![Trails Games Guide](https://images.pushsquare.com/a22e157e51dfe/trails-games-guide.900x.jpg)
Over the last few years, the Trails series has started to find some footing in the West, largely thanks to the localisation of the Trails of Cold Steel saga on PS4. And now that publisher NIS America is committed to bringing the franchise overseas, we finally have enough Trails games to warrant a guide like this. What a time to be alive!
But before we get into the discussion of which Trails game is best — as voted by Push Square readers — we're going to give an overview of what the Trails series actually is. Hopefully this article is of some help to those who are new to this dense franchise...
![Trails Guide](https://images.pushsquare.com/97018e2b2064f/trails-guide.900x.jpg)
What Is the Trails Series, Exactly?
Okay, so the Trails series is itself a subseries of a long-running property called The Legend of Heroes. It's a little bit like how the Persona series started life as a Shin Megami Tensei spin-off, but blossomed into its own franchise.
Officially, the Trails games still have The Legend of Heroes in their name. For example, the full title of Trails of Cold Steel is The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel — but at least here in the West, fans have taken to shortening the names for the sake of clarity.
Anyway, the Trails titles are role-playing games developed by Japanese company Nihon Falcom (often referred to as simply 'Falcom'). They have a very heavy emphasis on character-driven stories, and feature a turn-based combat system that has steadily evolved over the course of the series.
The biggest strength (and arguably the biggest weakness, from an outside perspective) of the Trails games is that they all tie into each other. All of the Trails games have overarching plot elements, returning characters, and a clear timeline of when events take place in relation to other games in the series.
This massive, interconnected style of storytelling allows Falcom to create a truly dense and engrossing fictional world. It's like an anime that has hundreds of episodes; it can be hard to penetrate such a daunting mass of entertainment, but once you're actually invested, the payoff is almost unmatched.
We would heartily recommend the Trails games to anyone who enjoys Japanese RPGs.
![Trails Timeline](https://images.pushsquare.com/7a6cb7b057845/trails-timeline.900x.jpg)
The Trails Timeline
Now this is where things get slightly more complicated. As alluded, the Trails games all take place in the same fictional world, on a continent named Zemuria.
Within the Trails series, there are essentially four subseries: Trails in the Sky, the Crossbell arc, Trails of Cold Steel, and Trails through Daybreak.
Just to clarify, the 'Crossbell arc' refers to Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure. Both of these games take place in a city called Crossbell, hence the name.
Chronologically speaking, the Sky arc comes first, then the Crossbell arc, then the Cold Steel arc, and then the Daybreak arc. However, there is some overlap between the Crossbell games and the Cold Steel games, which means that making an easy-to-read timeline can be tricky.
Still, we'll give it a shot. This is when each game begins, as per the in-game calendar.
- The year 1202 - Trails in the Sky
- 1202 - Trails in the Sky SC
- 1203 - Trails in the Sky the 3rd
- 1203 - Trails from Zero
- 1203 - Trails of Cold Steel
- 1204 - Trails to Azure
- 1204 - Trails of Cold Steel II
- 1205 - Trails of Cold Steel III
- 1206 - Trails of Cold Steel IV
- 1207 - Trails into Reverie
- 1208 - Trails through Daybreak
Trails into Reverie is essentially an epilogue to the Cold Steel games, while also rounding off the events of the Crossbell saga. What's more, Reverie contains, to some extent, introductions to the setting and characters of the new Trails through Daybreak arc.
Does the Main Story Continue Over Multiple Trails Games?
Yes, and these games are not short. Technically, there are story elements that carry through the entire series, but the real problem is that Trails to Azure, for example, is a direct sequel to Trails from Zero. Likewise, the Trails of Cold Steel titles are all direct sequels to one another. It's extremely difficult to just dive into a game like Cold Steel III without having at least played the previous games in that subseries.
Again, the sheer time commitment necessary to play through multiple Trails games is going to be the biggest obstacle for a lot of potential players.
![Best Trails Game to Start With](https://images.pushsquare.com/493d65aa02a09/best-trails-game-to-start-with.900x.jpg)
What Trails Game Should You Start With?
We see people asking this question all the time, so we're going to try and answer it as best we can.
