The Legend of Heroes: A Guide to the Trails Series *SPOILER FREE*

[Cold_Reverie]

This post is intended to explain the Trails games to those who have never heard of them before, and to inform newcomers as to the orders the games can be played. I hope this guide will prove informative to all readers.

You can find the guide itself here: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1189425609 The guide is more detailed, but this thread should cover a majority of what's in the guide. Here is a brief overview of what this write-up will cover:

Introduction
About Trails
The Liberl Arc
The Crossbell Arc
The Erebonia Arc
The Future of the Series
Spin-Offs
Where to Start
Playing Orders
The Legend of Heroes: A History of the Franchise
Additional Notes
Credits
Conclusion

Introduction

Welcome all readers! Before we continue, I would like to clarify that, this is not an official guide in any way, and is not endorsed by XSEED Games or Nihon Falcom, nor do the opinions within reflect the views of XSEED Games, Nihon Falcom, or anyone affiliated with them. This guide is made by a simple fan that wants to inform people about these games.

This spoiler free guide is intended for any and all readers who are new to the series and who want to know more about it and is intended to explain the Trails Series and a little of its history, as well as to inform players as to what games there are in this franchise and what orders the games can be played in. If you find this guide useful, feel free to link it if someone asks about the franchise. It is my hope that this will help explain the Trails Series to newcomers as well as spread awareness of the franchise.

Whether you are new to the Trails games or if you have never heard of The Legend of Heroes Series before now, I will do my best to explain what this franchise is and what the games that comprise it are.

Also, as noted in the title, this guide will be spoiler free!

About Trails

The Trails Series is a highly interconnected saga of games which take place on the continent of Zemuria and tell an overarching and continuous main story. These games are made by Nihon Falcom and are localized into English by XSEED Games.

Trails games are text-heavy story RPGs with a strong focus on characters, writing, dialogue, and world-building. Hailed as one of the largest, longest and most meticulously detailed turn-based party JRPG series of all time, the ongoing Trails saga has quickly become Ys developer Nihon Falcom's most popular and best-selling franchise in their entire 35+ year history. Introducing people, places, ideas, events and lore that rival in complexity those of even the most highly-regarded fantasy epics in literature, the care and attention given to each and every NPC, location and historical in-game event is what sets The Legend of Heroes: Trails Series apart from its contemporaries.

Games in the Series

There are currently nine main entries in the Trails Series with more confirmed to be coming in the future:

• Trails in the Sky -- (Sometimes called Trails in the Sky FC)
  
• Trails in the Sky SC
  
• Trails in the Sky the 3rd
  
• Trails to Zero
  
• Trails to Azure
  
• Trails of Cold Steel
  
• Trails of Cold Steel II
  
• Trails of Cold Steel III
  
• Trails of Cold Steel IV: End of Saga

The games are divided into story "Arcs" with each Arc introducing a new nation and main cast. The entire saga tells one main overarching story spanning all the games, with each Arc telling a piece of that story.

Arcs in the Series

There are currently three Arcs in the Trails Series with more confirmed to be coming in the future:

• The Liberl Arc -- The first Arc in the series. It is comprised of the Trails in the Sky Trilogy.
  
  
• The Crossbell Arc -- The second Arc in the series. It is comprised of the Zero-Azure Duology
  
  
• The Erebonia Arc -- The third and most recent Arc in the series. It is comprised of the Trails of Cold Steel Quadrilogy.

The nine current games make up three Arcs. Each Arc begins by introducing a new main cast and the nation the rest of the Arc will mostly take place in. The beginning of each Arc is relatively stand-alone, but as the Arc continues it will start focusing on the Trails Series' main story and will require knowledge from all the games that came before it.

Games Available in English

These are the titles that have seen an official localization in English:

• Trails in the Sky -- (Sometimes called Trails in the Sky FC)
  
• Trails in the Sky SC
  
• Trails in the Sky the 3rd
  
• Trails of Cold Steel
  
• Trails of Cold Steel II

All 5 of these titles are also available on PC right now. Trails to Zero, Trails to Azure, and Trails of Cold Steel IV have not been localized yet. Trails of Cold Steel III was announced to be localized by NISA and is set to release Fall 2019.

With not all of the games currently available in English, you may wonder if you should even consider getting into this series, since it is technically 'incomplete'. The answer to that question is: Yes! The games are still worth playing right now, even with some of the games currently being unavailable. The Trails games all have very long stories and, while some of them lead directly into their sequel, all of these games will offer a worthwhile story that is worth experiencing.

As for whether or not any more of the games will become available, there are currently no announcements for future Trails localizations. The reason some Trails entries are not in English yet, is because of the massive amount of text that needs to be translated. These games take years of time, effort, and money to localize. These games are very large undertakings and hard to justify working on when they make so few sales in comparison to other less text heavy titles.

It usually takes about 2 years to localize a Trails game. Trails in the Sky the 3rd released in 2017, with the PC ports of Cold Steel I and II releasing in 2017 and 2018 respectively. Currently the PS4 ports of Cold Steel I and II are announced to be coming to the West in early 2019

Despite there not being any official announcement of any more Trails games being localized yet, it is very likely we will hear news of more Trails localization announcements in the future, but how well this franchise sells will be a contributing factor in how many of the games we get and how long it will take to get them.

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Note: Regarding the naming of some of the entries:

"FC" stands for "First Chapter" and "SC" stands for "Second Chapter". They are two different games, with SC being a direct sequel to FC.

Trails in the Sky the 3rd is not called "TC", "Third Chapter", or "Final Chapter".

Trails to Zero and Trails to Azure are not official titles as they have not been localized yet. The Japanese titles for these two games are 'Zero no Kiseki' and 'Ao no Kiseki', respectively. The reason I use Trails to Zero and Azure for their names here is due to XSEED Games unofficially calling them that. Since XSEED Games is the English Localizer of the Trails Series, I will use their unofficial translation of the names until we get official names.

Despite the subtitle "End of Saga", Trails of Cold Steel IV is not the final game in the series and does not end the main story of the franchise. The subtitle is meant to indicate that Cold Steel IV is the last entry in the "Erebonia Arc". Falcom has confirmed that there will more games in the series after Cold Steel IV.

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I will now go into more detail about each game and Arc. Don't worry though -- there will be no spoilers!

The Liberl Arc

With the first story Arc in the Trails Series, the 'Liberl Arc', we take our first steps into the Zemuria Continent.

Set in the Liberl Kingdom, the Trails in the Sky Trilogy introduces you into the series and will accurately portray what to expect from the franchise. The Liberl Arc takes place in a small kingdom that is recovering from a recent war with a neighboring nation. These games will follow a colorful cast of characters as they go from simple tasks and lighthearted journeys to getting themselves involved in a crisis beyond their wildest dreams.

There is no more ideal a starting point than at the beginning. With an industrial and an almost steampunk setting, you can jump into the shoes of Junior Bracers below:

1. Trails in the Sky -- Steam Page -- FAQ -- Official Website[trailsinthesky.com]
   
   Available on PC and PSP
   
   Sometimes called Trails in the Sky FC (with "FC" standing for "First Chapter") this is the first game in the Trails Series and is also the first game in the Sky Trilogy which make up the Liberl Arc. If you're trying to decide whether or not to get into this franchise, there's no better place to start than with the first game!
   
