Saturday 3 April 2001.
Now, on the ZEMITSU YouTube channel, a new live show had started gaining serious popularity among gamers. The program was basically a podcast-style discussion where several ZEMITSU experts, connected to the same media group that owned FAMITSU Magazine, talked openly about the games they wanted to review each week. Unlike normal magazine reviews, however, this show did not hold back at all. They discussed story details, gameplay systems, character moments, endings, controversies, and even flaws without worrying too much about spoilers.
Because of that, every episode came with a clear warning: this was not a spoiler-free show. But strangely enough, that was exactly why many players loved it. Instead of short, careful, professional reviews, they could watch reviewers debate games freely, argue about story choices, laugh at strange mechanics, praise emotional moments, and sometimes completely disagree with one another live. It felt less like a formal review and more like a group of passionate gamers talking honestly after finishing a game.
And honestly, that kind of format became extremely entertaining on ZAGE YouTube.
As usual, the three main hosts were already live: Nigo Guroki, Kiara Kawamura, and the leader of ZEMITSU himself, Mitsu Tadano. Their studio was simple but comfortable, with game posters behind them, several physical game cases on the table, notes scattered around, and cups of coffee sitting near their microphones. The atmosphere looked relaxed, but the energy was already chaotic even before the discussion properly began.
The live chat was already moving quickly on YouTube. Viewers spammed greetings, jokes, game titles, ship names, and arguments about which ZAGE release deserved the highest score this month. Some viewers were clearly here for serious analysis, while others were only waiting for Kiara to scream about her favorite characters again. Either way, the audience was fully engaged.
Mitsu smiled toward the audience. "Hey everyone! As you already know, this is our new show called HONEST REVIEW… with spoilers, hehehe. And this week, we're going to talk about ZAGE's four major releases this month. Last week we already discussed RAN Online, so we won't focus on that today. Instead, we'll be talking about Vagrant Story, Trails in the Sky Second Chapter, Age of Empires 2, and Valkyrie Profile. And honestly? Having three Team NIWA games in one month is absolutely insane. I'm really excited to talk about them. Right, Nigo? Kiara?"
Kiara immediately nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! I'm really excited!"
Meanwhile, Nigo grinned awkwardly. "But first… let's talk about probably our least favorite among the four. Yeah… Age of Empires 2."
The moment he said that, both Kiara and Mitsu sighed while the live chat instantly exploded with complaints.
"WHAT!? Age of Empires 2 is one of ZAGE's GOAT games!"
"It's definitely not weaker than those three Team NIWA games though!"
"I don't like RTS games. They're too complicated."
"RTS players are going to start a war in this chat now."
"Bro, I spent three hours learning economy management and still lost to Bot…"
The chat moved so quickly that even Mitsu started laughing while reading the comments live.
Mitsu chuckled helplessly. "Hey, hey guys, relax! Nobody said Age of Empires 2 is a bad game, all right? Honestly, it's a really solid game. Our FAMITSU Magazine will definitely cover it properly because we have reviewers who actually specialize in RTS games. But here… honestly? RTS is just too much for an old man like me…"
Mitsu dramatically lowered his head onto the table while the chat immediately exploded with laughter.
Kiara quickly nodded in agreement. "Yeah! It's way too complex! I'm struggling just trying to maintain my economy properly T_T. Every time I focus on building my army, suddenly my villagers stop working, my food disappears, and somehow the enemy already has a castle before I even understand what's happening."
The chat instantly became even more chaotic.
"SKILL ISSUE!"
"Kiara forgot villagers exist again LOL."
"RTS players managing economy, military, upgrades, and map control at the same time are built different."
Nigo chuckled awkwardly before rubbing his forehead. "Well… yeah, me too. Honestly, it's hard to say this publicly, but I genuinely think my brain can't fully comprehend RTS games anymore, especially Age of Empires 2. This game is just too advanced for me."
He pointed toward one of the screenshots displayed on the monitor.
"Look at this! You need economy management, resource optimization, scouting, military positioning, technology upgrades, civilization matchups, unit counters, map awareness, timing attacks, defense setups, and multitasking all at the same time. My brain starts overheating after twenty minutes."
Mitsu immediately pointed toward Nigo dramatically. "EXACTLY! That's the problem!"
The three hosts genuinely looked exhausted just talking about the game.
And honestly, that somehow made the audience laugh even harder.
Mitsu smiled awkwardly. "Yeah… RTS games used to feel much simpler. Honestly, I still love Warcraft 3 though. Even if I hate playing RTS seriously, I spent a ridiculous amount of time playing custom mods in that game. But still… if RTS games continue becoming more complicated like this, won't that become bad for the genre overall?"
Kiara tilted her head slightly. "Hmm? Why do you think so?"
Nigo leaned back before explaining more seriously. "Because it's kind of ironic. If developers want to satisfy hardcore RTS players with every new game, they usually need to keep adding more systems, mechanics, features, strategies, and layers of complexity."
He pointed toward the Age of Empires 2 gameplay footage displayed on the monitor.
"But those exact same features can also scare away beginners and casual players from even trying the genre in the first place. In the end, RTS slowly becomes extremely niche because only dedicated players are willing to learn everything."
