The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky

Simply the start to one of the greatest JRPG series of all time, it doesn't get much better than this. If you made it to the end, you are likely buying the second chapter.

It's been a while since I played this, but I recall enjoying what I played of it. Mostly the character interactions and the combat. I literally never played any other Trails games, but it left a solid enough impression that I'm leaving a positive review years later to clear it from my backlog, so take that as you will.

Great characters but I wasn't so into the story. Ending was certainly something (in a great way)

I played this game on a whim when covid hit 5 years ago. Why come back for a review?

I'm 11 games into this franchise 5 years later, over 700 hours. The worldbuilding and character development is bar none. This game is an investment to glory. There are few franchises that have an ongoing narrative between titles past 3 games, and this is one of maybe 5 I can think of, and this one is in the top echelon of that niche group.

Play Trails.

Trails in the Sky is a game I’d been wanting to play for a while after I saw a YouTube video about the Trails series. The world and characters intrigued me, and I was excited to dive in. But to be honest, the start of the game was a real struggle for me. I ended up quitting twice because it felt like it was moving way too slow, and I just couldn't stay engaged. On my third try, though, I told myself, “This time, I'm finishing it,” and I’m so glad I pushed through.

The beginning really is slow, but looking back, I realize that’s kind of the point. The slow start builds up the story and characters in such a way that when things finally pick up, the payoff feels huge. By the time I hit the later parts of the game, I was fully invested in Estelle and Joshua’s journey, and now I can’t wait to see what happens next.

The game does a great job of making the world of Liberl feel alive. Each town and area has its own little stories, side quests, and characters that make you feel like you're really a part of the world. The combat is turn-based, but it’s got a surprising amount of depth, and once you start unlocking new abilities, it’s actually pretty satisfying.

That said, the game does have its drawbacks. The pacing can feel really slow at times, and if you’re someone who needs things to move faster, that might be a dealbreaker. Also, the music, while nice at first, starts to feel a bit repetitive after a while.

Despite these issues, though, I had an amazing time in the Kingdom of Liberl. The story, characters, and world-building are what really kept me hooked, and I’m already looking forward to the next game in the series. If you’re someone who loves great storytelling and doesn’t mind a slow burn, Trails in the Sky is definitely worth your time.

Seems like an interesting story with likable characters but the combat is too tedious to occupy as much space as it does.

Even after finding the turbo button battles every encounter feels like a chore and there are tons of encounters.

The enemies in ordinary encounters have large hp pools,hit very hard early on, and many don't seem to have exploitable weaknesses to target making most fights last several rounds.

It's also very easy to enter combat at a disadvantage if a monster spawns behind you are a companion making exploration very slow and frustrating.

The skill system is not intuitive and you'll probably need some kind of guide to get the most out of it.

The side quests so far are uninteresting.

It's a shame that this promising story got paired with this exasperating combat system. I'll probably finish this eventually (?) but after 8 hours nothing has clicked. If you're very patient you might enjoy this game more than I have so far.

Good game. Most fun I had with a classic 2D JRPG in a long time since Final Fantasy games. I did not like the romance in the story towards the end but the magic system is unique and interesting. I maxed out my orbments for this game.

A fantastic jrpg with masterful world-building and a heavy emphasis on finding hope in the darkest of times.

I will probably write a more detailed review when I complete the Trails in the Sky trilogy, but I thought this to be an incredibly enjoyable game when viewed in isolation.

The slower parts of the game lend themselves to characterizing the two protagonists really well and I personally did not find fault in the pacing of the game.

Finished the game. Great story telling, a bit slice of life actually. Didn't find it challenging at all, apart from the final boss which required some thinking on how to deal with him. This is part 1 of a 3 part story and you will definitely want to play the other 2 games.
Played about 90% of it on the SteamDeck it works absolutely fine.
Final recommendation, chapter 2 is really really boring with some school shenanigans... skipped most of that dialogue and I recommend you do the same, you will lose nothing.

Fantastic classic RPG, looking forward to the remake later this year! IMO, still the best way to start the Legend of Heroes series!