   Here is a small excerpt from this game's Steam Store Page that gives pretty accurate a description of this game and series: "Hailed as one of the largest, longest and most meticulously detailed turn-based JRPG series of all time, Trails in the Sky First Chapter set the stage for what's quickly become Ys developer Nihon Falcom's most popular and best-selling franchise in their entire 30+ year history."
   
   This game takes place in the small Kingdom of Liberl, a nation still recovering from a recent war that ended only 10 years ago. This kingdom has wrought the benefits of the Orbal Revolution, a technological revolution that took place 50 years ago that has caused an advancement in technology Zemuria might not be ready for. And a civilian organization known as the Bracer Guild has been established to keep the peace and to give assistance to those in need of aid.
   
   We follow Estelle Bright and Joshua Bright, two Junior Bracers, as they train to become Senior Bracers and learn about the lands which they must protect. But along the way they get caught up into something much bigger than themselves. With this first entry in the Trails franchise we will watch as the gears of fate begin to turn....
   
   I've written a spoiler-free FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), which you can find here on Steam, for Sky First Chapter with the hope that it will inform you of everything you need to know about the game.
   
   
   
   
2. Trails in the Sky SC -- Steam Page -- FAQ -- Official Website[trailsinthesky.com]
   
   Available on PC and PSP
   
   Trails in the Sky SC (with "SC" standing for "Second Chapter)" is the second game in the Trails Series and is also the second game in the Sky Trilogy which make up the Liberl Arc. This game is also a direct sequel to the First Chapter and continues the story of Estelle and Joshua and the troubles and hardships they must endure in a time of conspiracy and calamity in the Liberl Kingdom. This game introduces The Society of Ouroboros and sets into motion what will become the main story of the Trails Series.
   
   This game is directly connected to the previous game and assumes you have already played it. You cannot play this entry without having played the previous game or you will be lost in terms of who the characters are and what has happened in the story. The trailers and even the description of this game on the Store Page can spoil you on the first game, since it takes place after First Chapter and continues its story.
   
   I would not recommend looking at this game's Steam Store Page or Official Website until you have beaten Trails in the Sky FC. I've written a spoiler-free FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), which you can find here on Steam, for Sky Second Chapter with the hope that it will inform you of everything you need to know about the game.
   
   
   
   
3. Trails in the Sky the 3rd -- Steam Page -- FAQ -- Official Website[trailsinthesky.com]
   
   Only available on PC
   
   Trails in the Sky the 3rd is the third game in the Trails Series and the final entry in the Sky Trilogy which make up the Liberl Arc. The reason this game is called "the 3rd" instead of "Third Chapter" is because the main story in this game does not directly continue the main story in the previous two games. This game has its own story that, while not a direct continuation of the story in FC and SC, still requires you to have played FC and SC.
   
   This game stars a different protagonist then the first two games. This game follows returning character, and priest of the Septian Church, Kevin Graham and a new character, a Squire of the Church, Ries Argent as they delve into a mystery that will bring to the surface buried secrets and dark pasts that may have been better off staying forever sealed behind closed doors.
   
   Trails in the Sky the 3rd is very different in various ways compared to the previous two entries. This game has more dungeons and less towns and NPCs than the other games. This game also provides massive amounts of lore and world-building. This game has a darker and more mature main story than the previous two entries. Some entries later in the saga will assume you have knowledge that is only given in this game. With a focus on the Septian Church, this game is arguably the most important game in the series as it introduces into the series world-building and lore that will be present in every future game in the entire Trails franchise. This game serves to be both an Epilogue to the story in the first two Sky games and a Prologue for future stories yet to come. Trails in the Sky the 3rd will be the game that every future entry refers back to in some way.
   
   To discuss what the 3rd's main story is about could potentially spoil FC and SC. This game is connected to the previous games and assumes you have already played them. You cannot play this entry without having played the previous duology or you will be lost in terms of who the characters are and what has happened so far in the story. The trailers for this game may also contain spoilers for the previous two games.
   
   I would not recommend looking at this game's Steam Store Page or Official Website until you have beaten both Trails in the Sky FC and SC. I've written a spoiler-free FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), which you can find here on Steam, for Sky the 3rd with the hope that it will inform you of everything you need to know about the game.

With the Liberl Arc completed, we now move on to the next Arc. This next Arc will introduce a new nation and feature a new cast of main characters.

The Crossbell Arc

The second Arc in the Trails Series is known as the 'Crossbell Arc', and with it we are taken to the city-state of 'Crossbell'.

Set after the Trails in the Sky Trilogy, the Crossbell Arc will take you North of Liberl to this small buffer state entrenched between two major national superpowers, the 'Erebonian Empire' to the West, and the 'Calvard Republic' to the East. In this corrupted city struggling for recognition you follow a new cast comprised of rookie police detectives as they face these seemingly insurmountable odds and struggle to get over that barrier.

With the more modern and noir-like setting of Crossbell, we are introduced to its new police force below:

1. Trails to Zero -- (Currently Unlocalized)
   
   Available on PC and PSP
   
   Trails to Zero is the fourth game in the Trails Series and is also the first game in the Zero-Azure Duology which make up the Crossbell Arc. While this game is every bit a sequel to Trails in the Sky the 3rd and the other games in the Sky Trilogy, it also begins its own story, introducing a new cast and plot.
   
   The game takes place in Crossbell State, a tiny nation that is suffocated by the two largest national powerhouses in Zemuria, both of whom would stake a claim of their own in Crossbell. Crossbell City is home to the I.B.C., the International Bank of Crossbell, and is one of the most modern and technologically advanced areas in Zemuria. Despite this, Crossbell has no army and their only defense is the severely undermanned Crossbell Defense Force. Lacking any real military presence, Crossbell must rely on its resident Bracer Guild and disreputable Crossbell City Police Force to keep the peace.
   
   This game follows Lloyd Bannings, a rookie investigator. Three years after the murder of his brother Guy Bannings, Lloyd returns to Crossbell City after having lived abroad in order to follow in his brother's footsteps and become a detective for the Crossbell Police Force. Lloyd is assigned a spot in the newly formed Special Support Section (S.S.S) along with three other members. Together, he and the rest of the S.S.S will learn just how corrupted their city has become and will have to face head on the rising crime in Crossbell's underworld.
   
   
   
   
2. Trails to Azure -- (Currently Unlocalized)
   
   Available on PC and PSP
   
   Trails to Azure is the fifth game in the Trails Series and is the second and last game in the Zero-Azure Duology which make up the Crossbell Arc. This game is also a direct sequel to Trails to Zero and furthers the story of the Special Support Section, with their improved reputation, as they continually struggle to get over the barrier that fate seems to have against Crossbell. But even gaining new members brings no time to rest with the mysteries of Crossbell's past and the political realities of the present colliding as Ouroboros takes the stage once again.
   
   You cannot play this entry without having played the previous game or you will be lost in terms of who the characters are and what has happened in the story. This game is directly connected to not only the previous game, but also all four of the previous Trails games. This game assumes you have played or are aware of the events that transpired and lore learned from all of the previous titles.

With the Crossbell Arc completed, we now move on to the next Arc. This next Arc will introduce another new nation and feature another new cast of main characters.

The Erebonia Arc

We now move to the third Arc in the Trails Series, the 'Erebonia Arc'. This Arc takes place in a nation that was often mentioned in the previous games, the 'Erebonian Empire'.

