Info about The Legend of Heroes: Ao no Kiseki KAI:

Official game description:
Set in the autonomous region of Crossbell, the epic RPG Ao no Kiseki: Kai, which tells the story of the Special Support Section, is now available on Steam!  
The Steam version features 60 fps support + high definition picture & sound for an enhanced gameplay experience!  
The game also features the popular high-speed Skip Mode from the PlayStation®4 version. With the touch of a button, you can jump between events and fields at twice the normal speed, and battles at four times the normal speed!  
The Crossbell State—  
Bordered by the Erebonian Empire to the west and the Calvard Republic to the east, this prosperous state was once in crisis due to the actions of a fanatical religious group.  
Tensions erupted in a mafia war, with security forces being manipulated by the mysterious narcotic, Gnosis. Peace was eventualy restored through the efforts of the Crossbell Police Department's Special Support Section. The Imperial and Republican officials associated with the Order and the mafia were driven away, and with a new mayor in place, it appeared that the future of Crossbell was bright; however, this was only a temporary respite on the turbulent Zemurian continent.  
Pressure from the Erebonian Empire and the Calvard Republic is steadily increasing, and signs of yet another upheaval are imminent  
among Red Constellation, the most powerful jaeger corps in the world, Heiyue from the Eastern Quarter, and Ouroboros, a mysterious organization that operates from the shadows.  
All paths lead to Crossbell, and countless unsolved mysteries going back to ancient times are about to be revealed at last.  
This is a story about living in modern times—a gift to all those who fight to overcome the walls that bind them.

Release date: Jan 12, 2022

Categories: JRPG, Turn-based Combat, Character Progression, Story-driven Gameplay, Branching Narrative, Political & Espionage Systems, Character Interaction, Narrative-driven Storytelling


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 50.0h
  - Story completion: 30.0h
  - Session length: 3.0h
  - Endgame: 10.0h
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides several key points that help in estimating the playtime metrics. The first quote mentions the extensive grinding required in the game, suggesting a significant time investment. The second quote highlights the engaging main storyline, which can take considerable time to complete. The third quote explicitly states that a first playthrough can take over 50 hours, providing a clear estimate for game completion time. The fourth quote indicates that the final chapter alone can take several hours, supporting the overall long playtime.
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes:
  - Story-First Explorer (buy)
    - Motivation: Engaging and immersive storytelling.
    - Playstyle: Focuses on experiencing the narrative and character interactions, often replaying to fully understand the story.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: JRPG fans; Story-driven players
    - Reference games: 零之轨迹; 最后的生还者
  - Mechanics-Focused Strategist (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoying and mastering the gameplay mechanics.
    - Playstyle: Focuses on understanding and optimizing game mechanics, often replaying to experiment with different strategies.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Strategy gamers; Tactical players
    - Reference games: 幻神
  - Series Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Exploring and recommending the entire game series.
    - Playstyle: Enjoys playing through the series, often recommending it to others and exploring the interconnected stories.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Series fans; Recommendation advocates
    - Reference games: 零之轨迹; 空之轨迹


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:
- Engaging story and character development (weight 0.97): The game features a detailed and engaging story with well-developed characters. Players appreciate the character arcs and the interconnected storyline that keeps them engaged from start to finish.
- High-quality music and soundtrack (weight 0.41): The game's music and background soundtrack are highly praised. Players enjoy the emotional depth of the music and how it complements the storytelling.
- Improved gameplay mechanics (weight 0.36): The combat system and gameplay mechanics have seen significant improvements. Players appreciate the unique and fun combat system, as well as the overall engaging gameplay.
- Reduced unnecessary gameplay elements (weight 0.15): The game has reduced unnecessary elements such as excessive running and fetch quests, making the gameplay experience more enjoyable and less tedious.
- Emotional and immersive experience (weight 0.13): The game offers an emotional and immersive experience, with players appreciating the emotional moments and the overall immersive gameplay.
- Detailed world-building (weight 0.12): The game features detailed world-building, expanding the world view and providing a rich and immersive environment for players to explore.
- Full voice acting for main storyline (weight 0.07): The main storyline benefits from full voice acting, enhancing the emotional depth and immersion of the story.
- Exploration of social and political themes (weight 0.06): The game explores social structures and political struggles, prompting players to think about freedom and democracy.

