The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd

If you didn't play the first two games, leave this page now and try those first. Without familiarity with the plot, characters and world introduced in First and Second Chapter, this game will make absolutely no sense. This game is not truly the end of a trilogy. Instead, it's an epilogue to the duology formed by the previous two games as well as a bridge episode into the rest of the series. At the end of the second game, the primary threat was stopped and then the game ended almost immediately. If you thought the ending of the previous game was too short and quick, this game will be right up your alley. The game's structure is very different from the previous ones and somewhat similar to Ys Origin (another Falcom title) where the main cast is dropped in an isolated locale where they have to explore a large dungeon level by level with big bosses half-way and at the end of each tier and plot exposition in between floors. But strewn around the place are also two dozen "memory doors" that lead to often long flash-backs showing glimpses into the past of various characters and places as well as what went on with them after the conclusion of the second game. The game's essentially a lore-bomb in game form. Unlike the first two games, this game's a lot faster paced. You start the game at level 90 and each character has their crafts from the previous game right out of the gate. The opening is more James Bond than the slice-of-life stuff from the first game. You can teleport around the game world to quickly get around and since you can skip all but the first "side content door" and proceed with the main dungeon at your discretion, the player also remains much more in control of the pacing. Combined with a roster of 16 playable characters in total, this makes the gameplay a lot more interesting. Trails the 3rd is a fitting and engaging closure to the Trails in the Sky games and brings the gang together for one final adventure before the series turns to other countries...

[EARLY REVIEW] I'm barely a quarter into the game, so just to give a heads-up to potential buyers. This instalment is quite different from the first two titles. While the First Chapter was about a dynamic duo going on a trip around their country, a sort of coming-of-age road story, the Second Chapter using the same concept but with a more epic plot, the third game takes place in a huge dungeon. Think alternate-dimension Tetracyclic Towers and you'll get the idea. Dotted around the many levels of the dungeon are doors that specific characters can enter, which show lengthy story sequences – great for character development, but bad for gameplay. Some of the city assets have been reused, but turned into dungeons full of enemies. Gone are shopping sprees in the big mall (now handled by vending stones), fishing, talking to unique characters, exploring the countryside and helping people in need. The game is just a dungeon crawl now. And it's a phantasmal dungeon to boot. That doesn't mean the game is bad – on the contrary, the mechanics and writing are as strong as ever – merely that the game dispensed with what I liked the best about the first two games. So, buyer beware!

I grew up on 90's RPG games like Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, etc. By the mid 2000's, I started getting busy with college, but could fit in an RPG here and there. By the 2010's, I started a family and a hectic career. I didn't have much time for gaming, and when I did, I couldn't finish a RPG. It's 2022 and the last video game I completed was Suikoden 5 in 2009. Gaming just isn't what it used to be... It became work to play video games, which were typically RPGS, especially when I typically had to play them late at night or early in the morning so it wouldn't interfere with other aspects of my life. I pretty much concluded that gaming henceforth would consist of playing some Switch party games when friends game over or Mario Kart with my daughter. I gave gaming one more shot with the Legend of Heroes Trails in the Sky series. I heard this was a RPG series unlike any other I came in expecting nothing, I came out beating all three games in less than a year. Yes, my 8 hour nights of sleep turned into 5 hours, but I did find time to fit in gaming. For these games, it was worth it. With a limited amount of time for gaming, I want to make the most of it. I hate annoying puzzles and grinding, neither of which are in the Trails in the Sky games. I think that's what has made me less interested in gaming. I like a good story, turn-based combat, and likable characters. This meets all the criteria. This game revived my interest in gaming when I didn't think it was possible. In the last 13 years, I've tried all of the Star Ocean games, FF 12 and 13, and other similar games. I just lost interest and didn't finish them. Like I said, the last game I finished before the Trails in the Sky games was Suikoden 5 nearly 13 years ago. I dare to use a dad pun here, but this is a game-changer. Ha!

If you are reading this and haven't played through the first two games in this series already, STOP. This game contains many spoilers for those games. They are meant to be played in order. This review is written for people who have played the first two and are on the fence about this one. This is still the dialogue-heavy JRPG you know and love, with some rather bad design choices. The main two characters in this game are not the same as the previous entries. One is a new character, the other was a playable character for only a portion of the second game. The main draw for the first two was always the semi open world. There was plenty to explore, people to talk to, side quests to do. That is all gone from this game. You are placed into a supernatural spacey area pretty early. Think of it as one continuous dungeon with different floors. At first, I thought this section would've been only a few hours long. It lasts the entire game. The overall level design is quite boring. Some sections are reused from the first two games. Some are straight copies, while others have only minor changes. The other areas are simple paths that offer little puzzle solving or any challenge, with small branches to collect items from chests. In the first two titles, you did side quests to earn the necessary currency to buy armor/weapons from the shops. You could optionally convert some sepith (drops used in upgrading and crafting) into money to buy some gear, but you really only needed it at the beginning of the game. You are usually given enough cash from side quests to support your current party. With fewer "side quests" in this game than in previous entries, you will be starving for money a lot (have fun grinding). The side quests themselves are done through doors that require specific requirements to open, such as having a certain person in your party. Most are just cutscenes, but there are some minigames and even some short gameplay segments. Recommened for fans of the series only.