The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel

 PlayStation 3
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 185 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 158 out of 185
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 185
  3. Negative: 14 out of 185
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  1. Investigaelfo
    May 13, 2016
    10
    Great turn-based combat system, great characters, great customization, superb story, absolutely outstanding JRPG.
    Despite some minor flaws, a must-buy for every JRPG lover.
  2. mizore84
    Jan 21, 2016
    8
    Pros- great gameplay, good music, a storyline with a interesting idea involving teenagers going to a high school for soldiers, tons of party members with unique crafts/skills for each, and a affordable collectors edition that costs less than an average new game. The characters seem cliched at first but have deep backstories revealed through the story and a social link like system, The gamePros- great gameplay, good music, a storyline with a interesting idea involving teenagers going to a high school for soldiers, tons of party members with unique crafts/skills for each, and a affordable collectors edition that costs less than an average new game. The characters seem cliched at first but have deep backstories revealed through the story and a social link like system, The game feels like a mix of other great mechanics from other JRPGS.

    Cons- The game was made for ps vita so the ps3 port still does not look great, the game can get repetitive as i kept using the same crafts battle after battle with the only interruption being the few enemies who need a special strategy to beat them and the game usually just gives you 3 quests at a time to complete with only 2 being required and the ones that aren't required usually give lackluster rewards, The costume feature might as well not be there as there's only around 2 or 3 alt costumes not counting the dlc, and the party can become lopsided as certain characters cant be used at the same time for each field study so they weren't as upgraded as the team i had just been using    … Expand
  3. Gamingking007
    Feb 2, 2016
    10
    This game is honestly one of the most amazing experiences I've had in a long time! Loved every minute of it! I would love to play these gems on next-Gen!
  4. FantasyCritic71
    Feb 6, 2016
    8
    I was blind going into this game and the only reason why I brought it was because of the Lionheart Edition. I love my Collectors Editions but after admiring my awesome new Artbook I finally played the game and I think it deserves your undivided attention.

    ~ Story ~ This tale stars our hero Rean Schwarzer and his life at Thors Military Academy where he encounters blonde Tsunderes,    I was blind going into this game and the only reason why I brought it was because of the Lionheart Edition. I love my Collectors Editions but after admiring my awesome new Artbook I finally played the game and I think it deserves your undivided attention.

    ~ Story ~

    This tale stars our hero Rean Schwarzer and his life at Thors Military Academy where he encounters blonde Tsunderes, drunk teachers, a vast majority of Anime Archetypes and exciting Field Studies within various areas of Erebonia.

    The story is very slow paced and doesn't get good until around Chapter 4 but once it gets there you'll be on the edge of your seat waiting for the next exciting thing to happen.

    ~ Characters ~

    I'll only do the main 10 of the classroom.

    Rean Schwarzer - Typical goody two shoes JRPG Protagonist with more depth and character a cool looking sword and a cool personality.

    Alisa Reinford - The blonde tsundere that you will probably dislike in the beginning of the game but then begin to understand her later in the game. She's not bad once you get to know her a little better.

    Laura Arseid - Saber from Fate/Zero with purple hair. She's the awesome badass sword chick you wish was real. She loves fighting is very chivalrous and is probably one of my favorite characters in this game.

    Gaius - The cool calm and collected dude.

    Jusis Albarea - The arrogant noble that you want to slap in the face just because. He's not extremely arrogant like some of the nobles in the game and he is a pretty cool character once you get to know him a little better.

    Emma Milstein - Emma is a little shy but not to the extreme, she's also very kind and nice to everyone in ClassVII making her an ideal girl to date if she was real that is.

    Fie - Fie is Fie.

    Machias Regnitz - The glasses nerd and copy of Hubert from Tales of Graces F.

    Elliot Craig - Elliot is Elliot.

    Sara Millstein - Ms. Frizzle gone badass. Sara is the best teacher ever and my 2nd favorite character in the game.

    Overall - We have your typical High School Anime here with in depth characters and likable personalities depending on preferences.

    ~ Gameplay ~

    The most fun and awesome turn based JRPG I have ever played.

