The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd

 PC
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. Wccftech
    May 14, 2017
    95
    A more than worthy continuation of the Trails in the Sky saga, tying up some loose ends from the previous game while setting up events for the following entries. The dungeon crawler game flow of the 3rd may put off some, and the presentation may look outdated, but do not let this discourage you, as the game is one of the best Japanese role-playing games released this year in the West.
  2. DarkStation
    Jul 5, 2017
    90
    The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd is absolutely charming and it’s not only due to its cutesy looks. With a dimensional world of multiple planes hovering in the middle of nowhere and tons of text to read through, the game could pass for a foreign cousin to the equally engaging and prosaic-heavy Torment: Tides of Numenera. Both games share a fact the flashy presentation is not always needed to tell immersive stories. It’s the quality of the writing and the riveting dialogue that count towards the long hours lost in front of the computer. When all is said and done, Trails in the Sky the 3rd comes out as a balanced, thoughtful and inspiring JRPG.
  3. RPG Site
    May 3, 2017
    90
    The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd's different gameplay structure and shifted narrative focus can take some getting used to, especially when coming off the formula from prior Trails in the Sky entries. However, once I was acclimated to the new radical shifts in structure and gameplay, I found that the 3rd carries all the charm and strengths of the previous game and goes beyond that. Trails in the Sky the 3rd is an excellent conclusion that not only sends off the Liberl arc on an exceptionally strong note, but also serves as a great teaser of the overall Trails world.
  5. RPG Fan
    May 15, 2017
    85
    Trails in the Sky the 3rd is one for the fans; it's for those of us who are in deep, who devour every morsel of lore and character development because we can't get enough of this world. It's also notably inaccessible, requiring easily upwards of 100 hours of investment in previous titles to fully appreciate. But isn't worrying about that sort of missing the point? The 3rd is a heartfelt goodbye to a trilogy that has become dear to my heart, and I am deeply grateful that more adventures exist in this world, because I don't know if I'll ever be ready for the Trails magic to end.
  6. DualShockers
    May 3, 2017
    85
    Trails in the Sky the 3rd brings the ultimate closure to the trilogy as it wraps up any important plot points that might have been missed in FC and SC.
  7. Games.cz
    Jun 27, 2017
    80
    The story is so dense, it could discourage with a pile of text and a small amount of action, but anyone who gives Trails in the Sky the 3rd a chance, gets tens of hours of great entertainment, brilliantly written characters and an interesting story.
  8. Digitally Downloaded
    May 17, 2017
    80
    A love letter for fans, a final send-off for some beloved characters and fitting conclusions to endearing storylines. The likeable characters kept me interested and never left me feeling as though the development team had gone to the same well too many times, despite some reused locations and bosses. If you are okay with a considerable shift in overall gameplay, exchanging actual exploration on world maps for doorways leading to more focused events, then Trails in the Sky the 3rd is going to be highly satisfying.
  9. 3DJuegos
    May 16, 2017
    80
    An atypical dungeon crawler structure in the series, but with a great result that closes like a homage this great and unknown JRPG.
  10. ZTGD
    May 11, 2017
    80
    Trails in the Sky 3 is a departure from its predecessors in more ways than one, and is undoubtedly the weakest of the three titles. However, the foundation of what made the first two titles feel special still remains with charming, multi-layered characters I’ve fallen in love with all over again, and writing that plays my heartstrings like a god damn fiddle.
  11. COGconnected
    May 15, 2017
    75
    The game this time around is more story and dialogue heavy, and I felt like it presented itself as more of a visual novel, however the battle system is quite good and remains mostly the same as the First and Second Chapter.
  12. RPGamer
    May 12, 2017
    70
    Trails in the Sky the 3rd is bound to be a very divisive game among Trails fans. Its radically different structure is such a departure from the prior games that it's inevitably going to turn off some players, but at the same time, the fantastic boss battles and charming moments still manage to keep you hooked through what would, in any other circumstance, be a rather monotonous dungeon crawler. Had it not been for the two prior games of history, I doubt it would be able to hold up as well as it does; indeed, if you haven't played the previous titles, Trails in the Sky the 3rd would be a confusing mess. If, however, like so many Trails fans, you've fallen in love with the cast and want one last adventure with them, Trails in the Sky the 3rd does an admirable job of providing just that.

Awards & Rankings

41
#41 Best PC Game of 2017

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 81 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 64 out of 81
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 81
  3. Negative: 9 out of 81
  1. Gwyndolin
    May 3, 2017
    10
    I highly recommend playing FC and SC before the 3rd as it is a direct sequel.
    That said, the 3rd's format is a bit different from FC and SC.    I highly recommend playing FC and SC before the 3rd as it is a direct sequel.
    That said, the 3rd's format is a bit different from FC and SC. It is almost like one giant dungeon crawler. This dungeon has "doors" that leads to different parts of Liberl.
    Despite the new formula, the narrative is still among the strongest in any JRPG/RPG, the gameplay is a step up from FC/SC, featuring the largest cast of playable characters. And as always, music by JDK never fails to impress.

    Do note that The 3rd does not seem to directly propel the overarching plot of the Trails series, because its main role is to wrap up the Sky chapters while getting the audience interested in what's to come. What it does deliver is the following:
    1. Kevin's personal story.
    2. Additional depth/detail to every main character in the Sky Trilogy.
    3. Additional depth/detail to the world of West Zemuria.
    4. A lot of foreshadowing to future installments (Zero, Azure, Cold Steel)

    You can think of it as a playable Collector's Databook for your favorite manga series, but with its own self contained story.    … Full Review »
  2. chronofantasy
    May 7, 2017
    8
    Definitely don't play this game unless you have played the first two Trails in the Sky games, otherwise you'll be completely lost on all theDefinitely don't play this game unless you have played the first two Trails in the Sky games, otherwise you'll be completely lost on all the characters and what led up to this point in the game. Usually this sort of game I don't care that much for, since it's mostly a dungeon crawler and going through old past zones but in an altered state. The entire game is a wrap-up. I actually consider it a long, drawn out epilogue to the first two games.

    If this was any other game or perhaps series, I'd probably give this a lower score or I would stop playing this, but I may be a bit bias in this review because I am a fan of the series. Taking any biases away, the game has fantastic music, unique for the title, and amazing and drawn out narrative, which is always what the series is known for.

    There's side stories for each characters and mini games you can play, which adds more fun to the game.

    I'm only 10 hours into the game, so I still might have a bit to go, but I'm curious to see how each character's story ends and to see how the characters ended up in the one big dungeon-like place called Phantasama that they explore throughout the entire game.

    I knocked the game down a couple points because like I said, dungeon crawling isn't my preference and it doesn't really fit in the series whether I like it or not. I know the writers love to expand on the series and this universe, but I feel this game is a bit unnecessary at times, other than to please the fans. Otherwise, since we do have this game, it's enjoyable for what it is nonetheless.    … Full Review »
  3. Wondux
    Jan 3, 2022
    4
    Although I am a big fan of the series, this game was not fun for me. I didn't like constantly being in the same dungeon for MANY hours. What IAlthough I am a big fan of the series, this game was not fun for me. I didn't like constantly being in the same dungeon for MANY hours. What I liked about "The Legend of Heroes" was that you could roam around the city and talk to people, as well as complete quests given to you by them. I could not find that in this game; therefore, I did not enjoy it.… Full Review »
See all user reviews »