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Alright, new chapter, things are mostly back to normal. In fact, they are good. Rean shares an umbrella with his precious Towa, and then fixes her telescope to spend the night watching stars together. Very wholesome. This sort of levity is appreciated after the previous events. In fact, it made me laugh that when it finally seemed Rean had his serial headpatter thing under control, this happened: "oh, you're doing pretzels, Juna? And you just made an important realization about your life? I'm so proud" *random headpat* Never change, Rean.
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Sep 14, 2020 11:53
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| # ? May 30, 2024 00:39 |
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Just reached the city hub for chapter 2 of Cold Steel III. Overall having a good time, just a couple of mixed feelings towards my return to Erebonia. Maybe its because I'm playing off the back of the Crossbell games, which as an arc has become one of my favourite game(s) (although I could never choose between Sky and Crossbell... which really means I could never choose between Estelle and Crossbell), but there are a few things that feel just a bit off to me? Cold Steel I and II were also like this, but a lot of the areas feel kind of soulless. I think its a combination of art direction and music. The 2D games had more set dressing outdoors, and the town themes were more distinct (Sky especially - I know Ruan, Bose, and Zeiss by their themes as much as I do their visuals). Even in chapter 2, when you go to Crossbell (pretty cool to see in 3D), a place I'm familiar with, it just feels... off (but actually that may work thematically). Leeves I think is somewhat of an exception so far - anytime Genial and Balmy plays while you're in the school, it immediately feels nostalgic, but the layout/design still feels very bland. I think the jump in graphical quality is starting to make up for the lack of emotive portraits. There's enough fidelity in animation now to portray body language and more subtle expression. The 2D games could always use a portrait with a "..." dialogue if they wanted to show someone's reaction, but I noticed in a few cutscenes that I was picking up on Rean's suspicion or discomfort based on a fairly small facial tic. Juna's constant side-eyeing of Rean comes across beautifully. I mean, you're never going to be able to do what an illustration can do, but its definitely a big step up from the previous 3D entries. Some characters have translated better from 2D to 3D than others - Randy is pretty good, Josette could have been anyone though. Combat looks great, plays very smooth. Brave Orders are sort of interesting, feel like an alternative to craft based buffs. I don't mind the balance and guard breaking - gives combat a snowball effect, which is fun. But I think I prefered Crossbell's implementation of quartz. I don't like arts needing their own quartz. I just end up with fewer arts, and because I have fewer arts, I used arts way less. I like that soldat fights have been fleshed out and given some more features. Digging most of the combat tunes so far. Toughness!! riiips. I really like the new characters. I don't remember how large the other classes were in I and II, but I want to say they were bigger than VIII and IX. Obviously VII is smaller as well. Great move - I have a much better sense of the students outside VII this time around, and I like how there is more cohesion and interaction between them all. Already I'm picking up on the dynamics between different supporting characters. Does feel like things are moving quickly though - there was like one sequence showing classes, one free day, and then we're immediately on field studies. Same after the first chapter. Which is fine, just makes me suspicious there's gonna be a curveball. New Class VII seem great, been a slow burn getting to know them, given how quickly it seems like things are starting to move - an enforcer, an aion, Rutger all at the end of chapter 1, Cedric being weird as hell and then goddamn Campanella showing up as the train arrives in chapter 2, surely things are gonna start to escalate pretty quickly. But I am keen to learn about them, what is the deal with Juna? Kurt? Altina? Why is nobody suspending Ash? Why is Musse so shady? I want to see what happens. We're three games in, lets go Falcom! Show me some poo poo!
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Sep 14, 2020 12:12
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Man, oh man, the humor just keeps getting me. The moment Rean does that face of disgust upon hearing about "Fluffy Mint" was just hilarious. And then this exchange between Randy and Major Irving: "Sorry man, must be rough." "I've... already given up." The whole point this character is even stationed at this school, and she just demolishes him without losing a beat. The Principal is just the best character in the whole series.
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Sep 15, 2020 02:17
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has she told you about her glasses yet
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Sep 15, 2020 02:29
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Hwurmp posted:has she told you about her glasses yet  Much like Superman, it conceals her super powers.
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Sep 15, 2020 02:44
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It does nothing to hold back her greatest super power, Rean sense. Which is to say, "I sense I can make life worse for Rean right now".
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Sep 15, 2020 02:54
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The principal is so over the top dumbly anime and it's wonderful.
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Sep 15, 2020 02:58
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My Xseed order came in and they gave me a trails in the sky poster that doubles as a Liberl map for free alongside some non Falcom soundtracks in addition to the artbooks and Ys 7 map I bought. Kinda made my day tbh. Also yeah, Aurelia Le Awesome is the best.
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Sep 15, 2020 04:48
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Gorelab posted:The principal is so over the top dumbly anime and it's wonderful.
