Anyway I'm super glad I just downloaded a NG+ file and went with it. Bonding Events were significantly more involved than CS1 and arbitrarily losing two thirds of them is just a terrible decision. Especially when they're important for character development. This bonkers "replayability" choice is the one I despise the most, especially because in a normal game you also lose the Black Records quest and the SENSATIONAL scene that comes with it. That's just cheap, that scene (that is important in later games also, I read) is too important to be missed like that.

Yeah, length is tough. My main concern is that of a steadier pace. CS2 starts strong and ends super strong (I'm probably beating the Epilogue tonight), but in the middle it kinda meanders. Zero took me longer than CS2 if I remember correctly, yet I basically never stopped playing because the plot was always moving forward.

It might also be due to the fact that I've never loved the most "open" sections in JRPGs. There is too much choice and I lose the sense of urgency or the desire to advance the plot. But I understand that this is quite unusual for a JRPG fan, it's just my own weird preference thingy.

(to be honest, sometimes I spoil myself purely by being a dumb idiot and searching for the wrong stuff, in those cases I'd kick myself in the butt, but mostly it's inconsiderate people's fault haha)

By surfing the Internet I've learned that Kiseki experts are often basically bipolar regarding each and every thing in the Kiseki universe, they have conflicting opinions about the plot, the twist, the quality of the games and so on. So I kinda stopped paying attention to that community, felt like it was giving me more headaches than help. In the end, I'll probably go with the flow. The final dungeon is absolutely hype, so it's entirely possible that I'll go with the flow and finish everything at that point lol

To be fair, I've also been spoiled some major Ao twists by some absolute pricks that went writing sensitive plot moments in entirely unrelated threads just to prove their silly points, so I admit I'm kinda hostile to a good chunk of the community at this point haha I'll see how everything flows together from the Epilogue onwards!

Anyway, CS2 is still a damn good game. It seriously stumbled in the middle third for me, the pace went out of the window for a chunk of that chapter, and there are some bones I'd have to pick with some choices Falcom made but I'm absolutely pleased overall so now I'm kinda hyped for Ao and then CS3 and 4, can't wait!

Cold Steel 4 coming April 9th on PC! That's awesome, now I'm only waiting for the Ao patch haha wrapping up Cold Steel 2 in these days, though I think I'll skip the divertissement for now as I've heard that it's the one part of CS2 that truly spoils Ao in some way.

Supposedly, an official localization for The Great Ace Attorney is coming this summer (according to Capcom leaks and Taiwanese game board classifications). I've only been waiting for the Jap-only Ace Attorney games since forever haha I've played the six main games twice during the years and it's STILL been a long time since I last played them. Better late than never (Zero and Ao official localizations, coff coff) I guess.

Would you mind if I sent you a friend request on Steam?

Yeah same for Cold Steel III. I'd like a confirmation regarding IV ASAP, because worst case scenario I'd have to buy it on PS4 or Switch haha I wouldn't be the biggest fan of that, I prefer playing on PC (also because I spam guides with Trails games to ensure that I don't miss any quests or major content, because I don't see myself replaying the games anytime soon). Right now I'm enjoying CS II a lot, it's just such a comfy series for me at this point.

Yeah Origin is a bit on the "flash guard spam" side for bosses, because they're really tanky. I've also played it directly on Nightmare, it's not particularly hard but some late game bosses are incredibly spongy. I thought I was fine with attempting Oath on Nightmare as I've cleared it on Hard before and I also completed Napishtim on Hard/Catastrophe (with Majuunun or whatever it's called) and later on Nightmare/Catastrophe, but Oath is just on another level haha!

Maybe I worry too much about the time management thing and even later I'll have some decent time to play. It's just that either way I'm going to have to adapt to a completely new lifestyle and that's pretty daunting. So maybe I'm overthinking it, but I want to complete up to CSIV anyway haha.

