The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky

 PC
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 311 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 259 out of 311
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 311
  3. Negative: 26 out of 311

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  1. minneyar
    Jul 30, 2014
    10
    If you're looking for an oldschool, turn-based JRPG with a strong story, great writing, and wonderful music, you will love Trails in the Sky.

    The game was first release for the PC in Japan in 2004; it later received a port to the PSP in 2006 that added some extra features, and the PSP version was released in North American in 2011. This is a release of the original PC version, but    If you're looking for an oldschool, turn-based JRPG with a strong story, great writing, and wonderful music, you will love Trails in the Sky.

    The game was first release for the PC in Japan in 2004; it later received a port to the PSP in 2006 that added some extra features, and the PSP version was released in North American in 2011. This is a release of the original PC version, but XSEED has added all of the new features in the PSP version back into it, so this is the definitive version of the game in North America.

    The story is set in the kingdom of Liberl and follows the adventures of Estelle and Joshua, two novice adventurers who want to become Bracers; essentially mercenaries who also serve as police and protect the people of the kingdom. The story starts off slowly and takes its time to establish the setting and develop characters, but over time it picks up the pace and they become involved in intricate political plots involving mysterious assassins and powerful ancient artifacts. The game ends with a shocking twist that will leave you pining for the sequel, which is scheduled to be out in English at the end of 2014. Don't let the existence of a sequel stop you from getting the game now, though; it's an entirely self-contained story in its own right. The Trails games are famous for the size of their scripts; the word count dwarfs any of their story-heavy contemporaries such as the "Final Fantasy" or "Tales of..." games. Almost every NPC in the game has their own unique dialog that changes after almost everything you do.

    While the story is the star of the show, the game shines in other areas, too. The combat system is a turn-based system that borrows a lot from JRPGs that were typical of the era, but it adds in a tactical, grid-based positioning system, and each character's abilities are fairly diverse and customizeable. The game also has multiple difficulty settings, and if a particular fight is too hard for you, there's a handy option to retry fights that also temporarily lowers the difficulty level. The game's soundtrack is also great; it's exactly what you'd expect from the same developer who created the critically acclaimed Ys series.

    Really the only complaint I could make is that the graphics are a bit dated by modern standards, but hey, it's a ten-year-old Japanese PC game. They still do their job as intended, and you're going to enjoy the game enough that you won't care.    … Expand
  2. Rindokisuto
    Oct 31, 2014
    10
    Easily the best RPG I have played in a long time. The combat is great fun on its own, but the plot and characters will keep you playing this game attentively right until the end. Buy this game, play it, love it, and pray the second chapter english localization comes out soon.
  3. Traumator
    Jul 31, 2014
    10
    It's sad to see such a good game getting a bad score cause of trolls. Here's my 10 for a GREAT jrpg, we need more of these released on PC. (most of the bugs are already fixed btw)
  4. alex_dragon
    Sep 21, 2014
    10
    One of the best JRPG out there available in English,. There are already sequels to this but they are not available in English yet so i hope they will be putting it on steam in the future.

    it includes alot of new systems some very unique animation as well as good story plot. very good game for those who wants to look for a good JRPG. brings back alot of good memories of other old rpgs    One of the best JRPG out there available in English,. There are already sequels to this but they are not available in English yet so i hope they will be putting it on steam in the future.

    it includes alot of new systems some very unique animation as well as good story plot.

    very good game for those who wants to look for a good JRPG. brings back alot of good memories of other old rpgs for me ;) all JPRG involves grinding, it is what the game is about , you fight, you earn exp then you level up. But its like a mmorpg in a single player game. this game is worth it and has around 50-80 hours of gameplay.

    i am glad it made into Western market so more people will know about JRPG    … Expand
  5. AndrewLB
    Aug 10, 2014
    10
    This is a GREAT game. While the graphics are clearly dated, the story, character development, and the lore involved with this game are absolutely incredible. I cannot think of a single modern RPG that comes remotely close to Trails in the Sky in terms of story and characters. Mass Effect series came close until they F**ked up the 3rd game. Games these days focus way too much on graphicsThis is a GREAT game. While the graphics are clearly dated, the story, character development, and the lore involved with this game are absolutely incredible. I cannot think of a single modern RPG that comes remotely close to Trails in the Sky in terms of story and characters. Mass Effect series came close until they F**ked up the 3rd game. Games these days focus way too much on graphics and lack the depth of games like this.