I’ve had this game on my to-do list for a few years. 40 hours later, I’m glad I set aside the time to finish it. It’s a fun story with some excellent worldbuilding and character writing, though the slow pace of this first chapter is a bit of a drag at parts. Overall I would recommend for those interested in a story-driven JRPG. Looking forward to checking out SC next.

Coming from Cold Steel to play the very first entry of the series is quite a fun experience, it is lengthy but the pacing picks up as the story approach the climax towards the end, leaving you excited to jump into the next entry.

Amazing story, SC here I come.

The start of one of my most favourite series of games, with a rich story and fun turn based fighting system. For anyone who wants to sink in plenty of hours in a captivating world with a great story and fun characters, give this a go. it is really worth it.

Just a heads up, if you like this, you'll have another 11 games to go.

I discovered this game and franchise nearly 4 years ago in the Summer of 2021. I have just recently completed the most recent, 13th game, in the series (Kai no Kiseki) via machine translation. That's just how badly I wanted to continue my journey in this absolutely peak and fantastic world. If that doesn't get you interested, I don't know what will!

As for this game itself, it feels like an early 2000's JRPG. Very nostalgic graphics, a simple yet fulfilling battle system with a fun "customization"/build system, and an amazing localization/script. The story is... a slow burn. I enjoyed my time with it, but I think knowing that the series was so long running kept me invested. Knowing that at "some point", it was going to take off. It absolutely does - trust the process. If you can play this game to completion and enjoy your time, I think you'll love the series. Now, on to the divisive part:

This is the uncontested best starting point for new players in the series. I'm not saying that to gatekeep, or because I'm a boomer who grew up through this era of gaming and isn't bothered by older graphics. I say it because, genuinely, the emotional impact of so many characters gets diminished simply by knowing who is still around/alive in later games (not to mention their allegiance). I would highly avoid looking at cover art for future games or starting anywhere but here. Intro videos and title cards alone can reveal more than you think!

If the idea of a 13+ game long, story centric series where each entry can be 100ish hours long (if you're a completionist) is a deterrent enough that you may be tempted to start at later entries, this may not be the series for you. It's absolutely worth the investment and I cannot stress that enough. You get into this franchise what you put into it, so don't rob yourself even the tiniest bit of emotional payoff - I promise you won't regret it.

This is a great and fun game. I started with the Trails of Cold Steel first and now I love the series. Now just need to play from the beginning.

my very first trails of games and I was impresed! if you like in depth stories in your game that one is for you.very text heavy but if you dont mind the long reading part you are in for a gem.battle is very interesting mix of turn based and tactical.cant wait to play the next chapter

I believe Trails is a series every JRPG fan should play or at the very least, experience. The world building and character development in this series in unmatched by any game I've ever played and is absolutely worth the 200+ hours it takes to play through all of the games.

Estelle Bright is easily one of the best and most charming protagonists I've ever had the joy of playing as. Also for the first time ever in a JRPG all of the NPC's are a joy to talk to. 90% of them have names instead of just "Wandering Person #792" and as such, have a tangible place in this world. The NPC's in this game don't feel like they're just here to spout exposition at you. Some do that, of course, but they make it feel like an actual world that people live in. Heck some NPC's have arcs that carry into other games.

If there's ever been a series that I feel deserves to be experienced, its this one. If you're into games with fantastic Worldbuilding, Story, Combat, or Characters, even if you're not a JRPG fan, you have to at least try this series. I promise you it will surprise you.

I kept hearing about how Trails in the Sky is one of the greatest JRPG ever. The fanbase can get very loud with their love for this series. And after playing it I have to admit, they have all the right to be this enthusiastic. For being 20 years old JRPG it aged like a fine wine, with some very loveable characters and immaculate world building. Military drama and politics are hard to write but Trails in the Sky manages to create a rather simple, but very entertaining conflict spanning its fictional setting. It gets you invested into it by making you follow adventures of Estelle and Joshua on their shonen-esque journey following their father's steps to become the strongest bracers possible. Their relationship and character growth is slow, but steady and visible and engaging. The world feels alive and breathing, with NPCs always reacting to current events and changing their dialogue as you progress the story. You feel the influence of the Evil Guys on the world and how it changes things, nothing ever feels static.