    In this game you use Crafts which are physical attacks & weapons skills and Arts which is basically magic. Arts takes one turn to cast sometimes less while Crafts are automatically used on that turn. Another thing you can use during your battles is S-Crafts which is basically your Special Attacks and you can use these without expending a turn they come in handy when your in a tough situation and you can use all 4 characters S-Crafts and still be able to make your move when it's your turn to attack although doing so will expend all your CP and there are no items to restore CP so that's risky. CP can only be gained through hitting the enemy not even save points can restore it so your screwed if you use it all recklessly.Although a move called Impassion might be able to save your butt since it gives you more CP then usual when you attack the enemy.

    Links - During battle you can also link with characters in your party to perform combination attacks.

    Free Time - After your field studies which is basically thors exploring other cities and places while doing mission's, you return to school and get Free Time which means you get to activate your social links strengthen your Persona and chose between Chie & Yukiko. I'm kidding but the things you get to do during Free Time is very similar to Persona. During Free Time you get Bond Points which you can use to spend time with your friends, you are limited to 3 or sometimes 5 points so you can't hang out with everybody. Each time you hang out with a certain character your link points increase and you can deal extra damage to enemies when linked to that character.

    Student Council - During Free Time you are forced to do menial, lame and tedious tasks from the Student Council and you are also required to explore Tarturus cough I mean the Old Schoolhouse which has dull and repetitive dungeon design.

    Overall - Still a Fun and great game.

    ~ Graphics ~

    Not that great but not that bad either. ~ Sound ~ Even if you hate the game the soundtrack will most likely keep you playing the game it is without a doubt amazing and worth listening to. Voice Acting & Translation - Suberb although Rean doesn't talk in a few scenes where he's supposed to and a few lines of dialogue have grammer issues. ~ Replay Value ~ High. ~ Overall ~ A great start to the Legend of Heroes Series although a bit slow paced. I recommend this to all JRPG fans out there its a fun and awesome game with developed characters and a great story.    … Expand
  5. NexusTsunami
    Apr 3, 2016
    10
    Habe dieses Spiel soeben zu Ende gespielt. Ich bin mehr als positiv überrascht. Ein spielbarer Anime. Die Grafik setzt keine Meilensteine und ist nicht sonderlich detailreich aber sie passt zum (Anime)Setting. Das war aber auch schon mein einziger Kritikpunkt zu diesem Spiel-

    Die Charaktere sind durchweg gut gelungen (mir haben vorallem Fie und Laura gefallen). Auch die Inszenierung und    Habe dieses Spiel soeben zu Ende gespielt. Ich bin mehr als positiv überrascht. Ein spielbarer Anime. Die Grafik setzt keine Meilensteine und ist nicht sonderlich detailreich aber sie passt zum (Anime)Setting. Das war aber auch schon mein einziger Kritikpunkt zu diesem Spiel-

    Die Charaktere sind durchweg gut gelungen (mir haben vorallem Fie und Laura gefallen). Auch die Inszenierung und Story sind mitreißend und Spannend. Das Kampfsystem ist sehr gut gelungen und taktisch vielfältig. Die Mischung aus Craft´s und Art´s in Verbindung mit dem ARCUS System sind einfach Klasse!
    Nun kann ich nur noch sehnsüchtig auf den 2ten Teil warten!

    Dieses Spiel hat mich wirklich mitgerissen!    … Expand
  6. Aghahowa85
    Mar 6, 2017
    10
    Best Story of all time in an JRPG . My opinion. And I played many many (31 years old and a true JRPG-Junkie).

    Its not just the story from this game. Its how all the Legend of Heroes games are connected. Best thing to do would be start with Trails in the Sky 1+2+3 and then Trails of Cold Steel 1+2+3. If You like turn based JRPGs and story driven RPGs, this is a game / a series You    Best Story of all time in an JRPG . My opinion. And I played many many (31 years old and a true JRPG-Junkie).

    Its not just the story from this game. Its how all the Legend of Heroes games are connected. Best thing to do would be start with Trails in the Sky 1+2+3 and then Trails of Cold Steel 1+2+3.

    If You like turn based JRPGs and story driven RPGs, this is a game / a series You have to play.

