The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel

1. lord_batman

   Mar 7, 2019

   10

   If you like games with great worldbuilding, character development/interactions and a massive plot that spans over the course of several games,If you like games with great worldbuilding, character development/interactions and a massive plot that spans over the course of several games, you won't be disappointed. Oh, and I can't stress enough how amazing the soundtrack is. You'll be mind-blown playing this game for sure. Also try the previous Trails in the Sky series if you like this one, it's just as good.… Expand

   • 11 of 11 users found this helpful
2. VVayfarer

   Jul 4, 2020

   10

   Starts out slow, but develops into what is possibly one of the most intricate stories in the history of video games. Highly recommended.Starts out slow, but develops into what is possibly one of the most intricate stories in the history of video games. Highly recommended.
   
   Also, as I'm personally not a huge fan of turn-based combat (despite having played hundreds of turn-based RPGs in the past) I really appreciated the addition of a turbo mode in the PC and PS4 versions.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
4. SuperSuki

   Feb 17, 2021

   9

   This game may start of slow but it has incredible world-building, really good combat, the only reason this doesn't get a 10/10 is becauseThis game may start of slow but it has incredible world-building, really good combat, the only reason this doesn't get a 10/10 is because some of the bosses were really unfair and can stun-lock your party if you don't have the right accessories to black them but it's fine because when you die you can always retry or weaken the enemies if you want… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
5. Fredvdp

   Aug 19, 2021

   8

   This is a game I bought after reading a recommendation online. I had no idea what exactly to expect, but I was really surprised by how much IThis is a game I bought after reading a recommendation online. I had no idea what exactly to expect, but I was really surprised by how much I ended up liking it.
   
   The combat system, while not revolutionary, does its job. It's a fairly standard turn-based approach, but with enough additions that it becomes fresh again.
   
   The characters are varied and well written (except Angelica, I'll get to that). Even a character like Machias, who starts out as more than a bit obnoxious, grew on me.
   
   The world building is executed very well, with the narrative starting out as quite mundane, but slowly giving the player more and more glimpses of a greater global conflict. This approach works, because unlike games that throw you into a great conflict right from the start, the story in Trails of Cols Steel allows you to learn about the world at a slow pace, making you care about the various locations and their people before the story really begins to pick up. Some people don't appreciate this slow pacing, but I think it works great.
   
   If you're used to playing big AAA games by studios with staffs of hundreds, you might need to temper your expectations a bit when it comes to production values. This is a very big game, but made with limited means, so you'll notice some understandable compromises. For instance, there's a limited number of animations, so a lot of it's implied or conveyed through audio alone. (To give an example: When a crowd applauds, you can hear it, but the people are sitting motionless in their chairs.)
   
   The game's biggest problems are in how certain characters are portrayed. One thing that kind of bothered me is the implied romantic feelings one character has for her adopted brother, which all characters seem to be okay with or even actively encourage.
   
   Even worse is that one character in the game, Angelica, is a serial sexual harasser and pedophile who fantasises about "deflowering" a thirteen year old child. In one scene, this character commits four counts of sexual assault, two towards characters aged thirteen and fifteen, and all the other characters present (including the protagonist) just let it happen and have a laugh about it. This pedophile is treated as a dear friend and they're all happy to see her, despite her being a horrible creep.
   
   From a technical point of view, I'd say the game is quite good. The visual are obviously dated, being an older game originally released on a handheld. That said, the PC conversion was very well done with many different customisation options and also an option to enable DualShock controller prompts. The biggest downside is that there can be technical issues unless you cap the framerate to 60fps. I did not experience any slowdown or crashes throughout my entire playthrough.
   
   In short: Highly recommended. Interesting combat. Great characters. One very creepy character who is treated as a good person.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
6. GreenMenace

   Sep 28, 2022

   7

   The first Trails of Cold Steel introduces a game that is clunky at times, but still solid.
   
   Pros Tuned up replayability Fresh start andThe first Trails of Cold Steel introduces a game that is clunky at times, but still solid.
   