    Many people don't seem to understand why the Graphics are as old school as they are and are giving it bad reviews. The only reason why this game made it to the English speaking world is because of a small company named Xseed Games. They're not some big powerhouse company, and I bet their staff consists than less than 20 people. The amount of text in a game like this needs to be translated from Japanese to English, a feat not possible with Google translate. Every single character translated into English has to be painstakingly interpreted and re-worded because the two languages are so incredibly different. It is my understanding that the localization of this game took a small team of 2-3 people about 4 years to complete.    … Expand
  6. Nican
    Oct 17, 2014
    10
    If you like JRPG's, you will not want to miss this title.

    The graphics on this game are a little dated, since the original game was release a while ago. The grid based combat and the arts and equipment systems are simple, but enjoyable. What truly makes this game a little gem are the storyline and the characters. The storyline is both entertaining and humorous. It is also very    If you like JRPG's, you will not want to miss this title.

    The graphics on this game are a little dated, since the original game was release a while ago.
    The grid based combat and the arts and equipment systems are simple, but enjoyable.

    What truly makes this game a little gem are the storyline and the characters.

    The storyline is both entertaining and humorous. It is also very detailed, even the side quests are incorporated in the story.
    The characters are fun and endearing.
    This game is worlds away from games like Final Fantasy XIII which combine awesome graphics with cheesy and shallow characters and a soporific story.
    Here is to hoping we see more games like this in the future.    … Expand
  7. DinkyChompy
    Aug 2, 2014
    10
    Great game. First played it on my psp and now on PC. HD everything makes it looks pretty neat compared to the psp and I'm having a blast again since 2011. The battle system and quartz is probably my favorite thing about this game. Looking forward to SC so try it out it's a great JRPG.
  8. dkurjery
    Aug 24, 2014
    10
    This review serves to give some insights to people who wonder why this game is described as one of the best JRPGs by users here.

    The Legend of Heroes series is a famous JRPG title, with sky trail series being the most well known ones. It is so famous that even the sequel of sky trail still have some relationship with it. Here are some areas which can distinct this game from some    This review serves to give some insights to people who wonder why this game is described as one of the best JRPGs by users here.

    The Legend of Heroes series is a famous JRPG title, with sky trail series being the most well known ones. It is so famous that even the sequel of sky trail still have some relationship with it.

    Here are some areas which can distinct this game from some traditional RPGs.

    First, the dialogues and position of NPCs in this game change whenever there is a major story event happens. They are not the ones once you have talked with, there are no incentive to even talk with them again. They have their own concerns, life issues and relationship with other NPCs. If you read their dialogues and remember their names, you will soon find them again or people related with them in another location as you progresses. The world in this game is rich because NPCs have their life as well.

    Second, it has a deep character development. The story events give a good description of characters for sure. However, in addition to that, chatting with NPCs, exploring the world, and doing side-quests all serve as a mechanism for player to understand more about the world setting, background and personality of characters. Some NPCs even change dialogues when you have new characters in your party.

    Third, side-quests are interesting. They are not those stupid fetch quests or loot collection quests. They generally have a good background story, and allow players to understand more about the world or the characters, and earn good rewards. Some upcoming side quests or even major story events are well hinted beforehand, if players are attentive to details in the game world.

    Another worth-noting area is the battle mechanics of the game. Player can set up different magic by different combinations of orbments, arranging position of parties in battle field, and with different power moves available for each character. What magic available depends on character themselves and orbments owned, so there are variations in character builds. Depending on what enemies facing, different tacticis and equipment loadout have to be adjusted for best efficiency.

    Also, leveling up doesn't involve too much grinding. If you know where to level up efficiently in each chapter, generally you only take 30 minutes to 1 hour per chapter for leveling up your characters to adequate levels, and making the orbments you need. The rest then depends on your tactics against boss.

    Finally, the game has a very good story and world-setting, and they are well hinted, and have many followups in sequels. There are 4 games afterwards following the story line of this game. You can imagine how great the plot and world setting is for this series.

