If there was ever a moment to love Estelle is was this scene Damn she shut him down so hard. she broke his bad attitude changed his perspective entirely and hit him hard with that logic. Easily one of the most interesting characters ive seen in a game.
Couldn't have said it better myself. Plenty of games try to push their love story to the front of their games, but 9 times out of 10 it just falls in line as generic love story A, B, etc. This series puts the story first, lets you focus on the development between Estelle and Joshua as a byproduct of the story, and then slams it front and center at the PERFECT moment. The speech Estelle gives Joshua here isn't generic either. How many other games can you find that put the FEMALE in control of the love story? As well as her NOT swooning over him the whole time as most games would have her do. She doesn't even cry here, she slaps him around (with words) and HE cries. All rambling aside, this scene is beautiful. Probably one of my favorite moments in gaming history. Estelle and Joshua are probably my all time favorite game couple too. Argh now I want to cry.....and play this game.
At first, in FC, I thought that the first hints of a romance angle between Estelle and Joshua were ham-handed, but it ended up developing well throughout the game. Then the ending of FC blew me away, and I felt Estelle's pain throughout the second. This scene, and the scenes at the end, were some of my favorite RPG moments ever.
@@OtakuOne i dunno what that game is I'm on zero rn i just don't see 3 as skipable because you kinda need it to understand what renne and Joshua are doing in crossbell
well this is way late but I just discovered this game and I'm playing it and I have to say its really good. Plus I don't know if its a third game to this but there is "The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel" on steam, that would be the third game right
Trails of cold steel is closer to being 6th game than 3rd. Trails of cold steel starts the third main arc of the trails series (first is 3 trails in the sky games, second is trails to zero+azure, which aren't currently officially translated, but do have fan translations in the work). The person you are responding to probably was reffering to trails in the sky, the third.
His surname also changes from Joshua Astray to Joshua Bright afterwards. It all combines with the brightness in his eyes returning. Remember his confession at the end of FC? He has found his sun once more.
This is one of the most beautiful scenes i've ever seen in a videogame. They built up to this for one and a half games and it was even better than i could've hoped for.
Without exaggeration, one of my favorite scenes in not even just video games, but fiction entirely. The emotion, how it portrays how much Estelle has developed, mending Joshua’s broken heart in such a way that he comes back to his senses and even cries after not being able to for a big chunk of his life up until that point. A scene I can genuinely consider awe inspiring and moving, and makes me tear up. I don’t care much for shipping at all but Estelle and Joshua are a couple I endorse and support. There’s a reason Trails in the Sky is my favorite game of all time.
The moment Estelle solidified herself as the greatest video game protagonist of all time. FC and SC will always hold a special place in my heart. So happy I decided to play this series from the beginning a few years ago.
These games broke me man... Cold Steel 1 and 2 made me cry, yes, but these games made me sob. Sob joyously. I was freaking clapping through my tears with a wide smile on my face when I saw that ending screen with Estelle and Joshua... Just... I don't think I'll find anything that will make me feel like that, ever. I'm not a feels person at all. That's how good the characters are in this game, and safe to say, they will remain unforgettable.
As someone who is definitely a "feels person" these games had a similar effect on me. These games were so good. I'm a 30 year old man who's been gaming most of my life and I can count on one hand the games that have had this type of affect on me. FC and SC are in another league.
Trails in the sky series is always going to be the hometown of my heart which to I can always return when I'm feeling down. Estelle and Joshua's adventure is just out-worldly endearing. I always think of Estelle and Joshua first when I think of the relationship story done right. I'm actually glad Trails series isn't as popular as other JRPGs because there aren't any toxic fans to ruin my favorite game. To my fellow Falcom fans, charm of this game will be our little secret. Seriously, Falcom fandom is some of the most cleanest and loyal fandom I have ever seen.
Andrew Kim omg hiya. Since Falcom games are underrated and the only game they know is Cold Steel, most people didnt know the joy Sky series had given us ;-; Yep a clean fandom indeed and I felt a bit lonely being the only person who goes all gaga on Trail games HAHAHAH
@@AAhmou sadly people nowadays prefer those with good graphics without having to care about the game's content/plot. I might've said that I was a bit upset about Trails having only a few audience before but at the same time it's a good thing since it will keep the fandom clean.
