The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II - Review. The Legend of Heroes Trails of Cold Steel III - Game world and characters Tors Officer Academy II Rivas Branch
Xseed's PC release of the original Trails of Cold Steel. Featuring a wide array of configuration options, a port clear of major (and most minor) bugs, the excellent Turbo Mode feature, and even additional lines of voiced dialogue, it set a high bar for future pc versions of the entries in the series to match up to. Trails of Cold Steel II's PC release is equally impressive.
For the most part, Trails of Cold Steel II matches up to the level set by last year's port of the original game, which in itself is a great success. We called the PC version of Cold Steel the “best way to play the game” and the same holds true for its sequel. Xseed included additional lines of voiced dialogue again for this release, similar to the original game, showing a degree of going above and beyond for the PC version that is for the most part unheard of. Unless you want official Japanese voiceover support, this is the definitive way to play Cold Steel II (and chances are you’ll be able to play in Japanese in an unofficial capacity at some point after launch as well).
We thought that Cold Steel II’s original PS3 release was a second chapter of Falcom’s ongoing series, but the game is definitely putting on its best face on PC. The convenient and comprehensive configuration menu from Cold Steel returns here:
The configuration menu for Trails of Cold Steel II is largely the same as that of the first game, and the bevy of options here is as impressive as it was last year. Most options will show a preview image in real time on the right-hand side, so you know exactly what each toggle will adjust in-game without having to boot in and out of the configurator. You can select the game's resolution, display mode, a number of shadow rendering features, and the degree of anti-aliasing applied to the game. You can even specify which sort of button prompts you want the game to display if you're using a controller. Even the amount of autosaves and the multiplier for the Turbo Mode feature are able to be tweaked. The only real differences between this and last year’s release is the option for using a specific PCSS shadowing filtering technique, and complete controller remapping options.
Another nifty addition to Cold Steel II is the ability to directly boot into your most recent save, which in my experience worked exactly as advertised – I was able to continue playing from exactly where I left off every time I'd open the game without ever needing to see the main menu. It's definitely not something we expect or require but it's a neat little feature all the same. Even if you decide to not use the quick load functionality, you can disable start up videos as before and loading times are very snappy.
While not a new feature, the Turbo Mode functionality is again the star of the show here. Both battles and cutscenes can be sped up to six times the original speed, which makes in-game backtracking and long-winded cutscenes go by as quickly as you want them to. The Turbo feature doesn't introduce any audio bugs and all music and dialogue played at normal speed, only with the movement hastened. The Link and Burst mechanics in battle will automatically slow during Turbo mode to allow for the necessary player input, which is as impressive as it was in the original game.
The only minor issue with Turbo mode is that for some cutscenes, the music must change tracks before a certain event or dialogue occurs, so occasionally you'll have to wait for the current track to fade out because the scene commences, but this is a minor nitpick at most. The game did crash for me once while turboing through a bunch of scenes, but one crash over about 40 hours played with a recent autosave to catch my lost progress and I didn’t lose a large amount of sleep over it. Another small adjustment was getting used to Turbo Mode being set to L3 instead of the trigger, which meant that engaging the feature while simultaneously directing your character on the field took a little practice, but after a few minutes was completely doable.
The game also behaved reasonably well with other software on my PC. Whether in fullscreen or windowed mode I was easily able to tab into and out of the game or switch over to other application windows and the game would smartly mute and pause itself if it wasn't the primary screen at any given time. I was also able to use the full Steam overlay features as well at OBS video recording. The only software I didn't have success with right away was Nvidia's suite of capture tools, unless desktop mode was turned on, which is far from a showstopper.
Cold Steel II is a direct sequel of the original game, and playing Cold Steel is essential to understand the narrative in II, so we definitely recommend newcomers to the series start there – it’s another great port on PC. We have a video review of the game "s original PS3 release as well as gameplay footage of the PC version at max settings. It "s mostly just a touched up version of the original release, but it"s clean and sharp and looks good at 60 frames per second.
Cold Steel II is the latest game of the overarching “Kiseki” series of games that has been localized for western audiences so the future from here on is a little bit murky. We know that the first two games are getting , but details concerning the future of the series for the west are sparse at best. We're hopeful this isn't the last time we'll be able to write about the series for the western audience and that fans who invest into the games, on any platform, will be able to see the story continued someday soon.
It’s worth making a reservation right away - since this game is a direct continuation of the first Trails of Cold Steel (which you can read a review of), inevitable spoilers await you in this text.
In a matter of days, the situation in Erebonia is heating up to the limit. Neighboring Crossbell first declares its independence, and then destroys the Garrelia Fortress in an unknown way. Prime Minister Osborn, who intends to declare war on the aggressors, receives a sniper bullet in the heart right during his speech, and moments later, seven-meter humanoid robots land on the streets, piloted by soldiers under the command of the Alliance of Nobles, who decided to seize power in the country without delay.
The academy is attacked, and despite the fact that the director, teachers and even some students stand up to protect it, there can be no question of a successful outcome of the fight. The last hope is the Ash Knight Valimar, recently discovered in the bowels of the old school building, in size just right for fighting the enemy troops. Inexperienced in piloting the giant mech, Rin, of course, fails to gain the upper hand. Valimar makes the only right decision - to fly as far as possible with his last strength, taking the reluctant young man with him, because the loss of the only trump card in this war will mean the loss of all chances of winning. Watching in horror as his classmates, surrounded by enemies, disappear from view, Rin faints. This is where the first part ends, and after such a cliffhanger, hardly anyone can resist buying a sequel, consumed by an irresistible desire to find out what happened next. Well, let's see if Trails of Cold Steel II can satisfy our interest, please and lure as much as its predecessor did.
Rin comes to his senses in the snowy mountainous expanse of the northern outskirts of the empire, fortunately not far from Ymir's hometown. His parents and sister bring him up to date, and it turns out that a whole month has passed since the start of the civil war, during which Valimar, at the cost of his own mana, supported the vitality of the sleeping Rin. The Alliance of Nobles seized control of most of the country and captured the imperial family under the guise of ensuring their safety, the once-true Chronicles of the Empire write outright propaganda, and the remnants of the imperial troops hardly hold back the onslaught of the provincial army and giant robots, defending the recalcitrant settlements. All this, of course, is disappointing, but anxiety gnaws at the soul of our hero about friends from class VII, whose location and well-being remain in question.
The entire first act (consisting of four segments, comparable in duration to full-fledged chapters from the previous game) will take place in search of classmates who have been scattered by fate in different parts of Erebonia. Help in finding comrades-in-arms will be provided by the good-natured brace Toval and the captain of the Railway Police Claire, who rightly judged that it would be very difficult without the help of students. The railroad tracks are blocked, but the Ash Knight, with a huge amount of strength, is able, thanks to the septium's underground networks, to carry small groups of people over short distances about once every five days. Because of this, the structure of the development of events is initially quite linear and makes you remember the planned trips of the first part.
To start playing from the second release is at least stupid, and I categorically do not advise doing this, but, in extreme cases, in the main menu there is brief retelling events in the form of text accompanied by pictures, as well as biographies of important participants in history. This, in principle, is enough to refresh the memory of the events of the game passed a year ago. The best argument in favor of a consistent passage is an absolutely genuine feeling of joy and tenderness when reunited with the participants of class VII.
Reading a couple of lines about the characters is not at all the same as spending a whole academic year side by side with them, gradually learning new details about them and watching their growth not only in conditional combat levels, but also as individuals. If, for example, you attended Elliot's performance, helped Macias save the chess club, watched Fi grow flowers to give them to your loved ones, or together with Alice chose a gift for her grandfather, you can hardly remain indifferent to that what awaits you in Trails of Cold Steel II. And if you are not too lazy and move the save, many decisions made, completed tasks, and, most importantly, the partner chosen at the festival will influence the dialogues.
Of course, globally nothing will change, but still very nice. Few JRPGs have been able to flesh out the characters so well that they evoke that kind of emotion and feel almost like family, even if you don't quite like the individual personalities. With similar groups in Persona 3 and 4, there was still no such cohesion (largely due to the faceless protagonists), and Class VII is a real strong team, and putting it together again is an indescribable pleasure.
