The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel

 PlayStation Vita
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
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  1. GameCritics
    Mar 31, 2016
    85
    Ultimately, while Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is a solid JRPG sure to be enjoyed by fans of the genre, it must be said that it doesn't break any new ground.
  2. NZGamer
    Mar 7, 2016
    90
    The finest JRPG in years.
  3. 4P.de
    Feb 5, 2016
    82
    Conceptually it reminds you of Atlus’ Persona games and even though it is too linear and a tad on the grind side of life, you’ll get a long lasting game full of dynamic turn based tactics.
  5. DarkZero
    Jan 25, 2016
    80
    The story moves slowly, and can take a while to get through, and while not much about it feels new, it does a good job of taking already established elements and making them into something fun.
  6. Everyeye.it
    Jan 22, 2016
    80
    Jrpg fans had to wait a long time, but the game is here at last, and it delivers, with compelling gameplay and a good narrative.
  7. Game Informer
    Jan 20, 2016
    85
    Trails of Cold Steel may not turn the genre on its head, but it does almost everything well. It is the first game in a trilogy, and Xseed has already confirmed the next game is coming to North America. After this delightful entry, I'm on board to see the next move.
  8. GamingTrend
    Jan 18, 2016
    75
    The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is a nice example of how a turn-based, old school RPG should be done mechanically in these times. Sadly, like so many others, the game is lost in a rather bland smattering of characters and story. If those elements aren’t important to you, then you’re going to find a very deep, simple, fun, and innovative game here that will provide hours of entertainment.
  9. God is a Geek
    Jan 14, 2016
    80
    It'll suck you in slowly as it transforms into one of the greatest JRPGs of the last few years, with memorable characters and gameplay.
  10. The Escapist
    Jan 7, 2016
    80
    One of the best examples of how good the Japanese RPG can be, even if no single aspect sets the bar for the genre.
  11. PlayStation Universe
    Jan 5, 2016
    85
    The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel has an old-timey feel to it while not getting lost in the novelty of that. Trails channels inspirations from the entire RPG timeline in subtle ways and brings it into a modern and progressive light. The PS3 and PS Vita are lucky to have this gem of an RPG in their library, even if it doesn’t push the hardware as it could.
  12. Atomix
    Dec 24, 2015
    76
    Although it has several technical and graphical disappointments , it offers a very dense and precise combat system. With new elements such as cross-save between PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita, it manages to bring a classic gameplay with somehow decent visuals.
  13. PlayStation LifeStyle
    Dec 23, 2015
    95
    The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is a godsend for Vita fans. At a time when support for the little handheld seems to be rapidly dwindling, here comes a role-playing masterpiece with all the right stuff: XSeed’s superior localization, which bypasses anime cliches in favor of real depth; an addictive set of life-sim mechanics, from bonding with the lovable cast to cooking a bevy of dishes; and a combat system that rewards customization and cooperation between party members.

Awards & Rankings

10
#10 Best PS Vita Game of 2015
2
#2 Most Discussed PS Vita Game of 2015
3
#3 Most Shared PS Vita Game of 2015

User Reviews

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User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 151 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 128 out of 151
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 151
  3. Negative: 13 out of 151
  1. Gwyndolin
    Dec 28, 2015
    10
    Trails of Cold Steel is the 6th game in an ongoing "Story JRPG Series" made by Falcom.
    However due to the fact that the game is somewhat    Trails of Cold Steel is the 6th game in an ongoing "Story JRPG Series" made by Falcom.
    However due to the fact that the game is somewhat current gen compared to the earlier games, this game may very well be the very first Trails game for many. That is fine because Cold Steel marks the beginning of the 3rd story arc of the Trails series and it is perfectly fine as a starting point.

    For those who are new to the series, think of this series as the JRPG version of a visual novel. The series has mastered the trifecta that many JRPGs this generation lacks: Characters, Setting, Plot.
    The gameplay and combat aims to complement the above strengths, it never gets in the way and takes a backseat but still manages to differentiate the series from visual novels by being very entertaining and somewhat addictive. The bonus here is the music, Team JDK makes great music and Trails series has been very consistent in that aspect. Playing this game with the sound off in public is not a cool thing to do.
    While this narrative-focused approach is not very popular in today's standards (compared to Tales of series that focuses much on combat, and XCX which focuses on exploration and combat), but it doesn't try to be. It has one cute little ambition: to create the most well written, continuous JRPG series. It is doing a bang up job at it so far.

    For those who have played Trails in the Sky games, expect the same quality of writing, lovable cast, and the level of depth as those games with a few changes:
    Firstly, this entry is the first "3D Transition" of the series featuring 3D Character models and abundant voice acting. It is nicely done and it will not take you long to get used to it.
    Another difference is strictly limited to this episode, and that's the school setting. While it really wouldn't work any other way for the sake of the story, the school setting can feel too formulaic and repetitive. A large contrast from Sky FC and SC's adventure style where you move from town to town, in Cold Steel 1 it is more like "Campus life -> Visit a town (via Train) -> Campus life -> Visit a town repeat", you will spend about 50% of the game on campus. You can definitely see some, no, a lot of resemblance to Persona in this entry.
    Lastly, Orbment is easier to set up and works slightly differently, trying to figure out what stacks in what ways is also pretty fun.

    As someone who has been in love with the series for the past decade and has been importing all of the games, I can say Xseed has done a great job on the localization. It is quite refreshing and worth another play through.    … Full Review »
  2. GoombaJMR
    Dec 28, 2015
    9
    This game has been an absolute blast so far... (13 hours in, Chapter 2)
    It's been quite a while since I've seen such a massive game reach the    This game has been an absolute blast so far... (13 hours in, Chapter 2)
    It's been quite a while since I've seen such a massive game reach the hands of a portable console. I'd even say that it has the ability to rival with Persona 4 in regards to some areas of refinement and shine found in ToCS. While another fellow user points out that the character events are a bit shallow, I've found some of them to be rather deep, if you go a bit more into the game I guess. Another thing would be that some of the developing events can fly by if you don't spend as much time as possible talking to all the characters you have in your notes... I unlocked an otherwise hidden event with two of the female characters that I could not have gotten if I had not approached them during school time... so take note that obtaining access to these cool little subevents require YOU to pay attention to a lot of different aspects... either way, the game is absolutely brilliant so far, and I can't wait to see what more it has to offer (will update review some day)

    Gameplay: 10/10
    Story: 8.5/10
    Music: 9/10
    Presentation: 9.5/10
    Length: 10/10
    Overall: 9.5/10    … Full Review »
  3. Kiseki
    Dec 27, 2015
    8
    Good game overall however most character events are a bit shallow. It leaves a lot to be desired in terms of real bonding and significance. ItGood game overall however most character events are a bit shallow. It leaves a lot to be desired in terms of real bonding and significance. It feels alot better than every other jrpg I have played.

    One interesting note is that the game both looks and sound better on a vita than a ps3.
    Im using the original vita with an OLED and a basic 24" monitor. The picture dont look as clear, as sharp, as bright. But it still does feel good playing on a bigger screen. There is also an adjustment option to change the width, height and brightness of the picture. I found the lowest brightness setting to be the best, but thats just personal preference.

    For sound, I used the same headphone - Creative Aurvana Live. Its a bit hard to explain but vita sounded better. its definitely not the volume, the sound was slightly sharper, more crystal and felt better. The PS3 sounded a bit hallow in comparison.    … Full Review »
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