This along with FC are the most criminally underrated games ever in my opinion. I wish people had the patience and appreciation for world building to enjoy this series for what it is. I enjoyed Cold Steel but I personally don't think it comes close to this in the way it evokes an emotional response.
that's cause the arc of erebonia hasn't been finished with cold steel 2 being the chunk of the rest of the first game since falcom had too cut so much stuff.
@@Talyrion I don't think that's a fair criticism. Estelle and Rean are two completely different types of protagonists. If anything, Rean is closer to a Joshua than an Estelle. I think Estelle is the most badass female protagonist I've ever had the pleasure of playing as, but Rean has a more complex character arc. I love then both and I can't wait for the Geofront translations of the Crossbell games to see how Lloyd matches up to them.
I agree that Rean is closer from Joshua than Estelle, but that's the thing: I do not believe Joshua would have been a good protagonist, though he's an okay deuteragonist. Mind you, Rean still has two games to make me change my mind, but as it is, I'm not overly impressed by his character, though there are some interesting ideas. He's... okay, mostly.
I've been playing countless RPGs since I was a kid and never once did I tear up on any of them. At 38 years of age, I played trails in the sky SC, watched this moment and teared up for the first time ever while playing a video game. Truly a masterpiece.
I loved the way this game developed their relationship. The "chase my dear person that ran away and became cold in order to achieve his goals, but ultimately realized his mistakes and became friendly again" plot is developed very well. In my mind, I compare it to the Naruto-Sasuke plot which is similar, it started geniously but sadly it closed up very poorly, too forced and unnatural, just happened for plot-sake. On the other hand, Joshua never really lost his inner essence, kept his kindness, he was just confused about his own feelings while posing as "I don't have feelings", and damm, Estelle was brilliant in her speech, it really touched my heart and made all the wait for this scene so much worth. It's very rare for cool-headed characters like joshua to genuinely cry in stories, which makes it so much more meaningfull, his realization of his mistakes didn't come as the usual "yeah, you're right" or the proudly angry face silence, but came as a hard cry which shows his humbleness and how he really regrets his mistakes. It has been some years that i played this game, and every time I rewatch this scene I'm touched.
The relationship between joshua and estelle was probably my favorite thing about the two games. It was a lot of fun - my only gripe is that i think they dragged the 'finding joshua' part a bit too long, this scene should have been an act sooner than what it was IMO. great games though would recommend to anyone.
Best video game romance I've seen. This moment just feels so...real. This part just hit me right in my soul and made me sob like a baby. What I would give to have a girlfriend like Estelle.
Honestly? Considering her fiery personality I was expecting at some point for Estelle to go ballistic and beat the crap out of Joshua after what he pulled. Never happened. I could just imagine Estelle chasing Joshua across the countryside screaming "GET BACK HERE!!!"
Part of what makes this scene so impactful to me is Estelle's restraint--her generally over-the-top and bombastic, at times verging on blunt annoyance, being displayed prominently throughout the games. At first the annoyances of Estelle are almost unbearable but overtime they seamlessly mold into her character and become something extremely charming. So when, in this scene, she holds back--as simple of an observation that may be--it becomes all the more impactful.
@@sub-zero3585 You DO know that the last time Estelle saw Joshua before this he exploited her first kiss in order to dose her right? That's easily 26 levels of wrong dude. Even the most meek and whimpy girl ever would have every reason and right to at the very least beat the crap out of a guy who pulled something like that. There's being sweet and understanding and then there's forgiving something NO ONE on the planet would forgive.
Around the time I played through the end of the first game, I'd just had someone walk out of my life abruptly. Among my memories of them was us holding hands on a park bench. The timing was off and we never were romantic, but I was certain I'd know this person forever. I was sure of it. A few years later, i.e. just this week, I finally hit this part of the game. Estelle says a few scenes earlier that she doesn't have anything prepared to say to Joshua when she finally meets him again. What they had together was built together, so she knows that she can just let her heart speak when he's standing there in front of her. She'll know just what to say when the time comes. I'm still searching. They went away and made sure I wouldn't be able to get to them. Life isn't like the video games, and I can be pretty sure I'll be searching for the rest of my life. That was my part of the deal. And that's just how life seems to go when you hit a certain age. You give away parts of yourself not knowing you'll never get them back. I may never get to feel such a consummate joy at someone returning, a joy so overwhelming that it breaks the heart. I probably never will. The years just keep on passing. People change, they walk into the room years later and they aren't the same. It won't be them. The words my heart wants to say will stay unformed forever. So I'm thankful for this scene. I'm glad I got to see someone search and search and search and find their other again. To watch them say words meant to bring someone back home, and to have it actually happen. I just wasn't lucky. That's okay.
