your losses and count on the fact these PCs have about 50 characters more suspicious than you they have to deal with first

Renne: "Why do I have feelings?"
Estelle, somewhere: "All part of the plan" [Laughs]

back to the base, Lloyd just goes and reads Renne like a book

I'm guessing he has a natural advantage over Estelle and Josh because he doesn't know the background involved, so he can just go "I don't know whats up with you kiddo but if you need help, I'll help". And that's more inviting than "I SWEAR I WILL REDEEM YOU, EVEN IF I HAVE TO CHASE YOU TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CONTINENT!"

Also he's lowkey one of the most intelligent characters in this series so far

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/7/3/AAO9CbAAE0dx.jpg

What... the hell... is going on here

OH SHIT

Now that's a plot twist

Yeah ok Harold is hiding something. "Entrusted our daughter to an old friend". And the old friend just happened to own a child brothel. Yeah right.

I mean, I'm assuming the building that got burned down is the brothel, since we know Loewe and Josh burned it. It could be that she was taken from somewhere else to the brothel first. But occam's razor is that Harold is just hiding the fact he sold his daughter to prostitution

Renne leaves after a heartfelt goodbye and Estelle/Josh arrive 10 seconds later from the other door. The timing.

Estelle's sprite can now cry. The sprite technology is growing by the day

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/7/4/AAO9CbAAE0dy.png

The characters of this game now know the plot of the previous games. this is a very... huh... casual way for them to learn it

Renne gives us tickets for the auction. Boss told us to avoid the auction, but he did not expect a major character from Trails 2 showing and and giving the plot coupon to his subordinates. Boss should learn not to underestestimate player characters.

Tio waking Lloyd up is amazing

Tio failed at doing it by saying "Nudge Nudge" so she cast a high level ice spell on him

the new music is great

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/4/6/AAO9CbAAE0by.jpg

The menace is here too

I'm investigating a series of robberies in food stalls and its clearly it were two young men. It's those two, isn't it

In apparently guess the wrong stall being attacked next, but wolf-kun guesses right and catches the criminal for us.

Is this chapter only gonna be stronger and more skilled characters doing our job?

It turns out the culprits did it because they wanted to prove they were bad enough dudes to the local delinquents. Wow, that sucks.

we are going to the ancient battlefield to track some idiot tourists, and a bracer is going too. I'm thinking we are going to split into teams of 2 and 3, but nope, the bracer goes along and we stay as a 4-man party. Ok...

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/4/7/AAO9CbAAE0bz.jpg

... no.

The bracer finds Idiot Tourist #1. We have to find Idiot Tourist #2 ourselves, though

after crossing an entire dungeon, we find him in the natural habitat of Idiot NPCs:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/4/8/AAO9CbAAE0b0.jpg

Hmm, those monsters are weak to water. That's when I decide to test my new toy: Genesis Flood

Tio drowns them into near 0 hp and the party cleans whats left

but the game cheats and they get a cutscene revival. Now bets on who bails us this time. I'm gonna go with Noel

It's Arios. He does the thing. Monsters are vaporized.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/4/9/AAO9CbAAE0b1.jpg

Randy is perceptive.

Arios's speech praising Lloyd is weird since the later did nothing but attack monsters than cower in fear when it was clear he couldn't win

Though I get Arios, he sees those kids have potential and wants to mentor them

I complete the tour guide photo quest, the longest and most guide requiring of the game so far, but Grace drowns us in praise which is nice. And the photos look great

Mr. Kind Looking Merchant is calling us for another quest. Hmmm

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/5/0/AAO9CbAAE0b2.jpg

The 4th wall can't take anymore

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/3/5/AAO9CbAAE0bn.jpg

uh... what do you mean, game?

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/3/6/AAO9CbAAE0bo.jpg

Does anyone actually buy this stuff

Tio and Lloyd's combo craft is certainly flashy

ok dungeon beaten, boss killed, we have internet now

now we gotta wait for our evil hacker to take the bait, so time for some character bonding

Tio was friends with Lloyd's brother a long time ago. Surprise.

I was thinking Tio's sensors were tech, and I guess theres some of it, but its mostly her own abilities. she's some sort of psychic

and wow, her life sucked because of it

this may or may not be a reference to autism

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/3/7/AAO9CbAAE0bp.jpg

[headpats]

This is now Megaman Battle Network

Tio hax0rz so hard she faints irl

Tio wanting Lloyd to find a promise to make is some weird but interesting setup. I wonder what the payoff will be

Jona hears Lloyd making cheesy speeches and gives the two a hard time

We learned Kitty still trolled us and was expecting it all.

Lmao it's Renne. On top of everything she's also 1337.

As a reward, Jona gives info on the mafia that he hacked. Nice.

