Info about The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie:

Official game description:
The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie Purchase Options
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About the Game
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What destinies await these three fateful figures? Use the Trails to Walk system to switch between Rean Schwarzer, Lloyd Bannings, and the masked figure "C", and determine the fates of key characters and locations within Zemuria. Dive into refined tactical combat with new features such as United Front, and discover new allies and challenges within the halls of the True Reverie Corridor!  
**About**  
Where one trail ends, another begins...  
The intertwining fates of three figures in Zemuria will be decided in this climactic chapter of The Legend of Heroes series! Follow the footsteps of the war hero Rean Schwarzer, the liberator Lloyd Bannings, and the masked enigma "C", and switch between each of their paths freely with the Trails to Walk system.  
\- Lloyd Bannings, leader of the Crossbell Police Department’s Special Support Section, finds himself fighting for his city's freedom once again after Crossbell's independence celebrations are interrupted by the sudden reappearance of an old threat.  
\- Following the events of the Great Twilight, Erebonian hero Rean Schwarzer and his students return to life at the branch campus. However, this fleeting peace is disturbed by the emergence of a new threat.  
\- When the former governor general of Crossbell suddenly returns and lays claim to the city state, four figures carry out a secret mission to investigate his actions. Their leader is "C," a masked individual who seems to be using the same codename as the leader of the Imperial Liberation Front. But to what end?  
**Key Features**  
A Trio of Trails: Experience three different story arcs and switch between them any time with the Trails to Walk system. Plus, discover side episodes to fully flesh out the characters and world of Zemuria.  
Reverie into Reality: Enter the True Reverie Corridor, which allows you to encounter and recruit new characters from across Zemuria, enter randomly generated dungeons to test your mettle, and play a variety of mini games.  
Paragons of Combat: Utilize Arts, Brave Orders, and cunning tactics to prevail in battle. Master the new United Front system and harness the power of your entire team to decimate enemies while empowering yourself.

Release date: 7 Jul, 2023

Categories: Tactical RPG, Single-player Story, Dungeon Crawler, Procedural Generation, Character Progression, Character Customization


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


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:
- Series' Best & Conclusive (weight 1): Players widely consider this game to be the pinnacle of the series, offering the best gameplay and serving as a satisfying conclusion to multiple long-running story arcs, including Cold Steel, Crossbell, and Liberl. It effectively ties up loose ends and provides a rewarding experience for long-time fans.
- Excellent & Deep Combat (weight 0.57): The game's combat system is highly praised for its depth, strategic options, and fun factor, allowing for diverse character builds and party combinations. Players enjoyed the refined mechanics and the ability to create overpowered setups, making battles engaging and satisfying.
- Focused & Engaging Story (weight 0.31): The story is well-structured and engaging, with a focused narrative that avoids unnecessary bloat. Players appreciated the twists and turns, finding the plot compelling and a significant improvement in storytelling compared to previous entries.
- Strong Character Development (weight 0.26): The game excels in character development, providing satisfying conclusions and new beginnings for beloved characters while also introducing fantastic new additions. The interactions between the vast cast are a major highlight, contributing to a rich and emotional experience.
- Robust Reverie Corridor Content (weight 0.18): The True Reverie Corridor is a significant highlight, offering extensive replayability through its dungeon crawling, mini-games, side stories, and character interactions. It provides a wealth of content and resources, compensating for the main story's length.
- High Production Quality & Passion (weight 0.13): Falcom's dedication to the series is evident through the game's amazing soundtrack, improved visuals, and meticulous attention to detail in world-building and NPC dialogues. This passion is seen as a testament to the creators' love for their work.
- Sets Up Future Content (weight 0.1): The game effectively sets the stage for future installments, providing hints and building anticipation for the next arc. It also offers substantial post-game content, ensuring players have plenty to do after completing the main story.