    I needed 93 hours to beat this one. And when I imagine that this is just the start of the story of the Erebonian Saga and that I still have to play Trials in the Sky 1+2+3..... awesome, just awesome :)    … Expand
  7. TheDestroyer
    Apr 5, 2016
    8
    Pros
    - Well-designed battle system.
    - Lovable characters. - Amazing character development. - Stiff animations from cutscenes remain old-fashion, making you laugh in a good way. - Detailed lore - one with more depth than could possibly be asked for. In comparison, it is like delicious sprinkles on a cake. - The time of day is reflected visually, so you have morning, noon, and night.    Pros
    - Well-designed battle system.
    - Lovable characters.
    - Amazing character development.
    - Stiff animations from cutscenes remain old-fashion, making you laugh in a good way.
    - Detailed lore - one with more depth than could possibly be asked for. In comparison, it is like delicious sprinkles on a cake.
    - The time of day is reflected visually, so you have morning, noon, and night.
    - Advanced customization for equipment and quartz, allowing you to design your party the way you want.
    - Link attacks giving your entire party meaning.
    - The "Blade" card game is loads of fun. (I played this for hours, and would do it again with a smile on my face.)
    - For the most part, enemies remain fresh instead of being cookie-cut everywhere.
    - Despite copy/paste of dungeon gimmicks, everything continues to remain fresh.
    - Cooking with a variety of different results.
    - Fishing, as well as other fun mini-games.

    Cons
    - Tutorial spam.
    - Where's the voice acting??? Really? You couldn't pay your dub actors for the finished product!?!
    - Empty school. For a building that is visited constantly, it all just seems so empty for a blocky high school. There's no attitude to it.
    - Terrible water effects. Go stare at the river while you're fishing...
    - No way to check Link Exp's number without a bonding event. Your only indication outside that is a green meter.
    - Awful motion blur while sprinting.
    - Copy/Pasted NPCs
    - Faces missing from generic NPCs. (Xseed, did you really think anyone wouldn't notice this?)
    - Random time skips.
    - Teachers smoking on school grounds....
    - Bottles of alcohol in the resting room of underaged students...
    - Your equipment and quartz gets constantly removed every chapter, so you have to open up the menu and put it back on your party every single time.
    - Level locking. At multiple points of the story, you'll gain exp from battles at a very slow rate. Not only that, but the exp intentionally reduces itself, forcing you to continue with the game's story.

    This game isn't perfect, but it's definitely worth it. I've had more fun with this game than I've had with nearly all of my *PS4* games combined! Recommend that everyone should go out and buy this. Trials of Cold Steel is an experience like no other.    … Expand
  8. Woad_Brah
    May 13, 2016
    10
    Any fan of traditional turn-based JRPGs will love this game. It has an excellent combat system which revolves around collecting "quartzes" which empower your characters with status effects which proc on hit, raw attributes, or combat arts (spells).

    The difficulty of the game can be relatively high even on normal, where certain mobs will give you a hard time and key bosses will be very    Any fan of traditional turn-based JRPGs will love this game. It has an excellent combat system which revolves around collecting "quartzes" which empower your characters with status effects which proc on hit, raw attributes, or combat arts (spells).

    The difficulty of the game can be relatively high even on normal, where certain mobs will give you a hard time and key bosses will be very challenging, but the game is certainly fair. You can always spend some time grinding to gain a few levels to give you the edge.

    Any gamer who doesn't much care for turn-based combat but just appreciates good stories will also love this game. The amount of dialogue in the game is sometimes overwhelming. From evolving dialogue as the game progresses from random NPCs, who you might never even talk to, to fleshed out character development for each of the game's 11 playable characters, there's a lit to sit back and enjoy. A significant percentage of the dialogue is also voiced-over, and the English voice actors are very good, which can not usually be said for JRPGs brought over to the states.

    Falcom was clearly inspired by the Persona series bonding links and chose to employ that mechanic in Trails of Cold Steel. As you increase your Bonding Link with other playable characters, special dialogue and event scenes will open up as the story progresses, and more importantly you will be able to sync with them in battle to carry out powerful link attacks, auto-guards, auto-heals, auto-buffs, finish attacks, etc., which is a major boon in a turn-based RPG where an extra bit of damage can mean the difference between winning the battle or having your entire party wiped out in one hit.

