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- XSEED Games
- XSEED Games
- XSEED Games
- XSEED Games
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd
Released On: May 3, 2017
83
8.2
All Platforms
PSP
tbd
Based on 11 Critic Reviews
83
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 11 Critic Reviews
83
91% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
9% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 11 Critic Reviews
83
91% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
9% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
A more than worthy continuation of the Trails in the Sky saga, tying up some loose ends from the previous game while setting up events for the following entries. The dungeon crawler game flow of the 3rd may put off some, and the presentation may look outdated, but do not let this discourage you, as the game is one of the best Japanese role-playing games released this year in the West.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd's different gameplay structure and shifted narrative focus can take some getting used to, especially when coming off the formula from prior Trails in the Sky entries. However, once I was acclimated to the new radical shifts in structure and gameplay, I found that the 3rd carries all the charm and strengths of the previous game and goes beyond that. Trails in the Sky the 3rd is an excellent conclusion that not only sends off the Liberl arc on an exceptionally strong note, but also serves as a great teaser of the overall Trails world.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 85 User Ratings
8.2
80% Positive
68 Ratings
68 Ratings
9% Mixed
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
11% Negative
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 85 User Ratings
8.2
80% Positive
68 Ratings
68 Ratings
9% Mixed
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
11% Negative
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
The GOAT!!! This game truly lays the foundation for everything in the series going forward. You absolutely need to finish the first two entries before tackling this bad boy so be forewarned. This one will have you crying, laughing, and having a blast. Gameplay has a couple little tweaks to optimize the combat experience, but yeah Falcom knew they were on a winning formula here!
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PC
Trails in the Sky the 3rd is one for the fans; it's for those of us who are in deep, who devour every morsel of lore and character development because we can't get enough of this world. It's also notably inaccessible, requiring easily upwards of 100 hours of investment in previous titles to fully appreciate. But isn't worrying about that sort of missing the point? The 3rd is a heartfelt goodbye to a trilogy that has become dear to my heart, and I am deeply grateful that more adventures exist in this world, because I don't know if I'll ever be ready for the Trails magic to end.
The story is so dense, it could discourage with a pile of text and a small amount of action, but anyone who gives Trails in the Sky the 3rd a chance, gets tens of hours of great entertainment, brilliantly written characters and an interesting story.
An atypical dungeon crawler structure in the series, but with a great result that closes like a homage this great and unknown JRPG.
Trails in the Sky 3 is a departure from its predecessors in more ways than one, and is undoubtedly the weakest of the three titles. However, the foundation of what made the first two titles feel special still remains with charming, multi-layered characters I’ve fallen in love with all over again, and writing that plays my heartstrings like a god damn fiddle.
Trails in the Sky the 3rd is bound to be a very divisive game among Trails fans. Its radically different structure is such a departure from the prior games that it's inevitably going to turn off some players, but at the same time, the fantastic boss battles and charming moments still manage to keep you hooked through what would, in any other circumstance, be a rather monotonous dungeon crawler. Had it not been for the two prior games of history, I doubt it would be able to hold up as well as it does; indeed, if you haven't played the previous titles, Trails in the Sky the 3rd would be a confusing mess. If, however, like so many Trails fans, you've fallen in love with the cast and want one last adventure with them, Trails in the Sky the 3rd does an admirable job of providing just that.
I highly recommend playing FC and SC before the 3rd as it is a direct sequel.
That said, the 3rd's format is a bit different from FC and SC. It is almost like one giant dungeon crawler. This dungeon has "doors" that leads to different parts of Liberl.
Despite the new formula, the narrative is still among the strongest in any JRPG/RPG, the gameplay is a step up from FC/SC, featuring the largest cast of playable characters. And as always, music by JDK never fails to impress.
Do note that The 3rd does not seem to directly propel the overarching plot of the Trails series, because its main role is to wrap up the Sky chapters while getting the audience interested in what's to come. What it does deliver is the following:
1. Kevin's personal story.
2. Additional depth/detail to every main character in the Sky Trilogy.
3. Additional depth/detail to the world of West Zemuria.
4. A lot of foreshadowing to future installments (Zero, Azure, Cold Steel)
You can think of it as a playable Collector's Databook for your favorite manga series, but with its own self contained story.
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PC
The Trails games are some of the greatest ones, this one is very enjoyable, but sadly I also feel it is the weakest in the series. But don't let that deter you from playing it, as it is still a great game to play. It adds a bit more to the lore of the series. It follows the combat system that has been established in prior games. Where I feel it comes up short compared to all other games, is the setting, there is no going from town to town, and very few NPC to interact with. But still a good game.
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PC
Pros
- the full cast from the previous two games returns stronger than ever and even adds some now faces
- the Door mechanic specific to this game provides some of the most interesting mysteries, that span the series to this day, while they also set up the next two arcs
- the game being led by a different protagonist from the first two was a risk that paid off hard, as their personal story is enthralling
- the combat system finally throws in enemies immune to the three higher elements (Mirage, Time and Space) which serves the combat puzzle greatly
Cons
- this game is mostly a dungeon delve with the occasional story thrown in, which I can see not being what people come to the Trails series for
Three games in the Trails series decides to throw us a curveball with Trails in the Sky The 3rd. New game structure, new protagonist, the fabulous Door mechanic make this one of the more unique games in the series that takes a lot of risks that pay off well for me. But let us start with the structure.
This whole game is a massive dungeon grind. One floor after the other, with the occasional story thrown in, usually at the end of each of these floors. What makes this more palatable is the fact that combat is the best it has been to this point, making the strategic part of the game even more fun than before.
What also offsets the heavy combat focus to this game, are the various Doors sprinkled through the game. The doors were introduced to give a break from the monotony that is the dungeon and to give players a taste of what happened with the characters since the Second Chapter, as well as setting up characters and events for the future arcs.
15 Star Doors, giving you small story snippets about individual characters and places. 5 Moon Doors, giving you major story events that have massive ramifications for the future of the series. And finally the 5 Sun Doors, giving you a couple of minigames that vary in fun and quality.
The 3rd is a bridge game, meant to ease the players into the Crossbell and Erebonia arcs, while giving distant hints to the eventual Calvard arc. And it succeeds at that beautifully. For its own story, it is written so competently, that even though the lead is a new protagonist, they firmly rank as one of the best the series ever had.
And there you have it. Trails in the Sky The 3rd. A game that shakes up the formula and succeeds at players excited for what is coming next. A fantastic game that does wonders for the future of the series.
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PC
The combat is now somewhat fun. The sidequests are a step up from the two prior games, but there are still some stinkers mixed in there. The characters are fun, and the main story is overall good. It's aesthetically more interesting this time. Music is pretty good.
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PC
Although I am a big fan of the series, this game was not fun for me. I didn't like constantly being in the same dungeon for MANY hours. What I liked about "The Legend of Heroes" was that you could roam around the city and talk to people, as well as complete quests given to you by them. I could not find that in this game; therefore, I did not enjoy it.
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PC
Summary Half a year after Trails in the Sky SC, Father Kevin Graham takes on a routine mission on behalf of the Septian Church. He and his partner are then plunged into a realm that follows an unnaturally strict set of rules and is as intent to open old wounds as it is to keep them behind closed doors.
Platforms:
- PSP
- PC
Initial Release Date: May 3, 2017
Developer:
- Falcom
Publisher: XSEED Games
Genres:
