I'd give it a 4.5 but since that's not available I'll grant the extra half star. Trails reminds of the great JRPG games of old because of the focus that is given to storytelling and dialogue. This is a game with massive character development that adds depth to an already intriguing story. I was very surprised at the amount (and quality!) of dialogue this game contained between characters. It is exceedingly well done and very well translated. You won't find any "All your base are belong to us" in this game. Trails is a labor of love to be sure. Artists can either spend a day on a painting or months or years and I would surmise that trails falls under the years category given the richness. Aside from that which is most striking, the game plays very well and the battles are enjoyable however also very easy. It's very traditional focused turn based battle with HP/MP/Special attacks but also puts it's own spin on it with the magic system being rather unique. If you're a fan of the genre I believe you'll like this game very much. Perhaps the only complaint I would render would be the repetitiveness of some of the "jobs" you're assigned to complete. After a time it did start to feel more like busywork than something adventurous. Minor beef though. The last chapter of this game is without a doubt the most enjoyable and challenging. It also contains some really well done boss music as well. The song "Silver Will" was really quite epic and I think touches the essence of the fight between the party and one of the main antagonists with the right touch of sadness. I'll be anxiously awaiting the sequel. From what I can discern it should be released in December 2015.