Now, you might not like hearing this, but the ideal place to start your Trails journey is with the first Trails game, Trails in the Sky. You can't really escape the fact that the Trails games all have an interconnected story, complete with many returning characters.
However, as mentioned, not everyone has the time, resources, or patience for such an exhaustive series playthrough. It also doesn't help that the Trails in the Sky games are not available on current consoles, unlike every other localised Trails title.
Falcom president Toshihiro Kondo weighed in on this debate back when we interviewed him in 2022. This was his take:
"The overarching Trails series can be divided into the following subseries: Trails in the Sky, Trails from Zero/to Azure, Trails of Cold Steel/into Reverie, and Kuro no Kiseki. I recommend starting from the initial title in any of those subseries. The locations and main characters are different as well as when the events occur in the timeline."
With all of that in mind, we would probably recommend either starting with Trails from Zero — the first game in the Crossbell arc — the first Trails of Cold Steel title, or Trails through Daybreak.
Trails from Zero is a great entry point because of how separated it can feel from the rest of the series — at least initially. The city of Crossbell is a unique, memorable setting, and the game's main cast of characters are, at that point in the timeline, all new to the franchise. What's more, the Crossbell arc only has two games, making it less demanding than playing through, say, the four Cold Steel games.
Starting out with Zero will also help you get to grips with the general flow of a Trails game. Its combat system is more basic than what you'll find in the Cold Steel saga, and character progression isn't quite as in-depth. In short, there's less to worry about on a mechanical level.
However, there's a chance that you might find Trails from Zero to be a bit... dated. It was originally a PSP title from 2010, and the PS4 remaster does little to bring it up to modern standards. We still think it's a fantastic RPG, but we understand why its comparatively primitive graphics could put people off.
And if that's the case, you could try jumping in at the Cold Steel games instead. Visually, they're still a bit rough, but they mark the series' first foray into fully 3D games. They're more welcoming in terms of accessibility as well, boasting additional difficulty options and better tutorials.
It's fair to assume that most Western Trails fans will have started with the Cold Steel games, purely because they were released on the immensely popular PS4. And hey, if you end up enjoying them, you can always go back and tackle the Crossbell arc as well.
![Trails through Daybreak](https://images.pushsquare.com/0635e57b522a3/trails-through-daybreak.900x.jpg)
But if you're looking to get caught up with the franchise as quickly as possible, you should consider just diving straight into Trails through Daybreak. It marks the beginning of the series' latest story arc, and takes place in a new setting with (mostly) new characters. While its plot does tie into previous games — as is always the case with Trails — Daybreak arguably tells the most standalone story of any Trails title.
Daybreak is also a good shout if you're looking for a more mature Trails experience. Don't get us wrong, it's still anime as hell, but it deals with much darker story beats than its predecessors.
Meanwhile, on the gameplay front, Daybreak is almost like an 'evolved' version of the Trails formula, boasting a more dynamic battle system that blends action with traditional turn-based tactics.
![Trails Games Ranked](https://images.pushsquare.com/8b3cd6a3f969a/trails-games-ranked.900x.jpg)
Ranking the Trails Games
Now then, it's time to take a look at the best Trails games, according to the Push Square community. This list is based on reader ratings for each game, and you can influence the rankings yourself by clicking on the star icons and adding your own score.
Naturally, we'll be adding more Trails games to this list once they're released here in the West.
8. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel (PS4)
Falcom's long-running The Legend of Heroes series started a whole new story arc with Trails of Cold Steel. The first game in a four-part saga, it follows the trials and tribulations of Rean Schwarzer, who attends a prestigious military academy. In classic high school anime fashion, Rean gets to meet all kinds of people, as the game establishes both the Erebonian Empire as a setting, and his classmates as key characters. An engrossing RPG at its best, topped off with a great turn-based combat system.
7. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II (PS4)
The Erebonian Empire finds itself divided by civil war, and the spirited Class VII is stuck right in the middle. As direct as a sequel can possibly be, Trails of Cold Steel II takes place almost immediately after the events of the first game, with troubled protagonist Rean Schwarzer separated from his dear friends. On a quest to regroup and find their place in a war-torn nation, Class VII must journey across Erebonia, gathering allies and uncovering the truth, little by little. A grand JRPG, bolstered by expanded character progression and a beefy turn-based combat system.
6. Trails into Reverie (PS5)
An all-star epilogue that ties a neat little bow around the Crossbell and Cold Steel arcs, Trails into Reverie is perhaps one of the most robust entries in Falcom's series. That's not because of its story length — it's actually relatively short in that regard — but because it's absolutely packed with optional content. The True Reverie Corridor is an endlessly repeatable, procedural dungeon that can be explored by over 50 playable characters, and there are loads of minigames to keep you busy when you're craving some downtime from the dramatic campaign. All in all, Reverie is an excellent sendoff for a beloved cast of heroes (and antiheroes).
5. Trails from Zero (PS4)
Trails from Zero on PS4 is a remaster of the original PSP release from 2010. As such, it can certainly look a bit dated at times, but don't let the visuals put you off what is a fantastic JRPG. The first game in a two-part saga, Zero takes place in and around the city of Crossbell, as crime and corruption threaten to uproot the lives of its citizens. You play as rookie detective Lloyd Bannings, who, together with a ragtag investigation squad, is tasked with uncovering Crossbell's darkest truths. Excellent characters and a superb setting make for a Falcom classic.
4. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV (PS4)
Bringing a bombastic end to the Cold Steel saga, Trails of Cold Steel IV attempts to tie four games' worth of stories up across an adventure that can last well over 100 hours. A daunting prospect, but developer Falcom somehow makes it work — and that's perhaps Cold Steel IV's most impressive achievement. This is as dense as Trails games get, both in terms of storytelling and gameplay. The series' turn-based combat has been adjusted for better balance, there's a greater sense of freedom to exploration, and a huge roster of playable party members allows for some serious tactical tinkering. A deeply engrossing, often brilliant finale.
3. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III (PS4)
A leap forward from the first two Cold Steel titles thanks to a new engine, Trails of Cold Steel III sees a slightly older Rean Schwarzer return to his beloved Thors Military Academy as an instructor. Guiding an all-new Class VII in their special ops missions, it isn't long until old friends (and old enemies) start popping up in what is often an engrossing character-driven story. What's more, Cold Steel III makes some fantastic additions to the series' already great turn-based combat system, while larger environments offer so many opportunities for exploration. One of Falcom's finest.
2. Trails through Daybreak (PS5)
Trails through Daybreak marks the beginning of a brand new saga in Falcom's Trails series, taking players on a trip to the Republic of Calvard — a key location that's being fully explored for the first time in the franchise. Equipped with a more mature tone and darker story beats, Daybreak feels like a real step forward from past titles in terms of narrative stakes. What's more, a much improved engine allows Falcom to craft some of its biggest and best-looking environments to date, while a suite of gameplay adjustments — and key additions — make for a fantastic combat system. Daybreak is arguably the most 'standalone' Trails release yet, and as such, it's a recommended starting point for newcomers.
1. Trails to Azure (PS4)
With the story and characters of the Crossbell saga already established in the first game, Trails to Azure is free to turn the tension up to 11, resulting in one of Falcom's most engrossing RPGs. At times, it's a thrill ride in terms of pacing, as Lloyd Bannings and the gang fight against seemingly insurmountable odds for the sake of their beloved city and its people. Packed with memorable moments and great character development, Azure should be considered a genre classic.
How would you rank the Trails games? Which Trails game is your favourite? Give them your own ratings, vote in our poll, and then become a hero in the comments section below.
Comments 33
Woo hoo 1st comment 👏 no but in all seriousness this is an incredible franchise reverie and the kuro games need to get over here asap 👏 🙌
I love the series however, I cannot really recommend it because I truly think that you have to play from Sky 1. Also, the lore and what actually happens doesn't make that much sense, even in an 'jrpg anime world'. However, the continuation in the story will keep you immersed and it is cool to see a native PS4 or PS5 3D model from characters introduced in PSP sprites.
So, my suggestion start from the beginning and choose versions that include the fast forward button since the games move VERY SLOWLY. I rushed all games two years ago before the release of Cold 4 and had a great time.
Timeline is wrong trails of cold steel 1 starts in march 1204, trails to zero starts in Jan 1204, and finished is may 1204, azure starts in August 1204 and finishes Dec 1204, cold steel 2 starts in Nov 1204
Great article, thinking about playing Zero and Azure, any good site for checking Trails game stories for those who don't wanna play through the whole arc? I know wikipidia has a "plot" section.....
A few extra trivia, in bite size:
I agree with the starting points.
I do not agree with the rankings of the games though. I think the cold steel series is much better than the chibi rpg's that precede it. It has better presentation and gameplay and overall are more modern games.
@Tencho2010 Check the Lady Virgilia Trails Arxive YouTube channel (not mine)
@bkeswick LMAO
Just when I thought this series was indigestible enough you floor me with those first 2 points. So the latest games are a spin-off series off a spin-off series off a spin-off series? Maybe???
You know this is an amazing series when the worst rated game is still an 8.25/10!
Absolutely fantastic series. Still have the first games' protagonists as my profile pic lol.
For anyone wanting to play the Sky Trilogy, if you have A COMPUTER, you can play it. And I literally mean anything. That 8 year old laptop thats gathering dust? It can probably play it. Easiest games to run by far. And for Intel based Macs, you can run bootcamp and dual boot windows fairly easily. I highly recommend playing from the beginning if you can, but if a PS is all you got, Zero and CS1 are great starters too. Although CS4 ties up a lot of loose ends from Zero/Azure so the impact may be lost if you haven't played them.
You can also play the Sky trilogy on Apple Silicon Macs using Crossover, though in places the performance is a bit patchy (unsurprisingly really). This will also work on Intel Macs. No need to bog things down with Windows. Playing games on a computer is a relatively miserable experience in general though.
In the UK Sky SC is available on Vita, which is how I'm playing it. Everybody says it's not the best, mostly due to the lack of a fast forward button, but that is really a total non-issue.
Of course, you can also play them all on Steam Deck if you have one of those.
Regardless of how you play, Sky does really feel like the best place to start. I played about 10 hours of ToCS, then Zero before relenting and going back to the start. It's well worth it.
This series (along with Yakuza) have been such great discoveries for unique and engaging content. I started with ToCS on the vita and loved each subsequent release and going back to older entries to see the growing story and world arc throughout the series.
@themightyant
It is mad. I limited the list within certain constraints of relevance to avoid confusion, but it gets worse if you expand.
For example, Tokyo Xanadu on PS4 is a spinoff (same producer) of The Legend Of Xanadu (1994) which is the eighth chapter of Dragon Slayer, which in itself came from Xanadu (1985) which is the second chapter of Dragon Slayer.
Also, in English some versions have trimmed "The Legend Of Heroes" as well. I think there's a chance they might trim it for good in the future. If they do, it would be the second time they trim the title.
For example, the full name of Trails In The Sky should be Dragon Slayer VI The Legend Of Heroes VI Trails In The Sky. Subtitles keep taking over the mainline title.
@bkeswick Arggghhhhh. Now i'm completely baffled. lol.
Appreciate the insight regardless.
I vehemently believe Trails of Cold Steel is the best entry point to this massive series. There are good reasons why:
1. The game feels more modern in full 3D with camera control, rather then fixed camera sprites
2. The story is completely standalone, makes almost no reference to any preceding Trails game; Trails from Zero may be its own arc but the Bright family story arc continues here and it wouldn't bring a greater sentimental value if this is your entry game
3. Most of it is grounded to reality—if this is your first foray into the series, the supernatural part feels like a mystique and not taken as something for granted
4. Trails to Azure spoils major events and shocking twists happening in Cold Steel, taking the winds out of its sail
tl;dr: Finish Cold Steel first, but then hold off from playing Cold Steel II, tempting as it is. Go back from Sky FC and then play the series chronologically.
I recommend playing Cold Steel 1 and 2. Then if you are hooked consider Sky else proceed to 3 and 4 knowing you will miss even more references but will still have an enjoyable time.
ToCS 1 and 2. Sky 1 and 2. ToCS 3 and 4. Zero, Azure, Reverie. Repeat (jk).
Exception if you have a Steam Deck or are big into pc gaming then maybe try Sky first. 🤷♂️
The legend of heroes trial of cold steel is still my number one game in this incredible series.i was just playing it yesterday.word up son
I disagree with the game rankings a lot.
You need to play most of the games to get the full understanding of the events, characters and the world. But either Zero or Cold Steel can suffice.
If you think Zero is outdated then Sky even more so. The first Sky game takes a long time to get into.
Now do the best Trials games
Cold Steel 1 is amazing and I’m currently playing Cold Steel 2. I haven’t played any others in the series, but I’m looking forward to doing so when the time comes.
Another article pushing people away from the sky game even though they are important. The whole "people don't have time" is just a lazy excuse. Not to mention your rankings are TERRIBLE. Putting cold steel 2 so high up lol.
Gave Trails in the Sky a quick test boot on my android tablet this morning. All seems good to go (with a nice res bump). So that's my next game after I finish chrono trigger DS.
@chibuki Nope, the only correct starting point is Trails in the Sky.
I unfortunately discovered and started this amazing series with Trails of Cold Steel I & II, and they ruined Trails in the Sky for me.
And as for "2. The story is completely standalone, makes almost no reference to any preceding Trails game"
Uh, WHAT? You know that's not true lol
Trails of Cold Steel I mentions so much from the Sky trilogy that it's very easy to feel completely lost.
Some of the stuff a person starting with Cold Steel will ask themselves:
Wtf is a bracer?
Who the hell are Cassius Bright and Leonhardt?
Wtf was the Orbal Shutdown incident?
Not to mention that playing Cold Steel before Sky spoils the identity and roles of two very major characters...
So yeah, no, Trails in the Sky is by far the best way to start.
Having played almost all of them now… I think starting with Sky 1, Cold Steel 1, or Zero are all good options. No need to overcomplicate it.
Starting earlier in the timeline, yes, means you get more of the references and lore and the gameplay systems are simpler, but I don’t think it matters. If you love Trails you’ll probably find yourself playing them again just like rereading a favorite book.
Btw so far Sky 1 was my favorite for story/characters.
Honestly, no one should get put off by the "time investment".
There are 2 possible outcomes. You either start playing it and love it and then you don't want it to end cause it's so good, or you don't care and will bounce off.
The main issue is the presentation. I diverge from most fans that tell you to play from Sky. I have tried to do so, and it's just too outdated. It feels like an early Arc the lad game on ps1.
The story is the main selling power on this series. You will love the characters and you will want to know what happens next. But, Sky is arguable very outdated and by extension Zero and Azure.
I recommend starting with cold steel. It's a great introduction to the world and it only grows from there. The presentation is far more acceptable than the old chibi games.
So, start there and read/watch a synopsis of the previous 2 subseries.
The most hardcore fans will tell you you will miss things, but how likely are you to remember every minor npc in such long games? Also, cold steel 3 gives you a review of past events.
So, no need to be daunted. Pick one game. Play it and then see if you get into it.
Disclaimer that this is a story heavy game. You have to enjoy well developed stories to enjoy this. It's as important as the gameplay aka battles, if not more.
@IntrepidWombat I agree. But the Chibi style will still be off-putting to most, imo.
I think it's easier to get introduced and hooked in CS. I always advise that and if people get hooked, sure, go try the old ones if you want.
@ShogunRok Great work here, really good explainer for the wider series. Would it be worth mentioning Nayuta as a quick "btw, there's also this but it's unclear where it fits in currently with everything" sorta thing?
@Terranauts Definitely thought about it, but my worry is that it just makes things even more confusing if you're new. And it's obviously a much different game, structurally.
Having said that, I do think it's an offshoot that might be worth mentioning — maybe even alongside the Ys series, purely from a Falcom perspective.
@ShogunRok Totally get it, and that's not a bad call with mentioning it from that perspective.
Quick aside, loved your Daybreak review. Waiting for my own to go up in PLAY Mag next month and had similar thoughts.
Cold Steel 1 is easily the best.. followed by Azure. I tend to like them all equally otherwise though, with the exception of Reverie which was mediocre at best.
Friday can't come soon enough.. To Calvard we go!!
@Terranauts Thanks! Really great game, I'm sure it'll end up quite high on this list once more people have played it.
I'll be keeping an eye out for the next issue of PLAY...
Been playing trails series since 2011 , started trail in the sky. 2nd and 3rd on pc and played every trail game since - 10/13 platinums , no mention of spinoff nayuta
This is my absolute favorite game series. Nothing else comes close.
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