The Legend of Heroes is a long-running JRPG series made up of several games spanning over thirty-three years.
Their games have always been hugely popular in Japan and in recent years have seen major success in the West mainly due to the Trails of Cold Steel arc.
This new appetite for The Legend of Heroes games is probably among the reasons why Nihon Falcom and NIS America are releasing a slew of titles that have never left Japan.
They have announced four games in total with the first being The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero which was originally released in 2010 for the Playstation Portable.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero is the first part of the duology that makes up the Crossbell arc.
It follows Lloyd Bannings as he returns to his hometown after leaving due to the mysterious death of his brother Guy.
Upon his return, Lloyd joins the Crossbell Police Department and is invited to lead the newly formed Special Support Section.
Here he is joined by Elie MacDowell, Tio Plato, and Randy Orlando who form a close-knit unit that takes on several tough cases in an attempt to clean up the streets of Crossbell.
Lloyd also uses this as an opportunity to uncover the truth of his brother's death which thrusts them into a gritty adventure filled with the mafia and dark cults.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero much like other games in the series is filled with a colourful cast of characters who each have well-crafted backstories.
The plot itself starts off pretty slow with the game taking time to introduce supporting characters and the world of Crossbell.
But I enjoyed this slower pace because it allows players to digest the huge lore without being too overwhelmed.
I really admire the way The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero tackles each of its storylines, with each case playing out like a thrilling detective story.
Newcomers to the series won’t necessarily need to play previous games to understand the plot, however, there are a few references and characters from past titles that pop up.
The developers have done a great job at telling a completely different story from the past games and showing off a different side to the continent of Zemuria.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero may be filled with plot devices and characters that will be familiar to fans of the genre, but it’s an intense story that's gripping from start to finish.
Visually Trails from Zero has a brazen anime aesthetic, with characters sporting awesome designs that are more grounded than in other series.
The miniature character models are charming and display all their intricate details. They really shine during combat with their brazen battle animations dazzling the screen.
The entire world of Trails from Zero is vibrant and fun with so much intricate detail being paid to enemies, especially bosses.
This version of The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero is a port of the enhanced game that came out on the Playstation Portable Vita.
However, the Nintendo Switch and PC versions have been further upgraded from the Playstation 4 version.
Funnily enough, this is a rare occasion where the Nintendo Switch version is far superior to the Playstation 4 one, which grants cleaner and smoother visuals that are really accentuated by the brilliant OLED screen.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero main gameplay will be split between combat and exploration.
Players will be able to explore the Crossbell which has been divided into different districts that are filled with NPCs and hidden items.
Each district has its own distinctive style that’s fun to explore, but what’s even better is that the NPCs are really well designed and each encounter adds an interesting layer to the game narrative.
The game is split up into different chapters that will see players have to take a series of quests given to the characters from the HQ computer.
The game also has numerous side quests that add to the longevity of the playtime, whilst also granting great rewards.
That being said, there isn’t much diversity within the mission and will mainly consist of exterminating monsters or collecting items. There are a few missions that require players to use more of their detective skills.
There is also a lot of backtracking but the game features a great fast travel system that makes traversing Crossbell a breeze.
Like other games in the Legend of Heroes, series combat plays a core part in the adventure with players having access to a bunch of systems.
Combat will be initiated by coming into contact with enemies or hitting them from behind for a surprise attack. Combat is very similar to the system featured in the Sky trilogy where players will do battle in a turn-based format.
Players will be able to move around a grid and attack their opponents using normal attacks, Crafts or S-Crafts.
A new feature is that characters will be able to execute Combo Crafts, allowing them to attack with another member of the team.
The beauty of this attack is it not only deals a massive amount of damage but takes a smaller amount of CP than the S-Crafts making this new system a much more viable option to mix into your strategy.
Customisation comes in the form of the Orbment system which works similarly to other games in the series where each character will have access to a number of gem slots that can be filled with quartz.
Each quartz has a different effect that can provide boosts or Arts that can be used in battle.
There is a good variety of abilities available but I feel customisation is slightly limited compared to other games in the series.
Trails from Zero include fun challenges within its levelling-up system that will multiply the character's experience points.
Completing objectives like not moving for the starting spot or not taking damage can lead to rewards.
Verdict 4 / 5
The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero is a great entry in the series that builds upon legacy gaming mechanics and combat systems.
It’s a great starting point for fans of the genre looking to get into The Legend of Heroes series.
Fans of the Cold Steel games will relish being able to finally play Lloyd’s original game and experience a vastly different The Legend of Heroes title.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure
Trails to Azure is the second part of the Crossbell Arc taking place several months after the ending of Trails from Zero. Once again the story follows Lloyd Bannings and the members of The Special Support Section, who are joined by new recruits to combat another world-ending threat.
Unlike Trails from Zero, Azure wastes no time in throwing us straight into the action introducing a new threat and characters quite early on. I like this style of storytelling as it makes Azure and Zero feel like one long game as opposed to two separate parts.
New recruits Wazy Hemisphere and Noel Seeker fit in effortlessly with this rag-tag group of young law enforcement. Trails of Azure doesn't really go out of its comfort zone containing much of the story within Crossbell, however this is great as fans get to see the development of their favourite characters from the first game. But newcomers will need to have played the first game or they will be completely lost.
What’s even more intriguing is that now players will be able to import their saved data from Zero, meaning that NPCs and other characters will have different interactions based on how you played the first game.
This is an amazing feature as it allows fans who have spent a lot of time on Zero to continue their adventure and see actual reactions to the events of the first game.
Visually Trails to Azure retains the same brazen anime aesthetic seen in the first game, with characters sporting awesome designs that are once again more grounded than in other series.
Gameplay in Trails to Azure is pretty much the same as Zero, which is a good thing as it allows fans of the first game to get stuck in from the get go and also allows the developers to flesh out the story content.
There are a few new gaming mechanics that slightly differentiated Azure’s experience from Zero.
Firstly players will be introduced to the new Burst gauge that grants the party a turn with a plethora of advantages including having full dexterity, being cured of all status and being able to cast arts with zero chanting. This is a great new mechanic as it adds an element of risk and reward during battles.
Enemies will now be able to attack your characters from behind, allowing them to gain an advantage and forcing you support characters to step in. This is a nice new addition as it forces players to traverse the world map carefully.
Customisation still comes in the form of the Orbment system but the game has added a Master Quartz allowing players to boost their characters stats and eventually learn a Master Art.
There is also a new method for fast travel using the Orbal Car that players would have seen in other games. Here players will be able to customise it with new parts and paint jobs, however this is mainly superficial.
Verdict 4/5
Trails to Azure is a sensational follow up to Zero and a great ending to the Crossbell Arc. The developers have done a great job at bringing this classic game to modern consoles. It may have been a long wait for fans of the Legend of Heroes games, but Trails of Azure was definitely worth the wait as it showcases some of the series greatest achievements in storytelling and gameplay
