Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, the new remake of the beloved The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, is everything a remake should be. Bringing the first chapter of The Legend of Heroes JRPG franchise to new life, it’s clearly built on deep love and respect for the original, while introducing new graphics, quality of life updates, and a combat overhaul. It’s the perfect jumping-on point for the lengthy series. Currently at 13 games in the main line narrative, it’s still one of the most slept on and underrated JRPG series out there. Consistently delivering incredible characters, dense and intricate plots that pack an emotional punch, with a fantastic turn-based combat system at its heart, it’s a large and daunting series to wade into. With Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter remaking the first entry, now is the perfect time to get in on the adventure.
Return To Liberl In Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter
Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter follows two young adoptive siblings, Estelle and Joshua, as they set out on an adventure. Recently minted as junior bracers, basically a cross between good-hearted mercenaries and social workers, the pair set out to try to climb the ranks to become senior bracers. To do that, they need to get acceptance letters from each major area in the region, working on missions to prove their mettle. It’s not just the ladder climbing that prompts the start of their adventure, as their father, Cassius Bright, one of the most elite bracers there is, goes missing. The mystery of his disappearance and the journey to find him is at the heart of the narrative, filled with twists and turns before finally giving way to a major geopolitical conflict.
Narrative is one of the series’ strongest suits, and while the pacing in 1st Chapter is a slow burn, every step is worthwhile. It takes a while to really get into the nitty-gritty of the story, and while that may turn some off, it perfectly fits the game’s ethos. It invites you to explore and get to know its land and the people who inhabit it. Going back to the land of Liberl was like coming back to the town I grew up in. With the series where it is now, things are far more complicated and lore-heavy, while 1st Chapter truly feels like an adventure. Each new area is mostly self-contained, helping the inhabitants before moving on to a new conflict. There are narrative links along the way, but essentially, each new chapter is its own journey. From helping find a missing airship to uncovering the dastardly plot behind a fire, each chapter is engrossing and fun, while laying the groundwork for the greater conflict to come in the final chapter.
A Perfect Pairing of Protagonists
1st Chapter wouldn’t be what it is without its stars, Estelle and Joshua. Estelle is headstrong and kind-hearted, always looking for the best in those around her while lifting them up. Joshua, more sardonic and cold, has a mysterious past but a soft spot for his adoptive sister. Their banter and interplay are fun and endearing, supportive and warm as they cover each other’s weak spots. Seeing them grow up and learn from one another is beautiful, lifted to new life with newly added voice acting. Both Estelle and Joshua sound fantastic, dripping with emotion in one moment, playfully teasing each other the next. They’re fantastic protagonists that make every step on their journey one that the player can connect with, as you truly care about not just them individually, but their bond as well.
The rest of the supporting cast is similarly strong. From the kind and warm Kloe to the hard-headed and stubborn Agate, meeting each one, learning about them, and seeing them grow is one of the game’s best parts. 1st Chapter spends most of the game with Joshua and Estelle and one or two other party members, as they leave at the end of their respective chapters before coming together later. Each chapter gives the supporting cast moments to shine, with badass new direction in the cutscenes that make them look like anime movies. Olivier remains a standout, being a flirty and boisterous bard that even the party gets annoyed with. Each new character carries their own rich and secretive background, and seeing their stories through is fantastic.
As you get to a new town, the first stop is always the Bracer guild. Here, you pick up new missions and side quests, each offering rewards for completion. They range from simple monster fights to multistep quest lines that bring you closer to the inhabitants of the region. Where one might have you looking for a lost cat, another has you helping a baker come up with a new recipe for a baking challenge. They’re now helpfully marked on the mini map. Fast travel has also been added, letting the player jump around to complete quests even faster than before. The fast-forward feature is here as well, allowing players to speed everything up, which is one of my favourite features in the series.