In the second act, everything changes dramatically. With a massive but mobile airship at their disposal, our heroes are free to roam the country, trying by any means to put an end to the war. The game becomes much more open, allowing you to visit locations and take on pressing problems in any order. The ship can be called from any open place, it is also allowed to change the composition of the party at any time, and considering that all, even the most insignificant dialogues are full of comments from the group members, it is not difficult to imagine what open spaces are opening before us. Finally, there is an opportunity to go everywhere with your favorite group, and not be content with the composition that the instructor imposed. And what could be better than riding a motorcycle and riding with a breeze to the nearest settlement in the company of your favorite waifu?
A lot of interesting side quests appear, including hidden ones, affecting the fates of long-familiar and beloved NPCs, burdened with new worries due to the difficult situation in the country. Among them, you can find students of the Tors Academy who managed to escape from the occupied educational institution. Most of them, although not immediately, can become members of the crew of our ship, one way or another, improving its productivity and providing all sorts of amenities ranging from various kinds shops to the library, training courses and even a lottery. This system is reminiscent of the development of the castle in Suikoden (minus a hundred useless combat characters), and will certainly please many fans of classic JRPGs.
There are only a couple of things to complain about here. Firstly, we will not be allowed to visit hitherto unknown cities. Seriously taking up the situation in the western half of Erebonia, the adult supporters of the emperor leave only the eastern part of it under the tutelage of students, where the seventh grade traveling lessons for groups led by Rin took place. In addition to Ymir, all available peaceful locations are well known to us, and on the one hand, there is nothing wrong with this, of course, but I really wanted to look at those places that we only heard about from the lips of classmates. Secondly, despite the pathetic speeches that the young warriors are the third, independent force in the civil war, we will only help the imperial army. This is largely due to the fact that the Alliance of the Nobles is acting too arrogantly and villainously, and in fact Falcom has always tried to avoid such a black and white distinction. However, there are plenty of plot twists and surprises in store for us, and there are many sides involved in the conflict, including several factions of huntsmen and members of the Ouroboros society, so you won't be bored.
The combat system hasn't changed much, but that's for the better. Turn-based combat with an emphasis on the order of moves and positions of the participants is damn good and does not let you get bored, regardless of the opponents. Fine-tuning equipment and quartz is more important than ever to win, especially at higher difficulty levels. The main innovation can be considered an overdrive. It accumulates according to the standard scheme when dealing and receiving damage, as well as at the end of the battle, depending on the bonuses. Using it, a couple of linked characters restore health and mana, and also get three extraordinary moves in a row, during which any attacks and crafts are accompanied by assists, and magic is cast instantly. It sounds, of course, like a cheat, but believe me, the local bosses are harsh enough that such measures do not seem so unfair. Rin can overdrive with any partner, but for other combinations of characters, you will have to look for special chests and pass difficult tests, but the opportunity to strengthen your favorites is worth it.
From time to time, most often at the climax of the episode, we are given the opportunity to control the giant knight Valimar. The battles with his participation are noticeably simpler, but still quite interesting. The enemy Mech's torso, arms, or head can be targeted for attack, and each of these points has a different penetration rate depending on the opponent's stance. After a successful attack, you can carry out another one and get bravery points, spending them later on special attacks in the same way as assists in a normal battle. Friends will be ready to help Rin even here, playing the role of co-pilot and allowing him to heal the Ash Knight, restore his mana and use unique spells and buffs. There are only two or three difficult battles involving mechs per game, but in general this is a great gameplay element that adds variety and does not get boring due to relative rarity.
As always, we have a lot of optional content in the form of quests, mini-games, side activities, and, of course, well-written dialogues with NPCs. As in any of the games in the series, each of them has something to say after any more or less significant plot event, and following their fate is incredibly exciting. These are not routine phrases like “our city is great and mighty” and “wolves hunt in packs”, but meaningful conversations with the main characters (often changing depending on the composition of the party) about pressing problems, other people and the future. Not every player will run around every time and listen carefully to everyone they meet, but it is in Legend of Heroes that you can get untold pleasure from this and learn a lot of interesting things not only about the empire and its inhabitants, but also about the whole of Zemuria. In this case, it is even more valuable, because we have the opportunity to communicate with those whom we knew before the war and see how their lives have changed in the light of adversity and hardship. Such a passage, given the freedom provided and the abundance of events taking place, can drag on for more than one hundred hours, but as a person with a number close to 500 on the time counter in Trails of Cold Steel I, I can honestly say that I do not regret a single minute.
You can read about the technical side in the review of the first part, there are practically no changes, except for a noticeable improvement in the quality of the English voice acting. The actors have clearly gotten used to the characters, and the lines sound much more natural. Due to problems with the license, we are still not destined to hear Japanese voices, but this time it is not so offensive. The music is traditionally amazing, and the new combat melodies are atmospheric and full of drive. Falcom knows its strengths and is not going to give up. Of the two versions, for the same reasons, it is worth recommending the portable version, although the home version is no worse.
Don't lose your saves, we are still waiting for Trails of Cold Steel III, the release date of which, however, has not yet been announced even for Japan. One thing you can be sure of is that the history of Zemuria is still oh so far from over, but thanks to games like this one, the number of heroes on the continent has increased greatly. It remains to be hoped that XSEED will still localize the unfairly missed Trails of Zero and Trails of Azure, allowing you to look at the conflict described here from a completely different point of view.
pros
- The combat system is still great, and innovations only deepen and improve it.
- Really harsh battles with bosses, to defeat which you will need not pumping, but a competent approach and a well-thought-out setup
- Reunion with the main characters and even some NPCs will cause indescribable emotions for anyone who has completed the first part.
- Huge amount of content to explore and traditionally meticulously crafted characters
- Amazing soundtrack
Minuses
- If you care too much, the graphics are still rustic
- The list of available locations has not changed much compared to the original.
- Some of the antagonists are, in a manner unusual for the series, overly tritely villainous.
Verdict
If you have completed the first Trails of Cold Steel to the end, then you have almost certainly bought the sequel. Are you wondering if it's worth a try? Refer to the review of the original, decide for yourself whether you are interested in it or not, and in case of a positive answer, try it, waiting for one of the discounts in the Playstation Store. These are two parts of the same game, and the second half is expected to succeed a little more in everything, but without the first, you will deprive yourself of the lion's share of impressions. In the meantime, this is the best, in my opinion, RPG of 2016.
RPG release "The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III”is close, so it's time to brush up on the events and characters of the previous games in this series and at the same time get to know the new characters.
Prologue
« Walk looking straight ahead...
Just purposefully and sparing no effort ...»
These words determined their determination and readiness.
1206 Septian, spring, about a year and a half after the civil war. The Empire of Eribonia, having annexed the autonomous region of Crossbell, the largest trading city on the continent, and a few months later annexing the autonomous region of Nozanbriya, nominally became the largest state on the continent, significantly surpassing its sworn enemy - the Kalvard Republic.
On the other hand, due to the acceleration of the centralization of power by the imperial government and the unification of the tax system, the districts ruled by the nobles were weakened and fell into chaos, thus creating new problems.
Meanwhile, the secret organization "Ouroboros", which operated behind the scenes during the civil war, broke its silence, "mixed" with the actions of the chasseurs and the Republic, began to act.
Meanwhile, a dark-haired young man arrives in the city of Rivas, located in the western part of the suburbs of the empire. Ash Chevalier Rin Schwarzer. A "young hero" who, as a student piloting the Ash Knight Valimar, made a great contribution during the civil war, and also participated in the Northern Military Company and the Crossbell Front.
Only after graduating from the prestigious Tors Officers Academy in February, he chose a new path as an instructor and entered this position already in the new department of the academy - Tors Officers Academy II Division Rivas.
In contrast to the academy itself, which, after the admission of the crown prince, was reformed as a full-fledged military academy, the “second department” accepts problem children, noblemen with a difficult situation, foreigners, etc. into its ranks. The head of the branch is the former leader of the " Alliance of Nobles» «golden demon-eater» of Aurelius. Of the three classes in this department, there are class VII "Special Time Unitcheniya", with a small number of students, in which Rin acts as an instructor.
key places
Empire of Eribonia
A huge militaristic state located in the western part of the Zemuria continent.
