busyBean18
Baten Kaitos: Endless Creativity and the Lost Franchise.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 8/10 (Great)
Baten Kaitos. I have a lot to say about this game, and I will do my best to explain why this title, this series, is so special. It is one of the most unique examples of its genre out there, and especially for those have become fans of Monolith Soft’s more recent work, absolutely something that should be checked out. Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean is one of the most boundlessly creative, unique, innovative, charming, and fun role playing adventures I have ever, ever played. It is classic Monolith Soft, and through their collaboration with tri-Crescendo, an example of how incredibly talented and imaginative their worlds can be, a perfect representation of how despite perceptions, they are a team of passionate creatives that would do much better than being chained to Xeno purgatory until the end of time.
The title of Baten Kaitos itself is a symbol of the grand imagination and creativity that makes the series so artful, and a perfect fit for the little Cube that could, where it was released in 2003. Much of the game's world revolves around the idea of a lost ocean, swallowed by an evil god, and iconography of whales who were once guardians of the ocean. The sky islands themselves, the remains of the old world, are also known as Whales. This is because the name 'Baten Kaitos' itself is an Arabic phrase that loosely translates to 'sea beast's belly'. The other aspect of the name is the star Zeta Ceti, otherwise known as Baten Kaitos, in the constellation of Cetus. The game features plenty of star symbolism and icons, including a collectible-based side quest that involves rebuilding a star map. The series also implies the Baten Kaitos games are set in our universe, around the titular star itself, 235 light-years away. If the game reminds you of Chrono Cross, it should! Yasuyuki Honne, who also worked on the models of the Bionis and Mechonis that inspired Xenoblade Chronicles, did the environmental art for both Chrono Cross and Baten Kaitos, and served as co-director on this title too. Masato Kato, writer on Chrono Cross, was also hired to write Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean. Despite the game's age, it has not aged all that poorly due to its linearity, which makes it incredibly hard to get lost for the majority of the game.
The battle system is one of a kind; it was not done before, and it has not been replicated since. A turn based role playing game, it spices things up by combining it with elements of card games. Each attack and defensive item in the game is presented as a card, with each party member having their own customisable deck that the player can optimise and build for the occasion. Complex combos can be assembled by flicking the right stick (C Stick on GameCube) in the direction of a number depicted on the card in order to assemble pairs and straights, which will boost the potency of a player's string. It is so much fun. While some might find issue in the random hands your characters end up with, I believe it enhances the experience, and there are still JRPGs released even today which don't have basic options like a Guard/Defend command. At least here, it is played into. Also, you can use Pac-Man as AN ATTACK! HUH?! BWAH!? The item aging mechanic, where certain Magnus's transform depending on how long they've been in your inventory, can occasionally be frustrating, which I've accounted for.
The music is incredible. It is Motoi Sakuraba's best work on a game in this genre and style, bar none, in my honest opinion. Better than Golden Sun, better than Star Ocean, and miles better than Tales. Every single battle and boss battle track is an absolute delight, and the overworld and dungeon themes are so beautifully orchestrated. Not only is it a top 10 RPG soundtrack, it might be a top 10 video game soundtrack for me, period. The world itself is filled with wonder and creativity, especially the fourth sky island. From a village made entirely of candy, to a location themed around Namco's Tower of Druaga, to a town that looks like it was ripped out of a picture book, Baten Kaitos is filled with fascinating and beautiful locations, with newly redrawn gorgeous HD assets for this remaster. The characters themselves are fun, with Kalas standing out as a highlight, though I really appreciated Lyude's arc. I loved the unique perspective of playing through a self-insert in the most literal sense, as Kalas’s Guardian Spirit. You're encouraged to even name this spirit after yourself, as a breaking of the screen barrier between game and player, further including and immersing the player in the world of Baten Kaitos. The story in its own right, while in some ways simple at least to start with, is well crafted with an amazing twist. I have not yet completed the game, but I have played most of it, and enough to form an opinion on it.
Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean is an amazing game, and still to this day one of Monolith Soft's most underrated triumphs. It is a game that never ceases to amaze with its endless creativity, and is a shining example of what younger Japanese developers can achieve when given the reins. It is a shame Baten Kaitos continues to remain obscure and underappreciated, even when made available on the (currently) third best-selling console of all time. I am not sure whether to blame Bandai Namco for their marketing (or lack of it), or for most Monolith Soft 'fans' not caring about anything that doesn't have Xeno in the title. I for one would love to see this remaster sell well enough for Bandai Namco to at least be open to talking to Monolith Soft and Nintendo about a third entry, but given the franchise's long absence, continued low sales, and the prior cancellations of Baten Kaitos DS and 3, I'm not holding my breath. I'll admit, and get it out there right away, I did not play the original GameCube releases of Baten Kaitos. I am only able to judge this remaster based on the content as it is presented to me now. Issues with the removal of the low quality English voice acting aside, which I would have liked if it was at least kept as an option, and some slight technical stutters that really shouldn’t be there for remasters of sixth-generation games, the game is still fantastic. I just wish Bandai Namco had done it more justice.
Baten Kaitos remains a hidden gem of its genre, something filled to the brim with pure imagination and love for its craft, and an example of what has made Monolith Soft such a beloved and respected developer, despite the obscurity of their non-Xeno products. There is nothing else like it and there probably never will be. I love this game. I love Baten Kaitos.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 8/10 (Great)
Baten Kaitos. I have a lot to say about this game, and I will do my best to explain why this title, this series, is so special. It is one of the most unique examples of its genre out there, and especially for those have become fans of Monolith Soft’s more recent work, absolutely something that should be checked out. Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean is one of the most boundlessly creative, unique, innovative, charming, and fun role playing adventures I have ever, ever played. It is classic Monolith Soft, and through their collaboration with tri-Crescendo, an example of how incredibly talented and imaginative their worlds can be, a perfect representation of how despite perceptions, they are a team of passionate creatives that would do much better than being chained to Xeno purgatory until the end of time.
