Full review on my website (Geofront patch): https://www.nepikigaming.com/reviews/the-legend-of-heroes-trails-from-zero/

''It comes as no surprise that I absolutely fell in love with The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero. Gameplay-wise it’s a nice improvement over the original Sky trilogy with a good amount of quality-of-life enhancements for an even better experience. But obviously when it comes to games like these, the world-building, story and characters are the driving force behind the game. Trails from Zero delivers on all three fronts with a good story that keeps the action going, a loveable cast of diverse characters and excellent world-building. Particularly the last part is noteworthy, as Crossbell uses its smaller region size to keep relations with citizens and important characters very consistent. You also learn straight away just what kind of messed-up state Crossbell actually is due to a strong start, and the game keeps being strong right till the very end with its characters and story. For a game this consistently good, it should come as no surprise that I give this game my highest possible rating: a 10 out of 10!''

Arrancamos la saga de Crossbell con otro juegazo. Es acojonante el world-building que demuestra esta saga en cada entrega, aquí incluso más destacable al ser una localización más pequeña y donde puede desarrollar mucho más sus temas polítco-sociales.

Crossbell me ha enamorado, y por supuesto sus personajes no son menos. Al cuarteto protagonista se le coge mucho cariño, y Lloyd se está convirtiendo en una potencial Estelle (a nivel de gustarme). El guion se me ha hecho más ameno que FC, estar ya tan metido en la saga ayuda claro. Y teniendo un comienzo bastante lento (aunque te pone en el meollo en la primera escena) como todos los TLOH, sí que noto que va repartiendo más los momentazos que el FC, que prácticamente te reventaba el culo ya en el final. Aunque no tiene ese FINALACO del FC claro.

A nivel jugable y gráfico es bastante continuista, como siempre añade ciertos detalles al combate para ir evolucionando, además teniendo sentido narrativo estos cambios. Eso sí, en el diseño artistico, sobre todo de personajes, es mi preferido, por encima de los Evolution y primeros Trails.

Musicalmente, también se ha vuelto mi favorito de la saga por ahora, se la vuelve a sacar el Team Jdk. En definitiva, la saga sigue manteniendo un nivelón, y tengo el hype por el Ao que me va a explotar un riñón.

I stopped playing this one, cuz the Japanese got too complicated... May try out the English fan patch someday. For now it kinda excerbated the problems I have with the Trails-games in general. It's so goddamn wordy and slow. When I played Trails in the Sky it didn't even get started till 10 hours in. And even only watching Trails of Cold 1 & 2 felt like it takes forever to get going...

I don't know, I love the world-buildung and characters and the plot itself mostly...I even kinda consider myself a Trails-Fan in a way? But maybe I just like watching it instead of actually spending all that time to finally get to the "good part" myself.... Maybe I see things differently when I play this one in English for now though, that's were I am at

More uneven than I expect from this series, which is usually nothing if not consistent. The plotting feels less tight than the other games I've played and the central characters aren't as immediately likeable, give or take Tio. That said, the game-over-game improvements to the combat system continue apace, and the parts of the story that directly follow up on Sky 3 are some of the most affecting in the series. I feel like I might have had an easier time appreciating some of it if Trails of Cold Steel hadn't made it over here far earlier.

Despite all I've heard over the years, I think this is the weakest "Arc Starter" game (e.g. Trails in the Sky FC, Cold Steel 1, etc.). Not to say that it's bad though, I had a great time in Crossbell! I think the main party is a little underbaked, Lloyd especially feels like proto-Rean in a way I didn't think he would. Randy and Tio are the standouts here, even if Randy is just chillin the whole game with not much to do. (Though that does match his vibe so 😆) I did grow to like everyone by the end though, Tio especially is my fav of the SSS.

But if the main four are a little underbaked, Crossbell city itself is a really fun, well developed setting. Unlike the on foot touring you do in Liberl and Erebonia, having the game based in one big city is just a fun way to reallllly flesh out the place, and talking to the same NPCs each time the story progressed was really fun. As always, there are a lot of fun side characters who show up regularly too, and they’re all very charming and are very integrated into the city in good ways. The slow opening of the surrounding areas and highways works too, and naturally folds into the “rounds” you do between story segments.

The music is solid as always, a couple of standouts and everything else just solid, very typicaly Trails-sound. The actual plot is Fine, I like the contrast of the SSS vs the Bracers, and the story eventually ramps up into some fun stuff that definitely made me excited for Azure. I definitely want more group development (especially poor Elie, please Aidios give her something, anything)

So yeah, a solid Trails game, but not particularly standout to me. Still quite enjoyed myself, because a decent Trails game (especially since this is done so similarly to the Sky style) is still more enjoyable to me than So many other things

ROT13: (Nyfb V pna’g oryvrir gurl qvq Gur Guvat NTNVA. Rira bar bs gur gernfher purfg zrffntrf wbxrf nobhg vg! V jnf va qvforyvrs sbe gur ragver ohvyqhc bs gur ynfg puncgref.)