Although as a result of the clash of the “noble faction”, traditional conservatives and “reformist factions”, the state temporarily fell into civil war, but after the arrest of the leader of the “noble faction” and the dissolution of “ Alliance of Nobles“The situation has stabilized. After that, under the leadership of Gilias Osborne, the leader of the "reformist faction" and authorized representative of the government of the empire, using huge military power, Eribonia invaded the territory of the autonomous regions of Crossbell and Nozanburia, expanding its territory at a rapid pace.
Province of Crossbell (former Autonomous Region of Crossbell)
A rapidly developing huge trading city, located between two great powers - the empire of Eribonia and the Kalvard Republic. A year ago, it was officially "annexed" by the empire and run by an imperial nobleman, Governor-General Rufus Albarea. Although the city is currently rebuilding its functions of trade and finance, the tension over the forced incorporation into the empire has not yet subsided. Rumors about an opposition movement and resistance organization began to spread among the residents.
In response to reforming the academy and turning it into a full-fledged military academy under the regular army of the empire, a new branch was established, which is located in the western suburbs of the capital of the empire.
In addition to accepting only nobles with a difficult situation, foreigners, people from the province of Crossbell and troubled students, as well as Aurelius, who participated in the northern military company, the "golden man-eating demon" and famous scientists, after learning that the "young hero" Rin Schwarzer took up the position of instructor, the department attracted attention with such an "unprecedented number of personnel."
The academy itself has six classes I-VI and three classes in the second department: class VIII "Tactical unit", class IX "Unit accounting” and class VII “Special Assignments Unit” with a small number of students.
Class VII "Special Assignments Unit"
Special class in " Officer Academies Tors II Division Rivas" , in which Rin Schwarzer is acting instructor.
Led personally by Rin, this class is expected to perform various tasks as a special small unit. For this reason, the only students in it are Yuna, Kurt, and Altina. Compared to the academy's Class VII that Rin was once enrolled in, this class seems to have been created for a different purpose.
"Mini Fortress" »
Einher
Assuming the position of Special Advisor to the second division of the Tors Academy, Professor G. Schmit designed and built this huge indoor training facility.
Thanks to a special mechanism, the inside of the structure can change. The building began to be used for various kinds of training for students of the second department and testing new weapons.
Ouroboros Organization
An organization secretly operating throughout the continent of Zemuria to carry out their mysterious plan " illusory flame».
Led by its leader, dubbed "the master", the organization also consists of the upper management "apostles" and the executive squad "enforcers".
In order to return the plan " illusory flame”, stolen by Chancellor Gilias Osborn a year ago during the civil war in the empire, members of the organization again began their activities in the territory of the empire.
City of Rivas
A picturesque city located in the west in the suburbs of the capital of the empire, Heimdall.
It was once under the control of some baron, but went bankrupt, after which it temporarily fell under the direct control of the imperial family.
Although the city did not suffer much damage during the civil war in the empire, there are residents who lost their families, and the establishment of the “Officer Academy Tors II Division Rivas” caused mixed feelings. On the other hand, there are residents who warmly received the students, and there are also those who came here to open shops.
St. Astrea Women's School
An old and honorable girls' school located in the district of St. in the capital of the empire.
The eldest daughter of Emperor Yugen III, Princess Alfin, is a student of this school. Currently, Baron Schwarzer's eldest daughter, Eliza Schwarzer, is the Acting Student Council President.
Although the main activity of the school did not change, but after the civil war, due to increased pressure on the nobles from the government, students began to appear, concerned about their financial situation and the associated costs of education, and some were forced to leave the school.
Characters
Officer Academy Tors II Division Rivas
Class VII "Special Assignments Unit"
Rin SchwarzerAge: 20 Weapon: Long sword A young man who was enrolled in Special Class VII of the Thors Officer Academy, and also the one who awakened the "Ash Knight" Valimar. A year and a half ago, he participated and made a great contribution during the civil war in the empire and the annexation of Crossbell, as well as in the northern military campaign to annex Nosanbria. In the empire, he is revered as a hero known as the Ash Chevalier. After graduating from the academy, the government really wanted to see him in the ranks of the imperial army, but he categorically refused. In order to keep the spirit of the academy Thors, and also to ensure that he and the Ash Knight would no longer be used, he chose the path of an instructor in the recently established second branch, located in the suburbs of the capital of the empire. |
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Yuna CrawfordAge: 17 Weapon: Gunbreaker (police baton with shooting ability) An energetic girl with a strong sense of justice, she hails from the former Autonomous Region of Crossbell. Admiring the work of the "Special Support Department" - a special department of the Crossbell Police Department that resolves various incidents, she entered the police academy, but due to the occupation of Crossbell by the empire, her dream was destroyed. Meanwhile, having received an invitation from a certain person, to clarify the situation in the country of the invader, and also as a proud citizen of Crossbell, she decides to enter the "second department" of the academy. |
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Kurt WanderAge: 17 Weapon: Large dual swords A smart and handsome young man with an unusual bluish-gray hair color, he comes from the Wander family, a military family in the Eribonia Empire. Brilliant in the art of fighting with twin swords, he was overwhelmed with a sense of duty that someday, as a member of the Varden family, he would protect the imperial family, but after the civil war in the empire, due to the cunning of Chancellor Gilias Osborn, the Vander family was removed from this position, By doing so, Kurt lost his purpose in life. Out of frustration, he tried to turn down an invitation to enter the Thors Officer Academy, but his older brother Muller convinced him and he hesitantly headed to the "Second Department" of the academy. |
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Altina OrionAge: 14 Weapon: Claimh=Solais A girl with little expression of emotions who is part of the military information bureau and has the code name "Black Rabbit". Uses the advanced combat armor "Claimh=Solais" in the work and during the civil war in the empire acted in various areas in order to deceive " Alliance of Nobles». After the end of the civil war, he performs various tasks. Along with spying on the activities of Rin's Ash Chevalier, he helps him in his missions as a partner. Meanwhile, after Rin accepted the post of instructor, it was decided to send Altina to the "Second Department" as a student. |
Class VIII "Tactical Unit"
Randolph OrlandoAge: 24 Former member of the Red Constellation Jaeger Squad, considered the strongest squad on the continent. In class VIII, he serves as an instructor. For some reason, after leaving the squad, he later ended up in Crossbell and joined the guard squad, but caused problems and was fired. Immediately after that, he was recruited into the "Special Support Unit" of the Crossbell Police Department, where, together with investigators Loyd, Yuri and Tio, he solved various problems. After the annexation of Crossbell, the "Special Support Department" was disbanded and the police force was incorporated into the imperial army. After that, together with his comrades, he stubbornly prepared for resistance. But on the advice of a certain person, Randolph, in order to seek out an opportunity for Crossbell to regain independence, decides to go to the empire. |
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Ash CarbideAge: 17 Weapon: Shifting Ax A young man who grew up in the slums of the "entertainment capital" located in the western part of the empire. He looks cheerful, but somewhere inside is a ferocious hooligan. enrolled in class VIII "Tactical unit". During the civil war in the empire, he formed a gang of hooligans and killed half of the gangs of thieves who tried to attack the "capital of entertainment", which drove them away. Because of what, the regular army and the Bracer guild laid eyes on him. Although he has a large physique, he is flexible like a leopard. Using tricks, he can finish off an even stronger enemy. For some reason, he is hostile towards Rin, provoking him at every opportunity. |
Class IX "Accounting Division"
Tova HerschelAge: 21 She looks like a child, but a hardworking and capable girl. Acts as an instructor in class IX of the "second department" of the academy. During her time at the academy, Thors was the student council president. She showed her abilities by settling the riots during Summer Solstice Festival And Crossbell Trade Conference. During the civil war, as deputy captain of the cruiser "Brave" contributed to the liberation of the capital of the empire, showing excellent commanding qualities. She was in high demand after graduating from the academy, but as a study of the "future of the empire" she participated in the activities of various non-governmental organizations in various areas of the empire. Meanwhile, Towa, guessing that the empire has begun to go down a dangerous path, in order to preserve the spirit of the Torso Academy, as well as at least the slightest improvement in the position of the empire, decides to choose the path of an instructor in the "second department" of the academy. |
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Muse EgretAge: 16 Weapon: Magic Cavalry Rifle A girl who comes from the famous noble family of Count Egret, whose hallmark is elegance and charm. Although she has excellent grades and grace, as befits a girl from a noble family, there is something incomprehensible about her. At every opportunity, he tries to seduce Rin. She used to go to the girls' school "Saint Astrea", but after the civil war, due to various reasons, she left the school. Six months later, unexpectedly choosing the path of the military, she entered the " Officers Academy Tors II Division Rivas. |