Revamped Combat Is The Best In The Series So Far
Combat in 1st Chapter receives a major revamp for the remake. Adding the action combat introduced in Trails Through Daybreak, the fight now begins in the overworld, but it feels better than before. More fluid and flashier, you can attack, dodge, and use stronger attacks to stun enemies. You can completely crush through weaker enemies, while stunning enemies can open them up to more attacks. At any time, you can enter tactical combat, switching to turn-based combat. If you do that while the enemy is stunned, you get a free attack to deal extra damage. From there, players can use regular attacks, Crafts, and Arts. Crafts are stronger attacks that use CP, which regenerates as you deal and take damage—positioning matters here, as some Crafts do more damage from the side or behind. Some Crafts act like super moves at a higher cost, dealing tons of damage and interrupting turn order when used. Arts, on the other hand, act like spells, costing MP and taking time to cast. They can deal heavy damage, especially when using an element that the enemy is weak to.
Blending the action and turn-based combat here makes the overall combat flow better than ever before. I do wish that you could cast Arts from the field, as seen in Daybreak 2, but everything here feels snappy and responsive. You don’t need to waste a ton of time in turn-based fights when you can quickly shred through enemies in the overworld, while going into tactical combat gives you greater options in the combat toolkit. Characters can also hop on each other’s attacks, providing follow-ups and team attacks seen in later games in the series with Brave and Link Attacks. These even extend to the action combat, dealing more damage and keeping the pace moving quickly. It’s a fantastic blend of both systems that makes every fight fun, as you really need to learn and understand the systems to get through the more challenging fights in the game. Characters can also Overdrive, letting them deal more damage for two turns when activated.
The quartz system seen across the series returns as well. Each character can hold a certain amount of quartz, and depending on what’s equipped, they get different stat bonuses and access to spells. Equipping multiple or stronger water quartz, for example, unlocks both offensive and healing water spells. Each character can be specced the way you want them, creating different team compositions with even a handful of characters. It’s a great system that holds a ton of depth for those looking. My Joshua, for example, had a number of quartz on him that let him delay the enemy’s turn order and cancel spells, with high speed to repeat turns quickly. Estelle, on the other hand, was like a tank, with lots of defence and offence to pack a punch and hold it down when things got tough.
In With The New
There is new content here, but it’s largely inconsequential. I’d have loved more backstory and deeper looks into the closer supportive cast, like Tita and Agate, but the new quests are more fluff than anything else. They’re not bad and are fun, but they can’t really do too much, given the long road ahead for many of these characters, who are already known. Some characters are introduced or seen earlier, but not with much fanfare or explanation. They’re fun little additions for long-time fans, but new players won’t feel their impact without knowing what comes next.
The graphical overhaul here, though, is massive. Trails in the Sky‘s sprite work has stood the test of time and remains beautiful, with 1st Chapter being completely remade in 3D. The new art style is very anime and bright, packed with warmth and light that perfectly fit Liberl and its characters. Seeing how cities I know like the back of my hand have been brought to stunning heights and new life has brought a smile to my face every time. The darker and more intense moments hit harder than ever before, supported by the aforementioned excellent vocal work. It’s easily the best the Trails series has ever looked, with new camera work and direction on some key scenes that make them electric and exciting to see play out. There is some minor pop in along the way, but other than that, it runs flawlessly on PS5 Pro.
Verdict
Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is a sensational remake, staying true to the heart of what made the original so special, while adding on elements that just fit perfectly. The quality of life improvements, like the mini map and fast travel, make things flow well, while the added action combat on top of reworked tactical combat feels the best it has so far. The voice acting is terrific, and the graphics are superb, even if the slower pace may turn some off. It’s totally worth the journey and is the perfect spot to jump on for new players. Just be warned, if and when you play the 1st Chapter, you’ll be on the hook for the next 12 games and counting that follow. It’s that good, as you fall in love with this world and the characters that call it home, with Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter being the perfect place to start.
[The publisher provided a copy of the game for review purposes.]
Reviewed on: PlayStation 5 Pro
