#Nihon Falcom

[vgadvisor]

[90sfantasyanimestuff]

Brandish 4/ VT

[masky-arts]

Trails in the Sky remake was just announced recently!!

[retrocgads]

USA 1993

[gzeidraws]

Commission for @aegisasu of her OC Amelia and Crow adorably in love 💕!!

[bowloflentils]

For those curious about Trails, here are four entries you can jump right into:

Trails in the Sky

Trails from Zero

Trails of Cold Steel

Trails through Daybreak

Starting with the first game (Trails in the Sky) is a good choice, but if that isn't appealing then try out whichever installment above looks the most interesting. See if you like it and worry about the other games later.

Until relatively recently, it was impossible to play through the series in release order officially in English. So many longtime fans, like myself, have experienced Trails in all sorts of wacky combinations. So don't worry too much about where to start and just follow your bliss.

[acquired-stardust]

Popful Mail Sega CD 1994

[eliseliedl]

Trails in the Sky FC remake announced for Nintendo Switch!

[ahammz]

Ys guys with botw study backgrounds

[carnageform]

(MAY 10) Touching up old wips to get back into practice

[smash-64]

2024 Game of the Year Countdown #2: The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Sony PlayStation Portable, 2011

According to my save data, I have not played the first installment of the Trails series in six years! This is quite astounding since I think about Trails on the daily, and going in with all the knowledge I have picked up since last playing it, I am fully enjoying all the little bits of lore that are continually sprinkled throughout the dialogue and story. It makes me wonder exactly how much of the larger story had been planned out when Trails in the Sky was initially released in 2004, as we have now celebrated 20 years of this ongoing and highly interconnected series of 13 games (11 localized). 

Trails in the Sky for the PSP is very much an older style JRPG that would feel at home on the PS1 during the Golden Age of JRPGs. Going back to play it after playing the most modern games reminds me of how much the patience of players has been eroded over the years. You can’t skip battle animations. Menu navigating is slow and saving is slower. There is only a very small amount of voice acting, all reserved for combat phrases and grunts. However, these are simply part of the charm of games from this era, and something that I became accustomed to very quickly. 

The inclusion of voice acting in modern games is a great thing, but I think it can take away from the wonderfully depicted character portraits that are full of emotion and nuance as developers have seemingly decided that having both is not necessary. Falcom has yet to reach the same heights with their 3D animation that they had with these 2D portraits. The subtle differences are really cool and I wish we’d get some sort of return to this at some point. Maybe some sort of mini-installment as a flashback DLC or something? I doubt we’d ever get something like that, but I can always wish.

The first Trails in the Sky game, commonly referred to as FC (First Chapter), is undoubtedly the slowest of slow burns when it comes to JRPGs and Trails games, which is really a thing to behold since Trails prides itself on such things. If you want fast, high-flying and nonstop action, you’re going to be sorely disappointed in this game. Luckily, I was not looking for anything other than a fantastic story and world into which I could dive and be fully immersed. Sky FC is the most charming and immersive entry point to the Trails series. I found myself genuinely wanting to spend time just existing in the Trails world. Walking the streets, visiting the restaurants, seeing the sights, watching the plays. I want to live here!

Estelle Bright remains my all time favorite video game character, and getting to see her grow from a young and inexperienced rookie to a more level-headed senior Bracer by the end of FC was a joy for me. The charm and endearing dialogue that we got in the Sky series has yet to be matched, despite the great work we’ve seen in the Crossbell and Erebonian arcs.

There’s just something that has been somewhat lost as the stories and settings have become larger and with dozens upon dozens of characters. I won’t go too far down that road, but it was refreshing to come back to a much more intimate journey once again.

Players who did not start with Trails in the Sky may find the combat to be a bit difficult at times, especially on higher settings since the games weren’t balanced for anything other than Normal. Aidios help you if you decide to play on Nightmare! I played on Hard with my NG+ save and still had to restart a couple of fights. I didn’t exactly make it easy on myself since I brought the precious cinnamon roll, but absolute glass cannon, Tita Russell, with me to the final gauntlet of boss fights, but I couldn’t pass up putting all my favorites together.

Music plays a key role in JRPGs and Falcom is well known for good compositions. Simple location tunes set the tone wonderfully with songs like “A Cat Relaxing in the Sun” and “Ruan.” Meanwhile, “Sophisticated Fight,” while perhaps a bit overplayed, is a nice break from what many traditional JRPG battle tunes sound like. “Silver Will” is an obligatory inclusion in any Sky music discussion, and “Decision to Leave” brings a soft, sad, distant piano sound to a key moment. However, my favorite is still “Hoshi no Arika,” the song that plays during the credits and closing shots. It fits the mood perfectly and brings a tear to my eye as the game rips me in two, demanding I play the sequel once I recover.

Trails in the Sky is just as good today as it was when I first played it, and it continues to be the best entry point to the Trails series, should anyone who has been blatantly ignoring my pleas for the past few years decided to change their minds. It exudes the same sort of feeling that the Golden Age of JRPGs had and that many people desperately miss in modern gaming. With the announcement of a 3D remake coming in 2025, there is no longer the “it looks old” excuse for JRPG fans. 

[vgadvisor]

[90sfantasyanimestuff]

Retro Ys illustration. Source.

[corecamilo]

Risette Twinings

Marduk's finest

[cocosnowlo-drawings]

Shield Brother and Sister 🛡️

[gzeidraws]

Juna and Musse in special military uniforms, a commission for Chris! ✨