    I see some users here complain about the forced encounter with enemy rushed towards the back of players. In fact, this issue can be solved easily when you get 1 orbment. But how fast you get it depends on how well and many the missions are completed.

    At last, some players may wonder about the game hour of this game. Well, it varies according to player style. On average, it should be around 40 hours. However, if you attempts to find out all secrets, exploring the hidden area and trigger hidden events, and read all NPC dialogues whenever the game world changes, then expect the game will be as long as 70 hours or even more. Why not clock in more hours with it? It is a game with lots of attention to details, which is one of the standard of high quality RPG.

    Hope this help some users wondering why this game has so much praise.    … Expand
  9. Killerattacks
    Jul 30, 2014
    10
    If you're wondering why the game has such a bad user score: The main reason is that the game had some graphical and game crashing bugs the day it got released, which almost all got fixed within a day.

    This is an awesome JRPG and Xseed, the publisher, does an amazing job at support and they are going to implement even more features like a monster compendium and higher quality art assets    If you're wondering why the game has such a bad user score: The main reason is that the game had some graphical and game crashing bugs the day it got released, which almost all got fixed within a day.

    This is an awesome JRPG and Xseed, the publisher, does an amazing job at support and they are going to implement even more features like a monster compendium and higher quality art assets of the PS3 version of the game in the future.

    So my recommendation: Do yourself a favor and buy this fantastic JRPG!    … Expand
  10. MissArya
    Jul 29, 2014
    10
    Great Old-School RPG
    Love it !

    Story: The characters are individual and have much Humor. The story comes slowly but in the end u will be very surprised.

    Graphic: Like a óld-school RPG. old-school but in HD. U can read everything really clear

    Sound: Awesome OST, every song is really unique but there are only a few characters who speak in a fight
  11. demomana
    Jul 31, 2014
    10
    Great old-school RPG. Its story is very refreshing compared to JRPG you see nowadays and has a very interesting battle system as well. One could say it's kind of slightly comparable to Grandia to some extend yet has its own customization while still not becoming overcomplicated, it found the right middle to avoid headaches.
    The PC version has been enhanced to make it playable on new    Great old-school RPG. Its story is very refreshing compared to JRPG you see nowadays and has a very interesting battle system as well. One could say it's kind of slightly comparable to Grandia to some extend yet has its own customization while still not becoming overcomplicated, it found the right middle to avoid headaches.
    The PC version has been enhanced to make it playable on new systems and has been updated to be able to support most high resolutions both in full screen and windowed screen. The game itself is the first part of a very popular trilogy in Japan that have a lot of continuation. The story is definitely a huge factor in this game, you will feel immersed in it and it is very well written as well. The story itself also go along with several more stories as well, that's how deep it truly is. You don't see those kind of stories in JRPG nowadays.
    The game's musics and song are also of the highest quality, just like most works that have been created by Falcom. From the battle theme to everything else, I must admit I really enjoyed all the musics featured in Trails in the Sky FC.
    All in all, the PC version of Trails in the Sky FC is a must have and has been updated to include everything that was originally included in the PSP version, including things such as the monster book, new game+ and unlockable difficulties. XSEED did a really good work at backporting all those features to the PC version to make it indeniably THE version of the game that is the best all around.    … Expand
  12. willlerner
    Jul 31, 2014
    10
    Old-school RPG mixed with Final Fantasy tactics and an amazing story. I was very pleasantly surprised for the game.

    The version at launch had some crashes, but thankfully an update has been released, so I'm updating my score.
  13. Bigmantyrone
    Jul 31, 2014
    10
    10/10 Best JRPG NA