The third story Arc in the Trails Series is the 'Erebonia Arc', which begins two years after Trails in the Sky and starts during the same time as Trails to Zero. The first two entries in the Erebonia Arc run concurrently with both Trails to Zero and Trails to Azure with the last two entries taking place afterwards. Located to the North of Liberl and to the West of Crossbell, Erebonia is one of the largest countries on the continent.

In Erebonia, with all its problems, we will learn about this powerful nation together with these military academy students and plunge ourselves into its long history together:

1. Trails of Cold Steel -- Steam Page -- FAQ -- Official Website[www.trailsofcoldsteel.com]
   
   Available on PC, PS4, PS3, and PS VITA
   
   Trails of Cold Steel is the sixth game in the Trails Series and is also the first game in the Erebonia Arc. While this game is every bit a sequel to Trails in the Sky the 3rd and the other games in the Sky Trilogy, it also takes place at the same time as Trails to Zero and Trails to Azure. That being said, this game also begins its own story, introducing a new cast and plot.
   
   The game’s setting is that of a prestigious military academy. This game follows the new students at the academy as they learn just how fierce that divide can be as they see for themselves the conflicts that arise in the nation. All the while getting caught up in the tumultuous times their empire is experiencing.
   
   From before the Dark Ages and through the Middle Ages and into a Post-Orbal Revolution Zemuria, the proud Erebonian Empire has stood as one of the largest nations on the continent. With the passage of time and with gradual shifts to its values and ethics the Erebonian Empire is brought forth into a new age. An age in which Erebonia struggles with the old ideals and traditions of its past. The Empire's society is divided into two classes, the nobles and the commoners. Within the Imperial government, there have formed two opposing factions, the Noble Faction and the Reformist Faction. The conflicts between the two have been steadily rising and have impacted the lives of every Imperial citizen. In this classist era, students are divided into groups based on their social class and home region. At Thors, noble class students wear white school uniforms and students belonging to the commoner class wear green.
   
   This game stars Rean Schwarzer, a new student at Thors Military Academy. Rean enrolls feeling lost and hopes that his time at a famed military academy will help him find his way in life. When Rean enrolls, however, he finds that he and several other students are wearing crimson red uniforms, instead of white or green. This year at Thors, there's been a bit of a change: there's a new class. A class that recognizes no distinction between nobles and commoners. This diverse new class is called Class VII, which Rean and nine other new classmates make up.
   
   We follow Class VII as they ready themselves to dive deep into the political quagmire that threatens not only them, but the Empire as a whole. Class VII must learn to forge inseparable bonds between themselves in the face of adversity and an uncertain future.
   
   I've written a spoiler-free FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), which you can find here on Steam, for Cold Steel I with the hope that it will inform you of everything you need to know about the game.
   
   
   
   
2. Trails of Cold Steel II -- Steam Page -- FAQ -- Official Website[www.trailsofcoldsteel.com]
   
   Available on PC, PS4, PS3 and PS VITA
   
   Trails of Cold Steel II is the seventh game in the Trails Series and is the second game in the Erebonia Arc. This game is also a direct sequel to Trails of Cold Steel I and continues the story of Rean and Class VII and their fight to preserve the bonds they share and their fight for a brighter future for their Empire in a tumultuous time.
   
   This game is directly connected to the previous game and assumes you have already played it. You cannot play this entry without having played the previous game or you will be lost in terms of who the characters are and what has happened in the story. The trailers and even the description of this game on the Store Page can spoil you on the first game, since it takes place after Cold Steel I and continues its story.
   
   I would not recommend looking at this game's Steam Store Page or Official Website until you have beaten Trails of Cold Steel I. I've written a spoiler-free FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), which you can find here on Steam, for Cold Steel II with the hope that it will inform you of everything you need to know about the game.
   
   
   
   
3. Trails of Cold Steel III -- (Localization Fall 2019)
   
   Only available on PS4
   
   Trails of Cold Steel III is the eighth game in the Trails Series and the third game in the Erebonia Arc. This game is also a direct sequel to Trails of Cold Steel I and II and continues Rean's story, while also introducing some new protagonists. We follow his struggle to accept his way of life, along with his friends, both old and new, who he holds so dear while they continue to hope for a better future for their Empire as Ouroboros makes another appearance.
   
   You cannot play this entry without having played the previous two games or you will be lost in terms of who the characters are and what has happened in the story. This game is directly connected to not only the two previous games, but also all seven of the previous Trails games. This game assumes you have played or are aware of the events that transpired and lore learned from all of the previous titles.
   
   
   
   
4. Trails of Cold Steel IV: The End of Saga -- (Currently Unlocalized)
   
   Only available on PS4
   
   Trails of Cold Steel IV is the ninth game in the Trails Series and the fourth and final game in the Erebonia Arc. This game is also a direct sequel to Trails of Cold Steel I, II, and III which wraps up the Erebonia Arc and focuses on Erebonia in an era of upheaval. This game ties together all three of the Arcs so far and resolves plot threads that have been set up since the beginning and concludes plot points from every previous game (especially 3rd and Azure) while also setting up new threads for the rest of the series.
   
   You cannot play this entry without having played the previous three games or you will be lost in terms of who the characters are and what has happened in the story. This game is directly connected to not only the three previous games, but also all eight of the previous Trails games. This game assumes you have played or are aware of the events that transpired and lore learned from all of the previous titles.

With Cold Steel IV being the most recently released entry in the Trails Series, we are presently at nine games in the saga. That being said, Cold Steel IV is not the final game in this series, nor is the Erebonia Arc the final story Arc. This next Section will detail what we know of the future of the Trails franchise.

The Future of the Series

With the Erebonia Arc currently finished you may be wondering what's next for the Trails series. Here is what has currently been confirmed to be coming in the future:

1. The Calvard Arc -- (Not Yet in Development)
   
   
   There will be another Arc after the Erebonia Arc is concluded. The next Arc will take place in the Republic of Calvard. The Calvard Arc was confirmed to be the next Arc by Falcom's President Toshihiro Kondo.
   
   The Calvard Republic is to the East of Erebonia, Crossbell, and Liberl. Calvard is one of the largest national powers on the continent. We do not know at this time what the story of this Arc will be about or when the story will take place in the timeline. While it is not confirmed who the cast of this Arc will be, fans have speculated they will be members of Calvard's intelligence organization known as the Rocksmith Agency.
   
   
   
   
2. The Leman Arc -- (Not Yet in Development)
   
   
   In an interview with President Kondo, he mentioned that there may be a Leman Arc in the future along with the Calvard Arc.
   
   The Leman State is a sovereign state believed to be in central Zemuria to the East of Calvard. It is the home of the Bracer Guild Headquarters as well as the home of the Epstein Foundation. We do not know at this time what the story of this Arc or who the protagonists of this Arc will be. We also do not know when in the timeline this Arc will take place.

President Toshihiro Kondo has also said that Falcom will be attempting to keep future Arcs after the Erebonia Arc to about 2 games each, similar to the Crossbell Arc (2 games), and opposed to the Liberl Arc (3 games) and Erebonia Arc (4 games).

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Note: If you are wondering where you can get news regarding the development of new Trails games or news regarding the localization of untranslated Trails games:

One of the places to watch for Trails related news is all Social Media run by XSEED Games. That currently includes their Twitter and Facebook Page[www.facebook.com]. They even have a page dedicated solely to The Legend of Heroes: Trails Series[www.facebook.com]. Since NISA has localized Ys VIII and will be localizing Trails of Cold Steel III as well, here is a link to their Twitter as it may be a good idea to keep an eye on that in case of more announcements regarding those entries or future Falcom localizations.

