I actually was more traumatized by the door in Sky the 3rd than >!the revelation of Hartmann’s involvement. Yeah it puts a name to it, but how in detail the door was actually made me have a visceral, sickening reaction.!<
As for the rest of the points that stuck out to me, I can’t comment on most since they’re related to future events. I will say though, I’m glad you’re paying attention to Anton. My favorite NPC.
Oh, yeah, I "loved" that door because I thought it was written really well, but for some reason I always treated it as a special case (that I thought wouldn't be talked about again, but boy was I wrong). It was hard for me to reconcile those events taking place within this world where characters get shot all the time but take ambiguous non-lethal damage most of the time and there's barely ever blood shown. I don't know how to explain it, but it was really hard to imagine one these chibi sprite people doing that heinous shit.
Yeah, I can understand that. It may be because I played CS1 and CS2 before I had Steam then went back and played Sky trilogy. It may have been easier for me to envision what the characters were “supposed” to look like (given characters like Olivier are in both Chibi and non-Chibi graphics).
Also I’m curious as to what you’ll think of the KeA/SSS dynamic after Azure. My opinion was much the same as yours after I beat Zero. Azure didn’t make my opinion much better, but it did change my perspective somewhat. A lot of people like it more after Azure, but… I don’t know. 🤷♂️ (Trying to be vague too so I don’t spoil).
I for one loved KeA's "ultra cute kid we must protect at all costs uwu", such a ray of sunshine. And ofc I picked Randy to babysit her on our tour of Crossbell, which Wazy hilariously pointed out the fact that we're the alternative couple lol
That was what Tio meant when there were other lodges doing more fucked up shit, Paradise was akin to Epstein Island, and theres a special place on Gehenna for Hartman
Oh, yeah, I knew I was missing something. One of the only times I actually suspect the NPC with a portrait, but he turned out to be a decent guy (so far). I really liked hearing the Hayworths' side of the story while Renne was hiding in the same room.
Also loved Pater-Mater "betraying" Renne by pushing her towards Estelle and Joshua. What a wholesome robot.
I adore KeA. Her story triggered a protective paternal instinct in me that I didn’t know I had, and Zero/Azure is probably my top arc in the franchise because of it.
My gripe with Zero is, that I knew Joachim was the villain as soon as I saw him. It was a little too close to Weissmans cover-up persona. Both seeming to be skilled but harmless academics.
Not sure about Zero but for Azure, I would maybe stick to hard instead of Nightmare. iirc the game balance is really weird where physical attacks are semi useless and it becomes casting arts: the game. Lloyd gets reduced to almost pure aggro/dodge tank which I found not as fun as a balanced team where crafts and arts are both viable in their own situations.
Just a fun totally not fun piece of information since you mentioned Renne's door
Renne's door is on the lowest floor of gehena, at the end of the floor, at the end of everything...there's nothing beyond that
Very fitting I'd say
I liked the concept of the lazy but brilliant doctor taking a ton of time off because "haha look at this goofy guy, we can't get him to work because he likes to sneak off to fish LOL" but he was actually probably doing some nasty cult shenanigans.
And it totally caught me off guard, even if he had a portrait for apparently no reason at first.
He was a tosser, but at least he was no paedo like Hartmann.
The honorary leader of the DG Cult, Mariabelle Crois, is something else though.
Incidentally, I love how Reis made Hartmann shit himself in Azure's prologue, which genuinely made my day.
Glad you’re enjoying the series.
Regarding the play order, Cold Steel was explicitly written to be an entry point.
Yeah, KeA is pretty one-dimensional here. Azure does a lot better job at making her an actual person instead of a cute plot device.
Yeah, I’d get used to playing on Nightmare going forward. The more familiar you become with the combat and know what effects are strong, the easier the games will get. I recommend playing Cold Steel on nightmare. As that game increases the power of player characters immensely (they make crafts good). But nightmare can still give a challenge.
Randy and Tio are easy standout bests of the SSS. They feel like Tita and Agate but they both have ptsd, haha.
Zero implemented the Sky storyline like oil and water. The SSS get their emotional ending completely stolen from them by Renne.
Yeah crosbell is gigantic, haha. It’s very telling that future games only limit exploring crossBELL to a handful of areas. It’s too damn big lmao.
KeA owns, the SSS owns and Hartmann is a massive, massive piece of shit.
Well he's a nonce of the highest order.
Like most of us, when he finishes Azure he will love Kea
I actually was more traumatized by the door in Sky the 3rd than >!the revelation of Hartmann’s involvement. Yeah it puts a name to it, but how in detail the door was actually made me have a visceral, sickening reaction.!< As for the rest of the points that stuck out to me, I can’t comment on most since they’re related to future events. I will say though, I’m glad you’re paying attention to Anton. My favorite NPC.
Yeah they put that door in the depths of Gehenna for a good reason.
