The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
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  1. MGG
    Oct 23, 2020
    72
    Although it takes up many of the mechanics of the 3rd episode, Trails of Cold Steel IV is unfortunately unable to rise to its level. The lengths in the narration and the direction break the rhythm and we fail to find the epic nature from the previous title. Despite the fan service and the diversity are not enough to erase the lack of novelty and risk-taking. Nevertheless, the very effective conclusion and the clever gameplay will surely seduce J-RPG addicts. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel has been able to offer us a great saga through these 4 episodes that deserve more attention.
  2. GameMAG
    Feb 14, 2021
    70
    If you already invested more than 500 hours to the previous instalments of Trails of Cold Steel series, you would definitely enjoy seeing familiar faces and you would love the overall experience. But as a newcomer you should probably try earlier games first, just to see if you want to get invested in the whole franchise.
  3. Metro GameCentral
    Nov 3, 2020
    70
    A finale that only exacerbates the faults of the series up till now but the sheer audacity of the storytelling, and the goodwill built up over so many years, pushes it over the finishing line.
  5. Worth Playing
    Nov 2, 2020
    70
    The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV is a rather bloated blockbuster crossover event that's shaped like a JRPG. If you're a die-hard Trails fan with a deep love of the franchise, then seeing your favorite characters interact will probably make up for the somewhat disappointing story. Anyone else should stay far away until they've played the first three Trails of Cold Steel main games in the series, and looking up the other games in the franchise couldn't hurt. I had fun with ToCS4, but it's a bit of a mess, and your enjoyment will depend on how much that mess appeals to you. I still have a soft spot in my heart for the series, but I can only hope the next game is more focused than this offering.
  6. The Escapist
    Oct 23, 2020
    70
    Anyone who’s invested time into playing the previous games in the Trails series will know exactly what they’re in for. Satisfying combat, impressive world-building, and deep characters are all part of the package. It does have pacing issues, and players may get lost if they didn’t experience the arcs in Liberl and Crossbell. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV is still a solid game though, despite the stumble in the second act, and is a viable option for those itching to play an epic, immersive JRPG.
  7. TheSixthAxis
    Dec 9, 2020
    50
    Does The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV have a great story that's a worthy capstone to a ten-year JRPG saga? No, it doesn't. As a standalone experience, it's an impenetrable mess of fizzled out character arcs and bloated cutscenes. Despite all that, Trails of Cold Steel IV has addictive gameplay, dope music, and gorgeous character designs. If you want a fun and grind-heavy JRPG with a wild amount of options and battles, but don't mind turning your brain off to ignore the story and glaze over poorly-written cutscenes, then this is one's for you.
  8. RPG Site
    Oct 23, 2020
    50
    I was, if not confident, hopeful that the lingering issues that I found myself grappling with in Cold Steel I and II had been mitigated when I played through Cold Steel III. However, now that I've seen the whole story, I can only say that those issues never went away. Even if they appeared fixed for Cold Steel III, they were always there, just below the surface. At this point, if I wasn't already in too deep, I'm not sure if I would even want to continue playing the Trails series. I have very little confidence that Falcom will learn their lesson with how to pace their games, and with the scope of both the world and the series as a whole constantly growing I have no confidence that future games won't run into these self-same issues, but to an even greater degree.

Awards & Rankings

39
#39 Best PS4 Game of 2020
43
#43 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2020

User Reviews

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User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 174 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 147 out of 174
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 174
  3. Negative: 20 out of 174
  1. Gamingking007
    Oct 29, 2020
    10
    I truly love the trails of cold steel saga! The world is massive and the story is simply amazing ! You have to play all four to fullyI truly love the trails of cold steel saga! The world is massive and the story is simply amazing ! You have to play all four to fully understand and appreciate the scope this amazing world! The characters are amazing. Their unique abilities , personalities and traits makes each character feel unique and full of depth! One of my favorite jrpgs around ! What an amazing close to an amazing series! I can’t wait for the next project ! Thanks guys !… Full Review »
  2. black007
    Oct 28, 2020
    10
    This game is a compilation of the series. If you have cleared all the series, you will be impressed by seeing numerous characters.This game is a compilation of the series. If you have cleared all the series, you will be impressed by seeing numerous characters. Additionally, There are numerous boss fights and fan service. I spent a lot of time watching the story.
    The new music is definitely better than CS3. You can enjoy about 70 new soundtracks.
    Although there are some technical shortcomings, they are showing progress gradually. I hope that the latest series hajimari no kiseki will be translated as soon as possible.    … Full Review »
  3. Hamedo
    Oct 29, 2020
    10
    An emotional end to this wretched fairy tale! Filled with fanservice for returning fans.
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