We read the intel. The TL;DR is that Giliath Osborne is behind everything

which means Orobouros is likely pulling the strings. Again.

And we get another mention of the secret auction

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/3/8/AAO9CbAAE0bq.jpg

Boss arrives and reveals he knew everything

Sergei: "do whatever you want, but this stuff you just found is way above your pay grade imo"

The most chill boss in the planet

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/3/9/AAO9CbAAE0br.jpg

Good speech.

next mandatory quest is to interrogate some tourists coming from Calvard to find out who is a counterfeit dealer

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/6/0/AAO9CbAAE0Hs.jpg

A wild Kilika appears!

Give up, SSS. If you talk to her for 1 minute she will figure out who you are faster than you learn anything about her

Heck, she likely already knows who you are and has complete files including data on all the four's tragic backstories

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/6/1/AAO9CbAAE0Ht.jpg

Narrator: "It wouldn't fly"

Random NPC girl pointing to Kilika: "It's her! Shes suspicious! Arrest her!"

I didnt notice anything suspicious, but Lloyd did, and I'm guessing it's not Kilika, because Lloyd is a smart cookie

The game lets me pick the culprit from a list of 5 people. I pick the wrong guy (the fisherman, because Lloyd kept saying something was "fishy"). Then Kilika shows up to tell I'm wrong and reveal she already figured out who the culprit is

Thanks, Kilika! The meme never dies

oh, I did not notice the connection with the theme park being new. Such a minor detail

I wonder what happens if I pick right, though

This granny is hardcore

She still trips and falls, though. Then Kilika shows up and implies she's the one who set the granny up to trip. Thanks again, Kilika!

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/6/2/AAO9CbAAE0Hu.jpg

And she also figured out the politics of the setting already

hacker kid hacked the police database to get Lloy'd's phone number and then call him to brag that he hacked the police. 1337.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/6/3/AAO9CbAAE0Hv.jpg

This is the sound of Tio gaining points in the character rankings

Hacker Kid avoided calling Tio directly and instead called Lloyd because he's butthurt that she beat him at Dr. Mario. Or so Tio wants to believe. But considering how much hacker kid is a loser, I'd buy it.

So it's Tio and Jona vs some new hacker named Kitty in a PWNING showdown

But we need a second computer to set that up, and the only available one is conveniently behind another dungeon. Here we go.

But cops have more work to do than PWNING. If they slack on it, minorities might start thinking they have rights. So Lloyd will help Tio beat the dungeon while the other two do usual police work.

I mean, it's the only combo craft we have yet to unlock

Tio admits she hacked the pass code to the dungeon. Lloyd asks her if they can do that. Tio: "Well we're cops so we would have gotten access anyway, I just got it faster"

Tio is learning her trade quite fast

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/5/7/AAO9CbAAE0Hp.jpg

The mythical guardian wolf eats from a dog bowl

Randy levels up and learns War Cry, which is basically Agate's CP increasing ability. It is rather weak though, but the HP cost is also very low so it could be used to easily hit 100 cp. We'll see if this is easy to use or not

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/5/8/AAO9CbAAE0Hq.jpg

The chest has a point. But it misses the fact that I came here mostly for the chests

Do quests for miners. They will give you a metric ton of sepith and say its just leftovers

the early game was pretty scarce on quartz. But now? It's basically endless. I'm trading sepith for money to buy armor faster, which is something I never did before in this series

Lloyd's unintentional fame as a ladies' man is one of the best running gags

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/5/9/AAO9CbAAE0Hr.jpg

We do a little quest about catching a guy stalking Ilya and it turns out into a story about class warfare
Ilya hires the kid who was trying to rob her. Rixia mentions she went through a similar thing

Knowing Rixia, she probably set it up on purpose to get hired. or maybe she actually went to assassinate Ilya or something and ended up being hired by her

Also the boy turns out to be actually a girl and the whole thing gets really uncomfortable

Time for the city anniversary festival. We get a fun montage. The highlight is Tio playing Dr. Mario against hacker boy

Now on to watching every named girl in the cast wanting to hang out with Lloyd. At least Randy gets to have fun with some nurses at the casino

Chapter 3: "The same map but with festival decoration now": begins

TIme to perform the most important job a cop has (other than killing members of racial minorities who step out of their place)

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/3/3/AAO9CbAAEzk5.jpg

Giving away parking tickets

we get a rare moment of humanity from Grace, where she admits she avoids criticizing the mayor too much because she likes him

I buy a piece of pastry I dont even need because I just like the plot with the baker's rivarlies so I want to help the girl trying to surpass her brother. The quality character writing affecting the gameplay.

we go deliver the results of the park ticket marathon to the transit cops and get this exachange