Common complaints:
- Weak and Bloated Story (weight 0.55): Many players found the game's story to be weak, bloated, and repetitive, often feeling like unnecessary filler or a rehash of previous entries. The narrative's slow pace and lack of significant stakes also contributed to a sense of dissatisfaction.
- Excessive Character Roster (weight 0.41): The game features an overwhelming number of playable characters, leading to issues like poor characterization, lack of development, and difficulty in managing the large roster. Many characters felt like irrelevant filler.
- Tedious Reverie Corridor (weight 0.36): The Reverie Corridor and its associated content, including Daydreams and mini-games, were widely criticized as boring, tedious, and unnecessary. Many felt this content sacrificed other aspects of the game and offered little value.
- Repetitive and Lengthy Combat (weight 0.35): Players reported that combat sequences, especially boss fights, were excessively long and repetitive. This, combined with slow animations and frequent, drawn-out dialogues, made the overall gameplay feel like an endless grind.
- Outdated Graphics and Technical Issues (weight 0.29): Technical and graphical aspects of the game were criticized, with players noting outdated visuals resembling older console generations and issues like stiff animations. Some also reported poor PC optimization and crashes.
- Unsatisfying Character Routes (weight 0.14): Specific character routes, particularly Rean's and Lloyd's, were criticized for being unimpactful, repetitive, or underwhelming. Players expressed fatigue with these characters' prominence and their lack of meaningful development.
- Poor Localization Quality (weight 0.11): The game's localization received significant negative feedback, with players reporting poor translation quality, missing language options, and changes that altered character personalities or story elements.
- Series Fatigue (weight 0.08): A segment of players expressed general fatigue with the series, indicating a lack of interest in continuing or replaying due to the game's overall quality and a desire to move on from the long-running narrative.

Gameplay feedback:
- Procedural Dungeon: True Reverie Corridor (weight 0.43): The game features the 'True Reverie Corridor' (TRC), a procedurally generated rogue-like dungeon. It serves as a central hub for grinding, leveling characters, experimenting with builds, and unlocking additional content like characters, minigames, and side stories (Daydreams). While accessible early, its full potential, including high-level combat and a post-game side story, is unlocked after completing the main narrative. It combines elements from previous games' optional dungeons.
- Massive Playable Character Roster (weight 0.38): The game boasts an exceptionally large roster of playable characters, featuring over 50 characters, including almost every character from previous games across the Sky, Crossbell, and Cold Steel arcs. This massive cast allows for extensive team building, character optimization, and diverse build choices, providing a sandbox for players to experiment with various combinations and strategies.
- Epilogue & Familiar Gameplay (weight 0.31): The game serves as an epilogue and conclusion to the Crossbell and Erebonia arcs, directly continuing the story from Cold Steel IV and the Crossbell duology. Its core gameplay mechanics, including the combat system, are largely identical to Cold Steel IV, with minor additions. It's often described as a 'Cold Steel 5' or a 'Trails in the Sky 3rd' for the combined arcs, focusing on tying up loose ends.
- Three Parallel Story Routes (weight 0.25): The main story is uniquely structured into three parallel routes, following protagonists Rean, Lloyd, and 'C'. Players can switch between these routes at most times, with occasional forced switches for story progression. This 'Trails to Walk' system offers multiple perspectives on unfolding events and provides a fresh narrative approach compared to previous linear entries.
- Refined Combat System (weight 0.18): The combat system is largely consistent with the Cold Steel series, particularly Cold Steel III and IV, featuring turn-based battles with Brave Orders and Combat Links. While some players find it refined and highly flexible, others note it's mostly unchanged. New additions like United Fronts enhance strategic options, making combat feel satisfying and allowing for diverse build choices.
- Side Stories: Daydreams (weight 0.11): The game introduces 'Daydreams,' which are side stories similar to the 'Memory Doors' from Trails in the Sky 3rd. These vignettes provide additional context, character development, and insights into events not covered in the main story, often revealing new mysteries for future arcs. They can range from visual novel-style scenes to short combat sections.
- New Combat Mechanic: United Fronts (weight 0.11): A new combat mechanic called 'United Fronts' allows players to execute powerful group attacks, magical attacks, or healing abilities. These are fueled by the Assault Gauge and can involve both active and backup party members, providing significant tactical advantages like stat bonuses, ailment cures, and resource replenishment.
- Increased Nightmare Difficulty (weight 0.06): Playing on Nightmare difficulty significantly increases the challenge, especially in the early game, compared to previous Cold Steel titles. This difficulty setting encourages players to fully utilize game mechanics, optimize builds, and engage in more strategic thinking to overcome stronger bosses.
- Enhanced Master Quartz System (weight 0.06): The Master Quartz system has been enhanced, with Master Quartz now able to level up to 15. This improvement, along with a few new Quartz types, provides more depth and customization options for character builds, allowing for greater power and flexibility.
- Gacha-like Progression System (weight 0.05): The game incorporates a 'gacha-like' system for obtaining side content such as characters, Daydreams, and minigames. This system is designed to speed up progression and ensure players acquire all content without duplicates, reducing the need for traditional grinding.