    The graphics aint so bad for a last-gen RPG and the soundtrack is pretty good, and fits the mood of the game very well.

    If you're in for a turn-based RPG similar in style to Persona 5, then you really should give Trails of Cold Steel a try.    … Expand
  9. Avorax
    Apr 20, 2019
    10
    Gran juego, un poco lento al principio pero como las buenas as historias te va dando detalles un cresccendo, para el gran concierto final del último capítulo.combate brutal y adictivo, personajes interesantes y únicos.
  10. Sir_Fortesque
    Nov 25, 2016
    10
    This game is wonderful, especially when you consider the specs are made mostly for a vita, and while that is true, i believe it bridges the gap between these two systems beautifully, still looking stunning on the ps3. Ditto for the second game, as it feels as though you are part of a wonderful episodic anime. Hopefully they make the 3rd game for the vita ps3, and the ps4
  11. Gemazuhoru
    Dec 3, 2016
    10
    A testament to classic Jrpgs...it definitely shines mechanically with it's turn-based combat. Although it is slighty unorthodox with character movement during any character's given turn.
  12. Vadrael
    Apr 7, 2018
    10
    My first Falcom game, it sure showed me that there are still companies which can make great JRPGs without shady practices. The game got a interesting story and gives you tons of hours of gameplay.
    +Great Story
    +Great World
    +Great Characters

    A masterpiece in the jrpg genre.
  13. Stryker24
    Dec 23, 2015
    10
    I love this game. It has everything a Legend of Heroes game has, and then streamlines the skills and compresses it. So even those starting this series will pick it up. Good on ya XSEED Games for picking up a great game.
  14. Fijiwuiji
    Jan 13, 2016
    10
    The highly-anticipated next installment in a franchise that doesn't seem to get much attention here in the US, we have Trails of Cold Steel. I played and completed Trails in the Sky FC and SC, and I loved them both, so I was super excited about this game's release.

    This time we are whisked away from Joshua, Estelle and the lovable supporting cast of the Liberl Kingdom. In their place,    The highly-anticipated next installment in a franchise that doesn't seem to get much attention here in the US, we have Trails of Cold Steel. I played and completed Trails in the Sky FC and SC, and I loved them both, so I was super excited about this game's release.

    This time we are whisked away from Joshua, Estelle and the lovable supporting cast of the Liberl Kingdom. In their place, we have the newly commissioned Class VII of the famous Thors Military Academy, located in the Erebonian Empire. These nine students represent the first time in the Academy's history where a Class is fully desegregated: nobles and commoners are now in the same outfit. A revolutionary concept in a nation where the class system is taken very seriously, and segregation between the social classes is widespread.

    This game is part one of a trilogy of games in the broader Trails/Legend of Heroes franchise. It is part of a separate saga from the previous games. Although previous events in prior games do not directly contribute to the storyline, the game will make occasional references, though nothing super spoiler heavy. This is good for those new to the franchise. As such, previous experience with Trails in the Sky FC/SC is not required, but is highly recommended.

    The best way I can explain the premise of this game is that it is the result of combining a fantasy battle school manga with Persona. You cross in-between life as a military school cadet (in japanese-style, anime school life, of course), and the more traditional JRPG responsibilities of running around doing quests and fighting a lot of monsters.

    During the school life segments, you have the opportunity build relationships (Tactical Links) with your fellow students, and participate in typical school shenanigans. It is a good execution of a game mode that feels very similar to the Social Link and high school simulator mechanic of the Persona games. These links are definitely worth exploring as they provide bonuses when used in this game's combat.

    That's not to say your stuck at the Academy all the time. Throughout the game, Class VII will be deployed to various locales across the Empire as part of their curriculum. With a diverse selection of places lined up, it makes sure that you are almost never bored. From bustling cities, to the vast wilderness of frontier country, there is plenty to see and do in this game.

    What I like the most about this game, is that it takes many staples in the JRPG genre and executes them really well. Combat is very fluid and enjoyable. Encounters can be won quickly with the right strategy, and there is a great feeling of satisfaction after every battle. The characters, which I feared would be a dull and generic bunch, were actually decently written. They do still conform to traditional anime troupes though. The excellent plot, while slow to start, grabs your interest and doesn't let go. Something that I have come to expect out of Trails games. The orbment system from previous games is there, having been streamlined and simplified somewhat, but there still is a fair amount of customization to be had here. Additionally, there is a lot of side content: such as secrets, an evaluation system, and hidden quests, that greatly bolster the replay value.

