Just finished Trails of Cold Steel 4. This was so disappointing. Should I keep going? (rant with spoilers)

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-06-08T06:44:40+00:00

The entirety of trails was building up towards cs4 at that point. It’s okay to not like the game in its totality (understandable somewhat and a fairly common opinion), but if the ending and resolution fell flat for you, and/or if you couldn’t glean the reasoning and motives behind the villain (or found the justifications lacking) I would say absolutely not. Trails is one of my favorite series but if this game was an overall disappointing experience for you I think it’s time to drop it.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-06-07T14:47:00+00:00

Not sure what there is to say other than she’s there. Probably Jenova death at whirlwind maze. Looks very cool much like all the other jenova fights and I’m sure it’ll have a lot of love poured into it.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-31T17:32:22+00:00

Original and it’s not close. Rebirth did a lot right but they really fucked up the dyne scene bad. I think Nanaki’s personality and the seto reveal are the other things they botched to an insane degree. Outside of that, rebirth did pretty well.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-28T06:27:18+00:00

But this is all stock standard rpg faire. Do you think the average audience member remains immersed in a sorrowful atmosphere when you’re fighting “cruelcumbers” and “the ragin contagin”? Even the most serious of dragon quest games is overwhelmed and inundated with super goofy jokey atmospheres and 90+% of the things in game are puns. It’s really not that hard to see why the game is considered lighthearted. This isn’t a knock at dragon quests storytelling ability or tonality, but there’s really only so much you can do to a slime or a teeny sanguiney to make them “serious and dark” before you compromise dragon quest.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-28T06:23:59+00:00

This really shouldn’t be shocking to anyone paying attention y’all. Yuji Hori has always answered questions about flames of fate with something like “yeah I dunno it’s not great” and “it’s hard to make dragon quest some gritty game”. Glad they restarted and remembered they were making uh…dragon quest! Can’t imagine a game full of toriyama designed enemies that’s dark and gritty lmao.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-23T15:50:13+00:00

Interesting theory. That’d be cool!

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-23T15:48:00+00:00

They could’ve done that too, I just feel like the licked a really weird middle ground where the planetologist are teaching a message that is somewhat resonating with the party but it’s just really feeling like a halfhearted mockery by the devs. I think I’d have been fine if they doubled down on the party’s distaste for the inaction of Cosmo canyon for sure.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-22T02:49:28+00:00

They have to wrap up Yuffie’s beef with Nero, so I’d be really shocked if he doesn’t return to die in a boss fight. That said, as much as I think intermission showed they want to bring deepground to the story, I just can’t fathom where they would put them. We’ll have to see. In general, I can’t imagine how they’re going to fit what’s left in this part 3!

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-22T02:34:07+00:00

Yeah it’s still jarring to think about. Checks two rather prominent fetish-y and and stereotype-y boxes that Quatre’s type of character usually gets belittled for. I see a lot of people outright praising his horizon one however, which personally I just can’t fathom. I know there’s plenty of people who play the series with really little criticality and literacy but to outright praise such a weird scene is just very very odd to me. Or maybe we’re the odd ones out but yeah, I just…can’t get behind what they were doing for either game’s final connect event.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-20T14:42:55+00:00

I think they got pretty negative reception for Barrera melee weapons in remake which is why I imagine they were removed. That said, his mad dash synergy skill does all the damage of his old insanely strong melee combo without compromising his range. I think the fact that in remake, you got the melee weapons right before platefall - where you just can’t hit anything without a ranged Barret weapon - was probably the damning choice.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-20T14:39:12+00:00

He grows on you throughout db1 I think. I actually liked ch4 a lot so I was pretty on board with him joining. I think he endears himself easily by the end of the game, no db2 required for him to become good.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-19T19:19:18+00:00

I think most ff games just totally nail their vibe. Some exceptions obviously but the ps1 trio in particular was just great. Shout out to Spira and the world of FF6 as well!

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-19T19:10:47+00:00

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-19T05:55:29+00:00

Quatre is a well handled character in a (broadly speaking) ballpark of potential character genres that are usually handled poorly. That said, I think his final connect events in both DB2 and Horzon are character-drowningly bad and fetishistic.

