Info about The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV:

Official game description:
Trails of Cold Steel IV Bundles
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About the Game
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**The Ultimate Class Reunion** – Boasting the largest roster in series history, heroes from all over seek to join the cause! The heroes of Class VII unite with Crossbell's Special Support Section and even the heroes of Liberl.  
**Battle Most Refined** – New and returning systems join the already polished combat of The Legend of Heroes series, including the ability to summon giant mechs to the field for devastating attacks, use Auto Battle for more expedient combat, and utilize Lost Arts, the most powerful Orbal magic capable of turning the tide of battle.  
**Pursuits of the War Weary** – In between epic battles, catch a breather with a number of mini-games including returning favorites like Vantage Master, fishing and puzzle games! And introducing new pursuits like Poker, Blackjack, and the Horror Coaster.
Story
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The Erebonian Empire is on the brink of all out war! Taking place shortly after the ending of Trails of Cold Steel III, the heroes of Class VII find themselves with the full force of the Empire on the path to domination. Further, the hero of the Erebonian Civil War and Class VII's instructor, Rean Schwarzer, has gone missing.  
Now, the students of Class VII, old and new, must unite with heroes from all over the continent to create the only chance the world has to be spared from total destruction.

Release date: Apr 9, 2021

Categories: Turn-based Combat, Character Progression, Story-driven Gameplay, Mini-games, Character Customization, Multiple Playable Characters, Linear Progression

Feature scans:
- Steam Deck: score 45; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The game generally performs well on the Steam Deck, with users reporting a positive experience. However, there are some stability issues such as occasional crashes and problems with save data management. Additionally, there are minor inconveniences like occasional long loading times.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $40.00 - $60.00
  - Reasoning: The reviews consistently mention that the game is 'worth it,' indicating a high perceived value. The sentiment suggests that players feel they are getting significant value for their money, which implies that the game is priced appropriately for the experience it offers. The repeated emphasis on the game being worth the investment suggests that the community considers the price fair for the extensive content and enjoyment provided.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 175.0h
  - Story completion: 90.0h
  - Session length: 5.0h
  - Endgame: 500.0h
  - Reasoning: The evidence provided includes several quotes from user reviews that mention specific playtime metrics. The first quote indicates a long-term commitment to finishing the game, suggesting a high total playtime. The second quote explicitly states a total playtime of 880 hours, which is a significant outlier but indicates a high level of engagement. The third quote mentions 175 hours to achieve 100% completion, providing a data point for a typical game completion time. The fourth quote mentions nearly 1,000 hours spent across the entire saga, which includes multiple games, but it still highlights the extensive playtime involved. These quotes collectively suggest that the game requires a substantial time investment to complete, with significant additional time for endgame content and side activities.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game starts with an engaging narrative but becomes tedious after the initial excitement. The fun anchors after a slow and repetitive early phase.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Completion of the initial slow and repetitive phase.
  - Time to anchor: 40h 0m
  - Friction: Repetitive gameplay; Slow pacing; Boring early game
  - Unlock drivers: Story progression; Free navigation
  - Conditions: Patience to endure early slow pacing; Interest in narrative and story
- Player Archetypes:
  - Lore-Devoted Veteran (buy)
    - Motivation: Deep lore and emotional payoffs from long-term engagement.
    - Playstyle: Strategic and invested in character development and story progression.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: longtime fan; series fan
    - Reference games: Trails of Cold Steel series; Sky series; Azure
  - Genre Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoyment of JRPG elements like characters, soundtracks, and storytelling.
    - Playstyle: Engaged with character interactions and story progression.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: JRPG fan
    - Reference games: Trails of Cold Steel series; other JRPGs
  - Critical Completionist (sale)
    - Motivation: Seeing the story through to the end despite pacing issues.
    - Playstyle: Focused on completing the game quickly and utilizing the combat system.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: completionist
    - Reference games: Trails of Cold Steel series


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Satisfying and enjoyable conclusion (weight 0.62): The game offers a satisfying and enjoyable conclusion to the saga, with a fun and creative gameplay experience that concludes the story well.
- In-depth and engaging story (weight 0.51): The game features an in-depth and engaging story with detailed twists and high stakes narrative, making it compelling and interesting for players.
- Excellent combat system (weight 0.24): The combat system is praised for its variety, mechanics, and overall quality, providing a versatile and enjoyable combat experience.
- Technical improvements (weight 0.17): The game includes technical improvements such as better animations and overall enhancements compared to previous installments.
- Important and rewarding side quests (weight 0.16): Side quests play a crucial role in the story experience, adding depth and offering rewarding content for players.
- Best in the series (weight 0.13): The game is considered the best in the series, with fantastic gameplay and a strong position within an amazing series.
- Good soundtrack and voicework (weight 0.13): The game features a good soundtrack with standout tracks and quality voicework, enhancing the overall experience.
- Crossover with other series (weight 0.1): The inclusion of characters from other series adds a unique element, allowing characters from previous series to join forces.
- Performs well on Steam Deck (weight 0.09): The game runs well on Steam Deck with minimal issues, providing a good performance experience on this platform.

