Legend of Heroes: Trails Series

[Happenstance]

Decided to try and get these again after attempting to play some of Trails in the Sky and Cold Steel 1 previously. As my Switch 2 is quickly becoming a little rpg machine and the only console I have physical media before I thought I’d try and get them all there. I know not all have been released on Switch but I’m hopeful that with the remake of 1 coming they will be eventually.

I've probably got enough to play to keep me busy until September when the first remake comes out but if I still feel the urge to play the series sooner then I may start with Zero. Unless any fans are adamant that I wait?

I was also tempted to get some Ys titles, maybe starting with VIII but I think I need to limit it to one long running series for now!

Edited 7 hours ago by Happenstance

[Hero-of-Time]

I think there's only Cold Steel I and II that never got a Switch release. Every thing else seems to be on there.

I started both the Trails and Ys series last year. I dropped Zero (it's on my pledge list again for this year) but finished the Ys game I was playing.

Ys is probably a safer bet for you. I've not played either but Origins and Memoire and supposed to be snappy experiences at around 10-15 hours long. Pretty much every Trails game is a 60-80 hour experience.

[Happenstance]

4 minutes ago, Hero-of-Time said:

I think there's only Cold Steel I and II that never got a Switch release. Every thing else seems to be on there.

I started both the Trails and Ys series last year. I dropped Zero (it's on my pledge list again for this year) but finished the Ys game I was playing.

Ys is probably a safer bet for you. I've not played either but Origins and Memoire and supposed to be snappy experiences at around 10-15 hours long. Pretty much every Trails game is a 60-80 hour experience.

It’s so weird that Cold Steel 1 & 2 were left out while 3 & 4 are available. 

I probably will still try Ys and get VIII eventually but I’ve bought a few of the Trails games now and there is always something about that series that draws me back so I want to give it a proper attempt this time. Gotta admit though, 10-15 hours does sound nice!

[Hero-of-Time]

6 minutes ago, Happenstance said:

It’s so weird that Cold Steel 1 & 2 were left out while 3 & 4 are available.

I think it was to do with some publisher issue/rights with the English translation. I thought they would have worked something out by now but it just never happened.

[Happenstance]

Just now, Hero-of-Time said:

I think it was to do with some publisher issue/rights with the English translation. I thought they would have worked something out by now but it just never happened.

Reminds me of Mass Effect 3 coming out on Wii U without the first two.

[Julius]

Love a dedicated series thread, thanks for starting this one @Happenstance! 

4 hours ago, Happenstance said:

As my Switch 2 is quickly becoming a little rpg machine

Honestly, I'm a little worried what the Switch 2 could mean for me, most JRPGs, and whether or not I'm playing them on PlayStation (oh, and trophies!).

I've recently started winding down with the occasional game before bed as I'm in a bit of a reading rut, and the idea of just chipping away at a JRPG every night before bed sounds so cosy. I know Dragon Quest would be perfect for it, I imagine most modern JRPGs with quick saves would probably be perfect for it too. So it's very tempting for me to go the same way and just make it a dedicated RPG (+ Nintendo first-party) machine. 

I mean, this is all assuming I don't pick up a Portal...which I really don't want to do...but trophies!? We'll just need to wait and see, but I mean isn't it technically a DualSense? And as we all know, I do love a DualSense pick-up

Anyways, yeah, I'm really hoping the remake of the first game is able to deliver on the love the original gets. Most of my exposure to Legend of Heroes and Trails is from people like Ben Moore going off about them on podcasts, and besides that it's been the music sneaking into my Spotify and YouTube recommendations, and it just sounds gorgeous  can't wait! 

[Happenstance]

Yeah that’s kind of what I’m hoping will happen with mine. Great stories used to be my favourite thing in gaming but over the last few years I just haven’t given the time to gaming in a way that’s let me stick with the longer ones. The timing seems to be perfect as the Switch 2 is coming out at the same time both my urge to play these games is being revitalised and my eyesight is getting good enough be be able to read the text comfortably again. 

[Ike]

XSeed did the localisation & publishing for Cold Steel 1 & 2. There might be a bit of bad blood after NIS America got the contracts for the new games. 

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is using a new translation.

[Happenstance]

Well so far I’ve managed to order:

• Trails From Zero
• Trails To Azure
• Trails of Cold Steel III
• Trails Into Reverie
• Trails Through Daybreak

Now just waiting for better deals on Cold Steel IV and Daybreak II.