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Sep 15, 2020 07:58
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Kondo you son of a bitch! I'm feeling Cold Steel III a lot more by the end of chapter 2. I think its striking a good balance between new and old characters. When I played Trails in the Sky The 3rd I thought they balanced time with each of the cast well, so I should have had more faith. The intrigue of the main plot is definitely starting to build. New faces and factions being revealed really adding to it. Crow, a brainwashed Crow?? Gnomes??? Had genuine goosebumps to the scene where Lloyd, Arios, and KeA are watching the Derfflinger leave, and Lloyd and Rean fist bump. The first scenes of Musse and Ash joining Class VII were also great and I think will really round out the group dynamic. I did every side quest in Zero and Ao, but I don't remember the Crawfords. Are they a total retcon or are they around Crossbell somewhere in those games? Or did they get added into the Evo versions like Towa apparently did? edit: I've been switching between Japanese and English voice acting, and the English is like twice as loud, its very weird. Hocus Pocus fucked around with this message at 10:03 on Sep 15, 2020 |
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Sep 15, 2020 09:26
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Hocus Pocus posted:I did every side quest in Zero and Ao, but I don't remember the Crawfords. Are they a total retcon or are they around Crossbell somewhere in those games? Or did they get added into the Evo versions like Towa apparently did? Juna got patched in, I think.
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Sep 15, 2020 10:54
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The Crawfords were added in the recent PS4 versions of Zero and Azure, as were other things from the CS games.
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Sep 15, 2020 10:57
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From what I understand it's a very low-effort patch-in though, to the point where you wonder why they even bothered.
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Sep 15, 2020 11:01
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I've realized I started to prefer the Japanese voices as well, they just seem to fit the characters better, they're much softer spoken and I kinda love the honorifics like San-Sama-Kun-Senpai-Chan etc. Don't get me wrong the American voice actors are very good as well but they are just kinda louder and that is just the nature of the language.
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Sep 15, 2020 13:11
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Juna replaces a random unnamed NPC atleast, not sure about her adorable siblings and mom though. I need to do a replay of CS with Japanese voices, but when I started it up when the PS4 versions came out, I.... I just couldnt do it. Going from Sara's godly voice acting to something else was making something feel very wrong. I have faith though, I started up Sky Evo last year and just, Estelle had the most fitting voice ever immediately and I loved every bit of everyone's voice playing up till I met Olivert, even if his VA is cast hilariously against type with Olivert.
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Sep 15, 2020 17:48
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Hocus Pocus posted:I really like the new characters. I don't remember how large the other classes were in I and II, but I want to say they were bigger than VIII and IX. Obviously VII is smaller as well. Great move - I have a much better sense of the students outside VII this time around, and I like how there is more cohesion and interaction between them all. Already I'm picking up on the dynamics between different supporting characters. Does feel like things are moving quickly though - there was like one sequence showing classes, one free day, and then we're immediately on field studies. I think the thing I liked most about 3 was how they just went all-in on integrating class VIII and IX into the main plot, so you have average dweebs like Tatiana or Kairi enrolling at the academy to study military finance and within a couple of months everything you thought you knew about your country is a lie, magic is real, incomprehensibly powerful people from competing ancient secret societies pop up every other week to attack and/or monologue about world-changing events, and the protagonists keep asking for help with fighting off waves of abominations from the dark past or looking after their talking cat.
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Sep 15, 2020 17:59
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The one character I remember being too "loud" in English was Shirley, and it really just enhanced the vibe of how nuts she is imo
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Sep 15, 2020 18:01
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Is there a clear consensus on whether PC or PS4 versions of CS I and II is better or are they basically the same?
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Sep 15, 2020 18:37
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Practically identical. The biggest difference is that on PC the turbo mode skips animations in combat, but you can patch that out if you want. e: Oh yeah and CS2 has some audio issues on PC by default but that can also be patched. Admiral H. Curtiss fucked around with this message at 18:45 on Sep 15, 2020 |
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Sep 15, 2020 18:42
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The only bad CS port is unfortunately the switch port of CS3. It stutters, it crashes and it even fails to load Celine's model in one cutscene. Finishing a chapter is kinda stressfull since you could crash in the 30 to 45 minutes of cutscenes following the boss before you get a chance to save. Happened to me after the chapter 2 boss and I heard stories of people getting a crash after chapter 3 as well. Some people think it's related to DLC costumes but I had a crash while wearing none in chapter 3 (while talking to Ferris in her house). In fact the game KEPT crashing until I put a costume on Rean. Falcom really should let us save right after a chapter boss regardless of all that though. I just spent 30 minutes chatting up and beating up Ouroboros and their giant robot of the week, I want to save NOW !
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Sep 15, 2020 20:16
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Death Priest posted:The only bad CS port is unfortunately the switch port of CS3. Given how frequently the game stutters on a launch PS4, it's really astonishing that they thought they could make a Switch port work. I get the business reasons for wanting a version on the platform, but there was just no way that was going to end well.