    Too bad casuals who only play CAWADOOTY are trying to give it a bad score. Great soundtrack, great battle system, great storyline.
  14. Nabae
    Aug 5, 2014
    10
    The JRPG series known and loved for its meticulous and extensive world-building lives up to its expectations. Estelle in particular is arguably one of the best female MCs to ever come from a video game. With the back-porting all of the PSP exclusive features, clearer text boxes, empty treasure chests with personality, among other things, XSEED really went above and beyond what wasThe JRPG series known and loved for its meticulous and extensive world-building lives up to its expectations. Estelle in particular is arguably one of the best female MCs to ever come from a video game. With the back-porting all of the PSP exclusive features, clearer text boxes, empty treasure chests with personality, among other things, XSEED really went above and beyond what was required for this localization to offer the best experience possible.… Expand
  15. ozgur_akgul
    Aug 8, 2014
    10
    This is a J-PRG with less boobs but deep story.
    There's no fancy cut scenes but great conversations.
    As a gamer who can't stand any game without voice acting anymore,this game is different.There's something special in this game just oozes me.
    P.S : I don't like Final Fantasy and the only J-RPG i have ever liked is Persona 4 (apart from The Legend Of Heroes, of course)
  16. Jeek
    Dec 23, 2014
    10
    Simply amazing and beautiful game. Even better than the best Final Fantasies. Simple turn based JRPG with amazing story and amazing characters. Can't wait for second chapter sequel.
  17. Kiseki
    Nov 22, 2015
    10
    10 years later trails in the sky FC is still my favourite RPG. Im currently playing Trails in the Sky FC Evolution and still cant helped but be impressed. no one ever came close make a game like this.

    All the negative and mix reviews are pretty much idiots, using words to bash the game without actually understanding and describing what the game is like and why they did not like it.    10 years later trails in the sky FC is still my favourite RPG. Im currently playing Trails in the Sky FC Evolution and still cant helped but be impressed. no one ever came close make a game like this.

    All the negative and mix reviews are pretty much idiots, using words to bash the game without actually understanding and describing what the game is like and why they did not like it.

    The bright points for this game are:

    1. Detailed and consistent game world that is very charming and soothing. There are many different things to discover, some hidden.
    2. Good progression and story telling structure. time slowly progresses as main quest is completed. the game world changes as time progresses. NPCs stand in different locations and have different dialogues. Some have their own tiny stories that progresses with time.
    3. Really good soothing and also exciting music that fits in well with the scenes.
    4. combat system is very very unique. It has 3 aspects -

    a. a action order that can be manipulated and occasionally has random boons attached. (its really amazingly one of the mixed reviews didnt even understand what it is

    b. skill that require use of CP points. CP points are collected through dealing and receiving damage or as attached bonus in action order slot.

    c. magic (magic in this world is called "orbment" which relies on a device utilising power of crystal shards of different elements) there are 7 elements including time, sky (air), illusion. You dont learn the magic skills available, you obtain them by combining different "processed" shards from the workshop.

    The combat also has good animations.
    5. very good storyline that is well planned and thought out.

    the bad spots: (rant against haters)

    I have absolutely no idea...for this game, i just simply cant think of one. i dont think there is any other game that I can say the same. the people that dont like it are the ones that dont have a clue about this game, all their comments are completely stupid. they are probably into different genres like action games. anything turn based even action order based sucks to them.

    there's some guy is like he expected it to have depth like secret of mana. Im like pffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff. that is depth? the depth of this story is hell lot more amazing, the graphics is hell lot better, the game play, game world, combat system is worlds apart.

    another guy is like: combat is useless repetition over and over. that sounds pretty much like action games and pretty much every other game lol. and especially action games like diablo 3 that has a total of 4 skills you spam over and over and over in that hours and hours you do in the same map to the extent that your fingers hurt from all the clicking. and i bet he like that game alot more.

    the part about dodging enemies is pretty bs too, to have your whole party on the adventure map is quite refreshing, it make you feel more like you are travelling in a party. its still pretty easy to dodge, but you may not be able to cant dodge every single enemy on the map. and at least you can dodge. all other rpg is just random landmine and the combat just starts and you have to fight hell lot more. its not any harder to dodge than you average arpg. this complaint is completely bull. just looking for reason to trash.

    and its funny how those people only reviewed this one single game....    … Expand
  18. xcvx
    Jun 7, 2015
    10
    Playing this game, first thing I notice is that background musics and story is beautiful and graphics is one of my favorite type. Also, I like this game`s 'arts' system. Player can makes his own 'arts' circuit and the circuit line has each characters` characteristic trait. I think it is great unique diffrence compared to other games. 'Arts' allow you can set your character freely in thePlaying this game, first thing I notice is that background musics and story is beautiful and graphics is one of my favorite type. Also, I like this game`s 'arts' system. Player can makes his own 'arts' circuit and the circuit line has each characters` characteristic trait. I think it is great unique diffrence compared to other games. 'Arts' allow you can set your character freely in the boundary of their character.