The best place for news regarding The Legend of Heroes, Trails, and all other Falcom games is Endless History[www.esterior.net]. Endless History was created, is owned, and primarily handled by Omgfloofy. Endless History is a site dedicated to Falcom and has all the latest news, reliable sources, and even translated interviews! Endless History also hosts various fantranslations of some of the supplementary material that Falcom has made for a few of their IPs (intellectual properties). You can also follow Endless History and even Nihon Falcom themselves directly on Twitter. Here is Endless History's Twitter and Nihon Falcom's Twitter (It's important to note that Falcom will often promote their most recently released and upcoming games, meaning they might post pictures that can spoil you on previous games in the franchise).

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Anyway, this is all for the main entries in the series. Next I will mention some of the spin-off games.

Spin-Offs

This Section is for some of the spin-off entries of the Trails Series. None of these are directly connected to the main story of the Trails Series. None of these games have been localized into English yet.

1. Nayuta: Boundless Trails -- (Currently Unlocalized)
   
   Only available on PSP
   
   Nayuta: Boundless Trails is an action-based RPG game that is not connected to the main story of the other Trails games, nor does it take place in the same world. The game has a stand-alone story separate from the rest of the series, however it does use similar terminology to the other entries and also shares the "Trails" moniker in its title.
   
   The game follows protagonist Nayuta Herschel and his friend Signa who live on Remnant Isle, an island where strange artifacts fall from the sky. They dream of one day traveling to the ends of the world when a fateful encounter sends them to the strange land of Terra, a mysterious sleeping girl, and an adventure beyond what they could have ever imagined.
   
   Note: "Nayuta: Boundless Trails" is not the official title as it has not been localized yet. The Japanese title for the game is 'Nayuta no Kiseki'. The reason I use Nayuta: Infinite Trails here is due to an XSEED Games employee unofficially calling it that. Since XSEED Games is the English Localizer of the Trails Series, I will use their unofficial translation of the name until we get official names.
   
   
   
   
2. Akatsuki no Kiseki -- (Currently Unlocalized)
   
   Available on PC, PS4, and PS VITA
   
   Akatsuki no Kiseki (possible English translation: Trails at Dawn) is a browser game which released on PC in 2016. The game was also released on PS VITA in 2016 and PS4 in 2017. Though not directly tied to main story of the series, the story of Akatsuki seems to be canon and takes place in Remiferia, which is a monarchy in northern Zemuria, sitting between Erebonia to its West and Calvard to its East.
   
   The game stars two junior bracers, Nacht Weiss and Chloe Barnett, as they take on requests from the Bracer Guild branches in Remiferia, Liberl, and Crossbell. The game's plot covers events in Liberl and Crossbell, and thus may contain spoilers for the Liberl and Crossbell Arcs.
   
   
   
   
3. Yume no Kiseki -- (Currently Unlocalized)
   
   No longer available
   
   Yume no Kiseki (possible English translations: Trails in/of Dreams) was a mobile game released on the Android and iOS in 2013. It is a non-canon game taking place in the Trails universe. There are numerous card illustrations that may contain character spoilers for any entry in the Liberl Arc, Crossbell Arc, or any Ys game up to Ys: Memories of Celceta. It ended its service in 2014.
   
   
   
   
4. Ys vs. Trails in the Sky: Alternative Saga -- (Currently Unlocalized)
   
   Only available on PSP
   
   This is a fighting game that features a crossover of characters primarily from the Trails in the Sky Trilogy and the Ys Series ("Ys" is pronounced like "geese", but without the "g"), which is an action-based RPG series also developed by Falcom. This game is not canon and is not connected to the main stories of either series. This game may contain spoilers for the Trails in the Sky Trilogy or any Ys game up to Ys: SEVEN.

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Note: If you want to know more about the Ys Series, Xseed Games, who has localized most of the Ys games, have made a website dedicated to the series which you can find here: The World of Ys[www.worldofys.com]

The website details all the main games in the franchise except for Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana, which was localized by NIS America. For Ys VIII's website, see here: Ys VIII[ysviii.com]

Another site worth looking into is Digital Emelas, which is a fansite dedicated to the franchise. It was made by series fan "Limfinite" who received help for site content from many prominent members of the Ys community including an Xseed employee. A lot of time, effort, and even money were put into the site from Limfinite with the intention of making it a go-to resource for series newcomers. It also features a few interviews with some prominent contributors in the Ys community, including translators and even the President of Falcom himself! As such, if Ys is a series you would like to look into, I'd recommend both the official websites above as well as this fansite which you can find here: Digital Emelas[www.digitalemelas.com]

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The next two Sections will focus on detailing each entry point into the Trails Series as well as describing the best possible playing orders.

Where to Start

Because of the way the over-arching main story of the series is told, the first game in an Arc can serve as an entry point into the series. The games that can serve as an entry point are: Trails in the Sky FC, Trails to Zero (Not yet localized), and Trails of Cold Steel I.

Trails in the Sky FC

The first game in the series and starting point of the whole saga. This game is widely considered to be the best place to start. I will briefly go over a few of the pros and cons of starting with each entry, as well as list some other things about each game that may or may not appeal to you.

• Pros: No spoilers for other games. No missed references from other entries. More unique main protagonist. Gives some of the most in-depth explanations for several core elements of the series that later games may not give. English voice acting. Has Turbo Mode feature on PC. Does a great job of introducing the series, world, and setting up the main story of this saga.
  
  
• Cons: Dated gameplay and 2D graphics. Common old-school RPG setting. Slowest paced game in the series. One of the shortest entries in the series. Generally considered to have the least memorable soundtrack. Has very little voice acting, only being present in battle. No Japanese voice acting. Uses more old-school tropes.
  
  
• Other: The game uses common old-school RPG tropes and settings. The game has the oldest graphics out of all the games, but while it is a bit dated, the game has for many of its characters numerous face portraits that ooze personality. The game has the slowest overall pace out of the three games listed here, but it is also by far the shortest at around 40-60 hours on average.
  
  This game has the most simplistic gameplay overall, which can make it harder to get into than the other entries. This can either make it so you will want to play a newer entry first to get more invested in the series before going back to this game, or you may prefer starting here so that all the games afterwards will be further improved. This game is also the most difficult out of the three entry points.

Trails to Zero

The fourth game in the series and second game designed as a sort of entry point. This game is widely considered to be the least friendly entry point out of the three. I will briefly go over a few of the pros and cons of starting with each entry, as well as list some other things about each game that may or may not appeal to you.

• Pros: Generally considered to have the least-used and most interesting setting out of the three entry points. Has a great soundtrack. Currently has Japanese voice acting. Improved gameplay and 2D graphics. Is a longer game. A bit faster paced.
  
  
• Cons: Well... it hasn't been localized yet. Contains a few moderate spoilers and one big spoiler for the Sky Trilogy. Some moments will lose their intended impact if you haven't played through them first. Current lack of Turbo Mode and English voice acting. Very slow start.
  
  
• Other: This entry probably has the most balanced gameplay out of these three games and is a little easier than FC and a little harder than CS I. The game is slow to start, but does pick up its pace and is around 60-80 hours on average, which is a little longer than FC and a little shorter than CS I.
  
