The Legend of Heroes: Trails series has made quite a name for itself over the years, but it has never been the easiest RPG series to get into. Those who jumped into Trails in the Sky: First Chapter found themselves being tossed into one of the most developed and well thought-out worlds in video game history, and anyone who wasn't able to play Sky simply had to settle for one of the sequels.
Being a series where every single NPC is a unique character with ever-changing dialogue and stories of their own, and dozens upon dozens of main characters and party members who have hundreds of connections between them, and a plot that constantly makes one question everything they thought they knew—diving into a sequel honestly isn't the best idea. It's just that many didn't have a choice, and the games themselves releasing out of order in the West didn't help things either.
Well, believe it or not, Falcom has finally stepped in to correct the steep entry requirements for the series, and they've gone back to the beginning. Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter is a complete 3D remake of Trails in the Sky: First Chapter, featuring nearly full voice acting, highly detailed cinematics, and over 20 years of quality-of-life improvements and gameplay systems. It is the definitive way to play the PSP and PC exclusive First Chapter, and it is the true starting point for the entire series. This is the game newcomers have been waiting for, and what long-time fans thought was only a pipe dream. Maybe an enhanced port to modern consoles? Sure. But a complete remake on this level and quality that surpasses even the latest entry in the overall series? That was completely unexpected.
So, what is Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter exactly, and why is it something one should consider picking up? And, above all, is it a series that is truly right for you? Well, the answer to that question really isn't so black and white. The Trails series is a classic JRPG at heart, but it is also unlike anything else on the market. It is a game that someone could write a 500-page report on its history and overall story, and still only scratch the surface. It truly is something special if one is willing to invest the time, and there is no denying that there is still a bit of a bar to overcome in 1st Chapter.
This isn't a game that will knock one off their feet from the get-go, but rather, it is one that will take its time to allow players to live in and experience its world. Just like in real life, you do not start off at the top, and your ordinary life may not be that interesting at first. But as you get older and truly experience life, things change, and you become who you were meant to be. That is the story of your own life that is worth telling, and that is exactly what happens with our main cast in Trails in the Sky. These are humble beginnings that set the stage for an adventure no one could've ever imagined.
The Story of 1st Chapter:
Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter tells the story of a young girl named Estelle Bright who lives in the country of Liberl. Estelle herself isn't anything special, but her dad is a war hero from an event known as the Hundred Days War. During this time, the empire of Erebonia invaded Liberl, and unfortunately, the casualties were steep. Estelle herself lost her mother during an attack, and because of that, she was forced to step up and help look after the house at a young age. Though still immature, her childhood was taken from her, and she never truly comprehended the events that had transpired. After the war, however, her father Cassius left the military and instead joined the local Bracer's Guild—an independent group dedicated to helping the public and taking on requests the military won't handle. This was his way of staying closer to Estelle, and also protecting those he cares about; something he failed to do for his own wife.
A Fateful Meeting
The game itself begins one fateful day when Cassius returns home from a Bracer mission and greets Estelle just as usual. This time, however, he has brought her a "gift," which excites Estelle, but when she sees what it actually is, she is left utterly confused. It is a young boy with black hair and amber eyes—a boy she would soon learn was named Joshua. Without explaining the details to Estelle, Cassius tells her that Joshua will be living with them from now on, while Joshua himself remains apprehensive. Instead of moving in with the Brights, he simply wishes Cassius would kill him instead. Put him down, because he doesn't deserve this new family. Estelle, being the strong-willed person she is, however, knocks some sense into Joshua and declares him an official part of the family. Their home is now his as well, and Estelle is sure they will grow up to become great friends... But how does Joshua truly feel?
