This was the game that made me fall in love with trails, the story, the characters, the world building, the music, everything about this game is perfect. Estelle's journey feels so earned and unlike any other JRPG I've played.

Objectively this is probably the best game in the whole franchise, Falcom created a scenario where the odds were against you and you feel it every single second. This game had me questioning how the fuck was it possible to win but Lloyd's determination was on full display with never giving up. The plot twist in this is still peak fiction and probably the ultimate moment in the whole franchise.

This is the ultimate crossover, everything is at stakes and the number of foes you have to go against really establishes that everything is on the line. There are pacing issues and some gross forced love interests but at the end of the day this game is so hype.

This game is a complete rollercoaster, the concept of the doors highlighting primary characters in the past or secondary characters was brilliant. Although the game is the outlier in the franchise as it's mostly a dungeon crawler I'm glad Falcom decided to let go and have fun with the combat with the numbers going real crazy. At the end this game made me cry my eyes out, not because it was sad, but because it was an honor to see all of the Liberl characters come together one last time before going their separate ways.

On one hand CS III returns to the school format, but on the other Falcom was able to improve from CS I significantly. Having a smaller class size allowed characters to have more time to shine. The game doesn't take long for the antagonists to start string trouble either. This feels like the game that awards the player for playing all 7 previous games because references are made left right and centre and if you are a new player it will go all over your head.

The wrap up of the Erebonian and Crossbell arc and I think it does an excellent job of doing it. Not only does the game provide plenty of fan service just like 3rd, but it's able to balance three separate POVs without feeling too discombobulated. It does fall down with certain story beats being repeated from previous games.

CS II varstly improves from CS I as the sense of urgency is established from the very beginning. The game also reminds me of Suikoden with the whole recruiting all of the students from Thors while you traverse Erebonia. Although the game has pacing issues, I think this is a game that is more appreciated in retrospect with knowledge down the line.

Daybreak barely beats Zero as the best opening game just from how it distinguishes itself from everything from the series prior. A new revamped battle system, a unique position in the eyes of the law, and immediate threats from the get go. Although the game does drag a bit near the end, the way it handles party members was a significant improvement compared to the likes of CS.

This is easily one of the strongest opening games in an arc to the point where I would recommend this as a persons first trails game if they couldn't access the Sky trilogy on PC. The game does so many things well, the only gripes I have is how chapter 3 can drag on too long and how the overall narrative can be disconnected. But if you were able to get through FC these factors shouldn't hinder your experience too much.

Falcom really dropped the ball with this one, unlike with other second entries, Kuro II barely pushes the overarching plot along. I still really enjoyed this game as plot threads as early as the Liberl arc were being addressed in the game and we get further insight to the world and organisations. As a result, this feels like a more character focussed game more than anything.

Although this was lots of peoples first exposure to the series, I find CS to be quite safe compared to other entries. This is in relation to how the game overtly takes a lot of inspiration from Persona. As a result, you end up with half of a trails game and half of a school simulator. They do manage to pack in a lot of references to previous arcs but the magnitude of the threat pales in comparison to previous opening games.

The game that started it all, just because FC is near the bottom doesn't mean the game is bad but rather it's great in a list of amazing games. Although people like to complain that the game is a very slow burn, if you don't have hindsight about later entries FC establishes the world of Zemuria in an organic manner that allows you to really feel in Estelle's shoes.

Similiar to Northern war, it's a gatcha game that is non-canon. The only reason why this one is rated higher is because at least we get introduced to new characters and also get more details on Remiferia.

This is ranked last due to it being a gatcha that relies on fan favourite characters from previous arcs carrying this game. It doesn't help that the story is non-canon and more or less an adaption of the anime which is also sucks.