The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel Reviews

very good to start the trails series. on to the next one

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is a richly layered, character-driven JRPG that stands as both an introduction and a continuation of Falcom’s ambitious Trails series. Set in the politically charged Erebonian Empire, the game successfully blends traditional turn-based combat with detailed world-building, social simulation elements, and a deeply woven narrative that sets the stage for an expansive saga. While it shares much with the genre’s classics, what elevates Trails of Cold Steel is its deliberate pacing, mature storytelling, and an ensemble cast that grows more compelling the deeper you dive into its world. The story centers on Rean Schwarzer, a student newly enrolled at Thors Military Academy, an institution known for molding the empire’s future leaders. Rean is placed into Class VII, a newly established class that breaks the academy’s usual divisions between nobility and commoners. This premise provides a fertile ground for exploring themes of class conflict, personal identity, and political tension. As Class VII embarks on military field studies across Erebonia, players are introduced to a nation teetering on the brink of upheaval, with factions inside and outside the government vying for influence. Unlike many RPGs that focus on world-ending threats from the outset, Trails of Cold Steel roots its tension in sociopolitical strife, making the stakes feel grounded and the developments all the more compelling. What stands out most about the game is its character development. Each member of Class VII has their own background, beliefs, and personal struggles, which are slowly revealed and addressed throughout the game. Rean, as the protagonist, walks a careful line between leader and peer, and while his character starts off reserved and mysterious, his development feels natural and earned. Characters like Machias and Jusis reflect the class disparity tensions of the Empire, while others like Alisa, Laura, and Fie bring their own distinct perspectives. The bonding events, similar in structure to social links in the Persona series, allow players to deepen relationships and unlock character abilities in combat. These interactions are optional but rewarding, offering emotional texture and helping to humanize the game’s sprawling cast. Combat in Trails of Cold Steel strikes a satisfying balance between tactical depth and accessibility. It retains the series’ signature turn-based system while adding a few wrinkles that enhance strategic variety. The use of the “ARCUS” battle system allows for linked attacks between bonded characters, encouraging team synergy and careful positioning. Players can also manipulate turn order with delay effects or buffs, which becomes vital in harder fights. Crafting arts (magic spells) through quartz customization returns from previous Trails entries and offers ample room for min-maxing without becoming overly complex. Boss battles in particular are memorable, requiring more than brute force and often punishing players who neglect to adapt. The game world itself is another standout element. Erebonia feels alive—not just because of its size, but due to the care taken in crafting its politics, institutions, and everyday life. Towns have named NPCs who react to story developments, students and teachers have their own subplots, and even minor side quests often reveal new insights into the empire or its people. This attention to detail creates a sense of immersion that few RPGs match. Every region you visit on your field studies adds another piece to the puzzle of Erebonia’s complex power structure, from rural outposts to bustling industrial cities, making exploration feel not only rewarding but narratively significant. Visually, Trails of Cold Steel doesn’t push graphical boundaries, especially in comparison to its modern peers. Originally developed for the PlayStation 3 and Vita, the Steam version offers improved resolution and frame rates but remains relatively modest in fidelity. However, what the game lacks in visual flash it makes up for in art direction and consistency. Character designs are distinctive and expressive, the UI is clean and functional, and environments—though not densely detailed—are varied and well-composed. The soundtrack, as expected from a Falcom game, is stellar. Composed by the veteran Sound Team jdk, the music ranges from upbeat academy themes to tense battle tracks and emotional story melodies, enhancing every moment of gameplay. The pacing of Trails of Cold Steel might be divisive for some players. The game takes its time building up characters, locations, and political tensions before fully diving into its central plot. This deliberate approach can feel slow, especially in the early chapters, but the payoff is significant. When the story begins to escalate—particularly in the final chapters and during the cliffhanger ending—it becomes clear how meticulously the foundation was laid. For those willing to invest, the narrative delivers weighty character arcs and a payoff that rewards long-term engagement, particularly as it connects to the broader Trails universe. As the first entry in a subseries that eventually spans four games, Trails of Cold Steel carries a dual burden: it must introduce new players to its complex world while respecting the continuity of the overarching Legend of Heroes franchise. It largely succeeds in this balancing act, providing enough context to stand alone while leaving breadcrumbs for veterans of the Trails in the Sky trilogy or Trails from Zero. For completionists, understanding the full narrative web means committing to dozens—if not hundreds—of hours across the series, but few RPG universes are as rewarding in their continuity and consistency. In sum, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is a masterclass in slow-burn storytelling, tactical combat, and detailed world-building. Its real strength lies not in innovation but in execution—every system feels thoughtfully designed, every character interaction meaningful, and every inch of the world rich with lore. While its pace and visuals may not appeal to every RPG fan, those who embrace its methodical style will find a narrative and cast that stay with them long after the credits roll. It’s the kind of game that earns your investment through respect for your intelligence, and it sets the stage for one of the most satisfying long-form stories in modern JRPGs. Rating: 9/10

While I do recommend playing this game if you are already invested in the world of Trails, I was personally disappointed by the end of the game. It felt like a huge step down from the Sky & Crossbell arcs. The side characters were really annoying/full of tropes I hate and some of the main characters got barely any character development. I get that they're probably saving it for the next 3 games, but still, for an introduction game, it just felt extremely surface-level at times. I won't be jumping into Cold Steel 2 for a while as I'm honestly not excited to continue.

