Info about The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero:

Official game description:
Lloyd Bannings returns to his hometown to follow his late brother's footsteps and join the Crossbell Police Department. However, he finds himself assigned to a ragtag new division called the Special Support Section, which performs odd jobs and helps people in need. But he and his new teammates slowly discover that their vibrant city hides a dark criminal underbelly...as well as a few terrible secrets.  
**About**  
Experience Crossbell in this exciting chapter from the renowned The Legend of Heroes series! The site of an ongoing territorial struggle between the Erebonian Empire and the Republic of Calvard, Crossbell has developed into a prosperous city-state and one of the continent’s leading economic centers.  
After three years away from his hometown, Lloyd Bannings returns in order to follow his late brother's footsteps and join the Crossbell Police Department. However, when he arrives, he finds he's been assigned to the Special Support Section, a new division that handles odd jobs and minor requests. He meets his new teammates, which include Elie MacDowell, the granddaughter of the city's mayor; Randy Orlando, a womanizing ex-soldier; and Tio Plato, a young tech genius.  
Though their department is mocked by the media and looked down on by the rest of the CPD, Lloyd and his friends continue to fight to make their city a better place. As they do, however, they slowly come face-to-face with the criminal corruption gripping their city. Little do they know just how deep the shadows of Crossbell City go...  
**Key Features**  
Welcome to Crossbell: The beginning of an exciting story arc in the Trails universe is about to begin in this iconic city-state! Experience a rich and refreshing game world that is teeming with secrets and adventures.  
Polished Tactics: Strategic combat has been refined, resulting in rich, satisfying tactical gameplay. Harness powerful skills and teamwork to overcome your adversaries!  
Your City, Your Story: Features such as High-speed and Skip mode allow you to cater your gameplay experience to your preferences and enjoy battles quickly to focus on the surrounding story and events.

Release date: Sep 27, 2022

Categories: JRPG, Turn-based Combat, Character Progression, Story-driven Gameplay, Narrative-driven Gameplay, Character-driven Narrative, Exploration, Mini-games

Feature scans:
- Wiki: score 75; verdict: High Dependency on External Data; summary: The primary user complaints revolve around the necessity of using external guides and spreadsheets to manage missable content and inventory. This indicates a significant reliance on external data for both instructional and valuation purposes.
- Steam Deck: score 20; verdict: Well Optimized with Minor Issues; summary: The game is generally well-received on the Steam Deck with positive feedback on optimization, performance, and battery life. However, there are notable complaints about the visual quality due to AI upscaling issues.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $15.00 - $25.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that the community finds the game worth purchasing during sales or discounts, indicating that the base price might be considered high. The mention of the game being 'zu teuer' (too expensive) at 39.99 further supports that the fair price is likely lower than the current base price. The positive sentiments about the game's quality and worth during sales help to establish a reasonable price range.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 30.0h
  - Story completion: 50.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: 40.0h
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides several data points on playtime. The first quote mentions completing the main story and all side quests in around 30 hours, suggesting a game completion time of approximately 30 hours. The second quote indicates that spending around 50 hours is substantial, implying that story completion could be around this time. The third quote supports a game completion time of a little more than 30 hours. The fourth quote suggests that 100% completion, which includes extensive playtime for all content, can exceed 90 hours, indicating significant endgame content.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game starts slow and boring but picks up significantly in the later chapters, making the initial slog worth it in the end.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Story picks up
  - Time to anchor: 20h 0m
  - Friction: Slow pacing; Boring initial chapters; Long-winded conversations
  - Unlock drivers: Improved pacing in later chapters; Story development; Character development
  - Conditions: Patience to get through initial slow chapters; Interest in story and character development; Engagement with the game's lore and backstories
- Player Archetypes:
  - Series Veteran (buy)
    - Motivation: Story and character arcs
    - Playstyle: Comprehensive and sequential, focusing on story and character development.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Trails series fan; JRPG fan
    - Reference games: Trails in the Sky; Trails of Cold Steel
  - JRPG Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoyment of JRPG elements
    - Playstyle: Exploratory and immersive, focusing on enjoying the game's strong points.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: JRPG fan; Newcomer to Trails
    - Reference games: Final Fantasy; Persona
  - Long-Form Story Investor (buy)
    - Motivation: Immersive storytelling
    - Playstyle: Comprehensive and thorough, focusing on experiencing every aspect of the story.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Trails series veteran; Story enthusiast
    - Reference games: Trails in the Sky; Trails of Cold Steel