It's such a lovely and simple game, but it tells its story with a lot of heart. In a genre where your journey starts by saving a cat and fighting a god to save the entire universe, playing something more simple and down to earth is very refreshing. The only downside is that now I need to play throughout the entire franchise to see more stories from the Erebonian empire.

Incredibly charming & wholesome JRPG goodness with a fascinating ability progression system. As a newcomer to the series, the gameplay & tone remind me of Grandia & I’m loving every bit of it, also the soundtrack is SO groovy.

I'm having fun with this jrpg! Likeable characters, the world seems intriguing... a good game!

An amazing JRPG game and incredible series. Everything from world building to characters make it shine and lovable.

Replaying this game after 10 years in anticipation for the upcoming remake and I must say, the game STILL GOES SO HARD. Soundtrack is amazing, combat system has depth, quests add worldbuilding, and characters are interesting and dynamic. Playing this game on the Steam Deck with the EVO voice lines is a childhood dream come true.

It's a bit tricky to give a review to this game, because it has so many small things that I just straight up dislike. But at the same time it has strong positives that can't be brushed off.

+ Great main story.
+ Tons of side quests that is satisfying to finish.
+ Fun combat system.
+ Mostly decent writings with likeable and memorable characters.
+ Has an in-depth character building and might be really fun for some type of players.

- Rough scaling towards endgame. Everything become a chore as normal enemies becoming too tanky and you'd feel like that you are trapped in a perpetual underpowered state.
- The in-depth character building can become too much and too complicated for its own good.
- The game constantly change your teams, which makes the point above very painful process to go over and over again.
- The game seems to be built with the idea of multiple playthroughs, but the outdated game design might impact the replayablitiy value for some players.

Considering this game is practically a 2004 game, moreover since this game is also the first in the series with a very interesting story to it that gave birth to one of the most popular game series, it's hard to not recommend this game. Try to bear with the downside of the game. Worth the time investments to enjoy the following sequels.

Very fun game with a simple but deep magic system and an excellent grid based action system. Slow start but I finally got around to finishing the game beginning to end, definitely worth going through once, it does everything right and sets up the stage for subsequent games while being a solid stand alone title.

Compelling story, and fun to play. A simple JRPG that you can chill and enjoy about.

was not expecting to like this game as I saw it in my suggestions for awhile and choose to ignore based on the art style but I was wrong and it was in fact a great game which I have since played every ported steam entry and only 3 of them so far have been bad not terrible but bad. This game has fun characters and good music and the art style will grow on you in game sprites are cute.

This game is a grate experience from story to mechanicss

I Decided to play the game after hearing about how amazing the series is from so many people. After playing for a couple hours i can confidently say......IT'S TRUE! After only a couple hours i didn't want to stop playing, so i'm not! Literally just took a break to write this and tell ya'll how PEAK this series truly is. Now if you'll excuse me I'M HOPPING BACK IN!

This game is amazing. I really wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was. Admittedly it took me a while to get into the combat system. I'd recommend spending some time on forums to get your head round it before proceeding too far into the game, but it's brilliant when it clicks.

The story has a lot of anime tropes, but overall has immense depth and has a 'nice' and local feel about it. There's a feel that you're a small story within a massive world with deep politics and intrigue.

Highly recommended if you enjoy JRPGs at all. The only negative thing I have to say about it is that now I have to play all the rest of them! - See you in fifty years.

A very slow start to an amazing overarching plot line full of meaningful characters, poignant and emotional set pieces, an interwoven narrative that compels you to talk to literally everyone after every story beat, and an addictive and fun combat system that is ahead of it's time for a game made in 2004. While the graphics are nothing special, the beautiful portrait work and lively sprites more than makeup for it's lack of graphic prowess. It took me over 4 times to get through the first game, so if you are struggling and consider yourself a story or character driven gamer, don't give up! This game is truly exceptional when taken as a trilogy, but as a single entry it falls short. The first game is meant to build up the narrative and characters for the emotional payoff, and as a gamer of > 35 years having played almost every mainline RPG that has released, and many of the lesser known titles, it pays off in spades. Persevere and you will be rewarded. I was hooked following the epic last arc of the first game and you will be too.

loved it. was a great set up and world builder, I'm excited to see where it all goes

One of my favorite old JRPGs and an excellent example for the idea that a story that hits all the standard plot beats for its genre can still be outstanding if it's executed well enough.
Trails in the Sky FC is a fun, cozy adventure with incredibly in-depth world-building, a fantastic localisation brimming with wit and character, and an emotional gut-punch of an ending that will leave you desperate to jump into the sequel right away. Consider getting them both if you're buying this on a sale.