Common complaints:
- Rushed independence plot (weight 0.27): The game's handling of independence for certain regions feels abrupt and lacks proper buildup or recognition from major powers involved.
- Difficulty spikes and imbalances (weight 0.26): The game features sudden increases in difficulty and combat imbalances, making certain sections overly challenging or tedious.
- Unpopular gameplay mechanics (weight 0.22): Certain gameplay elements, such as forced mini-games and lack of maps, were found frustrating and unnecessary by many players.
- Awkward story progression (weight 0.22): The narrative and character actions often feel unnatural or poorly explained, leading to confusion and immersion-breaking moments.
- Unsatisfying ending (weight 0.21): Many players found the conclusion of the story disappointing and poorly executed, feeling as though it was rushed or incomplete.
- Game crashes and bugs (weight 0.21): Several players experienced game crashes during specific chapters or cutscenes, severely impacting gameplay.
- Unresolved plot points (weight 0.17): Many story elements and character arcs feel unfinished or poorly resolved, leaving players with unanswered questions.
- Poor graphics quality (weight 0.14): The game suffers from outdated and poorly optimized graphics, which significantly detracts from the visual experience.
- Underdeveloped character arcs (weight 0.1): Certain characters, such as Noel, were expected to have more significant roles and development given the political context, but fell short.
- Translation and localization issues (weight 0.1): The game has problems with translation quality and inconsistencies between different language versions, affecting the overall experience.

Gameplay feedback:
- Story and character depth (weight 0.3): The game features a rich storyline with character-driven gameplay and unique character interactions. It includes hidden details, foreshadowing, and dynamic events that keep players engaged.
- Combat and tactical systems (weight 0.21): The game features turn-based combat with customizable magic and attack circuits. It includes tactical elements like the orbment system and unique S-Craft abilities.
- Gameplay mechanics and design (weight 0.16): The game uses older mechanics and systems, which some players might find outdated. However, it also introduces new elements like the core loop and circuit system.
- Difficulty and challenge modes (weight 0.11): The game offers various difficulty settings, including a Nightmare mode, and a challenge system with trials. This caters to players seeking different levels of difficulty.
- Exploration and hidden elements (weight 0.1): Players can explore maze-like levels and find hidden items. Guides are often used to uncover these hidden elements, adding depth to the exploration.
- Mini-games and side activities (weight 0.1): Players can enjoy various mini-games, including Puyo Puyo, and side activities like fishing with macros. These add variety to the gameplay experience.
- Series connections and comparisons (weight 0.1): The game is part of a series with multiple entries, and players often compare it to other games in the series. It also includes storyline connections between different games.
- Character progression and bonding (weight 0.08): The game includes character progression systems and bonding events that enhance the storytelling and gameplay experience.
- New Game Plus and replayability (weight 0.07): The game includes a New Game Plus mode and elements that encourage second playthroughs, enhancing replayability.
- Unique characters and boss fights (weight 0.07): The game features unique characters like Battle Ghost and Wind Sword, as well as traditional boss fights that add excitement and challenge.
- Music and environmental interactions (weight 0.07): The game features music integration and environmental interactions that enhance the overall gameplay experience.
- Event quests and time manipulation (weight 0.07): The game includes event quests and a time manipulation theme that add unique elements to the storyline and gameplay.
- Visual and artistic style (weight 0.07): The game features pixel art style and 3D modeling, which contribute to its unique visual appeal.
- Craft and achievement systems (weight 0.07): The game features a craft system and an achievement system that add depth and rewards to the gameplay.
- Combo techniques and status effects (weight 0.07): The game includes combo techniques and status effects that enhance the combat and strategic gameplay.
- Brushing mechanics and luck-based elements (weight 0.07): The game features brushing mechanics and luck-based elements that add variety and unpredictability to the gameplay.
- Enhanced action and combat (weight 0.04): The game includes enhanced action elements and combat mechanics that provide a dynamic and engaging experience.
- Platforms and versions (weight 0.04): The game is available on different platforms and versions, catering to a wide range of players.
- Transportation and new elements (weight 0.04): The game introduces new transportation modes and other elements that enhance the overall gameplay experience.

Performance notes:
- Graphics and sound improvements (weight 0.11): Players have noted improvements in graphics quality but have also reported issues with sound quality.
- Outdated graphics (weight 0.04): Some players have commented that the graphics appear outdated.