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Tita RussellAge: 16 The granddaughter of the brilliant Dr. Russell, who is not indifferent to mechanisms and comes from the kingdom of Liber. Enrolled in Class IX "Accounting Division". In the "Incident in the Liber Kingdom" that happened four years ago, she is as a young engineer Zeiss central factory, collaborated with Agatha and other members Guild "Bracer" » and contributed to the resolution of this incident. After that, having received information from a former comrade Prince Olivert and learning from it that something strange is happening in the empire, despite the objections of her mother, she enters " Officer Academy Tors II Division Rivas" as an exchange student. Continuing to study orbmental technologies, as well as to see with her own eyes the mysterious "armored soldiers" and "combat armor", she became a student of Professor Schmit. |
Other important academy personalities
Aurelia Le GuinAge: 32 The countess and head of the Guin family, who in her youth fully mastered the two schools of swordsmanship "Wander" and "Arseid" and is known as the "golden man-eating demon". During the civil war in the empire led " Alliance of Nobles and fought with the regular army. Together with her faithful friend Vales, she began to use "armored soldiers" as a new weapon and, as "invulnerable and invincible", continued to achieve stunning results in battle. At the very end of the civil war, having received information about the arrest of Lord Cayenne, Aurelius, in exchange for a ceasefire by the regular army, retreated to the main base in the western part of the empire. A few months later, during the Northern War Campaign, she made a deal with the government to invade and annex Nosanbria. After that, leaving everything to her faithful friend Vales, she left the service in the army, but for some reason accepts the position of director of the "second department". |
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MichaelAge: 28 Very serious and stubborn Major of the Department of Special Assignments . During the civil war in the empire, he fought alongside Prince Olivert, supporting the regular army, which was pushed back to the western part of the empire. He openly considers Major Claire, known as the "Ice Maiden", as his rival, in these actions some concern for her is visible somewhere. Transferred to "Second Squad" as Chief Instructor, but his primary job is to watch over Aurelius and use "Second Squad" as a countermeasure against Jaeger squads and organizations operating in the shadows. |
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G. SchmitAge: 72 The leading engineer of the empire, one of the "three students" of the brilliant professor K. Epstein, who are also Dr. Russell and Dr. Hamilton. In order to satisfy his curiosity, from an early age, together with Gwyn Reinfort, one after another invented orbmental weapons, orbmental railways, giant machine tools, etc., which ultimately contributed to the technological development of the empire. During the civil war in the empire, having received a request from the leader " Alliance of Nobles Lord Cyan, he designed the "armored soldiers" based on Ordin's "Azure Knight" and the humanoid weapons of the Ouroboros organization. For fun, he also collaborated in making a longsword for Valimar's Ash Knight. In the "Second Department" he acts as a special adviser. While continuing to study and develop new weapons using students and the academy, he also trains a new student, Tita Russell, who has replaced former student George. |
Other important characters
Agate KrosnerAge: 28 A member of the Bracers Guild and an A rank, hailing from the Liber Kingdom. Due to the fact that he uses a huge sword that is larger than him, he has the nickname "Heavy Sword". After the "Incident in the Liber Kingdom" that shocked the entire kingdom four years ago, he achieved great results both inside and outside the kingdom, achieving the rank of A and becoming known as one of the top ranked members of the Bracers guild. After the end of the civil war in the empire, sensing the movement of Ouroboros and detachments of rangers in the empire, under pressure from the military information bureau, as support for the almost destroyed guild branch in the empire, he decided to go to the empire to rescue his old battle comrade Prince Olivert. While worrying about Tita, who was enrolled in the "Second Division", Agate begins his own investigation of the "incident" that caused the "Hundred Days War" that broke out 14 years ago between the empire of Eribonia and the kingdom of Liber. |
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Tio PlateauAge: 16 Head of Development at the Crossbell Division of the Epstein Foundation. Develops the "Eion System" which is said to allow a "resonant connection for information processing" to be established between man and machine. Due to special circumstances, from an early age he works as a member of the research team of the foundation, but at the age of 14 he is transferred to the police department of the former autonomous region of Crossbell. Testing the latest equipment and the "Eion System" as a member of the "Special Support Department" along with Randolph and the others, resolved many different incidents. After the annexation of Crossbell, she was recalled to the main branch of the fund, but for the sake of her comrades, she decides to go back to Crossbell. Under the supervision of the imperial military information bureau and working as the head of the development department, she begins to secretly act as a liaison. |
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Sarah ValestineAge: 27 Formerly a member of the Northern Rangers and known as Purple Lightning, she is one of the A-ranked members of the Bracers Guild. Through her connections, she became an instructor at the Thors Officer Academy and acted as an instructor for Special Class VII whose members were Towa and Crow of the ARCUS test team, as well as Rin and the others. After the civil war in the Empire, she left her post as an instructor at the academy and returned to work in the guild. By training Fi, the new guild member she is now paired with, and cooperating with other guild members, Sarah looks for suspicious movements within the Empire. |
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Angelika RognerAge: 21 Daughter of Marquis Rogn, one of the "four great families". She is proficient in the oriental fighting style of Taito, and is also a beauty with an unparalleled love for women. During her time at the Academy, Thors was close friends with Towa and also helped Rin and the other members of Special Class VII. During the civil war in the Empire, she was the chief pilot of the cruiser Courageous and supported Tova, the second-in-command. After the civil war, she traveled on her orbmental motorcycle across the continent. Feeling in this journey "a certain sense of the wrongness of what is happening" Angelica contacts her former teacher, who is in the Kalvard Republic, but ... |
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George NomaAge: 21 An engineer with an imposing physique who was once a student at the Torso Officer Academy. At Thors Academy, he formed a test team with Tova, Ajelica, and Crow to study the practical use of the ARCUS combat weapon, building friendships unrelated to lineage and social status and laid the foundation for Special Class VII. He has excellent engineering qualities, recognized by Dr. Schmitt, which George has demonstrated in all aspects, whether it be building an orbmental motorcycle or performing his duties as a mechanic on the Courageous cruiser. After graduating from the academy to expand his knowledge, he travels to various workshops scattered across the continent. |
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Victor S ArseidAge: 45 Viscount and head of the Arseid military family, currently in charge of the city of Regram, located in the southeastern part of the Empire, as well as the founder of the Arseid swordsmanship school. Known throughout the Empire as the most powerful swordsman and bearing the nickname "Master of the Sword of Light". There are rumors that it is possible that only one of his apprentices "Golden Eating Demon" can surpass him in swordsmanship. During the civil war, in order to clear the way for Rin and the others, he engaged in a deadly duel with McBurn, the strongest enforcer. After graduating from the academy, his only daughter Laura, as the heiress of the Arseid style, he went on a training trip with her to pass on the secrets of the style to her. But there is some urgency in it ... |
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Sharon KlugerAge: 25 Super maid working for the president Rainford Group Irina, with excellent demeanor and the ability to perform tasks perfectly. During the civil war in the Empire, helping Rin and other members of Special Class VII, she was always next to Alice, the only daughter of President Irina, and looked after her. Her true identity is one of the informers of the Ouroboros organization known as the Kluger Death Threads. Even after her true identity is revealed, she continues to work for the Rainford family and secretly supports Alice, who has become a senior manager. Rainford Group. |
Empire of Eribonia
Olivet Rice ArnorAge: 29 The eldest son of Emperor Yugent III and the initiator of the project of the old "special class class VII". Hobbist, also has the nickname "Prodigal Prince". Being an illegitimate son, he renounced his rights to the throne long ago. During the civil war in the empire, he entrusted the Tors Academy with the red-winged cruiser "Courageous" and, together with Muller, in the western part of the empire, began the "free wind" movement. He helped people suffering from the flames of war to stand on their own feet. After the civil war, chancellor Gilias Osborn, in a winner-takes-all fashion, seized power throughout the empire. The invasion of nearby lands and the continued expansion of the empire, as well as the removal of the Wander family from their position as protectors of the imperial family, made Olivert aware of the weakening of his power. And now... 1206 according to the Septian calendar. Upon learning that the Torso Academy has been reformed as a full-fledged military academy, Olivet, as a sign of the last "resistance", establishes a "second branch". In addition, in order to oppose the chancellor, he begins to work with his personal connections in the empire and beyond, as well as personally act within the empire. |
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Cedric Rice ArnorAge: 17 The legitimate child of Emperor Yugent III and the first rightful heir to the throne of the Eribonia Empire. Has a kind and honest character, a little shy. She respects her older brother Olivetra and, like her younger sister, has very good friendships with him. During the civil war in the empire, he was captured by Lord Cyan, the leader of the " Alliance of Nobles”, and used as a key to activate the “Vermillion Knight”, dormant in the dungeon of the imperial castle. During a difficult battle with Rin and the others, thanks to the sacrifice of a certain person, he was able to free himself and regain consciousness. After that, even though Cedric underwent treatment, he still continued to suffer from disharmony of soul and body, and did not restore his physical strength because of this. But as planned, he was enrolled in " Thors Officers Academy». However… in a year Cedric becomes a completely different person, full of confidence and strength. |
