I’m a big fan of The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel. Discovered on PS Vita, it depicts the political history of an entire continent. Wars are raging and each clan is trying to survive despite the situation. In short, it’s super interesting when you look at the general scenario. Now NIS America is releasing a new edition of TLOH Trails from Zero.
The title is part of this saga of “trails” as they are called. The story takes place just before the Cold Steel series on the timeline and was actually first released in Japan. This is the first time we can enjoy it from our side of the ocean.
Game copy courtesy of NIS America; Images of Mélanie Boutin-Chartier Played on PlayStation 5 for Review (PS4 Version)
Establishment of the SSS division
TLOH Trails from Zero follows the journey of four recruits to the Crossbell Police Department’s Special Support Section. In retaliation for the actions of their rivals, the Bracer’s Guild, the SSS are tasked with responding to citizens’ demands.
The leader of the group, Lloyd Bannings, is fresh out of detective academy. He follows in the footsteps of his older brother Guy, who died on a mission three years earlier. In addition to his daily tasks, he will uncover the circumstances of this tragic event. Also, we will infiltrate the darker and more dangerous universe of Crossbell and its surroundings. In addition to the seemingly hyperactive monsters, the gangs are more organized than ever. what exactly is going on
A Detective Squad Leader adds this investigative element to missions. We will visit the places where important events took place, meet witnesses and talk to citizens to better understand what happened. Finally, we have a moment to take stock of this information and come up with a theory. That’s when I’m FULL in the threads.
strategic battles
Of course, here we have a turn-based combat RPG. There are many monsters in forests, sewers and other abandoned ruins. On the ground, chests contain useful items for our fighters. Our heroes’ main tool is the Enigma, a portable communication device into which bullets are inserted. This allows you to assign abilities to each, whether it’s for extra health points or to increase the likelihood of restricting the opponent’s movements.
When there are more than four members on the team, those deployed in support will occasionally jump into the action with an auto attack. This happens during certain missions or when Tio asks time for reinforcements.
My tip at the beginning of the game, I would recommend equipping two orbs as soon as possible:
- Detection – shows chests on the map
- Eagle Eye – shows the monsters on the map and the direction they are facing (surprising them from behind guarantees us the first hits at the beginning of the fight)
For the others, it depends on your strategy choices per character. However, I recommend opening up the locations on your device once you have the resources to do so.
TLOH Trails from Zero offers a nice integration for fans of the franchise
Technically, I’m moving on familiar territory. The missions flow smoothly and play out similarly to other titles in the series. Regarding the combat mechanics, I was able to pass all the explanations at the beginning without any worries. Our course includes many dialogue phases. The story is developed and the characters are well defined.
This edition beautifully integrates features from newer games in the franchise. For example, the monsters on the field will run away from us if we are stronger than them. You can also speed up the on-screen action or even skip the animation of the battles by pressing the Option (“+” button on Nintendo Switch). Believe me, it makes a big difference when we rehearse chain fights and walk around places we’ve already been.
The Legend of Heroes franchise has a variety of characters under its banner. Aside from the main titles, we will come across previous or subsequent titles. I liked the tongue in cheek reference to Reinford designing the first “Orbal” vehicles here. In Trails from Zero we follow for the first time Randy Orlando, one of the four main characters of the game who fans will later see in TLOH Trails of Cold Steel III as Professor Randolph Orlando.
Although I felt an outdated look in its UI, TLOH Trails from Zero presents itself correctly. I really like this type of Japanese RPG and this one didn’t disappoint. The direct sequel The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure is also slated for a reboot in early 2023, and I’m just as eagerly awaiting it.