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Sep 15, 2020 21:20
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infraboy posted:I've realized I started to prefer the Japanese voices as well, they just seem to fit the characters better, they're much softer spoken and I kinda love the honorifics like San-Sama-Kun-Senpai-Chan etc. There's just a particular style to modern dubbing that I don't like. It's almost like anime voice acting is treated seperately from other voice acting and performers feel the need to affect certain styles. Like Agate and McBurn sound like a person trying to sound gruff/tough, not a person who actually is - I don't hear the character I hear someone doing a voice. Which I didn't find an issue in the Persona games with their dubs - maybe it's just the volume of characters. So many of the female students English voices bleed together in CS III for me. Didn't bother me for CS I and II but for some reason does now. I don't have enough of an ear for Japanese to be bothered. I really like Japanese Rean though - sounds a bit more melancholic, which suits the tone of the game better I think. Japanese Juna is also great. Different strokes though. I still find I'm swapping between just because I want to hear new characters in both. I think also when the games bringing in these characters from previous arcs, I either have a voice in my head for them already or I've heard the Japanese in battle, so the English doesn't feel right.
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Sep 15, 2020 21:54
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The cold steel dub is miles better than the jp vaing, but i know enough jp to get the generic anime voices in the jp
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Sep 15, 2020 22:25
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King of Solomon posted:Given how frequently the game stutters on a launch PS4, it's really astonishing that they thought they could make a Switch port work. I get the business reasons for wanting a version on the platform, but there was just no way that was going to end well. The funny thing is that, aside from the crashing, I think the Switch handles Ordis better than the PS4 does !
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Sep 16, 2020 00:05
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Endorph posted:The cold steel dub is miles better than the jp vaing, but i know enough jp to get the generic anime voices in the jp Yeah I'm kind of saved by my own ignorance. I don't mind the English, just sometimes there'll be a line that makes me cringe to hear it out loud, but doesn't when I just read it. But that's true of a lot of stuff. There are lines in fantasy books, like Malazan or Stormlight Archives, that in my head sound dramatic but if I heard them out loud I'd snort.
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Sep 16, 2020 02:21
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I'd strongly push Cold Steel for title of Best Dub Ever myself. I've never once felt any offness and most characters steal the show at some point.
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Sep 16, 2020 03:01
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MythosDragon posted:and most characters steal the show at some point. https://twitter.com/Hatsuu/status/977227207167717377
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Sep 16, 2020 03:09
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*hides from all the CS3 spoilers* Maybe this week I'll get past Sept 19th in CS1...
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Sep 16, 2020 13:53
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remember, September 19th is Talk Like A Pirate Day which is all the more reason to move past it as swiftly as possible
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Sep 16, 2020 13:58
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I was so tired with fighting Gespard G that I fell asleep, grinding from 42 interrupts. I woke up, realized I napped, quickly ended the fight and checked my battle sheet 99 interrupts. I got 99 interrupts but a trophy ain't 1. 
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Sep 17, 2020 13:27
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Lots of other enemies can be impeded. It doesn't all have to be in the same battle, or even the same playthrough if you choose to keep your notebook data.
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Sep 17, 2020 13:34
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GreenBuckanneer posted:I was so tired with fighting Gespard G that I fell asleep, grinding from 42 interrupts. Man, I havnt passed out while playing a game since I was like 14.
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Sep 18, 2020 03:43
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MythosDragon posted:Man, I havnt passed out while playing a game since I was like 14. Granted, I was drinking
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Sep 18, 2020 03:47
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English character trailer for Ys 9, including voices https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttQBSxkt4bQ
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Sep 18, 2020 03:49
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Hocus Pocus posted:Yeah I'm kind of saved by my own ignorance. I don't mind the English, just sometimes there'll be a line that makes me cringe to hear it out loud, but doesn't when I just read it. But that's true of a lot of stuff. There are lines in fantasy books, like Malazan or Stormlight Archives, that in my head sound dramatic but if I heard them out loud I'd snort. Part of what makes Jusis such a great character is he's continually saying the same melodramatic thing someone else just said in a mocking voice.
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Sep 18, 2020 06:48
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Veryslightlymad posted:Part of what makes Jusis such a great character is he's continually saying the same melodramatic thing someone else just said in a mocking voice. CS2 Finale We'll fight until our souls burn out! ? Even Machias can't help but find it funny.
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Sep 18, 2020 14:20
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Finished chapter 6,should I listen to the drama CD now?
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Sep 18, 2020 23:20
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When is Anton going to realize that what he's been looking for has with him the entire time?
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Sep 18, 2020 23:39
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35 hours in to Cold Steel III and I won the coin toss for the first time in Vantage Masters... I... I had legitimately been thinking you just always lost...
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Sep 19, 2020 00:01
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| # ? May 30, 2024 00:39 |
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I think losing the toss might be better most of the timeGreenBuckanneer posted:Finished chapter 6,should I listen to the drama CD now? That's when it takes place, may as well.
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Sep 19, 2020 00:12
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