Board 8 > The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV Review Zone

(+) Yeah! (+)

About to get into the 3rd main mission of Act 2, which I assume will be followed by the climax of the act.

Definitely nowhere near as bad as when CS2 was doing the same thing. The actual meaty sections of this part lock in 5 or 6 party members, meaning they've actually felt like they have a story point, unlike in CS2 where it only locked in 1 and it felt like a waste of time because your characters had no meaningful contribution to whatever was happening.

Traveling is so easy, too. Does the game have basically no load screens on PS4 as well, or is it a PS5 SSD thing? Tradeoff is that for some reason the game takes about 2-3 minutes to verify your DLC on PS5 from a cold boot, which I am told is not a thing on the PS4.

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Loadtimes are pretty low on PS4 version. I think PS5 is likely faster still? Feels much shorter loadtimes than CS2 actually somehow. But maybe longer than CS3 which I don't really notice the loadscreens ever. I do notice they exist here.

And yea I get the polished CS2/Ao vibes from CS4 a lot. But I think all 3 kinda feel the same formula.

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I still prefer CS2 just because everything is so quick and it lends itself to some nice exploration

thank Aidios though that you can fast travel to trial chests

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I've been avoiding commenting on it because I don't know the context of the original games, but they just stated their ages out in the open just a few minutes apart so I'm just gonna say it.

This Tita/Agate shit is creepy.

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It was less creepy in Sky because it felt more like big brother/little sister, but yeah, CS took it in a different direction.

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Cold Steel in general goes hard on the "get with your sibling because you're not related by blood thing".

Less SPECIFICALLY creepy since usually it doesn't have this age gap, but still, like...a problem that's incredibly common in Japanese media.

Like, it's ASSUMED in games an anime that if two siblings aren't related by blood it's because the creators want them to make out. Wild.

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Well, it started with Joshua and Estelle, but even that wasn't as cringey as something like Rean/Elise.

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When I had one bonding point left and it was between Elise and, totally not shitting you here, orange haired Class VII violen guy that...

...I am LEGITIMATELY unable to remember the name of right now because he's SO BORING, like I straight up forgot his name even though he's in this one, I just fought his dad recently, just did a bonding event with him, and he was a main party member for two whole games, and I could look it up but I'm just so shocked I can't remember it the entire way through me typing this out right now...

...I still went with violen boy to avoid adding a "Special Heart" to Elise's profile.

I cannot beleive I am about to hit post on this message and still don't remember his name. I remember the name of his CRAFTS for God's sake.

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Elliot, who shares the voice actor of Felix in Three Houses.

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He had a dialogue box pop up about 30 seconds after I made that post. The entire time I was typing it he was actually on screen while Agate was talking, and I just kept looking up at him, lol.

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https://i.ibb.co/bXXYxk9/20201212-131841.jpg

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now we're talkin

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I also avoided Elise like the plague in this game. No thanks. Her and Alfin can just be with each other.

still can't believe best girl Duvalie wasn't even a dang option! These writers have got fucked up priorities

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It's fortunate for her that she's not stuck with Team tbqh
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I'm only doing all the romance options for the trophies. I'm about to rescue Elise now and i'm already dreading it.

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As I enter Luna Shrine, I am 80% positive that Rose is Campanella.

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OK I was way off, but they through a couple back to back hints there and some stuff lined up <_<

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I'm slightly annoyed i forgot Angelica had the Emblem MQ all this time. Missed out on getting bonus rare quartz because of it.

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I gave Juna the one that I found for myself..

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Emblem is just so busted lol. It instantly became the sub quartz for my entire frontline party except the person who had it as their main for rare quartz purposes and just bonus drops in general.

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I only remembered about it because i just found it in a chest.

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UshiromiyaEva posted...

OK I was way off, but they through a couple back to back hints there and some stuff lined up <_<

uh... sure. an interesting theory.

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Listen my dude

Campy let's slip he's actually a girl, likely in disguise. Not exactly the series i'm coming to for trans representation considering it's rife with gay panic, so I think that's a fair assumption. Rose is absent for the act 2 climax and then shows up after Campy leaves. Then at the start of the trial she starts talking about "revealing her form".

It wasn't COMPLETELY baseless!

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I think it's a more plausible theory if the only games you've played are the Cold Steel games, which is a perspective from which Campanella is a character who's introduced in Cold Steel 3 rather than one who's been around being mysterious since the beginning. You also have much less context on what what Roselia's role in everything is.
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That said I should have reeled my 80% back to, like, 7%.

