Current Events > There. I finished Trails from Zero to Azure. *Spoilers*

(+) Yeah! (+)

I really had to drag myself through Azure. Love the games, and love the setting, but had a real hard time getting into it. The story's pacing didn't help matters much, despite the breadcrumb storytelling they usually do. I was having a hard time seeing the bigger picture of the game, so I basically just forged ahead until the game explained to my stupid head what was going on. Wazy is the best part of the duology.

"Now, on to Reverie." is what I would say if I had a PS5 to play it on. I'm going to get one at some point, so I'm building my PS5 library. Reverie and Demons Souls are the only games I own for it. >_>

azure is one of my favourite games of all time tbh

the first 5 trails in general are GOAT material when grouped together. the cold steel saga was a disappointment IMO by comparison, although with 3 it did get a bit better. still good games

still early in reverie so cant judge it yet, but the 3 & 9 novel was good IMO and supposedly important

Yeah, I like the game and love the series. There is no disputing that. It's really good. Dunno. I think I was suffering a bit of burnout because of how they use most of the same locations without adding many new things. I suffered the same fate when I went to play Tales of Xillia 2 after beating Xillia. I wanted to complete it so I could get into Reverie.

These games must be pretty popular cuz I feel like you guys have gotten 6+ games in the past 8 years or something

Or maybe I'm getting it mixed of with Ys or whatever it's called.

I think Azure drags super hard until after the Intermission. I like the second half, but the final boss gauntlet sucks.

While playing Zero+Azure I couldn't help but roll my eyes every time they fawned over KeA.

Then the twist at the end hit and proceeded to blow my mind.

PowerOats posted...

These games must be pretty popular cuz I feel like you guys have gotten 6+ games in the past 8 years or something

Or maybe I'm getting it mixed of with Ys or whatever it's called.

Not really. Low budget visual novel JRPGs aren't expensive to make.

the 4-person lead crew with a strong supporting cast was the best thing about the crossbell arc, but like all the other trails games, it shits the bed once they start peppering you with guest characters and link the story to the overarcing plot in the series

zero and azure are still the only good games in the series in spite of that tho

PowerOats posted...

These games must be pretty popular cuz I feel like you guys have gotten 6+ games in the past 8 years or something

Or maybe I'm getting it mixed of with Ys or whatever it's called.

You are right and wrong at the same time.

We got many Trail games in quite a short time, but that's mostly because their release in the west was lacking behind for nearly a decade.

Trails in the Sky and Zero/Azure especially.

mario2000 posted...

While playing Zero+Azure I couldn't help but roll my eyes every time they fawned over KeA.

Then the twist at the end hit and proceeded to blow my mind.

As contrived as that plot point is, it was brilliantly executed. I hated Bell because I knew what she would eventually become, but at least she is a realist and business administrator over being a villain. She wanted to see the fruition of her family's massive plan, but she wasn't tied to it in the same way as Dieter was, nor was she as reprehensible as Joachim.

She knew everything was based on cooperation, coerced or forced as it was. But she gave the principal actors their own impetus. She couldn't override their control, even the homunculus that was KeA. When she lost that, she enacted the next phase of her plans without actually hurting anyone. Got to respect that.

Holy_Cloud105 posted...

I think Azure drags super hard until after the Intermission. I like the second half, but the final boss gauntlet sucks.

This echoes my feelings as well. I didn't mind the final boss gauntlet, but the final boss sucked ass. I'm glad they allow you to retry the battle instead of forcing you to reload a save. Having to go through Bell and the Azure Demiourge every time you lose would see the quickest way for me to turn the power off.

I should have been upset when the final boss OHKO'd me, but the music is such a banger that I couldn't be mad. Legit one of my favorite final boss themes of all time.

it is my favorite game series of all time as a whole and azure is one of the best imo. the deiter/bell twist was really masterfully built and executed and if i didn't already know a lot about them from cold steel i would have really been blown away. the final boss music is definitely goat tier as well imo

playing reverie right now and really into it like i am all of them but it does seem like it will be shorter than the other games in both arcs if the chapters don't get significantly longer. can't wait until the calvard games come west. already have the standalone game boundless trails ordered