    Combat system is similar poke-mon`s system, but more complicate. You will fight 2D field with turn that is decided by each`s SPD and your 'craft,' used in heal and crit-turn in my playing. Field monster is quit easy, but bosses is difficult to me. It taking more thinking and time to win, and even sometimes I need lots of lucks.

    I suggest you play not only main story, but also side story. I am certain game producers take more their passions to sub-story, Sub-storys have each character`s personality and their world. During communicating with a street NPC, I can take informations of main story and their chats about their world. Whenever I click many other NPCs, I am moved, and I don`t know what makes these feelings.

    Finishing The Legend of Heroes: Trails of the Sky, I start to playing SC, TC and more The Legends of Heroes. I am sure that if you playing this game, you are chase me in the same way with fallin to amazing bgms, story and game systems.

    Now, you hesitate enjoying this game, erase your hesitation and just start to play! And follow me!    … Expand
  19. lord_pent
    Jan 14, 2019
    10
    An amazing RPG, heavily underrated. Even has a fast forward feature, which you can map in config.exe
    (Alt by default)
  20. Zenter
    Mar 4, 2019
    10
    One of the best RPGs I have ever played. The story and writing is so well-constructed and well-thought. The characters felt very real and well-developed. It is such a rarity to find a game with a writing like Trails. A must-try for every JRPG fan
  21. GreenMenace
    Sep 28, 2022
    10
    Before I gush about this game, let’s get one thing straight. This game is old. If you’re thinking about looking into the Trails series, you might be better off looking into later entry that’s more visually appealing. At the very least, do your homework looking into this game if you really want to check it out because you need to figure out whether this game is your type of game. Odd as itBefore I gush about this game, let’s get one thing straight. This game is old. If you’re thinking about looking into the Trails series, you might be better off looking into later entry that’s more visually appealing. At the very least, do your homework looking into this game if you really want to check it out because you need to figure out whether this game is your type of game. Odd as it sounds, I’d compare these games to Marvel—if you like people (superheroes) banding together to do the right thing like a Jedi order, then Bracers are the answer.

    I bought this game on a whim at college and started playing it because I liked Estelle. To my surprise, there was a solid plot to the game. This game tells a great story. It was popular enough to where there was a movie of it on Netflix. The series as a whole seems to be gaining traction in the west as more and more trails games are getting translated to English. The good news about that? If you like this game--there's more where that came from :)

    Its combat is simplistic (so I wouldn’t recommend the highest difficulty), but it adds a little bit of strategy into the game between story moments. I loved each of the characters introduced into the story, and I was really sad when the game ended because I didn’t want it to.

    The Trails in the Sky series contains my favorite video game story with some of my favorite video game characters. Its side quests were likeable enough to where they took several of those characters and put them in Cold Steel.

    It’s old, but I enjoy the art, and I enjoy the peaceful music, the colorful scenery, and the rural world portrayed by Trails in the Sky. This game tugged on my heart strings because the characters were so relatable and likeable. I’ve tried many JRPGs since Trails in the Sky, but none of them have affected me the same way. It’s a special series in my book.    … Expand
  22. Pokegame
    Jun 16, 2021
    10
    The perfect start to a perfect series


    All though this game is rather slow in its passing it's still an amazing start to the legendary trails/kiskei series. If you like JRPG or have a love for games with amazing story, world building and characters give this series a try, and the first game is the perfect starting point.
  23. OldManLav
    Jun 17, 2023
    10
    This game (and series) is a shining example of writing, storytelling, and character development in video games. Needs to be released on modern platforms in the West- I had to dust off my Vita to play through the trilogy.

    Story starts off pretty slowly, but do me a favor and stick with it. You won't be disappointed.
  24. Luigichief
    Jun 15, 2020
    10
    It establishes this state very well in a very dynamic way. Great characters. Cool gameplay. This world is alive.
  25. gamejediben
    Aug 3, 2020
    10
    Do you love Grandia? Then you will LOVE this game. They took the Grandia formula and made it even better. The characters are better written (more realistic and less annoying) the music is better (its Falcom, so of course it is) and the battle system is almost identical to Grandia's. Theres also less grinding required.