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Alfin Rice ArnorAge: 17 The eldest daughter of Emperor Yugent III, who is the twin of Crown Prince Cedric. Has an angelic appearance and is very popular among the inhabitants of the empire. Has a mischievous personality, similar to that of his older brother Olivet. Likes to play pranks on his best friend Elisha and her brother Rin and watch their reactions. During the civil war in the empire, it was briefly captured by " Alliance of Nobles', but was saved by Rin. Contributed to the end of the civil war as a symbol of the cruiser "Brave". After the civil war in the empire, she, along with Elisha, moved to the senior class of the school. She began to worry about her brother Cedric, who became like a different person, and the cold attitude towards her from her older brother Olivert and the Wander family. |
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Rufus AlbareaAge: 29 Eldest son of the Duke of Albarea, one of the "four great families" and the first governor-general of the Imperial-annexed autonomous region of Crossbell. During the civil war in the Empire between the "Reformist Faction" and the "Nobles Faction", he commanded the army " Alliance of Nobles”, but his true identity is the head of the Children of Ironblood, who directly reports to the representative of the leader of the Reformist Fraction, Chancellor Osborn. Using Altina, which was lent to him " black workshop", as well as beneficially directing " Alliance of Nobles he eventually led them to be seen as "traitors". After the civil war in the Empire, having combined the forces of the Imperial regular army and the army of the provinces, he led the "army to conquer Crossbell" in the blink of an eye, captured it without a drop of blood, and also completely suppressed the invasion of the Kalvard Republic army, thereby contributing to the annexation of Crossbell to the territory of the Eribonian Empire. |
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Gilias OsborneAge: 54 The representative of the government of the Eribonia Empire is also known throughout the Zemuria mainland as the "Militarist Chancellor". Since he took office, Osborn has promoted various kinds of modernization, as well as the development of a railway network throughout the Empire and the annexation of nearby areas. This course, nicknamed as the “Reformist Faction”, on the one hand was met by the people with great enthusiasm, but on the other hand, hostile to the ruling nobles, which led to an unstable situation within the empire. Meanwhile, the army Alliance of Nobles”, Taking advantage of the fact that Osborne received a bullet during his speech, began the capture of the capital, which led to a civil war. And ... at the very end of the civil war, for an implicit reason, the surviving Osborne, taking advantage of the confusion, captured the plan " illusory flame promoted by the secret organization Ouroboros while revealing to someone the shocking truth that he is his father. |
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Claire RiveldAge: 26 Major for Special Assignments in the Imperial Regular Army and Railway Gendarmerie, and one of the "Ironblood Children". She is nicknamed the "Ice Maiden" because she has unsurpassed ability to control the squads deployed throughout the railway areas of the Empire and command them like her limbs, no worse than an orbmental computing device. During the Imperial Civil War, she bravely protected the life of Chancellor Osborn, helped Rin and his friends, and made efforts to reorganize the regular army of the Empire. She was praised for commanding the army and recapturing the capital during the counter-offensive, and at only 25 she was promoted to major and was entrusted with the command of detachments located in all areas of the Empire, including the Crossbell region. Along with the establishment of the second branch of the Tors Clare Officers Academy, who went to Rivas to hand over the Derfling military armored train, she met Rin there for the first time since the Northern Military Company. |
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Lecter ArandorAge: 24 Major for Special Assignments of the Imperial Intelligence Agency, who also holds the title of Minister of Foreign Affairs. One of the "Ironblood Children", who at first glance looks like an irresponsible and careless young man, but using any means in informal negotiations and various kinds of preparation, he achieves results, for which he received the nickname "Scarecrow". During the civil war, he took refuge in Crossbell, which declared its independence. By assisting Kalvard Republic intelligence officials, Crossbell's police force and his "Special Support Section" at the same time contributed to President Crossbell's loss of power. Since the end of the Imperial Civil War, he has often appeared before Rin as an intelligence officer in various areas of the Empire to relay orders to the Ash Knight from the Imperial government. |
Members of the girls' school "Saint Astrea"
Eliza SchwarzerAge: 17 The eldest daughter of Baron Schwarzer and sister Rina, whose hallmarks are charming black hair and a calm atmosphere. Attends girls' school Saint Astrea”, located in the capital of the empire, and also has close friendly relations with Princess Alfin. She loves her older brother Rin more than her brother and trusts him completely. During the empire's civil war, she supported Rin when he lost his purpose in life. After the civil war in the empire, she moved to the senior class of a girls' school and, on the recommendation of others, took the position of student council president. Looking after his brother "Ash Chevalier" Rin, revered as a hero, he tries his best to support his friend Alfina, who is worried about her brothers Olivert and Cedric. |
Special Class VII Officer Academy Thors
Alice RainfordAge: 20 Head's daughter Rainford Group, the largest manufacturer of heavy industry in the empire of Eribonia. Studied in special class VII Officer Academy Thors and was Rin's classmate. During training, helping to solve various incidents, she became very friendly with the rest of the students. After graduation, she decided to help manage the Rainford Group. With the support of grandfather Gwin, who acted as a consultant, as well as Sharon's servant, Alice actively studied management and trained as a senior manager. After that, she was appointed head of the development of a new combat orbment " ARCUS II» and groups for the development of orbment staves. With thoughts of her friends whom she vowed to meet again, as well as Rina, Alice spends her days as a negotiator with the Epstein Group and military academies in various regions of the Empire. |
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Eliot KrugAge: 19 The eldest son of "Red Kreg", a brave general in the army of Eribonia, as well as a young man with a brilliant musical sense. Initially, he wanted to be a musician, but because of his father's disapproval of this, he abandoned this idea. Enrolled in Special Class VII Officer Academy Thors where he met Rin and the others. After graduation, with the permission of his father, Eliot entered Imperial Music School and concentrating on the classroom, he graduated a year later. Debuting and thus fulfilling his cherished desire, Eliot, as a professional musician, went on tour in various areas of the Empire, looking for a way to lead people to peace through music. |
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Laura S. ArseidAge: 20 Daughter of the Viscount Arseid family, a prominent military family in the Eribonia Empire. From an early age, he has been studying the technique of fencing Arseid. In Special Class VII, along with Rin, who also chose the path of the sword, she tirelessly worked on herself and became very good friends with him. After graduating to explore the depths of Arseid's style, she trained with her father Victor and became a master at 19. After that, having received the qualification of "assistant instructor", Laura decides to go on a training trip to various areas of the Empire to improve her combat skills. While honing her skills, she looks for signs of an Ouroboros organization attempting to operate within the Empire. |
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Yousis AlbareaAge: 20 The second son of the Duke of Albarei, one of the "four great families", as well as the brother of Rufus Albarei, who leads the former autonomous region of Crossbell. He suffers from being the child between a noble and a commoner, but thanks to meeting Rin, who is in a similar situation, he became very friendly with the rest of the students of Special Class VII. After graduation, instead of his brother and father, who were on the side of the nobles, in young age becomes deputy lord of the lands and decides to restore his possessions located in the region of Bariahard. Meanwhile, feeling uneasy and rapidly mounting pressure on the nobles, as well as the dismissal of the Varden family and the forced tax reform, Jusis begins to secretly contact the other "four great families". |
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Machias RegnitzAge: 20 The son of the governor of the capital of the empire, an influential person in the government of the empire. A workaholic who is strict with himself and others. Due to events in the past, he strongly hated the noble system, but after coming into contact with Rin, Yusis, and the rest of Special Class VII, he built strong trusting relationships unrelated to social status. After graduation, deciding to go a different path than his father and Chancellor Osborne, he enters a political institute . With all the seriousness and skill that he inherited from his father, in just one year he completed the entire necessary course of study. At the age of 19, Machias entered the Institute of Judicial Inspection and, during his work monitoring various areas of the Empire, noticed "a certain political course" outlined by Chancellor Gilias Osborne. |
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Phi KlassellAge: 17 A former huntsman known as "The Sylph". After the dissolution of the brigade in which Fi was a member due to the death of its leader, at the suggestion of a member Guild Bracers Sarah, Fi was forcibly enrolled in Class VII in which she matured a lot as she led her student life. During the civil war in the empire, she again met with her former members of the brigade, who, leaving the cryptic words about the "return of the leader", disappeared. In order to understand the meaning of these words, as well as reflecting on what she can do for Class VII, Fi decides to become a member of the imperial after graduation. Guild Bracers. With the support of Sarah and Toval, she qualified and became an official member of the guild at the age of 16 and currently works in tandem with Sarah both inside and outside the empire. |