    Another cool feature is Cross-Save. Save files can be used interoperably between the PS3 and Vita versions of this game via the PSN's cloud storage system. It is for this reason that I opted to get both versions of the game. The convenience of seamlessly playing this game both at home and on-the-go was pretty cool.

    If I had to lay one criticism down, it would have to be on the graphics. This game looks as if it should be on the PS2. Character animations are also sub-par. There are also some pretty noticeable framerate issues, which are worse on the Vita version. For a game originally released in 2013, this can be disappointing to some. I'm not going to bash this point to heavily though. This is after all Nihon Falcom's first fully-3D, third-person RPG. Their other games were 3D isometric using CGI 2D sprites.

    Ultimately, Trails of Cold Steel is a game that may initially come off as a generic, anime-heavy, fantasy JRPG on the surface. However, given enough time, this game quickly blossoms into an excellent adventure well worth your time.    … Expand
  15. vahn
    Feb 14, 2017
    10
    I was initially very harsh on this game at first and for a petty reason (the combat) But I think it's unfair to bash this game solely on combat, especially when other rpgs are getting praised for doing worse on every other aspect ("Cough" FFXV "Cough").

    For that reason, I want to say what's wrong with this game instead: 1) Combat is well made and has a lot of depth into it, with each    I was initially very harsh on this game at first and for a petty reason (the combat) But I think it's unfair to bash this game solely on combat, especially when other rpgs are getting praised for doing worse on every other aspect ("Cough" FFXV "Cough").

    For that reason, I want to say what's wrong with this game instead:

    1) Combat is well made and has a lot of depth into it, with each character equipping quartz (basically materias from ff7) and Master Quartz (sort of "class gems", but in a very light way) as well as having special moves, link abilities and random effects on the battle. The combat itself is honestly great but that's not why I bashed it for: I bashed the combat because of how cheap the game is against you, because they're insultingly easy...if you counter thei status effect. Yes, the only thing that enemies will do - THE ONLY THING THAT ENEMIES WILL EVER DO TO YOU - is putting status effect that will make the fight inhumanly difficult. Examples are when you fight an enemy that will always (ALWAYS) blind you, which will make you miss attacks, in which the enemy will counter and most likely kill you, or when an enemy will constantly stun you with every single basic attack, or when another boss will freeze the team and kill you right after, or where some enemies tend to inexplicably kill you without any reasons (no skill name, no special attack, no special turn). This is just unforgivable because it's trial and error and as soon as you manage to counter THAT specific debuff for the fight, the enemies are a real push over and won't even kill you (seriously I can overheal the damage with ease, it's so unbalanced) but just because the enemies have special effects, the game becomes harder all of the sudden. I expect this from anyone ("cough" Square Enix "Cough") but Nihon Falcom.

    2) The game is slow. Very slow. Too slow at some points. The story is amazing and I love it: I love the exposition that actually makes it interesting and never boring (I even read the books!) and I love how the world is both similar to the real one (The main capital is basically London) and far different at the same time. On top of that the characters are great as they all have screentime, none of them feels left out and this is a great improvement over Trails in the Sky where that annoying slut of Estelle kept taking the spot for better characters: I played Trails in the sky for 40 hours and I don't even remember who was that white haired chick with the whip, or that blondie who played the piano, since the game was too busy focusing on that whiny girl with no personality who had the harry potter syndrome. I digress.
    Anyway, despite the story being great, despite it's amazing writing and plot...it's just too slow in certain moments and including the slow combat, it can be a chore to play through. I played a lot of RPGs and this one is one of the slowest I ever played. It's not bad per se but if you ever buy it, be ready!

    3) Technical standpoint...well it's a ps3 game that's supposed to run also on Vita, which is why the game has anything but great graphics. It's not bad per se but if you are hoping for some AAA graphics...well you won't find it here and I'm personally fine, for great graphics don't equal to great gameplay (just like another famous series where Fantasy is in the title!)

