Ahhhh, the Trails series. Somehow, it’s eluded me for years, which is kind of crazy considering it’s been running for over two decades starting with Trails in the Sky on PC back in 2004 but possibly more notably in 2006 on Sony’s beloved PSP. Since then, the series has had three main story arcs told across three trilogies with a couple games here and there along the way. Each arc is based on a location set in the continent of Zemuria.
Liberl Arc
- Trails in the Sky
- Trails in the Sky SC (Second Chapter)
- Trails in the Sky the 3rd
Crossbell Arc
- Trails from Zero
- Trails to Azure
Erebonia Arc
- Trails of Cold Steel
- Trails of Cold Steel II
- Trails of Cold Steel III
- Trails of Cold Steel IV
- Trails into Reverie
Calvard Arc
- Trails Through Daybreak
- Trails Through Daybreak II
- Trails Beyond the Horizon
Count em up and that’s 13 games, each one rich with story and dripping with lore, character background, and interconnected world building. It’s a lot which is why I have yet to finish the series, especially as the father of a toddler. With that said, I jumped in with Cold Steel during the Covid and had no issues. I can now say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this insanely good remake is where to start. Not only because it’s where the entire series begins, but because it’s some of Nihon Falcom’s finest work yet. Every game has been created using their own proprietary engine that has evolved with each gaming generation throughout the years.
If you take a look at screenshots, you can see that the series isn’t known for its looks, but (hens-forth referred to as 1st Chapter) looks the best in the series, similar to Ys Nordics being the best looking in that series. The cutscenes in the prologue especially struck me with Estelle’s subtle facial animations like her smirk, eyebrow movements, etc. coupled with a much better lighting engine that adds dimension. This level of animation doesn’t go much further as the majority of everything else is told via in engine models without custom animations and instead relies on in game animation. This makes sense considering the sheer scale of this title, but it all looks fantastic regardless.
Presentation wise, the audio, soundtrack, and voice over work is top notch. The battle system borrows from the action/turn based one used in the the latest Daybreak entries which is a fantastic thing. There are a few quality of life additions added here too that JRPG or RPG fans will absolutely love. One of my personal favorites is the ability to set the duration of the stats screen that’s shown after completing a battle. In 1st Chapter, you take control of your character immediately after a battle concludes with the stats shown in a small overlay to the right side of the screen. You can change the duration it’s shown as well as dive into a fuller stats screen that shows you more info by pressing up on the d-pad.
From a gameplay perspective, there are many improvements that both pay homage to the original while also updating it for modern audiences. I noted above how the combat system has been updated. It borrows the hybrid action/turn based system we’re starting to see other RPGs, like the Daybreak trilogy, adopt. This allows you to see enemies on the field and battle them in real time. You can either choose to defeat them this way or, wear them down and jump right into the JRPG battle system to take a more tactical approach. It’s solid and I love it. The Orbment system, your magic and equipment customization, is as deep as ever with this release feature a multitude of streamlining thanks to the updated UI.
I’m not going to dive into the story as that’s the best part of the series (along with literally everything above). All I’ll say is that Estelle and Joshua are strong lovable protagonists as is the supporting cast of characters like Kloe, Sherezard, Olivier, and even Agate. I do find it comical that there’s a single old man NPC face that’s used everywhere which I noticed and was comical but also…..can’t you use a few more generic NPC faces? All things considered, Trails into the Sky 1st Chapter is an absolute triumph for longtime fans, newcomers to the series, JRPG fans, and anyone with an interest in the genre or who are looking for a stellar story with a cliffhanger ending. It’s already been confirmed the sequel, Second Chapter, is in development and I absolutely cannot wait to dive back into the world of Liberl again with this wonderful cast. You can download the free demo now where 1st Chapter is available on Switch, Switch 2 (free performance/visual upgrade), PS5, and Steam.
