Game Commentary: Trails of Cold Steel IV

Finally, the conclusion to a tale spanning 4 games with an overarching plot spanning 9. Trails of Cold Steel IV concludes a saga that will long be remembered as one of the best video game epics ever made and have solidified the series as one of the best among my list of JPRGs. 

CS4 continues where CS3 left off with only a month or two between them. Fans of the series will know that the plot from there is as straight forward as it gets. The final showdown between Chancellor Osborne and Rean Schwarzer is nigh. Class VII and allies will have to unite against the threat of the curse-ridden Empire, Ouroboros, the Jaegers and the remaining awakeners of the 7 Divine Knights. This is a no holds barred march from one extreme to the next. This is the final battle for Class VII. 

Or so I say because Hajimari no Kiseki literally takes place right after the end of CS4. It serves as more of an epilogue of sorts though since it’s a standalone title while the Calvard series starts sometime in 2021. 

CS4 plays a lot like CS2 where you travel around an airship doing important story stuff while still having the time to help the local grocer get that ever elusive herb. It’s a little jarring what with impending war and all that but at this point, does it really matter? You know and love the characters. The gameplay is great. The music is wonderful. It’s about being able to suspend disbelief until after everything is said and done. I tend to appreciate these quiet moments especially because whenever the plot rolls, it really digs its claws in. It’s the final game after all. They have to tie up all loose ends. 

Except Campanella. That guy is still as annoying as ever. 

The gameplay here is basically like CS3 with some altered skill sets and orders. Nothing is really added coming into this title unlike the previous games but since this game is more of a continuation to where CS3 left off, it makes sense. It doesn’t detract you from the experience to adapt to any new gameplay mechanics. The gameplay is great fun as was proven before but the plot takes center stage this time around. Vantage Masters, fishing and cooking all make a return. You even get to play ‘Pom!’! 

These are all complementary to the main drive however. Every step of the way, the plot pushes you forward because you want to know what happens to your beloved characters, you want to know how they’re going to stop the war and you truly just want to see Rufus Albarea get socked by his younger brother. 

The bigger mechanic to mention here should be the bonding system. Back once more, the bonding system pits Rean against his classmates to see how much he cares about them (or vice versa). This time around however every girl be thirsting for my main man here. The romantic subplot crossing between each game will finally get its conclusion so there is actually somewhat of a focus to pair Rean up with someone. Whether or not it meets your expectations by the end, I’ll leave that to you. 

I picked Alisa. 

Another big addition to this game would probably be the fan servicing. I’m not even kidding to categorise it that way. The guest battles with other characters stretching Erebonia, Liberl and Crossbell is nothing short of amazing. They were aiming for an Avengers-like roster with the same sort of hype and I’d say they did a damn good job at that. You play a staggering 39 characters in the game and while I’ve seen some people complain about the ‘lack of character development’ because of such a large roster, I’m left wondering how these players even perceived these games up until now. We had two whole games with Lloyd. How much more development do they want? 

The guest characters don’t just come and go. Well actually they do. What I’m trying to say is that the set-up feels very natural and induces meaning to an otherwise obvious throwaway fanservice moment. They’ve laid the foundation since Trails in the Sky way back when, so incorporating characters from that series all the way up to this game makes a lot of sense and doesn’t feel cheap or exploitative. 

Now since the meat of the entire game is the plot, how is it? In a word: excellent. I’ve been following these characters for years now and have solidified myself as a spectral member of Class VII. How can I not support and cheer them on through every step of the way? Old or new, both Class VIIs end their stories here and the game effectively delivers on everything they’ve been setting up since Trails in the Sky. Events from a game more than a decade old resurface as every story beat splices together to form this crazy yet coherent tale of greed, lost, love and heroism. The series has built a world so fully realised that I shudder to think how they may conceptualise the rest of the universe with future games. 

To partake in such a grand epic in this world was, dare I say, an experience. 

I give this game a perfect score not because it’s great as a standalone but because it wraps up a saga I hold dear to my heart. One I wish I can experience again (no, that would eat up all my time) and one I hope many people come to discover. 

I cannot wait for the next arc in the Trails series. To Calvard we go!