Recent reviews by claelinci

Finished chapter 3 so far so my review may change in the future but so far...

Nothing particularly bad to say for the story and characters as of now. I like all of the characters and their amusing interactions, although admittedly some parts feel less impactful than it could've been (for me, anyway). As a protagonist, Teuta is charming - she can carry herself quite well throughout the story and is well-rooted even if she basically gets dragged into the mess in the first place. All of the boys and the side characters have their own quirks while still contributing to the story cohesively. In short, story-wise, the game is a hard-recommend for me.

However, in terms of technicality, this is where things get clunky. As some others pointed out, the technical side of the port has problems. Some stuffs I noticed so far:
* Quality of movie assets... leaves a lot to be desired. Not sure how to put it properly, but I keep noticing pixelated stuffs here and there.
* I noticed there are voice-only dialogues in the game - probably deliberately left without text as means to heighten the immersion to the story's world with the "background voice" and such. However, while I can still decipher the voice-only dialogues just fine, I think they really should be translated and have their subtitles properly inserted into the game one way or another, especially to help those who have trouble following voice-only dialogues.
* No way to remap controls. I am personally using controller instead of my keyboard and mouse because of my hand problems, and the assigned controls for the controller doesn't bother me, but it really would be nice to be able to remap.
* (Edit) Also, there REALLY should be help screen or something related to the controls in the beginning. Even if the help screen is there in the in-game menu, I still had to figure some things out by myself because there are no pointers on what should I press even for accessing menu at first.
* No way to switch between windowed and full-screen mode, or change the resolution.
* No option to quit the game from the title screen and in-game menu - or at least, I haven't found any. This may sound silly, but I simply dislike having to press Alt-F4 every time to close the game.

For reference, I'm running the game in my laptop's built-in monitor, which has 1920x1080 resolution and running at 150% scale.

As for me, the technical problems doesn't quite break the game. However, I still hope they can be fixed/improved somehow. Until that happens, for those who want to try the game, they need to be on the lookout for said problems.

Difficulty/ies tried so far: Hard
Notes: I began playing after the major patch in January, so I didn't get to experience the bugs previously plaguing the release.

Now that I finally completed the game, guess I can write my full impression at last.

Excluding Ys IX since I'm not sure whether we'll get English release any time soon...I'll say this is THE best entry of the series so far, especially among the party-based Ys games. This is not to say I don't have my personal gripes against the entry, however, mainly in terms of story and music.

Good
> There are a lot of things to do in the game aside from the usual monster-slaying and filling out maps, all of which fit nicely to the setting of the game. Some aspects are still rough around the edges (e.g. not having full control on Dogi's squad during beast raids and hunts), but they are nevertheless welcomed additions for me.
> This is definitely the most story-rich Ys game so far. Having the playable and side characters being MUCH more involved in the story compared to previous games really helps - not to mention the characters are eventually becoming tight-knitted as the game progresses. The story is overall cohesive and well-planned, though there are some pacing issues especially in Chapter 2 and final parts of the game.
> Dana - being the "main girl" of the game - not only plays very important role in the story, but also being very proactive in her way of shaping the story as a whole instead of being there as "important side character". The game is as much of HER story as much as Adol's.

Neutral
> Current difficulty tried so far (Hard) provide adequate challenges and are mostly balanced. Enemy attack patterns are fairly easy to read to perform Flash Guards and Flash Moves since they're necessary to do with what limited healing items you have. However....
> ...some later areas and hunts are just plain mean. Large enemies' placement in some night exploration area can be ridiculous since they can overwhelm you easily and make running away not an option...in times when you're actually encouraged to run away.

Cons(?)
> Some story aspects of the series introduced in the game may not sit well with long-time players since they may change things related to the worldbuilding, such as the entire world of Ys is actually one gigantic dream of the Earth Goddess.
> Not enough Night Exploration areas.
> While the soundtrack fits the overall setting well, I personally feel it is the least memorable among the series. It just...doesn't have the same impact as previous games' tracks.
> Monster entries not including the area where they are -mainly- located, since it could have given better hints on possible locations to find the remaining missing entries (especially the ones caught through fishing).

The game is nevertheless the best of the series so far, and is definitely worth playing. I won't go so far recommending the game for newcomers of the series, though - if anything, the game should be saved for last due to the sheer size and the changes/improvements compared to its predecessors.