A World Shaped by Orbal Technology
After the intro, the game skips ahead to the present with 16-year-old Estelle and Joshua now attempting to follow in their father's footsteps. They too are working hard to become official Bracers, and it is now finally time for them to take their test. Along the way, the two learn a bit more about the world and the crazy mess the invention of strange devices known as Orbments has caused. Thanks to this technology, not only can normal people use magic-like abilities, but airships can fly through the air, new types of vehicles are being created, phones are coming into existence, and many other real-world technological breakthroughs are happening all at the same time. This world is rapidly progressing, and within the span of just a few years, the world itself is set to become unrecognizable. A lot of this is beyond Estelle's knowledge, however, and becoming a Bracer requires getting out in the world—to leave the comfort zone of their small town of Rolent and see the world. Once they complete their training, this is exactly what Estelle and Joshua are sent out to do, and it is this first step that leads them on an adventure that will never be forgotten.
Two Sides of the Same Coin
Of course, nothing is quite so black and white. Estelle herself is very naive and does not truly understand life or her own place in the world. Despite losing her mom and stepping up to attempt to fill that void, she still has a lot of growing up to do. She understands there are dangers out there, and she wants to help people, but ultimately she is just following her dad's footsteps and failing to truly understand what that means. She makes a lot of dumb mistakes, acts childish, and has many flaws. She isn't perfect by any means, and she can come off as being annoying due to just how immature she really is. Even so, she has a good heart, and she truly cares about those around her. She is a kind person, and that very nature of hers is something she carries with her into every job she takes as a Bracer.
Joshua, on the other hand, is the opposite. While he too doesn't have a family, he keeps his past and own personal feelings to himself. He's never told Estelle what happened to him or how he met Cassius, and he often distances himself from others. Over the years, he has become closer to Estelle and calls Cassius "Dad," but his standoffish nature persists. He does have a soft spot for kids, however, and looks out for the children in town, but with others his own age or older he sometimes has issues connecting with them. He tries, or at least does a good enough job faking it, but there is clearly something he doesn't want to talk about. He also struggles with his own feelings and is discouraged when he realizes his thoughts do not align with those around him. One early example of this is when he wanted to kill a monster, because he felt no sympathy for it. It was just an object in his mind, and its life didn't matter. Of course, Estelle isn't bothered by this and can understand his point of view, but Joshua himself struggles with his own "not-normal" thoughts.
The Story of Growth and Development
These are the characters and personalities displayed during the early opening moments of the game, but they are not the same characters by the end. Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter is not only a story that establishes the world and sets our would-be heroes out on an adventure, but it is a story about personal growth and what it means to face harsh realities. The series as a whole spans many years, with 1st Chapter being the beginning where both Estelle, Joshua, and other key players are at their youngest. Where the world is headed and how this will impact their lives is anyone's guess (unless you've played the rest of the series), but one thing is for certain... Everyone who sets out on this adventure with Estelle is going to be in for one wild ride. It just takes a little bit to get to it.
The New Story Presentation, NPCs and the World:
The original version of Trails in the Sky: First Chapter used chibi-style sprites and a basic 3D world with fixed isometric camera angles and some ability to rotate maps. There was no voice acting, and often on-screen action was simply implied by the dialogue. It was very much like other classic JRPGs released during the '90s and early 2000s, and at times it could be a little slow. With Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter, however, the game has been fully remade in 3D, and it contains mostly full voice acting.
One of the most impressive aspects of the game is how every major story scene has been completely animated, and feels almost like watching a movie rather than reading a book. Dynamic camera angles, finely crafted animations, solid voice acting, and countless other extra details help bring these scenes to life. It is the type of love and care rarely seen in games, and especially not from smaller studios like Falcom... But that has also always been a part of what makes them who they are, because they tend to always go above and beyond when it is within their means.