The title of Baten Kaitos itself is a symbol of the grand imagination and creativity that makes the series so artful, and a perfect fit for the little Cube that could, where it was released in 2003. Much of the game's world revolves around the idea of a lost ocean, swallowed by an evil god, and iconography of whales who were once guardians of the ocean. The sky islands themselves, the remains of the old world, are also known as Whales. This is because the name 'Baten Kaitos' itself is an Arabic phrase that loosely translates to 'sea beast's belly'. The other aspect of the name is the star Zeta Ceti, otherwise known as Baten Kaitos, in the constellation of Cetus. The game features plenty of star symbolism and icons, including a collectible-based side quest that involves rebuilding a star map. The series also implies the Baten Kaitos games are set in our universe, around the titular star itself, 235 light-years away. If the game reminds you of Chrono Cross, it should! Yasuyuki Honne, who also worked on the models of the Bionis and Mechonis that inspired Xenoblade Chronicles, did the environmental art for both Chrono Cross and Baten Kaitos, and served as co-director on this title too. Masato Kato, writer on Chrono Cross, was also hired to write Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean. Despite the game's age, it has not aged all that poorly due to its linearity, which makes it incredibly hard to get lost for the majority of the game.
The battle system is one of a kind; it was not done before, and it has not been replicated since. A turn based role playing game, it spices things up by combining it with elements of card games. Each attack and defensive item in the game is presented as a card, with each party member having their own customisable deck that the player can optimise and build for the occasion. Complex combos can be assembled by flicking the right stick (C Stick on GameCube) in the direction of a number depicted on the card in order to assemble pairs and straights, which will boost the potency of a player's string. It is so much fun. While some might find issue in the random hands your characters end up with, I believe it enhances the experience, and there are still JRPGs released even today which don't have basic options like a Guard/Defend command. At least here, it is played into. Also, you can use Pac-Man as AN ATTACK! HUH?! BWAH!? The item aging mechanic, where certain Magnus's transform depending on how long they've been in your inventory, can occasionally be frustrating, which I've accounted for.
The music is incredible. It is Motoi Sakuraba's best work on a game in this genre and style, bar none, in my honest opinion. Better than Golden Sun, better than Star Ocean, and miles better than Tales. Every single battle and boss battle track is an absolute delight, and the overworld and dungeon themes are so beautifully orchestrated. Not only is it a top 10 RPG soundtrack, it might be a top 10 video game soundtrack for me, period. The world itself is filled with wonder and creativity, especially the fourth sky island. From a village made entirely of candy, to a location themed around Namco's Tower of Druaga, to a town that looks like it was ripped out of a picture book, Baten Kaitos is filled with fascinating and beautiful locations, with newly redrawn gorgeous HD assets for this remaster. The characters themselves are fun, with Kalas standing out as a highlight, though I really appreciated Lyude's arc. I loved the unique perspective of playing through a self-insert in the most literal sense, as Kalas’s Guardian Spirit. You're encouraged to even name this spirit after yourself, as a breaking of the screen barrier between game and player, further including and immersing the player in the world of Baten Kaitos. The story in its own right, while in some ways simple at least to start with, is well crafted with an amazing twist. I have not yet completed the game, but I have played most of it, and enough to form an opinion on it.
Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean is an amazing game, and still to this day one of Monolith Soft's most underrated triumphs. It is a game that never ceases to amaze with its endless creativity, and is a shining example of what younger Japanese developers can achieve when given the reins. It is a shame Baten Kaitos continues to remain obscure and underappreciated, even when made available on the (currently) third best-selling console of all time. I am not sure whether to blame Bandai Namco for their marketing (or lack of it), or for most Monolith Soft 'fans' not caring about anything that doesn't have Xeno in the title. I for one would love to see this remaster sell well enough for Bandai Namco to at least be open to talking to Monolith Soft and Nintendo about a third entry, but given the franchise's long absence, continued low sales, and the prior cancellations of Baten Kaitos DS and 3, I'm not holding my breath. I'll admit, and get it out there right away, I did not play the original GameCube releases of Baten Kaitos. I am only able to judge this remaster based on the content as it is presented to me now. Issues with the removal of the low quality English voice acting aside, which I would have liked if it was at least kept as an option, and some slight technical stutters that really shouldn’t be there for remasters of sixth-generation games, the game is still fantastic. I just wish Bandai Namco had done it more justice.
Baten Kaitos remains a hidden gem of its genre, something filled to the brim with pure imagination and love for its craft, and an example of what has made Monolith Soft such a beloved and respected developer, despite the obscurity of their non-Xeno products. There is nothing else like it and there probably never will be. I love this game. I love Baten Kaitos.
2020
A solid 3D remake of a Super Nintendo classic.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 7.5/10 (Good)
Trials of Mana is a game I have consistently come back to for three, going on four years now. I still remember the excitement in the E3 2019 Nintendo Direct when not only was the original, released 25 years prior, finally localised in the Collection of Mana in an official release hardcore fans had begged to see, but when that long sought after, ever absent third game was getting a full 3D remake. And it looked positively gorgeous. After the disappointment of the Secret of Mana remake for PlayStation 4, it seemed Square Enix had listened to feedback, and Mana fans were finally about to be rewarded for their patience.
Horrible English voice acting aside (play in Japanese if it bothers you that much, ‘ya nerds!), Trials of Mana is a game that doesn’t really do anything wrong, while doing a whole bunch right. It’s cute, it’s charming, the characters are fun, it has great monster designs, the action combat is decent, the music is absolutely fantastic, and the story that’s told no matter who you choose as your protagonist is a pretty pleasant journey. Some will point to the recycled NPC models as the game being cheap, and low budget, but I think if anything it adds to the feeling that the game we see today built off of a Super Famicom great. And either way, it is still much higher production value than the previously mentioned lacklustre Secret of Mana remake. If I had one significant complaint about the game and how it plays out, it might be that the AI party members are incredibly stupid and will often get themselves hurt or killed, especially in easily avoidable scenarios. If this had been addressed, I likely would have given the game a flush 4 star rating. That being said, Trials of Mana is an increasingly rare and triumphant Square Enix win despite these problems.
The main feature unique to this game that sets it apart from its contemporaries, other than simply having that trademark Mana charm, is its narrative and party structure. At the beginning of the game, you’re tasked to create a three character party combination out of six possible characters, and whoever you choose as the main character will determine the path of the game’s story, where it leads, and where it ends. Whoever you bring along for the ride will then have their own occasional unique interactions with your chosen protagonist, making for a fun and dynamic storyline system with a degree of replay value perhaps not seen in other RPGs of this style.