Common complaints:
- Bad pacing issues (weight 0.38): The pacing of the game is widely criticized as a disaster, particularly at the start. It is described as painful and horrendous, with a lack of earned payoff.
- Excessive and confusing number of characters (weight 0.27): The game features too many playable characters, which can be confusing and overwhelming. This leads to underdeveloped characters and a bloated feel.
- Repetitive plot and gameplay (weight 0.22): The game suffers from a repetitive plot, with repetitive situations and recycled story elements. This extends to repetitive boss fights and formulaic plot development.
- Poor story execution (weight 0.19): The story is poorly executed and feels childish, leading to frustration among players. Many reviewers cite the story as the worst part of the game.
- Long and excessive dialogue (weight 0.11): The game is criticized for having excessive dialogue and long expositions, which can make the story feel dragged out.
- Chinese language criticism (weight 0.1): Criticism specific to the Chinese language version of the game, indicating that the story quality has not improved and may have even regressed compared to previous installments.
- Poor villain characterization (weight 0.1): The villains in the game are poorly characterized, with excessive back-and-forth jumping between sides, which can be confusing and poorly executed.
- Bland protagonist (weight 0.09): The protagonist, Rean, is criticized as bland and less compelling compared to other characters. His character development is poorly handled.
- Anime tropes and cliches (weight 0.09): The game relies too heavily on anime tropes like the power of friendship and inspirational speeches, which can feel overused.

Gameplay feedback:
- Combat system similar to previous games (weight 0.33): The combat system in this game is largely carried over from previous titles, particularly Cold Steel 3, with some improvements and strategic customization options.
- Complex story with multiple arcs (weight 0.24): The game features a complex narrative with multiple story arcs, bonding events, and a grand finale. It includes various side activities like fetch quests and fishing.
- Side quests and mini-games (weight 0.23): The game includes a variety of side quests and mini-games, some of which are crucial for achieving the true ending.
- Varied character builds (weight 0.13): Players can experiment with different character builds and customization options, allowing for varied gameplay experiences.
- Divine Knight battles expanded (weight 0.12): The game expands on Divine Knight battles, introducing new mechanics and abilities.
- Turn-based combat system (weight 0.12): The game uses a turn-based combat system, typical of story-driven JRPGs.
- Magic attacks and special moves (weight 0.11): Gameplay features magic attacks, special moves, and team-based combat, including boss battles.
- Link and follow-up attacks (weight 0.1): Combat mechanics include link attacks and follow-up attacks with teammates, adding depth to the battle system.
- Different character roles (weight 0.07): Characters have different roles such as tanks, healers, and damage dealers, allowing for varied team compositions.
- Large number of playable characters (weight 0.07): The game offers a large roster of playable characters, providing diverse options for players.
- Long journey across multiple games (weight 0.07): The game is part of a long series, offering a journey across multiple titles and platforms.
- Linear dungeons and labyrinths (weight 0.07): The game features linear dungeons and labyrinths, providing structured exploration experiences.

Performance notes:
- Frequent game crashes (weight 0.17): Multiple players reported experiencing crashes while playing the game. This includes general crashes as well as specific instances such as crashes during transition scenes.
- Optimized and smooth performance (weight 0.11): Players noted that the game has optimized performance, resulting in smooth gameplay on various systems, including older PCs.
- Good performance on Steam Deck (weight 0.11): The game performs well on Steam Deck, with players reporting smooth gameplay and good optimization for this platform.
- Colorful and charming visuals (weight 0.11): The game features colorful and charming visuals, which have been appreciated by players. Graphic enhancements and custom shaders have also been noted.
- Minor bugs and issues (weight 0.11): Players encountered various minor bugs and issues, such as character freezing, FPS drops in some areas, and issues closing the game.
- Minor audio issues (weight 0.07): Some players experienced intermittent minor audio issues, including problems with voiceover audio quality.
- Frame rate and graphic differences (weight 0.07): Players have noted differences in graphics and frame rates, with some areas experiencing locked 60 FPS in cutscenes and minigames.
- Strong soundtrack (weight 0.04): The game's soundtrack has been praised by players for its quality and contribution to the overall experience.
- Animation issues (weight 0.04): Some players reported issues with the opening animation, describing it as broken or corrupted.