On lighter final note, my other complaint is that we were robbed from playing as the awesome elderly fellows. WHERE ARE MY PLAYABLE THANATOS AND SILVIA. D"8

This VN is a definite masterpiece that shouldn't be overlooked upon, and for various reasons!

In terms of storytelling, the selling point is definitely how the concurrent timeline among protagonists is handled, as well as how the slightest changes in choices can affect others' fate while mostly avoiding being repetitive. Narrative delivery for each protagonist is just spot-on with the predicament they're facing. The comedic parts of the story are also cleverly written...though many of them can also induce feeling of discomfort at the same time when taking the stakes at hand into account (I'm looking at your bad ends, Minorikawa).

The use of live actors instead of hand-drawn 2D characters may seem strange or even off-putting at first, but it actually works perfectly with the VN; if anything, many of the scenes probably *wouldn't* have turned out as powerful if it instead went by the 2D illustration approach. Even when the shots are limited to stills or limited animation, the actors' performance really shines and synchronizes well with the writing. Playing through Tama's route, for example, really feels like watching a sitcom. Seriously, my utmost respect to the live actors and the team involved.

Nothing to say about the soundtrack except it is awesome and very fitting for the theme. The tracks also really help to bring out the atmosphere conveyed by the story when combined with both the writing and the photo stills.

My sole complaint is the text box overlay is not dark enough so reading through a few parts can be discomforting, but hey, I'll manage. Otherwise 10/10 wouldn't shut up to tell people to play this.

I have to admit, when the game first came out and hearing the premise, I was not too enthusted and determined to play solely because I've always been fan of Falcom's music. By now I cleared the first run, my perception of the game have changed positively, and the game is now pretty much among my favorite Falcom entries.

Pros
- has one of the best Falcom soundtrack, if not THE best so far.
- Falcom is back with their amazing world-building!
- NPCs have their own fun stories as you progress, giving depth on par with Trails series' games
- a lot of stuffs to do...though the arcade mini-games may be repetitive.
- as MC, Kou is surprisingly good. He is not incompetent but not overpowered that he can solve everything by himself, he learns throughout the game, he is hard worker, he has endearing interactions with his circle of friends, etc.
- game difficulty is okay - not too hard, but challenging enough
- I absolutely adore the stylistic choice! I was a bit "???" at first when seeing the fully-animated opening movie because I've grown accustomed to Falcom's usual style of opening movies in their earlier games, but the episodic nature of the game (complete with opening being played in every chapter and the commercial break-like screen at the end of some sections) actually makes it very appropriate.
- Shio is best senpai :P

Cons
- Localization quality good overall, but it begins to fall apart at later parts of the game - typos and such. I hope it will be fixed in the future.
- YMMV, but because of how the story unfolds and told in light novel-ish manner, the storytelling style is not for everyone.
- Related to above, some of the dialogue lines can be...well, corny. Especially when repeated several times over.
- The way the main cast is presented (in that they follow archetypes a bit too closely) may actually make them less interesting than the NPCs. (I like the cast, but if I have to be blunt, the NPCs' stories are more fun to follow.)
- Some of the dungeons are genuinely good in design and all (Chapter 5's last dungeon is the best), but many of them seem to be lazily designed otherwise (in terms of appearance and monsters). Also, the platforming can be very annoying when combined with poor camera control, which was how I wasted 30 minutes or so in the final dungeon. >8(
- I personally do not mind keeping the Japanese dub (esp since my favorite VAs are in this game)...it's the lack of subtitle in some voice-only parts without text boxes that bugs me. For example, during SPiKA's concert event.

Neutral
- I don't necessarily agree with some of the localization choices (e.g. throwing the Cthulhu mythos stuffs here and there when a character is annoyed or such), but for the most part, it is bearable.

While it is understandable that some people see this game as Persona series' knockoff in terms of premise and design, TX is able to stand with its own charm (and flaws) and is still worth trying out. It is not the most original, but it is *fun*. Go give it a try! /o/

I'll be honest: I really, REALLY want to like this visual novel. Unfortunately, even after I completed the canon route (took ~4.5 hours from zero to reach 100% completion on my end), I couldn't help but to feel the entire experience is more underwhelming than I had expected it to be. To highlight:

The could-be-improved:

• The premise is interesting, but unfortunately, the execution itself suffer from pacing and underdevelopment issues. While Ciel's and the canon route flow quite well, Julie's route and the final parts of the canon route feel very rushed. The climax of the canon route also feels...well, anticlimatic, leaving a certain sense of lack of closure/satisfaction. The supposed romance also feels abrupt/shoved, and the heroines' story is underdeveloped as we only hear what their story is from they told Arthur, not from their line of thought/point of view. At least the story itself doesn't add unnecessary padding/filler.
  
