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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. MattM
    Oct 30, 2019
    10
    Oh how a little series I found on a whim searching for a turn based rpg on psnow has captivated my heart. I just saw the first game in the cold steel series in a list of turn based rpgs and decided to try it and I've been binging thru 7 games for months now. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT play this game if you have not played at least cold steel 1 and 2. Ideally, however, play thru the entireOh how a little series I found on a whim searching for a turn based rpg on psnow has captivated my heart. I just saw the first game in the cold steel series in a list of turn based rpgs and decided to try it and I've been binging thru 7 games for months now. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT play this game if you have not played at least cold steel 1 and 2. Ideally, however, play thru the entire series, especially the trails in the sky trilogy. This game has one of the most engaging stories I've ever seen in a jrpg, fantastic turn based combat, the deepest world with the most believable characters of any video game I've ever played, period. I want to shout from the rooftops how much I love this series and yet, most will never even hear of it. If you are in the market for an absolutely amazing ride of an rpg SERIES, not a game, pick up cold steel 1 or play it on psnow. By the time you get to this game, you will be physically unable to put it down. I thought Persona 5 was a great rpg, and it is, but imo this series has blown p5 out of the water. Play this series in order and its world, characters and story will stick with you the rest of your life.… Expand
  2. Gamingking007
    Oct 23, 2019
    10
    Simply amazing! One of my favorite rpg series of all time . Buy it if you love jrpgs, you will never regret it!
  3. fifty2ndassassi
    Nov 2, 2019
    10
    If you liked the other games you'll like this one, it continues the story and adds even more likable characters to the cast that's already packed with great characters, music is good, tons of new destinations and so on.
  4. Fubuism
    Feb 8, 2020
    10
    Trails continues the trademark epic storytelling, character development and one of the best music tracks you can find in any game.. play 1 and 2 before this one to truly appreciate it.
  5. monks99
    Dec 13, 2019
    10
    Best jrpg game of the year. Hands down. I can't wait to play part 4. Best story ever.
  6. Tekachi
    Dec 23, 2019
    10
    This game keeps on doing what has made this such a beloved and cared franchise. The continuous development and growth of the characters, either npcs or playable as well as the ever expanding world and lore keeps on giving you the sense of a living and breathing world that keeps on aging with each entry making you feel a part of it.
  7. FireFistYamaan
    Oct 23, 2019
    10
    As someone who was disappointed by CS1 and CS1, this game is just mind-blowing! I loved the sky trilogy and the Crossbell duology but felt that CS1 and CS2 lacked what was so good about those game and then we finally get CS3 and it's as good as Trails in the sky SC and Ao no Kiseki (which is the highest standard for a JRPG)

    Rean has matured a lot and is a great teacher that does his    As someone who was disappointed by CS1 and CS1, this game is just mind-blowing! I loved the sky trilogy and the Crossbell duology but felt that CS1 and CS2 lacked what was so good about those game and then we finally get CS3 and it's as good as Trails in the sky SC and Ao no Kiseki (which is the highest standard for a JRPG)

    Rean has matured a lot and is a great teacher that does his best. The new class 7 is smaller than the previous one which is a strong point because all of the characters in the new class 7 get their spotlight and character development.

    The story is amazing because this is where everything from the previous arcs really starts to interconnect, which is just pure fanservice. Seeing, for example, Hamel just made me more emotional than any death in the series and accompanied by the recurring characters from previous entries, this take the franchise to new heights.

    When you write such a coherent story, as Falcom has done. It's important to nail those throwback scenes because let's be honest those are the best parts of the game. And falcom does that masterfully so that every veteran of the series won't be able to hold back their smiles or tears.

    This is truly a Falcom masterpiece, and I just can't wait for the end of the saga hopefully next year. Also, credit to NIS America for bringing this to the west and for the massive amount of advertising they've done for the series.    … Expand
  8. Serphs
    Nov 1, 2019
    10
    Masterpiece.

