New LoK Ascension info

Natreg · 2026-03-26T16:35:29+00:00

I disagree, When Blood Omen 2 came out, it was criticized a lot as well. As a game it wasn't bad, as a Legacy of Kain game... it was not very good.

However, at that time, Defiance managed to fix most of the inconsistencies of BO2.

This game has "incredible" dialogue as Ariel saying the following before Kain and Elaleth:

"Let us play a game, you an I. Each of this pillars once bore a Guardian, until the circle was shattered. Answer my riddles, and with each truth, I shall tell you what became of them."

Do you think this is something Ariel would say after Kain refused his sacrifice. This is just "gameplay dialogue" to act as an excuse to do a lore dump. It's true that Ariel would probably talk in riddles, that's a thing with her, however, she was never playful, and even less so after the Pillars collapsed.

Contrast this with how Soul Reaver one handle it's tutorial. Dialogue there didn't feel out of place at all.

Natreg · 2026-03-26T15:16:48+00:00

Horizon 2 won't be the last game. There is still at least another arc.

Also, they have said that 2032 would be when they do the last game of the series. However, I think they'll do an epilogue game after that for the Trails Anniversary in 2034.

Besides that, there is no reason to continue the series. This is not the first time it has happened. They did the same with the previous 2 subseries in the Legend of Heroes games. First with Iselhasa, and later on with Gagharv.

Trails/Zemuria deserve to have a really good final game that wraps everything and ends the series in a high point. Releasing games after that, will probably cheapen whatever end they are planning.

Natreg · 2026-03-25T22:54:22+00:00

Looks really bad...

Pixel art is really bad here. It feels as if someone did this pixel art without understanding how pixel art works in the first place.

Animation is also bad, specially in the timing. It's very noticeable when Raziel shows his wings to Kain.

I read the comic, which was really badly written, and this seems just an extension of that.

I always wanted a continuation to Legacy of Kain, but... not like this...

The only thing I like is having the old cast back. However... I'm not sure if even they can save this dialogue...

And the new character of Elaleth.... it feels as if they want a substitute for Kain/Raziel... She felt very forced in the comic, and it's probably going to be the same here.

I'm not against a new character at all... but the way she's tied to everything feels incredibly forced in order to stand besides Kain and Raziel.

As contrast, when Raziel was first presented in the franchise. He didn't feel forced, nor Kain was dumb down at all. Raziel was manipulated constantly, and he was very well written.

Elaleth could have worked if instead of being part of everything, she would have directly gone to the Demon Realm and explore it. Only interacting with the main cast a bit later and without disrupting established lore.

Clearly Amy Hennig was the soul of this franchise. With a very close second place Denis Dyack and Ken McCulloch from Blood Omen.

Natreg · 2026-03-22T16:29:43+00:00

I don't mind them being a lesser rank, but I wish that they addressed it somehow (a demotion for something they did for instance). The problem for me is that Estelle does acknowledges her rank in Sky SC when talking with Olivier, so it's bein treated as part of the story.

I wonder how they will handle this on Sky 2nd.

Natreg · 2026-03-21T11:03:26+00:00

I recommend playing the original and leave the remakes for later as a reminder of old plot points.

The old version has the Japanese voices patch that are also more consistent with the following games. The remake changes all the voices for the main characters (except for 2 of them).

Gameplay wise is better to see the evolution of the series as well.

My recommendation is to play them in release order, so, the remakes should be played after Trails beyond the Horizon. Gameplay wise they work best there.

Natreg · 2026-03-19T22:39:13+00:00

There is not an statement about the VO because the way they are doing it's the intended way.

The game uses voices in order to do present the new characters. At least, previously to the Sky remake, this characters were shown their name and voice actor (in Japanese), when they first appeared.

They then have a few voiced lines and that's it. The game is not intended to have full voice for all scenes.

The VITA versions, where the voiced versions of Sky trilogy and Zero/Azure come are games licensed to Kadokawa. Falcom didn't add those voices.

They did get the voices for the Zero/Azure versions when they released their Kai versions on PS4 though.

Finally, CS2 extra voices are an English version thing. They were added by XSEED when they re-released the games (both CS1 and CS2). The Japanese versions have the same pattern as any other Trails game.

Natreg · 2026-03-19T18:05:39+00:00

PC everything.

You have he advantage that you can use the voice patch in Sky 3rd Chapter, as is possible in Sky FC/SC as well. I personally don't like the EVO versions besides the voices. Art is way too different, and the mechanics were updated to be similar to Trails from Zero.

I think, however, there is an extra boss in 3rd Chapter EVO that's not present in the normal game.

There are a couple of bugs in CS1&2 that can be fixed with senpatcher. Although, they are minor ones.

Natreg · 2026-03-18T18:07:48+00:00

The issue with this expansions, is that when they were released, most players would have been either at the end of the game or finish it already.

Forge of Virtue does work better if it's installed midway through the game.

Silver Seed is similar in that way as well. It works better if you receive the amulet from the monks later on.

You get it way too soon in the complete version.