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Emma MillsteinAge: 20 A member of the "Hexenblid" family of witches that continues to exist in the shadow of the Eribonia Empire. She was the Class VII Head Girl and also the one who helped Rin activate the Ash Knight. Although during the civil war in the empire she again managed to meet her sister Vita Clotilde, the "apostle of the second pillar", from whom there was no news, but because of the cunning of Chancellor Osborne, Clotilde was defeated and again disappeared from sight. After the civil war and graduation from the academy, Emma is determined to find Clotilde. Emma, who studied the techniques and history of the empire in her homeland from the "head", in search of Clotilde, sets off on a journey through ancient places built by witches and spirits of the earth. |
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Guy WorzelAge: 20 A young man from the nomadic people "Nord", who ardently believe in the wind and the goddess, and hails from the Nord Plateau, located in the north of the Eribonia Empire. For the sake of protecting his homeland, as well as to expand his horizons, he is enrolled in the special class of the VII Academy as a foreign student, where he found a second homeland and important friends for himself. After the civil war, after promising to meet Rin and the others again, Guy travels back to the Nord Plateau, where the danger of war is once again approaching. As spontaneous battles erupt between the Kalvard Republic, defeated at Crossbell, and the Eribonian Empire, Gaius watches over the safety of the Nord people, but... For some reason, there is no possibility of communication between Gaius and the other members of Special Class VII. |
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Millium OrionAge: 15 A simple-minded girl who is a member of the Empire's reconnaissance unit and uses silver combat armor in her work " Agatram». She is also one of the "Children Ironblood” and has the call sign “White Rabbit”. Before the civil war, on assignment, she was enrolled in a special class VII Officer Academy Thors where she made friends and spent unforgettable days. After graduating from the academy, she returned to work as an agent. While occasionally on missions with Altina, she keeps in touch with her friends from Special Class VII. |
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CelineAge: ?? A black talking cat with charming and elegant fur. It is a cat familiar used by the witches of Hexenbleed. Has an impersonality and her job is to "keep an eye" on Emma. Initially, her task was to make sure that Rin had the qualifications to activate the Ash Knight, but during the civil war in the Empire, she accompanied Rin, who was left alone, and helped him as a partner for some time. After the civil war, she and Emma returned to the witches' settlement. In search of the missing Vita, Clotilde went with Emma to various areas of the empire, built by witches and earth spirits. |
Ouroboros
"Clown" CampanellaAge: ?? Enforcer No. 0, who was again sent by the "master" to the empire of Eribonia due to the stop of the plan promoted by the Ouroboros organization " illusory flame». He looks like a mischievous boy, but for some reason for a long time his appearance has not changed at all and his real age is unknown. In order to counter Chancellor Gilias Osborne, who took over the plan " illusory flame”, collaborating with Enforcer Shirley, who leads the Red Constellation hunting squad, as well as the 13th Workshop, causing unrest in various areas of the empire. And also again passes the "request" to a certain member of the organization, which has been inactive for a long time. |
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"Eternal Flame" McBurnAge: ?? Enforcer No. I of the Ouroboros organization. He has the nickname "Eternal Flame" due to his ability to freely control the flame. Although he is considered the strongest enforcer in the organization, his character is very unpredictable. Often appears lethargic and sometimes arbitrarily abandons tasks. After a one-on-one death match against Viscount Arseid, known as the "master of the sword of light", unfolding during the civil war, feeling "hungry" he continues to search for someone who can surpass him. |
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"Scarlet Demon" Shirley OrlandoAge: 18 Enforcer No. XVII in the Ouroboros organization. Obsessed with battles and finds pleasure during the battle. Two years ago, as commander of a detachment of rangers " red constellation, raided the former Crossbell Autonomous Region, engaging in fierce battles against the Crossbell police, as well as the "Special Support Department" in which her cousin Randolph Orlando served. After that, she joined the organization, accepting an invitation from the "apostle of the third pillar." Acting as the commander of the Red Constellation, he also performs various tasks as an enforcer of the organization. Having infiltrated the empire on behalf of the "apostle of the third pillar" to return the plan " illusory flame”, Shirley is all excited with the anticipation of a new war. |
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"Steel Maiden" ArianrodAge: ?? One of the members of the top leadership of the "Ouroboros" "the apostle of the seventh pillar." Leads the elite squad of Valkyries "Stachritter". Known in the underworld as a noble warrior with incredible skills. Wears silver armor and wields a huge cavalry spear. She bears a close resemblance to the hero Liana Sandlot, who fought 250 years ago in the "War of the Lions", but few know the truth about their connection. By using plan return " illusory flame” as a pretext, leading her detachment, personally penetrated the empire. It seems she, unlike Campanella and the others, has a completely different goal. |
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"Swift" DuvalierAge: 23 Valkyrie, commander of the Stachritter Squad, which is directly under the command of the Steel Maiden. Although it is not inferior in strength to the licensed "enforcers", but due to too fanatical worship of its mistress, the "Steel Maiden" "works on idle" and therefore other members of the organization often tease her. During the civil war in the empire, she collaborated with the nobles and more than once got in the way of Rin. For some reason, he openly competes with the daughter of Viscount Arseid Laura. By order of his mistress, in order to return the plan stolen by Chancellor Gilias Osborne " illusory flame”restarted its activities in the territory of the empire. |
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"Unwavering" InesAge: 23 Valkyrie, assistant to Duvalier, commander of the Stachritter detachment. Although she is a woman, her height and physique exceed 180 reg. Freely swings a huge halberd due to its strength. Just like Duvalier, she swore absolute loyalty to the “Steel Maiden” and will faithfully fulfill her duty no matter what happens. He attaches great importance to improving his skills and is interested in the Arseid style, with the owners of which the commander Duvalier crossed the sword during the civil war. |
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Ennia's "Demonic Bow"Age: 24 A seductive valk who uses a bow and, like Ines, acts as an assistant to Duvalier, the commander of the Stachritter squad. Like other Valkyries, she is enamored with the Maid of Steel, but occasionally teases Duvalier, whose feelings for her mistress are too pure. She is proficient in the "Demonic Bow" ability, which gives her 100% hit on the target and the ability to change the trajectory of the arrow in flight. Using this ability, he provides support to Duvalier and Ines, who are fighting on the front lines. |
Behind the Scenes
"Azure" SiegfriedAge: ?? A mysterious young man who hides his face behind a mask, wears a blue coat and uses two pistols. He seems to belong to an organization different from the Imperial Army, Ouroboros and Jaegers. As a representative of someone unknown appears in various areas of the Empire and monitors the actions second division Rivas and other forces. His appearance resembles the "one person" of the old Class VII that Rin and the others spent unforgettable days with, but... |
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"Scarlet" RoseliaAge: ?? A girl whose hallmarks are floor-length golden hair and an archaic way of speaking. Appears in various areas of the Empire and contacts Rin, but her purpose and motives are completely unknown. She seems to know that Rin is an "ash activator" and sometimes appears in front of him, leaving clues of various kinds. With her golden hair and scarlet eyes, she resembles the vampire "Rose" who was the heroine of the novel "Red Moon Rosé" based on an incident in the capital of the Empire 200 years ago, but... |
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Vita ClotildeAge: 26 The witch "Hexenblida", as well as the "Apostle of the second pillar" in the secret organization Ouroboros and having the nickname "Azure Abyss" in it. In order to implement the plan illusory flame" during the civil war, using " Alliance of Nobles set the scene for the decisive battle between the two "divine knights" Rin and Crow. But due to the out-of-control Count Caen, who mixed up all plans, the discovery of the "Scarlet Knight" and the loss of Crowe, as well as the capture by Chancellor Osborne of the plan " illusory flame». Entrusting the remains to Crow Ryn and his company, Clotilde disappeared from sight and for some unknown reason severed contact with Ouroboros. Deftly avoiding pursuit Intelligence units empires and Railway Military Police she alone is trying to find out the real state of affairs of the "Black Workshop" and the true face of Chancellor Osborn. |
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"King of the Jaegers" Rutger KlassellAge: 50 Veteran and pupil of Fi, who once led a group of rangers " West Wind Brigade” and having the nickname “King of the Jaegers”. A determined man with abilities that surpass the top gamekeepers combined. He has high fighting ability thanks to his "Buster Glav" weapon, adapted to any battle, and is known among other huntsmen for his incredible "phantom" strategy. However, a few years ago, in the fierce battle that unfolded between “ red constellation" And " West Wind Brigade”, hired by opposing clients, at the end of the battle, Rudger in a one-on-one battle with the enemy leader dealt a death blow to each other and the battle ended in a draw. Rutger breathed his last in front of Fi and the other members of the brigade, after which it was believed that the members " West Wind Brigades"Scattered in all directions, but ... |
P.S. I'm not sure about the names, so if anyone corrects I would be extremely grateful.
