Firstly a huge thanks to this subreddit for getting me back to kiseki series. I am mostly a Ys fan and lurk here. * So I've finished Trails in sky FC way back in 2014 (on PC). At the time it made no impression on me and I seem to have forgotten the whole story. ( ok hold that downvote!) * Six years later this subreddit got me into Cold steel 1 and I bought it for Vita and beat it. Its so damn good. I don't get much time to play so I took a whole month to finish it. It was worth it. I want to immediately get Cold Steel 2 (Like right now!) and see what class VII and Rean do next. * But as it's reiterated strongly here **you have to play from the beginning**? Right? * So I boot up the game and try playing it again and I just cannot do it again. The chibi design and sluggish pace just doesn't cut it. Then there is Zero/Ao no Kiseki, which is I hear is *essential* for CS saga. They also seem similar to Trails in sky art wise with no official translation. So... **Tl;dr:** Can I understand and continue to enjoy most of cold steel if I continue 2-4 and **simply cannot** play the old games? I don't mind missing a few references, but if it *severely impedes my understanding of the plot* then I'd rather not continue. I want to know pros and cons of both before I spend my precious gaming time on this.