Several viewers in the chat immediately reacted.
"WAIT… he actually makes sense."
"RTS tutorials feel harder than school homework."
"My friend asked me to play AoE2 once and I got mentally destroyed."
"I Can't even play CIV games properly!"
"RTS fans are basically unpaid military commanders."
Mitsu nodded slowly. "That's what I was thinking too. RTS games are amazing when you understand them, but getting into them feels really intimidating nowadays."
He then quickly pointed toward the camera dramatically.
"But! Just because the three of us here can't properly review Age of Empires 2 doesn't mean it's a bad game!"
Kiara immediately nodded rapidly. "Yeah! We're just too small-brained for RTS!"
The chat instantly exploded again.
"KIARA SELF DAMAGE LOL."
"Respectfully honest review."
"RTS fans watching these three struggle is comedy gold."
Mitsu laughed before continuing. "Our dedicated RTS reviewer actually gave the game a solid 9/10. So if you enjoy strategy games at all, you should absolutely try it."
Then Mitsu smiled and shifted the topic. "So next, let's talk about Trails in the Sky Second Chapter. What do you guys think?"
Before Nigo could even open his mouth, Kiara suddenly slammed both hands onto the table with sparkling eyes. "THIS is a good game! No, wait, this is not just good. This is peak! PEAK!"
Mitsu immediately flinched while Nigo started laughing.
Kiara ignored both of them and leaned closer to the microphone, her excitement overflowing completely. "I love Estelle so much! Finally, a female protagonist who is energetic, strong, emotional, funny, stubborn, and still grows properly! She is not weak! She is not just there to be protected! She carries the story with her own heart!"
The chat instantly exploded.
"KIARA HAS ACTIVATED ESTELLE MODE!"
"ESTELLE BEST GIRL!"
"SHE'S COOKING!"
Kiara pointed toward the camera dramatically. "And Joshua! Joshua, you dramatic boy! How dare you leave Estelle just to 'protect' her? Hmpph! Estelle is not that weak! She crossed countries, fought enemies, chased after you, and basically punched destiny in the face just to bring you home!"
Nigo covered his mouth, trying not to laugh too loudly, while Mitsu was already shaking his head in amusement.
Kiara continued without stopping. "But when Joshua finally comes back? When their feelings finally explode properly? Ahhhh! That emotional payoff is so good! It feels earned! It feels painful! It feels romantic! This is how you build a couple!"
The live chat became completely unhinged.
"ESTELLE LOVES JOSHUA FOREVER!"
"THE SHIP HAS SAILED!"
"JOSHUA COME HOME ARC IS LEGENDARY!"
"JOSHUA BEST PRINCESS!"
"KIARA IS REPRESENTING ALL OF US!"
"ESTELLE X JOSHUA SUPREMACY!"
Mitsu laughed while trying to calm her down. "Kiara, breathe. Please breathe."
Kiara inhaled deeply, then immediately pointed at him. "I AM BREATHING THROUGH MY LOVE FOR THIS GAME!"
That single sentence made both Nigo and Mitsu burst out laughing while the chat spammed hearts, crying emojis, and Estelle's name nonstop.
Nigo chuckled before leaning back slightly. "Well, relationship stuff aside, I honestly think this sequel is incredibly balanced. The gameplay is challenging in a satisfying way, but the story is what really impressed me."
He adjusted his glasses while speaking more seriously.
"You learn so much more about Joshua and his background here, and that alone already changes the emotional weight of the entire story. In the first game, a lot of mysteries were only hinted at. But in SC, those mysteries slowly explode one by one, and the emotional payoff becomes much stronger because of it."
The chat immediately slowed slightly as viewers started listening more seriously.
"And then there's Ouroboros…" Nigo continued.
His expression became noticeably more focused.
"Honestly, I think they're one of the best antagonist organizations we've seen in JRPGs recently. They don't just feel evil for the sake of being evil. They feel mysterious, intelligent, dangerous, and constantly one step ahead."
Mitsu slowly nodded while Kiara also became quieter.
Nigo pointed toward one of the character images displayed on the monitor.
"The important part is that Ouroboros actually feels threatening. Not fake threatening. Real threatening. Every time they appear, the atmosphere changes immediately. Even when the heroes manage to survive encounters against them, it rarely feels like the protagonists truly won."
The live chat instantly reacted.
"YES! THAT'S EXACTLY IT!"
"Ouroboros aura is insane."
"They feel like endgame villains already."
"Campanella scares me and I don't even know why."
Nigo nodded while continuing. "Exactly. Even at the end of SC, it doesn't really feel like Ouroboros fully lost. It feels more like they allowed certain things to happen while still hiding much bigger plans behind the scenes. That's what excites me."
He smiled slightly afterward.
"Ouroboros feels like the kind of organization that could affect the entire series for years."
Mitsu nodded slowly. "I know, right? That's honestly what makes this sequel feel so good. It rewards players for caring about the previous game. But at the same time, it's also a little scary because unlike Final Fantasy, you really need to play Trails in the Sky FC first to fully understand all of this."
He pointed toward the camera while smiling awkwardly.
