I think the best way to categorize Cold Steel 1 is as a worse version of Sky FC. It's the same kind of first-in-a-saga introductory game, but it's noticeably worse at introducing you to the setting, characters, and plot.
The writing in this game feels particularly amateurish and oddly more like a first try at this kind of story than FC. The characters feel thinner and more trope-y than earlier games. Every time they have conflict with each other, it follows the exact same structure. The plot is basically allergic to consequence and arcs will just wander in and out without any effect on the overall story until everything pops off at the very end. Sure, when the twist hits it's engaging, but ideally you do not want your action-filled twist climax to make your audience think "Finally, something is HAPPENING."
If there's anything enjoyable to balance the scales it is mostly the familiar trappings and inertia that comes with being part of the Trails series. The battle system is fun and particularly enjoyable to break coming right from Sky's relatively straightforward foundation. I genuinely love spending half an hour before a dungeon re-doing everybody's Quartz and Orbments. Here and there between all the lets-all-just-along along third way bullshit it's clear that -someone- on the writing team is thinking about the economics and history of Erebonia. I just wish that person was in charge instead of the guys obsessed with shitty 2010s high school harem anime.
But I have to admit, because I have the Trails brain rot, when a character gets revealed as the Second Anguis of Ouroboros I did have that LET'S GOOOO reaction. Ultimately I can forgive a lot from a middling entry in a franchise I otherwise really like. 2/5 game, not that good, can't wait to play the sequel.
Also Fie best girl.
The writing in this game feels particularly amateurish and oddly more like a first try at this kind of story than FC. The characters feel thinner and more trope-y than earlier games. Every time they have conflict with each other, it follows the exact same structure. The plot is basically allergic to consequence and arcs will just wander in and out without any effect on the overall story until everything pops off at the very end. Sure, when the twist hits it's engaging, but ideally you do not want your action-filled twist climax to make your audience think "Finally, something is HAPPENING."
If there's anything enjoyable to balance the scales it is mostly the familiar trappings and inertia that comes with being part of the Trails series. The battle system is fun and particularly enjoyable to break coming right from Sky's relatively straightforward foundation. I genuinely love spending half an hour before a dungeon re-doing everybody's Quartz and Orbments. Here and there between all the lets-all-just-along along third way bullshit it's clear that -someone- on the writing team is thinking about the economics and history of Erebonia. I just wish that person was in charge instead of the guys obsessed with shitty 2010s high school harem anime.
But I have to admit, because I have the Trails brain rot, when a character gets revealed as the Second Anguis of Ouroboros I did have that LET'S GOOOO reaction. Ultimately I can forgive a lot from a middling entry in a franchise I otherwise really like. 2/5 game, not that good, can't wait to play the sequel.
Also Fie best girl.