Let me preface this by saying this is my first experience with both Trails and The Legend of Heroes franchise as a whole. I went in not really knowing what to expect, but with high hopes due to the very positive reviews.

...And I was blown away. From the story, characters and setting to the gameplay, graphics and soundtrack.

The game has plenty of content to keep you busy and an enticing enough story to keep you immersed and engaged. Every character you talk to has their own story and development, from the protagonists to everyday citizens around town. The combat is very customizable and once you get the hang of it, will get you hooked. Masterful world building and storytelling will leave you wanting more and I'll be buying the next game immediately.

Definitely recommended, to any fans of RPGs or just a good story. Give it a try and enjoy!

My first review on Steam ever.

Honestly, this game really brings me back to my childhood memories and was one of my favourite JRPG on the list. I first had it on my Sony PSP back in the days. And to see it available on steam i had to purchase it.

Definitely a game worth to buy and play and will continue to SC.

Amazing game, by far the best RPG I've ever played. It made playing other RPGs feel kind of bad in comparison

Combat system is fine, does the job, but the story, the characters and the world are where it shines, never saw something like this in a RPG. There is something about walking randomly in a city, talking to a random little girl, and she says thank you for saving her during [spoiler event], and mentions what you were doing that time. Not a scripted event, not a cutscene, just a random missable conversation in a random street. The world is amazingly alive and I can't wait to go back there

I have heard great things about this game and series, but have always been hesitant because sometimes its hard for me to get into older games if I don't have nostalgia for them. I gotta say though this game got me hooked really quick and I cannot wait to play the whole series. The slow world building and combat is what this game does so well!

Trails in the Sky is the game that started it all and I am absolutely here for it. Trails in the Sky demands your attention through its captivating writing and characters that charm their way into your heart.

Trails FC exudes personality from its cutesy art style to the memorable soundtrack, and lastly, the engaging gameplay loop. While the prologue can be a tad slow and the side quests leave a lot to be desired, I hope it does not dissuade others from trying out this phenomenal journey.

To anyone looking to start this trilogy, PLEASE play it with the EVO voice patch! The Japanese Vita version had voice acting that is not present in this release, and it's extremely high quality and absolutely fantastic. I find it criminal that so many people are playing without it, because it adds so much more emotion and character to the game. Do it for Olivier. His voice actor went hard.

(also the game is very good)

Where to begin? That's the same question a lot of people ask when wanting to play the Trails series. The easy answer is this game. Trails in the Sky is a great game with a very detailed world, fun interesting characters, and great music.

It starts off a bit slow but it picks up and sets up Sky SC really well.

The combat can sometimes be slow and repetitive but it gets better once you have access to more Arts and Crafts.

I think Trails in the Sky is the best place to start the series and it stands on its own. Is it the best in the series? No, I don't think so. I think that's Azure, but I've not played anything after yet.

The question of where to start does get a little more interesting once Sky 1st Chapter is out. Should you skip this game entirely? Will SC and 3rd also get remakes? Probably, but if not then the switch from 1st Chapter to Sky SC could be weird. Sky 1st Chapter looks to play more like Daybreak but I'm not sure since it's not out and I haven’t played Daybreak.

All that said though Sky FC is worth playing even in its current form. If you’re looking to play the Trails series I think it only makes sense to start at the beginning since good world building is one of the things the Trails series is best known for.

Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. It is a must play game especially if you love storytelling. The start of the trails series really sets the tone for the next games and the many similarities it will undoubtedly carry on. If I had to be critical about any one thing, it's that the story definitely has some annoying tropes for the characters at the start, but it pays off by the end. This game is a must play for story loving folk, a 40 hour adventure that you won't forget.

