The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure, Worth to Buy?

We will discuss the new released RPG game The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure that is set in the city of Crossbell. The game is a direct sequel to "Trails from Zero" and follows the Special Support Section as the protagonist. The game's story is heavily reliant on the events of its predecessor, which may make it difficult to follow for those who have not played it. However, the prologue attempts to fill in the blanks for players who are new to the game. Despite the admirable effort, the game's pacing is somewhat slow in the prologue, and some players may find themselves wishing for the characters to move on to the current story.

The game's writing is competent and maintains its identity without blending into the sea of other RPGs. Lloyd Bannings is a fun character to follow, with his blind optimism and "Never Say Die" attitude, which is a win in a gaming landscape where pessimistic, dark, and brooding characters are quite popular. Unfortunately, the rest of the party feels underdeveloped, and even the standard anime trope of a beach episode does not elevate them as characters.

The game's turn-based battles take place over a small grid-based battlefield where party members and enemies can move and attack. Different attacks and abilities have varying areas of effect, and positioning is crucial during combat. The mini-bosses and boss fights emphasize positioning to a surprising degree, with several attacks punishing characters for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The game's fantastical enemies work well with the more political story, adding depth to the game.

Aside from combat, most of the gameplay involves exploring the city of Crossbell, its surroundings, and various dungeons. Players can talk to different characters, build relationships, and complete side quests. The game also features an in-depth cooking system that uses ingredients found during players' adventures to cook buff-providing food. Trails to Azure covers just about every aspect an RPG can think of and does it quite well.

Visually, the game uses two-dimensional sprites in a 3D world, which gives it the vibe of the typical late-era PS1 game. The high definition rendition of the game's 2D sprites, while slightly blurry, does quite a bit to give players an idea of what the characters look like. Overall, the Legend of Heroes series has been one of the longest-running RPG franchises out there, with Trails to Azure being one of the best games in the franchise by those who managed to play the games through fan translation or an appropriate knowledge of the Japanese language. 

As with previous games in the series, Trails to Azure features turn-based battles with a unique twist. Battles take place on a small grid-based battlefield, where movement and positioning play a critical role in determining the outcome. Abilities and attacks have different areas of effect, adding an extra layer of strategy to the gameplay.

One of the standout features of Trails to Azure is the emphasis on positioning, which becomes increasingly important in the mini-boss and boss fights. Players must be careful not to be caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, as some attacks will punish characters for their poor positioning. The wide variety of enemies and the political story that intertwines with the fantastical elements of the game make for a compelling gameplay experience.

Outside of combat, players will spend their time exploring the city of Crossbell and its surroundings. The game boasts a large number of side quests and characters to interact with, making sure there is always something to do. The cooking system is also a fun addition, allowing players to use ingredients they find to cook buff-providing food.

Visually, Trails to Azure uses 2D sprites in a 3D world, giving it the feel of a late-era PS1 game. The HD rendition of the game's 2D sprites manages to convey the personalities of the game's various characters, and the art direction keeps the game from looking too dated. The music is a definite highlight, with some downright awesome tracks, especially during boss fights.

We played the PC version of the game, and we were pleased to find that it runs excellently on the Steam Deck. There were no issues with graphics, audio, or controls, making it a fitting platform for the genre. The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure is an excellent addition to the franchise, and it brings a satisfying close to the Crossbell story arc.

The game's biggest drawback is that it assumes players have played Trails from Zero, making it difficult to understand the characters and their motivations without prior knowledge. However, aside from that and some minor pacing issues, Trails to Azure is a fantastic RPG and is highly recommended for fans of the genre.