TL;DR: Good combat, meh music. Trash writing for 2/3rds of the game. A SLOG to get through. Decent game, mechanically speaking. Fun combat system that gets dragged down by Falcom not knowing how to balance any encounter - you'll either decimate the opponents in 2 turns or get insta-killed, especially noticeable if you play on Nightmare or Abyss modes (to be fair, you are warned about getting deleted occasionally if you choose Abyss). I played on Nightmare. There are also way too many characters. It's cool if you're into the finer details of the combat system, but for anyone else it's simply an annoyance. Too much choice can paralyse a player. These are problems inherited from CS3/4 but made worse in this title. Soundtrack is... mediocre. There is drama concerning a certain composer, but he's ironically the least offensive part in this title. Regarding the story and writing, the crux of this franchise: This game has the worst main plot and writing in the franchise so far. It does nothing to advance the overarching storyline, and sloppily ties up a few old plot points. It's an extremely confusing experience for the most part. For a good 2/3rds of the game you'll be doing nothing but retreading old ground with tired old characters, and not a single ounce of quality or joy can be extracted from the slog that those particular sections are. The most vexing thing is, the remaining third of the game - which, in case you're wondering, is the C "route" - showcases what is arguably this series' peak. Extremely good pacing, interesting combat encounters, compelling characters and equally compelling character arcs. Even then, it's not enough to rescue the slow-motion car crash that is the rest of the game. This is the first time I forced myself to finish a game. Perhaps my expectations were too high after 3 years of wait. But I left this game extremely disappointed, so much so that it marks the end of this franchise (and Falcom games in general) for me.
...but not the best. I'll admit, my experience with Trails isn't as comprehensive as with the Ys series. I've played through Sky FC, Cold Steel on the PS3 and partly through the PSP version of Zero no Kiseki - getting far enough to realize I was missing out on a lot of context, and promptly dropping it. So, how does SC compare to the First game in this series ? Well, it's not as good. The gameplay is virtually identical; there are a few more Arts and playable characters but those came along with some (more) balancing issues. I have no problems when games throw you some hard boss as a wake up call, but to do it as often as SC does you better make sure the final boss is a good scenario for using and abusing all the mechanics - which it is not. The king of poor balance is, without a doubt, the damned Prologue boss. I have no idea what compelled Falcom to place such a big middle finger right at the beginning of the game, but trust me, that it's by FAR the most frustrating part. The story also takes a hit in comparison to FC - hopefully The 3rd addresses some of these questions, but for the sake of spoilers I won't reveal what I'm actually talking about. Thankfully, Trails separates "the plot" from "the characters" - all the characters that return from FC are built on and improved, even if the overall plot isn't as good. To sum it up, the (poor) balance and some wonkier writing are pretty much what makes this game a little less satisfying than FC. I can honestly say the the rest barely changed. The soundtrack is slightly different - the new tracks are all fitting, but most is recycled. As an addendum to the negatives: while this doesn't impact the quality of the game, I find it frustrating that the achievements are bugged - I've ended up missing two achievements and was convinced it was user error, but no... Turns out, I had achievements for things I either hadn't completed yet, or was actually unaware of. Completionists: be warned.
The good: - Gameplay: while combat is simple in design there is a bit of depth with the weakness system and the huge selection of skills. Controls are very smooth and responsive - I played with a DS3 controller and had no issues. I assume DS4 and Xbox controllers also have none. Platforming, when it does show up, is pulled off without much frustration and you'll find a few deceptively simple puzzles along the way. Would not recommend KB+M for this one. - Story: while never the big focus on the Ys series, this game does possess an unusually big script - and it doesn't deviate much from the quality displayed in other Falcom titles (refer to Kiseki for them writing chops). Characters are, in general, very likeable. Highlights: Ricotta and Dana. - Soundtrack: in typical Falcom fashion, the soundtrack is top notch. Falcom was never one to go all out on the orchestral bombast of fellow devs like Square. Instead, you'll be presented with (mostly) synth-based metal - of the neoclassical shred kind - and quirky "exotic" themes. Iclucian Dance and Sunshine Coastline are the definitive standouts of the OST. The not so good: - Voice acting: perhaps a controversial opinion, but one I hold regardless. If the voiced lines are cut-off mid scene only to resume seconds later, don't bother voicing lines. I'd much prefer if this game took the Trails in the Sky approach to VA: none at all, bar battle lines. - Graphics: I know, I know. PS Vita game. And a Falcom one at that. Still, in rare instances, the game does manage to look rather appealing so it's not all bad. Install the HQ textures for the love of God. The awful: - It ends. Final words: you know what this game reminds me of? The PS2 platformers I grew up with - Jak and Ratchet. Perhaps it's the post-game depression (and a bit of nostalgia) still preventing me from being harsher on this one, but this might just be one of the best, most enjoyable games I've played - not just in the last few months, but ever.