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I'm all for risky theory-making, don't get me wrong. Before CSIV released I would've bet money that Bardias was the last awakener but no.

I also briefly thought that Machias could be the grandmaster of Ouroborous because he's simply too boring otherwise

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I'll still take Machias any day of the week over *checks up a few posts* Elliot.

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Ricky is the true Grandmaster of Ouroboros and the reason their plans all fell apart in CS2 was because he got amnesia and forgot he was the Grandmaster

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Also, thoughts on Cold Steel IV so far.

Definitely enjoying the game, but the cast is absolutely too large. I get that that's the point, but as someone who places character story over plot story on their hierarchy, it is a bit of a weakness. I feel no drive to put any effort into anyone's gear or quartz because it's going to constantly be shuffling around anyways, so almost all individuality is gone. Would have greatly benefited from having saveable presets for characters, just leave the slot blank if the quartz isn't available when you select them.

But, I mean, it's still Cold Steel, it's still good...I don't think it requures specific notation other than that.

At this exact moment, I'm sitting at 1 > 3 > 4 > 2. I like Cold Steel best when it's grounded, the interpersonal Class VII stuff from 1 (and the freshness of it being my first entry) is still what drew me in the most, even though Juna and Altina prop 3 up quite a bit. 3 definitely has some of the better moments, though. It's honestly real tough and I would put 1= 3 if that didn't feel like a cop out.

Also 1 still has the best shock ending. Like, yeah, PLOTWISE 2 and 3 had some wild stuff (2 ruined it though, wish the game didn't have that last chunk), but nothing beats going from "game does not have mechs, haven't been spoiled about the mechs" to "there are mechs, now do mech karate as we introduce and entirely new combat system for the last fight of the game".

Also didn't figure out the Crown twist until the cutscenes was actively happening like a minute before it was revealed, so that was great.

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colliding posted...

I'm all for risky theory-making, don't get me wrong. Before CSIV released I would've bet money that Bardias was the last awakener but no.

I also briefly thought that Machias could be the grandmaster of Ouroborous because he's simply too boring otherwise

All these people playing Sky 3rd without voice acting...
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Also, can't believe I forgot the entire time I was play CS1 about the Cold Steel trailer playing in the Tokyo Xanadu media shop that showed the mechs.

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I'm not quite done with CS4 yet. But I think 3 is ultimately my favorite game?

3>1>4>2 I think is how I'll end up feeling maybe 4 above 1.

2 actually had a lot of minor issues. The Shrine section was boring. The triple final dungeon stuff I felt kinda played out in a way that de-escalated the climax of the game. Gameplay balance was likely the worst of the franchise in ways that weren't really that fun or clever to abuse. That Intermission chapter tho. Was maybe one of the best sections of the entire Erobonia arc.

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2 > 3 > 4 > 1

Something about 2 just resonates with me. Love the pacing and the relative freedom. Like the extended epilogue. Best character designs overall. Kind of into how overdrive/rebellion quartz breaks the game.

3 is 1 but better in most ways. I like the ending here better than 1.

4 could have been better than 3, but Act 2 is padding.

1 is "set-up: the game" and that's fine and all but I just prefer the other ones.

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I'm still in CS4's Finale but right now I'd probably say like 3 > 4 > 1 > 2

CS1 is always weird because I think the strength of that game's last 15-20% always causes me to end it with an elevated opinion of it because of the strong ending. Everything from where you catch up to the in medias res opening is just so great.

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It's fun to go back to CS1 to see how far the modeling/animation/battle system has come

like looking at everyone awkwardly walk around like top heavy mannequins is really something after CS4

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I also tend to think that most of my issues with the Erebonia arc come back to the fact that there's just to many characters. There's somewhat questionable elements of the plot itself--mainly stuff to do with the Curse--but I think not being able to focus on particular character stories as effectively is the big one.

Not quite done with CS4 yet but this is my current take. If they absolutely nail the finale though then CS4 could still rise a bit:

Tier 1 Trails:
Sky SC > Azure > Sky The 3rd

Tier 2 Trails:
Cold Steel 3 > Zero > Sky FC

Tier 3 Trails:
Cold Steel 4 > Cold Steel 1 > Cold Steel 2
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SHINE list

Azure
SC
CS3
CS4
CS1
Zero
CS2
3rd
FC


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Yeah by the end of CS4 my most pervasive thought was definitely "this cast is too damn big".

