The Legend of Heroes Series - Possibly The Most Underrated JRPG Series

[gangweedfan]

Hey do you guys prefer the evolution versions or the old ones? I cant stand the way joshua looks in the SC and FC remakes but I hear 3rd doesnt have him as a main character so that one is fine. As for ao and zero it doesnt even seem like much of an upgrade.

 

[ForgedBlades]

The Evo portraits in Sky are pretty much universally shat on, but everything else is pretty great.

 

[Marissa Moira]

I just want physical editions of Second and Third chapter in the west.

 

[Jeff Boomhauer]

I started playing Trails in the Sky on the Vita last week. I'm still in Chapter One, but I like it so far. Honestly wish I knew of this series before last year.

 

[gangweedfan]

I started playing Trails in the Sky on the Vita last week. I'm still in Chapter One, but I like it so far. Honestly wish I knew of this series before last year.

Evolution or PSP? If you beat the evolution version share clear data pls. But I dont blame you if you dont want to play the evolution version. The graphics look way too bright and shit.

 

[Jeff Boomhauer]

Evolution or PSP? If you beat the evolution version share clear data pls. But I dont blame you if you dont want to play the evolution version. The graphics look way too bright and shit.

My bad, it's actually the PSP version. And I'm nowhere near to being done.

I only started getting into JRPGs a few years ago, but this is one where I feel compelled to do every sidequest.

 

[Niggernerd]

Trails of Cold Steel 1 and 2 were far beyond my expectations for a jrpg.
Its story was so god damn addicting, the characters were likeable in their own rights and the music slaps.
I never got so invested in a vidya story and probably wont for a long time

 

[Scarlett Johansson]

I'm miffed. I thought we'd get Ao no Kiseki, etc by now. And I wish sky was ported to ps4/5

 

[ForgedBlades]

If Crossbell isn't announced on Thursday (spoiler: it won't be), it's going to be at least another year. That said, both fan translations are 100% playable and anyone who is waiting for official localizations that are probably never coming are doing themselves a disservice.

 

[Marissa Moira]

I'm miffed. I thought we'd get Ao no Kiseki, etc by now. And I wish sky was ported to ps4/5

We're supposed to, it's known that NISA has the actual script to both games and started working on it when TOCS3 came out.

Sky is entirely dependent on Xseed because Falcom let them renew the rights.

 

[Jeff Boomhauer]

II'm a little bit into Chapter 4 of Trails in the Sky. I'm genuinely pleasantly surprised - I thought I was going to find Estelle annoying when I first started the game, but I really like the character a lot. I predicted she was going to be this really obnoxious character that constantly fucked things up while constantly tormenting Joshua like a lot of other anime games are, but she's refreshingly realistic.

However, I have one "concern" with how the story is progressing. It's completely minor as far as everything else goes, but I just have to ask:

Spoiler

Is it bad that I find Estelle and Joshua's eventual romance a little strange? I get it's not incestuous, but just the fact that no less than 5 characters have asked Estelle if they're a couple and she always responds, "Oh no, we're siblings," only to get met with a response like, "Are you suuuuure?" every single time is a little off-putting. Maybe if they both didn't call Cassius "Dad", I wouldn't have as much of a problem with it. I know it's not taboo for the Japanese, but for me as an ignorant gaijin, I just think it's a little weird. I'm slowly accepting it, though, mainly because I really like both characters.

 

[ForgedBlades]

II'm a little bit into Chapter 4 of Trails in the Sky. I'm genuinely pleasantly surprised - I thought I was going to find Estelle annoying when I first started the game, but I really like the character a lot. I predicted she was going to be this really obnoxious character that constantly fucked things up while constantly tormenting Joshua like a lot of other anime games are, but she's refreshingly realistic.

