This is not the first time I play this game. Four years ago I played around 20 hours on the old PSP translation (yeah, the buggy one) over the span of 4 months and I finally gave up on it due to my enjoyment of videogames being superseded by my personal life, and specially RPGs because you gotta commit to them a lot.
That being said, I never forgot the journey. Since then, I have been wondering why didn't I went back and finished it. After some time, Geofront's translation was released and I thought "hey, maybe it is time to try again from the beggining" but I had a lot of things to play and I didn't like the chance of putting it on hold again at the same point. So, years passed and the game was finally released with an official translation, which around that time I got my first "true" job that gave me the money to actually buy the game.
Even though 4 years have passed, It impressed me up to the point that I remembered most of the story up to chapter 3, which is where I left. Now, I finally finished it and sincerely, I'm kind of embarrassed for not playing Sky first. I don't know, I tried it 3 times but that game made me sleepy for the first hour, and I really wanted to play Zero, so that's where I'm at. Don't worry, I will do it at some point.
Trails from Zero is my starting point in the series, so I hope they all get to the same level of greatness. If anyone is doubting on whether you should try to tackle these games, I have an answer for you:
First, any starting point is okay as long as you have in mind that some spoilers will be present AND you start at the beggining of the story arc.
Second, don't take people seriously about telling you that "oh the first one is really like the prologue of them all!!" because I've been there and it gave me a lot of slack, trust me, it is not a prologue at all, in fact I'd say this game is good as its own story.
Third, don't look at any of the games by their length. I know they are intimidating (specially the new ones) but I promise you they do a great job at keeping you interested throughout the story.
That being said, I never forgot the journey. Since then, I have been wondering why didn't I went back and finished it. After some time, Geofront's translation was released and I thought "hey, maybe it is time to try again from the beggining" but I had a lot of things to play and I didn't like the chance of putting it on hold again at the same point. So, years passed and the game was finally released with an official translation, which around that time I got my first "true" job that gave me the money to actually buy the game.
Even though 4 years have passed, It impressed me up to the point that I remembered most of the story up to chapter 3, which is where I left. Now, I finally finished it and sincerely, I'm kind of embarrassed for not playing Sky first. I don't know, I tried it 3 times but that game made me sleepy for the first hour, and I really wanted to play Zero, so that's where I'm at. Don't worry, I will do it at some point.
Trails from Zero is my starting point in the series, so I hope they all get to the same level of greatness. If anyone is doubting on whether you should try to tackle these games, I have an answer for you:
First, any starting point is okay as long as you have in mind that some spoilers will be present AND you start at the beggining of the story arc.
Second, don't take people seriously about telling you that "oh the first one is really like the prologue of them all!!" because I've been there and it gave me a lot of slack, trust me, it is not a prologue at all, in fact I'd say this game is good as its own story.
Third, don't look at any of the games by their length. I know they are intimidating (specially the new ones) but I promise you they do a great job at keeping you interested throughout the story.
This review contains spoilers
Trails from Zero is everything I knew the Trails series was capable of based on its premise, but that it didn’t quite achieve in the Sky trilogy. In previous reviews I had complained about how I felt the story in each individual Sky game was somewhat lacking. Sky the 3rd had begun to present some interesting ideas with its plot, but due to the dungeon crawling-structure of that game, those story moments were so spread out that they lost some of their impact. Not so in Trails from Zero. Zero manages to simultaneously be darker and more grounded than any of the Sky games were, making the plot overall much more compelling. Now being able to compare the political conflicts of First Chapter and Zero with the more typical fantasy JRPG conflicts of Second Chapter and Sky the 3rd, I can confidently say that the Trails series works better with smaller scale conflicts. The way the conflict between the two opposing mafia groups ties into the internal politics of Crossbell’s diet and the overall struggle for power between Erebonia and Calvard is not only impressive worldbuilding, but also creates stakes that feel immediately more pressing towards not only the main party but the people of Crossbell as a whole. In a world that feels as fleshed out and alive as Zemuria (but especially Crossbell) I’ll take that sort of conflict over a clash with some secret society every time.
Even when the stakes are inevitably raised for the third act and we get our secret society/“greater evil” equivalent in the form of the D∴G cult, they still make for more interesting villains than Ouroboros for not one, not two, but three reasons. Firstly, the cult’s inner workings are deeply interwoven with Crossbell’s internal politics, to a degree far greater than Ouroboros’ trickle-down manipulation tactics in Liberl; secondly, the cult’s backstory directly ties back into arguably the most interesting part of Sky the 3rd’s narrative; and thirdly, they aren’t some vague fantasy secret society, they’re a cult that kidnaps and drugs people, tying back into my point about the plot of Zero being darker and more grounded than the Sky games. I think that Zero’s overall change in tone is thanks in large part due to Lloyd’s position as a detective. Trails from Zero isn’t quite a mystery game—like in Persona 4, the game does most of the detective footwork for you—but Lloyd’s being a detective adds a sort of crime drama flavor to the story, which I very much appreciate (even if I think it’s a bit lazy that from a gameplay perspective the SSS is almost identical to the Bracers Guild). For all those reasons, in spite of what I said in the previous paragraph, I would say that the first half of the game is good, but that it really takes off at the end of the third chapter when the cult’s handiwork starts coming into play.