Recommendations:
- Play previous games first (weight 0.52): The game is best experienced after playing previous entries in the series. Newcomers are advised to start from the beginning to fully understand and appreciate the narrative and emotional impact.
- Not recommended for newcomers (weight 0.21): Newcomers may find the game nearly impenetrable without prior knowledge of the series. It is suggested that they either play previous games or watch their content to better understand the story.
- Recommended for series fans (weight 0.17): The game is highly recommended for those who are already fans of the series. It is suggested that only players heavily invested in the series will fully appreciate the experience.
- Mixed recommendations on gameplay (weight 0.12): Some players recommend experiencing the game despite its dramatic story, while others suggest getting through it quickly without skipping side stories. There are also recommendations to play future games in the series.
- Consider cost and time (weight 0.1): Potential players should consider picking up the game on a deep discount or watching important scenes on YouTube. Additionally, the game is part of a larger series that requires a significant time investment.
- Recommended for slow-paced RPG fans (weight 0.04): The game is recommended for those who enjoy slow-paced RPGs with great story and world-building.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.22): Players are frustrated with the game's repetitive elements, including dungeons, story patterns, and boss fights. Additionally, issues with character development, dialogue, and game mechanics contribute to this frustration. Frequent crashes and poorly implemented quests further exacerbate the problem.
- Disappointment (weight 0.2): Disappointment stems from the game's lack of innovation and repetitive content, including story elements and gameplay mechanics. Players also express dissatisfaction with the story's quality, character development, and the overall decline compared to previous titles in the series.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.13): Satisfaction is derived from the game's conclusion of the Erebonia saga, improved gameplay mechanics, and emotional payoffs. Players appreciate the story resolution, character arcs, and the overall quality and content of the game.
- Joy (weight 0.08): Joy comes from the emotional engagement with the game's story, characters, and soundtrack. Players enjoy the reunion with characters from previous series, the emotional payoff, and the overall positive experience with the game.
- Excitement (weight 0.07): Excitement is generated by the game's engaging story, challenging gameplay, and the anticipation of future titles in the series. Players are eager for the high stakes narrative and emotional payoffs.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.06): Nostalgia is felt through reflecting on the journey through the series, character development, and emotional connections with characters. Players appreciate the sense of closure and the emotional impact of the story.
- Admiration (weight 0.02): Admiration is directed towards the game's storytelling, world-building, and character development. Players admire the narrative depth, character chemistry, and gameplay mechanics.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.02): Enjoyment is found in the game's story, combat improvements, and character development. Despite some flaws, players find the narrative and conclusion of the saga engaging and fun.
- Anticipation (weight 0.02): Anticipation is felt as players look forward to future works and the next series. The excitement for upcoming releases and news keeps players engaged.
- Happiness (weight 0.02): Happiness comes from positive impressions, character bonding, and enjoying the extensive gameplay. Players are happy about specific character developments and their overall experience with the game.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): Sadness is experienced through emotional moments in the game and the feeling of emptiness after completing the series. Players feel a sense of loss and melancholy.
- Happy (weight 0.01): Happiness is derived from the extensive hours spent playing the game and enjoying the overall experience. Players are happy about the time invested and the enjoyment gained.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): Gratitude is felt for discovering the series during difficult times and appreciating the PC version and early release. Players are thankful for the positive impact the game has had on them.
- Hope (weight 0.01): Hope is felt as players look forward to future improvements and engaging storylines. The anticipation of better experiences keeps players optimistic.
- Boredom (weight 0): Boredom arises from the game's repetitive nature, making it less engaging for some players. The lack of variety and repetitive elements contribute to this feeling.
- Overwhelmed (weight 0): Players feel overwhelmed by the game's ending, which may be emotionally intense or complex. The conclusion of the series can be a lot to process.
- Grateful (weight 0): Gratitude is felt for the time spent building towards emotional payoffs in the game. Players appreciate the journey and the rewards it brings.
- Bittersweet (weight 0): Bittersweet feelings come from the conclusion of the Cold Steel saga, marking the end of a significant journey. Players feel a mix of happiness and sadness.
- Burnout (weight 0): Burnout is experienced due to the lengthy series arc, which can be exhausting for players. The extensive content and long playtime contribute to this feeling.
- Tired (weight 0): Players feel tired from the extensive focus on Class VII and their attention, which can be overwhelming. The prolonged engagement with the series can be draining.}