I would recommend this game to anyone with a desire for cute RPGs, or the classics in general, as the most excellent rendition of Mana to come out of the series for a very long time. It is a truly grand adventure, packed with vitality and love. Perhaps it doesn’t quite reach the same heights as the original 1995 release, but you can play that in Collection of Mana on Nintendo Switch if you so desire. Either way, this hidden gem's legacy is now preserved for all to experience, whichever form that might take, and that is a fact that makes me very happy.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 7.5/10 (Good)
Trials of Mana is a game I have consistently come back to for three, going on four years now. I still remember the excitement in the E3 2019 Nintendo Direct when not only was the original, released 25 years prior, finally localised in the Collection of Mana in an official release hardcore fans had begged to see, but when that long sought after, ever absent third game was getting a full 3D remake. And it looked positively gorgeous. After the disappointment of the Secret of Mana remake for PlayStation 4, it seemed Square Enix had listened to feedback, and Mana fans were finally about to be rewarded for their patience.
Horrible English voice acting aside (play in Japanese if it bothers you that much, ‘ya nerds!), Trials of Mana is a game that doesn’t really do anything wrong, while doing a whole bunch right. It’s cute, it’s charming, the characters are fun, it has great monster designs, the action combat is decent, the music is absolutely fantastic, and the story that’s told no matter who you choose as your protagonist is a pretty pleasant journey. Some will point to the recycled NPC models as the game being cheap, and low budget, but I think if anything it adds to the feeling that the game we see today built off of a Super Famicom great. And either way, it is still much higher production value than the previously mentioned lacklustre Secret of Mana remake. If I had one significant complaint about the game and how it plays out, it might be that the AI party members are incredibly stupid and will often get themselves hurt or killed, especially in easily avoidable scenarios. If this had been addressed, I likely would have given the game a flush 4 star rating. That being said, Trials of Mana is an increasingly rare and triumphant Square Enix win despite these problems.
The main feature unique to this game that sets it apart from its contemporaries, other than simply having that trademark Mana charm, is its narrative and party structure. At the beginning of the game, you’re tasked to create a three character party combination out of six possible characters, and whoever you choose as the main character will determine the path of the game’s story, where it leads, and where it ends. Whoever you bring along for the ride will then have their own occasional unique interactions with your chosen protagonist, making for a fun and dynamic storyline system with a degree of replay value perhaps not seen in other RPGs of this style.
I would recommend this game to anyone with a desire for cute RPGs, or the classics in general, as the most excellent rendition of Mana to come out of the series for a very long time. It is a truly grand adventure, packed with vitality and love. Perhaps it doesn’t quite reach the same heights as the original 1995 release, but you can play that in Collection of Mana on Nintendo Switch if you so desire. Either way, this hidden gem's legacy is now preserved for all to experience, whichever form that might take, and that is a fact that makes me very happy.
One of the most rewarding ‘pretty good’ games I have ever played.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 7.5/10 (Good)
Whoever is reading this review is probably seeing it and going, “you loved the game but only gave it a 3.5?”. And while yes, I did thoroughly enjoy the game, and subjectively had a great time with it, from a more objective standpoint the game is far from perfect. That being said, if there was a spectrum, this is one of the highest 3.5 star reviews I’ve given, and is closer to a subjective 8 or even 9.
The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails is so unbelievably cute and charming on every level. The characters, the setting, the theming, all of it is so earnest, wholesome, and fun. Every time I booted up the game, it was always a delight to join Nayuta and Noi on their journey. The art direction is impeccable, and still holds up today, even all these years removed from the original PlayStation Portable release. The music is absolutely top notch, and features some of my favourite pieces out of any Falcom title in relatively recent memory. The story, while pretty standard for the majority of it's run time, goes off the wall at the end of Chapter 4 and for the rest of the game, possibly even rivalling the excellent final third of Trails to Azure. The game is just a delight to spend time with.
Most of why I think Boundless Trails in the end warrants this score is the gameplay. There’s no real overworld or dungeons to speak of, and the game is instead divided into levels or stages, like any traditional platformer. This means while they do some interesting things with stage conditions, and adding collectibles and replay value to each stage, it also has this disjointed nature to it which disconnects the world. This is especially noticeable when one of the things the Trails subseries is most renowned for is it's worldbuilding. The combat I believe could have also used some tweaking. Falcom’s other flagship series, Ys, also used to have a single playable character, but those games were much faster paced. The games lost a bit of that pace switching to a party formation, but The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails is trapped in some weird in-between where it has the design of Ys: The Oath in Felghana and Ys Origin, but pacing more similar to Ys Seven. With a party system implemented, the levels would have had to be redesigned entirely to accommodate, so making the gameplay faster and smoother probably would have been the ideal fix here. It doesn’t always feel the most pleasant to play as is, and can slow down the experience, which is especially frustrating combined with some of the stage conditions required for 100%. Enemies can also hit you as you ascend on platforms, remaining out of sight, or through barriers that you can’t jump over, with you being unprepared to block or evade the attack. That being said, the combat and additional skills and abilities you can learn do keep the gameplay loop interesting, and there's some real fun ones and gems in there.
In conclusion, The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails is one of the most pleasant gaming experiences I’ve had in a really long time. It never really attempts to do anything crazy (minus some of the late game revelations, which could very well be key to the future of the Trails/Kiseki franchise), but it does everything with a smile on its face, honest and earnest, and I loved every minute of it. Though I might not have given the game a 4 or 4.5 star score, I do absolutely believe it is worth playing and experiencing, and it is a game I will remember fondly in times to come. This game is absolutely a classic of the PlayStation Portable platform, a celebration of the platform as one of its final games from it's twilight years, a final gasp of greatness before receding into the annals of gaming history.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 7.5/10 (Good)
Whoever is reading this review is probably seeing it and going, “you loved the game but only gave it a 3.5?”. And while yes, I did thoroughly enjoy the game, and subjectively had a great time with it, from a more objective standpoint the game is far from perfect. That being said, if there was a spectrum, this is one of the highest 3.5 star reviews I’ve given, and is closer to a subjective 8 or even 9.