    My only real complaint is the magic system is kind of a poor man's    Do you love Grandia? Then you will LOVE this game. They took the Grandia formula and made it even better. The characters are better written (more realistic and less annoying) the music is better (its Falcom, so of course it is) and the battle system is almost identical to Grandia's. Theres also less grinding required.

    My only real complaint is the magic system is kind of a poor man's version of FF7's materia system. Its not bad but sometimes I couldn't figure out how to get what spell onto which character. This game has no voice acting and is very word heavy and there will be lots of reading required but in that way it reminds me of older RPGs from the 90s so I didn't mind. the graphics are kinda weak but you have to remember its a game from 2004 but we didn't get it until 10 years after its original release. So judged on that scale, I'd say the graphics are quite good. There's a very timeless feel to the visuals that I think really makes them hold up well.

    I think the strongest selling point on this game is the buckets of charm it brings. Its easy to get drawn in and not want to leave which I guess is a good thing since there are 2 direct sequels to play after you finish this one. I'll also write a review for those once I finish them. Overall, I gotta give this a 10. Its just too damn good to give it anything else. Its like a masterpiece from an older era of RPGs that I somehow missed but Im glad I went back to play. By far the best $15 I've spent on a steam sale!    … Expand
  26. Xitomz
    Nov 24, 2021
    10
    One of the best JRPG's I've played in my life. The game serves as a precuel to a huge series of games so it starts really slowly, focusing on building both the world and the characters. The story is rich and believeable, even though It's a fantasy themed one, and every character is unique and makes sense.

    The only downside I see is that it starts too slow for my taste. I think the game    One of the best JRPG's I've played in my life. The game serves as a precuel to a huge series of games so it starts really slowly, focusing on building both the world and the characters. The story is rich and believeable, even though It's a fantasy themed one, and every character is unique and makes sense.

    The only downside I see is that it starts too slow for my taste. I think the game would benefeit from starting at a faster pace. Not much happens until chapter 2 or 3, but from that point onwards it really is an absolute masterpiece.

    Beware, this game is more of a visual novel than an average RPG, take this into consideration before playing. There's tons and tons of text. If you don't like reading, you're better off playing other games of the genre.    … Expand
  27. kirisakichan
    May 24, 2022
    10
    Trails series is one of the best JRPG that I've played. It might be old school but the story is really the important part of the series.

    Gameplay 9/10 as a fan of turn-based games, it's really fun and innovative. The gameplay is so good that I'm motivated to farm my characters and grind real hard as I look forward to the skills I can unlock. Overall, the gameplay is really satisfying.    Trails series is one of the best JRPG that I've played. It might be old school but the story is really the important part of the series.

    Gameplay 9/10
    as a fan of turn-based games, it's really fun and innovative. The gameplay is so good that I'm motivated to farm my characters and grind real hard as I look forward to the skills I can unlock. Overall, the gameplay is really satisfying.

    Music 10/10
    I really love the ost of this game. Whenever I hear the silver will, it makes me sad. The feels they put into this game is really great.

    Story 10/10
    Trails in the Sky FC follows the journey of Estelle and Joshua Bright, as they train to become bracers in the Liberl Kingdom. Spurred by the disappearance of their father, they travel through the five regions of Rolent, Bose, Ruan, Zeiss, and finally Grancel. From the small-scale theft of an expensive crystal to a country-wide conspiracy with a mysterious black orbment at its center, their journey through the regions has them encountering challenges they must solve as they encounter all facets of the Liberl country in their pursuit of the rank of a senior bracer.

    The story of this is really the star of the show. The story might be its best part but if you love playing games such as lunar and breath of fire, It will feel nostalgic.