So funny story, this is the second time I have purchased Trails of Cold Steel. I bought it back when I was in college and never finished it. A few years later, I picked it back up then steamrolled through 1-4. Another few years later, I am feeling a deep longing to go back to these games. In a blink of an eye, 4 hours passed and I am loving every single moment. I will say, your first time through can feel very slow. The first time I even played this game, I stopped halfway through because I had lost interest. However, now I am playing it a second time, I am making sure to do everything side quest and talk to every NPC to engross myself in the world. If you like Persona, JRPGs, or just a great story, this is the game for you. BIG DISCLAIMER _____________ As I already said, this series is 10x the dialogue and world building which can lead to the game feeling slower. Let it ride. Also, jump on the ride and let the game tell it's story, I promise you if you love the type of games I previously mentioned, I have a strong feeling you will love the Trails series as well. From it's characters, combat, storyline, and the sheer amount of lore that stems from the other titles, you have plenty to immerse yourself in. Stay groovy o7 - Da Professa

I've never experienced a JRPG quite like this one. It's nails the core elements, it's got fun and useful side content that you want to engage with. The story is rich, but not overly convoluted. It's a solid entry for someone wanting to start the Legend of Heroes series, but may not know exactly where to do that.

In the words of a good friend, JRPG"S are food for the soul, and this is basically the platonic form.

It took me exactly 50 hours to finish the game without grinding for levels, but in hindsight it felt like there was only maybe 10 hours of story or so. Looking back on it I wonder if so many of my hours spent were necessary. The entire game basically exists to set up the ending, the last 2-3% of the story. That's when it actually starts getting interesting. Until that moment it feels a bit bland. There are some funny and enjoyable moments, but everything in between exists mostly for world building. There is either a fluff/filler problem or a pacing problem, hard to say for certain. The combat is fine. I don't find it interesting, but it works. The only problem with it is the random difficulty spikes. 95% of the combat encounters have a difficulty of 2/10, but when you get to a boss it spikes to 8 or 9 out of 10. It's not enough to prevent progress, it's just a bit annoying. While I like the characters and story enough to recommend the game, I don't think it's memorable. If I take a break before playing the next game, I'm not sure I'll remember the events of the game when I get back. God bless the boost button. Some of the animations really love taking their time. Without the boost button it would've probably taken me 70-80 hours to complete the game. Not an exaggeration. The vibe of the game is a very average high school anime. There are elements that feel shoe-horned in to fit that vibe. The festival rock band is strongly out of place. I can buy into plenty of concepts in this game, but that one stuck out like crazy. And it looked unbelievably awkward, due to the characters just mouthing non-existing lyrics while an instrumental song was playing. Either commit or give up, don't do this half-assery. The ending was definitely the best part. The game makes great use of the immersion to make you feel real tension during a very stressful pre-war atmosphere. But were all the previous 48 hours necessary to achieve it? I don't know.

I’ve been on a journey to get caught up with this series for a hot minute now. One of my favorite aspects of this series is how while it’s all set in arcs it calls back and rewards you for playing the previous entries with a better understanding of the story and world. The school aspect is different than previous entries but for the story it’s telling it makes sense. A tight cast of characters that feel real with how they don’t always get along and agree but still come together for a common thing. The combat is very fun in this entry too. Combat links are a fun addition and I found the field studies forcing you to use all the characters a good thing as I like doing that anyways. 84 solid hours of gameplay and is only the first part of 4 games in this arc. Immediately starting CS2.

The series is GOATed for a reason, this is another very strong entry in the franchise. I've been working my way through the games in original release order, and can say that each entry has been awesome. This is another example of a first game in an arc that really establishes the world building for the region, while adding much context to people who've played other entries in the series. The biggest difference for this title is going to be the obvious switch from pixel art to 3D, and some of the hurdles that you can tell Falcom had with that change. Additionally do yourself a favor and use Senpatcher to fix a little bit of the port jank. If you do pick up the game as your first entry or as your journey through the series I hope you're able to enjoy it as much as I have.

Trails of Cold Steel continues the premiere narrative heavy, continuous JRPG series out there. It rounds off a lot of the rough edges from the prior games, though it's still probably too dialogue heavy and grindy for many. It has really nice character customization and improvement and a very solid story and is a reasonable starting point for those who can't handle the older style games earlier in the series.