Trails of Cold Steel (and the Kiseki series in general)

[Briar King]

Stratum complete. That was sooo much easier than the 1st main boss or even the Hollow ones.

I didn't play anything past that. We are risking brownout if to much strain hits the grid in this very likely record breaking night temps so all lights and unused things are turned off..if only other people would turn their yardlights off that would help immensely to.

Tomorrow I ll start the extras.

[Briar King]

Son is here so it's going to be a small progress weekend. I'm in this dumb beach side vacation event. I wasn't that big a fan of the SSS one and this one is no better. I definitely might finish this game with unused MWL tickets.

[Eluvianii he/him]

Honestly, that's one of the things I like about those. The "just have fun" events are one of my favorite parts, and typically I'll squeeze them for every drop of dialogue I can get, which in some cases can take several hours, but they're also largely optional.

I spent like 7 hours at the park in CS4, but a less interested person could just as easily spent 3 tickets and advanced the story. There for those who want it, skippable for those who don't.

This one I liked enough to see all the events and try my hand at the mini games, but not quite enough to farm tickets throughout the game to come back and see all the girls' scenes. 

[aneonfoxtribute]

4 hours ago, Briar King said:

Son is here so it's going to be a small progress weekend. I'm in this dumb beach side vacation event. I wasn't that big a fan of the SSS one and this one is no better. I definitely might finish this game with unused MWL tickets.

The beach mini game isn't too important, thankfully. It's fun if you like that kind of thing, but if you're not it can be safely ignored

[Briar King]

Omg it was pretty loud in this house about 2 hrs ago. I had both the kids trying to get me through Pom. Millium destroyed us all for over an hour. I finally saw an opening while my son was giving it a go and had him attack for the win. We were all cursing her out.

Now I'm working through VM. Musse is destroying me! 

[Eluvianii he/him]

Vantage Masters is kinda brutal in this one. Didn't beat the last few characters.

[Briar King]

Alot of it will be enemies deck draw luck but yes I have agreed with your take on it thus far since way back I was here 1st time. It is ramped up. I expect a goooooodddd MQ afterwards!

Speaking of thus I have been forgetting to say how utterly bassackwards it has been having a fire instead of a silver MQ on Emma. Sure I could make the ick I feel go away but it's a pretty good MQ. It just looks weird after what 4yrs of steady play seeing her with silver stuff.

[Briar King]

Pulled off a fantastic win V Rixia that was all in her favor until the last turn. Was using Knight and I had a vanish card in open hand I sat on. She maintained a high hp throughout while I was brought into the single digits. Kept using my skill to +1 attack my field and got lucky when she ran out of options and ended her turn. I hit her with vanish for 6pt hit and then was able to thump her with a few very +'s hits completely shredding her maintained mid 20s he.

Musse left and then some day dreams or whatever they are called and I ll be back on Act 3.

 

[Briar King]

EPIC throw down with Musse! I used my new High Ranger won from Rixia and had a high lvl Water guy that shields left and right positions. Throw in a blaze card on a Bylnx Fire archer and the result is almost cheated and really longgg match. Just had to keep that Water homie alive by sealing her Witch's skill. It was probably the longest match in 3 games including VM.. she used 3 Fienal 6hp heal cards.

I would have been raging if I lost that Water card and the match!

I'm now trying Miranare. These questions are so fast and it's making me bumble the buttons.

[Briar King]

Finished 2 Daydreams for my 9pm session. One of them was much better than the other though I did like the format of the least liked one throwing me into scenes with a minor character from CS4 I believe. Kurtina really shined bright. The other one with Wazy and Wald and lol Noel was aces!

Think i have 2 more to do and then will exit the corridor to march on..if i don't press on with Miranaire that is. It's frustrating to try as if I miss any I shut it down and reboot as I'm not sure what the leeway is on it. That approach is making it long and tedious.

I also don't know if the daydreams are random or set at that time in the corridor when the blue stones are unsealed.

Edited January 29, 2025 by Briar King

[aneonfoxtribute]

The Daydreams are slightly random, I believe, but there's a pool that expands as you continue in the game. Same way as the characters.

[Briar King]

I was thinking character was set. I did this last gold one 4-5 times and got Victor. Got Alfin 1st time.

[aneonfoxtribute]

1 hour ago, Briar King said:

I was thinking character was set. I did this last gold one 4-5 times and got Victor. Got Alfin 1st time.

It's set when you get the orb, but before you get the orb it's up in the air. They get pulled from a small pool of characters that expands as the game progresses. For instance, the first orb you open can be either Alfin, Rose, or Angelica.