The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails is so unbelievably cute and charming on every level. The characters, the setting, the theming, all of it is so earnest, wholesome, and fun. Every time I booted up the game, it was always a delight to join Nayuta and Noi on their journey. The art direction is impeccable, and still holds up today, even all these years removed from the original PlayStation Portable release. The music is absolutely top notch, and features some of my favourite pieces out of any Falcom title in relatively recent memory. The story, while pretty standard for the majority of it's run time, goes off the wall at the end of Chapter 4 and for the rest of the game, possibly even rivalling the excellent final third of Trails to Azure. The game is just a delight to spend time with.
Most of why I think Boundless Trails in the end warrants this score is the gameplay. There’s no real overworld or dungeons to speak of, and the game is instead divided into levels or stages, like any traditional platformer. This means while they do some interesting things with stage conditions, and adding collectibles and replay value to each stage, it also has this disjointed nature to it which disconnects the world. This is especially noticeable when one of the things the Trails subseries is most renowned for is it's worldbuilding. The combat I believe could have also used some tweaking. Falcom’s other flagship series, Ys, also used to have a single playable character, but those games were much faster paced. The games lost a bit of that pace switching to a party formation, but The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails is trapped in some weird in-between where it has the design of Ys: The Oath in Felghana and Ys Origin, but pacing more similar to Ys Seven. With a party system implemented, the levels would have had to be redesigned entirely to accommodate, so making the gameplay faster and smoother probably would have been the ideal fix here. It doesn’t always feel the most pleasant to play as is, and can slow down the experience, which is especially frustrating combined with some of the stage conditions required for 100%. Enemies can also hit you as you ascend on platforms, remaining out of sight, or through barriers that you can’t jump over, with you being unprepared to block or evade the attack. That being said, the combat and additional skills and abilities you can learn do keep the gameplay loop interesting, and there's some real fun ones and gems in there.
In conclusion, The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails is one of the most pleasant gaming experiences I’ve had in a really long time. It never really attempts to do anything crazy (minus some of the late game revelations, which could very well be key to the future of the Trails/Kiseki franchise), but it does everything with a smile on its face, honest and earnest, and I loved every minute of it. Though I might not have given the game a 4 or 4.5 star score, I do absolutely believe it is worth playing and experiencing, and it is a game I will remember fondly in times to come. This game is absolutely a classic of the PlayStation Portable platform, a celebration of the platform as one of its final games from it's twilight years, a final gasp of greatness before receding into the annals of gaming history.
A narrative disaster held together by the thinnest of tape.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 5.5/10 (Mediocre)
Oh boy... where do I even start with this one...
I am not a Trails of Cold Steel hater. I am a huge, huge fan of Nihon Falcom, both old and new. For as much flak as this arc in the greater Trails/Kiseki canon catches, I quite enjoyed the first Trails of Cold Steel, and I loved the third entry. Despite my problems with the second game in the subseries, I still appreciated the game for its ambition and new ideas. This game though? To put it lightly, it's one of, if not the most sloppily written JRPG I have ever played, and one of the most disappointing sequels I have ever had the misfortune of playing.
There are no stakes. Any semblance of stakes were removed, and Trails of Cold Steel IV completely botches the perfect setup that Cold Steel III set up for it. All the pieces were in place for a slam dunk, a layup, and they somehow dropped the ball in spectacular fashion. Events from Cold Steel III get reversed, and the things that get reversed don't even add to the game in any meaningful way. They are, for lack of better words, unneeded, and actually make the game worse, both it's narrative and it's characters. Most of the storytelling choices as they're presented are nonsensical, and despite a few great moments here and there, sprinkled throughout, it is overall abysmal. There's a scene towards the end of Act 2 that left me completely taken out, scratching my head as to why a certain group of characters were there, why they were called there at all given the circumstances, and the fact that nothing in the scene would have changed if they weren't there. They didn't improve the scene in any way. It was plot contrivance for the literal sake of it. A lot of the new concepts and terminology introduced in this game is also very poorly explained, to the point I had to go to the wiki to learn what 'Sacrifice', or 'Immortal' meant in universe. Given this game wraps up the entire first half of the series and ties together the threads of the Trails in the Sky games and Crossbell duology (at least until Trails into Reverie? Kind of?), it cannot be understated how disappointing this game's story and writing is. This was NOT the game to fumble. Add onto this the forced harem that is absolute cringe, and exposes a middle aged, male Falcom writer for trying to live out their fantasy of having 9+ different young girls/women fawning over him, plus the game's tendency to portray lesbian sexual harassment/assault as goofy and funny, and not something to be taken seriously, and the proliferation and encouragement of a borderline paedophilic relationship (between a 28 year old man and 16 year old girl, yes I am aware of Japanese age of consent, that does not make this okay by any stretch of the imagination), and I was done with this game incredibly quickly. To the point the game was a slog to get through, and I only did so because I was already committed to the series. So many stupid little things add up and make the experience intolerable.
The gameplay is, at the very least fun (if even more badly balanced than ever before) and the music is still good even if it is a step down from prior entries, and in general from Falcom's rich musical history. The max AP conditions in some of the Act 1 and Fractures boss fights are also incredibly poorly designed and not thought out, and I hope whoever made them is sentenced to an eternity of walking across LEGO pieces. Fun core gameplay, good music, and a cast of (mostly) great characters does not make up for how terrible this game's narrative is however, nor does it excuse the horrible depictions of lesbianism, borderline pedophilia, or the gross harem mechanic. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV would have been a 2 star total from me, if not for Fractures and the Finale, and I'm not afraid to admit that. I am considerably less excited for the future of this series and it's storyline going forward, knowing that this game will forever be a part of that canon, and no matter how good future entries might be, this will forever be a black eye on the franchise. I am, ultimately, disappointed.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 5.5/10 (Mediocre)
Oh boy... where do I even start with this one...
I am not a Trails of Cold Steel hater. I am a huge, huge fan of Nihon Falcom, both old and new. For as much flak as this arc in the greater Trails/Kiseki canon catches, I quite enjoyed the first Trails of Cold Steel, and I loved the third entry. Despite my problems with the second game in the subseries, I still appreciated the game for its ambition and new ideas. This game though? To put it lightly, it's one of, if not the most sloppily written JRPG I have ever played, and one of the most disappointing sequels I have ever had the misfortune of playing.