  Zero has a number of spoilers and references to the Sky Trilogy along with a big spoiler for those games. Though it is also often considered the least ideal jumping on point out of these three entry points mostly due to particular plot moments expecting the player to have played the Sky Trilogy for, which leads to some scenes losing their intended impact if you haven't.

Trails of Cold Steel I

The sixth game in the series and third game to be considered an entry point. This game is widely considered to be the second best place to jump into the series. I will briefly go over a few of the pros and cons of starting with each entry, as well as list some other things about each game that may or may not appeal to you.

• Pros of starting with this game: Large and varied cast. Further improved gameplay. Has large amount of great voice acting. Has English voice acting. Has Japanese voice acting on PC and PS4. Has a great soundtrack. Is a longer game. A bit faster paced. Has Turbo Mode feature on PC and PS4.
  
  
• Cons of starting with this game: Common modern RPG setting. Dated 3D graphics. Uses more modern tropes. Contains one big spoiler for Trails in the Sky SC and many minor spoilers and references to the Sky Trilogy and Crossbell Duology.
  
  
• Other: The first game in the series to have 3D graphics. The easiest of the three. This entry's setting is that of a military academy. This game uses more modern tropes. The game is a bit faster paced then FC, but is also much longer at around 80-100 hours on average.
  
  When CS I and II where first announced for localization, Xseed wrote a localization blog which you can read here: http://xseedgames.tumblr.com/post/120804314195/the-legend-of-heroes-trails-series-localization where the President of Falcom, Toshihiro Kondo, explains that Cold Steel I is intended as a jumping on point, where people who are new to the series and who are interested in the newest game, can play through and, if they enjoyed it, can go back and play the older ones.

I feel it is important to note that while some of these are more generally recommended that others, each of these games are viable entry points that any newcomer can start with. None of the spoilers or references in these entries will outright ruin your experience of any other game in the series.

It is usually most recommended to start with FC as it is the first game and most intended starting point in the series. CS I is often the next most recommended as it is easy to get into and doesn't contain that many spoilers and references. Zero is often the least recommended due to having the most spoilers and references of the three. That being said, all three games are intended to be entry points and you may find one of them more appealing for various reasons (For example: Zero's setting or Cold Steel's gameplay) then another. And if that's the case, feel free to start with the one you prefer and if you end up enjoying CS I or Zero, you can always go back to FC afterwards.

As an aside, you really won't want to start with any of the sequel games as they will completely assume you have played at least one of the games that came before it. The sequel games being: Trails in the Sky SC, Trails in the Sky the 3rd, Trails to Azure, and Trails of Cold Steel II, III, and IV. Hopefully this will help you to decide which entry to start with if you choose to jump into this series.

Playing Orders

I will now list the playing orders from the most recommended order down to the least recommended. The orders listed take into consideration release order, the series timeline, the amount of spoilers and references in each game, developer intentions, and the interconnectedness of the games in question. All the orders listed, however, are perfectly viable and if you prefer one order over another, feel free to go with the one you prefer. In short, these are the recommended play orders:

Localized Entries

1. Highest Recommended Order: FC -> SC -> 3rd -> CSI -> CSII
   
   
2. Localized Release Order: FC -> SC -> CSI -> CSII -> 3rd
   
   
3. Alternate Order: CSI -> FC -> SC -> 3rd -> CSII
   
   
4. Alternate Order: CSI -> CSII -> FC -> SC -> 3rd

All Entries

1. Original Release Order and Highest Recommended Order:
   FC -> SC -> 3rd -> Zero -> Azure -> CSI -> CSII -> CSIII -> CSIV
   
   
2. Alternate Order: CSI -> FC -> SC -> 3rd -> Zero -> Azure -> CSII -> CSIII -> CSIV
   
   
3. Alternate Order: Zero -> FC -> SC -> 3rd -> Azure -> CSI -> CSII -> CSIII -> CSIV
   
   
4. Alternate Order: CSI -> CSII -> FC -> SC -> 3rd -> Zero -> Azure -> CSIII -> CSIV

As you can see there are a couple places to start with the series and multiple play orders. It is generally best to play certain games together, like SC after FC, CS IV after CS III, 3rd after SC etc.. When it comes to the earliest games in an Arc, you have a lot of freedom to start, though when it comes to the later games you'll notice they should mostly be played after playing the older games.

This has to do with the overarching nature of the main story of the Trails Series. The beginning game or games in an Arc focus on introducing the main cast and nation while slowly developing its characters and story until you get to the end games of the Arc. The games at the end of an Arc is where the main story of the series is pushed forward and those games will assume the player has played all its previous games or has knowledge of the events in them. It is very common for the last games in an Arc to greatly reference and spoil the plots of the previous games and Arcs since they directly continue the interconnected story.

Regarding Trails in the Sky SC, Trails to Azure, and Trails of Cold Steel III and IV

SC, Azure, CS III and IV are all direct sequels to other games in the series and are never recommended starting points. SC is a direct sequel to FC, Azure is a direct sequel to Zero, CS III is a direct sequel to CS I and II, and CS IV is a direct sequel to CS III.

Not only do these games continue the story set up from their previous entries, but they also push forward the main story of the series and assume knowledge from all previous games.

• Sky SC simply assumes the player has played FC. It is a direct continuation of the story started in the first game and serves to be the first real introduction to the main story that will be told throughout the Trails Series.
  
  
• Azure expects the player to have played Zero, while also pushing the main story of the saga forward from SC. It assumes the player has played through the Sky Trilogy and spoils and references a lot from the Liberl Arc.
  
  
• Cold Steel III is a continuation from the story of CS I and II. CS III pushes the main story of the series from Azure and assumes that the player has played through the Sky and Crossbell games and will reference and spoil both previous Arcs immensely.
  
  
• Cold Steel IV is the direct sequel to Cold Steel III and continues to greatly push forward the main story of the series. It will assume the player has played CS III and all the games that came before it. CS III and IV together spoil the near entirety of the Liberl and Crossbell Arcs.

Regarding Trails of Cold Steel II and Trails in the Sky the 3rd

Trails of Cold Steel II is a direct sequel as well, but to Cold Steel I. When combined with the first entry, CS I and II can be seen as a good entry point together, but CS II by itself is not a good entry point as it fully assumes the player has played the first game.

Trails of Cold Steel II is less kind about references and spoilers for previous games than Cold Steel I is, but it will not ruin your experience of CS II or other games in the series. Similar to Trails to Zero, there is one particular plot point that assumes the player has played the Crossbell Duology for and it will lose its intended impact if you haven't. That being said, you can still understand most of the story of this game fine without having played them. The only game you absolutely should play before this game is CS I, since this is its direct sequel.

You can play Cold Steel I and II after the first two Sky games and you won't get spoiled on Sky the 3rd or have trouble understanding CS I or II's stories. You do not have to play Trails in the Sky the 3rd immediately after Trails in the Sky SC, unless you intend to play Trails to Zero next (Zero continues certain plot points from 3rd, so if you've already player FC and SC before Zero, you should definitely finish the Trilogy before moving on to Crossbell.).

Trails in the Sky the 3rd is not a good starting point either as it is a sequel to Trails in the Sky First Chapter and Second Chapter. The game fully expects the player to have played FC and SC.