    4)Cheap Replayability. The game is long: I'm at chapter 6 and I'm nearly hitting 60 hours and the game actually has a lot of replayability, since you can unlock new stuff and info thanks to NG+. But at what cost? Well for starters the game actually is nearly impossible to complete 100% without a guide (or unless you're able to spend 20 hours in a single section every single transition) due to the fact that a lot of stuff are hidden for no real reason. On top of that there's a ranking system that will change depending on your choices, quests and several actions in the game...which is not really smart design. Quests are hidden, certain choices are only possible if you know the answer, few battles require to do certain specific things, and if you miss one of these you might not get the best rank or might lose certain things...which will be ported into the second chapter. This is the kind of stuff that RPGs during the 2000s tended to do, blocking or hiding stuff unless you had a guide, and because of this it's highly advised to have one in case you need to reach that 100% score and platinum thing.

    But really, beside these flaws (which are personal really), I can't stop praising this amazing piece of art: I never felt so invested in an RPG before and I cannot wait to start chapter 2 and buy chapter 3 someday in the future, is that amazing. Is it flawed? Surely, but even those flaws don't stop making this game the best RPG in recent years.

    And since it's already 1 year old, you can find it cheap too so...go get it! NOW!    … Expand
  16. crunchbuttsteak
    Feb 21, 2016
    6
    As a huge fan of the series and of most of Falcom's games in general, I have to say that Trails of Cold Steel is one of the most disappointing games I've played in recent memory. It's not a terrible game; in fact, I'd put it just above average. It still has the garnish that made the series great, such as an intense attention to detail in worldbuilding and fleshed-out NPCs with their ownAs a huge fan of the series and of most of Falcom's games in general, I have to say that Trails of Cold Steel is one of the most disappointing games I've played in recent memory. It's not a terrible game; in fact, I'd put it just above average. It still has the garnish that made the series great, such as an intense attention to detail in worldbuilding and fleshed-out NPCs with their own lives and stories that advance alongside the main plot, but it drops the ball in crucial ways.

    I'll start with the most glaring and obvious flaw: the technical details. The most noticable thing about the game right off the bat is the loading time. I spent most of my time playing the Vita version where it was more noticable, but it's still a major issue on PS3. Load times were occasionally quite short (three seconds or so), but most of the time, I would be waiting a good five to ten seconds for a load screen, which really starts to add up when you get one every time you enter a new screen or start a battle/cutscene. On top of this, the 3D models and animations are simply awful looking and a poor replacement for the 2D portraits and well-animated 3D rendered sprites of previous games.

    To start, the gameplay is simply a step down from every other game in the series after Trails in the Sky FC. In short, it's pathetically easy. Even on hard mode, fights end with almost no effort whatsoever. I normally wouldn't be one to knock a game for being too easy, especially a turn-based RPG, but when combat starts to feel like nothing more than a boring chore, it gets in the way of enjoying the game. While you could break previous games in the series with the right setups and party compositions, it did take some effort. It takes almost none to break Sen over your knee. I can count the number of battles on one hand where a boss got more than three turns before dying, and several of those were because I waited to fulfill a special condition on the battle. Perhaps it's different on nightmare mode, but I have my doubts. As it stands, even on hard mode, the gameplay in Cold Steel was less enjoyable than Trails in the Sky SC in spite of the many technical improvements made since then, to say nothing of comparisons to the rest of the series.