Cold Steel 1 didn't have much in terms of Zero callbacks but I think it would be different when played after Ao. The Crossbell related events that happen in CS are all happening during Ao as far as I know. Unfortunately I didn't have much time to wait, this summer I'm going to finish university and hopefully get a job/start living with my girlfriend so I don't know how much time I'll have to play by then. I'm really trying to complete the games up to Cold Steel 4 as long as I have enough time to sink into them. Back to the topic, the Sky callbacks are STRONG in CS1. Highly recommend that you go back and enjoy them! Not plot changing or anything obviously, but they felt so good haha!

Regarding Ys, I didn't play them all, only the "most modern" version of any given entry (bar Memories of Celceta, I have it installed since forever on Steam but I'm still waiting for the "right moment" if that makes sense). Personally, it would be Lacrimosa (by far, I really like every Ys but Lacrimosa is something else) > Seven > Oath > Origin > Napishtim = 1/2 Chronicles+. As I said, I like them all, the first two have a really nostalgic feeling I love but they're quite basic (and 2 has a fetish with enormous labyrinths for some reason), Napishtim has an awesome plot but it's a bit rough for me compared to the other two in the same engine. Once I liked Oath more, but the last time I played it I was trying to beat it on Nightmare and I rage quit against the crystal worm boss so I'm still sore about that haha!

Yeah, I've heard the current translation for Ao isn't half bad. Still, Geofront's will probably be out soon, with enough time to take a break after Cold Steel 2 for me personally haha as much as I love those game, I can't play those back to back either, or at least not too many. I've let quite some time pass between SC and Third, Third and Zero and finally Zero and Cold Steel 1.

On a side note, enjoy Lacrimosa! It's my favorite Ys yet. I was so excited for Monstrum Nox but Nisa Europe cancelled my order of the Collector's Edition for PS4 because of Brexit related shenanigans. At this point, if I'm going to buy it digital anyway I might as well wait for the PC release...

Also, congrats on beating Zero! I loved it and the Geofront patch is really superb (they're trying their hardest to have the Ao patch ready for March at its latest, for a number of reasons). Could have been one of my favorite so far if not for the fact that the antagonist is so similar to Sky's in so many different ways... I think that fact will annoy me forever haha

Order of Ecclesia is my favorite because how demanding it is, it's one of the only Igarashi directed Castlevania with some semblance of balance haha! Belmont's Revenge is decent, all things considered, it has nice level design and bosses but it's so slow. It does look like a masterpiece compared to the other two GB Castlevanias, that's for sure. The Adventure is particularly hideous for my taste.

Hi to you! You seem like a fine connoisseur of JRPGs! I like the genre, but it's only "thanks" to the multiple quarantines of 2020 that I really started to play a lot of them again. Trails has been such a great way to keep me entertained, became one of my favorite franchises. I had a Castlevania themed banner/avatar, but I had those for a while, so I felt like changing them and paying homage to Falcom was the way to go.

Kaga era FE profile pic and a P1 banner? Hello, new multitap friend!

Wtf an official localization of FE1?? Epic.

I'll play it once I get back into Twitch streaming. I streamed 1-3 there and I'd like to do the whole series there.

So, I've only played Ys 1-3 and I was going to do Memories next but the phrase "Darm Tower 2" makes me never want to play it XD

I enjoyed the original SMT4, although I don't remember a ton of it? IDK i remember really being into it but I can't recall a lot of the story. Idk what that really says about it though.

Golden is good so far. The OG Persona 4 is one of my all time favorites so it's nice playing golden on pc and with the Golden editions. Sadly, after playing Royal recently also, I think the gameplay itself has aged a bit. There's a lot more bullshit battles than i remember. Still better than Persona 3 tho!!!

I'll disagree on modern Fire Emblem, I think the new games are still really solid. And I adore Awakening and Three Houses. Fates is meh, Birthright is good and Conquest is just there. And I haven't played Revelations yet.
Also there are too many Shin Megami Tensei games I agree!!! I've been playing through SMTIV Apocalypse and Persona 4 Golden on PC and the games in that series just keep piling up XD.