My overall Cold Steel ranking is essentially 3 > ??? because honestly I have a very hard time comparing games like 2 and 4 (which have a bunch of narrative/pacing issues but also a lot of great stuff - 4 is even more polarized though I think I take it over 2) with 1 (which is a very slow burn and doesn't do much to ingratiate me to half the playable cast, but otherwise feels more solid). 3 just feels like a cleaner 1 with more characters I know even if the main plot isn't as tight.

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It's really hard for me to try and rank the Cold Steel games. The first one blew me away as it was the first one in the series i played. CS2 was great because it gave you some freedom, introduced some cool guest fighters and mixed things up a bit with the mech battles. Plus the bonus Crossbell part at the end was hype. Now with CS3 i really did not like the return to the slow boring ass school setup from the original. It worked great in the original but we're 3 games in now. Nothing was really added to the mech battles either tbh. Felt like the entire games was one big cock tease for CS4 with how they sprinkled certain characters in from other games but completely avoided the ones you really wanted to see. The only saving grace for me was probably the chapter finales. Damn reading that back i guess CS3 is probably the weakest one for me. Still not done with 4 yet but it's better than 3 for me so far.

UshiromiyaEva posted...

Definitely enjoying the game, but the cast is absolutely too large. I feel no drive to put any effort into anyone's gear or quartz because it's going to constantly be shuffling around anyways, so almost all individuality is gone. Would have greatly benefited from having saveable presets for characters, just leave the slot blank if the quartz isn't available when you select them.

I've done pretty much the same thing as well. Hardly touched anyones quartz and only really messed about with MQ a bit. Also feels like Emma and Laura have had no purpose whatsoever to be in the party so far either outside of personal favourites. I'm guessing they'll be shoehorned into something at some point seeing as everyone else has. Just got to the Pantagruel after rescuing Elise and Tio so i guess i'll see.

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I don't care about Emma as a character at all, but her Order is invaluable for several boss fights. Fighting a magic enemy? Naw, you're fighting a a healing fountain.

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I care about the assets Emma brings to the team. Especially in CS4

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Not really a fan of the orbal staff users. Much prefer Alisa and Musse.

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Emma is good

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Emma is one of the few original Class VII members who ended up being worth a damn after CS2 so I like her for that. (The others are Millium and Machias)

Note I don't necessarily mind characters bowing out when it's not their turn in the spotlight but the problem is that CS3 and CS4 still try to treat original Class VII as if they're all main characters.
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pyresword posted...

Machias

ok I actually like him quite a bit now and not just for the S-Craft line but as far as relevance goes he's pretty much always been bottom half of Old Class VII

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Elliot and Gaius have always been 'why are you even here?' characters to me. Did Elliots bonding event and it just adds more fuel to the fire as to why he's still even here. Just go off with your friends and play music Elliot you're not needed anymore. As for Gaius he probably had even less importance than Elliot until they forced him into the story at the end of CS3. That being said i do think Gaius is pretty useful as a party member in 3 and 4.

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The hints of where Gaius's character was likely heading existed all the way back in CS1. Elliot though idk man.

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Elliot actually has a personality. The game just uses him poorly. CS4 tries to make Gaius important, but he's still ultra boring.
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I feel like Cold Steel in general has been very reliant on the ensemble, which harms the individual character of all but the most prominent members. I'm not saying that's a problem, it's obviously the best way to play to the strengths of this extended universe. It just means that most of the characters I really like don't stand up a ton on their own, ESPECIALLY carry overs from the original Class VII. Off the top of my head. Characters that stand on their own outside of this series...I like Juna a lot, Musse is pretty great. Laura I PERSONALLY like but I can't say she matters at all at this point.

It does mean that, individually, other more individual character focused RPGs are going to have more standouts. There's a level of superficial hanging over everyone. Like, nobody in this entire game has shit on Magilou or Futaba.

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I thought Cold Steel 3 at the start at least did a good job balancing the ensemble with individual character development. Juna and Altina have both been really great characters overall, and I like Musse quite a bit even if she isn't quite up the level of the other 2.

I will also say the Crossbell games overall did a phenomenal job of balancing having a great group dynamic while also letting the characters shine as individuals. Of course, those games did have a much smaller main cast and were able to tell a more tightly focused story in general due to the smaller setting.
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