World Building Detail
Rather than designing the bare minimum, buildings and houses are complete with multiple bedrooms, kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms, and more—many of these rooms serve absolutely no purpose, but they make the world feel alive. Walking into a house isn't just a single room like you typically expect from an RPG; rather, it looks like an actual home. Even shopkeepers tend to have apartments above their storefronts, and soldiers guarding the border have crew quarters, a rec room, a supply shop, and more. There are some locations that have rooms that are blocked off, sure, but in general this is a fully developed world that tells its own story simply by observing it. Players can walk into a town and piece together the lives of those who live there, even if it is never directly stated. But a lot is actually said in the game, and it is up to the player to invest the time to listen.
NPC Dialogue Enhanced
As with every entry in the series, nearly every character and NPC in the game is in fact a unique character. They have a name, they have family, they have friends, and they live their own life alongside Estelle and Joshua. After nearly every single story event in the game, NPCs have their dialogue updated, and talking to them provides another piece of the puzzle. In the original game, players had to simply walk around talking to everyone they saw to see if they had something new to say, but thankfully in 1st Chapter each character has a speech bubble icon to let you know if they do have something to say. These characters also appear on the map as a yellow icon, which then turns grey once their dialogue options have been exhausted (typically each NPC has at least two things to say).
This means there is no guessing on when to talk to others, and players can simply stop by each NPC before moving on to the next story point. The game also has a fast travel system that can be activated at any time, so warping to other towns or areas to talk to people is no big deal—unlike in the original where you had to walk physically.
The Future
While it isn't mandatory to talk to everyone every time, a lot of story and general lore is hidden behind these extra chats. To top it off, sometimes the most simple and basic-seeming line of dialogue will greatly expand upon the world and be built upon in future entries. Fans who have experienced the rest of the games and are now playing 1st Chapter will have plenty of mind-blowing moments as well. It isn't uncommon to talk to someone, read what they say, and then realize exactly what this seemingly innocent piece of dialogue was leading to. The fact that these plot lines and ideas were established so far back is honestly impressive, and one day newcomers to the series will also get to experience the shock if they choose to continue forward.
That being said, Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter is in fact only the first of three, and thankfully Falcom themselves confirmed prior to release that 2nd Chapter was already in development alongside 1st Chapter... They had no intentions of leaving fans hanging, as this game truly is just the intro to something much greater.
New and Additional Context
In addition to the new cutscenes, improved NPCs, and the original general story, the game does contain new dialogue and additions as well. Characters now talk to each other and comment on things while exploring the world, and there are also new voiced NPCs that will say things as you walk by them. A lot of the new dialogue is simply filler or to add extra context to things, but it really is nice hearing the characters' thoughts as they go through their adventure. Before, this was reserved only for cutscenes, and such story scenes alone often didn't allow for the characters to fully express themselves. It really is a nice touch, and the game also uses it to explain or call out things players might not normally notice. There are also extra areas and side quests not seen in the original release, which also adds a bit more to the world development in general.
These are all of the main story changes that have been made in 1st Chapter, and they really do help make this the best way to experience this classic story.
The Gameplay:
Moving past the story, the gameplay in Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter is broken up into a few parts. You have exploration (field and dungeon areas), character customization, and the battle system, which is broken up into both real-time combat and an enhanced version of the classic turn-based system the series is known for—a combat system that has been carried over from the newer Trails through Daybreak and the upcoming Trails Beyond the Horizon.
Exploration
Exploration in 1st Chapter is broken up between safe zones, such as towns, field areas, and dungeons. As a fully 3D game, players have full control over the camera, and a mini-map helps direct your attention towards objects of interest. Items such as treasure chests appear on the map once they are within range, and enemies are also displayed as little dots. Side events or special interactive objects appear as green and blue exclamation marks, with the main story objectives appearing red instead. The map itself also fills in as players move to the edges of the currently known locations, so it encourages exploring every nook and cranny before moving on.
