「 The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 」 Series Discussion

[np482]

Clear the game at Normal Level or above, with your party members' level below 40​

Raise the levels of all your party members to 40​

Are you really gonna let those shining poms walk away

Man those shining poms had to be one of the most annoying/tedious things in the games lol

 

[tbolts619]

2022 and 2023 is so long!!

 

[chibkey]

Falcom titles on ongoing Big In Japan sale until October 6th:

Game	% Off	Sale
Trails of Cold Steel	50%	$19.99 $39.99
Trails of Cold Steel II	50%	$19.99 $39.99
Trails of Cold Steel III	50%	$29.99 $59.99
Trails of Cold Steel III Digital Deluxe Edition	55%	$35.99 $79.99
Trails of Cold Steel IV	35%	$38.99 $59.99
Ys: Memories of Celceta	50%	$14.99 $29.99
Tokyo Xanadu eX+	80%	$12.99 $59.99

 

[chibkey]

​

Trails from Zero finally have a release date in this new story trailer!

Spoiler: The release date is

North America: September 27, 2022
Europe: September 30, 2022

 

[VyseTheFearless]

I was hoping for good news when I saw you had bumped this thread this Fall is looking good with this and Xenoblade 3

 

[chibkey]

Trails from Zero is only 2 weeks away.

It has come to attention lately that people are pointing out their pitchforks at NISA for version differences. To summarize what happened:

• The PS4 version of Trails to Azure is consistent with the Japanese "Zero no Kiseki Kai" version released in 2020, with all of the assets and features left intact.
• NISA contracted modder and PH3 co-founder Peter Thoman, better known as "Durante", to handle ports for the PC and Switch versions, which was planned to have 100% feature parity.
• Durante went to post his progress on the PC port (Part 1, Part 2) revealing he used the Kai version as the base of his port. He shared impressive upgrades on the sprites and textures and the addition of message log which was originally implemented by Geofront and did not exist in any past official release.
• An article from RPGsite was posted, pointing out the version differences, sparking debates because NISA did not previously communicate this.
• To summarize, the Switch and PC ports are superior thanks to Durante's overachievements.

It's unclear if leaving the PS4 version "as is" was a NISA decision or Nihon Falcom decision. It's also unclear if Durante was given free rein on how he handle the ports. In any case, it puts NISA in a difficult spot. In my opinion, there's no reason to go out your way to avoid the PS4 version, especially for first-time players because the core game is excellent, and the Kai version itself was already an upgrade from the PSP and Vita versions: fully voiced in Japanese, high-speed skip mode, and 60fps compatible. Also, Juna from Trails of Cold Steel III was added to provide a glimpse of her during this time period and new scenes were added to show a new perspectives on events that occured in Erebonia.

 

[VyseTheFearless]

Thank you for that update @chibkey I will be playing Zero for the first time on the Switch and am HYPED

 

[np482]

Cant wait. Ill be getting the switch version for it, was planning on playstation but not real happy that the ps version didnt get any of the upgrades that switch or steam got. Also hoping we get a kuro no kiseki announcment in the nearish future

 

[chibkey]

Been enjoying playing as the SSS again now, looking back at my screenshots of Crossbell from Cold Steel III and IV reimagined in full 3D.

I'm a bit disheartened, though. I was under the impression that Zero no Kiseki Kai was taken from "Evo" version from Vita. Turns out, not the case. The base game was taken from the original PSP version, which means no sprite animation when characters are talking, no Evo soundtracks, and the extra missions are not included. But it's all right, not many people ever played the game, let alone the Evo version, and I get to hear Tio's Analyze craft line a bunch of time again.

Some screenshots of Crossbell:

 

[damien256]

In Zero - Is it easy to read the text/menus on switch? I've been playing the games on PC so far (playing sky the 3rd right now), I love playing the switch.. but the lite screen is pretty damn tiny.

 

[chibkey]

In Zero - Is it easy to read the text/menus on switch? I've been playing the games on PC so far (playing sky the 3rd right now), I love playing the switch.. but the lite screen is pretty damn tiny.

Yeah, I read one poster somewhere said the text/UI looks fine on Switch. Here's a video of how it looks:

 

[Geostar]

Playing through Trails of Cold Steel 2 now and loving it. Guess I'm going to play part 3 next after this.