This scene would not have even half the impact without countless little moments they had throughout the entire story before it. Lots of those little details that I overlooked my first playthrough really got my attention on my second run and they gave me big smiles. So many times I talked to myself 'wow so this was how it started', 'okay this scene really foreshadows that part' and so on. I really wish I could forgot everything of the series and start all over again but hey, a second playthrough really gave me another sort of fun and I definitely plan to do who knows how many playthroughs whenever I feel nostalgia...and cry the shit out of myself again and again XD
It's very rare to have a romance written this well be it game or other medium. I am glad I could take that journey with them and the many other friends. This game will forever stay with me.
Like everyone else, I was waiting two games for that kiss. But the moment I didn't know I was waiting for, the unexpected thing that really made the scene, were the tears that broke that black veil that had been hanging on him since that emotionless, dead-eyed ending to the first game. "Es...telle...I... !! Why...How...? I...haven't been able to cry since...since Karin died...I could never even...shed tears as an act...but now..." "Ah...it's okay. No one's looking. Cry as long as you want."
This moment, this moment right here I realized the Trails series was going to be an unforgettable experience. After playing every game up to Hajimari no Kiseki, I can safely say that this is easily my favorite video game series ever and one of my favorite fictional stories in general.
I like it when she refers to herself as an expert on 'Joshua Astray'. It brings some narrative conclusion to his past, and shows Estelle's character hearing about it, and accepting it, and ultimately still caring about him. It makes it clear that Joshua Astray and Joshua Bright are the same person, and the things that happened in the past weren't to a 'different person' at all - and Estelle believes it.
Correct your statement and say "to Cold Steel" cause I'd argue Rean is one of the better parts about it when you finally get to more of his character arc. Cold Steel in general is just written like ass, glad it's over because the latest games SEEM to be a bit better. I still gotta play them though.
@@Zephhi i thats excessive cold steels problem is its pacing nothing happens untill the last chapter but the inbetween is filled with fun character interaction to somewhat justify a 7/10 rating because in relation to other jrpgs cold steel is just leagues above
@@dsjgfxxkhrx4050 "in relation to other jrpgs cold steel is just leagues above" is something I really don't agree with I'm sorry lol. Maybe better than generic ones but I can think of dozens of JRPGs I'd rather play instead of Cold Steel
They did... For some time before trails of cold steel. But all they did is honor the dead Loewe and visit Karin before going for a search for Renne in the country, before word reached them that she was in Crossbell.
Haven't played Sky yet, but no wonder Renne called her a walking sun in Steel 4 lol, she's just as bright as her name huh? gonna hit this game when I have time.
God these games impressed the hell outta me, Amazing soundtrack, beautiful 2d sprite work and animation (especially Loewe fight) cool story and great characters and writing. Top notch stuff.
You know something, I enjoyed the first game in the trails in the sky saga I really did. I had good times playing it in the living room with the cat sitting on my lap. I didn't massively enjoy the ending but I felt I should of giving the second game more of a chance. I wanna make up for that because this I do like this series. I can see why others do too.
Recently got to this part and I was so crushed emotionally (in a good way!) by how heartwarming and satsifying everything felt. Such a well-written scene and pairing honestly. I played CS first but so far, nothing has evoked such an emotional response like this moment or the ending of SC from me yet. I can now see why a lot of people highly recommend new fans give this series a try. Well, I'm glad to have given this whole series a try.
Man what a special scene. There's like, 90 hours and almost 2 games leading up to this and the payoff is done so well. And I was *highly* opposed to this arc in most of FC. Makes me wish the later games didn't go the male-protagonist-harem route. Canon relationships that are a massive part of the plot are *so* much better. At least some games like this are still being made. For all the game's flaws, the main romance in Tales of Arise was quite decent.
I bought FC\SC because of them. This is the best romance in jRPG I've ever seen and I have a thing for siblings lovestories even though it's just step-siblings but that's something, LoH is an unique series in this sense, at least I don't know other jRPGs with sibling romance. The only thing I can complain is that they should've reunited earlier, and he's such an idiot for leaving her, I'm so mad at him.
