The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel

 PC
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 143 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 108 out of 143
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 143
  3. Negative: 14 out of 143

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  1. 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 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 makesOnly 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
  2. Shilfein
    Jun 13, 2019
    3
    Having beat the game after 100 long hours, I have to say that this is by far the worst jrpg Falcom has ever made. And I am a total fan of them.

    This game takes a lot after Trails in the Sky in terms of worldbuilding and introducing interesting NPCs... however while TIS did it while presenting a compelling and interesting main quest... In TOCS they simply FORGOT about that! Sure,    Having beat the game after 100 long hours, I have to say that this is by far the worst jrpg Falcom has ever made. And I am a total fan of them.

    This game takes a lot after Trails in the Sky in terms of worldbuilding and introducing interesting NPCs... however while TIS did it while presenting a compelling and interesting main quest... In TOCS they simply FORGOT about that!

    Sure, there are some recurring villains along the trip, but the main characters basically bump with them by total dumb luck one time after another, stopping their plans continuously does not seem to affect their schemes at all, their movements have no sense and are never explained, and both groups are part of a bigger scheme that makes them basically irrelevant.

    There is nothing except worldbuilding. Only at the literal last hour of the game the player is blessed with some real story development.. Only so they could end it abruptly with a cliffhanger.

    Such a complete waste of time is almost infuriating, and the press has the arrogance to compare this with TIS 1 and 2... Honestly, I am so fed up with this game that I don't even care what happens next in the story. Hour after hour of fetchquests hoping for some advance in the main quest, to receive it only when the game was about to end, after 100 friggin hours, my patience simply has given out.

    In the end, the game feels like an introduction that any other RPG with good writing could have done in 8 hours. instead they stretched it beyond the limits of human decency.    … Expand
  3. AnimeConnoisseu
    Jul 1, 2023
    0
    A poor mans Persona. Trails of Cold Steel might be the most boring game I have ever had the displeasure of playing. The characters are all walking anime tropes and couldn't recommend this game to anyone unless they are extreme otakus.
  4. xsmittyxcorex
    Jul 12, 2023
    0
    The hype for this game actually baffles me.

    I mean, the gameplay itself is fun, but this is a story focused genre, and the story and dialogue are absolutely abysmal! It’s literally Mighty Morphin Power Rangers league. The only difference is at least the acting is better. A master class of “Tell, don’t show!” If this is the level of writing it takes to get paid, sign me the hell up!    The hype for this game actually baffles me.

    I mean, the gameplay itself is fun, but this is a story focused genre, and the story and dialogue are absolutely abysmal! It’s literally Mighty Morphin Power Rangers league. The only difference is at least the acting is better. A master class of “Tell, don’t show!” If this is the level of writing it takes to get paid, sign me the hell up! Falcom, I’ll write your next game in exactly one week. Would be a day, but even pumping out the garbage your writers clearly do as it comes to them, stream-of-conciousness style like a 5 year old, there is more than 24 hours worth of this useless dialogue..    … Expand
  5. arqqw4
    Aug 31, 2023
    4
    not satisfactory .

Awards & Rankings

76
#76 Best PC Game of 2017
68
#68 Most Discussed PC Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. RPG Fan
    Oct 9, 2017
    90
    In case I haven't said it enough already, the PC port of Trails of Cold Steel is quite simply the best version of the game you can get at the moment. It's also an excellent port on its own that brings many improvements and scales well between a dedicated gaming rig at max settings and an ultraportable laptop squeaking by on low. If you're a fan of the series, this is a no-brainer. If you've never played a Trails game before, this is an excellent place to start.
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  2. DarkZero
    Sep 5, 2017
    80
    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. Its emphasis on character development and skill trees prove that it has placed its priorities in the right areas, rather than blow its budget on visuals or other superfluous aspects. What it lacks in innovation, it more than makes up for in polish, and the result is bound to leave many fans hungry for the next two installments in the trilogy regardless of whether they play through the main story or follow every side character’s journey to completion.
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  3. GameSpew
    Aug 18, 2017
    70
    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.
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