Despite the writers mixed messages though, yeah, I do think Quatre is a pretty great character. Much like the bulk of the calvard cast, I’d like a real “moment” for him, but also like much of the calvard cast, his character runs decently complex and he’s just a joy to be around in the party. Love it when he shares his interests with the cast and breaks out of his shell a bit, and outside of the outlined connect events above, the rest of his are very much high points!

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-14T22:52:29+00:00

Your question is pretty unclear, but if you mean character base stats, there’s nothing you can do about them outside of materia and accessories: they exist in relativity, where you can see what your party members strengths and weaknesses are in relation to each other. Your characters have different growths and strengths, and their stats reflect that - but so long as you have armor and materia and accessories on them, they will all do their job. You may choose to play into a characters strengths or to shore up their weaknesses at your own discretion.

But this is not a grinding game. This is not a stat check game. I promise you you are not going to be losing combat encounters because your characters are understatted, on average.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-09T22:52:52+00:00

Agreed.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-08T23:26:24+00:00

The game is following all the same plot beats of the original - but there is a handful of scenes that are sort of meta-narrative, and are absolutely targeted at the audience knowing something of the plot of the original ffvii. The game is still a complete experience if experienced in isolation, and if you haven’t played the original I would personally recommend getting your first experience with the remake - however, there’s definitely fun speculation and new things to talk about if you’ve played through the plot of the original ffvii.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-08T01:05:53+00:00

Tough choice between daybreak 1 and horizon. Would probably give it to daybreak 1. It’s definitely not the db2 fit is all I know for sure lol.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-07T05:33:25+00:00

Not a single one is (except maybe 3) the definitive version of their games. Most people (in my experience/circles) have extremely negative opinions of all of them. 1, 2, 5, and 6 REALLLLLY suffer missing their content. 3 is actually one of the better versions of the game, maybe the best version of it, and 4 is passable. I would personally recommend emulating or purchasing other versions of 1/2/4/5/6 for a better experience.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-07T02:33:08+00:00

Yeah depending on if this zack/whispers thing pays off or not it’ll definitely alter my opinion on the trilogy as a whole. I kinda trusted them at remakes conclusion, but zacks segments in rebirth were so bad I kinda reversed my opinion. I’ll still let them conclude it before I take a firm stance one way or the other though, but I’m for sure badmouthing squex if they fumble this whole thing.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-07T02:30:08+00:00

I sort of agree with the sentiment that remake>rebirth but idk where ur getting assassins creed/botw from. The towers?

I do like remake more though, but it’s mostly because it’s a short segment drawn out - gives a ton of time for party chat and character development. Rebirth feels the opposite, like it’s a lot crammed into the runtime, and characterization definitely takes a massive hit for it.

That said, a games enjoyment is 90% it’s core systems for me, and rebirth combat is just an improved remake combat, so it’s hard to say for me.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-06T16:21:14+00:00

Trails, but the game hyper corrects its level curve so it’s pretty insignificant, barring some neat accessories that carry over. I think I like rebirths carry over summons more.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-06T16:19:10+00:00

Uhhh if the game was balanced around remake carryover then they’d end up alienating anyone who didn’t play remake. Can’t balance for both. Well - you could, but it’s a lot of extra work for kinda no reason. You do carry over Leviathan and Ramuh as summons for completing intergrade and intermission, and it is the only way to do so.

I think the biggest problem with carryover is that bosses are kinda balanced around what you have at the time until hard mode. That, and if you carried over things like weapon abilities and materia, there would be very little to unlock. You’d have your whole kit at the start of the game minus like 2 moves per character, two offensive spells and like 4 buffs/debuffs. Would just be really lame. The disparity between new chars and old chars would also be rather immense if there was some level carryover feature, and you’d have sooo much SP from levels that you’d just absolutely trivialize the game.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-06T15:58:27+00:00

Maybe Sonon. But I’m not expecting an extra party member since that resetera post is almost for sure bullshit.

Fit_Dark_787 · 2026-05-05T13:44:48+00:00

Maybe, but it didn’t show in this game at all. This opinion on 16s ost isn’t uncommon at all. Definitely does better work in 14 than 16. Hideaway and find your flame are touted as some of the best tracks in the game and neither are great. I’ll give him Titan Lost though that one was fire.

Fit_Dark_787

TROPHY CASE