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/3/4/AAO9CbAAEzk6.jpg

don't be this guy

When the supreme commander of your country's army is such an idiot that he decides to leave a fucking tank at the border of your country's biggest enemy and lose the key to the tank so the soldiers have to cover it with a tarp to avoid causing an international incident due to a tank being there

and the tank is also the newest model you would rather not let enemies know that you own

the next mandatory quest is to find a doctor who decided to skip his job to enter a fishing tournament
The all powerful fishing guild must be stopped

the fishing guild is so powerful even monsters avoid the road when they are hosting a fishing tournament near it

Lloyd meets Lloyd from Liberl, who iirc is the guy who originally gave a fishing rod to Estelle in FC and started this entire madness

this Dr. Guenter is either going to be an Orobouros level villain, or someone who will be the key to solving the main plot, I feel

probably the latter. There's "hidden genius" written all over him

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/3/5/AAO9CbAAEzk7.jpg

after we beat him in a fishing tournament that kinda feels like a tutorial, and the local nurses adds some... pressure... he goes back to work

next quest. gang members are fighting again. time to go beat them up for the 5th time

however just before we can get at it, Estelle arrives at the scene to deliver ultraviolence herself

oh ok so the gangs are doing an organized fighting tournament, not a brawl. They could have warned the city beforehand, though

they came this close to having Estelle/Josh deliver lv 140 powered hits to their puny lv 10 faces

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/3/6/AAO9CbAAEzk8.jpg

Ultraviolence still not averted. I'd listen to her if I were you

Wald tries to fight her. Wazy is smart enough to realize she can destroy them, so he warns Wald not do do it

Wald is an idiot though, so he does it anyway, and gets knocked down like a ragdoll

then Lloyd and co finally step in, before Joshua enters the fight. Which would have been probably been rather bloody

However nobody gives a shit to Lloyd's lv 23 words and they all decide to fight

then Randy reminds everyone why he is the best new Trails character by proposing an alternative. They can race instead of killing each other

youre still gonna get rekt though. Joshua is a freaking ninja

then Estelle manages to break the entire mood by trying to make friends with the guys she just fought with. Classic.

Then Grace shows up with a mic and a camera and this is now a live event

the race is pretty fun, though I suspect Estelle/Josh just hid their real power to make it competitive. Anyway, the PCs win

and as a prize, we get some hints at Randy's character issues. Apparently he has trouble controlling his strength. I'm guessing that's why he left the CGF, not his womanizing traits

He may or may not have a very dark past, too. Based on this series, I'm giving it 90% odds

this scene is rather gay

I'm assuming if there are any Lloyd/Randy shippers (of course there are), they had a field day with it
Lloyd, don't make promises to tell your dark pasts to each other some day. That stuff backfires BADLY in this series

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/3/7/AAO9CbAAEzk9.jpg

Tio is reading my mind

Josh apparently knows what kind of power Randy just used. Hmm

I'm here just wondering if the game will make someone mention Renne in passing so that the Sky cast can realize the Zero cast knows where she is, but they will leave us hanging for the time

The Sky cast is looking for some underworld auction. Nial told them about it. How Nial has intel on secret auctions in another country is anyone's guess

_stingers_ posted...

I saw it coming like...30 seconds before it was revealed..does that count? Probably not

What do you mean finally :( Lloyd is great. He's like if Rean was well written and likeable.

This was more of a joke. I'm at the stage where I'm starting to like Lloyd. I think I have him above Tio now, at least.

I saw it coming because I had seen a playable character list while looking for weapon locations or something :P

Agree it's the best chapter so far, though. Particularly the Elie stuff. The mafia visits at the start were cool too.

theres a quest to recover a wedding ring, and we turn to Zeit for help tracking it. The wolf lets us know he is disappointed for using him for mundane side-quests, but he will help

Randy: "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the doggie bed today"

Yes, legendary white wolf guardians sleep in doggie beds

Zeit is offered ice cream, but replies he doesn't have a sweet fang

I'm in for all the doggo jokes

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/4/5/AAO9CbAAEy5V.jpg

Zeit is not the snarky dog we need, but he's the one we deserve

time for a trails staple: mysterious ancient towers

Oh hey it's Noel! And she brought... a freaking tank. I dont even know how the managed to have the tank reach this place

Noel joins the party! Temporarily.

her orbment is shit. physical character all the way

I remove Lloyd (finally!) and make a 3 girls + Randy party

Gal fights with an SMG. Nice.

being able to swap party members without returning to the bracer guild is amazing QoL. We chrono trigger now.

monsters in this place interact with higher elements. This is Trails 3rd again

someone with AoE basic attack and an attack stat worth using. sold.

