Game:

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Second Chapter (2006)

Duration: 2:55:53

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I would avoid reading the rest of the description until after you've finished the video as i spoil my ending feelings below.




So as i said in the video, and now as i am writing this nearly a full month later. My feelings towards the endings have evolved. Changed both for the worse, but also for the better. So before anything i want to further clarify my more polished and refined take on this ending for everyone to see. Both the negatives, and positives.

Something i mentioned in the stream but only later had a more proper grasp on feelings wise was my complaining that i'd "seen this type of ending before" and while i still feel that is indeed true, the actual core problem is a bit more simple than that. This game had a serious problem with overly obvious foreshadowing. While foreshadowing is a very useful narrative devise that allows for the keen eyes to clue in on plot beats earlier than others, it also allows for repeat sessions more enjoyment from the reflection on events passed. However, this game went for a much more aggressive route, to the point of parody in its foreshadowing. While its nice to be able to clue in on the plot in advance, when the plot itself nearly outright tells you how it itself is going to end. You lose out on that inherent satisfaction of figuring things out, instead you wind up with a more "Oh yeah i figured" which is far less satisfying, on top of effectively being spoiled of the plot beats themselves. Bringing in both a negative emotion, and depriving you of a positive one.
Which is odd since the game already did a masterful job with its foreshadowing. Olivier's opening song when he first joined the party does wonders to go back on and learn of its meaning. But this approach they've done for the rest of the game is effectively a sledgehammer to the side of the head. An utter lack of subtlety making the ending as a whole horrendously weaker.

That being said, there is an entire aspect of this ending that i hadn't ever brought up during the whole speech. Something i didn't give enough credit to that has been the number one thing changing my opinion towards the ending after all this time. This ending is a masterclass of sticking in the brain of the player. Of leaving enough question unanswered, of building suspense that can drive a man up a wall. I found myself when going to sleep, when working, even when recording other streams just mindlessly flitting back to this game and wondering. What *will* happen? Not only to Estelle, but Cassius, Tita, Olivier. All of the extended cast and beyond. It managed to get its ending so succinctly ended that it feels like its over before a moment can pass and you're left reeling with questions. Demanding that you go out and find the answered before they drive you mad. And that is exactly what a properly good ending should do. A game should be able to be thought of years down the line, to stand above the crowd of games and be *remembered.* And by god does this game do that in spades.

With those two main points in mind, i feel my initial assessment is lacking. Nowadays i find myself thinking on this ending quite a bit more positively. Not enough to properly say i enjoyed it, but im no longer negatively leaning. I didn't like parts of it, but i did like others. It's an ending of high highs and low lows. But at the end of the day, im extremely excited to find out what happens next.

TL;DR, I thought more on the ending, and im more leaning towards a neutral take rather than negative. While being utterly stoked to play the next installment.


https://www.twitch.tv/bioyoshi97

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