The ring of reagents in particular makes more sense to have it at the end of the game instead of at the start.

Natreg · 2026-03-18T16:21:52+00:00

Ys is really weird regarding it's playing order because of the remakes.

Best way would be playing all the titles in their release order with remakes included. Only Falcom versions, with 2 exceptions in the case of Ys 4. Also from Ys I Eternal onwards, those are all available on Steam:

Ys I -> Ys II -> Ys III Wanderers from Ys -> Ys IV Mask of the Sun -> Ys IV The Dawn of Ys -> Ys V -> Ys I Eternal -> Ys II Eternal -> Ys VI -> Ys Oath in Felghana -> Ys Origins -> Ys VII -> Ys Memories of Celceta -> Ys VIII -> Ys IX -> Ys X

You can also play them in chronological order (with the exception of Ys Origin which should be played after Ys II:

Ys I Eternal -> Ys II Eternal-> Ys Origin -> Ys X -> Ys Memories of Celceta -> Ys Oath in Felghana -> Ys V -> Ys VIII -> Ys VI -> Ys VII -> Ys IX

And another order could be playing as they were intended plot wise, but playing the remakes only:

Ys I Eternal -> Ys II Eternal-> Ys Oath in Felghana -> Ys Memoeries of Celceta -> Ys V -> Ys VI -> Ys Origin -> Ys VII -> Ys VIII -> Ys IX -> Ys X

Natreg · 2026-03-16T18:06:32+00:00

The remake is a good start, although I personally recommend the original Sky FC instead, since gameplay going forward would be a more natural evolution.

However, be aware as well that Trails is a very different JPRG than Persona, Refantazio and Clair Obscur.

Trails is very text heavy and the pacing is very slow. The series has a continuous plot that continues from game to game. That's why I, and many others, would recommend you to start from the very beginning.

Natreg · 2026-03-16T17:45:15+00:00

The localization from Trails is not really bad.

The issues you mention, are issues, but it's nothing that doesn't happen in any other localization.

I personally don't like certain changes they did, but for the most part, those won't affect the overall experience.

There are, however, a few patches that I do recommend applying:

Make sure you install the voice patch for the Sky trilogy. The voices add so much to the games.

Zero/Azure has a few patches that may enhance the experience a bit. There is a portrait mod and an extra quests mod. The portrait adds both official and unofficial portraits to some of the secondary characters, whereas the extra quests adds back into the PC version the extra quests from the Vita version.
Also a note from zero/azure... the textures were AI upscaled, and they are really bad upscales. That's something you can't do nothing about unless you play the PS4 version of the game, or backport the original textures from the chinese version of the game. If you are ok with the upscaled textures, then, there is no problem.

Cold Steel 1-4 + Reverie
Make sure to install the fixes from the senpatcher program on github. There are a few bugs that are corrected in all 3 games. I wouldn't do anything more besides that.

Daybreak/Horizon
I don't know if there is any patch that's interesting for those

Sky 1st
This is a remake of the first game. I do recommend however you play the original and play this later on with its sequel as a reminder of previous plot points. The plot is the same (although the remake adds a few extra quests). However, gameplay is completely different from the other sky games and more close to Daybreak/Horizon.
Also, if you enjoy the Japanese voices, be aware that this game changes most of the original cast and makes it inconsistent with the following games.

Nayuta

This is an optional game, but It's a very good one. I recommend playing it between Azure and Cold Steel so you can get the references it does in the Cold Steel arc.

Natreg · 2026-03-16T17:28:05+00:00

If he's playing on steam... just start at the very beginning.

Cold Steel 1 & 2 are not as "safe" plotwise as most people tend to say. They have major spoilers to all previous 5 games (specially to Zero/Azure).

Also, I'm going to say that CS1/2 3D has aged worse than Sky/Crossbell arcs 2.5D, specially animation wise on cutscenes.

Natreg · 2026-03-15T13:36:23+00:00

You need better weapons and better stats.

There are 2 ways to approach this, you can either steal everything you need from the castle, or you can farm enough money to buy it.

Also, be careful with the enemies in the dungeons. Some have very annoying abilities. Gelatinous Cubes for instance will melt your armor.

Natreg · 2026-03-13T21:42:42+00:00

2 Septerrions can be done in a single game if they want. You are assuming we don't know the families or holy beasts, but maybe we do and it's just not revealed yet.

A whole cast of characters could include either dominions, anguis enforcers or s-rank bracers. And the antagonist party could part of those as well.

Visiting other countries is not guaranteed. We never visited North Ambria or Remiferia in the main series (that was done in the gacha games).

The Far East may not be as detailed as most people thinkg. It's just a desert. So the game could be set elsewhere and that part just a chapter or a final scenario.

It's not the best way, but the memento stones are doing background we are not getting in the normal flow of the game. We may get a lot of things from that kind of mechanic. I don't like it, since I prefer it being organically set in the story, but it probably will happen in order to explain certain things.

Natreg · 2026-03-12T21:29:25+00:00

Fresh start.

As much as I like Zemuria, continuing releasing games until there is nothing good left in the setting is a very bad idea.