Performance notes:
- Occasional crashes and frame drops (weight 0.08): Despite generally good performance, some players experienced occasional crashes and minor frame drops, even on systems exceeding recommended specifications. These issues are not widespread but can be noticeable, though players are hopeful for future fixes.
- Exemplary PC port quality (weight 0.08): The PC port, developed by Durante and PH3, is widely praised for its excellent quality, smooth performance, extensive customization options, and quality-of-life features. It's built on the same well-optimized engine as previous titles.
- Visually stunning graphics and design (weight 0.07): The game features impressive graphics, with particular praise for character details, city architecture, and environmental design that capture the series' essence. Monster designs are also highlighted for their nostalgic yet modern 3D reimagining.
- Turbo mode enhances gameplay (weight 0.02): The inclusion of a 'Turbo mode' is a highly appreciated feature, as it significantly speeds up lengthy battle animations, improving the overall pacing of combat.

Recommendations:
- Highly Recommended for Fans (weight 0.56): The game is highly recommended, especially for existing fans of the Trails series, as it serves as a satisfying conclusion to various arcs and sets up future installments. Despite some minor issues, the overall experience is positive and enjoyable for those invested in the saga.
- Anticipation for Next Arc (weight 0.08): Players are eagerly anticipating the next arc in the series, particularly the Calvard arc (Kuro no Kiseki). There's a strong desire for new characters and fresh gameplay experiences in future installments.
- Consider Buying on Discount (weight 0.06): While generally recommended, some players suggest waiting for a discount before purchasing the game. This indicates that while the content is worthwhile, the full price might be considered steep by some.
- Complete Post-Game Content (weight 0.03): To maximize the experience, players are advised to complete all post-game content and ensure they have finished the Crossbell games. This suggests that additional content and prior game completion enhance the overall enjoyment.
- Wait for Bug Fixes (weight 0.03): It is suggested to wait for further patches to address potential bugs and issues, indicating that the game might benefit from additional technical improvements.
- Mixed Series Ranking (weight 0.03): There's mixed sentiment regarding the game's standing within the series. Some consider it better than previous entries like Sky 3 or Cold Steel 4, while others view it as less significant or even the worst.
- Focus on Story Difficulty (weight 0.02): For those primarily interested in the narrative, playing on easier difficulty settings (Very Easy or Normal) is recommended. This implies that the story is the main draw, and combat difficulty can be adjusted to focus on it.
- Appreciation for Developers (weight 0.02): Some players express gratitude towards Falcom and NIS for their work and support for PC gamers, encouraging continued support for Falcom's games.
- Negative Publisher Sentiment (weight 0.02): A small cluster of reviews expresses strong negative sentiment towards the publisher, NISA, accusing them of releasing low-quality products. This appears to be part of a review-bombing effort.