Sky the 3rd does not directly continue the main story of the first two Sky games, however, or the main story of the series. That being said, the 3rd isn't just a side story. This game focuses more on the world-building and lore of the series itself and has its own, more personal, story that, while not a direct continuation of the story in FC and SC, still requires you to have experienced it.

There are a lot of things in the overarching plot of the series that are only explained and set-up in this game. If you intend to play the whole series (especially the later games in an Arc), playing the 3rd is a must. You will not require knowledge of the 3rd in order to understand the plot of CS I and II though.

There are, however, a few world-building and lore references in CS I you won't understand without playing the 3rd. CS II has even more references, though the only thing that is directly important to its story is a specific cutscene that you get after completing a New Game + exclusive quest. This scene will lose its impact and not make as much sense if you haven't played 3rd, so it's recommended to play 3rd before the event. Since it is a NG+ exclusive event, though, you won't be missing anything by playing through Cold Steel II's main story before playing 3rd.

Regarding the Spin-Off Games

Several of the spin-offs contain spoilers for some of the Trails or Ys games and should ideally be played only after having played certain entries in those franchises as you may otherwise come across plot-related and character-related spoilers for them. It is generally not recommended to play any of these entries before the games they potentially spoil.

• Ys vs. Trails in the Sky: Alternative Saga tells a non-canonical story featuring several characters from the Trails in the Sky Trilogy, one character from Trails to Zero, and several characters from the Ys Series. This game may contain plot-related or character-related spoilers for the Trails in the Sky Trilogy, Trails to Zero, and any Ys game up to Ys: SEVEN.
  
  
• Akatsuki no Kiseki takes place during Trails to Azure and may contain plot-related or character-related spoilers for the Liberl and Crossbell Arcs.
  
  
• Yume no Kiseki features numerous cards and illustrations that may contain character-related spoilers for the Sky Trilogy, Zero-Azure Duology, Cold Steel I and II, or any Ys game up to Ys: Memories of Celceta.

The Legend of Heroes: A History of the Franchise

This Section will explain the history of the Legend of Heroes franchise and Trails Series. This Section can help with understanding where the series currently stands, but is otherwise skippable if this sort of thing doesn't interest you.

The Legend of Heroes Franchise, best known for its interconnected stories, turn-based and party-based combat, and strong focus on story, characters, lore, and world-building, originally started from another RPG series by Falcom called "Dragon Slayer". Dragon Slayer is one of the earliest Action RPG franchises. With the first game in the series, simply titled 'Dragon Slayer', Falcom created what is sometimes considered one of the first true action RPGs.

Iseluhasa Duology

The Legend of Heroes started with a spin-off of the Dragon Slayer series known as "Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes" which originally released on the PC88 in 1989. The PC version of the game was released in English in 1992 for the TurboGrafx-CD.

The sequel, "Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes II", which takes place in the same world as the first game, was originally released on the PC88 in 1992. The game has not received an English release at the time of this writing. These first two Legend of Heroes games are sometimes referred to as the "Iseluhasa Duology".

The Legend of Heroes Series no longer used the Dragon Slayer name from this point on as it branched off into its own series.

Gagharv Trilogy

The next three Legend of Heroes games make up a trilogy called the "Gagharv Trilogy", which are not connected to the previous Duology, but form their own interconnected story. All three games in the Trilogy take place in the same world.

The first entry in the Gagharv Trilogy and third game in the Legend of Heroes series is "The Legend of Heroes III: The White Witch", which was originally released on the PC98 in 1994. In 2000, the game was remade for Windows PC that heavily changed its story and gameplay. The PSP version of the game was released in English in 2006.

The second game in the Gagharv Trilogy to be released is "The Legend of Heroes IV: A Tear of Vermillion", which released on the PC98 in 1996. The PSP version of the game was released in English in 2005. Tear of Vermillion is not a direct sequel to Moonlight Witch, but takes place in the same world.

The third and final entry in the Gagharv Trilogy to be released is "The Legend of Heroes V: Cagesong of the Ocean", which released on Windows PC in 1999. The PSP version of the game was released in English in 2006. Song of the Ocean is a sequel to Tear of Vermillion.

The PSP versions of the Gagharv Trilogy were developed and released in English by Bandai, however the games were released out of order and renamed as "The Legend of Heroes: A Tear of Vermillion", "The Legend of Heroes II: Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch", and "The Legend of Heroes III: Song of the Ocean". Despite being improperly numbered and released out of order, you can still play either A Tear of Vermillion or White Witch/Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch first and still understand the story. Though you should always play Song/Cagesong of the Ocean last.

Now with the history of The Legend of Heroes franchise and TLoH I-V out of the way, we can move on to TLoH VI and the rest of the games in this series, known as the "Trails Series", which the rest of this guide focuses on.

Trails Series

'The Legend of Heroes VI: Trails in the Sky' originally released for PC in 2004 and was the first game in the Legend of Heroes series to use the name 'Trails' in its title. It's also the first game in what is known as the 'Trails in the Sky Trilogy'. This was also the last game in The Legend of Heroes Series to officially be numbered. Once Trails in the Sky's direct sequel, 'The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC', came out, TLoH VI: Trails in the Sky was retitled to 'The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky FC'.

At this point, The Legend of Heroes games are no longer officially numbered since, starting with The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky FC, Trails has now become its own sub-series to The Legend of Heroes Series, which was, itself, a sub-series to Dragon Slayer.

The next game to be released was "The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC", which released for PC in 2006. The game is the direct sequel to The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky FC. SC is the second Trails game to be released and the second game in the 'Sky Trilogy'. Together FC and SC form a duology.

The next game in the Trails Series is also the last to bear the name 'Trails in the Sky' in its title. "The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd" released in 2007 on PC and is the last Sky game. Together with the previous duology, the 3rd completes the Trails in the Sky Trilogy. The Trails in the Sky Trilogy comprise the first story Arc in the Trails franchise.

The next game to be release in this saga is known as 'The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Zero', which released for PSP in 2010. Trails to Zero is the fourth Trails game and the first in what is often known as the 'Crossbell Duology'. While this game is a sequel to Trails in the Sky the 3rd, it is not a direct sequel, as Trails to Zero is the start of another story Arc in the Trails Series.

The next game is known as 'The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure' and is the fifth game in the Trails Series and the final game in the 'Zero-Azure Duology'. It released for PSP in 2011. Azure is the direct sequel to Trails to Zero. Together, the Zero-Azure Duology or Crossbell Duology complete the second story Arc in the Trails saga.

The sixth entry in the Trails Series is known as 'The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel' and it released in 2013 for the PS3 and PS VITA. Trails of Cold Steel is also the first game in the 'Trails of Cold Steel Quadrilogy'. Trails of Cold Steel is a sequel to the previous games, but not a direct sequel as it begins another story Arc of the Trails Saga. Trails of Cold Steel is sometimes called 'Trails of Cold Steel I' to differentiate it from its sequels.

'The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II' is the direct sequel to 'Cold Steel I' and is the seventh game in the Trails saga. It released for PS3 and PS VITA in 2014. 'Cold Steel I and II' comprise a duology and are sometimes abbreviated to 'CS I and II'.

The eighth game in the Trails Series is 'The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III' and is a direct sequel to the previous games. The game was released in 2017 for the PS4.

The ninth game in the Trails franchise is 'The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV: End of Saga' and it was released in 2019 for the PS4. It is the fourth Trails of Cold Steel game and, together with Cold Steel I, II, and III, complete what is now known as the 'Cold Steel Quadrilogy'.