   Pros
   Tuned up replayability
   Fresh start and great new soundtrack
   Story
   
   Cons
   Character Involvement
   Pacing
   Bland Stereotypes
   
   Trails of Cold Steel has implemented a new system that rewards players for replaying its game, allowing players to push past the slower parts of the game much faster. The turbo button is a new feature that I didn’t take advantage of at first, but regretted not doing so later. The soundtrack is enjoyable, and the story introduces plot twists the player can’t see coming. There are some glaring issues though. At any given point in the story, EVERY character comments on it. Its painful, but that problem is fixed in future entries. The game does its best to create a climax for the player—but it does so by slowing down the game. You will feel it.
   
   Trails of Cold Steel gives you fun “bonding” moments where you get to know a character better. Your time is limited though, so you have to pick and choose who to interact with. Some moments are better than others, and some moments are absolutely cringeworthy (as a piano player, I hated watching characters play the piano).
   
   I’ve never been big on the main character of this series, but I’ve enjoyed the characters of Trails of Cold Steel as a whole. The characters don’t do much to surprise you (aka they’re two dimensional)—instead you grow to be comfortable with them over time as you progress through the story. Trails of Cold Steel is a four game series, so that’s important to keep in mind. Like a book, this game isn’t going to resolve everything inside the game which is intended to leave you curious about what the heck is going on. Bear in mind that if you haven’t tried a Falcom game like this, then it will be a new experience.
   
   Trails of Cold Steel—should you try it?
   
   A Trails game is like a weird hybrid of a book, movie, and video game. There’s story elements involving many characters, and you get to watch the characters interact. This game is LINEAR. It doesn’t get carried away with making the game challenging (as the game focuses on delivering a fleshed out story and challenge could interrupt that), but it offers several difficulties to players. You have to manage your resources to prepare for a simple—yet fun combat system. Players should not worry whether this game will be “too hard”. Put in the time and you’ll beat the game no problem.
   
   For the next series, I’ll be playing on a console. Trails games also go on sale fairly regularly, so if you’re uncomfortable paying full price, you can wait. I took the risk on the Trails in the Sky series and loved it. I haven’t enjoyed this series as much, but there are absolutely moments where Trails of Cold Steel meets or exceeds its predecessors.
   
   Best of luck finding your next JRPG!… Expand

   • 1 of 1 users found this helpful
7. slothjaw

   Feb 5, 2023

   6

   I see why people like this game. It's true that the game spends a lot of time world building and it has a lot of dialogue but that doesn'tI see why people like this game. It's true that the game spends a lot of time world building and it has a lot of dialogue but that doesn't mean it's quality stuff necessarily. I'd say it's average quality. While it tries to tackle some deep topics it just doesn't do a very good job covering classism in real depth. The politics are not covered in depth. The characters sometimes have depth, but more often the game tries to disguise their tropiness with superficial details like "this character likes swimming" or "this character likes napping." In general I'd say the problem with the story here is that it fails to say anything interesting or new about society. Saying "classism exists" or "classism is bad" just isn't enough to earn my praise. When it tries to achieve more it just fumbles the ball. This game really just isn't worth the time, in my opinion.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
8. metathislazy

   Jul 2, 2021

   0

   Only didn't give it a 10 because I'm not the biggest fan of the harem aspect the game has going and how much I deeply hate Alisa's little hairOnly didn't give it a 10 because I'm not the biggest fan of the harem aspect the game has going and how much I deeply hate Alisa's little hair ribbons and boots. Otherwise there is no greater series for world building, difficult fights, excellent continent spanning plots, and some of the best characters you'll ever get to play with. The PC update added the turbo feature which really makes the game about 100% more playable because the original Vita/PS3 version was pretty meandering in the fights and establishing shots especially on replay.
   
   It's my favorite series by far and my favorite arc so far in the Trails series.… Expand

   • 0 of 3 users found this helpful

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