Other player notes:
- Series Epilogue & Conclusion (weight 0.37): The game serves as a direct and satisfying epilogue to both the Cold Steel and Crossbell sagas, effectively tying up loose ends and providing closure for long-standing character arcs. It acts as a bridge to future installments while concluding a major chapter of the series.
- Mixed Story Reception (weight 0.21): While some aspects of the narrative are praised, a significant portion of players found the overall story to be repetitive, uninspired, or disjointed. Concerns were raised about lazy writing, excessive dialogue, and a lack of meaningful character development in certain areas.
- Fan Service & Future Setup (weight 0.19): The game is widely regarded as a 'love letter' to fans, providing a satisfying conclusion to a major saga while also setting the stage for future installments. It evokes strong emotional responses and leaves players excited for the series' future.
- Improved Cinematics & Animation (weight 0.09): The game features noticeable improvements in its cinematics and character animations, marking Falcom's first attempt at motion capture. This results in smoother, more expressive cutscenes and better camera work compared to previous entries.
- Read 'Three & Nine' Novel (weight 0.06): Players are strongly advised to read the in-game novel 'Three & Nine' (or its real-world equivalent) before or during gameplay. This novel introduces key characters and provides important context for the story.
- C's Storyline is Strongest (weight 0.05): The storyline focusing on the new protagonist 'C' (Rufus Albarea) is frequently highlighted as the strongest and most engaging route. It is praised for its compelling plot, character development, and emotional depth.
- Rean's Arc Continues (weight 0.04): Rean's storyline is generally seen as exciting and contributes to his character development, allowing him to confront personal demons. However, some felt his arc was prolonged, having been a central figure for five games.
- Lloyd's Storyline Weaker (weight 0.04): Lloyd's storyline is often considered the weakest of the three main routes, with some finding it repetitive of past events. Despite this, it still contains interesting character developments, such as Randy's arc.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.36): Players felt satisfied primarily due to the game's successful conclusion of long-running story arcs and character developments, particularly for the Crossbell and SSS narratives. The overall high quality of the game, including its combat system, music, and technical performance (especially the PC port), also contributed significantly to this positive emotion, providing a fulfilling experience and good value.
- Disappointment (weight 0.12): Disappointment stemmed from the game's perceived unfinished feel, repetitive gameplay, and a lack of significant new content. Narrative choices, such as diluted story elements, uninteresting new characters, and a focus on specific returning characters, also contributed to this sentiment. Localization issues, including a lack of French translation and politically correct changes, were also a notable cause.
- Frustration (weight 0.1): Frustration was largely driven by poor optimization on certain platforms, game-breaking bugs, and the tediousness of managing a large cast of characters, particularly for equipment and orbments. Repetitive dialogue, excessive grinding for 100% completion, and a convoluted story with technical jargon also contributed to player annoyance and frustration.
- Excitement (weight 0.06): Excitement was generated by engaging storytelling, particularly in 'C's route, and the game's ability to conclude existing narratives while hinting at future ones. Players also enjoyed experimenting with new combat mechanics, building powerful characters, and the anticipation for the next arc of the series.
- Joy (weight 0.04): Joy was primarily caused by the reunion of beloved characters and nostalgic appearances, along with their interactions. Players also found joy in the overall enjoyable gameplay, improved mechanics, incredible music, and engaging side content, which allowed for more time with the game's world and characters.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.03): Players experienced enjoyment from the game's fun gameplay, particularly the new combat additions and the True Reverie Corridor. The large and entertaining cast of characters, and their interactions within the game's mechanics, also contributed significantly to overall enjoyment, even despite some perceived flaws.
- Love (weight 0.03): Love for the game was expressed due to its high overall quality, encompassing its combat, characters, story, and music. The game's pacing, character development, and world-building were also significant factors, often reigniting or reinforcing a deep affection for the series as a whole.
- Admiration (weight 0.03): Admiration was directed towards the game's overall quality, including its soundtrack, and the developer's dedication. Specific praise was given for the expert handling of the large cast and narrative, impressive world-building, and strong writing quality, particularly regarding character redemption arcs.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Players appreciated the game's technical improvements, such as the quality of the PC port and translation, and its accessibility features. The depth of gameplay, engaging post-game content, and the return of favorite characters with meaningful interactions also contributed to a sense of appreciation.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise arose from unexpected elements such as Rufus's character development, the unexpectedly long playtime, and the sheer amount of content available. Players also expressed surprise at engaging plot twists and an overall unexpected level of enjoyment from the game.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Anger was primarily directed at poor writing quality, particularly lazy writing and rehashed content, and significant localization issues, including voice acting problems. Some players also expressed anger at the game's geopolitics and a perceived lack of danger in the narrative, leading to abandonment.
- Annoyance (weight 0.01): Annoyance stemmed from quality-of-life issues like the inability to save quartz loadouts and forced multi-party formations. The repetitive and tedious nature of the Reverie Corridor, along with some minigames and a feeling of padded story, also caused significant annoyance.
- Neutrality (weight 0.01): Neutrality was expressed when players provided factual descriptions of the game, or when their feelings were ambivalent, such as regarding the main threat being 'eh' or the cost of the game. Minor performance issues also contributed to a neutral, rather than strongly negative, sentiment.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Nostalgia was evoked by the game bringing back childhood feelings, marking the end of an era for the series, and the return of beloved characters. Music arrangements also played a significant role in triggering nostalgic sentiments among players.
- Anticipation (weight 0.01): Anticipation was generated by the game's setup for the next arc, the presence of unanswered questions in the narrative, and the general excitement for future game releases within the franchise.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion arose from the game's strange story elements, particularly character redemption choices, and specific voice acting casting decisions. The split narrative structure also contributed to confusion in certain parts of the story.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): Sadness was felt due to the emotional impact of certain story moments and the realization of having to finish the game after many hours. The impending end of the series also contributed to a sense of sadness among long-time fans.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): Gratitude was expressed for the release of a new game in the series, a deep personal connection players felt towards the franchise, and specific support provided for PC gamers, such as good port quality.
- Tiredness (weight 0.01): Tiredness was caused by the game's story and characters, suggesting a feeling of fatigue with certain narrative elements. The extensive grinding required for achievements also led to player exhaustion.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom stemmed from the repetitive and unchallenging gameplay, particularly within the Reverie Corridor content, which players found monotonous and unengaging.}