GAME REVIEW: Trails To Azure
The Legends of Heroes series has steadily gone from a series that was underneath my radar for years to one of my most consistent favorite JRPG series. Where other JRPG series have leaned more into action-based combat and Western elements in recent years, the Trails series has generally built on the elements that have traditionally worked for them. The result is a series with deep worldbuilding, strong characters, good storytelling, and a turn-based combat system that has evolved while remaining true to its classic formula.
However, there was one story in the series that never saw the light of day into the West until the past year. Although the Trails in the Sky series had been around for years and Trails of Cold Steel has done well on PC and PS4, the middle arc had only been available in Japan until recently. For a long time, it was impossible to play these games in English without emulation. But with the English translations done by Geofront and the growth of Trails in the West, it became possible for the two Crossbell games to reach a Western audience for the first time.
Trails To Azure is the second of the games set in the small nation of Crossbell, following up directly from Trails to Zero. In terms of continuity, this game runs concurrently with events that take place in Trails of Cold Steel I and Trails of Cold Steel II, though you don’t need to play either of those games. If you’re not familiar with Cold Steel, you’ll still be able to understand the story. Still, if you have played the Cold Steel games, Trails to Azure will reward you for it, whether it’s a small offhand reference to events from Cold Steel, or cameo appearances from characters who appear in those games. The writing does a good job of maintaining good continuity between games and rewarding longtime players, while also keeping the story accessible to new players coming in. It is, however, advised that you play Trails From Zero before diving into Azure, as those two games tell one single overarching story.
The story of Trails To Azure centers on a branch of the Crossbell police force called the Special Support Section. The main hero, Lloyd Bannings, is a detective who was inspired to follow in the footsteps of his dead brother Guy; the murder of Guy Bannings plays a large role in the mystery in Crossbell. Lloyd and his friends have also adopted a young girl named KeA, who turns out to be a central figure in the city’s larger mystery. In addition, there is growing political unrest in Crossbell as the newly elected mayor, Dieter Crois, moves to turn Crossbell into an independent state. This leads to the intervention of the two major imperial factions, Erebonia and Calvard, as they try to undermine the independence movement. In practice, the game is as much about solving mysteries as it as about the usual Trails fare—fighting monsters, doing request missions, and stopping the main villains. However, there is a strong emotional core, with themes of overcoming obstacles, found family, and complex political issues.
As is common with Trails games, the characters remain the heart of the game, and this is one of the most likeable main casts in the entire series. Lloyd Bannings is a good main protagonist, driven mainly by his desire to emulate his detective brother and to solve the mystery of his brother’s death. The game gives you strong answers to that question, depending on your in-game actions. The supporting characters are intriguing as well, but especially Randy Orlando, Tio Plato, and new SSS member Wazy Hemisphere. Randy becomes a central figure in the game because of the involvement of his family, forcing him to confront the darkness in his mercenary past. While Tio’s background isn’t as emphasized as it was in the first game, she makes up for that by being entertaining; her cool brand of snark contrasts well with the other party members and she gets some excellent lines. However, it is Wazy that presents the most intriguing mystery of all the game’s primary companions, and the reveal of his true identity is satisfying while adding to his character. While the other characters in the group aren’t quite as interesting in this game, they still get good moments and missions here and there. Noel Seeker, another new SSS recruit, has a conflict of loyalty between her friends and her previous job, leading to some good scenes with Lloyd in the mid-game. The endgame party members are quite solid as well, including a mystery character that I’ve enjoyed playing in later games. There are no bad or annoying party members at any point in the Crossbell games, and there are strong options for your endgame party. If anything, the biggest challenge towards the end of the game is deciding who to exclude from your team, as you can only use six party members at any given time.
The battle system will be immediately recognizable if you’ve played Trails From Zero, as it’s similar in most respects. Like Zero, Trails of Azure will reward you for taking advantage of surprise attacks and ambushes, giving you critical hit opportunities and the chance of a Team Rush attack (which can end battles in one turn if you’re lucky enough). The magic system works the same as well; you equip quartz (functionally similar to Final Fantasy 7’s Materia) that allow your party members to cast spells and enable other benefits. If you learned the Zero battle system, then battles in Azure should be relatively simple. The main addition to the formula, however, is the Burst feature, which becomes active in story-specific areas that feature the higher elements of Trails’ magic system. With Burst, you can build the Burst gauge either through attacks or items, and then you can activate it once the gauge is full. At that point, magic becomes much faster to cast, making it worth your while to use your most powerful spells while you’re in Burst mode. This is very often a good ability to use against the game’s strongest bosses, delaying their turns while allowing your party to use its powerful attacks. It’s a good feature that builds on Zero’s combat system, offering a useful option that can turn the tide in battle.
Trails From Azure is a game that remains a favorite among hardcore Trails fans. Having played through this game in English at last, I can finally understand why. The game features a strong main cast that is fun to play, a good turn-based battle system with strong tactical options, the deep worldbuilding that Trails always excels at, and most importantly, an engrossing story that makes you care about the characters involved. The result is a long-anticipated title that is worth the wait for its Western release, presenting one of the greatest games in the entire series to date.
Score: 5/5
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Publisher: Nihom Falcom/NIS America
Author Profile
- Steve Sellers had been a fan of superheroes ever since Superman: The Movie. But it took the JSA, the Legion of Super-Heroes, Dragonlance, Lord of the Rings, Twilight Zone, and Chris Claremont's legendary run on the X-Men to make him a writer and a longtime fan of comics, fantasy, and science fiction. Steve is the co-creator of WHITE DRUID & MICHAEL NERO and GUARDIANS OF ELAYIM for Omen Comics, and he is also the creator of BLITZ and SHOCKWAVE for Revelation Comics (an imprint of Omen Comics).
