The Legend of Heroes Trails into Reverie – A Satisfying Epilogue for Fans | Game Review 2023

NIS America has been working diligently to bring The Legend of Heroes series to Western audiences, and it’s been an eventful time for fans. With the recent release of Crossbow Saga Games, RPGamers in the West can now delve into the pinnacle of the series, The Legend of Heroes Trails Into Reverie. The game serves as a highly satisfying epilogue to both the Trails of Cold Steel saga and the Crossbow duology, with a touch of fan service. While the intricate world-building can seem complicated at times and perhaps it is time for the series to explore new horizons, it is truly wonderful to experience one final glorious adventure with the beloved cast. The game not only celebrates the combat development of the series but also addresses some unresolved plot points.

The Legend of Heroes Trails into Reverie – A Grand Finale Unfolding in Western Zemuria

Before delving deeper into the review, it’s important to note one important point: The Legend of Heroes Trails Into Reverie is not recommended as an entry point for newcomers. The game serves as a grand finale to the events unfolding in Western Zemuria, and it’s challenging to discuss its premise without revealing spoilers from previous titles. Trails in Reverie takes place at a time when Crossbell is on the verge of achieving freedom, struggling to contain the remnants of the conflict following the conclusion of Trails of Cold Steel IV. Players are initially given the opportunity to explore the city, observing the citizens’ anticipation for the official ceremony that will solidify Crossbow’s autonomy. However, the signing ceremony takes an unexpected turn when Rufus Alberia, armed with enormous powers, reappears to gain control of Crossbell as its supreme leader.

Following an unexpected turn of events, players embark on an exciting race against time through three separate but interconnected stories that form the innovative Trails to Walk system. The first thread revolves around Lloyd Banning, the protagonist of the Crossbow duology. The second story follows Rein Schwarzer, respected hero of the Erebonian Empire and protagonist of Trails of Cold Steel, who arrives with his classmates from Class VII. The third and particularly interesting thread introduces the mysterious character named Si, who is joined by three new companions: former assassins Swim and Nadia, as well as the remarkable human-like doll named Lapis.

Each hero’s individual path progresses linearly and takes place primarily in familiar locations from previous games, primarily in and around Crossbow, with occasional excursions into Erebonia. Players are given the freedom to choose the order in which they tackle these chapters and may even switch between routes in between, although the order chosen does not affect the overall narrative progression. It’s worth noting that players can’t progress much on any specific path, ensuring a balanced experience for all players.

Trails into Reverie: Character Dynamics, Visual Splendor, and Enchanting Melodies Combine for an Epic Conclusion

Since most of the characters have already had significant development in the previous games, there is limited scope for further character development in Trails Into Reverie. Much of the character development feels repetitive, repeating what’s already been established. However, C’s team brings a fresh perspective and infuses a sense of lightness to the overall narrative, while receiving a fair share of development throughout the game. Despite the lack of substantial character development, watching the interactions between the series’ major characters and how their relationships have shaped their current status and aspirations remains an enjoyable experience.

The Trails to Walk system proves effective in maintaining the pace of the story, as it engages players in multiple stories and highlights the interconnections between them. While some of the more complex aspects of the story and the broader issues facing Zemuria as a whole may seem complicated, Trails in Reverie skillfully weaves them together, resulting in a more emotionally charged and satisfying conclusion.

The visual presentation in Trails Into Reverie lives up to fans’ high expectations. Despite the crossbow having already been featured in subsequent Trails of Cold Steel games, the level of detail in its rendering is still a delight to behold, especially considering the recent release of the Crossbow Duology in the West. The character models and environments are visually impressive, showcasing the meticulous attention to detail.

However, while the writing around these elements is commendable, the game fails to effectively convey the action in its dynamic cutscenes. Players may have to fill in gaps themselves due to the use of camera tricks, which can hinder the immersive experience. Additionally, as players revisit familiar locations, there are not many new scenes to see, resulting in the feeling of revisiting familiar territory.

Despite these limitations, the overall visual presentation in Trails Into Reverie remains strong, with attention to detail and faithful depiction of Crosbell’s beloved city-state.

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Courtesy the Falcom sound team, Trails Into Reverie continues the tradition of delivering an extraordinary musical experience. One standout track, “The Destination of Fate,” captivates listeners with its sweeping composition that highlights the emotional journeys the cast has taken throughout the series. The game excellently incorporates recurring themes and motifs, further enhancing the overall musical experience.

The soundtrack describes a variety of moods, featuring energetic dungeon exploration and thrilling battle tracks such as “Wind-Up Tomorrow”, as well as jazzy interludes and soothing melodies such as “The Sunset We Always Look”. The music is so mesmerizing that it’s easy to find yourself momentarily mesmerized, putting the controller aside and getting completely immersed in the captivating tunes.

The voice acting maintains the high quality seen throughout the series, with Reverie’s vast cast – both new and returning – performing their roles with remarkable skill. Although not every line is fully voiced, it’s a minor detail that’s easily overlooked, as important events get the full voice acting treatment. In addition, battle slogans and character commentary are reminiscent of the characters’ personalities and motivations, ensuring that their presence remains vivid in the player’s mind.

The Reverie Corridor: Unveiling Extraordinary Challenges and Hidden Tales in Trails into Reverie

Trails in Reverie takes a different approach to exploration and investigative quests than previous titles, given the focused and time-sensitive nature of the main story. Instead, the additional content is concentrated in the Reverie Corridor, which contains a substantial amount of post-game content. This mysterious realm-dungeon becomes the destination for all three parties, temporarily altering their memories to avoid any untimely encounters before the plot permits. While its full relation to the main storyline is revealed later, for the majority of the game, it serves primarily as a repeatable optional side dungeon. Here, players have the opportunity to create parties consisting of their favorite characters, by engaging in mini-games such as Returning Vantage Masters and Pom-Pom Party.

Unlocking most of Reverie Corridor’s content involves discovering special rewards obtained by defeating enemies within the corridor. Additionally, Reverie Corridor is home to the game’s only significant quest system, which offers a wide range of tasks for players to complete. These quests may involve defeating a specific number of enemies, completing certain mini-games, and various other objectives.

Reverie Corridor provides a place for players to enjoy additional challenges, experiment with party combinations, and participate in diverse quests, increasing the game’s replayability and offering a variety of engaging activities beyond the main story. Is.

Within the Reverie Corridor, players can find new quartz, gear, and costumes, as well as abundant rewards in the form of combat and system upgrades. In addition, there are side story episodes that tell about specific cast members, offering a glimpse into their individual journeys and a series of captivating events that occur before or alongside the main game. These episodes can include exploration and combat, adding variety to the gameplay experience.

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While Reverie Corridor serves its intended purpose and provides enjoyable elements, the concentration of all the side content within this isolated location can create a feeling of disconnect from the rest of the game. As a result, it can feel somewhat disconnected from the main plot and overall progression.

Nevertheless, the rewards, side stories and additional exploration opportunities offered by the Reverie Corridor contribute to the game’s overall depth and provide players with the chance to engage with beloved cast members and uncover additional aspects of their journey.

The Legend of Heroes Trails into Reverie – Refined Combat Mechanics and Strategic Depth Await Returning Players

Returning players of The Legend of Heroes Trails Into Reverie can expect a familiar feel in terms of its turn-based battle mechanics. This iteration continues to refine the already brilliantly refined systems that were first introduced in Trails in the Sky. In fact, the combat system in Trails Into Reverie is essentially a carbon copy of the one carefully developed and used to great effect in Trails Into Cold Steel IV. However, there have also been some notable additions, such as the introduction of new United Fronts.

The United Front serves as an extension of existing combat relationships. Players can now use the Assault Gauge, which gradually increases over time or can be increased by striking breakable objects on the ground. This allows them to execute powerful cooperative attacks known as United Attacks, as well as perform United Arts or United Heals. These options provide players with several strategic options during battle. In addition, the Brave Points system works harmoniously with United Fronts, as any use of a United Front also offsets Brave Points.

Additionally, the Cross UI system, first introduced in Trails of Cold Steel III, continues to impress players by providing easy and quick access to all available combat options. This streamlined interface allows players to execute a series of rapid turns while having a predetermined plan in mind. On the other hand, it also affords them the luxury of taking their time to fully assess the various tactical possibilities when the situation demands.

By retaining the core elements that have made the combat system so engaging in the Trails series and adding thoughtful enhancements such as United Fronts and the Cross UI system, The Legend of Heroes Trails Into Reverie will return both familiarity and excitement to returning players. provides. It’s a testament to the developers’ dedication to providing a satisfying gameplay experience while maintaining the strategic depth that fans have come to love.

The Legend of Heroes Trails Into Reverie continues to impress with a diverse roster of characters to choose from in combat. Players have a huge selection of amusing characters to use during battles. It is worth mentioning, however, that there are occasional frustrating encounters with bosses having high health and speed, making them a tougher challenge than other enemies on the standard difficulty setting.

Thankfully, the game includes the mitigation options that have become a staple of the series. Players have the freedom to adjust the difficulty to their liking, allowing them to find the appropriate level of challenge. Additionally, the option to retry the battle is available, and when selected, enemies’ strength is immediately weakened, giving players the chance to overcome obstacles without feeling overly discouraged.

The downside is that players with smaller screens or those sitting at a distance from their screen may have difficulties reading the small-sized text displaying the health, EP and CP numbers located in the lower-right corner of the screen . This might be a minor inconvenience for some, but it doesn’t impact the overall gameplay experience.

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Despite these minor setbacks, the satisfaction gained from executing powerful combined attacks, chasing down combos, and successfully escaping challenging situations remains incredibly gratifying. The turn-based battle system in the Trails series is consistently ranked among the best in the genre, and Trails Into Reverie effectively takes advantage of and amplifies its strength.

While some bosses can present frustrating challenges and some text elements can cause readability issues for players with smaller screens, the combat system in The Legend of Heroes Trails Into Reverie remains as strong as ever. With its extensive character selection and the inclusion of adjustable difficulty and combat reduction options like retrying battles, the game delivers an excellent combat experience that aligns with the reputation of the series.

Balancing Accessibility and Depth: Character Involvement and Equipment Management in Trails into Reverie

Trails in Reverie faces some challenges due to the large number of playable characters. Some of these characters are marginalized in terms of their involvement in the story, while creating all the characters quickly becomes a onerous task. For players who don’t want to actively enjoy difficult challenges or carefully building extensive loadouts, letting the game automatically equip the party from time to time, rather than trying to stay on top of equipment management may be more convenient.

The game streamlines the equipment aspect by mainly focusing on upgradeable items that are unique to each character. However, when it comes to Orbments, which serve as a magical system of characters, the complexity increases. Balancing both aspects, the game strikes a balance that caters to different playing styles. It is relatively easy to rapidly assemble a capable team that can progress through standard difficulty. Plus, there are plenty of opportunities for those seeking a bigger challenge to plan carefully and match the abilities of their favorite party members.

In short, while some characters may get less prominence in the story and managing equipment for all the characters can be a daunting task, Trails in Reverie strikes a balance between accessibility and depth. The game features automatic equipment setup for casual players, allowing them to progress comfortably. Also, it provides opportunities for strategic planning and synergy-building for those who want a more challenging and complex gameplay experience.

Verdict

The Legend of Heroes Trails Into Reverie serves as a remarkable culmination of the titles that precede it, making it a must-play for fans of the series. It effectively celebrates and pays homage to the narrative and combat elements established throughout the franchise. Although the game may be lacking some of the engrossing investigative aspects that allow players to fully immerse themselves in the world, the joy of seeing the interactions between all the main characters once again is a pleasure in itself. Furthermore, it presents an emotionally impactful finale that leaves a lasting impression.

With that said, it is clear that the series is now ready to explore new horizons and venture into uncharted territories. Fans eagerly wait to see what’s going to happen next, and hopefully Western audiences won’t have to wait too long to find out the direction the series will take in Kuro no Kiseki.

The Legend of Heroes Trails Into Reverie is a testament to the series’ legacy and a gift to loyal fans. While it may be lacking some beloved investigative elements, the rekindling of characters’ interactions and the delivery of a poignant conclusion make this a memorable experience. As the series prepares to embark on new adventures, anticipation for what’s to come in Kuro no Kiseki runs high among fans, promising an exciting future for both the franchise and its Western audiences.

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