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Trails / Kiseki (series)
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The Trails series (known as the Kiseki [軌跡] series in Japan) is a long-running JRPG series known for its strong world-building and continuous, overarching main story that spans 10 full games currently. This is in contrast to the Tales series and Final Fantasy, whose respective games aren't connected and tell different stories (for the most part).
Trails games are text-heavy story RPGs with a strong focus on characters, writing, dialogue, and world-building. Hailed as one of the largest, longest and most meticulously detailed turn-based party JRPG series of all time, the ongoing Trails saga has quickly become Ys developer Nihon Falcom's most popular and best-selling franchise in their entire 35+ year history. Introducing people, places, ideas, events and lore that rival in complexity those of even the most highly-regarded fantasy epics in literature, the care and attention given to each and every NPC, location and historical in-game event is what sets The Legend of Heroes: Trails Series apart from its contemporaries.
Mainline Series
It is highly recommended that the Trails games be played in release order without skipping a single game. While the series started on PSP/Vita, there are now PC releases for most of the games (and PS4/Switch releases for the most modern games).
Liberl Arc:
Trails in the Sky FC (First Chapter)
Trails in the Sky SC (Second Chapter)
Trails in the Sky the 3rd (aka TC)
Crossbell Arc:
Trails from Zero (Zero no Kiseki)
Trails to Azure (Ao no Kiseki)
Erebonia Arc:
Trails of Cold Steel (Sen no Kiseki)
Trails of Cold Steel II
Trails of Cold Steel III
Trails of Cold Steel IV
Trails into Reverie (Hajimari no Kiseki)
Calvard Arc (ongoing):
Trails through Daybreak (Kuro no Kiseki)
Kuro no Kiseki 2
Kuro no Kiseki 3 (yet-to-be released)
Note that, for quite a while, the Crossbell Arc hadn't been officially released in the west, but there was a strong fan translation that'd been done for the games. On June 25th 2021, NISA announced that they'd be officially releasing the Crossbell games to the West (with the Geofront fan translation as the basis ).
Characters
The main protagonist for each of the games are particularly well liked in the series. Namely Estelle Bright for the Liberl Arc (Sky games), Lloyd Bannings for the Crossbell Arc, and Rean Schwarzer for the Erebonia Arc (Cold Steel games).
Reception / Fanbase
While not as prolific or well-known in the West as Final Fantasy or Tales, the Trails series has a passionate fanbase. In the r/JRPG subreddit, the Trails series is constantly being recommended. Furthermore, 4chan's recently created /vrpg/ (video game RPGs) board is constantly flooded with multiple Trails series threads.
![The absolute state of /vrpg/ BPS4 MARF OFFICIAL TEASER FINILEANTA 7/1/3 v When does it get good? 14 /7/3 - cyberpunkdreams your psychosis has increased to 6 49 /6/3 v I would like to remind everyone that Juna is cute and canon and has always known the SSS membels since Zero no Kisek. 116 /6/4 33 /2/4 v Is here any way I can play the geofront translations on he PS4 versions of According to gamble we know the 3 characters in 51 / 17/4 v BIG ASS FUCKNG SWORDS thread tribute te Miura back Who do you think they are DYouTube] The Next Mass Effect - Official Teaser Trailer (embed) Crossbell saga? 44 /7/3 v How would your favorite RPG change if its protagonist was genderswapped? 33 /5/3 v 44 /314 v 130 / 32 /4 We haven't really talked about Rean in a while What are your thoughts on him and Cold Steel? yau WILL eat the bugs I dan't talk right now Im making PISS 18 /1/4 v >no Rean >no Juna ??????????? It not really Trails withdut Rean or Juna. 258 / 36 /4 v Rune Factory 5 What would you like to see in Rune Factory 6? 66 / 10/4 v btfw you're stuck teaching Imperial history to three w-----, an autist, and a delinquent brat Why didn't he join the Imperial Fishing Club and become its president again? We all know how secretly powerful the ishing guilds are in the series, he really coáld've used the power boost a few times here and there. 24 /4/4 v Mass Effect What am I in for??? Insanity btw 370 / 62 /4 Baldur's Gate 3 Thread 50 / 12/4 FALL TO RUIN 223 / 28 / 4 v Githyanki are for edition Hi anon. You know why I'n HHHHHHHRRRRRRRRAA this close to your face AGHHHHH-TEEYAAAAAA 47 /714 Imake a thread but i fut rean in it 16 /6/4 v 55 /8/4 v Why does Falcoom refise right? It's because of Trals to Aring back this character of &old Steel, the JRPG of for Kuro no Kyseki despite hisovertlelming populay in polls? AAAAH!!IIII! *boom* Now, where my breath of fire n----- at he century. Cnch re on 57 / 11/5 v Uhhh... SSS-bros? 65 / 11 /5 v Milium died because of his ignorance, maybe if he stapped self-loathing for seconds he could doing something useful with his 14 /4/5 RPGS live or die based on 35 /3/5 What do they eat? 28 /4/5 Which RPGS let you have cakes as party members? the quality of their villains. What are some RPGS with good villains. 18 /4/5 Vhich RPGS have some actually good female protagonists? Bestele's games are a giver, of paurse 19/2/5 v 36 / 2/5 The End of Saga" >ha six million more game after it >Dragon Quest 12 is a fu on grimdark fantasy ARPG "for adults" Oh no no no no, even Kuro gives you the opion to switchfn command- 27 /2/5 22 /4/5 What if the Rean vas girl Lilerally why didn't he fust not kill the holy beast? He would have sared everyone the rouble.](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/111/681/159.png)
There are several notable points of contention in the fandom, leading to what can be perceived as gatekeeping and elitism. Many want to start with the Cold Steel games (6th in the series), because they're the first with "modern" 3D graphics. Many skip the Crossbell games because they hadn't been officially released in English for quite a while. Trails in the Sky the 3rd is a particularly touchy subject because it is the sole black sheep of the series with gameplay in a completely different style (emphasis on dungeon crawling and side stories, with very little NPCs/towns).
Haha…
"Haha…" is how Rean Schwarzer commonly starts many of his lines interacting with other characters. It's excessively used to the point that it's become a meme and common reaction in the community, as well as a hallmark of so-called "Reanposting".
Top Comments
Weimario
May 19, 2021 at 10:19PM EDT in reply to
chausies
May 17, 2021 at 11:44PM EDT