The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel Reviews
Trails of Cold Steel is a superb game best experienced by those who’ve already immersed themselves in Trails’ lore. So while the game is still enjoyable without playing Trails in the Sky, I’d still wholly recommend picking those games up and finishing them before moving on to this one. You don’t need to, but doing so makes this good game great, and it’s a more affordable method of knowing whether this is the series for you.
Overall, Rage 2 is a fun game. Surprisingly a bit short for an open world experience as I was able to beat it at below 14 hours. But it is still worth playing if you are a fan of Doom.
Honestly, I could get Trails in the Sky 1+2 on Steam for that price and have a way better and longer time. For a game, that needs so long to develop into something hooking, yet never lives up to previously set standards, this price tag is just bad. In my opinion The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is worth 29.99, if you completed the Trails in the Sky trilogy, making a recommendation of this let-down a pretty hard one.
Trails of Cold Steel gets off to a slow start in order to find its bearings but once it gets going it delivers a solid experience. While taking a different direction from Sky which centered on Estelle and her journey, Rean and the rest of his class’ journey was just as enjoyable. With the second chapter coming out next week, there really isn’t much time to wait in order to continue on this newer tale of the Legend of Heroes.
With this entry into The Legend of Heroes saga, Falcom created something truly special. The believability of the world and characters, the attachment to the people of the empire, and low key storyline build a memorable experience.
There might not be as much payoff as some may like but Trails of Cold Steel does a lot more than just setting up events for the sequel. I found myself immersed in an interesting industrial setting with a rich history, exploring the motivations behind a likeable bunch of characters and mediating the conflicts between the nation’s social classes. It's a lengthy game, especially if you feel compelled to talk to every NPC, but Trails of Cold Steel does a great job of rewarding this kind of obsessive behaviour.
The repetitiveness of the school life portions is the greatest offender – the game really comes into its own when you’re out of the school environment and exploring Erebonia. Still, if you’ve been on the fence about giving this game a shot, the PC port is easily the definitive version.
Though it can be incredibly slow in both combat and story, the surprisingly active combat system keeps things interesting.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.