Board 8 > Play the Trails in the Sky trilogy or skip to the Cold Steel series?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I'm looking to get into the Legend of Heroes series. I've heard great things about Cold Steel 1-3, and I've seen people across the internet say that the Trails in the Sky trilogy is a must-play for understanding the world/politics/etc.

I've also seen people who recommend skipping straight to the Cold Steel games.

Thoughts?

---

90% of the world building that is used throughout the entire series comes from Sky 1

---

ninkendo posted...

90% of the world building that is used throughout the entire series comes from Sky 1

Sweet, it's only $10 on Steam, so I'll grab it.

What about Sky 2 and 3? Are they anywhere as important?

---

Skipping Sky would be a big mistake not just because of world building but because theyre also just better games.

and play Crossbell before Cold Strel too.

Each has their own mix of good games and ok games

Feels like the top 3 are Ao, SC and CS3

---

I recommend starting with Trails in the Sky because they are better games imo, in addition to it being the most sensible starting place from a lore standpoint anyway.

If you wanted though, you could start with Cold Steel and still understand what's going on without any trouble. There's some parts particularly once you get to Cold Steel 3 which won't have the same emotional impact, but I don't think it's as prevalent as a lot of fans would lead you to believe.
---

ninkendo posted...

90% of the world building that is used throughout the entire series comes from Sky 1

You aren't wrong but I think a good chunk of it is rehashed in the first game of each arc anyways? Correct me if I'm wrong.
---

Sort of related: are the Steam versions of TiTS compatible with a PS4 controller?

---

Trails in the Sky is better than Cold Steel. Estelle >>>> Rean, and the plot doesn't meander as much (key phrase being "as much"; Sky still doesn't have great pacing but at least it has some respect for the player's time)
---

Just keep in mind Steam is the only official way to play the Sky series since the 3rd one on PSP was never brought over to the US I think. Im probably skipping them because I dont have a pc or anything

sora is better so why would you skip anyway

---

OrangeCrush980 posted...

Trails in the Sky is better than Cold Steel. Estelle >>>> Rean, and the plot doesn't meander as much (key phrase being "as much"; Sky still doesn't have great pacing but at least it has some respect for the player's time)

w0w my poor boi Rean don't worry he'll make Estelle his one day as well

---

if cold steel 3 didn't exist, I'd say it would be fine to just play cold steel 1 & 2

but cold steel 3 makes playing trails in the sky essential.

you might consider playing cold steel 1&2, and if you like them, playing trails in the sky before playing 3. this might also save you from having to wait for cold steel 4 to be released.

I will just state for the record that I had zero problems playing Cold Steel 3 with absolutely no Sky knowledge. Still loved the game. The people saying it's "required" are absolutely exaggerating.

I played a few hours of Sky 1 and quit because the gameplay was so boring. I don't know if I will ever go back to it.

My opinion is far and away in the minority, though!

mnkboy907 posted...

Sort of related: are the Steam versions of TiTS compatible with a PS4 controller?

They are, yes.

Also, Trails in the Sky SC is the best game in the series and a top 10 quality game overall.

---

And I wouldn't say it's essential to play Sky before Cold Steel. The games do a good job of recapping previous entries. You will miss out on some of the emotional connections, and they're good games, to boot, so they're worth playing.

---

plasmabeam posted...

Sweet, it's only $10 on Steam, so I'll grab it.

What about Sky 2 and 3? Are they anywhere as important?

I really wanted to take a break after 1 but felt absolutely compelled to roll straight into 2.

---

Skipping Sky 2 is like electing not to watch The Empire Strikes Back during a Star Wars rewatch

---

Leonhart4 posted...

They are, yes.

That's good. I keep meaning to get back to it, but I just don't like playing with a keyboard.

---

The big problem I have with SC is I find almost everything to do with the overarching villains to be boring.

Not "The Hand" level boring, but boring enough to take a lot of the wind of the game.

Their plots and their plans exlicit a whole lot of "ok" and not much else most of the time.

I stopped for a long while after chapter 6, and an even longer while after 7. Having a third chapter may be why I finished it at all.

I blitzed FC straight through without any pauses and I could probably do it again though.

---

Yeah I would not say villains are really a strong suit of the Trails series. (And SC might be the game where that's most noticeable despite some of the villains individually being good characters.)

They do have good villains sometimes but it is sort of hit or miss.
---

But yes FC is fantastic and sets the stage for a lot of things so you should probably at least play that.

And I knew something was missing earlier and I just figured out what.

Half of them have no discernable reason for even being there. When asked "Why are you doing this" , they respond with "because" and vanish without another word. The Aureole isn't interesting at all and half of them have no apparent reason to even be a part of the group the majority of the time. Ouroburous in general is just a giant ball of "eh" that lacks explanation or intrigue in many key areas. I don't think I could get myself through SC a second time.



---

I'm gonna piggy back this topic and ask, how were the Gagharv Trilogy for Legend of Heroes? They're the 3 games released on PSP before Trails.

I know there's some confusion with:

Legend of Heroes II: Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch is actually the 1st game in the trilogy in Japan
Legend of Heroes: A Tear of Vermillion is really the 2nd game of the trilogy
Legend of Heroes III: Song of the Ocean is still the 3rd game, and is recommended to be played last anyways regardless of the order you play the previous 2 games in

---

Haven't played them but I heard you could see the beginnings of what they were eventually aiming for but it doesn't quite get there

---

I have heard that the Gagharv games are good in their original form but that the existing official localization is not good.

I have not played them myself.
---