P.S.S. The article will be updated as information is updated on the official website of the game.
It is not always possible to clearly express one's feelings from acquaintance with this or that work of human imagination and labor. Sometimes a couple of hours is enough to be filled with a lot of different feelings and emotions, and sometimes you spend a lot of time on some product and realize that it has not given you anything. And in general, the result of immersion in a particular world is a very unpredictable thing, it is rarely possible to clearly predict what will suit your taste, and what will remain only a handful of not the most pleasant memories.
And sometimes it even happens that the product turns out to be very controversial, in other words, it is able to induce completely contradictory feelings inside you, but, in general, you will be satisfied. And more than satisfied.
This is how you can describe - briefly, but not entirely clear - my acquaintance with the Legends of Heroes, namely, Traces of Cold Steel ...
The game is a representative of the beloved genre of Japanese role-playing game with turn-based battles of party characters. And I’ll break the intrigue right away - everything is very good here. Except for a couple of moments.
The game immediately offers a choice of difficulty of battles, a choice of four modes. I missed the first three right away, because why are they needed if there is a Nightmare difficulty mode ... It sounds strong, it flies even stronger on the faces of the characters.
And, to reiterate, everything is really good here. Almost every fight forces you not only to beat the enemy with your feet and hands, but to actively use almost all the means available to you to survive and, more preferably, defeat the enemy. Boss fights are often a real test for you, the resolution of which can bring a truly pleasant feeling from the overcome obstacles and obstacles.
But there is, as one very well-known anecdote says, one nuance ...
Each enemy has its own characteristics and degree of resistance to the many status effects presented in the game, which you can always see in the description of the enemy you have chosen. And the problem is that two different opponents with the same specified resistance to some effect react completely, diametrically differently to your attempts to impose these effects. And this often leads to very disastrous consequences, because you, trying to coordinate your actions, relying on these certificates, crash and do not understand why this happened, because you seem to be able to distinguish between poisoning and stunning attacks and could not confuse statuses ...
At some points, the game resembles some other products of the same Japanese digital industry. Before continuing the thought, I note that the main characters of this game are students of the military academy. And that's why it was quite funny to see elements of the latest games in the Persona series, when you are required to answer correctly to question asked, which is closely related to the lore of the game itself. Knowledge of our own history or literature will not work here, so either memorize the information coming from dialogues and other sources, or rely on Mrs. Fortuna.
Separately, I would like to mention the music, which is not to say that it caused some incredible sensations, but some compositions definitely incite nostalgic notes and memories of completely different games. For example, the main melody in the city where your academy is located, to me personally, strongly resembles the adventures of the little black wizard Vivi from the ninth part of Final Fantasy, when he came to the capital of Alexandria, full of bright hopes to see the world-famous performance “I want to be your canary ". Another melody is a bit, but still, reminiscent of a not so long-standing guest of the modern gaming world - Nier Automata. But that's it, funny little things.
But now, following my own words about the duality of sensations, the following should be noted, but first, a small remark: the following things that I will talk about are not of the most serious nature, in other words, they do not reflect the quality of the game - the quality that, as many know, it varies greatly from person to person, because everyone has their own taste, this is only the result of my feelings. But, by the way, if you read what I write for you (well, for myself, it’s a sin to hide) and this article is not the first from me for you, then you know that I’m here and doing exactly what I describe your own feelings, which in no way should and should not arise when you get acquainted with exactly the same product of the gaming industry.
Well, back to our sheep. No, I won't quote anything. And I'm not kidding. There is not always a desire to perceive the main characters in a different way. I can't say that they are hopelessly stupid children, but there are two reasons for my reaction and my words. But let's, again, about everything in order.
Reason number one is dialogue. In a nutshell, sometimes there is an incredibly strong feeling that you are playing a game about talking. The characters love to talk very much - and to me, as an introvert, who, often, can explain everything quickly and concisely (however, a person who cannot, well, simply does not see life fills in, so as not to clog the text with huge amounts of definitely unnecessary turns ), it's very difficult to listen to all this. And it's not always interesting. But this is not the main problem of dialogues. How to say... The problem is that the characters talk. And they do it not just always, when possible, but even when it would definitely be worth it to shut up and do things.
No kidding, at some point in time I sincerely wondered why a lackey with folding chairs, a table and a tea set did not follow the characters. A dangerous criminal took hostages and ran away? We need to talk to our comrades! Are you surrounded by ruthless monsters and attacking you? We need to talk about it. It definitely gives the impression that the unfortunate children outside of screen time are simply gagged, and their talkativeness simply cannot find a way to be realized. Sometimes it breaks all the boundaries of decency, and in moments when a single movement can save everything and everyone, the guys decide - are you ready? - they decide to arrange a tasty, inimitable in its improbability and timeliness conversation.
Point number two can be considered definitely less significant, but, to some extent, it is very related to the first, and if you think logically, it is the very cause of the problem I described above. So, I'm talking about the intelligence of heroes. And no, I don't mean that the characters here are outright idiots. But at the same time, I don't like it when the game thinks I'm an idiot. And in general, blatant stupidity is not a pleasant sight. In general, I'm talking now just about not the most logical and smart actions of in-game characters. Sometimes, looking at the screen, you are seriously trying to understand what went wrong and how it came to be. I was almost shaking from the illogicality of certain events. As someone who is somewhat involved in storytelling, I can understand the reasons for this - stupid actions make it easier to develop a story and create a dangerous situation for the characters, which, in general, is not bad for a game that has a good, really good combat system. . But I'm far from being a child who takes everything at face value and you won't take me like that. And if a character, having definitely decided to play the fool, starts doing outrageous stupidity, I take it very, very badly. I would even say hot. The duck is on fire.
Perhaps you, my dear readers, might have the impression that the game is hopelessly bad, terrible, unbearable ... But this is not entirely true. I'll tell you a secret, but I don't write about games that I didn't like. The reason for this is one and very simple - it will be insultingly short texts, in which, by and large, you can’t say much either, because a game that doesn’t bring you pleasure can hardly boast that you played it for a long time.
Based on what has just been said, we come to the conclusion that I liked the game. To be honest, there are few opportunities in it, but the combat system, for a long time of my playing practice in classic Japanese role playing challenged me, keeps me in this world for more than a dozen hours.