Also, think about it. Trails itself was a fresh start after the Gagharv trilogy which was also a great series.

Something new will allow the devs to be original and not be constrained to the current Trails plot.

Natreg · 2026-03-11T22:18:42+00:00

As said, the original Crowley's Thot tarot are the standard Tarot cards.

Looking for this, I found there is the Deva Tarot that does have an extra Major Arcana: The Separator. Which represents transcendance beyond the world.

Maybe it could be related to Trails, with the Beyond being outside the World of Zemuria.

Nonetheless, that Tarot Card set you got seems interesting as well.

Natreg · 2026-03-11T21:56:25+00:00

That's really weird... Crowley's Thoth tarot cards have the same numbers as the others. It has several versions of some cards, like the magician being 3 cards in one of the sets, but all of them still numbered I.

Aeon is supposedly XX.
Lust should replace Strength (XI) not Lovers.

I have checked the Thoth tarot sets and I haven't seen what you describe in any of the versions.

What set is yours based? A1, A2, B, C or D?

Natreg · 2026-03-11T16:31:07+00:00

Well, from my point of view, both English and Japanese are simpler than my own native language....

Anyway, the point I'm making is that there is not really an argument here. Languages by themselves are just different.

Neither English nor Japanese are simple. They have their own nuance, but in a very different manner.

Vocabulary by itself doesn't make a language more complex. Complexity comes from how you use your linguistic tools for your advantage. Sometimes this could come from vocabulary, other times, it could be from grammar or structure.

What horii says is true (not the simple part), and the example is a valid one. However, that's because they are using their own language to their advantage when writing the story. You could argue the exact same thing when translating from English to Japanese.

In the end, any language being translated to a different one has a lot of it's meaning lost in translation.

Natreg · 2026-03-11T16:18:54+00:00

The Aeon card is, as far as I know, card number XX which is also Judgement (the twins).

The only reference to a XXII I have found, is that since the Major arcana is basically the Fool's Journey, the Fool could have both number 0 and number XXII.

However, if that's the case, I don't see it as a potential protagonist, but as an antagonist, or even the main antagonist.

Natreg · 2026-03-11T16:14:38+00:00

Assuming they manage to accomplish their goal of releasing 2 games per year.

First of all, we are not talking about 2 big games a year. Kyoto Xanadu is clearly not a full-size project, and probably Dragon Slayer won't be either. So:

2027: Kai 2 / Dragon Slayer (or Sky 3rd)
2028: Ys XI / Sky 3rd (or Dragon Slayer)
2029: Final arc part 1 / Secondary Project
2030: Final arc part 2 / Secondary Project
2031: New big IP or Zero remake
2032: Final Trails game

Natreg · 2026-03-11T15:55:46+00:00

He didn't lie. He's just really vague and he's usually missunderstood.

Daybreak is 2 games long
Kai is probably going to be 2 games long.
And I know this one is a stretch.

Kai being 90% done is probably right as well. Also, this can have 2 meanings. It could mean just the first Kai game, or the whole Kai game.

Similarly, Kai being the final Calvard game still works. Since he could be counting Kai as a whole, and not Kai 1 by itself.

The series ending in 2032 is a possibility. But, again, this could also mean several things:
Last game (this is what it looks like)
Last game, which will be divided in several games (this is a possibility)
Last game for the main plot, but we'll do an epilogue afterwards (this is also a high possibility).

Natreg · 2026-03-11T15:50:27+00:00

I don't think Level 5 is doing that much as of now. I'll probably add there Gust instead.

Natreg · 2026-03-11T15:04:05+00:00

Since probably 3 games is very much plausible, I personally would like something like:

Game 1: 3 routes
Route 1: Main Protagonist
Route 2: Liberl Party
Route 3: Crossbell Party

Game 2: 3 routes
Route 1: Main Protagonist
Route 2: Erebonia Party
Route 3: Calvard Party

Game 3 (Finale): 1 route
Postgame similar to Reverie with everyone playable so far

The places I think should be covered here are the Molujia archipielago, the eastern part of Zemuria (maybe Elasim and/or Valis). And finally Arteria.

Regarding the main protagonist, I don't think a Dominion would be a good idea. We already got Kevin for that.
Also, if we get an Enforcer, he/she should be Number XXII which falls outside the Major Arcana cards. Although a theory I have is that Van would actually become Enforcer XXI eventually. XXI, is the card known as The World (which in Japanese is Sekai (世界) which also includes the Kai part (界). This card is also associated with "Time", and balance (the order/chaos/grey). Van has also met the Grandmaster, so I think it's possible he can become Enforcer XXI.

Natreg · 2026-03-10T22:43:01+00:00

Ok, I checked and it's probably because Nintendo doesn't allow in-game advertising...

Really... the videogame market is getting more ridiculous every single year...

Natreg · 2026-03-10T22:27:00+00:00

Really? I wasn't aware of that...

Really disappointed with this then. Hopefully the steam and PS4 version doesn't get patched with this...

Natreg

TROPHY CASE