The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel Reviews
In the end, Trails of Cold Steel is a game made for specific fans of the JRPG genre, but it also succeeds in nailing down all of its tropes and mechanics, rather than try to appeal to everyone with a bunch of pieces that don't fit cohesively.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel had my attention and lost it.
While it does take its time to really get going (the story doesn’t feel like it properly kicks off until about 15-ish hours in), The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is a really fun game to play. The story moves slowly, and can take a while to get through, and while not much about it feels new, it does a good job of taking already established elements and making them into something fun.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is hands down the best JRPG this year — and that’s saying a lot considering how many great ones have come out in the past twelve months.
If you like JRPGs (and maybe even if you don’t), you’ll want to find time for this game, though. Falcom haven’t tried to reinvent the wheel, because they wheel doesn’t need reinventing. Instead, they’ve set out to make the most magnificent damn wheel they could, and have succeeded with flying colours.
All in all, Trails of Cold Steel is a very solid experience. It takes the groundwork from other popular series in the genre, and although it doesn't do anything outstanding with that, it's still a great game.
This is a game with a long, arcing story that takes some awkward, colourful teens through their turbulent teenage years with a fun and vibrant world to explore, charming characters to befriend and a turn-based combat system with a surprising amount of depth once you look beneath the surface.
In short, the game is really held back by subpar storytelling.
Trails of Cold Steel looks very nice indeed thanks to its colourful and well-designed character and enemy models as well as a consistently smooth framerate, although you can’t say that it makes the most of the handhelds power
It is a really slow one to get going, but no argument can be made against how much care Falcom has put into building and developing the world and characters throughout the opening stages of Trails of Cold Steel. It very much hits the typical JRPG checkboxes, but with solid and safe customisation, and a great tactical turn-based battle system that adds a little something extra to the standard formula, this is a title that JRPG fans cannot afford to pass on - especially PS Vita owners - and will most definitely last right up until the sequel hits Western shores.
While 'The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel' is definitely a good game, and one that JRPG fans are likely to get a kick out of, I do wish it could've been a little more noteworthy. The combat system is excellent, and the game has some really fun side activities that serve as nice distractions (the playable card game, Blade, is a major highlight) from the central adventure. Still, the wonderful gameplay mechanics don't gel perfectly story format, which leads to pacing issues that hurt both aspects. 'Cold Steel 2' is due out next year, and if that speeds things up just a little bit, it'll absolutely be worth your time, but as it stands, 'Cold Steel' is a pleasant game that I really wish I could've fallen in love with. It's worth a look, but there are a few hurdles to get over before things really start to get moving.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is one of the best RPGs of the last few years, with an amazing story and very well-developed characters, as well as a great combat system, being this the perfect chance to not let this marvelous game goes by unnoticed.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
If you want to get into the Trails series then Cold Steel is a great first game that we can't recommend enough, as I mentioned earlier just put in the time and you'll be glad that you did.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is a great RPG that any fan of the genre will enjoy.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is a good JRPG that will kill some time and provide some enjoyable turn-based battles. I’d recommend picking it up on PlayStation Vita if you can, as I think it would work well in quick pick up and play sessions. If you’re finding the opening hours a little tedious, stick with it; you will be rewarded, and with Trails of Cold Steel II confirmed for a western release, you’re not going to want to hang around as you’ll easily sink many hours into this game.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is one of the chronicles of the "Trails Series" that connects the epic. Although there is a discrepancy in it, but it includes well-defined characters and great battles that make sense.
Review in Korean | Read full review
Whether you’re a hardcore Falcom fan or a diehard follower of the ‘Trails’ series, this is the right time to get started with The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel Kai. This may be the JRPG which may convert you into a fan in no time. Since the full ‘Trails’ universe promises to become much greater as the story develops, this series will let you know what kind of world you’re getting yourself into. Packed with content and plots to uncover, alongside plenty of side quests to complete as well. Please beware that you’ll eventually notice several repeated character animations and even cringe worthy production value, so take care of your eyes and mind to have enough capacity to absorb them with a grain of salt as you play through.
Review in Korean | Read full review
Trails of Cold Steel‘s remaster might just be the best version of the game, but the developer’s barely passable effort makes it hard to recommend as a repeat purchase, with the Japanese audio being the only worthwhile addition. For anime and JRPG fans who haven’t ventured onto Class VII’s campus, it’s an easy recommendation with its excellently crafted world likely to inspire many to embark on the 4-game journey. While its niche appeal might deter a wider audience, those who do give it a shot are unlikely to come away disappointed, despite its rough edges.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is a classic JRPG that holds up well in gameplay despite some dated visuals. The story, world-building, and character development in the game is truly next level and should set as an example for other games to follow.
This feels very much like a classic JRPG, with some extra features to bring it into the new age of gaming. This style of JRPG does require a lot of patience however, which is why I expect the turbo mode feature will be very appreciated by new and old fans alike. In the end though, it's the great story which kept me playing this game.