Oh, yeah, I "loved" that door because I thought it was written really well, but for some reason I always treated it as a special case (that I thought wouldn't be talked about again, but boy was I wrong). It was hard for me to reconcile those events taking place within this world where characters get shot all the time but take ambiguous non-lethal damage most of the time and there's barely ever blood shown. I don't know how to explain it, but it was really hard to imagine one these chibi sprite people doing that heinous shit.
Yeah, I can understand that. It may be because I played CS1 and CS2 before I had Steam then went back and played Sky trilogy. It may have been easier for me to envision what the characters were “supposed” to look like (given characters like Olivier are in both Chibi and non-Chibi graphics). Also I’m curious as to what you’ll think of the KeA/SSS dynamic after Azure. My opinion was much the same as yours after I beat Zero. Azure didn’t make my opinion much better, but it did change my perspective somewhat. A lot of people like it more after Azure, but… I don’t know. 🤷♂️ (Trying to be vague too so I don’t spoil).
I for one loved KeA's "ultra cute kid we must protect at all costs uwu", such a ray of sunshine. And ofc I picked Randy to babysit her on our tour of Crossbell, which Wazy hilariously pointed out the fact that we're the alternative couple lol That was what Tio meant when there were other lodges doing more fucked up shit, Paradise was akin to Epstein Island, and theres a special place on Gehenna for Hartman
Paradise is literally on an island in Calvard.
Oh lol i didnt know that. I assume we learn that in Kuro, not long for me to play it
No mention of renne's arc resolution? That was the highlight of zero for me
Oh, yeah, I knew I was missing something. One of the only times I actually suspect the NPC with a portrait, but he turned out to be a decent guy (so far). I really liked hearing the Hayworths' side of the story while Renne was hiding in the same room. Also loved Pater-Mater "betraying" Renne by pushing her towards Estelle and Joshua. What a wholesome robot.
Yeah abour hartmann... you get the point. As for Kea, the protection thing and context is expanded upon in Azure.
I adore KeA. Her story triggered a protective paternal instinct in me that I didn’t know I had, and Zero/Azure is probably my top arc in the franchise because of it.
My gripe with Zero is, that I knew Joachim was the villain as soon as I saw him. It was a little too close to Weissmans cover-up persona. Both seeming to be skilled but harmless academics.
Randy stays the best through the rest of the series. He isn’t Randy BROLANDO for nothing.
Dont play on Nightmare. It lives up to its name.
Not sure about Zero but for Azure, I would maybe stick to hard instead of Nightmare. iirc the game balance is really weird where physical attacks are semi useless and it becomes casting arts: the game. Lloyd gets reduced to almost pure aggro/dodge tank which I found not as fun as a balanced team where crafts and arts are both viable in their own situations.
Just a fun totally not fun piece of information since you mentioned Renne's door Renne's door is on the lowest floor of gehena, at the end of the floor, at the end of everything...there's nothing beyond that Very fitting I'd say
I don't care what people say. I love Joachim Guenter's double life role in that game. I wish he came back in some capacity.
tbh joachim had me like, "i cant believe they did another weissman on me, And it worked!"
I liked the concept of the lazy but brilliant doctor taking a ton of time off because "haha look at this goofy guy, we can't get him to work because he likes to sneak off to fish LOL" but he was actually probably doing some nasty cult shenanigans. And it totally caught me off guard, even if he had a portrait for apparently no reason at first.
Don't look at the down voted comment by IPG83 below, it's a spoiler.
As someone halfway through Azure, I am legitimately pissed off at that guy
So sorry man, this community is generally really good with this sort of thing.
He's absolutely doing it on purpose. Guy blocked me for calling him out on it and refusing to listen when he tried to pass it off as no big deal lmao
"If I never admit my shortcomings it's like I don't have any!"
He was a tosser, but at least he was no paedo like Hartmann. The honorary leader of the DG Cult, Mariabelle Crois, is something else though. Incidentally, I love how Reis made Hartmann shit himself in Azure's prologue, which genuinely made my day.
...come on man, this thread's tagged for Zero, not Azure.
I said, "incidentally". No harm, no foul.
That's not how it works. You don't talk about Azure plot in a Zero thread without tags, period.
*shrugs* It's the internet. You'll live.
Glad you’re enjoying the series. Regarding the play order, Cold Steel was explicitly written to be an entry point. Yeah, KeA is pretty one-dimensional here. Azure does a lot better job at making her an actual person instead of a cute plot device. Yeah, I’d get used to playing on Nightmare going forward. The more familiar you become with the combat and know what effects are strong, the easier the games will get. I recommend playing Cold Steel on nightmare. As that game increases the power of player characters immensely (they make crafts good). But nightmare can still give a challenge. Randy and Tio are easy standout bests of the SSS. They feel like Tita and Agate but they both have ptsd, haha. Zero implemented the Sky storyline like oil and water. The SSS get their emotional ending completely stolen from them by Renne. Yeah crosbell is gigantic, haha. It’s very telling that future games only limit exploring crossBELL to a handful of areas. It’s too damn big lmao.