However, I have one "concern" with how the story is progressing. It's completely minor as far as everything else goes, but I just have to ask:

Spoiler

Is it bad that I find Estelle and Joshua's eventual romance a little strange? I get it's not incestuous, but just the fact that no less than 5 characters have asked Estelle if they're a couple and she always responds, "Oh no, we're siblings," only to get met with a response like, "Are you suuuuure?" every single time is a little off-putting. Maybe if they both didn't call Cassius "Dad", I wouldn't have as much of a problem with it. I know it's not taboo for the Japanese, but for me as an ignorant gaijin, I just think it's a little weird. I'm slowly accepting it, though, mainly because I really like both characters.

No, you're not wrong for feeling that way. It's weird. Most people eventually make peace with it and it's become a bit of a meme within the community. If you keep progressing through the series, the trope comes back up again in some of the later games.

 

[ForgedBlades]

Kuro details.

https://www.gematsu.com/2021/03/the-legend-of-heroes-kuro-no-kiseki-details-characters-setting-and-battle-system-first-gameplay

 

[Poop A Loop]

I get that translations take time and Falcom doesn't engage with translators until a project is finished and all that stuff that gets thrown out about timelines, but goddamn does it grind my gears that none of this promo material matters in the least until around 3 years from now. We're only just now getting the PC release of Cold Steel 4....

I'm a huge fan of the series but I've had to just learn to ignore the games until they actually finish a narrative arc because of the cliffhangers and translation timelines. At least it wasn't as bad as the wait between Sky FC and SC.

 

[Marissa Moira]

I get that translations take time and Falcom doesn't engage with translators until a project is finished and all that stuff that gets thrown out about timelines, but goddamn does it grind my gears that none of this promo material matters in the least until around 3 years from now. We're only just now getting the PC release of Cold Steel 4....

I'm a huge fan of the series but I've had to just learn to ignore the games until they actually finish a narrative arc because of the cliffhangers and translation timelines. At least it wasn't as bad as the wait between Sky FC and SC.

The games all come to console first so it's not really 3 years.

 

[ForgedBlades]

Cold Steel anime project announced. Interesting move.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel TV anime project announced - Gematsu

Falcom has announced a The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel TV anime project. It will air in 2022. The original series depicted the story of protagonist Rean Schwarzer and his companions…

www.gematsu.com

 

[ForgedBlades]

I get that translations take time and Falcom doesn't engage with translators until a project is finished and all that stuff that gets thrown out about timelines, but goddamn does it grind my gears that none of this promo material matters in the least until around 3 years from now. We're only just now getting the PC release of Cold Steel 4....

I'm a huge fan of the series but I've had to just learn to ignore the games until they actually finish a narrative arc because of the cliffhangers and translation timelines. At least it wasn't as bad as the wait between Sky FC and SC.

I'm not sure if it's Falcom unwilling to work with western publishers while a game is in development or whether said publishers are unwilling to invest money until the project is on retail shelves in Japan. Even with Falcom's track record of releasing things on time and never canceling a project, there is still that slim chance that Falcom will shitcan something halfway through development and those publishers (NISA) will be out their investment.

I can see both sides, really. There isn't enough interest to justify the investment for Falcom to open a western office so we get true worldwide releases, and I get why publishers aren't willing to take a flier on a game that isn't 100% gold. Ys and Trails are in this weird position of straddling a line where sales numbers could go either way.

That said, there is probably some middle ground that could be found, likely initiated on Falcom's side.

 

[Marissa Moira]

Falcom gets the game close to a finished state before translators get it. But the anime series could wind up changing things, it's being specifically made to give the series a larger exposure.

The fact that they're starting with Cold Steel and not with Sky means they're aiming for the western audiences with it.

 

[ForgedBlades]

I just hope the anime turns out okay. The Sky OVA was pretty bad.

 

[Marissa Moira]

I just hope the anime turns out okay. The Sky OVA was pretty bad.

I just hope this gets XSeed to release Sky Trilogy in a modern physical format in an attempt to ride the wave. Or maybe it will cause falcom to not renew the licenses and give them to NISA so they can actually be put out. Cold Steel 1 and 2 haven't been ported to anything outside of Vita, PS3, PS4, and PC. The prices for the PS4 ports of Cold Steel 1 and 2 are incredibly high.

The new games are going to be taking place in Calvard, and the MC looks like Laura's dad.