There are no stakes. Any semblance of stakes were removed, and Trails of Cold Steel IV completely botches the perfect setup that Cold Steel III set up for it. All the pieces were in place for a slam dunk, a layup, and they somehow dropped the ball in spectacular fashion. Events from Cold Steel III get reversed, and the things that get reversed don't even add to the game in any meaningful way. They are, for lack of better words, unneeded, and actually make the game worse, both it's narrative and it's characters. Most of the storytelling choices as they're presented are nonsensical, and despite a few great moments here and there, sprinkled throughout, it is overall abysmal. There's a scene towards the end of Act 2 that left me completely taken out, scratching my head as to why a certain group of characters were there, why they were called there at all given the circumstances, and the fact that nothing in the scene would have changed if they weren't there. They didn't improve the scene in any way. It was plot contrivance for the literal sake of it. A lot of the new concepts and terminology introduced in this game is also very poorly explained, to the point I had to go to the wiki to learn what 'Sacrifice', or 'Immortal' meant in universe. Given this game wraps up the entire first half of the series and ties together the threads of the Trails in the Sky games and Crossbell duology (at least until Trails into Reverie? Kind of?), it cannot be understated how disappointing this game's story and writing is. This was NOT the game to fumble. Add onto this the forced harem that is absolute cringe, and exposes a middle aged, male Falcom writer for trying to live out their fantasy of having 9+ different young girls/women fawning over him, plus the game's tendency to portray lesbian sexual harassment/assault as goofy and funny, and not something to be taken seriously, and the proliferation and encouragement of a borderline paedophilic relationship (between a 28 year old man and 16 year old girl, yes I am aware of Japanese age of consent, that does not make this okay by any stretch of the imagination), and I was done with this game incredibly quickly. To the point the game was a slog to get through, and I only did so because I was already committed to the series. So many stupid little things add up and make the experience intolerable.
The gameplay is, at the very least fun (if even more badly balanced than ever before) and the music is still good even if it is a step down from prior entries, and in general from Falcom's rich musical history. The max AP conditions in some of the Act 1 and Fractures boss fights are also incredibly poorly designed and not thought out, and I hope whoever made them is sentenced to an eternity of walking across LEGO pieces. Fun core gameplay, good music, and a cast of (mostly) great characters does not make up for how terrible this game's narrative is however, nor does it excuse the horrible depictions of lesbianism, borderline pedophilia, or the gross harem mechanic. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV would have been a 2 star total from me, if not for Fractures and the Finale, and I'm not afraid to admit that. I am considerably less excited for the future of this series and it's storyline going forward, knowing that this game will forever be a part of that canon, and no matter how good future entries might be, this will forever be a black eye on the franchise. I am, ultimately, disappointed.
A Game More 50/50 than Tony Khan’s Booking.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 4.5/10 (Below Average)
AEW: Fight Forever is a game I’m conflicted on. A real mixed bag. On one hand, games like WWE All Stars and TNA Impact! are some of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had in a wrestling game, and much like this one, they were more arcade-like in their approach, and focused much more on fun, fast paced, high octane action, than being a 1:1 simulation of the product. The lack of content in that regard is more an annoyance I’m used to with games like this than a deal breaker. The WWE 2K series has the benefit of hundreds if not thousands of assets to recycle from entry-to-entry, while Fight Forever had to be build from the ground up. However, that does not excuse the state of this game. AEW: Fight Forever is a game that is intentionally held back, and not just due to budget or time constraints, but to emulate an N64 title that I personally never experienced, and hold little nostalgia for, and to focus on aspects of the game that I would deem unnecessary. In the end, I think taking more elements from the PlayStation 2/GameCube era of wrestling games, or modernising the old formula of WWF: No Mercy and really doing something new with it, anything would have been better than what we got, and ultimately I find myself disappointed (as you would when you were expecting the next truly great wrestling game, and you end up with a kneecapped end product).
As I mentioned, Fight Forever feels stunningly close to WWF: No Mercy, for better or worse, but it does very little to actually build upon or modernise the tried and true formula that fans have been begging to see return. I'd actually argue in some ways that it's worse. While it possesses a solid foundation, notably the core wrestling gameplay, that is sure to only improve through further updates and downloadable content releases, as it stands now, the game is lacking. While this title may have been a labour of love for Kenny Omega and AEW Games, and I have all the respect in the world for them and what their goal, their dream was, not enough was done to make the game as great as it could have been ahead of launch. Whether it needed a bigger budget, more time in the oven, I can't say. AEW: Fight Forever is lacking in several areas, including but not limited to its poor creation suite, lack of match commentary, match types, and single-player content, which again I let slide in games like TNA Impact! and WWE All Stars because of how darn fun they were. But even those games felt more polished and complete, especially with their single-player offerings.
While AEW: Fight Forever may improve over time, it’s hard to recommend or justify buying at its current full price, no matter how fun the base wrestling gameplay is. It feels more like a budget, digital title than a full fledged retail wrestling title. If you are interested in playing this game, I'd recommend waiting for a sale, and to see how dedicated to their future content plans they actually are. I can’t help but feel a public playtest beta would have done wonders for this game, but what’s done is done.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 4.5/10 (Below Average)
AEW: Fight Forever is a game I’m conflicted on. A real mixed bag. On one hand, games like WWE All Stars and TNA Impact! are some of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had in a wrestling game, and much like this one, they were more arcade-like in their approach, and focused much more on fun, fast paced, high octane action, than being a 1:1 simulation of the product. The lack of content in that regard is more an annoyance I’m used to with games like this than a deal breaker. The WWE 2K series has the benefit of hundreds if not thousands of assets to recycle from entry-to-entry, while Fight Forever had to be build from the ground up. However, that does not excuse the state of this game. AEW: Fight Forever is a game that is intentionally held back, and not just due to budget or time constraints, but to emulate an N64 title that I personally never experienced, and hold little nostalgia for, and to focus on aspects of the game that I would deem unnecessary. In the end, I think taking more elements from the PlayStation 2/GameCube era of wrestling games, or modernising the old formula of WWF: No Mercy and really doing something new with it, anything would have been better than what we got, and ultimately I find myself disappointed (as you would when you were expecting the next truly great wrestling game, and you end up with a kneecapped end product).
