kuro 1 is the best game in the series as a standalone title, but hajimari to me is everything i wanted since i started playing this series. i was promised a large interconnected story with tons of characters new and old to grow attached to and watch grow over the series, culminating in an End of Saga to wrap up all these threads. this is.... technically done by cs4, but the execution is extremely shallow and not at all a satisfying conclusion so i'm beyond happy they decided to try again with hajimari and for me it stuck the landing perfectly. this is the perfect celebration of the series up to this point and i don't think it's leaving my top 1 spot ever

the best introduction game to its respective arc and is overall the most consistently good kiseki game throughout. if i had to recommend just one game in this series to anyone for the most "complete" package, this would be the easiest and best game to recommend easy. the story is satisfying enough standalone while having some of the most rewarding and fun jrpg combat out there. only beat out by my literal favorite game of all time

the first half of the game is admittedly a (still very enjoyable) retread but the second half is where this game truly shines. this game to this day still has some of the best character writing and emotional moments in the series. chapter 6 ending was generational

game was so good they took the same premise and did it again in reverie and it was even better. what this game set up for the future had me squealing. the main story is also respectable, although very disconnected from the overarching plot of the series

i literally have zero complaints with this game. very consistently good game similar to kuro 1

the SSS slaps, great politics and the best twist in the entire series, but it's also the start of a lot of issues that proceed to plague the following cold steel arc. mainly the lack of commitment to character deaths and the baffling decision to hide important story information in optional scenes/quests

if you asked me how i felt when i actually finished the game, i would've been mad af. but nowadays i understand the game a little more and find it mostly great with some glaring flaws. it appears they took the criticism from cs1-2 seriously because the cast is a significant improvement over the first two games and the fanservice is actually pretty welcome. i still have some lingering feelings from my initial reactions, and i need a second playthrough to really cement my thoughts on this game but i can see it going higher

this game out of all of them is the most likely to go down with time when (hopefully better) games release but for now it can stay here for having definitively the best gameplay and peaks astronomically higher than its lows. unfortunately it is ultimately a meaningless chapter for the overarching story and even most of its characters within the arc and does have some kind of shit writing of its own. one instance of filler is fine, but let this be the last time please

unique and refreshing slice of life jrpg with cute characters and then hits you with the most evil ending in all of gaming. only down here because of how much better the sequels are

a step up from cold steel 1 in nearly every way straight up. the finale fucking slaps... unfortunately the game especially on the first playthrough doesn't feel like it knows where it wants to end. plus there is some filler in the midgame but it's not as egregious as cs4 since the game is generally much shorter than the other cold steel games

game has no story for 90% of it and the worst main cast in the series by far so they can't even carry the runtime. the final hour of the game is the most notable. still enjoyed it, most of my criticism came in retrospect but this game is severely outclassed. it's not an offensive game, but it's like passing a class with a 60%

i do not think this is a very good conclusion to the series up to this point. the game is too inconsistently written and horrendously paced that it constantly fluctuates between genuinely good peaks and the absolute lowest, borderline franchise ruining lows in the entire series. only game in the series i had to force myself to take a break from for my own sanity. its biggest crutch is the fanservice and spectacle which only really work for so long until you realize it's mainly a substitute for the writing. at LEAST the gameplay is good but if i wanted that i'd replay hajimari or even cs3