    Make sure to play Cold Steel 1+2

    But this game is based on the events of all the past games. But I am saying you can stick with Cold Steel games only if you want.
  9. nunoforever
    Apr 10, 2020
    10
    O único JRPG ao nível do Final Fantasy e Persona, uma Historia épica e com Gráficos melhorados o melhor sistema de turnos da útima década um jogo legendário que ficara para sempre na historia como um dos melhores jrpg de sempre. Simplesmente o melhor JRPG de 2019.
  10. takisdv
    Oct 22, 2019
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Classic jrpg done good...great story..world building and gameplay... alongside persona 5 and dragon quest xi is one of the great jrpgs of this generation… Expand
  11. gcar4525
    Oct 23, 2019
    10
    Lives up to the series' sterling reputation. NIS America did a decent job of taking over localization, which should come as a relief to series fans.
  12. oppandasan
    May 12, 2021
    10
    I've played this on Japanese but i bought it again when it localized simply because the game is so good and the story was so deep that it goes way back the previous installments. Game is so worth it!
  13. Abood
    Mar 20, 2020
    10
    one of the best JRPG I ever played make sure to play the crossbell arc to get the story 100%
  14. TheBox
    Nov 9, 2019
    10
    Great game for fans that are already invested into the franchise.
    Newcomers can play this game but only thing hindering the full enjoyment would be them not understanding the references being made. Granted understanding those references is NOT needed to understand what is going on in the overall story.
    -Good BGMs but nothing compared to what Cold Steel 1 and 2 had to offer. -Gameplay    Great game for fans that are already invested into the franchise.
    Newcomers can play this game but only thing hindering the full enjoyment would be them not understanding the references being made. Granted understanding those references is NOT needed to understand what is going on in the overall story.
    -Good BGMs but nothing compared to what Cold Steel 1 and 2 had to offer.
    -Gameplay has slightly changed compared to what the first Cold Steel 1 and 2 so its not just the same old combat system.
    -Story is great progression for what is to come in the future.
    -AMAZING character developments for new and returning old characters.
    -The country of Erebonia is STILL being layered and layered with lore.
    -Many more pros but its too much to write it down.

    Tip** Though NOT needed, Highly recommend you start with Cold Steel 1 and move your way up. Hardcore fans would say to play the first 5 games in the franchise(Trails in the Skies and the Crossbell Duology) but that is asking too much for newcommers. Its like making them watch 08 Iron Man and 08 Hulk and all the following movies just to fully enjoy Avengers: End Game.

    Recommend buying a used GameStop copy if you're still skeptical, that way, you can atleast get your money back if happen to don't like the game    … Expand
  15. AceZero
    Oct 22, 2019
    10
    Trails of Cold Steel III is my strong contender for the best RPG of 2019. This game pretty much answer my expectation in many aspect as a follow-up for Erebonian arc, which i will breakdown here.

    Story I'm pretty sure most of you already know about the synopsis, so i want to discuss about the technical aspect of the story. It's a very linear and slow paced just like the first game,    Trails of Cold Steel III is my strong contender for the best RPG of 2019. This game pretty much answer my expectation in many aspect as a follow-up for Erebonian arc, which i will breakdown here.

    Story

    I'm pretty sure most of you already know about the synopsis, so i want to discuss about the technical aspect of the story. It's a very linear and slow paced just like the first game, and that's something to be aware of considering every Trails game that starting of with a new arc is always trying to build up the story this way. But this is Cold Steel III and it's still covering Erebonia, so why the game have to be slow paced like this? The answer is because there's a pretty spacious timeline between this game and Cold Steel II that marks a new beginning for Rean's journey, and Falcom is also trying to ensure that old and new players could catch up with the story. Regarding characters from the old game that made an appearance such as Randy or Tio, you don't really have to play the old game first to appreciate them. I mean Trails is pretty much similiar with Monogatari anime. You can watch the anime in chronological or airing order, and the experience will be pretty much the same.

    Gameplay

    It's pretty much the same but there are some noticeable changes such as the menu layout to the addition of Brave Order. Many people seems to complain about the gameplay being unbalanced, but i thoroughly enjoyed it without any issue. If i have to be nitpick, i must say that the short appearance of playable characters is probably my only issue with the game.

    Music

    "The music is hurting my ear" "It's not as good as the old game" Well you probably want to get your ears checked, cause Falcom Jdk still did an amazing job with the tracks.

    Visual

    I actually notice that some reviewers is still complaining about the visual, where i'm here thinking that Falcom actually did a good job at revamping the environment and character design in a nicer look. I mean this is a Falcom game, graphics is never their strong suit or priority, but even so they still determine to keep improving their game. Remember, graphics is not everything!

