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

 PC
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd Image
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 78 Ratings

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  • 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.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. Wccftech
    May 14, 2017
    95
    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 The dungeon crawler game flow of the 3rd may put off some, and the presentation may look outdated, but do not let this discourage you, as the game is one of the best Japanese role-playing games released this year in the West.
  2. RPG Site
    May 3, 2017
    90
    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.
  3. DarkStation
    Jul 5, 2017
    90
    The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd is absolutely charming and it’s not only due to its cutesy looks. With a dimensional world of multiple planes hovering in the middle of nowhere and tons of text to read through, the game could pass for a foreign cousin to the equally engaging and prosaic-heavy Torment: Tides of Numenera. Both games share a fact the flashy presentation is not always needed to tell immersive stories. It’s the quality of the writing and the riveting dialogue that count towards the long hours lost in front of the computer. When all is said and done, Trails in the Sky the 3rd comes out as a balanced, thoughtful and inspiring JRPG.
  4. 3DJuegos
    May 16, 2017
    80
    An atypical dungeon crawler structure in the series, but with a great result that closes like a homage this great and unknown JRPG.
  5. Games.cz
    Jun 27, 2017
    80
    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.
  6. Digitally Downloaded
    May 17, 2017
    80
    A love letter for fans, a final send-off for some beloved characters and fitting conclusions to endearing storylines. The likeable characters kept me interested and never left me feeling as though the development team had gone to the same well too many times, despite some reused locations and bosses. If you are okay with a considerable shift in overall gameplay, exchanging actual exploration on world maps for doorways leading to more focused events, then Trails in the Sky the 3rd is going to be highly satisfying.
  7. RPGamer
    May 12, 2017
    70
    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.

See all 11 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 10
  3. Negative: 1 out of 10
  1. Gwyndolin
    May 3, 2017
    10
    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.    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.    … Expand
  2. GenTrailsFan
    Mar 1, 2022
    10
    The GOAT!!! This game truly lays the foundation for everything in the series going forward. You absolutely need to finish the first twoThe 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!… Expand
  4. hk300
    May 6, 2023
    10
    IMO ended up being the best of this trilogy, Kevin was a good protagonist, and the story was heavy but enjoyable.
  5. Neatqt
    Mar 30, 2020
    8
    Cast: 9/10
    Story: 9/10
    Fun: 5/10
    Gameplay: 6/10

    Recommended
    ---------------------- 55 Hours Played
  6. chronofantasy
    May 7, 2017
    8
    Definitely don't play this game unless you have played the first two Trails in the Sky games, otherwise you'll be completely lost on all theDefinitely don't play this game unless you have played the first two Trails in the Sky games, otherwise you'll be completely lost on all the characters and what led up to this point in the game. Usually this sort of game I don't care that much for, since it's mostly a dungeon crawler and going through old past zones but in an altered state. The entire game is a wrap-up. I actually consider it a long, drawn out epilogue to the first two games.

    If this was any other game or perhaps series, I'd probably give this a lower score or I would stop playing this, but I may be a bit bias in this review because I am a fan of the series. Taking any biases away, the game has fantastic music, unique for the title, and amazing and drawn out narrative, which is always what the series is known for.

    There's side stories for each characters and mini games you can play, which adds more fun to the game.

    I'm only 10 hours into the game, so I still might have a bit to go, but I'm curious to see how each character's story ends and to see how the characters ended up in the one big dungeon-like place called Phantasama that they explore throughout the entire game.

    I knocked the game down a couple points because like I said, dungeon crawling isn't my preference and it doesn't really fit in the series whether I like it or not. I know the writers love to expand on the series and this universe, but I feel this game is a bit unnecessary at times, other than to please the fans. Otherwise, since we do have this game, it's enjoyable for what it is nonetheless.    … Expand
  7. Xitomz
    Dec 28, 2021
    8
    Really good game, a good game to expand on everything that FC and SC wasn't able to explain, plus an introduction to the next Arc.

    Overall    Really good game, a good game to expand on everything that FC and SC wasn't able to explain, plus an introduction to the next Arc.

    Overall a good game, but has some flaws that the others don't. Being a dungeon crawler doesen't work well enough in my opinion, it just doesen't feel right.

    On the other hand Kevin is an AMAZING protagonist and his story is so freakin' good.    … Expand
  8. Wondux
    Jan 3, 2022
    4
    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 IAlthough 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.… Expand

See all 10 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

41
#41 Best PC Game of 2017

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