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Ring my (Cross)Bell
Final 12 months, NIS America made a Legend of Heroes fan out of me with the discharge of Trails from Zero, the primary a part of the Crossbell Arc of the higher Trails storyline. I discovered it to be an enchanting RPG with an excellent narrative and gameplay construction that positioned the title as some type of “playable police procedural”. Whereas overly talkative (and a bit ugly on the PS4), Trails from Zero ended up as one in every of my favourite video games from final 12 months.
Chances are high I’ll be saying the identical factor about Trails to Azure once we lastly get via 2023.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure (PC, PS4 [reviewed], Nintendo Change)
Developer: Falcom
Writer: NIS America
Launched: March 14, 2023
MSRP: $39.99 (Digital) / $49.99 (Bodily)
Returning to the city-state of Crossbell on this direct sequel to The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero, Trails to Azure continues with the exploits of Lloyd Bannings, Elie MacDowell, and the remainder of the Particular Assist Part (SSS) as they work towards the chances in a metropolis that’s brimming with corruption. If you happen to missed out on Trails from Zero, know that Azure usually expects gamers to come back into it with first-hand data of the occasions of the earlier title. Whereas there’s a glossary that’ll provide the gist, to essentially perceive what’s taking place right here, you must put aside 45 hours to play via the Zero earlier than giving this a go.
Trails to Azure begins only a month after the occasions of the earlier recreation, with the SSS trying to keep up the delicate peace the denizens of Crossbell are having fun with. Whereas corruption nonetheless looms giant within the authorities, you get the sense that it’s considerably extra manageable this time round. That’s, till the West Zumeria Commerce Convention abruptly adjustments the course of this city-state’s future, and never essentially for the higher.
Because it was with Trails from Zero, the story of Azure will play out throughout a number of chapters that every one really feel like their very own little episodes, with tales and characters that tie into the higher narrative. It’s simply as efficient right here, and fixing the small instances which are assigned to the SSS every day solely strengthens the procedural really feel of this story construction in addition to the already sturdy world-building. I like RPGs which are large, world-spanning adventures, however there’s something so refreshing about enjoying a recreation the place it’s all localized to at least one unbelievable location. Particularly when the story is this good.
Due to that, don’t be shocked in case you get a way of deja vu in Trails to Azure. You’ll be exploring most of the identical areas and having way-too-long conversations with many of the identical folks all through Crossbell. You’ll even be participating in fight just about precisely as you probably did earlier than, along with your group doing battle in a turn-based, grid-based format. Characters can assault with commonplace melee assaults, arts, crafts, and highly effective S-Craft and Combo Crafts that unlock as you progress via the sport. Crafts are dictated by the quartz you may have assigned to every character, and new this time round is a Grasp Quartz that may stage up along with your characters (albeit very slowly).
Additionally new is the Burst Guage, which fills up throughout sure battles and rewards your group with varied buffs must you select to make use of it. Its availability is restricted to particular encounters and the ultimate chapter, however when it’s round, I might contemplate it to be a lifesaver. As a result of a few of these battles are fairly rattling tough if, like me, you develop absentminded in correctly equipping your group and upgrading your quartz. Wanting again to the robust time I had with the previous few battles in Trails from Zero, I type of want Burst may have been retroactively added to the SSS’s first outing in Crossbell.
Talking of the SSS, you’ll have entry to 6 celebration members for almost all of your tour this time round. A brand new aspect in Azure are again assaults, which pressure your rear-guard characters into battle if an enemy assaults you from behind. It’s a neat concept meant to maintain gamers on their toes, but it surely solely actually got here into play within the recreation’s last chapter. For the remainder of my journey, I used to be simply capable of sneak up on foes on the sector map, getting the benefit over them in battle. After all, you do have the choice to skip many of the map completely with the brand new orbal automotive that’ll whisk your group between areas, but it surely’s most likely greatest to move out on foot not less than as soon as for every path to open all of the chests which are scattered throughout the land.
Past that, there actually isn’t a lot to say right here that I couldn’t have already mentioned about Trails from Zero. As a result of at its core, Trails to Azure is only a easy continuation of that glorious RPG. And that’s all it must be. I do know many within the video games journalism sphere tout the significance of innovation and divergence relating to sequels and franchises, however builders don’t all the time must attempt to reinvent the wheel with every recreation they launch. Generally, extra of the identical is precisely what is required. And The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure is extra of the identical in the absolute best method.
Earlier than Trails from Zero, I didn’t know something concerning the Legend of Heroes sequence exterior of the truth that folks actually prefer to complain about how text-heavy its titles are. And whereas the Crossbell arc may actually use an editor in my thoughts, I might be fooling myself if I didn’t admit that, when taken collectively as one full expertise, Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure are simply top-of-the-line turn-based RPGs I’ve ever performed. Right here’s to hoping sometime I’ll be capable to discover the time to see the remainder of what this sequence has to supply.
[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]