As I mentioned, Fight Forever feels stunningly close to WWF: No Mercy, for better or worse, but it does very little to actually build upon or modernise the tried and true formula that fans have been begging to see return. I'd actually argue in some ways that it's worse. While it possesses a solid foundation, notably the core wrestling gameplay, that is sure to only improve through further updates and downloadable content releases, as it stands now, the game is lacking. While this title may have been a labour of love for Kenny Omega and AEW Games, and I have all the respect in the world for them and what their goal, their dream was, not enough was done to make the game as great as it could have been ahead of launch. Whether it needed a bigger budget, more time in the oven, I can't say. AEW: Fight Forever is lacking in several areas, including but not limited to its poor creation suite, lack of match commentary, match types, and single-player content, which again I let slide in games like TNA Impact! and WWE All Stars because of how darn fun they were. But even those games felt more polished and complete, especially with their single-player offerings.
While AEW: Fight Forever may improve over time, it’s hard to recommend or justify buying at its current full price, no matter how fun the base wrestling gameplay is. It feels more like a budget, digital title than a full fledged retail wrestling title. If you are interested in playing this game, I'd recommend waiting for a sale, and to see how dedicated to their future content plans they actually are. I can’t help but feel a public playtest beta would have done wonders for this game, but what’s done is done.
The quintessential video game.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 10/10 (Perfect)
Metroid Prime, and in particular this Remastered edition, is in my humble opinion (which might not mean much) the perfect video game. And I say this as someone who has always been of the belief that nothing can ever be truly perfect, that nothing could possibly deserve a full 10/10, or 5 stars. Every time I had an issue with this game, I realised it was my own skill as a player preventing me from progressing, and when I fought Meta Ridley, I realised what an experience I had just had, as the music swelled and I dodged and dived around the battlefield, using my trusty arm cannon to lay in shots whenever I could. Admittedly yes, there are some aspects even today that might be considered archaic by some, but I don't believe that entirely. The way I see it, we as humans have begun to use our brains less and less, leading to us losing our ability to deduce puzzles and riddles on our own time. This has been a trend in recent years, as we turn to technology, guides and others to give us all the answers, and our brains aren’t performing on the same level that would have been expected of them in the past. I too would have usually fallen into this camp, but Metroid Prime is so well designed, so well structured, that I rarely ever got lost or had to resort to a guide. Such an experience as this one, so expertly crafted and polished, and aged like a fine wine is hard to even quantify with words, though I will do my best.
The music is incredible. It takes the beloved ambient, isolating music of beloved titles such as Super Metroid and dials it up to 11. The environmental storytelling is utterly fantastic, packed with all the right information and occasionally something surprising. The gameplay mechanics are well thought out and utilised. The visuals are absolutely gorgeous, and it went from the best looking title on GameCube, nay, arguably the best looking game of the sixth generation of consoles, period, to the best looking game on Nintendo Switch. It is a true love letter to the original 2D Metroids, fully realised in 3D, and a game where I can honestly say that I have no real complaints about it. No nitpicks, nothing I would change or do differently, nothing. Even the endgame quest can be done throughout the course of the main story, and isn’t that strenuous even if you somehow missed some of those objectives along the way. The new controller options elevate the experience even further, meaning that you can play the game your way, no worries. You want traditional twin stick shooter controls? You go right ahead. You want classic tank controls or Wiimote style pointer controls? Sure, they’re there: Samus's first 3D adventure might very well be her best, though Metroid Prime 2: Echoes offers a different approach and design philosophy to it’s world and gameplay in the first place.
Overall, it's just hard to find the words to describe this game in any greater detail. Retro Studio's first ever outing shines more brightly here than it did even on the GameCube or Wii, and that is a feat in and out of itself. If this is a sign to come for what Metroid Prime 4 will eventually look like, I think I can safely say we're all in for a treat, and I look forward to seeing what comes next for this amazing franchise, whatever form it may take.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 10/10 (Perfect)
Metroid Prime, and in particular this Remastered edition, is in my humble opinion (which might not mean much) the perfect video game. And I say this as someone who has always been of the belief that nothing can ever be truly perfect, that nothing could possibly deserve a full 10/10, or 5 stars. Every time I had an issue with this game, I realised it was my own skill as a player preventing me from progressing, and when I fought Meta Ridley, I realised what an experience I had just had, as the music swelled and I dodged and dived around the battlefield, using my trusty arm cannon to lay in shots whenever I could. Admittedly yes, there are some aspects even today that might be considered archaic by some, but I don't believe that entirely. The way I see it, we as humans have begun to use our brains less and less, leading to us losing our ability to deduce puzzles and riddles on our own time. This has been a trend in recent years, as we turn to technology, guides and others to give us all the answers, and our brains aren’t performing on the same level that would have been expected of them in the past. I too would have usually fallen into this camp, but Metroid Prime is so well designed, so well structured, that I rarely ever got lost or had to resort to a guide. Such an experience as this one, so expertly crafted and polished, and aged like a fine wine is hard to even quantify with words, though I will do my best.
The music is incredible. It takes the beloved ambient, isolating music of beloved titles such as Super Metroid and dials it up to 11. The environmental storytelling is utterly fantastic, packed with all the right information and occasionally something surprising. The gameplay mechanics are well thought out and utilised. The visuals are absolutely gorgeous, and it went from the best looking title on GameCube, nay, arguably the best looking game of the sixth generation of consoles, period, to the best looking game on Nintendo Switch. It is a true love letter to the original 2D Metroids, fully realised in 3D, and a game where I can honestly say that I have no real complaints about it. No nitpicks, nothing I would change or do differently, nothing. Even the endgame quest can be done throughout the course of the main story, and isn’t that strenuous even if you somehow missed some of those objectives along the way. The new controller options elevate the experience even further, meaning that you can play the game your way, no worries. You want traditional twin stick shooter controls? You go right ahead. You want classic tank controls or Wiimote style pointer controls? Sure, they’re there: Samus's first 3D adventure might very well be her best, though Metroid Prime 2: Echoes offers a different approach and design philosophy to it’s world and gameplay in the first place.