 

[chibkey]

Playing through Trails of Cold Steel 2 now and loving it. Guess I'm going to play part 3 next after this.

Cold Steel are such fantastic games. Have you played any other Trails games yet? If not, before jumping to Cold Steel III, I recommend playing the newly released Trails from Zero first. The sequel Trails to Azure will be a bit of a wait though, it'll be released early 2023. Reason being, Trails of Cold Steel III + IV are their own separate arc. It's where stories from Trails in the Sky and the Zero/Azure games start to converge and characters from those games will be heavily involved. That said, there's someone here who jumped straight into CSIII+IV and still enjoyed them.

 

[Geostar]

Cold Steel are such fantastic games. Have you played any other Trails games yet? If not, before jumping to Cold Steel III, I recommend playing the newly released Trails from Zero first. The sequel Trails to Azure will be a bit of a wait though, it'll be released early 2023. Reason being, Trails of Cold Steel III + IV are their own separate arc. It's where stories from Trails in the Sky and the Zero/Azure games start to converge and characters from those games will be heavily involved. That said, there's someone here who jumped straight into CSIII+IV and still enjoyed them.

I have only played Trails of Cold Steel 1 and 2. Zero looks good though. I will look into it and Azure. Thanks

 

[VyseTheFearless]

This game is so damn good and being able to play on fast mode is clutch.

 

[jazlar]

I'm really enjoying Zero. I'm debating between going back and completing the first 2 Cold Steel games next or Trials in the Sky. I just wish the latter series was on console as well. I can play them on my TV either through Steam Link or hooking my laptop up to the TV, but console would be more convenient. I got roughly halfway through both Cold Steel 1 and Trials in the Sky FC previously, but other things got in the way and left them unfinished. It's been awhile, so I'd likely start both over again.

 

[chibkey]

@VyseTheFearless Love the turbo mode myself, makes getting around faster and easier. The setting for Zero is great, I was on the rooftop scene the other day with Lloyd and Elie thinking, man this 12 year old game is so relevant to today's landscape where I live.

@jazlar That's cool, not many people have access to the Sky games since it's PC only. The Evo version is even less accessible but it was a better experience.

I say go ahead and finish Cold Steel first since you were in the middle of it already, and that game have no bearing on any older titles. I truly believe a certain event from a later chapter is more interesting to witness from the Erebonia side first, even though you'll go back to sprites after. I do have to say, don't start Cold Steel II until completing Trails to Azure since the story goes beyond Azure and would spoil it.

Finish Zero > Cold Steel > Sky trilogy > Azure > Cold Steel II > Cold Steel III > Cold Steel IV

is what I would do.

 

[jazlar]

@VyseTheFearless Love the turbo mode myself, makes getting around faster and easier. The setting for Zero is great, I was on the rooftop scene the other day with Lloyd and Elie thinking, man this 12 year old game is so relevant to today's landscape where I live.

@jazlar That's cool, not many people have access to the Sky games since it's PC only. The Evo version is even less accessible but it was a better experience.

I say go ahead and finish Cold Steel first since you were in the middle of it already, and that game have no bearing on any older titles. I truly believe a certain event from a later chapter is more interesting to witness from the Erebonia side first, even though you'll go back to sprites after. I do have to say, don't start Cold Steel II until completing Trails to Azure since the story goes beyond Azure and would spoil it.

Finish Zero > Cold Steel > Sky trilogy > Azure > Cold Steel II > Cold Steel III > Cold Steel IV

is what I would do.

Ok, thanks for the input. That sounds like a good plan. I just hope to not get too sidetracked along the way again. As a side note, I actually learned about these games from this thread originally. I believe it was also earlier in the thread that Tokyo Xanadu was mentioned. I bought and played through that first. Actually finished it. I've tried various Ys games over the years and have not finished them either, though I want to get back to that series as well. But want to know something crazier, the only other Falcom related game that I ever finished - that I know of, was Faxanadu on the NES. Over 30 years ago.

 

[VyseTheFearless]

Just finished Zero and mannnn what a game I think Randy may be one of my favorite characters in a JRPG he's a throwback to golden age party members. Keeping the same 4 characters in the party all game allows for so many amazing moments that I wish more game would go back to instead of trying to create 7 or 8 members with distinct roles or personalities.