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Compelling and well-developed story (weight 0.63): The game features a fascinating and rewarding story with well-constructed narratives, developed characters, and many tear-jerking moments. The storytelling is noted for its quality and emotional depth.
- Well-developed and likable characters (weight 0.42): Characters are well-developed, versatile, and have depth. They are described as charismatic, likeable, and memorable, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- Top-notch soundtrack (weight 0.4): The soundtrack is memorable and meets exceptional standards, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and emotional impact.
- Improved and enjoyable gameplay (weight 0.31): The gameplay has seen several improvements, making it less tedious and more enjoyable. Quality-of-life features and changes to gameplay mechanics have been well-received.
- Strong world-building and setting (weight 0.22): The game excels in world-building, creating a richly developed and interesting setting that enhances the overall experience.
- Excellent voice acting (weight 0.19): The game includes superb and excellent voice acting, with full voice acting for story dialogues, enhancing the narrative experience.
- Beautiful and charming visuals (weight 0.16): The game features beautiful 2D graphics and charming visuals, contributing to an overall visually appealing experience.
- Favorite in the Trails series (weight 0.11): The game is considered one of the best in the Trails series, with a favorite soundtrack and highly regarded gameplay.
- Continuation of Trails in the Sky (weight 0.11): The game is a great follow-up to the Trails in the Sky trilogy, building upon the established gameplay and continuing the story.
- High-speed mode for efficiency (weight 0.11): The high-speed mode allows for efficient replay and combat, saving time and providing a comfortable gaming experience.
- Convenient saving features (weight 0.11): The game offers convenient saving features, including the ability to save anytime and automatic saving, which improve the gaming experience.

Common complaints:
- Slow early game pacing (weight 0.3): Many players noted that the game starts off slowly, with a lack of engaging content early on. This slow pacing is particularly noticeable in the beginning chapters, which can feel tedious.
- Visual and graphical issues (weight 0.2): The game's visuals have been criticized for being dated and lacking the polish of modern JRPGs. Additionally, the AI upscaling for textures has been noted as distracting and problematic.
- Missable content (weight 0.16): There is a significant amount of missable content in the game, including events and items. Players often feel the need to use a guide to avoid missing out on these elements.
- Language limitations (weight 0.13): The game is only available in English, which limits accessibility for non-English speaking players. There are also issues with the lack of certain language translations, such as German text and English voice options.
- Excessive dialogue (weight 0.12): The game features a significant amount of dialogue, which some players find excessive and unnecessary. This can lead to a feeling of long-windedness and detract from the action.
- Combat is serviceable (weight 0.06): The combat system in the game is described as fine but not exceptional. It is serviceable rather than a standout feature.
- Camera and view issues (weight 0.06): The game has fixed camera angles and view issues, which can be problematic for some players.
- Tedious NPC interactions (weight 0.06): Interacting with NPCs can feel tedious due to the mechanics of having to talk to every NPC.
- High price point (weight 0.06): Some players have noted that the game's price, particularly the pre-order price, is high.
- Missing content from PSVita version (weight 0.05): Some content that was added in the PSVita version, such as certain subquests and character visuals, is missing in this version.