Towns contain everything one might need, with previous locations being story-locked as progression is made. Each story chapter typically revolves around one main area, and only it and the nearby villages can be accessed during that time. That's not to say that each region is small; in fact, each location is actually quite massive, but not having the entire world open at all times does limit things a bit. That being said, every town and village is unique, with different shops and other buildings to explore, and nothing required for advancement is ever lost. Outside of special items such as books, each new shop contains what the previous one offered, plus more, so players never have to fear missing out on equipment or helpful items.
With how big each area is, and with dozens upon dozens of NPCs to talk to, Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter thankfully makes one major improvement and includes the option to fast travel. Each of the main locations within a region will also get added to the quick travel menu once you reach them for the first time, and even key buildings within a town are added to that list as well. In the beginning area alone, for example, all of the "dungeons" can be warped back to within a matter of seconds; the Bright house is a location; the two military bases, the farm, and of course the town of Rolent itself are all there as well. Rolent has multiple key locations within it, and they too all have a fast travel point to speed things up. This means someone could in theory jump to in front of a dungeon, grab an item needed for a side quest, and then warp directly to the person who requested it, and then appear in the Bracer Guild to report its completion. All done within a few minutes, versus the possibly twenty minutes it would've taken to walk it—that is a major time saver.
In addition to fast travel, the game does feature a toggle to swap between jogging and running, and there is an extra quick speed-up mode that can be enabled as well. This has been a series staple for quite a while now, and it is great to see it still be included despite other quick options being available. Of course, the faster running mode and the speed-up option can be used in conjunction with each other, so navigation outside of fast travel is even faster than ever. This isn't a small game in the slightest, so every boost in speed can really help. This mode can be used in combat as well, which has also seen a significant increase in pace even without toggling on the faster speed.
Turn Based and Action Combat
The original Trails in the Sky: First Chapter was a bit slow when it came to the combat department. It was a turn-based system where running into enemies on the field would trigger a fight. Once in a battle, animations were on the slower side, selecting attacks from menus took time, and fights required you to position your characters on a grid, almost like in a tactical RPG, to be within range of an enemy to attack or avoid incoming ones. Moving your characters would take up a turn, and positioning in general was important to make the most out of whatever skill you were planning to use. It was a fine combat system that set the groundwork for later entries, but there's no denying that it shows its age in today's world.
It was a battle system that required patience, and sometimes that's asking a bit much after one has already spent nearly one hundred hours in a game. Although in theory you could run past fights once they became a bit much, unfortunately, the party members following the party leader could activate fights as well. They followed the exact same walking path as the player, and that means if an enemy walks within that same path, they will run into it and trigger a fight.
It is annoyances like these that have been completely removed and fixed with the remake, and the other improvements easily make this one of the best battle systems the series has ever seen.
Rather than simply running into enemies to start a fight, 1st Chapter features a real-time battle system while exploring the field, which can then be used to gain an advantage in turn-based fights as well. The currently controlled character on-screen has a basic attack to chip away at enemies' health, and they can use a stronger power hit as an energy bar fills up at the bottom right of the screen. A dodge button is available to get away from enemy attacks, with perfect dodges further building up your energy, and it can be used to remain in the action-combat phase until the enemy has been defeated. This allows players to slaughter weaker enemies and take out stronger ones by purely relying on their own combat skill, but in some cases, it is slower than simply using the turn-based option. This is mainly seen with larger enemies or enemies stronger than your party's current level, with some that can only be fought as turn-based fights. These turn-based moments can be manually triggered with the press of a button, but doing so after stunning an enemy will start the phase with a player advantage. On the flip side, getting hit by an enemy's power attack will pull you into the fight at a disadvantage instead, so sometimes it is better to trigger the fight before that can happen.
Once in a turn-based fight, things are still quite a bit different from how they were originally. Now players remain in control of their characters and can freely walk around the field without needing to use a turn to reposition themselves. There is a limited range a character can walk in within each turn, but it is very generous and typically allows you to reach whatever enemy it is you would like to attack. Basic attacks themselves can be pulled off with a single press of a button, while Crafts and Arts require the use of a menu. Crafts are the game's special attacks and require CP to use—which is built up by doing or receiving damage—while Arts are the game's magic, which requires EP to use instead. Arts also have a casting time, which requires some additional planning to pull off. This is where the game's battle timeline comes into play, which also has added extra effects based on whose turn it is.