    Overall this is one of the best JRPG game I've played.    … Expand
  28. JimmieRamone
    Jul 3, 2023
    10
    This is definitely a game that asks for a lot of patience at the beginning, but once things start moving along and you get to some of the tougher boss fights, the orbment battle system really starts to shine. One of my favorite RPGs of all time, I'd put the series as a whole up with the likes of Lunar and Grandia. If you like either of those games, I think it's a safe bet you'll love ****
  29. BasilZero
    Jan 28, 2020
    9
    Game: The Legend of Heroes Trails in the Sky First Chapter
    Genre: RPG
    Developer: Falcom Publisher: XSEED Games/Marvelous Inc System: Steam (PC) Year of Release: 2014 Length of Playthrough: 58 Hours Total Score: 91/100 Value Score: 9.1/10 • Story: 9/10 • Characters: 9/10 • GamePlay: 9/10 • Graphics: 9/10 • Sound: 8/10 • Music: 8/10 • Length: 10/10 • Replay Value: 9/10 •    Game: The Legend of Heroes Trails in the Sky First Chapter
    Genre: RPG
    Developer: Falcom
    Publisher: XSEED Games/Marvelous Inc
    System: Steam (PC)
    Year of Release: 2014
    Length of Playthrough: 58 Hours

    Total Score: 91/100
    Value Score: 9.1/10

    • Story: 9/10
    • Characters: 9/10
    • GamePlay: 9/10
    • Graphics: 9/10
    • Sound: 8/10
    • Music: 8/10
    • Length: 10/10
    • Replay Value: 9/10
    • Player Value: 10/10

    Pros
    +Great story and fantastic localization/translation of the character interactions
    +More than 50 hours worth of content through main story and sidequests
    +Game where you do not need to grind and does not encourage grinding
    +New Game+
    +Speed up mechanic which allows you to speed up the game in all places (battle, outside of battles and cutscenes)
    +Great visual design/level design
    +Ability to transfer save data to next game for a few bonuses

    Cons
    -Gameplay especially in battles can be really slow paced
    -A lot of fetch quests and walking back and forth
    -Timed quests so you have to do them immediately available or risk losing from progression of story    … Expand
  30. Tubey
    Oct 15, 2014
    9
    I'd like to thank Metacritic for bringing me awareness of this game! As of right now, it's the highest user score current PC game, and being an RPG nut and reading into the game more I just had to give it a pop.

    This game is breathtaking. The labour of love behind it I haven't seen since the halcyon days of the 1990s in the RPG genre. Character development is top grade here, you    I'd like to thank Metacritic for bringing me awareness of this game! As of right now, it's the highest user score current PC game, and being an RPG nut and reading into the game more I just had to give it a pop.

    This game is breathtaking. The labour of love behind it I haven't seen since the halcyon days of the 1990s in the RPG genre. Character development is top grade here, you identify with each and every single person you come from. The musical score is fantastic barring a few misses here and there, but the battle soundtrack and character jingles are catchy and perfectly in place.

    Combat is slick and manages to do the unthinkable and avoid the repetitive nature of a JRPG by and large. Don't get me wrong, it still remains the same sort of fight over and over again, but enemy diversity and the gradual incline in difficulty and variety of attack help to overcome this issue.

    But by far and away the biggest asset this game has is the pure heart and soul it has. Graphically, it's beautiful - not in a 1080p, 60fps kind of way, but in a perfectly crafted setting with crisp design and gorgeous vistas. It's a "warm" game that will rope you in if you let it and not let you go for hours on end.

    Simply put, this is the best JRPG I've played since Final Fantasy 9, and arguably surpasses that title. Let's put it this way, if the game was called Final Fantasy 15 or whatever, it'd sell millions and be heralded as one of the greatest JRPGs of all time; just because it isn't a Squaresoft game doesn't mean it shouldn't be afforded the same respect for everything this game gets right.

    So again, thank you Metacritic for putting me on to this game, and I simply can't wait for the sequel!    … Expand
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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. CD-Action
    Dec 13, 2014
    75
    It’s a good game, but you have to remember that it’s a port of a 10-year-old PSP title. [Dec 2014, p.72]
  2. RPG Fan
    Sep 6, 2014
    90
    A slow-paced but charismatic RPG with an incredibly well-crafted world and characters.
    Read full review
  3. RPGamer
    Sep 5, 2014
    80
    I didn't love this game with every fiber of my being, but I certainly had a good time throughout, which is more than I can say for some titles.
    Read full review
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