All that to say that Trails from Zero has an excellent story, but now moving onto the characters, I’ll admit, it took a little while for our main quartet to grow on me because none of them have the kind of over-the-top anime energy most of the Sky cast has. Don’t let that fool you into thinking these characters are less entertaining though, I think the lack of silly quirks simply ties back into the idea of this game being at least somewhat more grounded tonally. Once I had some time to become familiar with them, I ended up enjoying this cast a lot. A special shoutout is in order for Randy, one of the very few anime characters of his particular archetype (“ladies’ man”) to not be totally infuriating, thanks in large part to the fact that they didn’t just make him the personification of that trope and remembered to give him a personality. The SSS have such a strong group dynamic too, one that becomes even stronger when KeA (stupid spelling) is introduced and all four of them instantly switch into parent mode.
I’ll wrap there because I don’t have anything to add in regards to the combat, but suffice it to say, free from the confines of Liberl, the Trails series is finally meeting my expectations. I have no reason to suspect that Azure will be any different, so I’m very much excited to see where things go next.
Even when the stakes are inevitably raised for the third act and we get our secret society/“greater evil” equivalent in the form of the D∴G cult, they still make for more interesting villains than Ouroboros for not one, not two, but three reasons. Firstly, the cult’s inner workings are deeply interwoven with Crossbell’s internal politics, to a degree far greater than Ouroboros’ trickle-down manipulation tactics in Liberl; secondly, the cult’s backstory directly ties back into arguably the most interesting part of Sky the 3rd’s narrative; and thirdly, they aren’t some vague fantasy secret society, they’re a cult that kidnaps and drugs people, tying back into my point about the plot of Zero being darker and more grounded than the Sky games. I think that Zero’s overall change in tone is thanks in large part due to Lloyd’s position as a detective. Trails from Zero isn’t quite a mystery game—like in Persona 4, the game does most of the detective footwork for you—but Lloyd’s being a detective adds a sort of crime drama flavor to the story, which I very much appreciate (even if I think it’s a bit lazy that from a gameplay perspective the SSS is almost identical to the Bracers Guild). For all those reasons, in spite of what I said in the previous paragraph, I would say that the first half of the game is good, but that it really takes off at the end of the third chapter when the cult’s handiwork starts coming into play.
All that to say that Trails from Zero has an excellent story, but now moving onto the characters, I’ll admit, it took a little while for our main quartet to grow on me because none of them have the kind of over-the-top anime energy most of the Sky cast has. Don’t let that fool you into thinking these characters are less entertaining though, I think the lack of silly quirks simply ties back into the idea of this game being at least somewhat more grounded tonally. Once I had some time to become familiar with them, I ended up enjoying this cast a lot. A special shoutout is in order for Randy, one of the very few anime characters of his particular archetype (“ladies’ man”) to not be totally infuriating, thanks in large part to the fact that they didn’t just make him the personification of that trope and remembered to give him a personality. The SSS have such a strong group dynamic too, one that becomes even stronger when KeA (stupid spelling) is introduced and all four of them instantly switch into parent mode.
I’ll wrap there because I don’t have anything to add in regards to the combat, but suffice it to say, free from the confines of Liberl, the Trails series is finally meeting my expectations. I have no reason to suspect that Azure will be any different, so I’m very much excited to see where things go next.
Trails from Zero has possibly the best pacing of any introductory arc in the Kiseki series.
Even though I'm more fond of the parties from the Liberl arc and the Erebonia arc, I still had a good time with the SSS. However, the city of Crossbell and its geopolitical entanglements are a lot more interesting to me than Liberl as a setting. I didn't think that she, Estelle and Joshua would have such a big story relevance. So Trails from Zero also acts as an epilogue to the Lieberl arc and Renne's character arc. Which was handled pretty sweet.
Even though I'm more fond of the parties from the Liberl arc and the Erebonia arc, I still had a good time with the SSS. However, the city of Crossbell and its geopolitical entanglements are a lot more interesting to me than Liberl as a setting. I didn't think that she, Estelle and Joshua would have such a big story relevance. So Trails from Zero also acts as an epilogue to the Lieberl arc and Renne's character arc. Which was handled pretty sweet.
It's not as good as Sky 3rd but I like the SSS a lot. By far my favorite cast of main characters. There's some filler and slow moments but it wasn't enough to make me loathe it like FC.
Trails burnout kicking in and it's definitely because of the fact these games are so fucking long. The writing's good and all but after Sky trilogy, I don't think this series has anything left that's going to really impress me.
Yeah, Zero's great. Sky 3rd is phenomenal, but I feel like I'm playing the series not because I really want to but because it's a ride that I've hopped on and it'd be weird to jump off it right in the middle.
Trails burnout kicking in and it's definitely because of the fact these games are so fucking long. The writing's good and all but after Sky trilogy, I don't think this series has anything left that's going to really impress me.
Yeah, Zero's great. Sky 3rd is phenomenal, but I feel like I'm playing the series not because I really want to but because it's a ride that I've hopped on and it'd be weird to jump off it right in the middle.
The greatest copaganda ever made.
me coloque numa sala com 20 pessoas que dão “dicas de escrita” e só eu sairei vivo, causando explosões e derretimentos só com a força negativa que mentalizarei cada vez que alguém falar que “mostre, não conte!” é uma regra indiscutível. com meu martelo de Depende em mãos eu destruirei todos os guias sem asteriscos.
trails from zero não deixa de contar para mostrar, mas acredito que pela limitação estética que os spritezinhos charmosos tem, ele acaba se sentindo na obrigação de mostrar que está sendo contado. as aspirações literárias da série não são segredo pra ninguém — levante uma pedra e quatro fãs de trails vão te falar que o SC tem não sei quantas mil palavras a mais que senhor dos anéis, descasque uma cebola e nove vão enxugar os olhos antes de te dizer alguma frase com a palavra “worldbuilding”, e chacoalhe uma árvore se encontrar alguma — mas por estarmos em uma tela (e não em uma folha), a sentença “’Você está preso!’ Lloyd disse, exalando coragem” não cabe numa caixa de diálogo, que, portanto, é substituída por “Você está preso!”, seguida pela observação “como o Lloyd parece corajoso enquanto diz isso!” de outro personagem. pelo menos um quarto dos diálogos do jogo envolve um outro personagem apontando que o personagem que acabou de dizer X está no estado Y, ou te explicando como aquilo se relaciona com outro evento que rolou dez horas atrás. não dá pra só se referir pelo nome (afinal, não dá pra voltar as páginas!), então toda informação nova precisa ser cheia de apêndices diegéticos pra não deixar ninguém pra trás. de certa forma, dá pra ver isso como consideração (e eu não pretendo nunca prezar pelo que "respeita minha inteligência", também), mas é também uma reação de vítima.
não é a pior coisa do mundo, mas a mitologia de que a Falcom sempre pensa nos jogos dessa série como um só e acaba dividindo em dois no meio da produção (Sky FC e SC, Zero e Azure, CS1 e 2, CS3 e 4) porque ficou maior do que o que foi projetado deve ser em partes por causa disso. eu não me importo muito com esse problema isolado (e acho que isso é uma das coisas que os fãs mais gostam), mas sinto que os desenvolvedores queriam se ver livres dessas amarras – até porque nos cold steel essa parte do texto já melhora consideravelmente (sendo que eu pessoalmente acho que os modelos 3D de CS1 e 2 são bem menos expressivos que os bonequinhos desses jogos que vieram antes) e a história toda continua funcionando de um jeito ótimo.
fico pensando se as coisas que desgostei não foram exacerbadas porque a base do lançamento oficial foi a tradução prévia feita por fãs e não por pessoas que tem alguma intimidade profissional com escrita artística, e por isso os personagens todos tem uma voz tão parecida e as descrições são daquele jeito.
o bom é que apesar disso esse jogo tem ótimas dungeons e eu adoro como o urbanismo pop de crossbell (todo mundo com carinha de soyjak deslumbrado com internet e energia elétrica, se sentindo foda porque não é república e nem império, etc) influencia e é influenciado igualmente nos aspectos sobrenaturais. a falcom é ótima em alimentar tanto a galera “intrigas políticas!” quanto a galera “aura de dragon ball na hora de lutar e robô gigante” que estão em constante contenda porque não percebem que a graça da série é justamente ter os dois. também achei super legal como o conceito de gnose aqui é mais próximo ao do nosso catolicismo (“certo tipo de conhecimento é perigoso e pode acabar com sua individualidade”), diferente de grande parte dos JRPGs em que ela é indubitavelmente boa e necessária moralmente para as pessoas descobrirem por si mesmas a raiz do bem e do mal. ela não é vista como herege e os apócrifos não são escondidos, mas se desenvolve como resultado de certo cientificismo que se demonstra laico mas não é. uma dinâmica bem original e facilmente refutada dependendo do rumo da história, também, então torna todo o caminho bem colorido.
cada vez que eu começo um jogo desses e lembro que ainda faltam outrosseis cinco quatro pra eu chegar onde quero chegar na história me dá certo desânimo, mas aí chega o final e me motivo de novo, vendo as coisas lentamente se formando e ficando mais esotéricas, como todas as grandes obras. o descobrir das partes mais ocultas do mundo se dando tão lentamente acaba refletindo a vida real de um jeito inesperado, e aí vale a pena mesmo ver o sol nascer.
trails from zero não deixa de contar para mostrar, mas acredito que pela limitação estética que os spritezinhos charmosos tem, ele acaba se sentindo na obrigação de mostrar que está sendo contado. as aspirações literárias da série não são segredo pra ninguém — levante uma pedra e quatro fãs de trails vão te falar que o SC tem não sei quantas mil palavras a mais que senhor dos anéis, descasque uma cebola e nove vão enxugar os olhos antes de te dizer alguma frase com a palavra “worldbuilding”, e chacoalhe uma árvore se encontrar alguma — mas por estarmos em uma tela (e não em uma folha), a sentença “’Você está preso!’ Lloyd disse, exalando coragem” não cabe numa caixa de diálogo, que, portanto, é substituída por “Você está preso!”, seguida pela observação “como o Lloyd parece corajoso enquanto diz isso!” de outro personagem. pelo menos um quarto dos diálogos do jogo envolve um outro personagem apontando que o personagem que acabou de dizer X está no estado Y, ou te explicando como aquilo se relaciona com outro evento que rolou dez horas atrás. não dá pra só se referir pelo nome (afinal, não dá pra voltar as páginas!), então toda informação nova precisa ser cheia de apêndices diegéticos pra não deixar ninguém pra trás. de certa forma, dá pra ver isso como consideração (e eu não pretendo nunca prezar pelo que "respeita minha inteligência", também), mas é também uma reação de vítima.
não é a pior coisa do mundo, mas a mitologia de que a Falcom sempre pensa nos jogos dessa série como um só e acaba dividindo em dois no meio da produção (Sky FC e SC, Zero e Azure, CS1 e 2, CS3 e 4) porque ficou maior do que o que foi projetado deve ser em partes por causa disso. eu não me importo muito com esse problema isolado (e acho que isso é uma das coisas que os fãs mais gostam), mas sinto que os desenvolvedores queriam se ver livres dessas amarras – até porque nos cold steel essa parte do texto já melhora consideravelmente (sendo que eu pessoalmente acho que os modelos 3D de CS1 e 2 são bem menos expressivos que os bonequinhos desses jogos que vieram antes) e a história toda continua funcionando de um jeito ótimo.
fico pensando se as coisas que desgostei não foram exacerbadas porque a base do lançamento oficial foi a tradução prévia feita por fãs e não por pessoas que tem alguma intimidade profissional com escrita artística, e por isso os personagens todos tem uma voz tão parecida e as descrições são daquele jeito.
o bom é que apesar disso esse jogo tem ótimas dungeons e eu adoro como o urbanismo pop de crossbell (todo mundo com carinha de soyjak deslumbrado com internet e energia elétrica, se sentindo foda porque não é república e nem império, etc) influencia e é influenciado igualmente nos aspectos sobrenaturais. a falcom é ótima em alimentar tanto a galera “intrigas políticas!” quanto a galera “aura de dragon ball na hora de lutar e robô gigante” que estão em constante contenda porque não percebem que a graça da série é justamente ter os dois. também achei super legal como o conceito de gnose aqui é mais próximo ao do nosso catolicismo (“certo tipo de conhecimento é perigoso e pode acabar com sua individualidade”), diferente de grande parte dos JRPGs em que ela é indubitavelmente boa e necessária moralmente para as pessoas descobrirem por si mesmas a raiz do bem e do mal. ela não é vista como herege e os apócrifos não são escondidos, mas se desenvolve como resultado de certo cientificismo que se demonstra laico mas não é. uma dinâmica bem original e facilmente refutada dependendo do rumo da história, também, então torna todo o caminho bem colorido.
cada vez que eu começo um jogo desses e lembro que ainda faltam outros
[ASMR] Lloyd Bannings helps motivate you to overcome your life's barriers
Before getting into Trails from Zero properly, I think it’s necessary to dive into its history in the West a little. The game was originally released in Japan in 2010 on PSP and due to how long localisation was taking with the Sky games, it was skipped over in favour of bringing over the Cold Steel games first. However due to Reverie acting as a finale to both the Crossbell and Cold Steel games, Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure were both quickly localised before the Western release of Reverie to allow fans to catch up. The localisation uses the extremely well done fan translation from Geofront as a base for its work and unfortunately skipped out being dubbed into English which is a shame having played the Sky games which had the battle dialogue dubbed. Knowing the reasoning behind this though does make it a lot easier to swallow so it’s not something I’m too hung up about and the Japanese cast are fantastic, it’s just a shame we miss out on the battle dialogue.
So, after the Sky trilogy Trails from Zero takes place in a new setting with a new cast of characters, acting as a brand new arc for the longer running narrative that the series has. There’s familiar faces and mentions of past events but otherwise the story here is very much focused on new protagonist Lloyd and the Special Support Squad he has become a part of in Crossbell City. The SSS act as a rookie branch of police who have come under fire from the public after not doing their jobs while the Bracer Guild have been gaining all the plaudits because they have actually been helping people. The SSS are basically the police version of the Guild, taking up requests to help people in need while also trying to solve crimes that the wider police force have been letting slip. While the core gameplay loop of solving requests and main story plot points is very similar to how the first two Sky games played, it’s also pretty cool seeing a rivalry form between the SSS and the Guild as well as the little differences in what both sides are allowed to do under their rules.
The SSS squad consists of four members: Lloyd, Elie, Randy, and Tio. Unlike Sky that had a constantly rotating cast outside of Estelle and Joshua for the most part, Zero starts you off with these four immediately and has a few rotating guest party members. It’s a nice approach as the main focus is on the four SSS members and their growth together as they try to take on bigger and bigger jobs to help unravel the corruption that Crossbell is drowning in. Zero has a more focused approach to its narrative dealing with a small party in a much smaller State and it works well with this. In true Trails fashion, the slow burn is real here. The game takes its time to slowly unravel more and more about each of its characters to ensure everyone gets their own moments to shine. Lloyd is the glue that keeps everyone together, often giving cheesy speeches to help lift the others up in their times of need. He’s optimistic and there’s a lovable charm about him as he overcomes the barriers he faces. Elie works hard and is serious about her job but also faces many doubts about the path she chose. Randy is our flirt of the group and is very fun loving, especially with gambling but as you start to uncover his past you grow to understand how hard his life has been. Tio is extremely reserved with her emotions but also incredibly smart with technology. She’s a character who has suffered much in her past so it hits hard when you see her growing more and more comfortable with the group. Together the SSS squad make a fantastic little family of characters and there’s a lot to love as you watch them grow closer throughout the game. However there is a minor nitpick with a new mechanic introduced in this game - bonding. Throughout the game there’s several events and ways for Lloyd to build up his bond with each member of the SSS, including three story events where you can choose a character to accompany him. Once you reach max bond with a character you’ll be able to view a special scene between them and Lloyd towards the end of the game, however you can only do this with one character per playthrough. These events include some important stuff for each character, including Lloyd, so it sucks that you have to be very particular with how you raise bond levels and maintain multiple saves if you want to see everything without replaying the game multiple times. Apart from that the character development is really good and it’s really easy to love each member of the SSS team, especially with how much time you’ll spend with them.
Crossbell State is an interesting setting. Instead of going round in a loop like you did in Liberl, your main hub area is smack bang in the centre known as Crossbell City with routes to the four compass directions leading to towns and other important locations. Because of this you spend a lot of time in Crossbell City and it’s easy to become attached to the place as you explore its various districts and meet its wonderful citizens. Whether it’s the nosy reporter Grace, or the eccentric gangs that grow to respect you, or the wonderful performers of the Arc de Ciel, Crossbell is a very homely place and one you’ll grow into wanting to protect. However Crossbell is also full of corruption and seedy dealings. It’s home to a unique political situation having been born from both the Empire of Erebonia and the Republic of Calvard. Due to this it’s political set up is balanced between those in support of the Empire or the Republic and they prevent any reforms from the Mayor coming through due to their need to not cede ground to the other. This is further emphasised by both sides having a mafia associated with them, Revache for the Empire and Heiyue for the Republic. Due to this, the government members are able to get corrupt dealings done while also having the power to put pressure on the justice system to look the other way. It leads to a wonderful dichotomy where there’s a lot of people who love Crossbell but there’s a house of cards ready to be blown over at any moment that could see the place crumble. It’s a state that is independent in name only as two forces struggle to gain control over it.
Crossbell is also a financially well off place, with Zemuria’s central bank being located here and technology being advanced enough for Orbal vehicles like cars available for the richest members of public and mobile communication being available through Orbments. It might be a small state but there’s a lot going on and it’s a fantastic setting for the game.
If you’ve played the Sky games then you will be aware of a few characters that had mentioned their intentions to go to Crossbell. Well a few familiar faces show up in this game and play a role in a secondary plot that runs alongside the main narrative. Without going too much into spoiler territory, Zero does an incredible job managing these two plot threads and superbly gets them to lead towards the same conclusion in a thrilling finale with a huge payoff for those who have been playing through all the games. I have seen people say you can start with Zero as it’s a new arc and features one of the more standalone stories in the series, which it does, it manages to wrap up with no huge cliffhanger and a few plot threads that the sequel can explore but at the same time, if you haven’t played the Sky games, you’re missing out on a lot of context for the secondary plot and losing out on a lot of impactful moments from seeing characters that you would’ve grown attached to or recognise from those games. I can understand the huge barrier a long running narrative can bring and wanting to find a starting point that doesn’t require a huge time sink but ideally you should probably play these games in release order for the best impact possible.
So Zero features another wonderful cast with a plot that slowly builds up into an epic finale and a supporting cast that are memorable in their own ways, leading to another fantastic experience. On the gameplay side of things this is a minor evolution on what came before it. You now have the ability to attack and stun enemies on the overworld allowing you to gain a better advantage in battle. New turn bonuses have been added, like the team attack where you get a Persona style all out attack sequence where everybody beats the crap out of the enemies on field. Some stuff from Sky the 3rd pops up in certain locations but otherwise it’s the same old Trails you know and love at its core with minor tweaks and adjustments. On the music side of things you’ve got another great soundtrack. I adore the hospital theme as it reminds me a little of the National Park theme in Pokemon Gen 2 and there’s an incredible track during the final day of Crossbell’s anniversary celebrations, so yeah the music side of things is excellent.
Zero is a wonderful start to a new arc, freshening up the cast and setting just as it was feeling a little needed. It manages to balance plot threads old and new and delivers another incredible experience carefully built up that explodes in a stunning finale. The focused approach on a smaller main cast and setting delivers a very cosy and heartwarming adventure where the found family and being accepted despite your past are the order of the day and it works so well. It doesn’t quite manage to hit the highs I had during Sky SC but it does deliver yet another brilliant RPG game to add to the library of Trails bangers.
So, after the Sky trilogy Trails from Zero takes place in a new setting with a new cast of characters, acting as a brand new arc for the longer running narrative that the series has. There’s familiar faces and mentions of past events but otherwise the story here is very much focused on new protagonist Lloyd and the Special Support Squad he has become a part of in Crossbell City. The SSS act as a rookie branch of police who have come under fire from the public after not doing their jobs while the Bracer Guild have been gaining all the plaudits because they have actually been helping people. The SSS are basically the police version of the Guild, taking up requests to help people in need while also trying to solve crimes that the wider police force have been letting slip. While the core gameplay loop of solving requests and main story plot points is very similar to how the first two Sky games played, it’s also pretty cool seeing a rivalry form between the SSS and the Guild as well as the little differences in what both sides are allowed to do under their rules.
The SSS squad consists of four members: Lloyd, Elie, Randy, and Tio. Unlike Sky that had a constantly rotating cast outside of Estelle and Joshua for the most part, Zero starts you off with these four immediately and has a few rotating guest party members. It’s a nice approach as the main focus is on the four SSS members and their growth together as they try to take on bigger and bigger jobs to help unravel the corruption that Crossbell is drowning in. Zero has a more focused approach to its narrative dealing with a small party in a much smaller State and it works well with this. In true Trails fashion, the slow burn is real here. The game takes its time to slowly unravel more and more about each of its characters to ensure everyone gets their own moments to shine. Lloyd is the glue that keeps everyone together, often giving cheesy speeches to help lift the others up in their times of need. He’s optimistic and there’s a lovable charm about him as he overcomes the barriers he faces. Elie works hard and is serious about her job but also faces many doubts about the path she chose. Randy is our flirt of the group and is very fun loving, especially with gambling but as you start to uncover his past you grow to understand how hard his life has been. Tio is extremely reserved with her emotions but also incredibly smart with technology. She’s a character who has suffered much in her past so it hits hard when you see her growing more and more comfortable with the group. Together the SSS squad make a fantastic little family of characters and there’s a lot to love as you watch them grow closer throughout the game. However there is a minor nitpick with a new mechanic introduced in this game - bonding. Throughout the game there’s several events and ways for Lloyd to build up his bond with each member of the SSS, including three story events where you can choose a character to accompany him. Once you reach max bond with a character you’ll be able to view a special scene between them and Lloyd towards the end of the game, however you can only do this with one character per playthrough. These events include some important stuff for each character, including Lloyd, so it sucks that you have to be very particular with how you raise bond levels and maintain multiple saves if you want to see everything without replaying the game multiple times. Apart from that the character development is really good and it’s really easy to love each member of the SSS team, especially with how much time you’ll spend with them.
Crossbell State is an interesting setting. Instead of going round in a loop like you did in Liberl, your main hub area is smack bang in the centre known as Crossbell City with routes to the four compass directions leading to towns and other important locations. Because of this you spend a lot of time in Crossbell City and it’s easy to become attached to the place as you explore its various districts and meet its wonderful citizens. Whether it’s the nosy reporter Grace, or the eccentric gangs that grow to respect you, or the wonderful performers of the Arc de Ciel, Crossbell is a very homely place and one you’ll grow into wanting to protect. However Crossbell is also full of corruption and seedy dealings. It’s home to a unique political situation having been born from both the Empire of Erebonia and the Republic of Calvard. Due to this it’s political set up is balanced between those in support of the Empire or the Republic and they prevent any reforms from the Mayor coming through due to their need to not cede ground to the other. This is further emphasised by both sides having a mafia associated with them, Revache for the Empire and Heiyue for the Republic. Due to this, the government members are able to get corrupt dealings done while also having the power to put pressure on the justice system to look the other way. It leads to a wonderful dichotomy where there’s a lot of people who love Crossbell but there’s a house of cards ready to be blown over at any moment that could see the place crumble. It’s a state that is independent in name only as two forces struggle to gain control over it.
Crossbell is also a financially well off place, with Zemuria’s central bank being located here and technology being advanced enough for Orbal vehicles like cars available for the richest members of public and mobile communication being available through Orbments. It might be a small state but there’s a lot going on and it’s a fantastic setting for the game.
If you’ve played the Sky games then you will be aware of a few characters that had mentioned their intentions to go to Crossbell. Well a few familiar faces show up in this game and play a role in a secondary plot that runs alongside the main narrative. Without going too much into spoiler territory, Zero does an incredible job managing these two plot threads and superbly gets them to lead towards the same conclusion in a thrilling finale with a huge payoff for those who have been playing through all the games. I have seen people say you can start with Zero as it’s a new arc and features one of the more standalone stories in the series, which it does, it manages to wrap up with no huge cliffhanger and a few plot threads that the sequel can explore but at the same time, if you haven’t played the Sky games, you’re missing out on a lot of context for the secondary plot and losing out on a lot of impactful moments from seeing characters that you would’ve grown attached to or recognise from those games. I can understand the huge barrier a long running narrative can bring and wanting to find a starting point that doesn’t require a huge time sink but ideally you should probably play these games in release order for the best impact possible.
So Zero features another wonderful cast with a plot that slowly builds up into an epic finale and a supporting cast that are memorable in their own ways, leading to another fantastic experience. On the gameplay side of things this is a minor evolution on what came before it. You now have the ability to attack and stun enemies on the overworld allowing you to gain a better advantage in battle. New turn bonuses have been added, like the team attack where you get a Persona style all out attack sequence where everybody beats the crap out of the enemies on field. Some stuff from Sky the 3rd pops up in certain locations but otherwise it’s the same old Trails you know and love at its core with minor tweaks and adjustments. On the music side of things you’ve got another great soundtrack. I adore the hospital theme as it reminds me a little of the National Park theme in Pokemon Gen 2 and there’s an incredible track during the final day of Crossbell’s anniversary celebrations, so yeah the music side of things is excellent.
Zero is a wonderful start to a new arc, freshening up the cast and setting just as it was feeling a little needed. It manages to balance plot threads old and new and delivers another incredible experience carefully built up that explodes in a stunning finale. The focused approach on a smaller main cast and setting delivers a very cosy and heartwarming adventure where the found family and being accepted despite your past are the order of the day and it works so well. It doesn’t quite manage to hit the highs I had during Sky SC but it does deliver yet another brilliant RPG game to add to the library of Trails bangers.
If I were to express my thoughts on Wazy I would get banned
A solid game.
The trails game I've played so far with the least amount of "bullshit". The port felt really smooth, the dialogue was consistent and I liked all the characters. I think this was one of the lighter stories in the series in terms of the tragedies that the trail games love to play on but it's fine. Genuinely enjoyed it.
Not much to say about the OST, they keep it consistent across all the games albiet minor differences, quite enjoyed it.
Gameplay is not clunky, Fast Mode works smoothly unlike some of the other games. It's also compatible with the steamdeck, and as I would say Bed Gaming is W Gaming, because we are so back.
Falcolm can do it right, just gotta get Llyod to ask them to overcome the barriers.
The trails game I've played so far with the least amount of "bullshit". The port felt really smooth, the dialogue was consistent and I liked all the characters. I think this was one of the lighter stories in the series in terms of the tragedies that the trail games love to play on but it's fine. Genuinely enjoyed it.
Not much to say about the OST, they keep it consistent across all the games albiet minor differences, quite enjoyed it.
Gameplay is not clunky, Fast Mode works smoothly unlike some of the other games. It's also compatible with the steamdeck, and as I would say Bed Gaming is W Gaming, because we are so back.
Falcolm can do it right, just gotta get Llyod to ask them to overcome the barriers.
СЛЕДствие вели... С Ллойдом Баннингсом.
Самая лучшая JRPG в моей жизни.
Самая лучшая JRPG в моей жизни.
I loved the cast so much, I got very attached to them quickly and I really really liked how they showed their relationships together and built up the new arc. A great ending to a great game and I can’t wait to see the conclusion of the arc
Its peak...
Having a smaller main cast compared to the sky trilogy made me get attached way quicker to the characters. The writing is just as good as it was before they really don't miss. The liberl stuff was just too good it was so worth the build up. I really appreciate the changes in game design on caves/dungeons, they don't feel as linear as they used too. Please don't start the trails series with this game, you'll get more from the story if you start with FC. Overall a great game with a good cast, still miss Oliver tho.
Having a smaller main cast compared to the sky trilogy made me get attached way quicker to the characters. The writing is just as good as it was before they really don't miss. The liberl stuff was just too good it was so worth the build up. I really appreciate the changes in game design on caves/dungeons, they don't feel as linear as they used too. Please don't start the trails series with this game, you'll get more from the story if you start with FC. Overall a great game with a good cast, still miss Oliver tho.
Rating: F
This game innovates the Sky FC formula by mixing the lack of writing with bad writing.
This game innovates the Sky FC formula by mixing the lack of writing with bad writing.
this series is so good
this game has a really strong early-mid game, but towards the late game you will get a "oh we're doing this again" feeling. just feels a bit too similar to the late games of sky SC and sky 3rd for my liking. it also drags a bit and doesn't have an extremely satisfying conclusion (except for estelle/joshua/renne which even that felt a bit rushed and anti-climactic)
i love the SSS, the fact that the main cast is so much smaller than in sky/cold steel makes it way easier to get attached as the characters get much needed screen time and development. but admittedly, the supporting cast and antagonists are weaker than in sky and cold steel. the main antagonist, albeit with slightly different ambitions, is just weissmann 2.0 to the very end
this game has a really strong early-mid game, but towards the late game you will get a "oh we're doing this again" feeling. just feels a bit too similar to the late games of sky SC and sky 3rd for my liking. it also drags a bit and doesn't have an extremely satisfying conclusion (except for estelle/joshua/renne which even that felt a bit rushed and anti-climactic)
i love the SSS, the fact that the main cast is so much smaller than in sky/cold steel makes it way easier to get attached as the characters get much needed screen time and development. but admittedly, the supporting cast and antagonists are weaker than in sky and cold steel. the main antagonist, albeit with slightly different ambitions, is just weissmann 2.0 to the very end
boutta go take a shit ton of percs and other narcotics now
Randy’s really that guy, Tio-tot’s adorable, Lloyd bout tht action, Elie elegant af, the seeker sisters are queens, and the geofront theme goes hard
This review contains spoilers
I can pretend I'm a semi-objective game critic but I can't hide from the fact that Sky the 3rd emotionally destroyed me to the point where finally seeing Renne find happiness for once in her life choked me up unlike any piece of fiction has before.
Tiosuke my beloved
This review contains spoilers
Trails once again left me speechless. The gameplay here is the same as the others, more or less, but leaves a bit to be desired at times. The story though? Another absolute banger, left me sobbing at the end of it. The game wrapped up a lot I wasn't expecting, and I was surprised about how quickly Estelle and Joshua showed up, and even more surprised when characters like Kilika and Lechter made reappearances. Azure is going to be an absolute banger of a game, and I cannot wait.
SSS is something special man
My favorite game in the series yet. I love the SSS so much, watching their growth throughout the story was satisfying. Loved the whole ending sequence as well.
Works as a fantastic introduction to Crossbell and has some really high highs but the third act of the game left quite a bit to be desired and just felt poorly executed.
Azure better be as good as everyone is hyping it up to be,
Azure better be as good as everyone is hyping it up to be,
I bought the Chinese version with the fan translation to play this game, and it was worth all the effort. Great characters, excellent combat, this series is S tier.
Some of the worst writing ever. The quality-of-life upgrades that allow speeding everything up are amazing and necessary. Combat is enjoyable, as usual.
This review contains spoilers
As a setup for a new arc in the Kiseki series, it was alright. I think that my favorite aspect of this game was the premise for Crossbell itself, a country that is locked between 2 major powers. You can see the clash between the powers reflected from locations in the game(West Street vs East Street) to the main plot that has both factions and their underlings vie for power. I really love that Crossbell city has it's own flair to it with distinct locations like Arc En Ciel, Geofront and the central square with various factions operating within it, all with their own agendas
The SSS crew being from different backgrounds should make them standout from the casts of the other Kiseki games but looking back on this game after finishing Azure, I can say that their potentials were not properly realized.
In fact most of my enjoyment in this game stemmed from watching the characters from the previous games show up. I'd go as far as to say that the game ends up spending a lot of on Renne & the conclusion to her story when it could have been used to flesh out the SSS cast more. There's a proper lore reason to this and it will blow your blow once it's revealed in Azure but all of this comes at a certain cost. Honestly I don't know why people recommend this game as a good starting point to beginners as the payoff to lot of key moment requires you to have played through SkySC and Stardoor 15 in Sky3rd
Other than that, the game is very short especially when compared to FC and CS1. Joachim Guenter pales in comparison to Alan richard & Crow and Zero doesn't go a good job of setting up the actual villains of the Arc. In conclusion, I'd say that Trails from Zero feels like Trails in the Sky 3.5
The SSS crew being from different backgrounds should make them standout from the casts of the other Kiseki games but looking back on this game after finishing Azure, I can say that their potentials were not properly realized.
In fact most of my enjoyment in this game stemmed from watching the characters from the previous games show up. I'd go as far as to say that the game ends up spending a lot of on Renne & the conclusion to her story when it could have been used to flesh out the SSS cast more. There's a proper lore reason to this and it will blow your blow once it's revealed in Azure but all of this comes at a certain cost. Honestly I don't know why people recommend this game as a good starting point to beginners as the payoff to lot of key moment requires you to have played through SkySC and Stardoor 15 in Sky3rd
Other than that, the game is very short especially when compared to FC and CS1. Joachim Guenter pales in comparison to Alan richard & Crow and Zero doesn't go a good job of setting up the actual villains of the Arc. In conclusion, I'd say that Trails from Zero feels like Trails in the Sky 3.5
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH CROSSBELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really good so far, but there seems to be a lot more that would probably click if I play Trails in the Sky first, so I'll do that at some point then come back to this one.
oh my god
Zero turned out to be quite mid. SSS squad feels like budget bracers. Lloyd is a hetare Gary Stu protagonist who has the other squad members orbit around him. People will say this game had the advantage of a small group to focus on, but Sky's party members aside from the main duo had ambitions, goals and lives of their own. You can't really say that of Elie, Randy and Tio. Speaking of them, Elie really got shafted, being tacked on as a love interest as if that'd make her a more interesting character.
On the topic of characters, lots of them feel like carbon copies of beloved Trails in the Sky characters, like KeA and Renne, Tita and Tio, Cassius and Arios, Lechter/Randy and Olivier, and so on. With Arios, his backstory is even copied from Cassius's, but not as developed. He certainly does win worst dad of the year award, tho.
Certain tropes get repeated, like dramatically being saved last second when you're about to get owned (happens about 4 or 5 times during the game). At the end, the main questions aren't resolved and you're basically told "lol play the sequel."
Getting on spoiler territory, I didn't vibe at all with the last chapter throwing nothing but brainwashed, mind controlled enemies at you. It's a silly plot device that removes their agency, and is not fun to interact with. It feels low effort. The same plot device is thrown at main antagonist at the last second, as if to absolve their guilt. Where have I seen this before, hmm?
Joshua and Estelle show up again but as supporting characters. It feels pretty odd considering their power level by the end of Sky 3 would be nearly godlike. However, here they're almost like rookie bracers, fading to the backstage. Having them act as small-time helpers by the end of the game cheapens them and your efforts growing them across the first trilogy.
I have to admit, the scenes with Renne and getting to the root of her backstory was fantastic. I just wish they existed in a different scenario.
I completed this on Nightmare and did the "finish the game under level 40" challenge. It was quite fun to challenge myself and try different strats, even ones not even mentioned on top guides (for xp conservation). At the same time, it forced me to not interact with a big portion of the game by not allowing me to engage in optional battles, which is a bit lame.
I'll probably play the sequel. I'm sure there will be good payoff from having played Zero. I just won't jump into it so soon.
On the topic of characters, lots of them feel like carbon copies of beloved Trails in the Sky characters, like KeA and Renne, Tita and Tio, Cassius and Arios, Lechter/Randy and Olivier, and so on. With Arios, his backstory is even copied from Cassius's, but not as developed. He certainly does win worst dad of the year award, tho.
Certain tropes get repeated, like dramatically being saved last second when you're about to get owned (happens about 4 or 5 times during the game). At the end, the main questions aren't resolved and you're basically told "lol play the sequel."
Getting on spoiler territory, I didn't vibe at all with the last chapter throwing nothing but brainwashed, mind controlled enemies at you. It's a silly plot device that removes their agency, and is not fun to interact with. It feels low effort. The same plot device is thrown at main antagonist at the last second, as if to absolve their guilt. Where have I seen this before, hmm?
Joshua and Estelle show up again but as supporting characters. It feels pretty odd considering their power level by the end of Sky 3 would be nearly godlike. However, here they're almost like rookie bracers, fading to the backstage. Having them act as small-time helpers by the end of the game cheapens them and your efforts growing them across the first trilogy.
I have to admit, the scenes with Renne and getting to the root of her backstory was fantastic. I just wish they existed in a different scenario.
I completed this on Nightmare and did the "finish the game under level 40" challenge. It was quite fun to challenge myself and try different strats, even ones not even mentioned on top guides (for xp conservation). At the same time, it forced me to not interact with a big portion of the game by not allowing me to engage in optional battles, which is a bit lame.
I'll probably play the sequel. I'm sure there will be good payoff from having played Zero. I just won't jump into it so soon.