[Briar King]

Dang I really wouldn't have minded Rose.

Definitely not gonna start repeating fights multiple times to see who I'd get though.

I want Fie and Laura!

Edited January 29, 2025 by Briar King

[aneonfoxtribute]

17 minutes ago, Briar King said:

Dang I really wouldn't have minded Rose.

Definitely not gonna start repeating fights multiple times to see who I'd get though.

I want Fie and Laura!

Note that not every character is going to be in those. Fie and Laura you unlock through story.

[Briar King]

Had planned to get to the last 2 Daydreams for tonight's 9pm session but the air disaster got my attention instead. I did go ahead and finish a 2nd run through the Stratum on the Portal for pts and gear.

I would recommend yall get one if not done so yet. They are super convenient when you need your TV for something else.

[Briar King]

Ugh of course it’s past 9pm and a storm system is overhead…not chancing a strike again. I want to be out of here and back into Act 3. We ll see if I can manage anything. Might have to wait yet another day.

[Briar King]

Finally out of the Corridor. Definitely took a few days longer than I planned but at least it was much faster than the 1st time I went in.

[Eluvianii he/him]

It's like its own game in there. I'm still impressed how the game has the triple goal of being another Sky the 3rd, being the third Crossbell game, and serving as an epilogue for almost every character up to that point. That would normally be overreaching. Normally.

[Briar King]

Continuing Act 3 stuff

I finally got a 7th Calibur quartz randomly by going to the 1st chest on the 1st Stratum before exiting the corridor. That is probably my favorite spell with Albion Wolf. Just weird that it took so long to get it but hell I still don't have Lost Genisis either...

Anyway I have entered Rosenberg. I can't go far yet as I'm storie blocked but it was so cool seeing it after playing CB. Idr if I got eyes on it in CS3&4 but I wouldn't have known anything about it anyway then. I hope I get to meet up with Jorg soon!

So I switched to Lloyds group to continue on to the RF factory..idk if this area was included in passed games like if it's old location I went to that has been renovated...anyway finally I got control of Alisa AND SHARON!!!! That has taken so long to finally come and I have now used her dlc outfit that has been blocked all this time. Pressing forward tomorrow.

To the post above I don't know how I'm gonna feel when the end gets here and I begin Daybreak!! Hell I've been with these guys for close to 5 yrs now and the thought of being done and saying bye to not only them but western Zemuria itself for new people and thr east is certainly going emotionally effect me. I hope when I get there i haven't seen the last of my friends I've made on this long trek. Shhhhhhh!!!

[aneonfoxtribute]

Story time!

[Eluvianii he/him]

Oh that's one of the best parts.

And I think it'll be fine. I had similar concerns about Liberl's gang at the end of Sky. Then they showed up again like 10 minutes later.

[Eluvianii he/him]

Been drowning in games lately. Sure, what a problem to have, right? Still, I've been stuck thanks to so many distractions, so I wanted to at least wrap up Chapter 3 already. I've been having short sessions there for so long it feels like the whole game has been set on the desert. Anyway, I did that, Chapter 3 done.

Spoiler

Overall pretty cool. People keep dying all around me but at least it was only one dude. I really liked the city. Gotti is such a fun character. Saving the day with the power of dancing was reaaaally cheesy but I can do cheesy.

Got some more Fie and seeing her talking with Feri at the baths was soooo cute. They already look like they have this sisters dynamic going on and it's adorable. Back when the game was announced it felt a bit like cheating that they had a character that looked like a carbon copy of Fie, but I couldn't have imagined there was an actual reason behind it and I love it.

I'm noticing the stakes going up. Sure, in this chapter only one person dies, and the game didn't put a lot of effort into making him likable, but after Chapter 1 it makes me feel like everyone is at risk. At a couple points I was genuinely worried that one of the sisters was gonna die. Hadn't felt like that since Ao.

Felt weird that in the chapter about a movie festival we don't get Judith as a permanent member but oh well, I do like Risette. Can't believe she's 20 though. Hope she doesn't hear me but I was placing her somewhere along 25-30...

Well, back to the city. Looking forward to some npc rounds and see what movies are playing.

 

Edited February 6, 2025 by Eluvianii

[aneonfoxtribute]

Oh more Daybreak, let's go 

[Briar King]

Daybreak 2 on the 15th. I've started getting PS cards to have the funds when the big bundle gets a discount. Obviously I won't get to it right away so I ll have time to wait for the discount to hit.

I'm about to fire up the PS5 for some Rev play.