Recommendations:
- Highly recommended game (weight 0.11): Many players find the game worth recommending to others, especially younger friends. They suggest playing it and even recommend experiencing previous games in the series for a better understanding.
- Localize Trails in the Sky (weight 0.05): There is a suggestion from players to localize 'Trails in the Sky', indicating a desire for more games in the series to be made accessible to a wider audience.
- Play previous game first (weight 0.04): Players recommend starting with the previous game, '제로의 궤적', before beginning this one to enhance the gaming experience.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Excitement (weight 0.13): Players are particularly thrilled by the story's depth, character development, and engaging gameplay mechanics. The storyline's connection to previous games, along with its emotional moments and twists, significantly contributes to this excitement. Additionally, the combat system and music enhance the overall immersive experience.
- Frustration (weight 0.12): Technical issues such as poor optimization, low frame rates, and game crashes are major sources of frustration. Players also find certain gameplay mechanics, including untelegraphed boss skills, forced mini-games, and repetitive boss fights, particularly irritating. Inconsistencies in game naming, achievement descriptions, and high-speed mode failures add to the frustration.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.09): Players feel satisfied with the detailed plot and character development, as well as the role the game plays in expanding the series' world. The direct brushing mechanics and the conclusion of the game series are also highly appreciated. Positive remarks about the gameplay experience and the enjoyment of the story and characters contribute to this satisfaction.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.09): Nostalgia is primarily driven by comparisons to previous games in the series and personal connections to the series' history. The music and memories associated with the game, as well as reflections on past experiences and overcoming challenges, evoke strong nostalgic feelings. The transition from older graphics to improved ones also enhances this emotional connection.
- Disappointment (weight 0.09): Disappointment stems from comparisons to other games and criticisms of the final battle's dialogue and the story's conclusion. Players are dissatisfied with the rushed ending, unresolved plot points, and unrealistic character survival. The lack of simplified Chinese language support and slower movement and modules also contribute to this feeling.
- Joy (weight 0.08): Joy is derived from the enjoyment of specific locations like Mishy Park and positive remarks about the music and overall game experience. Positive character interactions and the overall positive aspects of the game enhance this emotion.
- Excited (weight 0.06): The engaging story and gameplay, along with the story progression from chapter 3, generate excitement. Enhanced action, fast-paced story, and detailed descriptions of the storyline and mechanics contribute to this feeling. Positive descriptions of the plot, characters, and improvements in the game, as well as the rich character development and plot twists, further amplify the excitement.
- Admiration (weight 0.05): Admiration is driven by the improved gameplay mechanics and high-quality art style. Character development, narrative pacing, and the well-developed story are highly admired. The enjoyment of RPG elements and the story, along with Lloyd's character growth, contribute to this emotion.
- Frustrated (weight 0.03): Frustration is caused by the lack of maps for maze-like levels and poor optimization. Criticism of certain plot points, character developments, and gameplay mechanics, as well as the game's controls and storyline, add to this frustration.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.03): Enjoyment comes from charming characters, engaging subquests, and a detailed world-building experience. The unique combat system, engaging storyline, and great character development contribute to this positive emotion. The challenging gameplay and overall fun experience enhance the enjoyment.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Appreciation is driven by the character personalities and development, as well as the complex plot and expanded world view. Engaging story and good voice acting, along with the compact and well-made game with strong character connections, contribute to this feeling.
- Nostalgic (weight 0.03): Nostalgia is evoked by comparisons to previous works and detailed comparisons to other series. These comparisons bring back memories and emotions associated with past experiences.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise is generated by the discovery of new crafts like 'Raging Spin' for Lloyd and the impact of storyline twists. These unexpected elements in the story and gameplay mechanics create a sense of surprise.
- Excitement (weight 0.02): Excited by the excellent performance of gameplay and plot, as well as the emotional lines of characters like Lisha and Iria.
- Disappointed (weight 0.01): Disappointment arises from certain character dialogues and negative comparisons of character development. These aspects fall short of player expectations and lead to dissatisfaction.
- Emotional Resonance (weight 0.01): Players are deeply moved by the storylines involving characters like Patia, Matil, and Guy. The emotional depth and development of these characters evoke strong feelings of being touched.
- Relief (weight 0.01): Relief is felt when challenges are not too heavy for multiple playthroughs and bugs do not persist throughout the game. These aspects make the gaming experience more manageable and less frustrating.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): Gratitude is expressed for the emotional story and the game's unique elements and experiences. Players appreciate the depth of the story and the unique aspects that make the game stand out.
- Happy (weight 0.01): Happiness comes from liking the characters in the game and enjoying the great story and music. These positive aspects contribute to an overall feeling of joy and contentment.}