As usual, support items can be bought from shops, as can the gear which will be slotted on their characters: weapons for offense, armor and boots for defense and two accessories for general purposes. This variability allows the two sides to vie for favourable turn bonuses, while attempting to force unfavourable ones onto the enemy.īefore the fighting begins, however, the player must prepare for battle through a thorough check of their equipment. Turn order is variable, depending on the combatants' SPD stat, as well as their choice of actions. Like previous games, Trails of Cold Steel features a 2D positional turn-based battle system, slightly modified by dispensing with classical grid-based movement, allowing the player to fine-tune the placement of characters during combat. The climax of each field study sees Class VII fighting an end-of-chapter boss as part of an attempt to stave off the immediate danger the various antagonists present.
THE LEGEND OF HEROES TRAILS OF COLD STEEL 3 US RELEASE DATE FREE
Typically, the group begins the field study with a set of sidequests similar to Rean's during his free day, and upon the completion of each set, the story advances and the political tension increases. Generally lasting most of the weekend, it is during this time that the meat of the story takes place, as Rean and company learn about the culture and politics unique to each location. Opponents range from strange orbal puppets to rivals in other classes, and while winning the battle on its own is all that is required to advance the story, additional in-battle restrictions provide additional tactical challenge, giving Rean the opportunity to net some extra AP.įield studies: On the Friday after the practical exam, Class VII is split into two groups, each of which goes to a different town or city across the empire in order to perform a field study. Practical exams: The Wednesday after the free day sees Instructor Sara test the mettle of Class VII with a practical exam. A dangerous boss awaits in these depths, and only upon defeating this boss will the story progress. The exploration party is tasked with making their way to the depths of each floor, dealing with monsters and ancient switch mechanisms on the way.
This building is a mysterious multi-floored dungeon, with one new floor becoming available to explore every month. Schoolhouse mysteries: At the end of each free day, Rean must select up to five other members of Class VII to help him with the exploration of the Old Schoolhouse. For more information on the link system, see the 'Battle System' subsection. There are five link levels from 1 to 5, and higher ranks bestow additional benefits to linked party members in battle. Spending these points will deepen the relationship between Rean and his person of choice in the form of link experience, an extension of a system first introduced in Trails from Zero. Each free day provides a limited number of bonding points, one of which is received in the evening. Cumulative AP represents Rean's overall success as a student, and there are 15 achievable ranks from B7 to A0, each providing an extra reward.īonding events: In addition to his duties as an honorary member of the Student Council, Rean can hang out with his classmates - among others - during free days, by spending bonding points. Some are required, others are optional and yet others are hidden, but all provide a reward as well as a number of academic points (AP). As such, each free day sees Rean completing a small number of sidequests on behalf of the council. Most students, including those from Class VII, use this time to engage in club activities, but Rean finds himself unwittingly roped into helping the Student Council with its tasks. Each cycle takes roughly one in-game month to complete, and all consist of the following:įree days: On the second-to-last Sunday of each month, Thors shuts down all classes and lets its students roam freely throughout the campus and its nearby town, Trista. What makes Cold Steel unique is its structured gameplay cycle that conforms to the days of the calendar. The overworld connects towns together to form the country of Erebonia, and functions similarly to a dungeon. Dungeons are visibly filled with monsters and treasure chests, and occasionally feature light puzzle elements that the player must solve in order to progress. Towns act as hub worlds places where the player can purchase weapons, armor and items for use in battle, as well as talk to NPCs to receive sidequests and information about the world they live in. Much like its predecessors, the player explores a 3D environment that alternates between towns, dungeons and the overworld. 3.2 Chapter 1: "Unconventional Studies".