• Underwhelming action sequences for the most part, likely due to the visual presentation. I actually hoped that they would have their own unique event CGs, or at least have character sprites for the mob characters/enemies. Furthermore, considering Ren'Py engine's ATL capability, they could've put more use on the feature to make the action sequences feel more lively.
  
• Messy scene composition outside of event CGs. This is personal preference as a hobbyist artist, but I feel that the otherwise stellar visual assets are dimnished by how some of the background depicting location/time is just slapped together with character sprites without taking note of aspects such as the horizon, resulting in awkward placement.
  
• Abrupt transitions between certain scenes, somewhat ruining the pacing as well.
  
• Typos, albeit minor.
  
• Accuracy aside (which I cannot comment on because I don't have much knowledge on it), the bits about weaponry as such could probably be framed in better manner than expository-style that makes it look like the writer is blatantly showing off their knowledge on the matter xD;. Personal preference, though.

The good:

• Regardless of my complaint about the scene composition above, I agree with everyone else that the visual aspect of this VN is top-notch...
  
• ...as is the soundtrack.
  
• Underdevelopment aside, the characters don't feel flat and managed to pick my interest as characters instead of mere "types", which is good. Personally like Ciel's route due to the constant jabs the characters throw at each other.
  
• The "sleeping darts" running gag is darkly hilarious. Sorry, Arthur.

This is -not- to say the visual novel itself is bad; there is no doubt it is stellar in terms of graphics and soundtrack. Rather, some things (especially execution of the story) are just not my cup of tea, and others may actually find it enjoyable. As such, I still recommend people to give it a try regardless of my personal experience on this.

Decided to participate in the Early Access because I've been trying to limit playing in my phone. As of now, overall I like it. No problems switching between Android and this version.

It runs smoothly (and faster!) compared to mobile version despite my laptop being an old (and not exactly high-spec) one, and I can truly appreciate how beautiful the graphics are now. I've been trying to do evo zone and soul zone in this version, and I encounter no problems so far...except for the daily limit in PC version for some reasons not tracking my progress at all.

(On another note, I find it odd that the limit is not employed in the mobile version at all despite playing in phone is actually more distracting. But maybe that's just me.)

Also, while I do not mind playing windowed, a full-screen option would be nice. As well as possible keyboard controls instead of purely relying on mouse/touchpad control.

For some reasons Steam didn't add the read time I spent in offline mode properly - I finished this VN within 23-ish hours or so. That aside, most of the existing reviewers have already highlighted the details of this VN, so I'll just skip to what I like and don't-like-as-much.

+ Stellar artwork, and made even more apparent with the storybook-like placing of the character sprites and background images. The vibrant character design and the relative bleakness of the setting may seem to be weird combination at first, but it works.
+ Good soundtrack. Admittedly, I find it less memorable than Sharnoth's soundtrack, but I still find it fitting to the VN's overall atmosphere
+ (Mostly) interesting characters, and even most of the antagonists are sympathetic. Helps that some chapters focus on side characters.
+ Enchanting world of steampunk and Lovecraftian mix, helped with Sakurai Hikaru's unique writing style. That said... (see below)
+ Top-tier voice acting. This is especially true with Neon, whose VA managed to give her character a "cute" charm while still giving her air of maturity (especially when compared to her friend Izumi who I find to fit the more standard "cute" character type).

- While I do not dislike Neon and Tesla (I like them and their dynamics, in fact!), the way the story reveals who they are and their motives very late into the story may not sit well for some (especially when compared to Sharnoth, where it didn't take long for Mary's motive as main character to be established). Even more so once it is revealed that Tesla had what could be considered romantic relationship with Neon's direct predecessor (grandmother?), although it went nowhere in the end due to circumstances surrounding Tesla's existence. I don't necessarily have problem with this bit, but I know some people may.
- Pacing issues in some parts. The one with Gates of Hell is probably the most glaring one for me.
- Some charaters remain underdeveloped. My biggest disappointment lies on Izumi and Albert, especially because they're supposed to be good (if not best?) friends of Neon.
- the appearance of the user interface (buttons etc.) seems... lazy? I personally find it not quite fitting with the aesthetic of the VN.
- The repetition in the writing (such as during Tesla's transformation sequence) may be annoying for some, while others may find it to be part of Sakurai's writing charm. Your call, really.

