Trails into Reverie is actually an epilogue to the Trails of Chilly Metal sequence. It brings each character — and we imply each character — again for one final hurrah as yet one more menace casts a shadow over the continent of Zemuria. Simply to get it out of the best way: if you have not performed by way of the 4 Chilly Metal video games, in addition to the 2 Crossbell titles (Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure), then we might say Reverie is just about impenetrable.
Telling somebody to play by way of a minimum of six prolonged RPGs simply to allow them to perceive what is going on on within the newest recreation is clearly taking the piss, however as we have mentioned earlier than, the deeply interconnected world of the Trails franchise is its biggest asset. For these gamers who’ve caught round and immersed themselves within the many adventures of Lloyd Bannings and Rean Schwarzer, Reverie is an excellent celebration.
It is also a really distinctive Trails title in that its story is advised by way of three distinct ‘routes’, every one specializing in a selected character or group. The primary two star the aforementioned protagonists, as they’re torn away from their now comparatively regular lives and tasked as soon as once more with beating the unhealthy guys. In some methods, each Lloyd and Rean’s routes really feel like retreads of ideas and story beats that have been already handled in earlier video games — however there’s simply sufficient vitality and motion to their tales that merely seeing everybody crew up once more makes for an entertaining journey.
It is really the third route that steals the present. It follows a number of new characters who underpin the general plot, however what makes this get together so intriguing is that they are not your typical heroes. They’re led by the masked and mysterious C, whose objectives appear to conflict with the great man antics of the bigger solid. C employs the assistance of Nadia and Swin — two teenage assassins on the run — and there are some nice character dynamics at play right here, because the younger duo are gradual to belief their faceless chief.
Whereas the general plot of Reverie does really feel a bit prefer it belongs in a film spin-off to a 1,000-episode anime, it is these character-driven moments that maintain every thing collectively. The sport positively revels in reintroducing fan favorite figures, and this truth turns into abundantly clear throughout its quite a few action-packed, absolutely animated cutscenes. There isn’t any query that developer Falcom has actually stepped up its strategy to cinematic storytelling — Reverie being an indication of issues to come back within the contemporary Kuro no Kiseki arc.
Talking of Kuro, Reverie additionally acts as one thing of a bridge to the most recent Trails titles (at the moment solely obtainable in Japan and Asia). With out spoiling something, the latter half of the plot locations a highlight on the broader repercussions of present occasions, with Calvard — a nation that is commonly referenced all through the franchise — being a key speaking level. It nearly appears like a cheeky introduction to Calvard as a setting, and it is yet one more instance of how the Trails video games expertly weave themselves collectively to type the larger image.
However for us, Reverie really excels in its gameplay. Whereas the dungeon design and largely implausible fight mechanics aren’t that a lot completely different from what you may discover in Chilly Metal 4, there’s an sudden pleasure in getting access to so many playable characters. Overwhelming at first, maybe, however with the ability to tinker with such an enormous vary of get together members is a strategist’s dream come true. What’s extra, Reverie — in distinction to prior video games — showers you with highly effective equipment and stat-boosting quartz proper from the off, permitting for a way of tactical freedom that is merely unmatched elsewhere within the franchise.
Now, not everybody will benefit from the strategy of micromanaging over 50 heroes (and antiheroes), however you may all the time gear up only a handful of your favorite fighters and follow them, whereas additionally making use of the sport’s helpful get together menu with a purpose to robotically equip members with advisable loadouts. It is all made considerably approachable, which is spectacular when you think about the sheer measurement of Reverie’s roster.
In the event you’re something like us, although, you may completely love reworking characters into borderline damaged monsters — and for this reason we received hopelessly hooked on exploring the True Reverie Hall. An enormous, partly randomised, and endlessly replayable dungeon that grants worthwhile rewards, the True Reverie Hall is a brilliantly labored time sink the place the Trails fight system might be loved to its fullest.
The Hall additionally boasts a hub space the place you may speak to characters, organise your dream crew — everybody is finally playable within the Hall no matter their story route — and even play a spread of minigames everytime you like (the in-depth Pom Pom Get together and Vantage Masters included). Whilst you do must tangle with the Hall itself at set factors within the story, it’s a largely optionally available tour, providing up some peak dungeon crawling ought to the temptation take you.
Regardless of being one of many shortest Trails titles when it comes to major story size — it took us round 40 hours or so — the True Reverie Hall provides some severe weight to the general bundle, offering hours upon hours of satisfying turn-based battles and delightfully breezy optionally available actions. The Hall as a complete is principally a recreation throughout the recreation, and it has the potential to maintain Trails tremendous followers busy for a lengthy time.
Actually, our solely criticism of Reverie boils right down to story-based character bloat. A problem that is bled over from Chilly Metal 4, there are simply manner too many characters current in some scenes, all of them getting an pointless line of dialogue simply in case you forgot they exist. This turns into a very noticeable downside in the course of the recreation’s closing act, the place you’ve got actually received over 40 characters standing in a room collectively. It appears ridiculous, and it slows the in any other case properly paced plot to a crawl.
Conclusion
Trails into Reverie is an all-star tour that appears like one massive franchise pageant; your extra conventional Trails marketing campaign being the backbone of what generally is a brilliantly sturdy RPG, full with greater than sufficient gameplay depth to maintain even probably the most hardcore gamers comfortable. As an epilogue to the Crossbell and Chilly Metal video games, it will probably appear a bit of drained when it comes to creativity, however its faults are simply missed while you’re again within the saddle with all your favorite heroes.