    Value

    If you're a big fan of turn based JRPG with a strong story build up, interesting world, likeable characters and so on, then you definitely must try out Trails of Cold Steel III. It's okay if you didn't play the old Trails title such as Sky trilogy or Zero & Ao, but i strongly suggest that you at least play Cold Steel I & II. The remaster version of both game already released on PS4, and you can even get it on PC, so i guess there's no problem in terms of accessibility.

    So my final verdict for Cold Steel III is 10/10. I personally prefer to rank this as a whole series, cause Trails in general is just one gigantic game with a very complex story build up, world building, and character development. And even after 9 games, we still have plenty of places to be explored in Zemuria, including Calvard. Cold Steel III is just one game out of many other Trails title to come, but it manages to deliver the best quality that Falcom has to offer so far. It might not have the best story and can be a slow paced experience for many players, but i'm pretty sure JRPG lovers could see the shine of this game and truly appreciate it.    … Expand
  16. Hitsu1998
    Oct 22, 2019
    10
    A worthy sequel to one of my favorite JRPG of this generation! Hopefully we could also get the fourth game next year.
  17. Nyking1992
    Oct 22, 2019
    10
    This has easily become one of my favorite series and one of my favorite games of all time these games improve with each new entry i preordered it as soon as I was able to and I'm glad i did the combat definitely feels refreshing but I always liked the old combat too from the first two
  18. peter1324
    Oct 23, 2019
    10
    If it wasn’t for some game critics that don't like turn based rpgs I bet this game would at least be at a 90 on metacritic.
  19. SleepyMayo
    Oct 24, 2019
    10
    While i do find the story to be slow-paced in the beginning, but i still thoroughly enjoyed all of the moments from this game. Seeing how Rean matured a lot from these past few years and become a great instructor for the new Class VII is such a joy. Almost everything about this game is just a step-up from the previous title and the perfect example of a true JRPG. Definitely can't wait toWhile i do find the story to be slow-paced in the beginning, but i still thoroughly enjoyed all of the moments from this game. Seeing how Rean matured a lot from these past few years and become a great instructor for the new Class VII is such a joy. Almost everything about this game is just a step-up from the previous title and the perfect example of a true JRPG. Definitely can't wait to see more of what this series has to offer in the future.… Expand
  20. delaymachine
    Oct 27, 2019
    10
    based and NISApilled. At long last this gem is finally here. Translation is pretty good too, based NISA can finally translate games properly.
  21. Valkyrie92
    Oct 28, 2019
    10
    One of the best JRPG series in history and this is a worthy successor to the already great Cold Steel 2.
    While there are more cameos from other Trails games this time around, I had no problems just reading a wiki page about the different characters, to quickly understand who they are and which game they are from (mostly Ao and Zero). Highly recommended game but definitely play the first    One of the best JRPG series in history and this is a worthy successor to the already great Cold Steel 2.
    While there are more cameos from other Trails games this time around, I had no problems just reading a wiki page about the different characters, to quickly understand who they are and which game they are from (mostly Ao and Zero). Highly recommended game but definitely play the first two games first, which are available on multiple platforms now.    … Expand
  22. Dekoppa
    Nov 1, 2019
    10
    Trails of Cold Steel is the first game that introduce me to Trails, and what a beautiful series that i stumble into. At first i thought the game is just a FF-Type 0 rip-off with generic and cliche story, but i was completely wrong. The big difference between Trails compared to many other video game on the market is how deep and thoughtful the process on making such a massive worldTrails of Cold Steel is the first game that introduce me to Trails, and what a beautiful series that i stumble into. At first i thought the game is just a FF-Type 0 rip-off with generic and cliche story, but i was completely wrong. The big difference between Trails compared to many other video game on the market is how deep and thoughtful the process on making such a massive world building. This series has one of the most ambitious stories in video games ever (no, seriously), and they always putting extra effort to make the world to feels truly alive. For example, almost every NPC in Trails game is an actual character with name, background story, personality, and development. Hell, you can even meet up with an old mercenary NPC from Trails in the Sky on Cold Steel III, literally after 8th game later. Not only that, every side quest is also feels like an actual side story instead of a low effort and repetitive side quest in most games (think of it like The Witcher 3).