Additional Notes

One of the neat things Xseed Games added to the Trails in the Sky Trilogy, when they localized the games, is chest quotes! If you interact with an already opened treasure chest you will get a funny/amusing line of dialogue. In the original version of the game each treasure chest merely said “This chest is empty” for every chest, but since each “This chest is empty” message was its own line of text, Xseed decided to have some fun with it.

Almost every chest message is unique, though there are a handful of duplicate messages. So make sure you check every chest in the Sky Trilogy twice if you don’t want to miss any of them!

For Trails of Cold Steel, however, Falcom had improved their coding so there was no opportunity to insert the phrases in those entries. That being said, Xseed did find a way to slip them in, in an albeit more limited way, for Trails of Cold Steel II. ;)

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A small but interesting fact: While the Trails games are not officially numbered entries in The Legend of Heroes Series, you can still find in their files the names 'ED6', 'ED7', and 'ED8' in the code referring to the Liberl Arc, the Crossbell Arc, and the Erebonia Arc respectively.

ED stands for 'Eiyuu Densetsu', which is Japanese for 'The Legend of Heroes', meaning that, despite the numbering being dropped and the games no longer officially being called this, the Trails games can still be unofficially called "TLoH 'VI', 'VII', and 'VIII'" with the Trails in the Sky Trilogy collectively making up 'TLoH VI', the Zero-Azure Duology collectively making up 'TLoH VII', and the Cold Steel Quadrilogy collectively making up 'TLoH VIII'.

While Falcom themselves seem to refer to the games as The Legend of Heroes VI, VII, and VIII in their code, you will not find them called this on their boxes or in their official titles, aside from two instances: The original release of "The Legend of Heroes VI: Trails in the Sky", which has since been renamed to just "The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky FC", and in a teaser artbook for the then-untitled Trails to Zero they referred to the game as "The Legend of Heroes VII" before it was officially called "The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Zero".

This is, of course, just an interesting fact about the Trails games, as they are not officially numbered anymore and it is best to refer to them by their official titles to prevent confusion. Technically, if you really wanted to, you could refer to Trails of Cold Steel IV as "Dragon Slayer VI: The Legend of Heroes VIII: Trails of Cold Steel IV: End of Saga", which can be a bit too much to say. ;)

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Another fact you may find interesting: Trails in the Sky Second Chapter's script is larger than the "War and Peace" novel as well as all three books in "The Lord of the Rings Trilogy" combined, with Second Chapter having 716,401 words, War and Peace having 587,287 words, and TLotR Trilogy having 455,125 words.

Trails to Azure, Trails of Cold Steel III, and Trails of Cold Steel IV all have more text than SC, by a sizeable amount, too.

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The timeline of the games so far are: Trails in the Sky FC comes first starting in the year 1202 of the Septian Calendar. Sky SC takes place shortly after FC during parts of 1202 and 1203. Sky the 3rd takes place a few months after SC during 1203.

Zero is set during 1204 and takes place shortly after 3rd. Cold Steel starts shortly after Zero begins and the 2 games happen at the same time but in different countries.

Azure starts shortly after Zero but also runs concurrently with CS I. CS I ends during Azure and Cold Steel II starts shortly after, also taking place at the same time as Azure. Azure ends in 1204. Cold Steel II ends in 1205 shortly after Azure.

Cold Steel III is set in 1206 about a year after CS II. Cold Steel IV starts shortly after Cold Steel III.

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Another fact worth mentioning: Originally Falcom's plan was to go straight to Erebonia after the Liberl Arc before going to Crossbell, but changed their mind and decided to make Trails to Zero after Trails in the Sky SC. While they were working on Zero, however, they felt they needed to introduce more lore and do more world-building before that. So they stopped work on Zero and went back and made Trails in the Sky the 3rd, which has a large amount of lore and world-building and provides a lot of backstory for some of the series' characters as well as introduces plot points for later games in the saga.

Credits

A short message from this guide's creator: I am just a fan who wants to spread awareness about these great games. Anyone and everyone is free to use the text in this guide as they see fit. Whether you want to link someone to this guide or copy and paste the entire thing and post it elsewhere, you are fully free to do either. You do not have to credit me in any way. I made this guide for the purpose of helping people to learn about this franchise. As long as it helps, that's good enough for me!

Special Thanks: To XSEED Programmer Sara and to Peter "Durante" Thoman for their work on the PC versions of these games and making sure these games are always up-to-date and the best they can be.

Thanks to Steam User 'spagoot' for your suggestion in my Trails of Cold Steel FAQ Thread to make this Community Guide.

Thanks also to Endless History for their dedication to bringing reliable news to the Falcom Fanbase, and thanks to Omgfloofy, specifically, for creating Endless History and for your constant contributions to the Trails Fandom.

And of course, the highest thanks to Nihon Falcom and XSEED Games for the creation and localization of this amazing franchise. Please continue providing us with an enjoyment only you can bring.

All of you have this fan’s most heartfelt thanks. <3

Conclusion

If you are reading this, then allow me to thank you! It is my hope that this guide helped explain the franchise to you and I hope it will continue to introduce others to these amazing games! :)

Whether you read this whole post or just skimmed through it, I hope this guide proved helpful to you in some way.

Introducing people, places, ideas, events and lore that rival in complexity those of even the most highly-regarded fantasy epics in literature. Along with the care and attention given to each and every NPC, location and historical in-game event, this franchise introduces a vast world where every NPC has a name and personality, every town has its own unique politics and economic concerns, and no detail is ever trivial. This is what sets The Legend of Heroes: Trails Series apart from its contemporaries.

Nihon Falcom has been around since 1981 and has made some of the best RPGs out there. Whether you’re a Falcom newcomer or a longtime fan, I hope you will enjoy this franchise as much as I do!

I hope this lengthy write-up helped you to decide if this series is right for you. Whether you choose to jump into the Trails franchise or not, I hope that you continue to play and enjoy all the great games out there!

Apologies for any formatting errors. If any new information comes out I will try to update the info in this guide, also if there is any inaccurate info or mistakes I may have made, please feel free to let me know in the comments. And if you have any questions about the franchise or any of the games that I didn’t answer or you feel I didn't explain well enough, feel free to ask them in the comments or on the games' General Discussion Boards. I will do my best to answer any that I can and I'm sure others would be able help you out on the Discussion Boards as well.

Happy gaming all!

[i got cereal]

Nice, great work.

[Cold_Reverie]

Originally posted by reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee:

Nice, great work.

Thanks for the kind words! I hope you found this useful.

[butterbattle22]

Whoa, this is in.......*bump* ^_^

[RobOda]

Really interesting guide. That really cleared a lot of things up for me.

I think I will start with Sky FC, finish SC and then take a break and return with 3rd. As much as I love large series, I get burnt out if I play one for too long.

That said, taking breaks might be a good thing. Might take me long enough that they'll localise the other games! :)

[Cold_Reverie]

Originally posted by RobOda:

Really interesting guide. That really cleared a lot of things up for me.

I think I will start with Sky FC, finish SC and then take a break and return with 3rd. As much as I love large series, I get burnt out if I play one for too long.

That said, taking breaks might be a good thing. Might take me long enough that they'll localise the other games! :)

Thank you for the kind words!