Noel just wants to investigate this place. Aint no magical medieval tower getting unchecked in her territory

Noel's s-craft is really cool. It's just straight up guns and bombs and massive aoe damage

I love being able to switch party members mid dungeon. I realize enemies are resistant to magic so I pull out Tio and bring back Lloyd

Randy and Elie are my MVPs though. They probably stay unless I feel like it's getting too easy

Lloyd and Elie's combo craft is also awesomne, albeit expensive

ngl this is one pretty dungeon

and now its time to fight Yin. I have a feeling this will either be ridiculously easy or insanely hard

Very hard. though not insanely.

Tio is the mvp for randomly showing up every few turns and casting some version of earth wall

Then the boss reveals we were fighting an ilussion the whole time. Humilliating.

afterwards, we get a cutscene where Lloyd reveals everything (not Yin, Lloyd. That's the detective for ya) and we move to the climax of the chapter, where we have to stop the bad guys' plans. Noel leaves, and HOPEFULL leaves her equipment/quartz with us

time for the play, which, if half as good as the one from FC, is gonna be really good

Lloyd gives an awesome encouraging speech to Rixia and Elie just wants him dead

We dont get to see the full play. I'm not sure if i'm happy or sad, the 1 minute of it we got to see was rather boring

The violence from Kloe's play in FC was more fun

Lloyd and Elie reacting to stuff as they patrol is funny, though

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/4/6/AAO9CbAAEy5W.jpg

You had to say it, Lloyd

there is an incident, but apparently it's just Grace being inconvenient

told you Ernest was bad news.

Reporter: "Tells cops about a crime that may be about to be commited"
Cops: "Barge in to stop the crime"
Reporter: "Wait, what are you doing?"

Dudley letting the mayor suffer an assassination attempt right under his entire division's nose serves him right for being an arrogant prick

a cool action scene happens, in which the wolf saves the day in the end

chapters where the wolf saved the heroes' asses in the climax: 2/2
(I'm not counting the prologue as a chapter because I'm biased to the doggy)

Grace FINALLY writes a positive article about us. Bottom of the character rankings averted.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/4/7/AAO9CbAAEy5X.jpg

oh boy here we go again

The mayor is a cool guy imo

He convinces Elie to keep going. I mean, at this point the SSS is canonically the most competent division of police, so it's not a bad place to be in

Next is a scene where Yin does some ninja stuff, then reveals she's Rixia all along

Alright. New rule. Next time we meet another mysterious purple-haired girl, kill/arrest on sight. Don't ask questions. Just take her down. She's bad news

Makes sense why she hired us now though, since she apparently enjoys the dancing thing for real so she'd have to leave it to stop the assassination

Chapter 2: "Just fire all the humans from police and hire the wolves": beaten

we get another one of those "beat up to train" quests, this time against the gangs. The characters all go on about how difficult it is but I'm just having a good time with those easy fights

I have more money than I need so I went and bought custom orbment covers for the whole party

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/4/0/AAO9CbAAEy5Q.jpg

danmit Randy

We have a scene between Elie and the Ernest guy

Ernest knows how to fight with a sword. Red flag red flag red flag. Random npcs don't know how to fight.

Elie asks for a meeting with what may be the richest man in the planet, and he says yes. Danmit Elie.

his in-game sprite sparkles. Thats how you know he's rich

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/4/1/AAO9CbAAEy5R.jpg

yet some cocky 15 year old hacked the hell out of it
this is steampunk internet, so time for Tio to explain what "hacking" is supposed to be

I can't tell if this guy is incredibly ideallistic is a very good con man

His speech is so epic even the game's opening plays as he speaks

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/4/2/AAO9CbAAEy5S.jpg

Crois's daughter arrives and her hair is... something

She reacts... not very well to the idea that Lloyd/Elie may be a thing.

Lesbians. Lesbians everywhere. That's all I have to say.

We descend in an elevator in an rpg, so I'm halfway expecting monsters to start attacking along the way

the server room having its own music strongly suggests this will be a dungeon at some point

The bank staff cant figure out who hacked them, but Tio then uses "make red word move really fast on a screen" to figure it out

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/4/3/AAO9CbAAEy5T.jpg

hacker kid is hiding in the underground area. theres our dungeon

beat the dungeon. busted the hacker

I love that he is basically Tio's rival

Is it just me or this Eptein Foundation only hires children?

dude is a pro hacker and cant go to jail because the internet is new so there are no laws against hacking

Yin is the new Phantom Thief. With custom calling cards and everything

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/4/4/AAO9CbAAEy5U.jpg

found the Al Capone Tax Evasion

yep. kid works for us now

I'm not that much of a pokemon fan but I know a few songs that I really like but aren't super popular which is perfect for this.