    Arguably one of the best aspects of this series are its strong, detailed characters, and Cold Steel simply drops the ball on that front completely. I won't go too in-depth to avoid spoilers, but in short, several of the characters are so poorly written that I actually put the game down and avoided playing it for a while after seeing their "development" in action. This might be forgivable if the rest of the cast were as well-executed as previous games in the series, but that's not the case here. Rean feels like a typical dime-a-dozen light novel protagonist, even having a poorly explained supernatural power (which remains poorly explained even in the sequel). Gaius and Elliot are completely irrelevant characters who serve no role in the story whatsoever aside from guiding the party around their hometowns (and coincidentally, Gaius' hometown is host to the most boring chapter in the series, and Elliot passes the guide role on to Machias quite quickly in his chapter), to the point where you question why they're even in the game. Machias and Jusis are both good enough characters, and though Machias is a bit too exaggerated I found their antics to be the most redeeming parts of the early game. Laura has no character beyond her obsession with her swordsmanship. Emma could have been interesting, but they don't answer any questions about her throughout almost all of the first game, so she simply remains the class president type throughout. Alisa is a grating, obnoxious character who is completely unlikable for no reason other than having some overinflated mommy issues. Fie's personality clashes so much with her backstory that I went from finding her cute and somewhat endearing to seeing her as everything wrong with the lazy character writing in the game. I'm astounded that the same company who wrote Renne, Randy, and various other similar characters produced a character as poor as Fie. In spite of all that, the supporting cast, especially the NPCs, are all quite excellent. Sara is exactly what I'd expect from a Trails character. Crow is very endearing while still breaking free of his archetype. I found myself playing just to advance the story of the various NPCs as well.

    The plot wasn't botched nearly as much as the characters, but it still feels like it's mostly filler. Each chapter drags on a lot longer than it really needs to and Chapter 1 feels like it was completely irrelevant in the long run. Nothing much is accomplished throughout the game and the only time something is is during the ending, when the game suddenly stops with a "to be continued."

    Overall, Trails of Cold Steel is an average game and a disappointment to fans of the series. If you're a fan of the previous games, prepare for disappointment.    … Expand
  17. SwitSwat
    Aug 8, 2016
    10
    I will admit, the Lionheart Edition caught my eye and so I bought this game on a whim, though I had heard good things about the Legend of Heroes series, so I figured I might as well give this game a go. I cannot say how long it has been since a game has hooked me on its lore and storyline. It may be pretty cliche at times, having similar story structure to Final Fantasy Type-0, but theI will admit, the Lionheart Edition caught my eye and so I bought this game on a whim, though I had heard good things about the Legend of Heroes series, so I figured I might as well give this game a go. I cannot say how long it has been since a game has hooked me on its lore and storyline. It may be pretty cliche at times, having similar story structure to Final Fantasy Type-0, but the (mostly) likeable characters, great battle system and vast amount of content make this game shine. Going for the platinum on this is was not much of a hassle because of how enjoyable it is. 10/10… Expand
  18. OwtDaft
    May 10, 2018
    7
    + Love the military school concept also seen in Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy Type-0.
    + The battle system is the games best feature.
    + Battles take advantage of character positions on the arena and is turned based. + The characters are great. - Whenever you think the story is picking up, everything resolves itself and goes back to normal. - The pacing of the story is really    + Love the military school concept also seen in Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy Type-0.
    + The battle system is the games best feature.
    + Battles take advantage of character positions on the arena and is turned based.
    + The characters are great.
    - Whenever you think the story is picking up, everything resolves itself and goes back to normal.
    - The pacing of the story is really really bad.
    - The music serves it's purpose, but it's not note worthy.    … Expand
  19. ryurouge
    Aug 24, 2018
    8
    + Amazing story
    + Fun Gameplay/Combat System
    + Soundtrack / Voice Acting... It's My Turn! + I love the school's concept it's one of the more unique type of concept. + Character development - Too many missables and need 2 playthroughs for platinum. (Not many trophy hunters enjoy missing a trophy, and also... putting 200 hours in 1 game for 2 playthroughs).] - A lot of redundant side    + Amazing story
    + Fun Gameplay/Combat System
    + Soundtrack / Voice Acting... It's My Turn!
    + I love the school's concept it's one of the more unique type of concept.
    + Character development

    - Too many missables and need 2 playthroughs for platinum. (Not many trophy hunters enjoy missing a trophy, and also... putting 200 hours in 1 game for 2 playthroughs).]
    - A lot of redundant side quests making this game feel really long... Basically... story progres, follow by a crap ton of useless quests.. then progress story a little etc.    … Expand
  20. karmic_devil
    Jan 26, 2019
    8
    Trails of Cold Steel is a very enjoyable JRPG with an interesting story and a fun combat system. Choosing which characters to improve your bonds with when you aren't on the field is fun and interesting and add a real "role playing" feel to the game.

