A very disappointing follow-up to my favorite game in the series. Some of the new systems like the chain attacks/field battles are kinda neat in concept but when the game is so braindead easy even on modes such as nightmare the otherwise cool systems become both a chore and a slog to sit through. Nothing in the entire game will pose an even remote threat to you if you even take the slightest bit of preplanning into an account.
The pacing of the story is actually atrocious this time around as well, featuring the worst sidequests the series has to offer. So many times throughout the games narrative will everything just come to a screeching halt so that you can do 4spgs, which basically means wandering around talking to npc's for 45 minutes while you fight maybe one or two (once again, extremely simple and boring enemies). This happens DOZENS of time throughout the game and it never gets any better. Overall easily the most disappointing game in the series for me, and not even on a technical/balancing level like cold steel 4 was. This game was just boring. Made it midway through chapter 5 when I realized I was just not having fun playing through it anymore. Will probably pick it back up before Kuro 2 comes out in the west, because I still do have hope for the series.