@chibkey is there any way to play Azure that you know of or am I stuck waiting for it to release on the Switch?

 

[chibkey]

Haha yeah Randy's personality in Zero is wild. And about the party member, absolutely! The simplicity of not worrying about slotting extra party members into our main battle unit is pleasant (which is why I loved Atelier Sophie 2) and allows each character get more personality. I've played the game before but it felt like I'm playing it again for the first time because of how dense it is. So much is happening in every chapter.

@VyseTheFearless Unfortunately you're stuck with waiting. Geofront collaborated with NISA on the release so they purged their English patch releases that people can use on the Japanese version. Luckily, Azure releases early 2023 so the wait won't be too long. Even back then, there was no complete Vita translation for the Evo version so I had to play it on PC. It's gonna be worth it, most people say Azure will be an even crazier ride.

 

[chibkey]

New Trails to Azure trailer with release date. Hype!

​

March 14 in NA, March 17 in EU, March 24 in AU/NZ

 

[chibkey]

Preorders are up for Trails into Reverie! Coming Summer 2023!

Overview

What destinies await these three fateful figures? Use the Crossroads system to switch between Rean Schwarzer, Lloyd Bannings, and the masked figure “C,” and determine the fates of key characters and locations within Zemuria. Dive into refined tactical combat with new features such as United Front, and discover new allies and challenges within the halls of the True Reverie Corridor!

Where one trail ends, another begins…

The intertwining fates of three figures in Zemuria will be decided in this climactic chapter of The Legend of Heroes series! Follow the footsteps of the war hero Rean Schwarzer, the liberator Lloyd Bannings, and the masked enigma “C,” and switch between each of their paths freely with the Crossroads system.

Lloyd Bannings, leader of the Crossbell Police Department’s Special Support Section, finds himself fighting for his city’s freedom once again after Crossbell’s independence celebrations are interrupted by the sudden reappearance of an old threat.

Following the events of the Great Twilight, Erebonian hero Rean Schwarzer and his students return to life at the branch campus. However, this fleeting peace is disturbed by the emergence of a new threat.

When the former governor general of Crossbell suddenly returns and lays claim to the city state, four figures carry out a secret mission to investigate his actions. Their leader is “C,” a masked individual who seems to be using the same codename as the leader of the Imperial Liberation Front. But to what end?

Key Features

• A Trio of Trails – Experience three different story arcs and switch between them any time with the Crossroads system. Plus, discover side episodes to fully flesh out the characters and world of Zemuria.
• Reverie into Reality – Enter the True Reverie Corridor, which allows you to encounter and recruit new characters from across Zemuria, enter randomly generated dungeons to test your mettle, and play a variety of mini games.
• Paragons of Combat – Utilize Arts, Brave Orders, and cunning tactics to prevail in battle. Master the new United Front system and harness the power of your entire team to decimate enemies while empowering yourself.

Opening Movie



This is the game that tie up loose ends, taking place 1 year after Trails of Cold Steel IV and featuring 3 main story paths. No date is officially announced yet. Based on the NVidia leak from September, they had the date on June 30 so I'm expecting it around there.

 

[Geostar]

Going to pre-order Reverie! Glad that it is coming. It looks and sounds so good. I actually like the graphics in these games considering the scope.

 

[np482]

Just pre-ordered reverie. Was really excited to see that they're making a ps5 version of the game also.

 

[VyseTheFearless]

NEW REVERIE TRAILER

 

[chibkey]

July 7th release date hype~!

Man, why do these games miss out on US national holidays. Ryza 3 comes out 4 days after President's Day, Reverie comes out 4 days after July 4th.

 

[VyseTheFearless]

July 7th release date hype~!

Man, why do these games miss out on US national holidays. Ryza 3 comes out 4 days after President's Day, Reverie comes out 4 days after July 4th.

This will be a Day 1 purchase no matter what. I may even convince myself to do a preorder package if one looks cool and is reasonably priced and that's something I've never done before.

And with Zero's sequel Azure releasing in March to tide us over I'm pretty excited for more time in Crossbell for my first time.

Do you think a game's release time seems to be super calculated or more of a "release when it's ready" thing?

 

[chibkey]

Do you think a game's release time seems to be super calculated or more of a "release when it's ready" thing?

I would bet both are factors on determining a release date, just like movie theater releases. The NVidia leak had a bunch of dates so far ahead and they've been pretty accurate so far. Publishers may have internal info on future potential release dates the general public aren't privy to so that they all can plan stuff ahead. At least I hope that's the case because 2023 is gonna be insane year for JRPG so please spread them out!

Definitely day 1 for me too. I put in my limited edition preorder before they even send out the newsletter lol. Just hope it gets delivered on time. Been waiting for so long to play Hajimari. There were notable Crossbell characters that never appeared in Cold Steel 3 and 4 who will finally appear in Reverie.

 

[Geostar]

Just got Tales from Zero today. Working my way through this series. Reverie looks awesome.

 

[chibkey]

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel – Northern War anime started airing. Tells a story of the event in North Ambria between Cold Steel II and Cold Steel III, which only very briefly covered in game, from a new perspective.

STORY

In the Year 1205 of the Septian calendar, Lavian Winslet is a girl born and raised in the poorest region of North Ambria, located in the northwestern part of the Zemurian continent. In order to protect her hometown and to prove that she is different from her grandfather, Vlad, who was once revered as a hero but betrayed North Ambria, she joins the largest Jaegers group on the continent, known as the Northern Jaegers. She volunteers as a hunter and carries out her duties. One day, Lavian, who is immersed in her mission and repeatedly violates the rules, is ordered to form a platoon with Martin S. Robinson, Iseria Frost, and Talion Drake on a reckless secret spy mission to the Erebonia Empire. Together they must get information about the possible existence of "Hero of the Empire" that threatens North Ambria. ​

 

[damien256]

Slogging my way through the 6th plane in Trails in teh Sky the 3rd! I want to watch the anime but I don't want to spoil some of the rewards for my future suffering! I like the story and characters in Sky but gearing like

Spoiler

16

characters is starting to get to me, I buy a weapon and 5 minutes later find something better. Really looking forward to Zero and Azure, I played 20 mins of zero (got all the games but Azure now) the other night and it seems like a nice upgrade over sky in terms of graphics and battles.

 

[chibkey]

We finally get a proper closure to the Crossbell and Erebonia arcs, as well as an introduction to the next saga. The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie releases TOMORROW!

 

[kunalanand501]

Which will be the best title to get into the series?

 

[chibkey]

Which will be the best title to get into the series?

Up until now, Trails into Reverie is the 10th game in the series. Here's the chronological lineup of the games so far:

Liberl Arc	Crossbell Arc	Erebonia Arc Part 1	Erebonia Arc Part 2
1202 - 1203​	1204.01 - 1204.12​	1204.03 - 1205.03​	1206.04 - 1206.09​
Trails in the Sky FC	Trails from Zero	Trails of Cold Steel	Trails of Cold Steel III
Trails in the Sky SC	Trails to Azure	Trails of Cold Steel II	Trails of Cold Steel IV
Trails in the Sky the 3rd

Most fans will recommend start from the beginning, since this is a series that keeps adding on to the lore and worldbuilding since the first Trails in the Sky game. This was first available in English 22 years ago on PSP, nowadays it's only on Steam or a homebrewed PS Vita.

To me, Trails of Cold Steel is the best entry point on this long-running series, for many reasons. It's a good litmus test whether or not a new player is comfortable with the series, with its slow-burn storytelling and anime tropes, without spoiling any of the previous games. If you finished the game craving for more, then I'd suggest go back from the beginning, which is Trails in the Sky FC. If that's not an option, then at least watch the cutscenes on youtube for the story and then start with from Trails from Zero.

 

[np482]

Anyone having trouble with receiving their trails into reverie pre-order? I got an email on july 3rd saying it was all set and ready to be shipped, but i havent gotten any updates since and it still says its in grand prarie texas, the same place it was in on july 3rd. I hope its just shipping isnt updating but idk ive never had a problem with the tracking before

 

[chibkey]

@np482 A lot of customers buying from NISA Store have the same experience. Honestly I lost faith in them delivering on release date so I got my copy through Best Buy and it was ready to be picked up on the day. The support team aren't answering emails for weeks, even months for some people. I don't know what's going on there.