Located at the left side of the screen, the timeline shows exactly when an enemy or character will take their turn, and little icons will show the bonuses applied at that moment in time. It could be something as simple as a 100% chance of landing a critical attack, or it could be an effect that allows you to cast Arts immediately without spending EP. Another simply heals you, while others can give you extra CP. Then you have the special high-risk bonuses, which can range from instant death to other status ailments, which can be very dangerous if the enemy gets to use such a bonus instead. Thankfully, some Arts and Crafts can be used to impede enemies, so it is possible to delay their turn order and take their spot instead. There is also a Special Craft attack that characters can use upon reaching at least 100 CP, which can be activated at any time during the fight—even if it isn't their turn. This too can be used to jump ahead spots in the timeline and can be greatly used to your advantage.
In addition to all of this, characters can also pull off Chain Attacks when an enemy is hit with a critical attack, but it requires the use of BP, which is generated each time a successful Combo Attack lands. These Combo Attacks are used the exact same way—land a critical hit—but are weaker than a full Chain Attack.
Overdrive is another new feature added to the combat system and is yet another mechanic that requires a bar to build up over time. Once activated, characters become stronger and hit harder for a handful of turns, and then they are reverted to their normal state. This is a limited-use mechanic, so it is best to save it for the right situations, but one can always grind weak enemies prior to a boss if they would like to get it ready.
With all of these mechanics in place, the battle system in Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter is not only addicting, but it is insanely fast with quick animations (that can be skipped if you choose to do so), and the speed-up option to make things fly by even faster. It is a major upgrade on all fronts and is simply more enjoyable than it has ever been. The game also includes balance changes and new abilities to unlock compared to the original, so fans will not have to wait for the eventual Trails in the Sky: 2nd Chapter just to see some flashy attacks... which was basically the case in the original.
When it comes to difficulty modes, Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter is a game you cannot get stuck in. There are multiple difficulties that can be switched between on the fly, and even then the classic "weaken enemies and retry" option is available when losing a fight. In theory, this means one could even beat the game's final boss by simply dying over and over again and weakening the boss, but this can take away from the tactical side of things. Trails does expect one to understand its mechanics to succeed, and constantly failing is more of a lack of understanding than not having strong enough characters. EXP scaling keeps you roughly where the game wants you to be, but there are still ways to break it and become overpowered if you know what you are doing. Again, this comes down to knowledge and understanding of the game's systems, and is about putting the tools available to you to use at their fullest. But again, newcomers and those who do not particularly care for such planning can forego it altogether and simply make things easier until they win. This is a heavily story-based game, and Falcom doesn't want anyone to miss out on it because they got stuck.
Customization
For those who want to take on the full challenge of the game and never lower the difficulty, the game offers a wide variety of ways to customize each of the main party members.
As an RPG, the game features your standard mix of equipable weapons, armor, and accessories with multiple effects attached to them. These allow characters to obtain resistance to status effects, deal extra damage, block attacks, etc., but where the real customization comes in is in the Orbment system.
Orbments are obtained throughout the game by doing various things, and they can also be crafted using gem-like objects that are dropped by monsters after each battle—or sometimes even found out in the world. These can be traded in at any Orbment shop across the world, and in exchange will reward you with the Orbment of your choice. These Orbments have various stat increases and effects applied to them, and they also unlock new Arts to use in battle depending on which ones you equip and what combination of elements you choose to use. Each character can only equip so many at a time, with additional slots also needing to be unlocked if you want to have more. Thankfully, the game shows you what Arts will be obtained by swapping Orbments in and out, so there is no real guesswork here, but the initial act of purchasing one is still a bit of a gamble. Ideally, players want to have at least one of every Orbment in the game, but having extra copies for other party members is useful as well. Additionally, multiple of the same Orbment can be traded in for a stronger version, so that is always something to think about as well.
Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter does stay true to the original version of the game, so it lacks the upgraded Orbments and other customization options found in later titles, but the game still has plenty to play with here, and is a perfect way to ease new players into the mechanics as well. Weapons and gear can also be upgraded to slightly stronger versions, but this mechanic is as simple as trading U-Material in at the shop—a resource the game throws at you non-stop, meaning there is next to no reason to not instantly upgrade your gear.
Main Quests and Side Quests:
The quest progression in Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter has been greatly improved over its original version. While most of the content is exactly the same, the game's quality-of-life improvements and new map and fast travel system help prevent players from missing out on content.
The main story itself is what will advance time and controls what is currently available in the world. NPC dialogue, side quests, and the locations you are allowed to visit are all determined by the progression of the main plot. For those who would like to see everything the game has to offer, this means it is best to avoid progressing to the next story location until everything else is taken care of first. Thankfully, this is easy to do, as the story is noted by a red exclamation mark on the map—simply avoid this, and you are good.
Side quests, on the other hand, are noted by green marks, with missable and extra items or activities displayed in blue. Completing activities and side quests will reward you with currency, equipment, Orbments, and other useful items, but they are also key to obtaining unique, one-of-a-kind items as well—including the many in-game books that add additional lore and stories for you to experience. These books also have a more practical reason for collecting them at the end of the game, so those going for completion should ensure none of them are missed. Quests themselves are also a mixed bag of monster elimination missions and fetch quests, but most of them have stories attached to them as well. Sometimes these stories lead you to extra towns or locations ahead of the main plot's progression, which further helps develop the world and the overall story. In the original version of the game, these areas had to be walked to and the game gave you little to no guidance on where to actually go, but in Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter, you can simply open up the map, warp to these locations nearly instantly, and be back in no time—especially if you have already explored the new locations and opened them as fast travel points ahead of time.
Despite this fast travel system and early access to areas, quests are still tied to the story's current events, so it is strongly recommended that all extra activities be completed before advancing the main quest line. Doing so will close off locations over time, and side quests will become unavailable.
Should you play it?
Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter is the perfect example of what a remake should be, plus more. It goes above and beyond the expectations set by the original title, while also keeping things fresh. The incredible world development and amazing cast of characters make this a universe you will never want to leave, and seeing it brought to life in full 3D is a wonderful experience.
This is the definitive beginning point of the Trails series, and the title all new fans are strongly recommended to play. The enhancements made to the overall gameplay greatly improve the flow, and even the initial slower sections of the game are a breeze to play. There is no denying that the original had the potential of turning newcomers off thanks to its pacing, but with this remake they have alleviated the problem.
Right from the get-go, 1st Chapter hooks players with its frantic real-time combat and strategic turn-based systems, and drip-feeds new players just enough story content and background information to string them along from start to finish. This isn't a story that goes full speed from the start, nor is the initial threat clear; however, the characters and world development are more than enough to hook players and pull them in for the long run. It is important to note that 1st Chapter is in fact only the first chapter in this series, which at the time of release is thirteen titles long. Each of these entries continues the story from the previous, and they are all important to the overall plot.
While this might seem a bit overwhelming, players shouldn't feel discouraged from jumping in, as playing this series is not a race. It is about enjoying the world, characters, and overall story, and is best when taken slow. Begin with 1st Chapter and see where this universe takes you, and don't forget to stop and smell the roses. Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter is an excellent title on its own, but fans who complete it will for sure be returning for Part 2.
If this is your first time playing Trails in the Sky, then you are in for a real treat. As for the long-time fans? You're about to witness your dreams come true.
VERDICT: Essential
Reviewed on PlayStation 5
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