download the new version for iphoneThe Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie

The game does an admirable job of extending Rean’s character arc, but other characters are sadly left on the sidelines. Picking up after the conclusion of Trails of Cold Steel IV, the second part of Trails into Reverie has returning protagonist Rean exploring Erebonia to track down a certain newly-wed couple who have gone missing. I enjoyed Rean’s side of the story a bit more. Without spoiling anything, it’s the kind of plot point that’s already been covered in countless other games. It’s the bloody Curse of Erebonia all over again! Similarly, the way the game justifies bringing back past foes and having characters switch sides also comes off as rather lazy. Rather than being driven by pessimism or nostalgia for the Empire, they’re put in a trance by the power of dance and their opposition is represented as a sort of magical malaise.

There are some interesting story beats, but way the citizens of Crossbell suddenly turn against the independence movement feels contrived. Backtracking to so many old areas can be tedious though I didn’t finish the Crossbell arc beforehand (sacrilegious, I know), but even then I was sick of having to go visit the Geofront once again. Since most of Reverie takes place in Crossbell, the setting is much more fleshed out than its brief appearance in the Trails of Cold Steel games, with many familiar towns and dungeons returning. The independence celebrations are short-lived, however, with old villains returning and Crossbell being cast into chaos. The first of these follows Lloyd Bannings, the hero of Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure, as he does detective work in the newly-independent state of Crossbell.

Trails into Reverie is the Trails series at its most extravagant and impenetrable, but that’s hardly a bad thing.Īs a first for the series, Trails into Reverie contains three separate storylines, each with a different protagonist. There’s three different stories going on simultaneously, with the shifting perspectives making for a fresh take on some overly familiar settings. No, it’s more like a sequel to both Trails of Cold Steel IV and Trails to Azure, mixing the two casts and bringing in a number of new faces that promise to tie into future titles. Despite the new title and unfamiliar fellow on the front of the box, Trails into Reverie is far from a stand-alone entry in the series. It’s time to hit the Trails again with this newest entry in Falcom’s RPG franchise.

Download the new version for iphoneThe Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie