The Legend of Heroes has quietly grow to be one in every of my favourite JRPG IPs. Like many Nintendo followers, I hadn’t performed a single recreation within the collection (there are round 20, relying upon whom you ask) till Legend of Heroes: Trails of Chilly Metal III hit the Swap in 2020. I’ve since performed every of the Swap releases, and Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure is among the finest.
Initially launched in 2011 for PSP, Trails to Azure is the direct sequel to Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero, which was up to date for the Swap in 2022. In case you skipped that, you should still acknowledge most of the characters from the Trails of Chilly Metal video games since they’re all set throughout the similar timeline. It’s an enormous universe of politics, friendships, heroics, and betrayals that’s fairly troublesome to maintain monitor of. Trails to Azure consists of loads of background data (each from the menu display and numerous bookshelves scattered all through the sport) to convey you updated.
As such, I’m not going to bathroom down this assessment with backstory; I don’t really feel like writing one other school thesis. It’s best to undoubtedly play Trails from Zero earlier than beginning Trails to Azure, however you’ll in any other case choose up most of what it’s essential know simply by enjoying the sport. Additionally, the story’s plot factors by no means stray too removed from the everyday JRPG tropes. There’s an enormous unhealthy coming, and it’s as much as our rag-tag crew of upstarts (and numerous pals…and generally enemies) to save lots of the day.
That is dealt with throughout two most important varieties of environments. First, you might have quite a few, large cities to discover.
These areas are the place you meet a lot of the recreation’s characters and get the narrative. The central location is Crossbell, the place the Particular Assist Part (SSS) that you just kind-of lead has its base. Right here, you’ll settle for quite a few requests that both drive the story alongside or serve to only stage you up and get you great things. Most duties need to be performed inside an in-game day, so preserving monitor of what you completed is essential. Transfer too far forward and also you received’t be capable of full your missions, thereby dropping out on their rewards.
The difficulty with that is that some duties require loads of city exploration. You’ll be able to rapidly zip to the particular borough you need, however every is full of a mix of shops, places of work and residences to take a look at. These usually comprise bonus gadgets and hidden quests you possibly can miss, so completionists will spend lots of time revisiting places and rechecking cabinets to ensure nothing new has appeared. Fortunately, there are quite a few walkthroughs out there to information you alongside.
Additionally slowing down the journey are the necessity to play mini-games and gamble. I want my video games not have video games inside them, and I prefer it much less when obtainable gadgets are basically locked behind these video games.
Possibly it’s the Methodist in me, perhaps it’s simply that roulette and card video games bore me, however I’d fairly be adventuring than sitting in a on line casino.
So, let’s journey. Your celebration’s preliminary journey to a brand new city at all times occurs by foot, and people linear however lengthy paths provide you with loads of alternatives to battle monsters, purchase the quite a few gadgets it’s essential stage up, and wrap up just a few of your assigned duties (monster management is at all times a urgent want). Enemies might be seen on the display, providing you with the choice to interact or keep away from. In case you assault them from behind you get a slight bonus when going into battle.
The turn-based fight system itself is advanced, however we are able to boil it all the way down to the same old components. Turns are assigned based mostly on pace, and every character can choose to maneuver, assault, use an merchandise, or use an artwork.
Arts are nice for focusing on an enemy’s weak spot, however they often can’t be forged straight away, giving the enemies an opportunity to get assaults in earlier than you. The humanities out there for every character are decided by the participant, so studying to optimize your celebration with the assorted gadgets you’ve acquired and upgraded turns into the important thing to victory. You’ll be able to stability your characters to ensure you’re considerably coated it doesn’t matter what you’re dealing with, or you possibly can go heavy with a particular kind of artwork (hearth, earth, wind, and many others.) if what you’ll be up in opposition to. I tended to remain balanced for basic battles, and would solely get exact with character and talent administration after getting my butt handed to me in a boss battle…which occurred extra usually than I care to confess. Fight isn’t unfair, however the recreation does ensure you regularly handle your celebration.
Fortunately, Trails to Azure offers you loads of particular fight skills to power your method by way of the more durable battles. Buying, optimizing, and equipping quartz supplies offers you entry to a wide selection of skills, buffs, and enemy debuffs. There are at all times new weapons and armor to search out or buy. Saving as much as unleash highly effective S-Craft assaults could make issues a bit simpler, as can the Combo Crafts between particular characters. Timing these assaults within the larger battles might be difficult to drag off, but it surely’s a rewarding system. The bosses and mini-bosses can usually take fairly a while to defeat, offering a pleasant change of tempo from the repetitive fights between cities.
Talking of being between cities, Trails to Azure has one thing I’ve by no means seen earlier than in a online game; the treasure chests are comedians. In case you click on on them once more after retrieving their merchandise(s), they’ll let you know a joke—a few of which are literally fairly intelligent.
One of the best a part of The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure, nonetheless, is the story. Particularly, the characters who drive the story. The sophisticated plot generally offers us an excessive amount of to learn, however that permits the quite a few folks you meet to have stunning depth. Many don’t see eye-to-eye regardless of having related objectives, and it’s intriguing to look at their relationships develop—for higher or worse. There will definitely be some you want greater than others, however I can’t think about anybody will play this recreation with out rallying behind Lloyd, Elie, Noel, Wazy, and (after all) KeA. Even the enemies are partaking…though some require you to just accept a pair troubling character flaws.
I additionally fairly like the best way the sport seems and sounds. The up to date graphics are nonetheless a bit dated, however in a comforting sort of method. They’re quaint, however detailed, they usually’re a incredible match for the Swap in handheld mode. A few of the assault animations are underwhelming, however that’s to be anticipated on a recreation this outdated. The music matches the visuals completely, and is surprisingly numerous—altering tone based mostly on the vibe of your present location.
All of this comes collectively to offer an expertise that rivals these of JRPGs developed a decade later. Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure could look cute and easy, however make no mistake; it is a very sophisticated, very rewarding recreation that can take lots of your gaming hours.
Simply ensure you begin from Zero earlier than heading to Azure.