    Trails of Cold Steel III is just one game of this massive journey that this series has to offer, and so far after putting around 50+ hours into it, i'm having such a blast and would easily put it as one of the best JRPG in recent years. Don't let the low production value and anime aesthetic fools you, cause this series is seriously a hidden gem and the best one of that. Falcom might be a small company, bet they always put 120% when creating games, and it's definitely shows on this game.

    Don't sleep on Trails series, cause you seriously missing out an amazing piece of an adventure right here.    … Expand
  23. Daveion
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    Jprgs are really the best in making emotional stories. " Falcom has done such an incredible job on this series"
  24. DIVIDEAD
    Jul 27, 2020
    10
    Terrific game. Falcom are the kings of RPGs. It does help to have played other games in the series, but its wholly enjoyable on its own.
  25. Boehls123
    Oct 11, 2020
    10
    This is one of my favorite rpg series, great story, great turned based battle, great characters, it has it all
  26. Bazzak
    May 9, 2021
    10
    10/10 COMING FROM A MAINSTREAM WESTERN RPG PLAYER. This game outdoes even the first 2 with a beautiful graphical upgrade (strongly recommend full HDR settings) With the STRONG CAVEAT to play the first 2 games, this is another JRPG masterpiece. Ive played all kinds of RPGS for 15 years and the involvement ive gotten in the complex plot, characters and combat system ive never ever10/10 COMING FROM A MAINSTREAM WESTERN RPG PLAYER. This game outdoes even the first 2 with a beautiful graphical upgrade (strongly recommend full HDR settings) With the STRONG CAVEAT to play the first 2 games, this is another JRPG masterpiece. Ive played all kinds of RPGS for 15 years and the involvement ive gotten in the complex plot, characters and combat system ive never ever experienced outside of this. If you enjoy reading novels and playing RPGs this game is a solid 10. The combat system is great, as good a turn based combat as ive ever played. Even the NPCs have their own stories that keep updating. Unlike other games you need to play the cold steel arc together like a box set of novels as they are almost literally continuations of the plot that takes a 10/10 WHOLE 4 games (even longer if you want to get technical) to fully cover. The continuation is a positive and unlike anything seen in mass market gaming. If you want to see the characters and plot youre so invested in develop step by step. Put it this way, if you liked Persona 5, this is a way better game (play 4 games together) and underrated by mass market reviewers who just wont do justice to this niche of story driven gaming with great combat. Its a gem but should have been promoted way more to the west.… Expand
  27. tripplen
    Oct 22, 2019
    9
    A well made sequel with enough changes to keep long time fans engaged. It highly recommended that newcomers to the series to at least play the first two games before digging into this one as there is a lot of details the game kinda assumes you know. Definitely not perfect because newcomers get shafted but definitely one of the better JRPGs out.
  28. Yallmae
    Oct 26, 2019
    9
    The Epic Saga is just before the climax.

    What an epic came. I just played through it and amazed how epic the series has become. i really hope the 4th and final game is coming to the west in 2020. Great Characters Good Music and overall much bigger Dungeons and defined gameplay. nihon falcom did great work with this game. cant wait for the finale. Everyone who loves JRPG with great lore    The Epic Saga is just before the climax.

    What an epic came. I just played through it and amazed how epic the series has become. i really hope the 4th and final game is coming to the west in 2020. Great Characters Good Music and overall much bigger Dungeons and defined gameplay. nihon falcom did great work with this game. cant wait for the finale. Everyone who loves JRPG with great lore and awsome characters should buy this game.    … Expand
  29. CommissarWolf
    Jan 30, 2020
    9
    This is how do you an RPG, one of the best I have played in a very long time. Obviously you will have needed to play the two before this to be really able to get into it, but the investment is worth it as it allows you to really fall in love with the characters and the world. Overall I had an amazing time with this game and if you are a fan of JRPGs or even RPGs in general I recommend it.
  30. Aries_Liera
    Oct 22, 2019
    9
    The legend of heroes Trails of Cold Steel III is what the Cold Steel should have been, The slow pacing is still a major problem in this series, but it is needed for the world building!
prev
Page:

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.
    Read full review
  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]
See all critic reviews »