    Unfortunately as is the case with many JRPGs, the difficulty curve is way off. The game may start of challenging but you very quickly    Trails of Cold Steel is a very enjoyable JRPG with an interesting story and a fun combat system. Choosing which characters to improve your bonds with when you aren't on the field is fun and interesting and add a real "role playing" feel to the game.

    Unfortunately as is the case with many JRPGs, the difficulty curve is way off. The game may start of challenging but you very quickly become way to powerful in comparison to the normal enemies and end up just blasting through them feeling unsatisfied.

    I do recommend the game, but also recommend that seasoned gamers start on the hardest difficulty possible to keep the combat engaging. Even then you will eventually outpace it and find much of the game a cakewalk. A pretty and interesting cakewalk, though a cakewalk nonetheless.    … Expand
  21. The_Vampire
    Jun 24, 2020
    8
    The game is worth to try for JRPG fans, it is so fun but what really bothers me in the game is the a lot of unnecessary conversation and the events of the story is too slow but never mind the slow turn of events in case to build the characters. Must try it ❤️
  22. Roast
    Jun 21, 2020
    8
    Really good game, not quite as good as the first probably, the story kind of dips in the middle and there are a LOT of characters. Overall though it's a great slow burn story with a gripping finale. Combat is decent I didn't really focus on it.
  23. chrisdan23
    Feb 16, 2023
    8
    Dass man auch mit wenig Budget spannende, charmante JRPGs bauen kann, das zeigt Falcom nunmehr seit einigen Jahren mit seiner Vielzahl an Franchises wie etwa Ys oder eben der umfangreichen Legend of Heroes Serie. Auch Trails of Cold Steel bildet hier keine Ausnahme. Neben den einfachen, aber recht motivierenden Gameplay Mechaniken um strategische Kämpfe, Social Links und (sehr einfachDass man auch mit wenig Budget spannende, charmante JRPGs bauen kann, das zeigt Falcom nunmehr seit einigen Jahren mit seiner Vielzahl an Franchises wie etwa Ys oder eben der umfangreichen Legend of Heroes Serie. Auch Trails of Cold Steel bildet hier keine Ausnahme. Neben den einfachen, aber recht motivierenden Gameplay Mechaniken um strategische Kämpfe, Social Links und (sehr einfach gehaltene) Dungeons, sind es vor allem World Building und Charakterzeichnung, die bei Trails of Cold Steel überzeugen können. Jede Figur hat ihre eigene Geschichte zu erzählen, die zudem geschickt mit der Progression der Haupthandlung verknüpft wurden. So möchte man nicht nur wissen "wie es weiter geht", sondern vor allem auch die eigenen Charaktere und deren Platz in der Spielewelt immer weiter entdecken. Dass Trails of Cold Steel dabei scheinbar nur als Einstieg in einer deutlich epischere Handlung, die in weiteren Abenteuern erzählt werden soll, fungiert, tut dem Spiel tatsächlich sehr gut, denn man ahnt die Größe der Geschichte, die das Team um Legend of Heroes eigentlich erzählen möchte. So endet die Haupthandlung gar unerwartet mit einem Cliffhanger. Etwas, das sich nur weniger Entwickler wagen können.… Expand
  24. Parsath_
    Oct 23, 2021
    9
    Coldsteel the hedgehog does not appear anywhere in this game! I got some Anime dude and his harem of waifus instead. And they aren't even that edgy. Game is good but need to mention that

Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PS3 Game of 2015
2
#2 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2015
3
#3 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. Multiplayer.it
    Jan 25, 2016
    88
    The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is a traditional JRPG, in the best meaning of the word "traditional". It is complex, deep and varied, and sports surprisingly realistic and mature storyline and setting. Although a little slow, if you can adapt to its flowing you'll love this game and its unforgettable cast of characters.
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  2. Gamer.nl
    Jan 23, 2016
    85
    Trails of Cold Steel is an excellent mix of Suikodens political business, Persona's Social Link-system and the daily fun of Grandia, while still being a Trails-game. This is definitely one to recommend to any JRPG-fan you might know.
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  3. 3DJuegos
    Jan 18, 2016
    80
    Great JRPG title, one of the best released so far on PS3 and PS Vita in recent times. Outstanding story, cast of characters and extension.
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