Overall, it's just hard to find the words to describe this game in any greater detail. Retro Studio's first ever outing shines more brightly here than it did even on the GameCube or Wii, and that is a feat in and out of itself. If this is a sign to come for what Metroid Prime 4 will eventually look like, I think I can safely say we're all in for a treat, and I look forward to seeing what comes next for this amazing franchise, whatever form it may take.
A fantastical adventure with some notable missteps.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 8/10 (Great)
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is the tenth core game in Nihon Falcom’s long running Ys franchise (counting 2006’s Ys Origin), and my personal favourite by a large margin. Despite my love for this franchise in its entirety, this one has stuck with me like no other. It wormed its way into my heart without actually being the most polished, or objectively well rounded or crafted entry in the series. It is a game with flaws, a title that chooses to experiment with established formulas to varying degrees of success, but one that I adore due to its deep exploration of themes such as identity, what it means to be human, and a dissection of the characters who inhabit the city of Balduq, and what makes them tick. This is not your grandpappy’s Ys game, as Ys IX: Monstrum Nox moves the player out of the vibrant open fields of past games, and into the grey, gothic interiors of a prison city, an unending series of prisons both physical and metaphorical, layered upon each other. Combined with new powers and abilities that dramatically alter the gameplay loops established in its predecessor, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana, or even Ys Seven and Ys: Memories of Celceta, this game has proven controversial at times, and is seen by some as an inferior product. I do not believe this to be the case.
To summarise this game briefly, our good friend Adol Christin returns (who would’a thunk it, huh?) alongside an eclectic cast of 5 new characters, all of whose identity’s are initially shrouded in mystery. This time, Adol has been bestowed with the Monstrum curse, granting him supernatural powers and forcing him into the fight against the Grimwald Nox, a mythical battleground of the gods that lies beyond our own material dimension. Together, they seek to escape their curse, and end the emergence of the Grimwald Nox once and for all, while other dark secrets and conspiracies become manifest.
Ys IX explores themes of identity in a beautiful and intricate way, both through the characterisation of its main party, as well as eventual revelations within the narrative as to all the character’s origins. Modern Ys games have this elegant approach to storytelling, where as the themes of the narrative become apparent over time it reinforces the story being told. Where VIII explored evolutionary fatalism, and the gorgeous character arc of Dana Iclucia, IX dives into a much more intimate story of what it means to be individuals. The story and characters of Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, despite the feelings of others concerning it, I would argue is just as good as the previous game, in its own way, and I would go so far as to consider it a strong suit. I really bloody liked it (I do not care what you try to tell me, this game’s story is underrated). For anyone struggling with what it means to be themselves, to be human, this game is for you! Philosophical ponderings on identity, individuality, and the human condition are all commonplace throughout the game’s 40-hour run time.
All of this hasn’t even touched on the gameplay yet. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is crisp and refined, with combat feeling more smooth than it ever has. Skills and accessories allow for a vast degree of customisation, with the new talismans even allowing you to alter a character’s damage type, enabling greater control over building a viable party. The biggest growing pain is in the level design, as the experimental ‘Gifts’ leave a little to be desired in terms of the exploration, with its predecessor, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana being a master of the Zelda/Metroid styled item progression that made exploration so rewarding. The music also feels lacking in comparison to past entries, which for Nihon Falcom games in general has become an increasingly common complaint in recent years. That being said, in terms of raw gameplay, this is arguably the best Ys has ever been.
If you’re looking for a solid action RPG with crunchy combo-based gameplay and a narrative rich with intrigue and musings on identity, I can’t recommend this game highly enough (no, seriously, please play it). Ys IX: Monstrum Nox has become an all time favourite of mine.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 8/10 (Great)
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is the tenth core game in Nihon Falcom’s long running Ys franchise (counting 2006’s Ys Origin), and my personal favourite by a large margin. Despite my love for this franchise in its entirety, this one has stuck with me like no other. It wormed its way into my heart without actually being the most polished, or objectively well rounded or crafted entry in the series. It is a game with flaws, a title that chooses to experiment with established formulas to varying degrees of success, but one that I adore due to its deep exploration of themes such as identity, what it means to be human, and a dissection of the characters who inhabit the city of Balduq, and what makes them tick. This is not your grandpappy’s Ys game, as Ys IX: Monstrum Nox moves the player out of the vibrant open fields of past games, and into the grey, gothic interiors of a prison city, an unending series of prisons both physical and metaphorical, layered upon each other. Combined with new powers and abilities that dramatically alter the gameplay loops established in its predecessor, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana, or even Ys Seven and Ys: Memories of Celceta, this game has proven controversial at times, and is seen by some as an inferior product. I do not believe this to be the case.
To summarise this game briefly, our good friend Adol Christin returns (who would’a thunk it, huh?) alongside an eclectic cast of 5 new characters, all of whose identity’s are initially shrouded in mystery. This time, Adol has been bestowed with the Monstrum curse, granting him supernatural powers and forcing him into the fight against the Grimwald Nox, a mythical battleground of the gods that lies beyond our own material dimension. Together, they seek to escape their curse, and end the emergence of the Grimwald Nox once and for all, while other dark secrets and conspiracies become manifest.
Ys IX explores themes of identity in a beautiful and intricate way, both through the characterisation of its main party, as well as eventual revelations within the narrative as to all the character’s origins. Modern Ys games have this elegant approach to storytelling, where as the themes of the narrative become apparent over time it reinforces the story being told. Where VIII explored evolutionary fatalism, and the gorgeous character arc of Dana Iclucia, IX dives into a much more intimate story of what it means to be individuals. The story and characters of Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, despite the feelings of others concerning it, I would argue is just as good as the previous game, in its own way, and I would go so far as to consider it a strong suit. I really bloody liked it (I do not care what you try to tell me, this game’s story is underrated). For anyone struggling with what it means to be themselves, to be human, this game is for you! Philosophical ponderings on identity, individuality, and the human condition are all commonplace throughout the game’s 40-hour run time.