As a longtime RPG fan, I’ve played my fair share of classics, but Trails in the Sky FC is my first step into the Trails series. I had always heard about its worldbuilding and character depth, and after finally diving in, I can see why it's so beloved. The pacing is slow, with a strong "slice of life" feel, but it’s important to remember that this game carries the weight of setting the stage for over a dozen future entries.

The combat blends classic turn-based mechanics with a tactical grid system—something I found myself falling in love with instantly. While the early hours don’t throw many challenges at you, the later encounters demand more thought and planning.

I only wish someone had warned me beforehand—this game is the start of a deep rabbit hole. Once you finish, you'll want the next one. And the next one… and the next one… Get this only if you have enough money to at least buy SC and 3rd.

Trails in the Sky review:
Prologue:
set up the world, set up its characters, and had a little mystery
1st chapter:
some mystery, more world building, good side quests, and humor
2nd chapter:
more mystery, good side quests, interesting characters and events
3rd chapter:
kindof dull, not bad, but it happened
4th chapter:
first half:
so much talking about nothing
second half:
much better

Just finished the game, Kinda frustrating with the final boss took me at least 2 hrs to fight but nevertheless it was absolute cinema. I will immediately play SC after this

No RPG does a better job of crafting a world the way Falcom does for The Legend of Heroes. This is the first game that starts it all.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

This game has been sitting in my backlog for quite sometime now and I regret not playing this the moment I bought it. With an interesting cast of characters and a well-written story, I am sure any JRPG fan would enjoy this gem. Zero feature bloat, story-focused, simplistic turn-based combat with a bit of depth, dynamic roles and party splitting (the kind that I have not seen since FFVI). Do note that this is the FIRST of THREE games of Trails in the Sky. I am looking forward to playing the second game. Great game to play on Steam Deck btw.

The end bothered me greater than any game I have ever played and I started back on Pong and pc in the 1980s. I would leave a neutral review if I could. I loved Estelle and the story and the combat was so much fun. It is a must play game for any gamer imho.

This is the start of the Trails series. It's really awesome to see that Falcom has kept this going for 13+ games and counting and it's very rewarding slowly going through the in-game universe and seeing how things relate.

If you have any interest in world-building and continuity in video games, this is highly recommended.

Ah, the start of the Trails series... of which this is my third game because of Coldsteel I and II.

Unfortunately, because I played two later games than I was supposed to (because I didn't realize that you needed to play the Sky trilogy and Zero/Azure for Coldsteel III and IV), this game doesn't really hold much of a candle because of the gameplay being dated and unbalanced compared to those games. And those games weren't that balanced either! It mostly comes down to old game jank and the further you get along the series, the more this game arguably becomes weaker due to the better gameplay, story and character writing that comes later in. As a result, it's really difficult to recommend the first Sky to anyone because of the old feel. Mind you, I say difficult and not impossible.

The gameplay itself is functional. I've played this on Hard mode because the Normal and Nightmare difficulties range from being too easy to ridiculously hard, based on what a friend of mine stated (with their own review on here). Notably, the early game is quite brutal which isn't exactly what you'd want from a starting experience, even on Hard Mode. However, I definitely found the game more enjoyable the further you go along with new options being opened up to you and when you don't just have two party members in for 70% of the game. The customisation is really fun to mess with for the Quartz and gives you different options to give variety to what Arts your party can cast. Whilst some characters are more built to be around a certain type of element, it still gives quite the flexibility!

If there's one thing I really don't like in the SERIES is the missables, be it a quest or the books you have to collect. This won't be mentioned in the reviews for the other games, but the fact that some of these missables are extremely easy to miss due to the small windows is ridiculous, and unfortunately makes you utilise a guide so you do not end up losing them which is a real shame. I do like the BP system of doing better in a quest than expected, though some of them are not quite obvious in the slightest.

Now, the stuff I stated were more mixed or even negative. So why am I recommending this game to begin with?

For starters, this game in itself is just one whole big prologue. Whilst you can be forgiven for beating Coldsteel I and up until the epilogue portion of Coldsteel II (regardless about a certain character), if you want to understand the story and characters much clearly, you NEED to play through the first Sky, otherwise certain plot threads will be spoiled up and make not much sense to yourself if you played a later game. This sounds quite the tedious grind because of the mixed to negative aspects I mentioned above.