"If someone jumps directly into SC without playing FC first, they'll probably still enjoy the gameplay and some emotional scenes, but they definitely won't feel the full impact. A huge part of what makes SC so satisfying is the emotional buildup from the first game."
Nigo nodded in agreement. "Yeah. SC works because FC exists. The slow pacing, the worldbuilding, the relationships, the mysteries… all of that explodes beautifully in the sequel."
Mitsu crossed his arms thoughtfully afterward. "Honestly, I respect games brave enough to do that. Instead of resetting everything every installment, Trails actually commits to long-term storytelling."
The live chat instantly reacted again.
"TRAILS PLAYERS EATING GOOD! NO! ZAGE PLAYERS IS"
"FC WALKED SO SC COULD RUN!"
"LONG-TERM STORYTELLING IS PEAK!"
Mitsu laughed before giving his final score. "Still, i'm excited of what next for this series and, I'm giving this game a solid 8.0 out of 10."
Kiara immediately frowned in disbelief. "Hmph!? Only 8.0 out of 10!?"
She looked genuinely offended now. "Excuse me!? Mitsu-san, did we even play the same game?!"
The chat instantly exploded.
"KIARA IS MAD LOL."
"MITSU ABOUT TO GET EXECUTED LIVE."
"8.0 FOR SC IS CRAZY."
Kiara crossed her arms dramatically before continuing her rant. "This game gave us Estelle's character development, Joshua's emotional payoff, Ouroboros insanity, emotional trauma, romance, worldbuilding, peak storytelling, and one of the best sequel payoffs ever… and you give it only 8.0?!"
Mitsu immediately raised both hands defensively while laughing. "Hey, hey! 8.0 is still a really high score!"
"No!" Kiara shot back. "This is emotional damage to Trails fans worldwide!"
The live chat became completely chaotic.
"KIARA SPEAKING FACTS."
"ESTELLE FANS DECLARE WAR."
"MITSU, RAISE THE SCORE NOW."
Even Nigo started laughing awkwardly while trying to calm the situation. "Well… I do think the game is an extremely solid JRPG overall. Personally, I'd give it around 8.5 out of 10. I love the story, the character writing, and honestly, I really enjoy Trails gameplay in general too."
For a brief moment, Kiara looked relieved. Then her expression slowly changed as she turned toward Nigo.
"…Wait. Only 8.5?!"
Nigo immediately looked nervous while the chat exploded again.
"NIGO ENTERED THE DANGER ZONE."
"NIGO THOUGHT HE WAS SAFE."
"HE GETTING BALD! WAIT! HE ALREADY IS!"
"KIARA ABOUT TO DESTROY BOTH HOSTS."
Kiara pointed at him like he had personally betrayed Trails fans everywhere. "Nigo-san… I trusted you. I thought you understood true peak fiction!"
Nigo raised both hands defensively. "W-Wait! 8.5 is still incredibly high!"
"No!" Kiara shot back dramatically. "This game emotionally kidnapped me for over fifty hours, made me cry, made me scream, made me spiritually ascend, and you give it only 8.5?! This is not 8.5 behavior!"
Mitsu instantly burst out laughing after hearing that, while the chat became even more chaotic.
"SPIRITUALLY ASCEND LOL."
"KIARA HAS BECOME ESTELLE'S DISCIPLE."
Nigo rubbed his forehead helplessly while laughing awkwardly. "Kiara-san, please calm down. I'm literally praising the game."
But Kiara refused to back down. "No! If Estelle heard that score, she would punch both of you!"
That single sentence completely destroyed the remaining seriousness in the studio. Mitsu had to lean away from the microphone because he was laughing too hard, while Nigo looked like a man being interrogated live on public television.
"I-I mean… mathematically—"
"No math!" Kiara snapped. "Emotions!"
She slammed the table dramatically again. "This game has romance, politics, emotional trauma, worldbuilding, secret societies, character development, and Estelle Bright! How is this not at least 9.0?!"
The live chat completely sided with Kiara now.
"NIGO APOLOGIZE."
"JUSTICE FOR ESTELLE."
"8.5 IS EMOTIONAL DAMAGE."
Nigo finally surrendered while laughing helplessly. "Fine, fine! Maybe my score will become higher after I emotionally recover from the ending, okay?!"
Kiara narrowed her eyes suspiciously before finally nodding once. "Hmph. Acceptable."
Mitsu immediately pointed toward the camera dramatically. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to ZEMITSU Honest Review, where Kiara Kawamura threatens reviewers emotionally until their scores increase."
That single sentence destroyed the room again while the chat spammed laughing emojis nonstop.
The chat largely agreed with them. Trails in the Sky SC had clearly become one of the most beloved JRPG releases among ZAGE fans, and the emotional arguments between the hosts somehow made viewers love the discussion even more.
Meanwhile, Kiara slowly grinned.
And for some reason… that grin alone already made both Mitsu and Nigo slightly nervous.
Mitsu immediately pointed at her suspiciously. "Why are you smiling like that?"
Kiara clasped both hands together excitedly before leaning toward the microphone.
"Hehehe…"
"Next game… is Valkyrie Profile."
To be continue
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