Speaking about the lack of in-game features, I mean the following - the most banal thing that catches your eye is cosmetics. And I'm not talking about the costumes that are here, oh surprise, there is, I'm talking about another, very important for me, details - weapons. The game features many playable characters, each of them has an individual means for self-defense and attack. But it doesn't change. There are a lot of older and, at the same time, more famous games where this detail was given due attention - many parts of Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, the same Persona - weapons changed their appearance when you found or bought new ones. It's not here and it's a shame. This is a trifle, but important for me personally.
There is also very little action with the environment. And no, I do not think that fishing and a couple of clickable interior elements in the library can be considered a sufficient amount of action. I'm talking about more possibilities for the same hidden object. Let's remember the eighth part of the Dragon Quest series, which is wonderful in this regard - there you could come to someone's house and climb into the closet, shake everything out of the barrels, look into the chamber pot (no, I made it up), put your playful hands into the hanging on wall duffel bag. Well, it wouldn't be hard to do that. In other games - also very old ones, you could simply click through each element of the environment in search of a cherished secret - the same endings, or, say, The Legend of the Dragoon ...
Perhaps I would remember something else, but I won't. For if it didn't catch my eye, then it's not such an important element, or at least a pleasant combat system is enough to turn a blind eye to a lot. Yes, I think it is.
Summing up, I can say the following - someday I will get to the second part of the Traces of Cold Steel. There I also, something tells me, will ignite and for the same reasons that I described above, but I also think that the pleasure that I will get from the game will cover all these unpleasant incidents. And even more, I expect that there will be so many pleasant sensations that I will have an irresistible desire to write about them ...
Well, class Seven, let's suffer some more, how do you like the idea? ..
Rean wakes up at the crash site of his Divine Knight Valimar on some snow covered mountains, unsure of where he is or how long he has been out. He is alone, save for the companionship of a talking cat who goes by Celine who is able to fill the gaps in his memory. After Rean is able to ascertain his location as being near his home village, he and Celine make the trek down to more familiar and hospitable surroundings, only to find his fighting strength is not quite where it should be. This is how begins and Rean's quest to be reunited with his colleagues in Class VII. Every attempt was made in this review to not contain any spoilers from the first title, though certain events may be vaguely hinted.
There are some sequels that bear almost no connection to their predecessor, with the exception of the title and some recurring elements or characters. This is not one of those sequels. While playing the first Trails of Cold Steel is not a requirement it is strongly recommended. For starters The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II begins one month after the conclusion of Trails of Cold Steel, with Rean's predicament being a direct result of those events making this title a direct continuation of the story. Players who have completed the first game may import their data into this one and it will have an impact on the experience, much like a popular sci-fi trilogy some doctors turned game developers are known for. Importing data will grant certain bonuses to the player as well as carrying over DLC costumes, but more importantly the relationships that were shaped by decisions will impact events in the sequel, leading for more personalized conversations with the party members.
For those who have not experienced the first title and want to dive right into Trails of Cold Steel II their experience will still be a positive one. Glimpses into the events of the previous game are gradually shown throughout the story progression and there is a primer for the events leading up to this title in the main menu. However, these tools are more useful as a refresher course for what happened in the previous game, for bringing a newcomer up to speed they get the job done but only in the most rudimentary way. As a stand alone title, Trails of Cold Steel II is a great time, but completing the first game will lead to a much richer experience.
Much like its predecessor, this is a JRPG with an immense emphasis on story development. The prologue alone is over three hours in length, and the majority of this is spent reacquainting Rean with the people he grew up with and interacted in his previous adventure. While the prologue focuses on setting up the story over exploration and battle, the plot moves at a pace that is able to maintain the player’s interest. The characters, while somewhat falling victim to fitting certain RPG archetypes, are developed and nuanced enough to be memorable and worth caring about. As Rean talks to the various people he develops his plan to find the other members of Class VII which shapes up to a journey with numerous distant destinations. Rean and the other party members’ dialog keep him on track by correcting him if he tries to venture off the beaten path in a way that is contrary to the objective at hand. This does force some linearity into the game’s progression, but this device to block off certain areas of the map for plot reasons related feels much less artificial that what has been done in other titles.
Enemies are visible on the map and can be avoided (sometimes) if the player does not wish to fight. The battle system is in many ways a traditional turn based affair that is common for RPGs but it is one of the more complex ones. Technically, there are two main different battle approaches but we will get to the second one in a little bit. The “normal” battle system is Rean and company against a group of enemies. Everyone can do the basic attack that costs nothing and depending on the equipment damages one enemy or may have a small area of effect. In addition to that there are two different menus of special attacks that use different types of resources, EP and CP. EP is essentially magic, or MP in countless RPGs. This is a finite amount of points that are used to power special attacks associated with orbs that can be equipped called arts. EP can either be restored by resting or using an EP replenishing item. CP is used for crafts, which are special techniques that add element damage to an attack or provide a status buff. CP has a maximum limit of 200, and it is gained by inflicting and receiving damage. A special craft attack that is extremely powerful becomes available when a character's CP reaches 100 but this attack consumes all CP. This attack is even more powerful if executed when CP is at max, so the debate of using many CP versus saving up for an ultra attack is one factor in developing a battle strategy.
It is possible to link one character to another, which will allow the second character to perform an additional attack if the first character's attack knocks the enemy off balance. Having characters link does allow their bond to increase which can unlock more powerful combinations. There is no downside to having characters linked so it is advisable to have each member linked to someone at all times. The link system is old hat to those who completed the first game, but it has been upgraded with the new overdrive mode. When this mode is activated, the player may attack for three turns in a row with the linked characters and all arts will have an instant casting time. The overdrive function is not so overpowered it makes any encounter an instant victory but during the review process it has led to a favorable turnaround in more than one losing battle.
The second battle format mentioned above is when Rean takes control of Valimar to battle other mechs. These battles require a different strategic approach. When battling another giant mech, Valimar can target the head, arms, or body. This works like a game of rock paper scissors where depending on the enemy’s stance a certain target can knock the enemy off balance, which allows Valimar to deliver an extra attack. Learning this strategy can make all the difference in this type of battle as most battles seemed to give the enemy an advantage if each round only resulted in one hit.
Traveling across the land of Erebonia on foot all the time can become tiresome to a young hero trying to make his mark on history. fortunately Trails of Cold Steel II offers a few different means of conveyance. This may not be the first RPG to ever offer the use of a personal airship for the party to use but having a flying boat to quickly move from one location to the next is never an unwelcome travel option. This may not be the most stylish form of transport, especially since Rean seems to be in that edgy teenage phase so to complete that image he will eventually get access to a customizable orbal bike aka a motorcycle powered by orbs instead of petroleum. And since this is a world of machine guns and giant mechs yet a sword seems to be the hero’s weapon of choice, to complete the medieval throwback transportation we have horseback as a swift travel option. The American Humane Association can confirm that no animals were harmed in the playing of this game, so the horses may be ridden without guilt.
This is a two year old game that was released for the previous console generation so that needs to be taken into consideration when judging the graphics. Naturally with any two year old game the graphics are showing signs of its age and new console generations excel at pointing out the limitations of the previous generation. All that being said, this is still a great looking game with interesting character and creature designs. The Playstation 3 might be getting near the end of its life cycle but it still has some respectable graphic prowess in today’s market, especially when it comes to games with an anime inspired art directions. The soundtrack is another area where this title excels, it is contemporary and unique but shows hints of influence from classic RPGs such as older Final Fantasties and titles from the Ys series. The elements are so subtle, and while not directly sounding like the music is lifted from those games there are but hints of these RPGs hidden in the musical undertones paying homage to what came before.
Cross save functionality is supported between the Playstation 3 and Vita, which is always a plus when debating buying about the same game on two different systems. Loading times are negligibly faster on the Playstation 3 but neither version has a significant advantage over the other, and while having the option to play on the go or at the home TV is nice most people are likely only going to get this title on one platform . Because the two formats are comparable in overall quality, it is recommended to choose which one based on whether you prefer the Vita or Playstation 3. One final plus is Trails of Cold Steel II is not a slave to the archaic save point, allowing the freedom to save the game pretty much anywhere outside of a battle.
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