However, the best aspects of this game has to be because of the writing, worldbuilding and characters of this game.

The studio that did the absolutely torturous job of translating this game deserve to take 10 years of a holiday without getting taxed because they did an absolutely tremendous job of bringing life to the characters in the way they speak, the way they interact, even the way the random NPCs and the main characters interact just by speaking with them makes the world feel like each nobody feels like... a little like a somebody that may or may not show up later in the series. Whilst it doesn't mean you need to speak to everybody because that would be tedious, it just goes to show how much love was put into the civilians.

If I can definitely say one thing about the worldbuilding, it's just tremendous. There's so many lore details within the game that a guy like myself really does appreciate. Whilst I really do not like collecting the missable books, the books themselves are really well written in itself and felt like actual novels you'd read on a daily basis. I'm vividly impressed by how much details of the town and cities were elaborated upon. Each of them feel distinct from one another based on their own geographical locations, from just a simple village, to the royal city to Ruan which I declare is the best location because the vibes of the seaside are immaculate.

Now, the characters themselves can be a mixed bag of introductions, generally because for the most part, they get way better fleshed out in SC. After all, this game, as stated before, is the prologue of the series. A couple of them won't be exactly likeable at first and it really depends on you own character preferences in the end. The antagonists in this game are good and serviceable, but not precisely standout quality. For me, I personally really enjoyed the characters in this one, even if I do have a few mixed feelings on some of them.

However, whilst I have a good positive feeling about the characters in general, ALL OF THEM ARE OVERSHADOWED BY THE SHEER BRILLIANCE OF THE BEST RPG PROTAGONIST I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED. Estelle is definitely the biggest highlight of the whole game alongside Joshua. Whilst I had a hard time dealing with just these two gameplay wise, I had a blast with the optimistic, energetic and snarky attitude of this Shonen Protagonist having a blooming relationship with the calm, rational and deadpan Lancer. This game in itself is worth playing just for experiencing these two explore the entire region to become full-fledged bracers. Whenever Estelle appears in a future game, regardless if she is a D-Tier party member, she will ALWAYS be part of the main team because she makes me giddy. I am the number one supporter of the Estelle nation! (Self-proclaimed by the guy who hasn't finished Azure yet at the time of this review.)

Overall, this game will be a hit or miss depending on how you take this. I'm really forgiving of this game for being the first of the Trails series, though it's you will definitely find that whilst there are amazing elements such as Estelle, the game is really dated by certain aspects not just by the gameplay, but by certain tropes you'd find in anime that you wouldn't really find acceptable. I think you'll find some great elements for later games if you managed to push through to the end of this game, which led me to experience the greatness of SC.

Overall Score: 6.5/10, mixed to positive for me, but Estelle is the best protagonist to ever exist ever.

Not only was this my first Trails game, but it is also the first time playing a game with out voice lines. And i loved it, the story is great and seems to set up a solid foundation for the rest of the arc. I look forward to seeing how the rest turns out. With that said I do have a few complaints, the enemy encounters got extremely repetitive, especially towards the end. And I found that at times the game did not do a good job at all, explaining where to go and what to complete to progress a quest. Also the dungeons and buildings did not come with a map, so i found myself looking up maps and referencing guides through out my playthrough.
All in all I very much enjoyed the game and I am planning on playing through the rest of the series.

It's a fun story on rails. The dialogue, story, and storytelling is tip-top...but that's the only RPG element this game excels at. The rest is basic AF. There's no reward for exploration (except for healing items), no sense of finding things for your own. The sidequests are shoehorned into the rails; you can't just talk to an NPC and complete a miniquest; you are told what your sidequests are and are graded on them. It's a glorified visual novel with interactive battles between story scenes. Again, the story, storytelling, and dialogue are top-tier in this regard...but it feels like a very watery rpg as a result.

I'm only not recommending it as a response to the mystifying "overwhelmingly positive" it currently has. It should be positive (if it was reviewed negatively, I'd give it a positive review) albeit the most appropriate review should be a resounding "meh". I hope the latter games allows the rest of the dev team to contribute as much as the writing team did on this one.