How does this compare to Dragon Quest XI?

[rexbinary]

I'm fairly new to JRPGs. I really enjoy Dragon Quest XI on PC. Is this game like it?

[Val the Moofia Boss]

This series is notable because of its extensive worldbuilding. This game is actually one in a larger series called "The Legend of Heroes", also known as the "Trails" or "Kiseki" games. They take place in shared world in the wake of an industrial revolution that has thrown the balance of power into chaos. The series is broken up into arcs, and you can start at any of them. Yes, each arc ties into the larger overarching story, but ultimately each arc has a self contained story that has a definitive beginning, middle, and end. Each arc thoroughly establishes the setting and the characters, and gives you relevant information without spoiling the big moments of the previous games. At the end of the day, what matters most is that you enjoy what you play. Given that each game is upwards of sixty hours long (Cold Steel 1 took me 90 hours my first time, and Cold Steel 2 took me 80 hours), don't feel like you have to trudge through several "prerequsite games" just to play the game you were interested in in the first place. Start at whichever game appeals to you the most! :)

Trails in the Sky arc: First Chapter -> Second Chapter -> the 3rd
Follows a boy and a girl as they set out to become certified bracers (adventurers). As a very typical JRPG plot structure with a band of quirky sidekicks and ancient evil shenanigans. Has a heavy emphasis on adventure.

The Crossbell arc: Zero no Kiseki -> Ao no Kiseki
Follows a young man who has become a police officer in Crossbell city, a Hong Kong-esque state that is disputed by two rival superpowers. As he tries to crack down on crime, he also comes to become the guardian of a mysterious little girl. Has a heavy emphasis on politics.

The Cold Steel arc: Cold Steel 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4
Follows a young man who has become lost in the world, unable to find happiness or his place in the world. He decides to throw his life away and become an army officer, and enrolls at Thors Military Academy when his life is turned upside down by the political upheaval that soon consumes the country. Has a heavy emphasis on politics.

This is a heavily story focused game, with the game revolving around the main protagonist's inner struggle and the turmoil that is enveloping the Franco-Prussian-esque empire he lives in. There is no going from town to town; instead the game has a chapter based structure where each chapter, you will have a slice-of-life segment at school making friends and developing relationships (it's sounds similar to persona, but it's in actuality quite different), and then going out on a field study to a town or city in the empire, helping out the locals, learning about the history of the land and the heritage of your people, whilst getting tangled up in the developing crisis. I won't say more because I don't want to spoil you. I'd strongly encourage you to not look up this series on TV tropes or browse the wiki, as you will almost certainly be spoiled.

The combat is also very good, with characters have a wide range of flexibility when it comes to builds. It feels very fun to come out with new, gamebreaking strategies (this game is meant to be broken). As a result, the game can feel very easy, even on nightmare difficulty. If you play on the default hard or nightmare settings, the game will be hard for the first few hours because of your limited options, better later on the only enemies that will really challenge you will be the bosses and the enemies towards the end. There fan-made rebalance mods you can install to amp up the difficulty, if you so choose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaN2G-AEd9Q

[shadow695]

Play Cold Steel before you start Cold Steel II. The reason is that CS II is the second part of a 4 part story.

See this for more info on the series: https://steamcommunity.com/app/538680/discussions/0/2592234299559789411/

[rexbinary]

Thanks all. Really appreciate the detailed information!