Gameplay feedback:
- Character and story development (weight 0.38): The game features strong character development and a compelling story structure, driving the narrative and player engagement.
- Turn-based combat system (weight 0.16): The turn-based combat system is grid-based and includes strategic elements such as elemental attacks and buffs/debuffs.
- Exploration and world-building (weight 0.16): Exploration mechanics and the detailed setting of Crossbell enhance the game's world-building and immersion.
- NPC interactions and quests (weight 0.16): Interactions with NPCs are crucial for quests and advancing the story, adding depth to the gameplay experience.
- Mini-games and side activities (weight 0.15): The game features various mini-games like cooking and fishing, as well as side quests and collectibles.
- Customization and progression systems (weight 0.14): Systems like the Orbment customization and Detective Points (DP) allow for deep character customization and progression.
- Multiple storylines and themes (weight 0.14): The game includes multiple storylines, including a police work theme, providing a rich narrative experience.
- Gameplay evolution from previous iterations (weight 0.13): The gameplay has evolved from previous iterations, offering both new and familiar elements to the series.
- Camera and graphics style (weight 0.13): The game features a fixed camera and isometric graphics with 2D sprites, giving it a distinctive visual style.
- New gameplay mechanics (weight 0.11): New mechanics such as the ability to stun enemies and high-speed mode add fresh layers to the gameplay.
- Series continuity and connections (weight 0.11): The game is part of the Trails series and includes interconnected narratives with previous games, enriching the overall story.

Performance notes:
- Enhanced 2D graphics praised (weight 0.19): Players consistently highlight the beautiful and improved 2D graphics, noting significant graphical updates and enhancements.
- Steam Deck optimizations (weight 0.14): The game is well-optimized for Steam Deck, with players reporting that it works perfectly and runs beautifully on the device.
- Good optimization overall (weight 0.1): Players appreciate the good optimization of the game, mentioning many options and fantastic optimization.
- AI-upscaling texture issues (weight 0.07): Some players have noted issues with AI-upscaled textures, indicating that there are some graphical problems related to AI upscaling.
- Ultrawide and high framerate support (weight 0.06): The game supports ultrawide monitors and high framerates, which is appreciated by players.
- Gamepad control issues (weight 0.04): There are reports of issues with gamepad controls, affecting the gameplay experience for some players.
- Input delay problems (weight 0.04): Players have experienced input delay, which can impact the responsiveness of the game.
- Visually dated appearance (weight 0.04): Some players feel that the game looks visually dated, despite other graphical improvements.
- Good battery life (weight 0.04): The game is noted for having good battery life, which is beneficial for portable gaming.
- PC port runs well (weight 0.04): The PC port of the game is reported to run well, providing a smooth experience for players.
- Arbitrary resolutions and refresh rates (weight 0.03): The game supports arbitrary resolutions and refresh rates, offering flexibility for different setups.
- Dynamic Steam Cloud support (weight 0.03): The game supports dynamic Steam Cloud, allowing players to save their progress and settings across different devices.
- Improved shadow effects (weight 0.03): Players have noted improvements in shadow effects, contributing to the overall graphical enhancements.

