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

[Briar King]

So it looks like i completely forgot to post my days progress yesterday. I experienced by far the hardest battle of the game with 6 squid head plants. I had to retry about 17 times before I got lucky enough to take them out. I was very low on CP for everyone but Elie. I finally got enough non earth shaker attacks to survive taking out their numbers but I still had to cast Thelas a lot all the same to keep everyone alive for xp.

Now new enemy have appeared on the roads which has led to some lvl ups finally. I was stalled out around 27 since like ch 2. I explored the Moon temple. Idk if this was in CS..there were shrines in that.

Going to find a missing miner now to close out the day.

[Briar King]

CB1 and CS4 stuff. Ch 4 day 2 stuff

just what is Revache up to? This is getting interesting. Heiyuh building attacked in the dead of night! Gang war is back on. Whatever Marconi and Garcia unleashed is bringing out the monsters and something that reminds me of the curse in ways from CS4. Man this is great stuff!

 

I just wish I had access to my tv! Will have to go small sessions in handheld in a bit. Stupid battery life ugh.

[Briar King]

Have been really busy and not able to play like I had been the past few days. This ch 4 stuff is very interesting though. Just got Tios back story explained and lots of connections to the past laid out by the Chief and her. Much as I’d like to move forward tonight I’m worn out, got another migraine trying to take root because of being worn out and have another busy day planned tomorrow. Being able to start chipping away at a State wide dialogue round would be nice but I don’t see it happening tonight.

Also the forecast isn’t looking very promising for anywhere I’d be willing to travel to for the eclipse. Got oil changed and just spent $1300 on new tires today just incase but I think it’s going to be a bust.  Stupid spring storms getting in the way of this rare event. Ugh

[Briar King]

Like I said yesterday another busy day today so I really don’t have much to report other than I got most of the dialogue round taken care of. Think I’m short of St Ursula and Downtown district. Just knocked out the 3 monster extermination request the past hour and that likely puts a pin in today’s session. Waiting on my ex wife to come get her script and $ I got for her today and then it’s ambien time I think. Tomorrow should be less busy hopefully so I’ll be able to get this investigation back underway.

[Briar King]

Oh my I just glanced at guide and it tells me once I go to a certain place in back alley I ll no longer be able to freely explore CB. Kinda happy I have no more state wide dialogue round from the sound of that. I’ve been trying to get all things finished before losing freedom which isn’t actually a whole lot. Seems like it’s just the monster chest. I ll probably attempt the lvl 40 one but I’m only at 34 atm. Got other chest beat today(lvl25 was done last week randomly).

Its still early so I will get into this endgame stuff today 100%

wow that lvl 40 chest was extremely easy at 34 on normal. That surprised me. Hardest battle thus far was those dumb squid head plants around the library book.

Edited April 6 by Briar King

[Briar King]

Phew I turned into a liar today. It was an easy day till I made it busy by going with my dad to the nursery to pick out some satsuma trees and a live oak out of the blue. I was only able to plant 2 of them before night arrived in full. That said though my daughter is out with her boyfriend late and I don’t take any ambien usually till she comes home in case anything happens and I need to drive…sooo I’ve been able to knock out everything thing before the lockout going into end game. CB1 ch 4 day 3 stuff

Dudley is accompanying me anywhere I needed to go and there were a few additional bits of dialogue round I stumbled across. All that is done I just need to walk through this door but will i tonight? Idk I’m about to txt my daughter and ask how much longer until they get home then I ll decide.

Have I met Dudley in CS? I’m pretty sure I met Sergi? The only CPD I specifically remember meeting is officer Kate and I know she had a partner with her but idk if that was Franz my buddy or a new rookie.

Is this bothering y’all as much as I update or would yall rather me just save it for each chapter?

 

Edited April 7 by Briar King

[aneonfoxtribute]

Dudley is not in CS. I'm pretty sure Sergei isn't either. 

Post however you want, we don't mind.

[Briar King]

Hmm I could have sworn Sergi was briefly in there.

Anyway daughter is going to be awhile longer looks like and has had “a beer” so no ambien bliss anytime soon. *sigh

Looks like I’m going through this door tonight..

[Eluvianii]

Yeah, Crossbell characters are kinda sparse in CS. It was supposed to be a big deal when all of them were announced for Reverie (and it was).

[Briar King]

I wasn’t expecting this the way the guide pushed it but I’m in the midst of a city wide dialogue round..

Im getting heavy eyes reading all this stuff. She really needs to hurry up and get home..

Ok she is finally home so I’m reading Crossbell Times 8, taking my ambien and going out to my fire and relaxing till it’s time to give my pillow some head!

Edited April 7 by Briar King

[Briar King]

Today has truly sucked. All my eclipse plans have turned to rust. It’s almost 8pm and I’m only just getting on. This will not be a productive day on Endgame. I’m so aggravated at the forecast not cooperating and letting me cement plans. Guess it’s not my fate to ever see totality event.

Just spoke with Ken and Nana and they are talking about their sister in the academy. Is this in the original game or is it added since?

[aneonfoxtribute]

3 minutes ago, Briar King said:

Today has truly sucked. All my eclipse plans have turned to rust. It’s almost 8pm and I’m only just getting on. This will not be a productive day on Endgame. I’m so aggravated at the forecast not cooperating and letting me cement plans. Guess it’s not my fate to ever see totality event.

Just spoke with Ken and Nana and they are talking about their sister in the academy. Is this in the original game or is it added since?

Ken and Nana aren't in the original game at all. So yes it's added.

[Briar King]

I didn’t know that. Just thought the dialogue might have been tweaked and retconed to make her related to them. Glad I asked.

[aneonfoxtribute]

Nope, Ken and Nana were invented for CS and retroactively added to this version of Crossbell

[Briar King]

How did that sit without the original crowd at the time?

[Eluvianii]

From what little I could see, they were excited to see the references. It's the only way to do it really. Save for special cases, Falcom doesn't write any characters (not counting portrait-less npcs) until the arc where they are relevant. So any cases of "They were actually living in Crossbell all this time" can't be shown without a rerelease of some kind. 

If they ever revisit Sky (and Kondo said at some point that he wants to) they'll likely do the same. 

[Briar King]

Putting a pin in today’s frustrating session.. as I did with CS3-4’s book I saved till I had them all for a power read. I’m actually quite pleased this one was on the short side unlike some of CS’s. Still took some time though. I enjoyed that one. Red Moon is still the best one I’ve read though. Gave them to Imelda.

Will press on in morning before eclipse starts… sigh I’m so bummed about not getting to Arkansas tonight but we are just on the edge of 90% coverage here in Lake Charles..not like it ll matter with all the damn clouds overhead anyway..

[Briar King]

CB1 Finale stuff

i ll never see St Ursula the same again…

Im in IBC now but in order for me to have gotten here…the rust has hit the fan..

 

 

I will get a final weapon and possibly watch my bonding session(I really have no clue how this is determined in this game unlike CS where you spend actual points.. I mean hell I bought all the room decorations for each) and then put a pin in tonight’s session.

 

Early session didn’t happen much today as I was watching all the eclipse totality coverage from Mexico to Maine. 

Ugh I messed the tabs up

Edited April 9 by Briar King

[aneonfoxtribute]

1 minute ago, Briar King said:

I will get a final weapon and possibly watch my bonding session(I really have no clue how this is determined in this game unlike CS where you spend actual points.. I mean hell I bought all the room decorations for each

It's determined via a bunch of choices you make throughout the game. Basically any time you're asked to choose between Elie, Randy, and Tio, you're raising their points. There might also be other things that boost their relationship points with you? I don't remember.

It should be noted that none of the final bond events have anything overtly necessary in Zero (they are all canon however, as both Randy and Tio's are referenced in CS, even though you can only do one). However, in Azure, there are three full backstories locked behind the bond points (though thankfully in that game, they can be grinded out I believe by using a new mechanic). 

[Briar King]

I just want this stupid thing to end now. These Stratums have worn me down for some reason. I’m on the 4th now but already on another break.

[Eluvianii]

Yeah, this is a long final dungeon, definitely not the single sitting kind. I think it took me something like 8 hours. That said I think 4th stratum is the last. 

[Briar King]

I’ll be 3 sessions. Will finish tomorrow. I’m so burnt out on the area(I was attempting the under lvl 40 thing but I wouldn’t have been able to after the bosses so I said to hell with it in the 4th and have just been lvling up) I’m putting a pin in tonight’s session.

I only have one more person to fight at this point. Also while going to him I’m hearing tunes I heard in CS. I honestly don’t know if I’m only just picking up on this or if it’s indeed just showing up now.

[Briar King]

That took way longer than expected. Didn’t overly like this ending to much. Wore me down last few days.

Will turn on Azure in a tad but I’m not getting into it tonight for sure. 
 

Yep started prologue. I’m done. Need a recharge before I’m back to doing dialogue rounds.

118 hrs 2/25/25-4/11/24 not bad for me. Even quicker timeframe wise than CS1 was. Probably around same clock time. 

Edited April 12 by Briar King

[Briar King]

Oh sweet Azure guide is written by Zoeilus so I’m happy for that. 
 

Not sure if my son is coming this weekend limiting me to handheld mode.

This is one of the 1st days in quite awhile now I haven’t turned Switch on shortly after waking up. Recharge in progress as my make my way through Avatar bk 3. 

[Briar King]

CB2 prologue stuff

wow just wow. I had the biggest grin on my face after finishing off the cult. Opening up in Calvard for the 1st time was great! There is some paladin/monk dude. SSS has new members that I already played in CB1.. the cut scenes were pretty damn epic! I saw a Merkaba ship, The Saint and company, Shirley, Campanella and the tree!!¡¡

I doubt I’ll go much farther than that tonight with the real world news that has been kicked off by Iran but I’m sooooooo stoked to get into this game. I have a feeling it’s gonna blow CB1 out of the water.

I need and expect to get through this game at a steady pace as I did CB1 so I can get to the game I’m really excited for..Reverie and pushing the time line from CS4 forward but I still hold no regrets putting that need on hold to take this arc in.