The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 210 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 177 out of 210
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 210
  3. Negative: 19 out of 210
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  1. OwtDaft
    Oct 6, 2020
    5
    + Game looks nice in 4k with the Pro.
    + Card and fishing mini games are better. Fishing isn't button bashing. YAY
    + More new locations. - Story and pacing are very slow, very poorly written like the previous games. - The slow story isn't all down to world building, there is just a lot of junk dialogue. - To 100% these games is a very painful process. - Mech battles still suck. - I    + Game looks nice in 4k with the Pro.
    + Card and fishing mini games are better. Fishing isn't button bashing. YAY
    + More new locations.
    - Story and pacing are very slow, very poorly written like the previous games.
    - The slow story isn't all down to world building, there is just a lot of junk dialogue.
    - To 100% these games is a very painful process.
    - Mech battles still suck.
    - I hate it when you win a battle and the cutscene after has your character lose.
    - Your forced to use the 'Weaken Enemies and Retry' with the crazy difficulty spikes.    … Expand
  2. Neatqt
    May 13, 2020
    7
    Cast: 7/10
    Story: 8/10
    Fun: 7/10
    Gameplay: 8/10

    Recommended
    ---------------------- 65 Hours Played
  3. zaftgun
    Oct 22, 2019
    5
    This series used to be relaxing and fun to play. But not anymore. This entry is a complete wreck. Music that hurts my ears, unbalanced skills, messed up pace, weak character depiction, boring plot that's so much bits and pieces and at the end of it barely make much sense. The cliff hanger is nothing when I knew it coming and the story leading up to it was so bad. There are 13 charactersThis series used to be relaxing and fun to play. But not anymore. This entry is a complete wreck. Music that hurts my ears, unbalanced skills, messed up pace, weak character depiction, boring plot that's so much bits and pieces and at the end of it barely make much sense. The cliff hanger is nothing when I knew it coming and the story leading up to it was so bad. There are 13 characters that you play without counting characters that only make 1 or 2 appearances. Each of those characters speak a line. End of dialogue and game. Imagine the grind you need to go through to equip all of them and change setups. Not to mention the trouble with unbalanced gameplay. The healing and enrage function of the enemies are extremely annoying...and the end boss effect just outright ignores defensive skills. there's no warning either and the structure of the game and sometimes just dont let you save even though there are so many save points. the effort that has been put into the game is plain to see. downright 2/10. But this is not counting the english translation which seem to be doing quite a bit.

    Overpriced piece of garbage. I'm so angry I wasted 100 hours on this ****
    NG+? There's no way I'd want to go through that again...    … Expand
  4. Empyrea
    Dec 19, 2021
    7
    What to say about this game? Well the best of this game is its soundtrack (although they become a bit repetitive), voices and battle system. I didn't play the two previous games but I read about the plot and even with that you'll get lost with so, so many characters that appear. Honestly, this game would have improved so much with just a few characters and much less dialogues. About theWhat to say about this game? Well the best of this game is its soundtrack (although they become a bit repetitive), voices and battle system. I didn't play the two previous games but I read about the plot and even with that you'll get lost with so, so many characters that appear. Honestly, this game would have improved so much with just a few characters and much less dialogues. About the graphics let's say they're not great. This is a classic rpg so they don't focus on such things. The actor that gives live to the main character is good but I would have chosen a more juvenile voice. Also, it's very funny seeing Rean talking and behaving as a 30-year-old when he is a couple of years older that his students! lol About the ending, it's such opened that I was about to give this game a 6. I honestly could not rate this game with more than a 6 or 7. Although I have to say that when I was close to the middle I thought of quitting the game but I forced myself to keep playing it because I liked the battle system (although I avoided as many battles as I could) but I started to skip more and more dialogues. After 88 hours of playing this game I've finally have beaten it but I'm sure it should have taken me 120-140 hours (or even more) if I had read all the text. I only recommend to buy this game if you have played the previous ones and you liked them or if you are curious about this game and you find it for a cheap price but I have to tell you: it's better to buy any "Tales of". They are average games, shorter and cheaper than the Trails games. So yes, quite disappointed but because I bought it for a good price I'll probably get my money back.

    P.S: I've also loved to see mechas in a game for a change.    … Expand
  5. AzureOrdine
    May 7, 2020
    6
    As someone that genuinely loves this game to death, I cannot in good conscience rate this game any higher than a 6. I can forgive it being unfinished, but this story suffers from garbage anime tropes, too many characters, meh story, and repetitive chapters. Each chapters story repeats, many missed opportunities for something interesting to happen, sorry falcom, but y’all gotta re-evaluateAs someone that genuinely loves this game to death, I cannot in good conscience rate this game any higher than a 6. I can forgive it being unfinished, but this story suffers from garbage anime tropes, too many characters, meh story, and repetitive chapters. Each chapters story repeats, many missed opportunities for something interesting to happen, sorry falcom, but y’all gotta re-evaluate yourselves and how you make your games, and I am saying this purely out of love and not hate. Because there is potential for a great story here, but y’all need to follow through… Expand

Awards & Rankings

38
#38 Best PS4 Game of 2019
71
#71 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 30
  3. Negative: 0 out of 30
  1. Everyeye.it
    Oct 22, 2020
    87
    Drawing on the most successful elements of the first two episodes of the tetralogy, such as the well-established turn-based combat system and the slice of life component, Nihon Falcom has once again managed to surpass itself, packaging an extraordinary title from every point of view.
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  2. PLAY! Zine
    Dec 2, 2019
    85
    A long-awaited localization of the next Trails of Cold Steel instalment is finally here. If you haven't played the previous ones, don't bother with this and go play those instead. But if you have, you know exactly what to expect here and feel free to get excited. It is a great game.
    Read full review
  3. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Nov 18, 2019
    80
    In between setting off on field expeditions, where you assist Erebonia’s inhabitants by taking on quests, you learn more about your students and colleagues by helping them out at the school. Narrative is still the focus, and with a dizzying amount of dialogue for even minor characters it manages to feel epic and sweeping and personal and intimate all at the same time. [Issue#169, p.84]
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