That said, I recommend this piece.

So...I think I'll mostly ramble here. I started GE since the English version of GEB years ago. Then to Japanese version of GE2. Then finally to these games. And...I'll say it's quite nice to see the series' growth from game to game, though obviously, there are still some things those need to be polished.

All right, the highlights of my review are as follows:
- in GE2RB, the bug concerning BGM playback. It's minor, but it's annoying, since it really does nothing to do Go(d) Shiina's scores any justice. I hope we'll eventually get a fix for this.
- I personally have mixed feelings for the English dub, though I already expected this. I like some (e.g. Lindow and Ciel, and I actually like Nana and Erina MUCH better in EN version), but the rest are...I don't think I need to say it (I'm looking at you, Romeo and Ren). It would be nice had it been dual audio, but it's not off-putting enough for me to stop playing the game, at least.
- GE2RB - I'm still not very fond of the Blood Arts learning system (since the original GE2) due to how slow it is (and basically forcing you to stick to to one weapon type in very long run). At least GE2RB has the support skill to assist Blood Arts/Blood Bullets awakening.
- GER - Predatory style is nice since you're no longer restricted to one role like in GEB and GE2RB through the control units. Although, depending on who you ask, the system may be too broken xD;
- Story and characters are standard, though I personally found GE2 characters are more endearing. And the humorous moments inserted in some of GE2's Character Episodes are VERY worth it. My sole complaint is the tendency for both games's stories to be dragging despite the potential to explore the game's lore (beyond what is recorded in the Database, that is) through the sheer amount of time the player has to allocate to play the game.
- Minus a certain battle very late in the game that gave me nightmares back in the original GE2, I personally found GE2RB has lower difficulty than GER. May change as I play longer, though.
- I'm still hoping for some equipments not to be a mere palette-swap of other equipments just because they have different attribute/element. :p

Personally, I'm not sure whether I should recommend playing GE2RB or GER first assuming you're new to the series, especially since some gameplay aspects are only available in each game. I'll say you better test the waters with both games, then decide on your own which one you'd like to continue first before moving to the other (though playing GE2RB first will definitely spoil some stuffs from GER).

I'm still on Chapter 3 by the time I write this review, but I must say, this VN certainly exceeded my expectation. Not only due to the fluid visual effects, but the world-building itself is surprisingly in-depth (and having in-VN encyclopedia is nice, too!) that I can feel the world of fault milestone one as I read.

The only thing that doesn't quite click on me is the way the novel delivers exposition in regards to its world's magic system so far (I mean in-story, not in the encyclopedia). That said, I am aware it is a tricky thing to do in mediums such as VN, so I can let that one slide.

All in all, heavily recommended. ^^b

I started playing this game back in PSP, and I must say, I don't regret re-buying it on Steam in the slightest. Nevertheless, my review shall cover things for those who haven't played the game yet.

First, the story. If you don't mind slow-paced story in exchange for excellent world-building, then this game is for you. Why? Trails in the Sky takes it sweet time not only to develop its rich world and main characters, but also its truckload of NPCs. Each of them has their own story as well, making the game feels lively and vibrant.

(Oh, and if you want stories with well-written female characters? Yes, this game is for you!)

Second, the visual presentation. Falcom clearly put A LOT of love into the game's world and characters; see how detailed the character models are? The buildings? Those airships? The little road signs that you see along the way? One of the reasons why I don't regret replaying Trails in the Sky in PC is because of those small details, which help me to appreciate its world more.

Next, the gameplay. The traditional turn-based/strategy mix fits the game's overall flow well; not too fast-paced, but also not to the point of being slow and boring. Also, despite its apparent simplicity, this game can easily kill you if you're tactless enough...which is something I learnt in REALLY hard way in a few of the boss fights. In addition, the sheer number of missable stuffs in this game gives good replay value.

As for the soundtrack, I don't think there's anything to be said. It's Falcom, so it's bound to be awesome. ;)