All of this hasn’t even touched on the gameplay yet. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is crisp and refined, with combat feeling more smooth than it ever has. Skills and accessories allow for a vast degree of customisation, with the new talismans even allowing you to alter a character’s damage type, enabling greater control over building a viable party. The biggest growing pain is in the level design, as the experimental ‘Gifts’ leave a little to be desired in terms of the exploration, with its predecessor, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana being a master of the Zelda/Metroid styled item progression that made exploration so rewarding. The music also feels lacking in comparison to past entries, which for Nihon Falcom games in general has become an increasingly common complaint in recent years. That being said, in terms of raw gameplay, this is arguably the best Ys has ever been.
If you’re looking for a solid action RPG with crunchy combo-based gameplay and a narrative rich with intrigue and musings on identity, I can’t recommend this game highly enough (no, seriously, please play it). Ys IX: Monstrum Nox has become an all time favourite of mine.
A good, if slow experience, that mainly serves as a prologue for the real meat and potatoes of the story, being the sequel.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 7/10 (Good)
For context, I've been a big fan of the Ys series for a quite some time, but have been putting off the Trails/Kiseki series, as I knew it required a lot of commitment, and I just didn't really have it in me, you know? After nearly two full years of trial and error, I have finally finished this first chapter, and I can safely say it has been a solid experience, and one which I can easily see becoming a great foundation for further entries to stand upon.
First off, to get them out of the way; the negatives. And there is a few of them. I'd been warned by several people that Trails games start off slowly, even compared to other JRPGs, and hoo boy, they weren't 'kiddin. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky essentially feels like a 40 hour prologue. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you have a lot of time to spare (I am often not one of those people or lucky enough to be in this position, but made such time for it). If you find slow starts in your games hard to get through, you'll really struggle with this one. It’s one of the worst in that regard. There are also a couple of quality of life things missing that would make the game involve less guesswork, and some balancing problems with particular fights, but thanks to the Retry function that lowers the difficulty when you are defeated, its not unbearable. The characters are also fairly archetypal for the most part, but they're at least done well with the roles and traits they were given. Trigger warning for people who have a problem with adoptive sibling romantic relationships (the writing team does try its hardest to make this one as not weird as possible), you really won't like this game, and you especially won't like its follow up. If you're running through an area, enemies slowly phase into the physical world and you won't see them until you're already on top of them and initiating battle, so random encounters might as well be a thing, and it can get quite annoying and frustrating.
As for the good, there's a lot of that. Nihon Falcom does worldbuilding in their games better than studios ten times their size with a hundred times the budget, and this legacy can be traced all the way back to the original Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes and its sequel. It's very text heavy (so if you like visual novels, bingo) but the writing is solid enough that it's fun to sit through, especially for some of the more comedic scenes and for the political intrigue scenarios. The combat itself is rather fun, and features a great degree of customisation via the Orbment system. It doesn't evolve much throughout the course of the game, but it was good enough to hold my interest for the game’s relatively short runtime, at least. I really enjoyed how most of the game is based around only a couple of permanent party members, supplemented by a rotating door of temporary characters. It doesn’t feel like any given character isn’t given enough time to get their stuff in either, and obviously further development will continue in the sequels. This trait keeps the game interesting and ever evolving, and at least for this entry, it does't feel like there's any character bloating. Every character feels interesting and has a role to play, even if sometimes they veer into cliché. The story as well, is well written, and features thought out political intrigue angles, which as a writer myself I know is not at all easy to pull off. Politics are complicated and writing them in an entertaining, but still rational way, is a tough ordeal, and one not always successfully executed.
Overall, The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky is, I would say, a must try for any RPG fan, and definitely a classic, if a flawed one. It's left me wanting more, and oh boy, is there more, and that's all I could have really asked for.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 7/10 (Good)
For context, I've been a big fan of the Ys series for a quite some time, but have been putting off the Trails/Kiseki series, as I knew it required a lot of commitment, and I just didn't really have it in me, you know? After nearly two full years of trial and error, I have finally finished this first chapter, and I can safely say it has been a solid experience, and one which I can easily see becoming a great foundation for further entries to stand upon.
First off, to get them out of the way; the negatives. And there is a few of them. I'd been warned by several people that Trails games start off slowly, even compared to other JRPGs, and hoo boy, they weren't 'kiddin. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky essentially feels like a 40 hour prologue. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you have a lot of time to spare (I am often not one of those people or lucky enough to be in this position, but made such time for it). If you find slow starts in your games hard to get through, you'll really struggle with this one. It’s one of the worst in that regard. There are also a couple of quality of life things missing that would make the game involve less guesswork, and some balancing problems with particular fights, but thanks to the Retry function that lowers the difficulty when you are defeated, its not unbearable. The characters are also fairly archetypal for the most part, but they're at least done well with the roles and traits they were given. Trigger warning for people who have a problem with adoptive sibling romantic relationships (the writing team does try its hardest to make this one as not weird as possible), you really won't like this game, and you especially won't like its follow up. If you're running through an area, enemies slowly phase into the physical world and you won't see them until you're already on top of them and initiating battle, so random encounters might as well be a thing, and it can get quite annoying and frustrating.
As for the good, there's a lot of that. Nihon Falcom does worldbuilding in their games better than studios ten times their size with a hundred times the budget, and this legacy can be traced all the way back to the original Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes and its sequel. It's very text heavy (so if you like visual novels, bingo) but the writing is solid enough that it's fun to sit through, especially for some of the more comedic scenes and for the political intrigue scenarios. The combat itself is rather fun, and features a great degree of customisation via the Orbment system. It doesn't evolve much throughout the course of the game, but it was good enough to hold my interest for the game’s relatively short runtime, at least. I really enjoyed how most of the game is based around only a couple of permanent party members, supplemented by a rotating door of temporary characters. It doesn’t feel like any given character isn’t given enough time to get their stuff in either, and obviously further development will continue in the sequels. This trait keeps the game interesting and ever evolving, and at least for this entry, it does't feel like there's any character bloating. Every character feels interesting and has a role to play, even if sometimes they veer into cliché. The story as well, is well written, and features thought out political intrigue angles, which as a writer myself I know is not at all easy to pull off. Politics are complicated and writing them in an entertaining, but still rational way, is a tough ordeal, and one not always successfully executed.
Overall, The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky is, I would say, a must try for any RPG fan, and definitely a classic, if a flawed one. It's left me wanting more, and oh boy, is there more, and that's all I could have really asked for.