The silver lining for you is there's a known major gameplay bug in the game right now. Characters that weren't previously playable in CS3 and CS4 have no Link Abilities—e.g. shields linked partner from attacks, gives them buffs when casting arts, gives CP or counterattacks, etc. On higher difficulties, this can make battles a lot harder and makes some player change their tactics. This somehow slipped by their QA, and there are several visual bugs as well.

 

[np482]

@np482 A lot of customers buying from NISA Store have the same experience. Honestly I lost faith in them delivering on release date so I got my copy through Best Buy and it was ready to be picked up on the day. The support team aren't answering emails for weeks, even months for some people. I don't know what's going on there.

The silver lining for you is there's a known major gameplay bug in the game right now. Characters that weren't previously playable in CS3 and CS4 have no Link Abilities—e.g. shields linked partner from attacks, gives them buffs when casting arts, gives CP or counterattacks, etc. On higher difficulties, this can make battles a lot harder and makes some player change their tactics. This somehow slipped by their QA, and there are several visual bugs as well.

Alright thank you. I guess ill wait though, im not really in any rush to play and i ordered the collecters edition so not going to go out and buy it again. Hopefully by the time it gets here the bugs will be fixed haha

 

[Geostar]

Excited to add Reverie to my collection. Won't be playing it for a while though. Still got to get through Zero and Azure (and i don't like the 2D artsyle).

Here's my Falcom collection:

 

[np482]

Is three and nine meant to be read before or after playing reverie? Or does it not matter?

 

[chibkey]

Is three and nine meant to be read before or after playing reverie? Or does it not matter?

Before Reverie. It's an introduction to the new characters in ???'s route. These light novel was one of the book collectibles in Cold Steel IV. If you're not much for reading, at least just check the first 2 chapters to see what kind of characters they are.

 

[np482]

Before Reverie. It's an introduction to the new characters in ???'s route. These light novel was one of the book collectibles in Cold Steel IV. If you're not much for reading, at least just check the first 2 chapters to see what kind of characters they are.

Ok cool. Ill definitely give it a read. I still have to finish azure anyways so itll be about 2 weeks before i start anyways

 

[chibkey]

The patch are finally live on both PS5 and PS4 (Switch version is still waiting). What a huge oversight that was!

 

[Geostar]

Two patches? Looks good. I havent started playing this yet. Maybe this is a good time.,

 

[chibkey]

 

[chibkey]

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak | NIS America

Bounty hunter Van Arkride is about to take on a job that will change the fate of a nation!

thelegendofheroes.com

 

[Geostar]

Been played Nayuta Boundless Trails. Pretty fun game.

 

[chibkey]

Happy Trails through Daybreak release day!


To celebrate this long-awaited Calvard Arc, NIS America invited the president of Nihon Falcom, Toshihiro Kondo, to this year's Anime Expo to talk about upcoming releases and they had 2 big announcements!

It was leaked earlier through the Japanese PSN, but now we know about its release time frame: Early 2025! Faster than expected!

The LE is also up for preorder right away. It comes with the map of Calvard Republic. Details of the LE is not yet released, but I'm going to guess a cloth map.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II Limited Edition

Return to the Republic of Calvard and unravel the mystery of the crimson beast with The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II Limited Edition!

store.nisamerica.com

We also now know the release date of Ys X: Nordics — October 25, 2024! The Limited Edition is also revealed, which in my opinion, is the most attractive LE from NISA in a while. Price is $5 more than their usual rate but it comes with a practical item, a cool shoulder backpack! The specs of the bag is still yet to be released so no idea how big or small it actually is.

Ys X: Nordics Limited Edition

Explore uncharted islands, engage in fast-paced action combat, and experience the high seas adventures of unlikely allies Adol and Karja in Ys X: Nordics!

store.nisamerica.com

 

[Geostar]

Beyond hyped for these games. It’s a good time to be a Falcom and RPG fan.

 

[ghj]

I doubt I'll ever get around to finishing ToCS 3 and 4, but I'm definitely ready for Ys X.

 

[np482]

Has anyone else not heard anything about their preorder for trails through daybreak?? I actually forgot about it until I saw it released on Friday, I placed my order back in September and haven't heard a thing since. I know they had some issues with previous pre orders so I'm not sure if I should let it go for now or try and contact NISA