Yeah, it's usually a good idea not to play them alll at once since these are pretty lengthy games. I've seen people start to get burned out by the time they get to 3rd when they tried playing them all back-to-back. Taking a break between SC and 3rd sounds like a good idea to me. FC and SC will provide you with a good story before heading off to 3rd and the rest of the series. ;)

I personally am hoping we get more Trails news this year. Since last year until now, we've gotten 3rd localized and Cold Steel I and II ported to PC, so we've still had some good Trails releases relatively recently. I'm sure in the coming years we should be seeing a few more Trails localizations, at the very least.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the games! :)

[Domi]

I'm going to make a little criticism: while this post has a lot of good things and points, there is too much text, which may not encourage its read. I think that you could say the same with less text. It would be easier to read.

I know that a lot of people likes to research into what games/franchises they going to start playing, but not everyone does that to such extent. Still, good job!

[Cold_Reverie]

Originally posted by Domi:

I'm going to make a little criticism: while this post has a lot of good things and points, there is too much text, which may not encourage its read. I think that you could say the same with less text. It would be easier to read.

I know that a lot of people likes to research into what games/franchises they going to start playing, but not everyone does that to such extent. Still, good job!

All criticism is welcome and appreciated, so thank you for the advice! I've worried when originally making the guide that I might've went a little overboard with the details. I'm planning to rearrange the guide a bit in the future -- moving the history portion much lower, instead of it being at the top, and combing a couple sections so it'll be more streamlined, easier to read, and a little quicker to the point.

[Cold_Reverie]

I've updated this spoiler free write-up/guide and the FAQ for Trails in the Sky FC. The write-up/guide in particular has been made to be easier to read and a bit better organized.

@Domi I took your advice and, as I mentioned in my reply, I tried to streamline the post to make it easier to read. If you'd be willing to give it another glance and let me know what you think, I'd appreciate it. All criticism is welcome!

In the future I will be attempting to update the FAQs for Cold Steel I and II, as well as create FAQs for both Sky SC and Sky the 3rd. Once all of these are completed I will update again.

For anyone looking to get into the series, there's no better time to jump in as all the Trails games are currently on sale on Humble Bundle for the next 8 days! From what I know, Humble Bundle is a storefront where you can purchase the games and you will get a code to apply on Steam. You can also get the games on GOG through them.

For all the Trails games: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/search?sort=bestselling&search=The%20Legend%20of%20Heroes

For all the Falcom games on sale: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/search?sort=bestselling&developer=Nihon%20Falcom

With Thanksgiving/Black Friday and Christmas/New Year coming up there will likely be some Steam sales as well, so keep an eye out for those if you would rather buy straight from Steam!

Lastly, any feedback for the Write-up/Guide or Sky FC FAQ would be appreciated.

Happy gaming all!

[RobOda]

Still no announcement for Steel 3 and the rest?

[Cold_Reverie]

Originally posted by RobOda:

Still no announcement for Steel 3 and the rest?

Not yet. It's still a bit too early for a Cold Steel III announcement. It usually takes around 2 years to localize a Trails game and Cold Steel III only came out a little over a year ago.

If Xseed follows the same pattern with Cold Steel III and IV as they did with Cold Steel I and II (assuming they are working on those games currently) they will probably announce CS III about 6 months before its release while also announcing they are working on CS IV.

Cold Steel III is the biggest Trails game in the series to date (we don't know exactly how much text CS IV has yet) when it comes to text. For comparison, Trails in the Sky SC has more text than the entire Lord of the Rings Trilogy of books (They have 455,125 words, while SC has 716,401) and Cold Steel III is quite a bit bigger than that. I think the earliest we can expect an announcement would be mid/late 2019 for a late 2019/early 2020 release, with CS IV releasing a year after CS III.

And while it is more likely that Xseed will do CS III and IV first, there is also a small chance they will do Crossbell next, and if that's the case, an announcement could come at any time. I wouldn't expect one, though. I'd say E3 2019 might be a good time to expect to hear something on CS III and IV, but we won't know for a while still.

[Blinglee]

Cool

[Hat8]

Hopefully Xseed remains a good company and faithfully translates it. Them going crazy and censoring everything would spoil it everything.

Of course, they'll have to fight Sonys new censorship policies too...

[Cold_Reverie]

Originally posted by 4240876367:

Hopefully Xseed remains a good company and faithfully translates it. Them going crazy and censoring everything would spoil it everything.

Of course, they'll have to fight Sonys new censorship policies too...

There is very little that would need censoring with the Trails games, and even then they don't need to censor anything on PC, since for PC games they don't need to even get an ESRB rating from what I remember.

The only way anything would need to censored is if Sony makes them, in which case that wouldn't be anything that Xseed could do about that. Trails in the Sky the 3rd has one particular part in it that was censored on the console versions of the game in the East due to Sony, yet the PC version remained uncensored because they don't go through Sony or even need to get a rating anyway (iirc).*

When Xseed localized the game they were adament that it would be uncensored since it was the PC version. The only way I could see any Trails game (or any other game from Xseed, I would think) being censored is if it released on a Sony platform, and even then it'd remain uncensored on any other platform (such as PC).

Basically, I think that if Xseed were "censorship everything" they would censor all versions of their games on all platforms and they would do it of their own volition. I think they'll only censor something if they are made to by other companies.

*(As a note: Falcom had to censor a certain scene in Trails in the Sky the 3rd on Sony consoles in Japan in order to meet Sony's guidelines. I think because Sony either would have refused to put the game on their console or they would have given it a much higher rating than the other games, I don't remember. The scene is still canon and is available on the PC versions, but they couldn't put it on Sony's platforms. So if anything, Xseed wouldn't be the ones censoring it unless they have to due to Sony. And I honestly think if Xseed tried to port or release 3rd to other consoles they would try to keep the scene uncensored if it's up to them.)

[Hat8]

Originally posted by Cold_Steel_IV:

Originally posted by 4240876367:

Hopefully Xseed remains a good company and faithfully translates it. Them going crazy and censoring everything would spoil it everything.

Of course, they'll have to fight Sonys new censorship policies too...

There is very little that would need censoring with the Trails games, and even then they don't need to censor anything on PC, since for PC games they don't need to even get an ESRB rating from what I remember.

The thing with Californians is that its hard to know what they think *needs* to be censored.

These people are an enigma to me.

Xseed has done pretty damn good so far though. Especially with that scene in Sora no Kiseki 3.

Originally posted by Cold_Steel_IV:

*(As a note: Falcom had to censor a certain scene in Trails in the Sky the 3rd on Sony consoles in Japan in order to meet Sony's guidelines. I think because Sony either would have refused to put the game on their console or they would have given it a much higher rating than the other games, I don't remember. The scene is still canon and is available on the PC versions, but they couldn't put it on Sony's platforms. So if anything, Xseed wouldn't be the ones censoring it unless they have to due to Sony. And I honestly think if Xseed tried to port or release 3rd to other consoles they would try to keep the scene uncensored if it's up to them.)

Sony currently has developers going through their management in California in regards to censorship.

It's pretty horrible. Even Japanese developers developing games for Japanese audiences need to go through Californian censors. Sony is even spitting in these peoples faces by having them work with them at American hours. Xseed is in California so the hours shouldn't be a problem though.

I don't know the details of Cold Steel 3-4 though.

[The_Profex]

Thanks a ton for doing this. A friend convinced me to give it a shot and I really enjoyed reading this. I'm starting with Trails FC.