Recommendations:
- Play Sky trilogy first (weight 0.3): Many players recommend playing the Trails in the Sky trilogy before starting this game for the best experience and maximum enjoyment.
- Good entry point for JRPG fans (weight 0.21): The game is suggested as a valid entry point for fans of JRPGs and long-form anime in video game format, even for those new to the Trails series.
- Recommended for series fans (weight 0.18): The game is highly recommended for fans of the Trails series, especially those who have played and enjoyed previous games like the Trails in the Sky and Cold Steel games.
- Interest in political lore (weight 0.05): The game is recommended for players interested in political lore and completing side quests.
- Use guides for achievements (weight 0.04): Players suggest using guides for bonding-related achievements and collectibles to enhance the gaming experience.
- Try higher difficulty modes (weight 0.03): Playing on hard or nightmare mode is recommended for a better combat experience.
- Get the EVO mod (weight 0.03): Players recommend getting the EVO mod for improved music arrangements.
- Previous games on Steam (weight 0.03): Previous games in the series are available on Steam, making it easier for new players to catch up.
- Anticipation for future releases (weight 0.03): Some players express anticipation for future releases in the series, such as Azure.
- Bundle sales suggested (weight 0.03): Selling the games in a bundle format is suggested as a way to attract new players.
- Japanese language feedback (weight 0.03): Feedback in Japanese regarding the availability and format of the games.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Excitement (weight 0.26): Players are excited about the engaging story, well-developed characters, and unique setting of the game. The introduction of new characters, along with the return of old favorites, and the overall high-quality gameplay, including combat mechanics and soundtrack, contribute significantly to this emotion.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.15): Players feel satisfied with the game's improvements in graphics and combat mechanics, along with its well-crafted story and phenomenal world-building. The enjoyable combat mechanics, good character development, and emotionally impactful scenes also contribute to this sense of satisfaction.
- Frustration (weight 0.14): Players experience frustration due to slow story pacing, difficulty spikes, and issues with game mechanics such as the combat notebook and camera system. Additionally, the lack of certain features like auto-skip for dialogue and the overwhelming amount of text contribute to this frustration.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.11): Players enjoy the game's pleasant pacing, strong world-building, and engaging story and characters. The improved gameplay mechanics, unique political setting, and enjoyable setting focused on mystery also enhance their enjoyment.
- Joy (weight 0.11): Players experience joy from the improved combat system, enjoyable characters, and fun gameplay. The engaging story, beautiful graphics, and positive experiences with the game's music and characters contribute to this feeling of joy.
- Disappointment (weight 0.05): Players feel disappointed due to the weakest game in the series, underdeveloped main characters, and repetitive gameplay elements. The lack of significant innovations, high price, and the game not meeting expectations also contribute to this disappointment.
- Appreciation (weight 0.04): Players appreciate the phenomenal cast and character work, as well as the amazing story and music. The well-developed characters, unique setting, and multi-phase boss battles are also highly valued.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.04): Players feel nostalgic due to the return to the original gameplay style of the series and the retro appeal of the game. Seeing characters from previous games and the comforting atmosphere also evoke this sense of nostalgia.
- Excited (weight 0.02): Players are excited about the strong character development in the latter half of the game and the continuation of the story. The great story resolution for returning characters and the anticipation of seeing how it plays out in the sequel contribute to this excitement.
- Sadness (weight 0.02): Players feel sadness due to emotional story moments, particularly the story resolution of characters like Renne and Ling, which evoke strong emotional responses.
- Love (weight 0.02): Players express love for the game and its mechanics, as well as the favorite arc of the Legend of Heroes series. The overall love for JRPGs and the Trails series also contributes to this emotion.
- Admiration (weight 0.02): Players admire the high-quality gameplay, graphics, and UI, as well as the unique NPCs and their dialogue. The high-quality remaster and full voice acting are also highly admired.
- Happiness (weight 0.01): Players feel happiness due to emotional story resolutions, such as Renne's story, and the overall emotional ending of the game. The positive experiences with the game's plot and characters contribute to this happiness.
- Frustrated (weight 0.01): Players feel frustrated due to missable collectibles and hidden tasks, as well as the many time-limited elements in the game.
- Disappointed (weight 0.01): Players feel disappointed due to the weak start with uninteresting new characters and the slow start with little hook to keep them engaged.
- Anticipation (weight 0.01): Players feel anticipation for the continuation of the story in Azure and how it will elevate the later story elements.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Players are enthusiastic about the game's qualities and the series as a whole, often recommending it to others.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): Players feel gratitude for the fan translation and the improvements made to the game, as well as the work done by the developers.
- Anger (weight 0): Players feel anger due to the ugly, distracting AI-upscaling in the game.
- Amused (weight 0): Players are amused by the fishing mechanics in the game.}